Author's Note: this takes place as if the school dance happened in 2018, but Allyson and her friends didn't encounter Michael Myers that night, as he hadn't escaped at this point.
When Allyson is invited to a Halloween party at a haunted house attraction, she is promised plenty of food and lots of horrifyingly good scares. But once the group are inside and the doors are locked, the scares become terrifyingly real. To get her friends out alive, Allyson must make the ultimate sacrifice.
Please accept this as your invitation to our Halloween party, starting at 7 on Halloween night at Hell Ride Haunted House. Expect unlimited food, drink and a lot of good scares! We look forward to seeing you there, you can bring one other with you. Please bring the tickets enclosed with this invitation as you'll need them to get in. Meeting at our house at 6 for drinks first. We've hired a bus for transport.
RSPV. Love Barbara and parents.
18 year old Allyson Nelson stared at the invitation in her hand in total disbelief. She'd known the De Costa's were rich, but this rich? She whistled softly. How much had it cost them to privately hire out a haunted house attraction just for their party? She didn't like to think. More than she'd ever make in a life time probably. Not to mention all the food stands which came with it? Unlimited food?
Just then, her phone rang. It was Vicky. "Holy fuck!" her friend exclaimed as soon as Allyson answered the phone! They've only hired out the best haunted house local to here! Hell ride is supposed to be absolutely amazing!"
"I've never heard of it," Allyson admitted.
"What? Oh my God! Just you wait! It's supposed to be fucking terrifying!"
I can think of something much worse and it's my reality not a fucking attraction, Allyson thought before she could stop herself. His name's Michael Myers. She had no doubt the killer dubbed "The Shape" was still determinedly after her. She'd never met him, but Laurie had told her more than enough. Not to mention all the pictures and information her grandmother had had on him. Karen had left Ray for another man and was no longer living in Haddonfield. Her father had remained, but had moved to another house. Nope, as far as Allyson was concerned she was in the most danger.
She wrenched her mind back to the present. "Have you been there before?" She asked Vicky.
"Sadly no, but I've read a lot about it and I can't wait to go there in person, for real!"
"Do you know how many are invited?"
"Barb phoned me an hour ago. From what I can gather it's most of our year."
"Bloody hell!"
"Apparently so. I know, there's a lot of cash right there!"
But that hadn't been why Allyson had said that. Well not entirely. It was also because there were 2 people in her year she could think of she definitely didn't want to see. Cameron and Kim. Would they be there? If so, she'd either have to make sure she avoided them, or pretend to be normal around them. Not exactly easy given what Kim had done. But then, she mused. It was so… Teenager and she knew she had to get over it. She sighed softly. But still…
It was 2 days before Halloween, so at least Allyson had time to figure out what she was going to wear. Considering Hell Ride had rollercoaster cars as part of it, she didn't think she'd wear a skirt. So instead she settled on plane black jeans and a comfortable sweater. She supposed some would go in fancy dress, but not her. Halloween just wasn't her thing. She was only going because it'd clearly cost the De Costa's a fortune and she felt rude not to attend.
"You ok?" Vicky asked as they sat in the living room of Allyson's little flat the night before the party. Vicky was staying with her that night so they were both closer and could go together the next night.
"Yeah," Allyson sighed. "I guess. I just…"
Vicky leaned towards and put an arm around her friend. "Hate Halloween?" She finished quietly before Allyson could. The latter could only nod. "I know babe, but this will be some seriously good fun! Don't tell me you're not excited?" All expenses paid to?"
"That's the only reason I'm going," Allyson admitted. "I feel rude to turn it down. They've invited me and it's probably cost them loads."
"Kacey and Robin will be there," Vicky said, trying to cheer up her friend. As will other girls."
"That's the problem," Allyson muttered and could see by Vicky's face she instantly understood. Kim.
"Allyson," she began gently but Allyson cut her off before she could finish. "I know I know, it's so Teenager and stupid. I'll get over it. It just hurt; you know?"
"Yeah," Vicky touched her arm lightly. "But then look what an arse Cameron was then. Threw your phone in to a bowl of cheese then got himself arrested."
Allyson sighed. "I suppose. But it still hurt."
"Of course it did," Vicky sympathised. "But are you just blaming Kim?"
"No, both," Allyson said fervently. "More him than her actually I think because he didn't stop it happening." She mimicked Cameron's voice. "She already has eating issues and I didn't want to make it worse. Trying to respect she still had feelings. What was I supposed to do?" Vicky smiled at Allyson's imitation. "That was almost spot on," she laughed.
"Hard to believe that was almost a year ago to the day," Allyson said reflexively. And I'm still alive to say that, she thought. For now… Vicky seemed to detect her friends turning dark thoughts because she hugged her tightly then but didn't speak. Allyson embraced her back, grateful for the contact. They'd already discussed Michael Myers many times over the last year and Vicky had always tried to reassure her she was and would be perfectly safe. Allyson knew her as good as sister meant well, she just wished she could believe her.
At 6 exactly the next night, Vicky and Allyson arrived at the De Costa's house. Mansion may be more accurate, Allyson thought as they climbed the front steps and rang the doorbell the old fashioned way, by pulling a rope. Within seconds the door opened and Allyson's mouth dropped open when she realised it was indeed a maid who'd opened it. "You must be Allyson and Vicky," she smiled warmly at them. "Please follow me ladies."
"Told you they were rich," Vicky mouthed.
"Is Dave coming?" Allyson asked, unable to believe she hadn't asked that question before now.
"Yeah," Vicky smiled. "But as I was staying with you last night, he stayed with some of the guys. But I'll make damn sure you don't feel like a third wheel when we find him, promise."
"Is he your plus one then?"
"No he got his own invite, but we decided to come as a couple."
