Standard disclaimers apply.
Unearthly Invitation
by Candace Waters
Part two
~`~`~`~`~`~`~
Early the next day..............
Autumn winds blew through the city, rustling through the trees on Illinois and Franklin Street. Dry leaves in an assortment of color fluttered through the air and against the buildings. It was Halloween morning.
Gary stirred, and opened his eyes. Cupcake papers from Marissa's pumpkin muffins cluttered his coffee table, and half-empty cartons of Chinese take-out sat forgotten, the remnants of last night's meal. Two empty glasses of wine faced off across the table, and in the mist of it all sat a laptop computer. Books and papers with mathematical equations scribbled on them lay on the table.
Gary reached over, lifting one of the papers. He couldn't understand a lick of it, but at the very bottom of the paper, written in bright pink letters were the words: Problem Solved.
He slid a hand through his hair and rose up from the sofa to peer over at the woman fast asleep in his bed. A mass of blond hair peeked out from beneath a jumble of covers. She had obviously been up most of the night working on the equations she had brought back from the university and he had fallen asleep long before she had finished. On the bed was the bright red dress she had worn at the party last night, as well as the petticoat, black wig and nylons. On the floor were a pair of old fashioned women's buttons up boots.
He reached over to the coffee table and picked up the snapshot they had taken last night. Slipping an arm behind his head, he lay back studying the picture with
amusement. There were Chuck and Jade, smiling happily; Chuck in his Groucho Marks costume, Jade dressed as the Cat Woman. Marissa cuddled next to Emmett who was dressed like Count Dracula and Marissa, in that long black dress. On her lap was the infamous bonnet. Gary shook his head and chuckled. He had to admit that story she had told about the faceless woman in the
bonnet and the well had really spooked him. Sliding a hand through his hair, his eyes moved slowly across the photo to the pretty blond in the black wig sitting next to him. He smiled then grimaced almost immediately upon seeing himself dressed in that silly mustache and top hat he had been talked into wearing. Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara. He turned to get another glimpse of his overnight guest sleeping soundly. He was pleasantly surprised to find her at the Halloween party last night and ended up having a good time.
The phone rang suddenly and he quickly reached over to answer it.
"Hello," he whispered.
"Morning, Mr. Butler," Chuck drawled, using his best southern accent.
"Chuck," Gary whispered into the receiver.
"Have a good time last night?"
Gary smiled, "Yeah, well, actually, I did," he admitted with a lopsided grin. "Except for the slight hangover, I would say that... yes, I had a very nice time."
"And you're not mad at us, are you, Gare?"
"Naw," Gary shook his head, thinking that he still had a score to settle with Marissa, although he didn't know how she was able to pull it off. He thought about the car. "I have a question for you, though," he said.
"What's that, buddy?"
"Was that you... a-all along, driving that old hearse by the
bar?"
"Yep. Borrowed it from my uncle Shlomo."
"And the phone call...with the raspy breathing and
all. T-That was you, too?"
"Pretty convincing, huh?" Chuck snorted, then began breathing into the receiver using that same raspy sound Gary had heard last night.
Still puzzled, Gary ignored Chuck's silly theatrics. "Well, how did you call me?" he asked.
"Cell phone, Gare. Modern Technology?" Chuck answered. "Oh, and ah, Jade wants me to tell you that.... your gluts look great in that top hat and fake mustache--whatever the *hell* that's supposed to mean! I still gotta ask her about that!"
"Yeah...well, good luck," Gary mumbled.
"And Renee, hoo-hoo!" Chuck whistled, and then whispered into the phone, "Wow. She still looks great, doesn't she? Bet you were surprised to find her at the party, huh buddy? And guess what?"
Afraid to ask, Gary ventured anyway. "What?" he droned.
"You two have been invited to Jade's and my Halloween party tonight!" Chuck declared happily.
"We can't make--."
"Nine o'clock sharp," Chuck interrupted," and don't be late."
"Chuck..."
"Ssooo, I guess I'll leave you two love bugs alone huh? Ah, she *is* still there isn't she?"
"That's none of your business. A-And about that party---"
"Check with you later, buddyyyy." Chuck sang.
"Chuck!"
Click!
Holding the receiver out to look at it, Gary let out a frustrated breath and reached over but gently to hang it up.
Careful not to disturb his guest, Gary raised up to peer over the back of the sofa at her again. The Paper and cat, however, were not so hospitable and like every morning, they were right on time.
