A/N:
Francis: *Facing laptop camera.* Happy Halloween.
Me, Beth and Kayla: HAPPY HALLOWEEN! *We happily scream as we full on jump on him from behind.*
Francis: *Completely surprised and is knocked off a couch he was sitting on. We fall with him.*
Amber: *Rushes over to keep the laptop from toppling over as well. She sighs staring into the camera while setting back on its stand as Francis yells gibberish.*
Bill: So tough yet you're easily taken down by a few young ladies, uh? *Snickers smugly.*
Francis: I weren't ready old man!/Bill: Seems you hardly are. *Sips coffee and looks out at the autumn scenery.*/Francis: You sayin' you're never caught off guard?! *Rises with all of us and drops us on the couch. We immediately scatter and he's ignored.*
This is a little spooky skit (hopefully) with the team celebrating Halloween in the apocalypse. It's also the start of a spinoff mini series of my main story: On Our Own.
Disclaimer: I don't own any movies, songs or Left 4 Dead. They belong to their rightful owners.
Claimer: I own this story, plot, ideas and OC's.
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A crisp breeze of cool autumn air wafted through tree branches. Swaying them as maple leaves in every shade of red, yellow and orange drifted away or skittered across the sidewalks of a long abandoned town. Rims of oranges and pinks merged with the majority of the sky, crossing over the horizon from a slowly setting sun.
It was hauntingly quiet in this town. It had been for a long time now. Ever since an unknown disease had swept the globe, and brought the race of humanity at its mercy in only a matter of weeks.
If it wasn't for violent outbursts of angry infected, dying victims who have succumbed to the sickness fighting one another or attacking a source that disturbed them, that's what most of everything was. Soundless.
Until…
"Happy Halloween ya'll!" Louis hollered excitedly. Pumping his arms in the air, disturbing that silence and creating an echo. The outburst startled the family since they were walking down the street not saying a word to each other; as their concentration was on scoping out threats and a place to hide out for the coming night.
"Quiet!" Bill hissed, clenching his teeth with all looking at the young African-American perplexed. "Honest to God I'm surprised no one's yelling hasn't brought 'em out yet." He groused the rest of his sentence; casting his worn eyes around their surroundings.
"But you guys, i-actually it's Halloween eve." Louis corrected himself, holding an index finger up.
Keirstan gave him a doubtful look by scrunching her face a bit. "How do you know that?" She questioned, with Amber tilting her head curiously from beside her.
Louis turned to face them and they all stopped in their tracks. His figure shadowed from blocking the sun's fading rays behind him. He smiled while pulling his coat open. "I've been able to keep track of the days since the infection began with this," he started, pulling out a small calendar from an inside pocket and flipping it open to the appropriate month. Each passing day was crossed out with a black X; the last two were blank. Everyone leaned in together for a better look as he explained. "I forgot to mention this to you earlier when I looked at it. Tomorrow's Halloween."
Just before he was done, Kayla released a sharp yell of excitement. A wide, gaping smile flashed over her face and her eyes shone brightly as she swayed Francis around while he carried her on his back. He was startled further from the abrupt noise and jolted before trying to keep his balance. The desperation showed in his own features, until his little sister leaped off his back. He staggered, slipped on wet entrails lying on the asphalt and he had to catch himself from falling in it. Beth, Zoey and Keirstan started dancing around him. Shouting happily about the holiday.
"Yes, YES, yes, YE-HAS." Kayla chanted, hopping away before taking off down the street. Beth followed, whooping with joy.
"Stop running oooooooooooffffffffffff!" Francis roared after them. "We won't be far!" Beth hollered; skipping around as she did to look at him, then reversing in the direction after her sibling.
"That ain't the point come back!"
"Where are they going?" Ian asked staring after the sisters whilst Francis regained footing. He cast a look at the two, then turned to Louis dangerously as Keirstan and Zoey held their arms over each other, howling and singing different songs. The analyst laughed silently, flashing his friend a toothy grin and held his hands up to shoulder level in defense; while Jordan shrugged in response to Ian.