Allyson realised then how sad she must look. She didn't even have a friend outside of school she could've brought as her guest. This whole thing with Myers had ruined her life in so many ways… Plastering a fake smile on to her face, she and Vicky followed the maid in to a vast living room. Immediately Mrs. De Costa was on her feet, warmly shaking their hands. There was no sign of Mr. De Costa.
"He's already at the park checking everything's ready," Mrs. De Costa said before either girl could ask. As they sat down, a suited butler stepped towards them. "What can I get you 2 ladies to drink?"
Allyson looked around the crowded living room. But it hardly seemed crowded it was so big. There was the daughter of the moment Barbara with her boyfriend and Kacey Dayton with hers. Robin Barnes looked up and smiled at Allyson and Vicky, before coming over to sit with them. With a jolt of relief she instantly felt mean for, Allyson remembered Robin too didn't have a boyfriend just now.
"Hey Robin," Vicky smiled at the other girl too. "How are you?"
"Glad to take a break from work," Robin sighed. "I feel like I haven't stopped since I got this job just out of school."
"What is it you do?" Allyson asked.
"Bar tender."
"Do you like it?"
"Hmm, it's ok. I wouldn't say I'd like to be one for life, but hey, it's work."
Vicky was waiting to start university to be an accountant and Allyson… Well she wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do. First on her list though, get the fuck out of Haddonfield. Not that that would stop Michael Myers if he wanted to find and kill her badly enough, she knew this alright.
Shaking herself back to the present, Allyson smiled at Robin. She genuinely liked her and Kacey as well as Barbara and was starting to wish she'd got to know them a little better. Have more friends so to speak.
Allyson looked up as the door opened again and her heart sank. "Should've guessed," she muttered very quietly. Because in had walked Oscar and beside him Cameron, holding hands with a giggling and scantily dressed Kim. Allyson remembered all too well how Oscar had said "you deserve better" that night before he'd kissed her, while all the time trying to offer her beer then hide it from the cops. Thinking of this now Allyson tried to smile at him but it wasn't very convincing.
"Let's hope he doesn't get in to any more pickles this year eh?" Vicky whispered and Allyson had to cover her mouth as she burst in to giggles, remembering all too well Oscar trying to eat a huge pickle while still wearing his vampire fangs at the school dance the year before.
"Have you got in to any pickles lately Oscar?" Vicky asked and Allyson couldn't hold herself as she started to laugh, as did Robin. Oscar's eyes narrowed in fake outrage, before he gave them a huge smile. Allyson grimaced. She knew there was a reason she'd always found him a little creepy…
"Not since last year, not unless you lovely ladies want me to get in to a pickle…"
"That's gross!" Allyson, Robin and Vicky all said together. Oscar smirked.
Cameron had looked over and seen Allyson as had Kim, but Allyson simply forced a determined smile on to her face, though it felt more like a glare. She hoped they weren't going to come and sit with them. Thankfully, they didn't, taking a seat with Oscar further down the room as they all sipped their drinks. But Allyson hadn't missed Kim holding Cameron's hand a little tighter, as if to mark her territory. Allyson resisted rolling her eyes with enormous difficulty. Were they back together then? To her surprise she found this caused her no jealousy or upset at all. But then why would it? She reminded herself. "He only tossed your phone in a bowl of nacho cheese." Even when Cameron and Kim started kissing a moment later Allyson felt nothing. You're welcome to each other, she thought emotionlessly. I have way more dangerous things to worry about. Like not getting killed by Michael Myers…
Vicky seemed to detect where Allyson's thoughts were once more headed because she squeezed her hand tightly. "He'll have to take me down first," she whispered firmly. Her words bought a lump to Allyson's throat. She knew it would be only too easy for the masked killer to do just that, but she appreciated Vicky's words all the same.
What seemed like 5 minutes later, there was the sound of a horn outside? "It's our transport," Mrs. De Costa called. They all stood, the 12 of them and headed outside. There were 13 of them including Mrs. De Costa.13, unlucky. Allyson just hoped that wasn't an omen of things to come.
It wasn't just a mini bus, it looked luxurious, complete with TV screens and a bar.
"These guys don't do things by halves do they?" Vicky said very quietly to Allyson and Robbin, who grinned. They all climbed aboard and took their soft leather seats, Kim practically in Cameron's lap. Once again Allyson just didn't care.
From what they could see of the driver, he was a tall man wearing a suit and tie. He pressed a button and the doors hissed closed before they pulled away. Allyson knew Hell Ride was about a half hour's drive from Haddonfield. They'd even paid for the TV's to be activated, but Allyson had no interest in watching anything. She spent the journey chatting with Robin and Vicky. Yep, she decided. She'd definitely underestimated Robin at least. She'd fix that during and after tonight.
Before they knew it, they had arrived. The group stepped out in to the usual Halloween scene. Skeletons made of plastic, ghosts, witches along with countless other plastic decorations, recorded screams, laughter, creaking doors and chains rattling. One of the park staff, recognisable as such due to his black T-shirt with HR across his Chest in blood red capitals, appeared and shook Mrs. De Costa's hand. "Your husband is already here mam," he said. "Please follow me ladies and gentlemen?"
They all followed him in to a huge hall, where there were no Halloween sound affects now, and just soft music. Allyson gasped, feeling her stomach rumbling despite herself. There was more food than she was sure she'd ever seen in her life. From sandwiches, chips, to cookies, trifle and everything in between, plus a huge choice of drinks.
"Bloody hell," Vicky whistled. "That would feed Haddonfield!" Allyson grinned. She wasn't sure she disagreed.
"Sit wherever you like," the staff member said. "Just help yourselves when you're ready to start. When you're ready to enter Hell Ride, just give me a shout. I'm Tom."
With that he was gone, just as Mr. De Costa entered the hall, walking over to his wife. Oscar banged his glass a few moments later and raised a toast to the De Costa's thanking them so much for this and for inviting them all. It was one time in not many Allyson respected Oscar. When they'd all eaten their fill, Mr. De Costa told them the rest would be divided up in to left overs for them to take home.