"Meow!"
Thump!
Gary rose quickly, tugging on his jeans and zipping them up as he made his way to the door. He opened the door and glanced down to find Cat--atop of the paper, a flurry of dry leaves scattered about the floor around him. Cat's golden fur, wind blown as he sat licking furiously at his paws. With a start, Gary stuck his head out of the door to scan the hallway. Seeing nothing and no one he frowned then glanced back down to eye the cat suspiciously. He remembered a few Halloweens ago when Cat had shown up on his doorstop; his golden fur turned a sleek shiny black.
Ears twitching, Cat rose from the paper shaking the leaves from his fur. After a long stretch he slinked into the apartment pausing briefly to brush against Gary's pant leg as he entered. Gary turned slowly checking him carefully. No trace of black, thank goodness. Relieved, Gary
shook his head and turned to focus his attention back on the paper. Hoping to spend the day with Renee, he prayed silently that the paper would give him a break. She was only in town for a few more days before she was to fly out to New York to teach a special Math seminar. With both their busy schedules, they had entertained the idea of a long distant relationship. Only time would tell.
Gary crouched down to pick up the paper. Brushing the leaves off he immediately froze. Staring up at him was a headline that sent a chill down his spine. Oh boy. Clutching the paper tight, he rose slowly reading in the process:
Woman's Body Pulled From Well
Hollow Hills: Authorities are investigating the drowning death of a woman whose body was pulled from a well this morning. Police received a call from friends of the young woman who reported her missing sometime yesterday afternoon. The young woman had attended a Halloween party held on the grounds of the estate the night before. The body pulled from the well was dressed in eighteenth century period clothing consisting of a long black dress and bonnet. A tentative identification has been made based on her attire but have police and authorities baffled. Sources close to the case have revealed that the body pulled from the well was that of a woman believed to be in her mid to late nineties. Forensic analysis has yet to produce any evidence that might lead to an arrest.
The phone rang suddenly. Startled, Gary spun around towards the sound. Closing the door, he rushed for the phone before it could ring again and picked up the receiver.
"Morning, Gary!" Marissa's voice sang cheerfully. "Have a good time at the party last night? You and Renee captured everyone's heart as Rhett and Scarlet---"
"Marissa!" he whispered hoarsely interrupting her. His eyes fixed on the article. "You-you're okay."
Bewildered, Marissa answered. "Yeah...I'm fine. What's the matter?"
"Oh...you're not going to believe this." Gary whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Believe what, Gary?"
"This headline! I mean the woman! T-The well.... I-I'll tell you about it when I get back," he whispered.
Before Marissa could ask any more questions, he quickly hung up the phone. Then, grabbing a pen and piece of paper, he scribbled out a note.
Renee,
Had to run errand. Please stay put. See you when I get back.
Gary P.S. Please
He finished dressing, quickly slipping into a shirt and buttoning it up as he stepped over to the bed to check on Renee. Even asleep, she was so incredibly beautiful. He studied her quietly for a moment before leaning over to kiss her gently on the cheek. She stirred, then moaned softly before drifting back to sleep. It was moments like this that made Gary dread ever getting the paper.
Meow! Cat purred with an urgency that made Gary turn around. At the foot of the bed Cat lay, his green eyes blinking knowingly up at Gary
as if to gently remind him of his morning task.
Oh yeah, Gary murmured, under his breath. A quick glance at his watch, he grabbed his coat and the paper and headed out the door.
Outside, the air was brisk, fragrant with the smell of burning firewood. Gary pulled on his gloves and drew in a deep breath, trying to be ready for what he was about to do. He thought about the drowning death of the young woman and had no explanation for the body of the old woman pulled from the well. It sent a shiver up his spine. Inwardly he cursed himself, making a silent vow that after today, he was giving up the damned paper for good! Hailing a cab, he quickly climbed in.
"Where to?" the cab driver asked.
Gary pulled the paper from his back pocket to take another look, hoping in vain the headline had changed.
It hadn't.
He glanced up at the cab driver. "H-Hollow Hills."
Rubbing his palms anxiously on the thighs of his jeans, he blew out a nervous breath, and then turned to gaze out the window. He didn't know what to expect when he got there, but had a feeling this was probably going to be a Halloween he would never forget.