"Thank you Louis. Really, thank you so much for this." Francis grumbled, bending down to retrieve his shotgun which had slipped off his shoulder from the pavement. He sighed and looked in their direction once more as he straightened. They were gone.
"Now I gotta find 'em before somethin' else does." The biker stated, striding ahead. He took out some bullets from a pocket and loaded the empty firearm, then switched the safety off.
Glaring around at the roofs and alleys he stormed after where the girls may have went. Both always got excited for Halloween. It was their favorite holiday after all. But no one knew it was the time of year until Louis mentioned it. So what did they want to do all of a sudden?
Jordan merrily skipped by. He bumped into Francis but continued to gracefully jump and spin around like a ballerina. "~Beyond losses and pain there's always samhain.~" He caroled with his eyes closed.
"Get your ass outta the way!" Zoey cut in with a loud voice. She and Keirstan charged through making Jordan open his eyes at the sound of stampeding footsteps; and they widened in panic seeing them coming. He shouted attempting to move away but the girls were too quick; and he was run down with brute force. Both had trampled him and neither one slowed or stopped to see if Jordan was alright where he laid in the road.
Francis stepped over him without a thought of yanking the boy to his feet, with the other two vanishing inside a small store. "Why does half of us take off like this whenever we get excited, and where the hell to." Ian tried again with annoyance lacing his words.
"I just wish you would all shut up." Bill replied crankily.
Francis was about to enter, finding Keirstan disappearing behind an aisle when he heard Beth's voice from the other side of the street. He turned around and spotted a second shop while Amber jogged through the entrance. She was shushing her friend so hard spit flew from her lips as she went and he followed.
Inside bags of candy of all kinds, reese's cups, sour patch kids, twix and mixed varieties were thrown at a shopping cart. Either making it in or bouncing off him or the trolley. He watched them drop, then slid his bored, half-lidded eyes ahead as they swept the place.
"Find any decorations?" Kayla called.
"No, not yet."
"Guys. Nobody knew i-" Amber was interrupted when Beth suddenly came crashing into view. "We are gonna find a place with a generator." She began, running over to her then clasping her hands solidly on Amber's shoulders. "And we're gonna celebrate the holy fucking shit outta Halloween. Because damn it, we're going to have a good holiday even if I have to sacrifice Ian's ass." As Beth rapidly spoke, she loomed over and leaned in closely as Amber felt herself being pushed down. Her mouth parted open as her slanted brown orbs stared up into Beth's wide, unblinking ones.
Ian had stepped through the entrance in time to hear the last part and froze. "Excuse me?" He demanded with a look of disbelief.
"Why not sacrifice Jordan's ass," Amber suggested. She side-eyed the front of the store, with the rest of the survivors coming in to spread apart and investigate.
"'Cause I still love that ass.~" Beth replied, licking her lips and looking at him.
"I mean," Jordan slapped his cheeks and propped a hip out. "I don't think mine's very sacrificable." He commented as Francis moved further inside. "You've got a nicer one babe." He wolfishly grinned, pointing at her.
"Look what I found!" Zoey exclaimed cheerfully, appearing in the doorway. She held a box over her head with Keirstan staring up at it nervously.
Beth's lips shaped into an O as she let go of Amber, who stumbled and fell to the floor. "Are you saying you'd sacrifice my ass?" She challenged over Zoey.
"I didn't say that!-"
"Ian's it is."
"So I'll be assless?"
Amber had gotten up and dusted herself off. "No one's sacrificing anyone or their asses!" She exclaimed spreading her arms out.
"You said so about mine," Jordan reminded. He tossed a packet of snickers bites at her.
Zoey hopped in waving the box all over enthusiastically, and Louis' gaze followed it around until she stopped and read the description. "What you find Zoe?" The analyst inquired curiously.
"An ouija board. Always wanted to try it."