"You're kidding," Vicky mouthed. "I won't need food for a week!"
Allyson grinned. "What because you're stuffed?"
"No, because there's so much still up there. If I take that I won't need food for a week."
Allyson laughed. Vicky had met up with Dave just inside the hall but as promised they hadn't sat together so Vicky could be with Allyson, Dave his male friends. Allyson loved them both so much. Vicky said Myers would have to kill her before he got to Allyson, well that might just be the other way round.
2 hours later at the end of the meal, they finally headed out and towards the entrance to Hell Ride itself. More ghosts, fake blood and horror sound affects greeted them. Allyson had to admit the decoration was very well done. Tom was there immediately at Mr. De Costa's call. They had to split in 2 groups and Allyson didn't know how it happened, but hers was Vicky, Dave, Oscar, Cameron and Kim. The Doom Buggies would only hold 6 each, Tom explained. Allyson shivered. Aptly named. Tom then handed them all a pair of VR glasses. They would make things look and sound in 3D. "Cool," Dave said quietly and even Allyson had to marvel at this.
She saw Barbara, Robin and Kacey join together with 2 boys and one girl. It seemed Barbara's parents weren't riding.
"I'm pregnant so I can't," Mrs. De Costa explained. Allyson looked down at her stomach and couldn't help thinking she looked beautiful. She wasn't showing at all yet but Allyson could almost now see that pregnancy glow she'd read about.
"Are we ready?" Tom asked, leading them all forward towards a set of iron, (or at least looked like it) gates. They all nodded, Allyson finally feeling a twinge of excitement despite her best efforts not to. Vicky was right. Hell Ride was supposed to be terrifying and they were about to find out why.
As they waited for the gates to open in the queuing area, Allyson glanced at the sign, written in red. It was a picture of a severed head, dripping blood which was what the words appeared to be written in. "Beware, Hell ride lies beyond. A house worse than any nightmare. Come in, if you dare. Then in normal print, pregnant women and those with heart conditions are not to ride. You may exit through the door to your left.
They were in a small entrance chamber hearing sinister music, creaking doors, screams, cackles and rattling chains. "Quiet. Abandon all hope," a ghostly voice whispered, right at the back of their necks. They all twisted round automatically. "You have dared to enter this house; you will not come out alive." The gates slid open silently.
Entering the queuing area through a pair of ornate gates, guests find themselves in the mansion's well-tended gardens and courtyards. The queuing path leads guests past a pet cemetery, a mausoleum with pun names, and a white carriage hearse led by an invisible horse. Guests then step onto the porch, where they are led into the mansion's foyer by a sombre butler and maid. At the foyer, the Ghost Host, welcomes the guests as the cast members usher them into the first room: an octagonal portrait gallery. The wall panel slides closed and the tour begins.
As the Ghost Host taunts his guests, the room begins to "stretch." The portraits on the walls elongate, revealing the fates of previous guests, as follows: a bearded gentleman holding a document, wearing only his undergarments from the waist down and standing atop a lighted keg of dynamite, a pretty young lady holding a parasol, balancing on a fraying tightrope above the gaping jaws of an alligator, A widow holding a rose while sitting atop a tall gravestone, at the bottom of which is a stone bust of her husband George, with a hatchet embedded in his head, and a man in a bowler hat sitting on another man's shoulders, who in turn sits on the shoulders of a third man who is waist-deep in quicksand. He speaks. "...And consider this dismaying observation: This chamber has no windows, and no doors... Which offers you this chilling challenge: to find a way out! Of course, there's always my way..."
With a sudden thunderclap, the lights go out and the ceiling disappears. The girls screamed. A ghastly vision manifests above: the skeletal corpse of the Ghost Host dangles from a noose inside an octagonal cupola with 4 curtain less windows (rather than the hexagonal cupola with 6 curtained windows seen on the exterior), illuminated by flashes of lightning.
Seconds later, the room becomes pitch-black, and a bloodcurdling scream is heard — falling from the ceiling to the floor, ending with the sound of shattering bones. A wall opens, and guests are then led down a hall of portraits. As lightning flashes from the windows on the opposite side of the hall, the portraits transform into images of corpses and monsters in sync with the lightning. At the hall's far end are 2 statuary busts depicting a man and a woman? As the guests move past them, the statues appear to turn and gaze after them.
"Holy shit!" Allyson heard what sounded like Robin shout. "This is fucking brilliant!"
As they continue to walk down the long hallway, Allyson doesn't see Oscar in the darkness, she only knows he's there when he shouts "boo!" In her tear. She jumps so violently she nearly falls over and can't stifle her scream. She turns around to punch him but he's already walking ahead.
"Ha!" She hears him shout back. "Got you! Happy Halloween!"
Next, guests step into a dark and misty loading area, where they are guided into their carriages or "Doom Buggies." By men in the dark suits and ties of funeral directors, who tell them to "rest in peace," and grin menacingly at them. The Ghost Host invisibly lowers the safety bars and provides the safety spiel, "do not pull down on the safety bar please, I will lower it for you, keep your hands inside your coffin at all times." His voice is right in their right ears thanks to the VR glasses.
The journey begins. The Doom Buggies glide upstairs to the second floor and point guests toward a hallway with no apparent end. A candelabra can be seen floating in the distance of the misty passage. Near its entrance stands a haunted, moving suit of Armour. Turning away from the endless hall, guests travel past a conservatory filled with dead, withered plants and flowers. In the middle of the room is a coffin occupied by a restless "guest" who is attempting to get out. Perched near the coffin is a black raven with glowing red eyes.
