Abby's Very Own Evil Murdoch
We were supposed to be at the Halloween Party which had been considered to be epic to my cousin Abby as it would be the last one of our high school experience. She had begged her parents-on her knees no less as her hands had flown through the signs needed to get her point across-for the 'rare privilege' of "...the most awesome party ever!". It was quite the sight to see as not even her deaf parents could really hold up against the full effect of Abby Sciuto's puppy dog eyes of doom. They really should be patented as to this day, well into our adult-hood, they still effect me in ways I am loath to admit.
Except that the third self-proclaimed geek of our 'club' felt that it would be 'funner' if we "enhanced the experience of our peers. Besides, it's not that we're not going as we're still gonna be there."
"Just not in the capacity your parents and my guardians expected, Gabe." I sighed as I was more annoyed at the change of plans since I had plans of my own concerning this cute guy in our class that I knew was going to be there. It was like Gabe knew and that kind of creeped me out more than it should since he was my friend.
"But can you imagine their expressions when something like a rocket goes off or their drink kind of explodes all over them? Can't you see how fun that would be, Jaz?" Abby giggled enthusiastically as she bounced on the balls of her feet. She was just no help at all to my cause as she was more into pranks than even my honorary brother, Tony.
"Relax, Zeph, it's gonna be alright as this isn't a Carrie-type thing." Gabe slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me close to his side to whisper in my ear in a way I'm not all that certain I was comfortable with. "Trust me?"
I hesitated to say "Always" as I would have just a short time ago back when the boy I had grown so close to after my move to Baton Rouge still seemed to exist . He was darker now, crueler, than even my brother had been when he went all serial killer on our family... I had met Gabe through Abby as they had already been friends by the time I joined them. Their friendship is what kept me sane through my long, dark months of grieving and nightmares. They had been the only ones I had ever allowed to shorten my insanely long name of Jazmine Adrianne Zephyr. So, in turn, I was permitted to call them by the combined name of Gabby.
The name Gabby fit them since they complimented each other so well with equal parts of quirkiness and sarcasm. They also shared an interest in strange science tricks and chemistry. But Abby and I shared the love of mysteries including multiple murder scene possibilities. Putting the three of us together, however, meant trouble and strange accidents which is how the mysterious substance had come to be when playing with Abby's new chem set. I tilted my head to study him with blue eyes that were probably a bit cooler than normal before I concluded that he was himself, at least at that moment, so I gave my assent. It took us the full two weeks before that 'epic' party to put our plans and bag on 'scientifical' tricks together.
"Jaz, they're here." Abby giggle-whispered as she looked down from the loft of the barn that we had helped to 'decorate' as it did belong to another one of our more distant cousins in our crazy backwoods-type family tree.
"The party is about to start." Gabe whispered with a gleeful grin that was eerie in the low light cast by the lit lanterns below but his eyes glittered with something that caused my apprehension to grow.
My misgivings were soon forgotten I found myself drawn into my cousin's glee joining into their laughter when our enemy number one shrieked below when an altogether too realistic 'hand' appeared from the bottom of the foamy, bubbly concoction in the punchbowl.
"OMG, she actually fainted!" Gabby exclaimed in almost one voice that was creepy before I had gotten used to it.
The Homecoming Court's expressions were absolutely priceless when bowls of blood red slime fell on their heads! Gabe shrugged at our upraised eyebrows. "Didn't say there wouldn't be no Carrie-type moments; sides, it's not like it's real blood."
Then his once warm brown eyes danced with an odd type of dark amusement that brought all those earlier misgivings back as I felt my gut twist in a not nice at all sort of way. It wasn't until he held us back from making our escape after the last of our pranks had been sprung that things became hinky. "Just wait or you'll miss the 'grand' finale."
We shared looks of confused but then I chose to ignore my gut and we watched anyway the scene that unfolded below us. A scene that could only be categorized as a nightmare when horrified screams mixed with the sound of shattering glass-a distant cousin/uncle of ours fell to the ground-twitching. We watched in numb horror when the effects became a gruesomely odd version of the 'chicken dance' that involved the entire body. Several others dropped to the ground then the first group of three or so began to seize-violently. Terrified shrieks filled the barn as they all writhed in extreme pain when that numbing shock wore off enough for pandemonium to reign. The party was officially over.
Gabe's chilling laugh just barely cut through our horror before I was able to find my voice. "What did you do, Gabriel Alexander?"
"You know that substance you helped me create? Well, it turned out to be some seriously nasty stuff. Of course I tested it to see it's full effects before adding it to the bubbling brew."
Abby's voice shook with accusation. "Stuart's disappearance: that was you, wasn't it."
"And a few other small animals." He shrugged as an expression of creepy nostalgia mixed with malice further twisted his face into someone they no longer knew. "He was getting too close to my girls so he had to go."
Any further 'conversation' we could have had with our former friend was permanently interrupted when our own little world seemed to explode. Somehow a fire had started below us during our horrified confrontation as the panicked state of our classmates had escalated without our knowledge at that time. Later, we would find it difficult to piece together what really happened after the hay ignited. To us, the only thing that was truly important was that there were survivors and that we had lost less than a quarter of our graduating class. We never talk about that night even after all these years-not even after the nightmares in which I tend to get lost within the crackle of the blaze or the maniacal laughter of a boy who never escaped those flames. Or that is what we thought until I found my cousin lying in her own living room surrounded with bile and blood...but that is another story.
Fin
Disclaimer: Author does not own NCIS or it's creator's characters. Nor Stephen King's Carrie to which there is special mention.
AN: As always the OCs are mine as is this pre-series storyline. Personally, I don't think it's very scary but then not too much outside of Stephen King or Christopher Pike (that name cracks me up thanks to Star Trek) does. However, I wanted to put up a Halloween story so here's this one that's been sitting in my head since about season 6 or earlier of NCIS. Within a few days I'll have another up that has more to do with the history of my character in more of it's twisted glory. You haven't seen nothing yet. cackles Until next time, ~k~