Meanwhile Keirstan went from looking through merchandise to slinking behind some shelves of plushies and other board games; warily staring at the two. "Those things are dangerous, hope you know that." She deadpanned.
"I do know. I'll be careful. I'm curious." Zoey replied, giving her a quick look.
Louis was rubbing the back of his head now eyeing the game closely. "I've kinda wanted to try it myself at one point." He admitted. From the sidelines, Beth was frozen and watching them with an astonished expression. "I ain't never touching one again." She announced, suddenly walking away with hands held up half-way. "Uh-uh. Nope. Never again. Ever."
"Have a story with one of these too?" Louis asked, twisting his head at her.
"We do actually." Keirstan said. "A couple Halloweens ago Beth, Kayla and I took one of those to a haunted covered bridge. It didn't end well."
"What happened," Zoey chriped.
"Oh, the devil. To put it short."
Louis clenched his teeth together at the answer, glancing the board once more with Zoey examining it again.
"...I still wanna play." Kayla heard her voice from the other side of the shop. She had stepped away from the shelves she was looking through, with her arms full of more snacks and sets of lights.
"We're up against zombies kid. We don't need a haunting either." Bill said reluctantly.
"I said I'll be careful. Not like it's black magic."
"That ain't better."
Kayla pulled out of her thoughts, turned and dropped the packages in another cart, then rummaged through the items more for some time until she snickered softly. Finding what she was looking for. As she did, Francis rounded the corner to see her pulling it off the shelf grinning. His eyes shifted from the thing onto her. "What are you planning?"
She jumped and looked at him. He raised his eyebrows, "you're up to something aren't you."
"I heard Zoey found an ouija board and wants to use it. Now I've got a prank in mind." She pulled off her bag from her shoulders and unzipped it.
"You already know what's gonna happen?" Francis asked.
"No, I've got an idea."
She quietly cackled at how excellent the prank would be and dropped it inside. Francis shook his head while folding his arms. Whatever was going to happen, Zoey wasn't going to like it. "She's gonna fuckin' shoot you."
"I know." The bag was zipped closed.
"Didn't you have something scary happen at a bridge with one?"
"Yup."
He was about to comment until Louis appeared from the opposite corner. Kayla turned as Francis raised his head at him. "There isn't much here, so we're getting ready to go." He said pointing a thumb behind himself.
The biker nodded while a thin, malicious smile crept along her face as she walked by. Earning a suspicion from Louis. He narrowed his eyes and turned his head to watch her go. "Find something?"
"Uh? Nothin'."
"I don't believe you but ok." Louis bluntly replied and looking back at Francis, who returned his gaze. "Pfft, I ain't up to anythin'." He defended, hunching his shoulders.
He raised his nose side-eyeing him. "Uh-huh."
The two men followed her when Francis felt a laugh building up in his chest. He smiled widely, then brought the side of a fist up enabling to stifle it into a low chuckle. His sister truly enjoyed tricking people; and unless it was on him he found amusement watching how scared they'd get. Despite how simple they were. He assumed this one would be too. Even so, Francis was pretty eager to see how Zoey would react.
"Maybe we can find a house with decorations." Louis suggested.
"Why can't we-" Kayla was cut off when a beastial roar very suddenly tore through the air. Next, a figure covered in a black veil and trench coat came exploding through the aisle and turned to throw itself at the three, scaring them badly.
"WHOOOO! OOOH! OOOH! OOOOOHHHHH!"
With the other two reaching for their firearms, Francis acted quickly by racing forward, grabbed it by the collar of its jacket and hoisted it above his head. "Nooooo! Wwaaiitt!" Shouted a voice. Jordan's voice. It was too late. As the veil fell off exposing his panic written face, the large man chucked him across the store effortlessly. Racks toppled to the floor when knocked down whilst Amber, Ian, Bill, Zoey and Keirstan ran to see what was going on. They halted and watched as Jordan flew pass and over the front counter, taking the register with him. Setting off a ring before smashing against the tiled ground.