The Doom Buggies continue down a corridor lined with doors. The sounds of pounding, screeching, calls for help and maniacal laughter can be heard from behind the doors. Knockers and handles are moved by unseen hands and some doors appear to be "breathing." The walls, covered in demon-faced wallpaper, are adorned with corpses which appear to move, and a large painting of the Ghost Host. A demonic grandfather clock chimes 13 as its hands spin backward and the shadow of a claw passes over it. Guests enter a dark séance room full of floating musical instruments. Madame Liotta, a medium whose disembodied head appears within a crystal ball, summons the mansion's spirits while levitating above her table. As she incants: "Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat / Call in the spirits, wherever they're at. / Rap on a table, it's time to respond / Send us a message from somewhere beyond. / Goblins and Ghoulies from last Halloween / Awaken the spirits with your tambourine. / Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond / Let there be music from regions beyond. / Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell / Give us a hint by ringing a bell."
The instruments answer her in turn. Next, guests pass onto the balcony of a magnificent ballroom where the happy haunts have materialized. A ghostly birthday party appears to be taking place at the dining table (where a dinner plate and 2 saucers on the left side of the table combine to form a "hidden Mickey." Some spirits sit on the chandeliers, drinking, while others enter the hall from an open coffin in a hearse. A ghost wraps his arm around a female bust, and 2 portraits of men with pistols come to life to resume their earthly duel. A ghostly musician plays a discordant version of the attraction's theme on a pipe organ, Captain Nemo's organ set piece from 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, while spirit heads float up and out of its pipes and transparent couples waltz nearby. The buggies then proceed to the attic, an irregularly shaped room cluttered with gifts, personal items, mementos and wedding portraits. In each portrait, the same bride is seen with a different groom, whose heads disappear to the accompaniment of a hatchet sound. (Eagle-eyed guests may notice that with each successive photograph, the bride gains another string of pearls.) Just before the Doom Buggies leave the attic, the same ghost bride from the pictures, Constance Hatchaway, is seen floating in the air, intoning macabre wedding vows. As she raises her arms, a hatchet appears in her hands, seeming to head down towards the riders, but missing, as the Doom Buggies drift out of the attic window and onto the balcony of what appears to be a run-down Victorian mansion, rather than the pristine antebellum house that the guests initially entered. The starry night sky is filled with wispy spirits rising from the graveyard below. The Doom Buggies turn around, and tip backward down a 15-percent grade surrounded by dark, ghoulish trees with knotted expressions. The red-eyed raven caws at guests from a branch overhead. The Doom Buggies reach the ground and turn towards the gate of the graveyard. There stands a caretaker and his dog, the attraction's only "living" characters. The caretaker's knees shake in fright, an expression of terror on his face, while his emaciated dog whines and whimpers. Around the corner, a ghostly band of minstrels plays a jazzy rendition of "Grim grinning Ghosts. "Then, the buggies ride in to an execution yard. The scaffold awaits.
"May God almighty have mercy on your soul," a ghostly executioner intones, as the buggies ascend to the top of the gallows.
"Shit!" Kim screamed shrilly. "I hate heights and death penalty stuff!"
"You're in the wrong place then," Vicky thought.
"You have been found guilty of witchcraft and now you will hang for your crime." A ghostly crowd cheer with excitement as the noose appears. The death bell begins to toll. "Do you," a ghostly priest intones, dressed in the clerk's collar. "Wish to make a confession?" There's silence for a few seconds, then the buggies drop fast once, in the motion one would feel when at the end of a noose. Everyone screams. There is a single snap, that of a breaking neck.
The buggies glide through the gate in to the graveyard and towards and open grave which they appear to enter. The death march can be heard in the background and the smell of death becomes all consuming. "Rest in peace," the Ghost Host whispers, as the grave appears to start to close. Everyone screams again. But just as it appears the guests are buried alive; another side opens and the buggies glide out.
"Jesus that scared me!" Vicky shouted in excitement and relief.
Ghouls pop up from behind tombstones, a king and queen balance on a teeter-totter, a duchess swings back and forth from a tree branch, and a skeletal hellhound howls from behind them. The Doom Buggies travel down a hill and turn to see 5 expressive haunted busts singing "Grim Grinning Ghosts" in barbershop harmony. Next, guests encounter a ghostly tea party surrounding a hearse stuck in the mud. An arm protrudes from a crypt with a wine glass in its bony hand, while banshees ride bikes in the distance. Nearby, the ghost of a hearing-impaired elderly man struggles to understand the words of an awakened mummy through an ear trumpet. The Doom Buggies turn to face 2 opera singers ("phantoms of the opera") who are blasting their voices up into the night. Beside them, three other ghosts — a decapitated knight, his executioner, and a prisoner — join in with them.
Guests pass a spirit bricking himself into his own tomb. As the buggies approach a crypt, the Ghost Host speaks once again:
"Ah, there you are—and just in time. There's a little matter I forgot to mention..."Entering the crypt, the guests encounter the hitchhiking ghosts. The buggies pass in front of large, ornately framed mirrors, where the guests find that one of the trio has hitched a ride with them. They appear to be heading for the exit, when the doom buggies turn round and head back towards the gallows.
"What the hell?" Allyson muttered. Vicky shrugged. They reach the gallows once more and stop just beside the chain lift. Next second all the lights went out, leaving them in total darkness.
"What the hell?" Oscar looked forward from the front, trying to stand against the safety bar. "Where are the others? Did they go round another way? I thought this ride was the s…"
He trailed off. Vicky and Kim glanced where he was looking and saw he'd gone deathly white.
"What's?" Vicky started, then screamed. Allyson too struggled to her feet as much as she could against the bar and she too screamed.
Robin Barnes was hanging by a noose round her neck from the gallows. The ghostly executioner intoning her sentence for witch craft, the death bell and the priest asking her to confess on an eternal loop from hell. Cameron looked as if he was about to throw up. Kim was next to scream. Though Allyson's brain had registered what she was seeing, it took a second for the rest of her and her senses to catch up.
"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" Oscar yelled. "WE HAVE TO GET HER DOWN!"
