The Parade: Part VI, Trixie's Walk

Continued from The Parade: Part V, Mystery on Maryland Avenue

The Parade
Part VI

Trixie's Walk
 

Doris Hutchens opened the refrigerator and looked plaintively at its contents.  She wasn't really hungry but there was still some time until the news and she was bored.  She would go to bed after, but she needed a quick update.  Tomorrow was going to be a day long event and she'd have no time to catch up until Sunday afternoon.  She had multiple clients to see before noon and then parade preparations all afternoon.  There was still a piece of cheesecake left in the fridge from their dinner out in Hamptonville.  She scooped it up and placed it on a saucer.

At least everyone's costumes were finished.  She had finished all the sewing Wednesday.  She and Renee and Margaret, the two other stylists from the Style Shop, were all going to be dressed as 1950's housewives but with a witchy twist.  The float they would be riding had been constructed with three swings created to look like brooms.  When they sat in the swings, it would appear as though they were flying on broomsticks.  The rest of the float was constructed to look like glitter covered clouds.

She sat at the kitchen table and dug her fork into the cheesecake.  She savored the first creamy bites as they dissolved against her tongue.  Trixie, her chihuahua, came into the room and whined at her feet.  Doris dropped a small bite of the cheesecake onto the floor and Trixie quickly devoured it.  Doris leaned down and nuzzled the dogs' ears.

The Parade: Part V, Mystery on Maryland Avenue

Continued from The Parade: Part IV, Under the Mackey Building

The Parade
Part V

Mystery on Maryland Avenue

Maureen pulled her car onto Baker, the street leading to her neighborhood.  A thin fog had settled in amongst the trees and had given everything a faint glowing aura.  She slowed to enjoy the view.  Despite its inherent danger to drivers, Maureen had always enjoyed the magic of fog.  Fog could make any landscape mysterious and otherworldly, even the plain streets of Rivercross.

She reached over into the passenger seat and flipped open the styrofoam take out box from the Star diner.  She extracted a single french fry and shoved it into her mouth.  She hadn't had anything to eat since she'd begun her shift at four.  She ate several more fries before closing the box.  Once she got home, she and her husband Daryl would have a late dinner.  He always waited so that he could eat with her.  Although he usually had four or five beers before she got home.

Daryl had tried cooking dinner once long ago and had nearly burnt the house down.  Maureen had forbidden him in the kitchen since.  Her compromise was to bring dinner back after her part time shift at the Star.  She worked mornings at Norris grocery and a few hours in the evening at the Star.  After two shifts, Maureen just didn't have the energy to cook as well. 

The Parade: Part IV, Under the Mackey Building

Continued from The Parade: Part III, Behind The Star

The Parade
Part IV

Under the Mackey Building

Richmond Norris turned the open sign over to closed and locked the front door of his store.  The jack o' lantern decoration on the interior of the door smiled gleefully at him.  He stuck his tongue out in retaliation.  It had been a long and busy day and he was ready to be home.  There was at least an hours worth of work left before he was finished with the store, but all he wanted was a pillow beneath his head. 

Daylight Savings time was this weekend.  The clocks would be "falling back" and he'd be getting back the hour of sleep he had lost in the spring.  He loved Autumn for that reason more than any other.  Despite the darkness in the morning when he rose, the ease of a perceived extra hour of sleep made his days much more palatable, at least until next March when the whole cycle began again.  He flipped the switch for the exterior sign to off.  His last customer of the evening, Ethel Blackwell, had left about fifteen minutes ago.

Ethel was usually his last customer every night during the week.  She always came in fifteen to twenty minutes until nine to pick up a chocolate bar.  Sometimes she would buy a bottle of Tums or a tube of Aspercreme for her arthritis but she always purchased a single chocolate bar. On Saturday night she would buy two bars as Norris was closed on Sundays.  He always smiled to see Ethel.  It meant his work day would soon be over.

The Parade: Part III, Behind The Star

Continued from The Parade: Part II, Under the Mason Bridge

The Parade
Part III

Behind the Star
 

As Jackie entered the Star diner, she was pummeled by a wall of sound.  The dinner rush had come early and the restaurant was full.  A coffee maker at the far end of the bar gurgled and hissed as it finished making a pot of its dark elixir.  In the kitchen, Abe was busy filling orders.  She could see his arms rising and falling behind a wall of steam as he flipped burgers, pulled plates, and dropped baskets into the deep frier.  He placed several full plates in the window behind the bar and yelled, "Order up!"  The television over the bar blared and all around her different conversations merged with the clatter of plates and silverware. Ruby smiled at her as she rushed by with a cup and a pot of coffee.  Jackie waved and moved closer to the bar.