"Bastard!" Francis boomed. The five turned to see him with fists balled at his hips storming in view. Cold anger radiated off every part of his body with Kayla now in a mad laughing fit, Louis stared in disbelief from Francis' sheer strength and Beth rushed over to them as Francis lurked around the counter.
"I said it was a bad idea!" She exclaimed. "But no," she threw her hands over her head, "no one listens to Beth!"
She bent down to pull Francis away by his bicep should he toss him away again. However he grabbed Jordan's limp shoulders and pulled him off the floor a little. "Damn kid! You coulda been shot! What the fuck made you think that was a smart thing to pull?!" He yelled in his face.
Jordan was able to shake away the daze. He stared up earnestly, even a bit fearfully, into his leering eyes.
"Answer me."
"Francis…" Beth started, holding an arm between the two.
"...I...I'm sorry..." Jordan mumbled, finally looking away.
He stared in silence until he sneered. "Yeah. You are." Francis growled. He threw him down, rose to his feet and stalked pass Beth who followed him with her eyes.
"I told you," she hissed quietly through clenched teeth. Looking back at Jordan as he sat up. He stripped the coat off and met her gaze. "Happy holidays?" He replied sheepishly.
Shaking her head disapprovingly, she scuffed the back of his and he apologized a second time while both got off the floor.
"I mean," Amber began, breaking the quiet and massaging the back of her neck. "That's no better than the noise we make out there." She gestured outside with a hand.
Francis held the glass door open and cautiously peered around at the darkening surroundings, then shifted his sullen gaze back on everyone. "Well no one here's done that before." He reminded.
Kayla marched over to him pushing a cart in front of her as he spoke. It rattled across the tiled floor, so he stuck a foot out. Stopping the trolley from going any further. "Use a basket." Francis instructed, pointing at one discarded by a tobacco rack.
She obliged, strolling over to grab it then started dropping the candy bags and lights from both carts in it. Francis resumed scanning the streets.
Bill stared pass him warily. His cigarette smoldered and hung loosely between his lips. "Is it clear?" He asked.
A silence. "...Seems it." The biker replied, not looking at him. "Let's find a place already. No more stops."
With that, the survivors started traversing out the store as Zoey and Bill allowed everyone to go first. He held his cigarette between his fingers now, flicking ashes on the floor and blowing a puff of smoke out before glancing at Zoey. She held the board game to her chest; her brows knitted together and a mischievous grin spread across her face. Making him close his eyes and release a quiet sigh.
…
The family eventually found a house two stories tall. It sat alone at the end of a long driveway, far off from other homes of a neighborhood just by the town. The aging building's cream paint was chipping away, stained with old blood and gore stains in random places. One was splattered all over a bottom section of the house and streaked up the structure, covered a window and stopping at the top frame. There were also two maple trees either side of it, with the very large yard under a carpet of leaves.
The leaves continued to rustle in the wind, and gravel crunched under Francis' boots while he ascended a set of concrete steps. As he was about to push the ajar front door open using his barrel, he side-glanced towards the lawn in time to see Beth running and bending down to throw foliage all over. She attempted to throw some at Keirstan and her sister, who both did the same and he smiled at the sight.
While the door swung agape, Francis was immediately met with a screech and sees a filthy, infected man sprinting psychotically across the house. The gun was fired with a loud bang, blowing its frontal lobe apart and sending it flying backwards with a dark spray of blood gushing onto everything close by. The infected crashed and slid across an oakwood floor.
"Fuck!" Ian exclaimed, alarmed at the sudden shot.
The biker walked over then grabbed its ankles; casting a quick glance at the permanent, ugly sneer on its face as he dragged it outside.
"Sweep the place," Bill ordered, leading everyone in. As he said this, Francis was now discarding his kill by the edge of the yard. He wiped his hands on his pants; then turned around at the same time a giggling Beth ran and jumped at him to shove a handful of leaves down his coat. Her brother grinned again with a light laugh, "the hell kid!" And threw an arm up while facing her before grabbing some to throw back.