"We can't," Cameron's voice was the quietest Allyson had ever heard it. He looked just as white as they all did now. Whiter than any of the fake ghosts they'd just seen. "We won't be able to reach. Even if we stand on the carriage we won't. We need to get help. Now!"
"WE CAN'T JUST LEAVE HER!" Kim shouted, sounding almost hysterical. Allyson couldn't and didn't blame her one bit. This was no time to be a teenager. Whoever had done this was clearly calculating and far from stupid, considering Robin had been murdered in the exact way guest's pretended to die on this very spot.
Whoever had done this? The 4 words chilled Allyson's blood and heart to ice. Of course she knew who'd done this! There was only one man she knew of who would even dream of, never mind actually do this, his name was Michael Myers.
"Which we won't," Oscar said gently. "We'll get help and then we and they can get her down."
"But she might still be alive!" Kim pleaded desperately. Cameron shook his head and Vicky did something then she never would've expected to do and pulled Kim in to a tight hug. But they all knew there was no hope. Robin's neck was broken. They could see that much from here. Allyson thought of her talking about her job as a bar tender mere hours ago and had to blink back tears, hard.
"We have to find the others," Vicky managed in just above a whisper. It was clear to all of them what she hadn't been able to say. Check they're still alive.
"We're not splitting up," Oscar said firmly. Allyson started to see him in a new light. There was no sign of the goofy, gross Oscar now. This one was acting like a man. "We can't. It's too dangerous."
"He's right," Allyson said before Cameron or the others could speak. "We have to stick together. But first we need flashlights or we won't see a thing."
They all pulled out their phones, but any hope of phoning for help was extinguished when they all realised none of them had signal down here. But at least their torches worked.
Oscar just managed to reach a little button at the front of the car and all the safety bars lifted. They got out as fast as they could. Cameron grabbed Kim's hand, Dave Vicky's and for the first time Allyson felt sincere gratitude as Oscar grabbed hers.
"Be careful," Vicky warned. "This isn't designed to be walked. Watch out for the tracks and drops we went down in the carriages."
She was right. It was slow going as they all had to check with their torches to avoid any obstacles. The lights may have been turned off but the sound affects certainly hadn't been. Every time Allyson heard the, "you have been found guilty of witch craft" from the gallows and thought of Robin hanging there, she almost threw up. Once she had to stop so she didn't and Oscar had to gently urge her on. She knew they had to get out of there, they all did. There was a killer on the loose somewhere inside Hell Ride's darkness.
"Who was in the other car?" Cameron called back to the others.
"Barbara, Kacey, Robin, Kacey's and Barbara's boyfriends and Barbara's best friend though for the life of me I can't remember her name," Vicky called back.
"Heather," Kim supplied, her voice still shaking badly.
They reached the gradient the doom buggy had tipped down and now Cameron made a gagging sound and covered his mouth. The girls let out whimpers of horror, fear and dread, unable to believe what they were seeing.
Barbara was lying at the bottom of the gradient, her throat split, blood hitting as high as the ceiling of the narrow hallway. She was slit from ear to ear.
"WHO THE FUCK IS DOING THIS?" Kim screamed. Vicky hugged her close again.
"He's not stupid, Allyson said very quietly. "Hanging Robin where you're supposed to be hanged and…"
"He?" Oscar interrupted sharply. "Who is he?"
"For fuck sake!" Dave snapped. "Use your fucking brains! Who do you think? Its Halloween night, idiots!"
The others except Vicky looked blank, she covered her mouth in horror. "Please no Please…" She whimpered. "Not…"
"Who?" Oscar demanded again.
"Michael Myers," Allyson almost whispered.
"The… The guy from Haddonfield?" Oscar's voice shook. "1978? But we're not in Haddonfield."
"He can drive you idiot," Allyson snapped. "He's somewhere in this fucking place! We have to find the others and get the fuck out of here now or we'll…"
"Follow Robin and Barbara," Kim said very softly.
"Is he the one who's disabled the lights and power?" Cameron asked.
"Very probably," Allyson said bitterly. "He's far from stupid and damn calculating. Grandmother always said that about him. Not to mention incredibly fucking dangerous. But his white mask will stand out in the darkness! Ok guys listen, we HAVE to stick together! Got it?"
Kim and Vicky could only nod in response, the boys just looked blankly at her. It looked as if they were all in shock. So was Allyson if the truth be told, but they didn't have time for that right then. They had to get out of here alive first.
"He controlled the car to come back here didn't he?" Kim almost whimpered. "So we'd see Robin then Barbara! He's watching us right now?"
"Again, very probably, so we need to move!" Allyson repeated. Oscar grabbed her hand again as they slowly moved away from the edge of the gradient and Barbara's horrific corpse at its bottom. Kim now sobbing uncontrollably. Allyson knew the 2 had been close. She had never felt sorrier for Kim in her life. Again, this was no time to be a teenager. In comparison to what they were dealing with now, her kissing Cameron was truly kid's stuff, even irrelevant.
Shouldn't they have come out by now?" Mr. De Costa asked his wife. "The doors are still closed."
Tom had come over to them and was looking a little worried though trying to hide it. "Probably just a power cut Sir," he said. Let me look in to it. There's an emergency code I can use to open them during the ride if necessary. Let me go check."
As he walked away, Mrs. De Costa tried to clamp down on her own worry. Something just didn't feel right, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
10 minutes had passed and the terrified teens were no further towards finding the other 4 in the other group who'd entered this hell ride. Literally, Allyson thought bitterly. This wasn't looking good. Finally they managed to find the way to the doors they'd come in by, but the ghostly butler and maid who'd welcomed them in were still. They were nothing but animatronics of course and they weren't moving or speaking now. They'd clearly been disabled. Cameron ran to the doors and tried to open them. But they were automatic of course to add to the attraction's menace and they didn't move an inch. It was only then Allyson's ears registered the soft beep of a power out alarm and its accompanying blinking red light.