The End
Thanks for reading!! :-)
Unearthly Invitation
by Candace Waters
Part two
~`~`~`~`~`~`~
Early the next day..............
Autumn winds blew through the city, rustling through the trees on Illinois and Franklin Street. Dry leaves in an assortment of color fluttered through the air and against the buildings. It was Halloween morning.
Gary stirred, and opened his eyes. Cupcake papers from Marissa's pumpkin muffins cluttered his coffee table, and half-empty cartons of Chinese take-out sat forgotten, the remnants of last night's meal. Two empty glasses of wine faced off across the table, and in the mist of it all sat a laptop computer. Books and papers with mathematical equations scribbled on them lay on the table.
Gary reached over, lifting one of the papers. He couldn't understand a lick of it, but at the very bottom of the paper, written in bright pink letters were the words: Problem Solved.
He slid a hand through his hair and rose up from the sofa to peer over at the woman fast asleep in his bed. A mass of blond hair peeked out from beneath a jumble of covers. She had obviously been up most of the night working on the equations she had brought back from the university and he had fallen asleep long before she had finished. On the bed was the bright red dress she had worn at the party last night, as well as the petticoat, black wig and nylons. On the floor were a pair of old fashioned women's buttons up boots.
He reached over to the coffee table and picked up the snapshot they had taken last night. Slipping an arm behind his head, he lay back studying the picture with
amusement. There were Chuck and Jade, smiling happily; Chuck in his Groucho Marks costume, Jade dressed as the Cat Woman. Marissa cuddled next to Emmett who was dressed like Count Dracula and Marissa, in that long black dress. On her lap was the infamous bonnet. Gary shook his head and chuckled. He had to admit that story she had told about the faceless woman in the
bonnet and the well had really spooked him. Sliding a hand through his hair, his eyes moved slowly across the photo to the pretty blond in the black wig sitting next to him. He smiled then grimaced almost immediately upon seeing himself dressed in that silly mustache and top hat he had been talked into wearing. Rhett Butler and Scarlet O'Hara. He turned to get another glimpse of his overnight guest sleeping soundly. He was pleasantly surprised to find her at the Halloween party last night and ended up having a good time.
The phone rang suddenly and he quickly reached over to answer it.
"Hello," he whispered.
"Morning, Mr. Butler," Chuck drawled, using his best southern accent.
"Chuck," Gary whispered into the receiver.
"Have a good time last night?"
Gary smiled, "Yeah, well, actually, I did," he admitted with a lopsided grin. "Except for the slight hangover, I would say that... yes, I had a very nice time."
"And you're not mad at us, are you, Gare?"
"Naw," Gary shook his head, thinking that he still had a score to settle with Marissa, although he didn't know how she was able to pull it off. He thought about the car. "I have a question for you, though," he said.
"What's that, buddy?"
"Was that you... a-all along, driving that old hearse by the
bar?"
"Yep. Borrowed it from my uncle Shlomo."
"And the phone call...with the raspy breathing and
all. T-That was you, too?"
"Pretty convincing, huh?" Chuck snorted, then began breathing into the receiver using that same raspy sound Gary had heard last night.
Still puzzled, Gary ignored Chuck's silly theatrics. "Well, how did you call me?" he asked.
"Cell phone, Gare. Modern Technology?" Chuck answered. "Oh, and ah, Jade wants me to tell you that.... your gluts look great in that top hat and fake mustache--whatever the *hell* that's supposed to mean! I still gotta ask her about that!"
"Yeah...well, good luck," Gary mumbled.
"And Renee, hoo-hoo!" Chuck whistled, and then whispered into the phone, "Wow. She still looks great, doesn't she? Bet you were surprised to find her at the party, huh buddy? And guess what?"
Afraid to ask, Gary ventured anyway. "What?" he droned.
"You two have been invited to Jade's and my Halloween party tonight!" Chuck declared happily.
"We can't make--."
"Nine o'clock sharp," Chuck interrupted," and don't be late."
"Chuck..."
"Ssooo, I guess I'll leave you two love bugs alone huh? Ah, she *is* still there isn't she?"
"That's none of your business. A-And about that party---"
"Check with you later, buddyyyy." Chuck sang.
"Chuck!"
Click!
Holding the receiver out to look at it, Gary let out a frustrated breath and reached over but gently to hang it up.
Careful not to disturb his guest, Gary raised up to peer over the back of the sofa at her again. The Paper and cat, however, were not so hospitable and like every morning, they were right on time.