They played around for some time in a competitive match of overpowering the other with the dead plant material, and tackled each other to the ground. Both rolled around, giggling and chucked more of it in their faces until the two jumped to their feet. She finally hopped around and leapt onto his back, making him lace his arms under her legs. "Alright, let's get inside." He said, walking towards the house.
"What, the leaves too much for you?" Beth joked as she rested her chin on the top of his head.
"Sweetheart, we're losing light." He reminded. "Maybe tomorrow if it's nice…" his voice trailed off, face tensing in alertness when he saw both Keirstan and Kayla had broken from their match and were now charging. Throwing more foliage at him with bits of dead grass in the mix. He squeezed his eyes shut and kicked some at the two while it crunched under their steps; next they settled and walked either side of him.
"Are there decorations in there?" Keirstan called when she spotted Jordan in a window. They saw him turn in their direction, unlatched and opened it. "Huh?" He asked, so she repeated herself.
"Uh yes actually. There's a bunch for each holiday in a closet we checked while sweeping."
Excited to decorate, they ran for the door with Beth digging her heels in Francis' hips. "'Eh!" He exclaimed. "Hurry up, it's getting dark out." She said in a deepened tone. "It is, look at the sky." Francis traced his eyes up at the clouds.
She nestled against him. "I know, I know."
As they were about to go in, Louis and Bill came out. "Looking for a generator." The analyst said, pointing towards a shed sitting behind the house.
"That was quick." Keirstan commented.
"There were six of us. Clear and secured. Also, there's canned food so we'll be set until we leave." Bill stated. She shrugged with lips pursed, and nodded as they passed each other.
The four ventured through a small back corridor and entered a kitchen. Finding the candy basket sitting on a dining table next to the ouija board. Some of the boxes of lights were opened and laid about a counter. Since Zoey and Amber were stringing them up around the doorway leading into the living room. Beyond that were storage containers Francis assumed the decorations were in.
Ian flopped over an arm of a couch onto the cushions and heaved a noisy sigh while throwing an arm over his eyes. When Amber looked at him, she grabbed a box and chucked it in his direction. She snickered at his reaction; jolting and glancing at her with a spooked expression on his face. Reading theirs, he replies, "why not wait and see if…"
Lights kicked on throughout the house. Glowing orange and black-purple around the doorframe as the power hummed to life.
"The power…"
"Works. So untangle your ass and help us decorate." Zoey encouraged and pointed at the containers.
In an instant he hopped off the couch. "Alright I'll help. Got nothing else to do." Ian said, walking over to them as he talked. "But first," he stretched his arms out, and Amber chuckled when he wrapped them around her waist. She rested hers on his shoulders, and he uttered a small noise when they slightly bent over and kissed.
"Hey decor first, bedroom later!" Zoey exclaimed, whipping some tinsel from next to her at the two.
Francis was coming in with the others in tow during this, pulling his jacket off and now shaking leaves out from his shirt as some fell from the coat. He tossed it on a chair as Ian slid his hands down her hips while they straightened. He started rummaging through the decorations, pulling out some styrofoam gravestones, various indoor accessories and laid them across the furniture for Jordan and Keirstan to place around the walls.
"They got costumes or anything for outside?" Beth asked as she too started looking through the containers.
"In that one," Keirstan nudged an elbow at the second bin. "I saw costumes but didn't see anything for outside really."
"No, some of these jack o lanterns and tombstones are for the yard." Louis stated, holding an artificial pumpkin up. He turned its sharp toothed smiling face towards his, then grinned at everyone.
"I call whatever shadow or grim reaper costume there is if any!" Kayla announced, as Beth rubbed her chin. "Francis, you're eight feet tall help me get the tinsel up around the ceiling." Amber cut in. "I'm not eight feet tall!" He protested through a mouthful of baked beans. He dropped the spoon in the can he opened after coming indoors, and set it on a TV stand to hold the decor up while she taped it in place. Kayla was looking through some CDs, and Bill had leaned against the doorframe with his arms folded watching them.