"I read there was an emergency exit round the back," Vicky said. "That's our best option! We'll have to walk through again though past…"
She couldn't finish. The gallows. Allyson was certain if she heard that death bell one more time or "you will hang for your crime," or "Do you wish to make a confession?" Again, then saw Robbin's hanging corpse, she knew this time she would throw up or even faint.
"I… I can't," Kim moaned, clinging to the doors to stop herself from falling down in fear. "I can't…" Allyson totally understood.
"Then stay here," she said gently to the girl who only hours ago she'd hated, for a reason which now seemed utterly ridiculous. "Stay by the doors in case someone manages to open them from the outside. You'll be able to raise the alarm then."
"But I can't stay here alone either," Kim grabbed Cameron's hand then Oscar's other, as they moved back in to Hell Ride's interior, their phone's flashlights only showing a few feet in front of them. Allyson also understood that totally too.
They eventually reached the doom buggy once more and leant against it for rest. They were all mentally and emotionally exhausted. Allyson saw they'd all covered their eyes and ears, trying desperately to avoid Robin and the fake executioner announcing her real death sentence. It was too horrible to look at and hear again.
"Does this thing drive manually?" Oscar walked over to the front. "Yes! It has emergency controls! Come on! I'll do it!"
Without a word, they all climbed back in as Oscar hit the start button. They all felt the buggy jolt then a green light flashed on. Oscar quickly examined the basic controls then began to move the vehicle forward, navigating the drops and tracks as slowly and carefully as he could.
"Put the bars back down!" Kim shrieked as they went down a steep drop.
"Shit!" Oscar punched the button and the bars came back in to place. "Sorry I didn't think! You all ok?" They could only nod in response. Of course they weren't, but he knew that.
"So where's this back exit?" Oscar asked, steering the buggy through Hell Ride. All the others had their eyes and ears glued shut. Oscar had to shout to be heard. Vicky silently pointed and Oscar pressed down on the accelerator and picked up speed. The way ahead of them was smooth now, clearly not part of the ride itself.
"There!" Vicky shouted as they saw the fake wood doors ahead. They were designed to look ancient like the rest of the attraction. Oscar nodded and steered the buggy towards them, all of them hoping against hope they'd open.
They'd just reached them when everything as well as dark, went deathly silent. Everything stopped. The sounds, music. Even the soft hum of an AC unit. Total silence. They all looked terrified at each other.
"Fuck," Oscar said simply in to the silence.
That was when they all heard it. The calm, measured breathing and looking up, saw the deathly pale mask. Michael Myers was standing right in front of their one and only exit, holding a huge and blood dripping knife.
"Run him down," Cameron mouthed. "Hit him Oscar!"
"That won't do any good," Allyson said very quietly. "If he can survive 6 gun shots in 1978, this thing won't hurt him at all."
"Isn't it at least worth a try?" Kim almost begged as Oscar drove them towards the masked killer.
"Sure," Allyson said. "If you want to anger Michael Myers even further and die even faster, yes."
"Ram the doors?" Dave suggested. "With the car?"
"Doubt it," Oscar said. "They might look old but they're probably too strong. The buggy would break before the doors did."
"Oscar, lift up the bar," Allyson said.
"NO WAY!" Vicky shout whispered. "YOU'RE NOT SURRENDERING TO HIM ALLYSON! ARE YOU MAD?"
"It's me he wants," Allyson said quietly. "If I don't, we will definitely all die. Do, he might let you guys go."
FUCKING NO!" Vicky hissed. "OVER MY DEAD FUCKING BODY NELSON! WHAT WOULD LAURIE SAY/"
"Probably that I did what I had to, to protect my friends and others," Allyson said quietly, her voice shaking but determined. "You guys have to get out of here. He's been after my family for years. It's the only way."
"You're making a deal with the fucking devil!" Cameron hissed. "You just can't!"
"One soul for at least 5 others?" Allyson looked him squarely in the eye. "Worth it. Oscar, lift my bar."
"Please," Kim almost pleaded. "Please Allyson you can't…"
Allyson reached over and hugged Kim with one arm. This was what being an adult meant, she thought. This was not the selfish, slutty Kim Allyson had known. Not now. This was a beautiful young woman. "I have to Kim," she whispered. "I have to."
But Oscar didn't. Instead, he stopped right in front of the killer, whose steady gaze they noticed was indeed fixed on Allyson's face. She raised a hand to the killer. "Mr. Myers," her voice was now perfectly steady, Vicky couldn't help the rush of pride. "I will get out of this car right now and surrender, if you willingly let the other 5 here walk out of here alive. I know it's me you really want, but I'm not going to do this if you're just going to kill them once I have. You can have me, if you let them go. If the answer's no, I'll die fighting with my friends here. But I'd really rather they got out alive."
"Allyson please," Vicky tried again feebly. The 2 best friend's eyes met and Allyson remembered her words the night before. "He'd have to take me down first." She felt tears rush to her eyes and saw Vicky's had filled to. The 2 women exchanged one single nod. Myers hadn't moved or responded in any way, his steady gaze still on Allyson. Finally he tilted his head ever so slightly to the side. Allyson looked back and gave the killer a single nod. "Oscar," she said for the final time. "Lift my bar please."
Finally but not looking at all happy about it, Oscar did so. Allyson scrambled out and he re-lowered it across Dave and Vicky who'd been sitting next to her. Vicky had tears pouring down her face now and even Dave looked closely as he held Vicky tightly.
Slowly, Allyson walked towards Myers, reflecting with a rush of sadness but no fear, not yet at least, that she was walking towards her very own set of gallows. Just like Robin's, real ones.
"So?" Mr. De Costa barked at Tom. "Where's this damn code man? It's been 30 minutes since they should've come out! Powers gone off you said! So where is it?" He looked like he was about to explode.
