Chapter 6 The Ceremonial Dances
Our hero is once again worried
About the sudden chill in the air, so not to be alone he hurried
Back to the tour group made of his pals and girlfriend
Only to realize that two members were missing when they reach the
hallway end...
"I'm telling you. Something is not right." Mickey tried to explain as Mark led him and the others back to the African/Mayan relic room.
Slightly annoyed, Minnie rolled her eyes. She thought her boyfriend was passed this but here they are again.
"Not the 'bad feeling about this' trip again, Mickey." She said quietly not to get anyone's else's attention.
She didn't want everyone in the tour group worried too. One person to content with is enough for now.
"Donald and Daisy are properly playing a joke on us. It is Halloween after all."
"I'd like it better if Jack Skellington was here," Mickey said. "At least he knows how to liven things up. So to speak."
Minnie nodded. She liked the Pumpkin King too but he was too busy taking back the night in Halloween Town.
Everyone stopped walking as the torches on the walls started to flicker and the sound of drums filled the halls. Behind the door of the African/Mayan room was an eerie orange light. A light that didn't come from the torches themselves.
"That's not right," Mark said. "This isn't part of the..." he stopped when he heard his cell ringing. "Hello?"
"Mark?"
"Camilla! Is everything ok on your end?"
"No. Members of my tour are disappearing and my cell wasn't working a few minutes ago when we were in the Davy Jones' room."
"Where are you?"
"I'm..oh...ahhh!..."
After that all Mark could hear was nothing. He hung up and took a deep breath. He has to find the others and get the tour to safety. But he has to down it without causing a panic.
"What was that about?" Chip asked pulling on Mark's cane.
The tour guide looked down at the chipmunk before saying.
"It's nothing. The spirits are restless."
No kidding. Mickey thought he reached into his pocket and fingered something round. He pulled out to see it was a movie smoke bomb. How did...
"I wonder what's going on inside," Minnie said.
Mickey sweating in fear before stowing the smoke bomb.
"I got a bad feeling."
"You're not the only one," Goofy said as the door slowly opened on its own accord.
Everyone shielded their eyes from the blinding light until they adjusted before entering the room one by one.
Once inside they couldn't believe what they saw. African tribal drummers pounded on real drums while dancers moved with the beat. Near the walls were the mannequins used to display the African and Mayan attire scattered and broken in odd angles. The tribe was to involve with the ceremony to notice they were being watched as the group entered the room. That is until Goofy closed the door behind them. The tribe stopped what they were doing and turned as the door slam echoed throughout the room.
"Oops." Goofy winced as the tour group glared at him.
"This is the night." The dancers chanted as they parted to reveal a statue that looked familiar.
"Is that..."
"Shiriki Utundu!" Mark said. "That wasn't...I mean where's Donald and Daisy?"
"This is not part of the tour," Mickey whispered to Minnie.
"On course is it." She whispered back. "It's part of their prank."
Then the statue's eyes glowed green.
Minnie swallowed. "Or not."
Mickey and Minnie held each other's hands as the statue grinned evilly at the tour group.
"Why hello." He said. "I see you've returned."
"Where're our friends?" Chip asked.
The statue chuckled. "Let's just say they were invited to join the ceremonial dances."
Mark's cell rang again. This time he put it on speaker phone.
"Mark, what's going on?"
"I don't know." He answered. "Two wondered from the tour..." he gasped when the statue cackled and twirled his spear. Hitting the ground with the end of it. To the remaining tour group, he said.
"That's why I said not to touch."
"This is real!" Goofy and the chipmunks said in fright.
"What should we do, Mark?" Camilla asked over the cell.
Smoke appeared behind Shiriki Utundu. Mark swallowed before answering.
"There's a message from the president of the Society of Explorers and Adventurers. In case of emergency..."
"What?"
"Run away!"
"Oh no, you don't!" Shiriki Utundu said as the dancers surrounded the group.
"You're invited as well."
He stepped back at the smoke started to clear.
"Donald! Be our guardian god!"
The smoke disappeared to reveal.
"Donald!" The gang said in unison.
It was Donald but at the same time, it's not. He was dressed in African tribal attire instead of his Halloween costume Daisy made him wear. His face was covered in purple and sky blue dye and was holding a staff complete with a horned cap and red eyes.
Wait! red eyes?
Their friend stepped forward as the dancers stood in position with the duck in the centre. The drummers started playing again as the dancers and Donald started to dance unison. Mickey couldn't believe what he was seeing. Donald doesn't dance like that on or off camera. And is her wearing contact lenses? The dance went on for a few minutes before Donald rise his staff and shouted something in ancient dialect.
The dancers started chanted 'This is the night' as the Mayan columns on the other side of the room pushed open and smoked bellowed out. Colourful stone-like creatures came out and started dancing and singing while everyone watched in silence.
Mickey looked around to see the exit beside him. It's their only escape but how are they going to get past the guards blocking the way? He remembered the smoke bomb he found earlier. He about grabbed it when Shiriki Utundu said.
Daisy! Be our goddess of ghosts!"
Smoke flooded out of the Mayan stone platform as a familiar duck appeared. She uncovered her face and spread her arms out.
"Daisy!" Mickey and Minnie gasped.
Like her boyfriend, Daisy wasn't wearing the costume she had on earlier. She was clad in a dress that's teal in colour and trimmed with gold. The long sleeves were made to look like gold feathered wings along with a teal and gold headdress.
Minnie stared as her friend descended the steps. The outfit would be something Daisy would make but teal is not her colour. She also noticed her eyes were red like Donald's. The Mayan creatures started dancing and singing again when Daisy reached ground level. Soon joining them were Donald and the African tribe.
With everyone distracted by the ceremony, Mickey quickly pulled out the smoke bomb. Hiding it in his hand, he whispered his plan to Minnie then she whispered it to the tour group.
"...This is the night."
Once the tribes finished dancing and singing, Mickey activated the smoke bomb and threw it.
"Only tonight."
Black theatre smoke filled the air while Mickey and the others ran to the door. Goofy, being the last one out, studded his toe on the door frame and yelled before tripping over Dale and landed in the hall.
"This is the night."
The door slamming shut behind him.
Meanwhile, Mickey and the others ran down the halls until they felt like they were out of danger.
"That was close." Minnie panted.
"Yeah," Mickey said before looking back where they came.
"I knew we shouldn't have come here."