Kayla then scurried towards the TV. She turned it and a DVD player on, switched channels and placed a CD in after checking for scratches. Soon, an ambience of eerie sounds broke the air.
"Here's your shadow." Louis said, tossing a black, ragged outfit her way. She gasped deeply, and held her arms out for it to blanket her.
"There has to be more than a cemetery and pumpkins." Beth suddenly declared with determination.
"What else is there for the lawn." Bill grunted, with Francis twisting around to look at her in dreadful suspicion.
She wiped her hands, and smiled maliciously.
…
A bloody, decapitated head of an infected was shoved forcefully onto a stake.
"Oh good God." Bill snorted, shaking his head. Ian had a disgusted look on his face at the sight, as all Francis did was watch. Eating his beans not fazed by the slightest.
"You asked. What's wrong with a realistic touch." Beth remarked, adjusting garden gloves she wore and the grotesque display. There was a deep crunching sound when she pushed it down more.
It took a little time for this after she had found the poles in the shed. And while they decorated the outside, some infected decided to investigate. Now they lined up half the yard among the gravestones and pumpkins, with their headless bodies carelessly thrown away.
"For one Bethany, that Spitter's burning through the stake." The old man stabbed a finger at what he was talking about.
She gazed at where the special was to see it was doing just that. Melting it in pieces and causing a steam to form. She tsked and waved it off, "there's enough."
"I think it's a beautiful touch. I love it." Jordan commented brightly, and wiped an invisible tear from his eye.
"Thank you, someone appreciates it!" Beth raised a hand at him as the heads dripped saliva and blood.
"I thought this would be something your sister would do. Or say." Ian stated, punching Jordan in the shoulder as Francis motioned for her to come inside.
"Both. But it's my turn to be a little dark." She replied and jogged over to the men.
Before anyone could say anything, there was a sudden wailing that filled them with alarm in an instant and all raced for the door. From inside, Keirstan watched as it was burst open and they barreled in with panic sprawled all over their faces.
"What's happening?!" Francis bellowed, holding Beth in a headlock and finishing his beans. He stormed forwards while chewing furiously as she frantically slapped his arm.
"Kayla's just being loud and obnoxious." A butler dressed Louis replied, pointing a thumb behind himself. He turned his head as she appeared from a gaming room, dressed in the shadow cloak with her arms raised high and still howling idiotically.
"I am a-" she tripped by stepping on the cloak and fell on her face. She immediately got up and kept going, only to trip and fall again, causing Bill, Ian and Jordan to laugh in amusement.
"Kid fix yourself you're gonna break your nose!" Francis exclaimed loudly when this went on. "And stop wailing you nearly gave me a heart attack."
She gazed up. "How dare you shout at me!" She hollered through the hooded mask.
He releases Beth, drops the can and started chasing her across the now fully decorated home, after she scrambled to her feet and raced away while Beth stood alone. Until she looked at the sofa. "Hey I claim that costume!" She announced, seeing and pointing at an outfit lying on the cushions.
"What is it?" Amber asked, "I just put it there for anyone to take."
"Looks like a dark angel." Beth picked the costume up for examination. "It is a dark angel! Fuck yeah!" She began to strip to put it on, making Amber and the others-excluding Jordan who smirked suggestively-look away.
Francis raced by Zoey and Keirstan who were dancing happily as Kayla bounded up the stairs and out of sight. He ran through a Spiderweb draped across a divider by accident, had to pull it from his face, and grabbed the stair rail that was wrapped in ghost-Bat tinsel and orange lights to haul himself up faster.
"Why are you chasing me?" He heard Kayla question. Looking up, he saw her staring down over a balcony as a black figure.
"Are you gonna fix this cobweb?!" Francis heard someone demand. He looked back where he came, finding Louis seething and marching towards him holding the decoration in his hand.