"Meow!"
Thump!
Gary rose quickly, tugging on his jeans and zipping them up as he made his way to the door. He opened the door and glanced down to find Cat--atop of the paper, a flurry of dry leaves scattered about the floor around him. Cat's golden fur, wind blown as he sat licking furiously at his paws. With a start, Gary stuck his head out of the door to scan the hallway. Seeing nothing and no one he frowned then glanced back down to eye the cat suspiciously. He remembered a few Halloweens ago when Cat had shown up on his doorstop; his golden fur turned a sleek shiny black.
Ears twitching, Cat rose from the paper shaking the leaves from his fur. After a long stretch he slinked into the apartment pausing briefly to brush against Gary's pant leg as he entered. Gary turned slowly checking him carefully. No trace of black, thank goodness. Relieved, Gary
shook his head and turned to focus his attention back on the paper. Hoping to spend the day with Renee, he prayed silently that the paper would give him a break. She was only in town for a few more days before she was to fly out to New York to teach a special Math seminar. With both their busy schedules, they had entertained the idea of a long distant relationship. Only time would tell.
Gary crouched down to pick up the paper. Brushing the leaves off he immediately froze. Staring up at him was a headline that sent a chill down his spine. Oh boy. Clutching the paper tight, he rose slowly reading in the process:
Woman's Body Pulled From Well
Hollow Hills: Authorities are investigating the drowning death of a woman whose body was pulled from a well this morning. Police received a call from friends of the young woman who reported her missing sometime yesterday afternoon. The young woman had attended a Halloween party held on the grounds of the estate the night before. The body pulled from the well was dressed in eighteenth century period clothing consisting of a long black dress and bonnet. A tentative identification has been made based on her attire but have police and authorities baffled. Sources close to the case have revealed that the body pulled from the well was that of a woman believed to be in her mid to late nineties. Forensic analysis has yet to produce any evidence that might lead to an arrest.
The phone rang suddenly. Startled, Gary spun around towards the sound. Closing the door, he rushed for the phone before it could ring again and picked up the receiver.
"Morning, Gary!" Marissa's voice sang cheerfully. "Have a good time at the party last night? You and Renee captured everyone's heart as Rhett and Scarlet---"
"Marissa!" he whispered hoarsely interrupting her. His eyes fixed on the article. "You-you're okay."
Bewildered, Marissa answered. "Yeah...I'm fine. What's the matter?"
"Oh...you're not going to believe this." Gary whispered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Believe what, Gary?"
"This headline! I mean the woman! T-The well.... I-I'll tell you about it when I get back," he whispered.
Before Marissa could ask any more questions, he quickly hung up the phone. Then, grabbing a pen and piece of paper, he scribbled out a note.
Renee,
Had to run errand. Please stay put. See you when I get back.
Gary P.S. Please
He finished dressing, quickly slipping into a shirt and buttoning it up as he stepped over to the bed to check on Renee. Even asleep, she was so incredibly beautiful. He studied her quietly for a moment before leaning over to kiss her gently on the cheek. She stirred, then moaned softly before drifting back to sleep. It was moments like this that made Gary dread ever getting the paper.
Meow! Cat purred with an urgency that made Gary turn around. At the foot of the bed Cat lay, his green eyes blinking knowingly up at Gary
as if to gently remind him of his morning task.
Oh yeah, Gary murmured, under his breath. A quick glance at his watch, he grabbed his coat and the paper and headed out the door.
Outside, the air was brisk, fragrant with the smell of burning firewood. Gary pulled on his gloves and drew in a deep breath, trying to be ready for what he was about to do. He thought about the drowning death of the young woman and had no explanation for the body of the old woman pulled from the well. It sent a shiver up his spine. Inwardly he cursed himself, making a silent vow that after today, he was giving up the damned paper for good! Hailing a cab, he quickly climbed in.
"Where to?" the cab driver asked.
Gary pulled the paper from his back pocket to take another look, hoping in vain the headline had changed.
It hadn't.
He glanced up at the cab driver. "H-Hollow Hills."
Rubbing his palms anxiously on the thighs of his jeans, he blew out a nervous breath, and then turned to gaze out the window. He didn't know what to expect when he got there, but had a feeling this was probably going to be a Halloween he would never forget.
The End
Thanks for reading!! :-)