"...and coming up on channel five news - Are you looking for a good scare this Hallo-weekend? We'll give you a listing of the best haunted houses and trails in the tri-state area...and if you haven't carved your Jack O Lantern yet, we'll tell you the best places to shop for that last minute pumpkin.  Later we'll be speaking with federal authorities about the nationwide manhunt that continues for convicted serial killer Doctor Theodore Mars.  Dr. Mars escaped from federal custody in February of this year and has eluded federal authorities si-"

The Parade: Part II, Under the Mason Bridge

Continued from The Parade: Part I, Skipping School

The Parade
Part II

Under the Mason Bridge

Jackie sat on a bench at the edge of the park and watched the cars move through downtown Rivercross.  They zigzagged like confused ants, disappearing behind trees and buildings then reappearing moments later in a new direction.  A breeze knocked bright orange leaves loose from nearby trees.  They danced across her field of vision like bits of flame and floated away down the hillside.

Her tears had finally passed.  She held the brown bag tightly in her grip.  She had shoved the test stick in with the packaging.  She almost threw it all in the trashcan nearby but found that as she approached she couldn't release the bag.  She still had not decided if she was going to tell Sam.  She didn't know what she was going to do at all.  Jackie watched the clouds stretch themselves across the sky like cotton candy.

The Parade: Part I, Skipping School

The Parade 
Part I

October 30th, Skipping School

Jackie pedaled her bike out of the parking lot and away from school.  She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one had seen her leave.  Her last class was a free period and she wouldn't be missed, but she didn't want to take any chances.  Rivercross High disappeared behind a bank of trees as she rounded the curve and sped towards downtown. She turned at the next intersection to avoid Main street.  She didn't want to be seen by anyone who might tell her dad.  Doris over at the Style Shop had ratted her out when she had skipped class before and she just couldn't deal with that extra stress today.

She bought the test from Maureen at Norris grocery on her way to school.  She knew that Maureen would keep her secret.  She sold Jackie cigarettes sometimes.  The test was wrapped in a brown paper bag deep in her backpack.  She would go to the park for some privacy and then she would know.  If she got to the park before three she could get home before four-thirty and her mom and dad wouldn't be suspicious.  She angled her bike onto Myers boulevard and towards the Mason bridge.

Coming Soon: Third Annual Halloween Outbreak!

As the days grow colder and darker, the walls between the worlds grow thinner.  Strange entities wait just on the other side of the veil. Each year on All Hallow's Eve they break out and overrun the world of the mundane. 

Night of the Cauldron Gallery and Recommended Listening

I wanted to share all of the Night of the Cauldron pieces in one post so that they could easily be viewed together as a set.

Night of the Cauldron: Part VIII, The Tree of Death

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part VII, The Scythe of the Reaper

Night of the Cauldron

Part VIII

The Tree of Death

The pumpkin faced reaper leveled its baleful gaze upon Traci.  It moved to her and lifted her face in it's skeletal hand, examining her with the same detachment it had viewed her uncle's body.  She tried to pull away, but it held her fast.  The creature stunk of earth.

"Tt tt,"  The reaper released her face and walked about as if it were smelling the air or listening to some silent melody.  As it turned its back to her, Traci reached over and wrapped her hand around the length of the shovel. 

"Remember this night,"  The reaper gestured to the green air, "Though surely it is not likely that you can forget it."  It chuckled and touched the tip of the scythe blade into the green column of flame.  It stood silently for a long moment, watching the flames dance around the scythe's tip, much like a child burning ants with a magnifying glass.  Small sparks flew upward, dancing into the green fog.  Through it, a firetruck's siren clearly blared.

Night of the Cauldron: Part VII, Scythe of the Reaper

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part VI, The Scarecrow's Lantern

Night of the Cauldron

Part VII

Scythe of the Reaper

Traci watched with horror as the mechanical grim reaper peeled itself off the fence and climbed down toward her and her father.  The reaper's fake teeth chattered as it crawled.  It cackled endlessly now, no longer waiting for Traci to come near.  It was coming to her.  As it moved, it's scythe knocked the Jack O Lantern off the edge of the railing.  The large pumpkin rolled across the deck and finally came to rest near the cauldron.

Suddenly, she was moving backward, away from the reaper and green glow of the cauldron.  Her father had opened the sliding glass door and pulled her inside the house.  The door slid closed with a soft hiss just as the reaper's skeletal fingers danced across the glass.  Traci's father quickly pushed the lock button and dropped the security bar down into the door's track.

The reaper flattened its plastic face against the glass door.  Much like a bird, it seemed unable to see the glass.  It pushed forward, perplexed by the unseen obstruction, biting at the air.  Traci noticed that its movements had become less mechanical.  It seemed almost to slither now as it sought passage.

