Forgive me for character death. I don't want to do it but for future chapters, I must. I'll try and keep what it's about to a minimum because I'm a firm believer of Love is Love and we all know there was some that hate that. So please forgive me and sorry in advance. Please no hate comments about politics. It's not allowed in any of my stories.
Chapter 17
It's been around a year since Mary lost her grandfather at age nine let alone meet her first cryptid. Since then she has done research about cryptids but made sure not to go too far into it. The last thing she needs is a bad one haunting her house, family, and friends. She tried getting Abby into it but she wasn't really into it due to her beliefs, but both agree that it doesn't hurt to do research into the holiday ones though. In fact, the day after Grandpa died Abby told her that she smelled Grandpa's cigar scent one night in her bedroom and said along the lines of 'Even in heaven you smell like cigars' or 'Even in heaven you're smoking'. She was worried at first that Mary wouldn't like hearing that but the opposite is true and both shared a tender moment. Anyway as they did their research they found great interesting parts of history where it's possible that the Autumn Spirit did his "antics" WAY before Halloween in America. The first story they found they called 'Seed'. It took place in Ireland on October 24, 1640, during the damn witch hunts and it was about a possible witch and guard. Long and sad story short, the 2 fell in love after she somehow cured his sickness. Well, it didn't take long for the 2 to run for their lives away from the hunters while holding a pumpkin. Unfortunately, they did get caught and were burned at the stake but not after confessing their love for each other, and then they were killed. At the same time, the pumpkin was smashed. Luckily a little girl found some seeds and took them with her to the new world so at least part of the 2 dead lovers' love would pass on and hope for a kinder time. Another story the girls found was called 'Corn Maiden'. The story is about 2 little girls there were dearest friends, one was a Native American and the other was a daughter of a cowboy or something back in Illinois back in 1853. Another long and terrible story short, the adults didn't trust each other cause of their history and want of the last. So the pale faces did a plan. The leader told his daughter to introduce the Natives to Halloween and passed out treats. Unfortunately for the cowboy girl, she was incidentally poisoning the Natives and everyone including her friend was killed. She was heartbroken she swore revenge. Luckily Sam was nearby and helped her by turning her into a scarecrow corn maiden-like monster. With her new powers, she turned every pale face into bushes and shrubs of pumpkins from vines that burst from their stomachs and mouths. Needless to say, they were dead easily. The sad part about it is that the little girl was forever a doll to Sam while her dead friend and tribe were ghosts watching with regret about what happened to the poor little one. The last story was called 'Echo' but it was mostly about a drunk trying to solve a case and it didn't end well back in 1955. He did find the bad guy and save a couple of people but at the same time, he's fighting what he called illusions. Regardless the bad guy turns out to be the mayor trying to reelect and was going after his victims in some twisted way that was deemed classified. And while it was possible that there might have been a big conspiracy thanks to McCarthyism and the measuring contest called the Cold War and whatnot, in the end, the detective was a peace, became sober, and retired with his head held high.
After hearing those stories, the girls made sure they follow the Halloween rules to a T. And as Halloween went by every now and then they would meet Sam. They wouldn't talk but the girls helped him dodge houses since the neighborhood changed since his last visit. This time there was more than one overly religious nut that hate Halloween and let me tell ya, it was almost like pulling teeth for the girls trying to convince Sam to leave them alone and what seals the deal was that it turns out they were suffering from a mental illness and Sam decided to dodge them altogether since their brains are already punishing them enough as it is and left them alone.
Anyway, Mary was playing with her Baby Bop doll, and the house phone rang. The mother picked it up and answered it. "Engel residence." Then she heard an old lady crying hysterically over the phone. "Wait, wait, wait. Slow down. Who is it?" She turned the corner so the kids wouldn't hear. "Now, now, try again who is this?"
Turns out it was Abby's grandmother. "It's Abby's grandmother from California! I'm house-sitting for my daughter Ziva!" She was on the phone crying her eyes holding the star of David and a rosary.
Sarah said, "Ok, ok. Please slow down, what's wrong? What's going on?"
The grandmother cried, "My daughter, my ex-son-in-law, his partner, and my little one was on a drive on the road to a new convention for gay Jews and they were rammed off of the road thanks to some Trump-loving KKK Nazi assholes!"
