SEVENTEEN*
"There is no terrorist in the bang, only in the anticipation of it."
-Alfred Hitchcock.
"It's Halloween, everyone's entitled to one good scare."
-Brackett Halloween.
"Villainy wears many masks, none so dangerous as the mask of virtue."
-Ichabod Crane.
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The horrible and stupefied look Ralph displayed at the funfair before leaving in anger still lingered in my mind. I didn't need a soothsayer to tell me that I have really messed things up.
Luke is a good guy, a gentle lad, a kind boy and I like him for all the attributes he possessed. Ralph on the other hand is the typical bad boy who can easily sweep you off your feet with his charming look and masculinity oozing around him. I hate to break it, but I'm currently in a love triangle.
I know I said I don't fall in love and truly, I haven't fallen in love. But my heart seems to beat faster with Ralph around me and my mind cooes with Luke around me. The feelings are inexplicable.
Guilty conscience hung heavily around me like the cross I needed to carry despite the fact that I never did anything wrong. But I still can't help the fact that I have hurt the bad boy.
I'm currently pacing the length and wideness of my room with my phone in my hand as I wonder if I should dial his number and explain myself or not.
"Hey Anna banana, tell me everything without skipping a detail," Jess ordered as she barged into my room and hopped on my bed.
"You wouldn't believe what happened Jess." I facepalmed and sat beside her on the bed.
"Okay, first, how are you?" She queried with eyebrows wiggling furiously.
"Terrific."
"Wow! Not the response I was expecting. Did the jerk ditch you or something?" Her nostrils flared in anger as she began cracking her knuckles with an evil smile on her face. I'm sure she is probably planning a burial in her head already.
"No! As a matter of fact, he was so sweet." I clarified. "Where do I start from? Alright." I said and began narrating all the incident to her.
"Holy shit!" She muttered finally with a deep sigh as began pacing around the room in deep thoughts too.
"You know what, let forget about the boys and concentrate on the special festival." She started with a smile.
"Halloween?"
"Yeah, the only Halloween darling. Let just have fun." She continued, nodding her head.
"Alright, but we didn't arrange for costumes, neither did we prepare to host any party." I blurted out with a confused look.
"Alright, let me introduce you to the Blood manor in Manhattan. All teenagers will be there. It going to be the best Halloween ever, Anna banana." She reiterated with her eyes gleaming in excitement already.
"And costumes?"
"That has also been taking care of. You will be dressed as a witch while I will be dressed as a bloody nurse." She rounded up with a quick dance while we both chuckled at her stupidity.
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Dressed up to the treat, we stepped out of the car and faced the banner that says, welcome to the blood manor. The ink looks like blood dripping. It was cold for even the end of October as if all the heat had been drained away into the earth.
On stepping inside, we gave our tickets to skeletal figures that waved at us. The park is pretty big with many tents camped in every perimeter. A huge crowd of witches, vampires, clowns, zombies, surrounded a bonfire. They gathered in groups of friends and family laughing and joking about themselves.
On this dark Halloween night, there is only weak moonlight and a few lamposts for illumination. The warmth of the summer left a forth night ago but it is only tonight for the first time since last winter that I can feel the frigid concrete through the soles of my shoes. The air flows through the fabric of my clothes just like it did in summer and early fall, but now I can't help but observe it. I turned to smile at Jess but she isn't there. She was right beside me before. My heart skips, then pounds. She must have gone to one of the homes for candy.
The park looks like demonic dungeons, severed limbs poked from closed doors and a dire warning to trespassers were pasted dripping red paint.
Some girls are scrapping the sinewy gunk from their pumpkins. Their movement is quick and furtive, they giggle often and compete with one another to tell the scariest story.
"Wait let Nancy here tell us one. She has been quiet since." A girl said and pointed to a short girl with dirty blonde hair who dressed as a cat with a tail.
"Yeah, Nancy tell us one." They chorused and the girl took a deep breath and began.
"A young woman goes to her grandmother's house for a tea on Halloween night. They have a wonderful time together, sharing stories with glee and joy like the best times of family. The next day, the woman learns her grandma has been dead for over a week and no one could get ahead to tell her." Short Nancy concluded while the girls remained silent.
Goosebumps rise in my skin, as I began to freak out since Jess hasn't arrived yet. A palm connects with my bare shoulder and I slammed my elbow into the person's stomach out of instinct.
"Omg!" I gasped and began to mutter sorry along with jess.
"It fine." The victim replied with a strong thick voice as his eyes roam around my body like a cat.
"Anna, meet Gabriel. Gabriel, Anna, my best friend." Jess introduced excitedly while I gave a small smile and he gave a smirk in return.
Danger is the aura surrounding him. And meeting someone who makes me want to bash his head in fright on and Halloween night isn't the best remedy for me now. So far, it being terror for me.
They settled beside me while we roasted s'mores and more people told more scary stories. Pumpkin spice lattes were passed around and I drank it in a hurry to calm my racing heart and in the process, scalded my tongue. We toasted pumpkin seeds, as well as the night, went further and darker.
I began to feel very cold and my bladder began to feel heavier. I needed to visit the ladies, but I doubt if there is one around. I excused myself and tried to look for an enclosed place to do my business.
My heart sighed in relief as I began to head back to the bonfire but slammed into a brick. Only this time around, the brick is dressed like a joker. I stared at the smirking Gabe in stupefaction. And tried to go forward when he blocked my route again.
"What do you want? You can find a toilet to do your business right behind there." I advised and pointed to the back of the tents.
"You mean a place for us to do our business?" He corrected and began leaning closer while I kicked him where the moon doesn't shine.
"Get back here." He hollered and began chasing after me. My heart slammed against my ribcage like it will rip out soon. Everything seems like a bad dream that became a reality. I thought Halloween was supposed to be fun? Then why is it scaring the hell out of me?
I could see the bonfire. I'm closer to the crowd now. My hair got pulled from behind while I screamed in pain. It was Gabe. He held my neck tightly like he wanted to kill me.
"This is what you get for not cooperating with me." He shouted and spat on my face while I stared at the psychopath in disgust.
How could Jess have been with this evil mad man? She is too sweet to be deceived by a mad man.
"It good to have you this way." He said with his voice laced with mischief.
"You are a disgrace to humanity. You won't go scot-free if you do anything to me. You have messed with the wrong person. And to think you had a beautiful girl like Jess with you." I spat into his eyes while he gripped my hair tighter and I screamed in agony.
He planted his disgusting lips on mine. His breath reeked of alcohol and long decayed bacteria.
How can Jessica be blind to fall for a sick bastard?
Speaking of Jessica, she walked in on us and froze.
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