"Yeah, yeah I'll fix it." He snorted. Louis briskly pulled off a glove and slapped him hard across his face with it. The biker gave him a dazed look, while the analyst scrunched his nose with a pursed frown. He shoved the web against his broad chest. "Do it! Do it now! I know you, you'll make me fix it!"
As Kayla wheeze-laughed, Francis sighed taking the decoration. He started heading over where is was hung up, as Louis walked off with his eyes dramatically closed. Unknowing to him, Kayla rushed around the balcony, down the stairs and lept on his back. He jerked and his breath hitched from the impact. "Son of a bitch." Francis grumbled, picking up pins from the floor to start the task.
"Hey Sasquatch you know what we should do for next Halloween?" Kayla said, sliding down his back and holding onto his shoulders.
"What."
"We should urbex at a big ole' creepy abandoned house. Or ghost hunt at some graveyards. Or both. Definitely both."
He chuckled through his nose with a smile. "Unless we find ghosts at the house."
"If we're still alive." Keirstan reminded.
Both looked at her, with Kayla peering out from behind him much like a little kid would. She bitterly squinted her eyes.
"We'll be fine." The large man assured. She let go as he finished.
"Brother, I've got some bad news." Beth suddenly announced, coming to him dressed as the dark angel. Disappointment washed over her face. She was met with his puzzled expression. "Oh no," he answered sarcastically. "What now."
"There were no bigfoot costumes for you."
"As if I'd fit in one." He held an arm out with another smirk.
"Listen," she calmly snapped her fingers. "I'm just saying alright? Since I'm dressed up, so's Jordan, Amber, Kayla, Louis, Keirstan and Zoey." She gestured at the others. Keirstan was a vampire, Zoey a wendigo, Amber a ninja and Jordan had kept what he found in the store.
"The hell are you supposed to be anyway." Bill voiced as he sat down by a heater.
Jordan shrugged, "I dunno. The creepy fisherman guy I guess."
"Uh."
Francis stared on unsure how to react.
"Wear this!" Beth exclaimed after searching through a bin. She held up a grey beanie with a skull pattern and a Spider scarf to him.
"But I don't-"
"Do it."
"Hold on a minute!"
"No!"
She promptly set it on for him. He half-lid his eyes as she wrapped the scarf around his neck.
The scent of coffee suddenly filled the air. "Ya'll, it's caramel for now. But I've found regular, maple pecan and other flavors too." Ian called in bliss.
Bill had perked and was now sitting straight up in his seat in complete alertness. With the other coffeeholics loudly stampeding for the kitchen, causing a muffled cry of "holy shit!" from Ian, the veteran bellowed a monstrous, angry roar. He threw himself wildly from the recliner and towards the kitchen, startling Francis and Amber into looking from him to at each other in bewilderment.
Bill grabbed Louis and threw him out of his way. The analyst wailed as he crashed on top of the kitchen table, snapping its legs and surface in half and sending him to the ground with a loud boom. The others stopped and turned in shock to see this.
He chuckled deeply, menacingly, as the alarmed kids scurried to a safe distance while he lurked towards Ian; who watched him in horror.
"Happy Halloween my children." Bill said creepily.
Ian raced away sobbing while he reached for a mug, and confiscated the coffee maker. As he made himself a cup, the others watched helplessly from a corner until Amber and Francis peered in. Upon seeing Louis lying motionless on the floor, Amber covered her mouth with a sleeve trying to keep from bursting into laughter.
"Jesus old man, don't drink it all on 'em." Francis scowled right as Bill whirled on him. Looking like a wild, raging animal. His eyes wide and insane, his nostrils flared and veins showed in his neck and face. Immediately silencing the biker in slight fear.
"RESPECT YOUR ELDERS!" He screamed. "I HAVEN'T HAD COFFEE IN SO LONG, AND I'M GONNA ENJOY IT PEACEFULLY!"
"Neither have we." Ian whimpered.
Bill side-glanced him dangerously. Everyone ran back into the living room, while he sipped the savory liquid and Amber encouraging them by waving her arm. "Back in here where it's safe." She said.
