And so the Halloween party got underway. Jay and Carlos met up with us early on to help set up. I didn't mention the Headless Horseman or my curfew; couldn't really explain one without the other. But that was no big deal. Soon enough everyone else arrived and after gorging ourselves, we decided to dive on into the night's events.
There wasn't really much we could do what with our lack of supplies. But Uma and the others pulled through and got us some music. We bobbed for parsnips- because we don't have apples on the island- and played a whack of other games. When we grew bored of that, as we enviably would, we gave dancing a try. Since none of us knew how to properly dance, it was more free style. More than halfway through though it got…. more steamy.
It started when people began coupling off. Now Harry and I had remained pretty close to each other all evening thus far. He teased me when I failed to nab a parsnip and I mocked his lousy dance moves. Secretly though, I'd been waiting for this moment, and my suspicions that Harry had too were confirmed when he slid up beside me. I glared at him through the corner of my eye, trying not to act too predictable. He sneered, planting both his hands on his hips in a defiant fashion.
"I know what you're thinking and you can forget it. There's no way I'm dancing with some scrawny wimp like you. Besides, I'm not the dancing type," says the guy who dances with me every single year without fail. Well, alrightly then; if that's the way he wants to play. I felt a bit like a brat, smirking inwardly. "Well, isn't that perfect? Cause I don't see anyone asking you." Harry tisked and I grinned. This was fun, and only made more fun when Gil came over to me. "Oh, you two aren't gonna dance? Then… wanna give it a shot with me, Mal?" Gil half-blushed at the last part of his question. Before I had time to reply, Harry suddenly grabbed my hand and waist. He didn't look me straight in the eye as the two of us began to sway together on the dance floor. "Ok, fine; if you insist," he groaned. "I don't recall asking you to dance, Harry," I retorted. And that's when his gaze met mine. A grin rolled across his lips and mine followed suit. His hand tightened his grip on my hand, curling his fingers tenderly around my palm. Shutting my eyes, I leaned my head in to rest on his broad chest. Harry held me close, and we stayed like that, not making a single sound for I don't know how long.
I think it was around ten o'clock when the dancing finally subsisted. We were all danced-out and just wanted to lounge around. Harry hadn't let go of my hand since he took it the first time. By then we were all sitting on straw benches and sandbags; I sat in Harry's lap the entire time. Everyone had enough common sense not to draw attention to it, lest they suffer Harry's wrath. Harry sat with one arm around my waist and the other propping up his lazy head. To kill time since we didn't want the party to be over yet we decided to tell ghost stories.
"And that's when they found his hook on the side of the car. And he was never seen again." I said we told ghost stories; I never said they were good stories. Jay and Uma yawned while Carlos and Freddy rolled their eyes. "Man, what a boring story," Uma remarked. "It's supposed to be scary, Gil," Harry tacked on. "What?! I thought it was scary!" Gil promptly defended himself. "Yeah, if you're five," Jay rolled his eyes. "You think you can do any better?" Gil shot back. "My grandmother could do better," Carlos chuckled. Evie simply rolled her eyes.
"Alright, enough guys. Who else has a story? Preferably scary, this time," I smiled at her subtle jab at Gil's poor story-telling skills. When no one volunteered, I thought to myself for a moment. Well technically the Headless Horseman is a real guy- er, ghost. Why not? It is Halloween night- his night- after all. I raised my hand up like a school child.
"I have one." "You do, Mal?" Jay sounded surprised. I nodded before continuing. "He's called the Headless Horseman." "What?" "Who's he?" "Never heard of him before." Harry gave everyone a look which told them to shut up, and once they did I went on. "The Headless Horseman is a headless rider who haunts well…. everywhere, I guess. But he only comes out on Halloween night, and he supposedly stays in the forest where he hunts his victims." "Victims?" Evie gulped. I nodded. "He apparently wants a head- I think to replace his own. So anyone he catches out in the forest on Halloween night he'll swipe the head off of. If he gets you, that's it, cause I've been told: you can't reason with a headless man."
No one said anything for a minute. Then Freddie blinked at me. "A head? He wants a head?" "Uh huh." Another moment of silence passed. "I thought we said tell us a scary story, Mal. What's with you guys and being bad at horror?" Uma threw her arms up. "But it is scary! Mostly because it's true." "Get out. There's no such thing as a Headless Horseman," Jay's eyes rolled. "There kinda is," I countered. "Yeah right. Who told you that?" "Um, lots of people? My father, Madam Mim…." "Madam Mim? Ha! You can't trust that old bat. She's off her rocker," Dizzy exclaimed. "So let me get this straight? Your old man told you that there's some headless dude riding around the woods, lopping people's heads off for… some reason," Uma reiterated everything I'd just said. "Yeah, that kinda sums it up," I agreed. She and Gil looked at each other incredulously. "Well…. how do you defeat him? He's already dead, isn't he?" Gil then inquired. "Uh, Madam Mim said something about crossing a bridge? That ends his power or something?" "A bridge?" Evie's eyebrow raised. "Yeah; don't ask me why it works. She didn't tell me." Gil thought for a minute. "But… there aren't any bridges on the island." "Oh…. Well then I guess you're whooped," I shrugged. Yeah, I kinda forgot that little fact.
All whole while, Harry had been unusually quiet. He looked pondering, almost contemplative; like he was thoroughly digesting what I'd said. Then, out of the blue, he smiled; a clever, playful, boyish smile. He guided me off his lap as he stood up. "I think I kinda wanna see him," he announced to everyone.
My heart immediately dropped as I gawked at him in sudden horror. All the other boys glanced at each other before mirroring Harry's mischievous grin. "Yeah, I kinda want to too." "Me too. I'd never seen a headless guy before." "We should go! It is Halloween night- we won't have this chance for another year. He's in the forest, right?" Jay asked me. The colour drained from my face and my head shot in Harry's direction.
"Harry, don't do this. It's dangerous. He's a real person- er, ghost- don't forget! You don't want to mess with him," I began to plead. Harry merely smiled, taking my hand in his. "Don't worry. We won't try and "fight" him; I just wanna take a look. We'll be back before sunrise. Come on, guys," he then motioned to the rest of the boys. They all started to follow Harry towards the door and that's when my nerves broke. I began walking too. "Fine. Then I'll come along," I sighed to myself in defeat.
Harry's feet instantly screeched to a halt and his spun around so fast, it'd make your head spin. He took me firmly by the shoulders, making me come to a stop as well. His stared locked onto mine. "I don't think so. We're going; you stay here." "Wha-…..?" My jaw dangled open. Even the others gasped in surprise and astonishment. For Harry to talk to me so blatantly; it was shocking, even for them. But my resolve stayed solid, at least for now. I frowned.
"No, I'm going with you." "No, you're not. You're going to stay here where it's nice and safe. I'll see you in the morning," he tried to sound reasonable and reassuring. I yanked myself out of his grip; my hands balled into fists. "Excuse me, but I don't remember asking for your permission. You're not the boss of me, Harry." "Tonight I am: stay here. Come on, boys," turning back around he motioned the others to follow him. Of course I frowned unimpressed. I mean I know why he was doing this, but still! "You can't protect me from everything!" I let myself blurt out. And Harry looked back to flash me a devilish, adoring smirk.
"Watch me."