Sarah was wide eyes. "Oh my God! Are they alright? Were they arrested?"
The grandmother answered, "Those devil bums were almost arrested at the scene before they did the unthinkable to them! They tried firing at the cops and they received 150 bullets in return!" She started crying. "My family…" She tried holding back tears. "My poor, poor family…" She yelled at the top of her lungs. "THOSE FUCKERS KILLED THEM!"
Sarah covered her mouth in shock. Tom came in and saw Sarah. Sarah waved him over to they can share the phone. "There was no time to take them to the hospital?" she asked.
The grandmother replied, "They didn't even make it to the ambulance before they died!" She was still crying. "The cops searched those fuckers' fans and saw that they were gonna do something worst. They were planning on bombing the whole convention."
Tom was shocked and mouthed, 'What's going on?'
Sarah covered the phone mouthpiece and mouthed back, 'Ziva and Abby are dead!' She uncovered it and asked, "Is there anything you want us to do?"
The grandmother rubbed the tears away and said, "They're gonna be buried here in California once they are released. If you can please come to the funeral so Mary can say her goodbyes."
Sarah and Tom looked at each other and was wondering what they are gonna do. "Let me talk to my husband. I'm so sorry for your loss."
The grandmother said, "Thank you." Then she hung up.
Sarah then hangs up. "What are we gonna do? How are we gonna tell Mary she lost her best friend?"
The adults thought over it for a while and then Tom got an idea. "She's young, still naive, and still believes in those stupid fairytales. We just tell her she moved away. No doubt those houses will be empty and would have 'for sale' signs."
Sarah nodded. "Agreed."
BUT that plan went to hell in a handbasket. When Mary went to the ballet company, she noticed that everyone was packing their things. She went to one of the female principal ballet dancers, Victoria, and asked, "What's going on?"
Victoria answered, "We're packing up to go to a funeral. Didn't your parents tell you?"
Mary shook her head. "Tell me what?"
Victoria wasn't happy at all. "You're best friend Abby, died in a car accident."
Mary didn't like that. "What?" She asked. "Mom and Dad told me she moved away."
Victoria shook her head. "I'm sorry Mary. They lied to you. It seems like they didn't want you to go to the funeral. We're going to California for the funeral and-"
Mary answered right away, "I'm going with you. We'll just tell them they're a ballet seminar that we have to go to." She was angrier with her parents than with the death of her dearest friend. "Will you come with me?"
Victoria nodded. "In a heartbeat." She got the rest of her stuff. "Come on. We'll take my car." The 2 left the building and Mary got in the car. "I can't believe your parents lied to you about Abby."
Mary sighs. "Ever since Grandpa died, things haven't been the same. Knowing them, they wanted to save money so they can continue to show off against my cousins every Christmas. They don't even let Aunt Dorothy come and visit anymore." She leaned back into the chair. "Everything's changing."
Victoria stopped at a stoplight. "Maybe change is good."
Mary said, "I don't know."
Victoria said, "It will be hard but at the same time, it'll be easy. I've lived it."
Mary smiled. "Thanks, Victoria."
Soon enough they made it to the house and the 2 walked up. Sarah noticed them. "Hey, you're home early." She saw Victoria. "Victoria what are you doing here?"
Victoria was about to answer but Mary beat her to it, "There's a ballet seminar in California and Miss Victoria brought me home to get my stuff packed. We're gonna be gone for a while."
Sarah said, "Oh, ok. Do you want me or your father to go with you?"
Mary shook her head as the 2 walked up the stairs. "That's ok. I won't stray too far from the crew."
Once upstairs Victoria said, "You are a good liar Mary. Who taught you that?"
Mary answered, "Doesn't take much." Once in her room, she pulled out a suitcase. "How long are we gonna be there?"
Victoria said, "At least 2 weeks. Thank God it's summer." She started to open drawers to help her pack. "I think 7 sets of clothes plus a black dress will do." Then the wind blew in the open window and a moth came in. Mary saw the moth and it landed somewhere in her room. She smiled and then the moth flew away. Victoria looked outside the window and then asked Mary, "If you would see Abby again, what would it be?"
Mary thought about it and then got an idea. "I know." She pulled out 2 of her hardcover books and turned the pages to show 2 pictures. "She would be the Snow Queen, but dressed up as the princess from The tale of Tsar Saltan."