"There they are!" Mrs. De Costa cried as the back exit opened and Cameron, Oscar, Kim, Vicky and Dave stumbled out. Instantly, she saw something was wrong. They were all deathly white and looked terrified.
"What is it?" Mr. De Costa rushed towards them, closely followed by his wife? "What's happened?"
The 5 teens looked at each other. This felt like a bad dream. How did you tell a mother that her daughter was dead along with at least one other and one was being held prisoner by Michael Myers? They were about to do just that.
Allyson reached the masked killer who silently grabbed her jacket, preventing her from moving from him. His knife had tensed in his other hand and Allyson knew she was facing a master at using it. She'd be dead before she could take one step and she knew it.
Slowly the back doors slid open. Oscar lifted the bars and they all almost fell from the buggy and hurried towards them, as if expecting Myers to close them again at the last second. Allyson honestly expected the same. But it didn't happen. Within seconds, her friends were safely out. Now Myers lifted Allyson up in to his arms as easily as if she was a doll and carried her slowly but purposefully back towards the front. Allyson knew why and fear and terror almost consumed her so she almost blacked out. It was because no one was there to stop him. She was truly his prisoner now, after all that'd been the deal.
"NO! NO!" Mrs. De Costa sobbed over and over, glaring at them in disbelief. Mr. De Costa had run to phone the police and ambulance. "NO! MY DAUGHTER ISN'T DEAD! NOT BARBS! YOU'RE LYING!"
The teens just looked at each other, their own shock also beginning to hit home. Minutes later the paramedics and police arrived and Mrs. De Costa was immediately taken by a paramedic to be given a sedative, though she resisted them so hard the police had to aid. Mr. De Costa questioned the group. "How?"
"Michael Myers," Cameron's voice was shaking with his own grief and shock. "He hanged Robin from those fake gallows. Have you been in Hell Ride Sir?"
Mr. De Costa just managed a nod.
"He…" Oscar swallowed. Kim and Vicky were both crying hard by this point. "He slit Barbara's throat and left her at the bottom of the gradient the cars go down. The other group must've gone a different way, there was nothing there when we went down it in ours. We only knew something was wrong when Myers controlled our car to turn back when we should've been at the exit."
"He took us to the gallows," Dave continued. He was holding Vicky tightly, Cameron was holding Kim, as was Oscar. She was leaning against both boys, looking as if she'd faint any second. "That was when we saw Robin hanging. We didn't see Barbara until we tried to find a way out…"
"Heather, Kacey, Matt and Josh?" Mr. De Costa asked.
"We didn't see them anywhere," Cameron said. "They… They may still be inside somewhere. Just not…" He couldn't finish, but Mr. De Costa's single nod said the single word Cameron couldn't. Alive.
"Allyson? You're not seriously telling me she made a deal with that… That monster to…"
"Save us?" Vicky said quietly, nodding. "Yes Sir."
"Stupid fool!" Dave was crying now.
"But fucking brave," Kim just managed to sob. The others had to nod at that.
"The police have gone inside and round the front," MR. De Costa said. "We'll find her. Trust me."
Doubt it, Vicky thought. Not with Michael Myers. The guy can vanish before you can blink.
It seemed like forever before the police came out with the paramedics, who were carrying 2 stretchers bearing sheet covered bodies. The group looked away. Mrs. De Costa hadn't returned. Mr. De Costa looked at his covered daughter's corpse and let out a strangled animal cry of pain and anger, not to mention unbelievable suffering. The teens wanted to comfort him, but how could you? How can you comfort a father who's lost his child at the hands of a cold blooded killer?"
"You ladies and gentlemen will need to come with us," one of the officers said. "To the station."
"Hang on a minute!" Oscar glared at him. "You're not…"
"Implying we had something to do with it?" Cameron finished the question.
"You were inside alone with them, the officer said. There are no cameras in there and even if there were the power was off. So we can't rule anything out at this stage."
"I DON'T FUCKING BELIEVE IT!" Vicky almost screamed. "MY BEST FRIEND IS MICHAEL FUCKING MYERS'S CAPTIVE, A COLD BLOODDED KILLER AND YOU DARE TO IMPLY WE ARE SUSPECTS? I'VE LOST MY BEST FUCKING FRIEND AND OTHERS THANK YOU VERY FUCKING MUCH! YOU'RE HAVING A FUCKING LAUGH!"
"Well said!" Oscar barked.
"I agree," Mr. De Costa said. "Officer that is insane. They're in shock, look at them. You can't…"
"How the fuck would we have done that anyway? We'd never have been able to reach those gallows," Oscar said. "We were only at the top for 5 seconds at most and the other group weren't even with us! That gradient, we literally went down it in our car and passed it. They weren't even in our sight!"
"We only have your word you saw Michael Myers up close," the officer said. "Plus no one has seen him for at least 20 years. Sorry people, you'll have to come with us."
"I don't fucking believe this," Dave muttered, looking at the officer as if he'd quite like to introduce him to Myers. "You're fucking insane."
To Mr. De Costa's outrage, the 5 of them were loaded in to a police van and taken to the station for questioning. The 5 teens knew this could be very bad for them. How would anyone ever find out the truth? Would they ever see Allyson again? Alive?
Myers lifted Allyson over his shoulder and carried her towards a black Station Wagon. Pushing her in to the front seat, he drove them in to the night. Allyson just had time to notice before he pushed her in that the number plates had been removed. Bad. Now it would be impossible for anyone to trace them, her.
As the killer drove, Allyson found herself hoping over and over the others were ok, that help had got to them and the authorities had managed to retrieve Robin and Barbara. Plus the other three, wherever they were. She hoped they weren't also deceased, but she wasn't holding her breath. Finally after about 40 minutes, Myers stopped and Allyson glanced out, having to cover her mouth to stop the gasp which was desperate to escape, of terror.