Francis dragged Louis by his feet away, hitting his head off the counter and doorframe. "I outta find some beer n' I'll be good for the night." He commented.
"Hey guys, wanna try the ouija tonight?" Zoey beamed as if the explosion of events didn't happen. Her voice made some of them jump.
"What? Tonight?" Amber echoed.
"Why not, gives us more excitement and creeps. If it works that is."
Jordan looked at the board lying on the floor among the candy. "Uh," he shrugged. "I vote we just wait for tomorrow night. Louis' unconscious, and Bill's already possessed by something."
They all looked back at the old man, who was greedily pouring himself another cup, spilling coffee on the counter and muttering something incoherently under his breath.
Kayla suddenly pulled out Keristan's cricket bat staring at him. "Alright." She held it up and took a step.
"NO!" The others yelled. Francis and Beth pushed her back as she looked around at her comrades. "He's gonna take it all and I ain't patient enough to make another pot. I was just gonna knock 'im out."
Keirstan snatched her weapon back. "I'm sure it'd be the reverse. Look what he's done to ya'll already. Especially to poor Louis."
"What was that?!" Bill stormed over and leaned into the living room, sipping annoyingly. His eyes were still wide, but narrowed and challenging.
"Nothin'. Keep yer beard on 'n hurry up." Francis replied. Bill squinted. And, still sipping, lurked behind the divider.
Zoey sighed a little disappointed. She crouched down by the heater to warm her hands and rubbed her arms. "Ok I can wait. Sorry I'm just really curious."
"We're telling you, it's not safe. Either it works or not." Beth warned as she peeked outside. Next she checked if the window was locked. When confirmed, she closed the blinds and pulled the torn curtains shut.
"Whatever happens, happens." Ian said. "For now, Bill's the most dangerous being in this house."
"Damn right I am," he voiced darkly. "And if any spirit tries to ruin this supply of coffee, Imma destroy the bastard and all of you with it."
Beth frowned and scrunched her eyes. "Why destroy us?!"
"Yeah." Francis grabbed her outfit and pulled her to him to hold her against his chest. "It's my job to destroy two of them."
"Wait what?"
"Just destroy Jordan. Problem solved." Kayla calmly suggested. In the back of the room, he flicked her off with an unfriendly glance.
"Because," Bill answered. "I'll have it all to myself. Never disrupt an old man and his coffee. YAHAHA."
"Well I'm excited either way." Zoey stated courageously. She jumped up, clapped her hands and pumped a fist in the air as Louis began to stir. "Let's do this Louis!"
"I'm a little concerned of someone being this hyped for an ouija." Amber said quietly to Keirstan, who shook her head. Meanwhile the analyst was uttering a noise that sounded like he was asking what they were doing.
"Ah, she'll learn." Keirstan replied. "If anything, she'll learn."
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A/N:
Bethany: *Hollering out window.* Noone listens to Beth!
Louis: *Peers out from where he's hiding from Bill-a storage closet, since he has coffee.* About what?
Beth: Anything and everything. This ouija idea, Jordan being an idiot in the store, and so on.
Bill: *Rampages in view, spots Louis and roars. Louis screams in fear.* RETURN IT AT ONCE! *Runs at him.*
Louis: NO! It's mine! *Takes off, spilling some of his drink.* We have plenty! LEAVE ME ALONE!
Jordan: Darling, I always listen to you!
Beth: Sure, so Francis almost gave you a concussion for nothing.
Francis: *In next room.* You wanna concussion?
Jordan:...I 70% of the time listen to you.
Beth: BULL FUCKING HORSESHIT ON A TON OF SHIT SANDWICHES…*continues ranting while stomping away, as Jordan moonwalks after her.*
Ian: *Army crawling for the kitchen while Bill's distracted.*
Keirstan and Zoey: *Just chilling on the couch, listening to the chaos and yelling all around.*
I think these holiday chapters are each gonna be 2-3 parts long. It depends on what's happening.
Have a great spooky night!
-Viperberry.