Victoria looked at the pictures and said, "I can see that too."
Once all the clothes were packed, they went downstairs. Mary yelled out, "See you in 2 weeks!" Sarah waved her hand as she was doing her stuff.
Once on the plane, Mary got the window seat and was looking out the window as they were flying. Mary thought back to when she and Abby first meet and how passionate the 2 were when they were dancing, playing, and just about anything really. Not only has she lost her grandfather, but now her grandmother. Everyone was leaving her all alone. Her own parents don't really give a crap anymore, her older sister is more into her high boyfriend than her family, and even her own twin brother and Grandmother don't really pay attention to her but more to each other. In truth, it doesn't bother Mary, but sometimes she wishes that she felt part of the family again and so far, it's not like it used to be.
Soon it didn't take long until the funeral. Everyone, friends, family, and associates were there dressed in black, had sunglasses on, had flowers in their hands, and were crying. Mary was standing next to Abby's grandmother as the 4 coffins were about to be lowered into the ground. At that moment it was time to put flowers on the coffins. Mary walked up for the 4. She put a flower with a light blue ribbon on Ziva's coffin, then she put flowers on the men's coffins with a rainbow ribbon, and then finally, she put 2 flowers on Abby's coffin: one that was Abby's favorite flower and the other was Mary's favorite flower. After that, she walked back and stood next to Abby's Grandmother. Soon enough everyone else did the same with their flowers. After that, the coffins were lowered into the dirt and Mary saw their tombstones. All 4 have the star of David on them including their names, and birthdates with their death dates, and each was nearly different from the other. Ziva's coffin were angel wings, Abby's had a picture of ballet shoes, and her father was a heart as well as his partner's. When it was done, everyone went to their cars leaving only Mary and Abby's grandmother left. Mary looked up at the old woman and gently put her hand in hers and gave it a nice squeeze. Abby's grandmother snapped out of her dazed and looked at Mary. In silence, Mary got out one of her books and turned to the page of the princess from The tale of Tsar Saltan. The Grandmother picked up the book and looked at the picture. After looking at the princess's face she smiled. "That's her." She sniffed. "That's my grandbaby." She looked at Mary. "Who made this book?"
Mary answered, "Grandpa made it before he got sick." She gently pushed the book into the grandmother's hands. "I want you to keep it. He made all the princesses in this book look like Abby and gave it to me if I was ever lonely. Now I want to give it to you if you get lonely. Grandpa made me another with her as the Snow Queen, a nice Snow Queen based off of Frozen with her as Elsa and me as Anna."
The Grandmother looked at the book again, closed it, and held it to her chest. "Thank you, Mary." She gently hugged the little girl. "You are one of God's greatest gifts that ever graced my family and yours." She said. "And maybe you'll have your gifts of your own when you become a wife and mother."
Mary said, "Maybe one day. But until then I just want to survive long enough to gather enough strength to leave and start a new chapter."
The Grandmother nodded as the 2 finally left and walked back to one of the cars. Once at the house, everyone was either inside or outside talking amongst themselves. Mary was outside walking around when she came upon a garden. She went inside the garden and walked around a bit looking at the different flowers. Mary arrived in the middle of the garden when a lot of butterflies were flying around her. Mary looked at each one of them and every so often, as she blinked, instead of a butterfly, she would see a fairy. Then a black moth with red eyes flew to her. Mary held out her hand and it landed on her. "Hey, Mothman. You tried to warn them did you?" The bug didn't answer. "Understand this, this isn't your fault. You may be an omen to bad things that would happen but not everyone is smart enough to listen." She gently pets it as one of the bug's legs touched her finger. "If you can, tell the others to protect Abby's family, until it's time for them to go to their eternal rest and if only God permits it." She left up her hand and the black mother flew away. Mary then walked up to a tree, lay back against it, and closed her eyes to rest. Tears have yet to fall but for now, she just wanted to be alone and mourn silently.
After a couple of hours, Victoria was looking for Mary and soon found her in the garden still, under a tree and asleep as a couple of butterflies, and other bugs were on her as though they were giving comfort. Victoria gently shoo them away and picked up the sleeping girl. Mary put her arms around Victoria's neck and rested her head on the shoulder. Victoria looked at the sleeping girl and said, "Things will get better for you Mary, even when times are hard."