Because they were outside Michael Myers's house. She'd heard rumours he'd lived there for years but no one had seen him, it appeared these were true. Myers lifted her easily from the car, unlocked the door and carried her in, slamming and relocking it behind them. Allyson felt his knife press against the side of her neck as he carried her upstairs and in to a dark bedroom before throwing her on to a huge bed. Allyson wasn't stupid. She was pretty sure she knew what this meant…
She sort the killer's black emotionless eyes through the holes in his mask and their gazes locked. There was nothing. No emotion, no feeling, no warmth. Cold, black ice. Myers joined her on the bed then but their gaze still didn't break. Allyson finally managed a tiny whisper of speech.
"Are you asking me to…?" She couldn't say anymore but she didn't have to. Myers's knife moved against her neck and she understood. It wasn't a request; it was a command. Slowly she got to her feet, shaking so badly she was sure she'd fall over any second and pulled off her jeans and the rest of her clothes. Myers's searing gaze travelled over her body and Allyson had never felt so conscious of herself in her life. Or so terrified.
Once she was naked, Myers grabbed her and forced her back on to his bed. His gaze didn't leave her body, lingering on her breasts. Though his ice were still cold, Allyson was sure she could see something in their depths. But what? Lust? Curiosity? She didn't want to think about it too much if truth be told. What was going to happen would happen and there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.
That was when the killer's hands touched her breasts, firmly and deliberately. Allyson had expected hard, rough, but that wasn't what she got. His hands were cold against her skin, his strong fingers methodically massaging it. He pinched her nipples and Allyson hated herself when she felt desire in her gut. She desperately tried to fight it off. She was a virgin and this was not how she'd wanted to lose it. Unfortunately, Myers had obviously seen something of it because he continued, his actions a little harder now but still not painful. It will be, Allyson thought. But it wasn't. Myers's strong arm had come around her, pulling her tightly against him as his other hand continued its exploration of her breasts. First one, then the other, before he finally moved his hand between her legs. Now Allyson did feel self-conscious and couldn't help it despite her circumstances. No man had even got close to here before and now…
But that was when almost against her will her thoughts stopped dead as Myers started lightly stroking her clit with one finger. Shit. It felt amazing and Allyson couldn't help pressing against him, wanting more from his hand. A part of her brain was shouting at her, reminding her of the horror she and her friends had just been through because of this man… Barbara, Robin, but to her own self-hatred it was quickly eclipsed by Michael's finger as it now slipped inside her folds, another moving to take the place of the first on her clit. Fuck. Allyson had never felt anything like this in her life.
The masked killer continued until unbelievable pleasure hit Allyson, so much so she automatically gripped the killer's shoulder for support, as if she was going to fall off something. Myers didn't stop her as she rode it out. She hated herself for it, but fuck that'd felt and been amazing.
"Mr. Myers," she tried to say when she'd got her breath back. "What?"
But that was when she was silenced in the most unexpected and unbelievable way. Because Michael Myers had removed his mask and was kissing her. His lips moving sensually and passionately against hers, his tongue pushing to gain access to her mouth. Not able to think through desire, Allyson granted it. The killer's mouth hungrily explored hers and now he climbed atop her as they still kissed intensely. She eventually pulled back slightly, gasping for breath and was speaking before she'd quite thought the words through.
"I'm a virgin, please… I… Be gentle?"
Immediately she hated herself. What the fuck had she told him that for? What difference would it make to a cold blooded masked killer? She was there, he'd fuck her that was it. Why would he care? But to her surprise, Myers took her lips again with his and slid his cock in to her as slowly and carefully as he could, before one hard thrust broke her virgin skin. Her cry of pain was muffled against Myers's kiss as he waited a moment, then started to move, his thrusts gradually gaining speed. Once again though Allyson hadn't wanted this, she found her body responding. Killer or not he seemed to know how to make a woman feel good. Again doing all she could not to think, Allyson started to move with him, feeling his warm and hard cock deep inside her as his finger moved back to her clit. Allyson could still hardly believe this. He had indeed let the others go she'd seen them leave and now he was… Fucking To her?
She knew she should hate it. He was over 40 years older than her and a cold blooded killer who'd killed some of her friends but… But… When he was inside her like this oh God… She felt another orgasm building as Myers moved inside her and continued his deliberate stroking of her clit. Next thing her brain had deserted her, going once more back on to that cloud of bliss, waves and waves of it consuming her entire body.
Next thing she became aware of was Myers rolling her gently in to his arms and holding her close, tightly. Allyson looked at him now feeling intensely drowsy. Fuck that'd felt so good… That said, she knew there were things she had to say to the killer, all be it he wouldn't answer. She took a deep breath and again found herself speaking before thinking. Michael Myers seemed to be able to do that to her.
"Mr. Myers…" She hesitated. Surely she couldn't call him that now? Not now he'd taken her virginity? "Michael," she said softly. She was sure the killer's arms tightened pulling her against his chest. "Michael, why? What do you want from me? Are you going to kill me now? By the way I should also tell you, Grandmother… I mean Laurie is dead. She died of alcohol poisoning last year. Did you know this? Is that why you've come after me? Did you plan it? Know I'd be there tonight? I… I don't understand. Why did you just… Make love to me? What…"
But again, it seemed Myers had heard enough. He silenced her once more with a searing kiss, his lips moving almost commandingly against hers. Allyson didn't know what the next day or even later that night would bring, whether she'd ever see her friends again. But she certainly didn't expect to fall asleep in the arms of and feeling the kiss of Michael Myers who'd just taken her virginity, consensually or otherwise. She supposed she had consented in the end. But where her life went now, if indeed she'd live past tomorrow, were all unknown. As was wondering why Myers wanted her, why he'd taken her to his house and made love to her. Allyson knew if she dwelt on the why, she'd drive herself mad. So in the here and now she simply closed her eyes and let Myers's secure arms around her carry her off in to exhausted, but fulfilled sleep.