Night of the Cauldron: Part VI, The Scarecrow's Lantern

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part V, Bone Chimes Spider

Night of the Cauldron

Part VI

The Scarecrow's Lantern

Henry watched the headlights of the cars blur as they passed in the firetruck.  He could already see the green glow of the Woodsboro subdivision from the highway.

"Where's this at again?"  He asked Seth, the driver.

"Near the corner of Elm and Myers."  They sped up the exit ramp.  Several cars before them moved quickly into the emergency lane.  Henry double checked his coat and helmet.

Henry wasn't sure what they were going to find at the site.  The dispatcher's relay of the emergency calls had been confusing.  Some people had called about a column of green fire and other calls reported animal attacks and dangerous Halloween pranks.  Animal control had already been alerted and paramedics were on their way as well.  His truck and the one following would arrive first.

Night of the Cauldron Delays

The last two pieces for Night of the Cauldron are going to be delayed a couple of days.  These two pieces are taking a bit more time than I anticipated, but I'm plugging away at them and will hopefully have them both to you before the end of Day of the Dead.  In the meantime here's a teaser for the next piece.

Soon.

Night of the Cauldron: Part V, The Bone Chimes

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part IV, The Pumpkin Bogey

Night of the Cauldron

Part V

The Bones Chimes

Theo walked along behind his brother and sister.  Martin and Stacey rushed up the sidewalk to the next house for another batch of candy.  They giggled as they ran.  Stacey was dressed as a bright sunflower and Martin was the Red Power Ranger.  They disappeared behind a large framework of orange lights in the shape of a Jack O Lantern.  He heard them yell "Trick or Treat!" followed by laughter.

Theo sighed.  He wore no costume of his own, embracing the designation of adult for the evening.  He had planned to dress as Batman, but he had also planned a different Halloween night altogether.  Just before sunset, his mother had thrown him the wrench.

"You've got to take Martin and Stacey Trick or treating Theo.  I'm sorry, I know it sucks, but they called me into work."

Night of the Cauldron: Part IV, The Pumpkin Bogey

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part III, Ghosts of the Tree

Night of the Cauldron

Part IV

The Pumpkin Bogey

Alicia paced back and forth through her room as she put on her costume.  Eric had been hiding beneath his sister's bed for at least fifteen minutes waiting for the right moment.  He'd snuck in when she'd gone to the bathroom and slid quietly underneath.  He had to stifle his giggles several times while he waited, holding his hand tightly over his mouth.  He'd put on part of his own costume for the scare, a pair of fur covered latex werewolf claws.  He'd be rinsing the taste out of his mouth all night, but it was worth it.  Finally, Alicia stopped pacing and stood in front of her chest of drawers.

Eric jutted his arm out from under the bed and grabbed Alicia's ankle.  He growled like an angry dog as he did so.  Alicia screamed and leapt onto the bed.  Eric laughed and pushed himself out the opposite side.  He flew out the door before Alicia could catch him.  He was in the kitchen is seconds, Alicia just steps behind him.

Night of the Cauldron: Part III, Ghosts of the Tree

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part II, The Turnip Lanterns

Night of the Cauldron

Part III

Ghosts of the Tree

Jimmy ran down the sidewalk to the next house.  His bag of candy sloshed at his side, knocking against his furry chaps.  As he ran, his cowboy hat flew off his head.

"James Wallace!"  His mother called, using the tone that meant he'd better stop whatever it was he was doing and wait for her instruction.  He ran back to pick up his cowboy hat.  He scooped it up and tried to get it evenly back on his head.  Soon his mother was beside him.  She leveled the hat and pushed it down firmly in place.

"Much obliged ma'am" he said in his best cowboy voice and grinned up at her.  His mother smiled and directed him back towards the next house.  He walked slowly in front of her with his legs bowed and his hands firmly on the toy guns at his sides.  They both laughed.  "Gotta go rustle up some candy!"

Night of the Cauldron: Part II, The Turnip Lanterns

Continued from Night of the Cauldron: Part I, The Cauldron

Night of the Cauldron

Part II

The Turnip Lanterns

Margaret pulled her skirt free as she slammed the car door closed. Chuck moved around to join her.

"I didn't get anything on my skirt, did I?"

"Nothing there." He said without really looking.  Margaret adjusted her bustier and secured her princess crown.  Chuck, her Prince Charming, lit a cigarette and took a long draw.

"Gimme some," she said.  He passed the cigarette to her and lit himself another, almost blowing his exhale in her face.  "Really?"  He turned away and examined the night sky.  They smoked in silence but for the occasional labored exhale.

"Why are we even here?"  He didn't look at her.

"We don't have to stay long.  Let's just get through this okay."  She pleaded.

Night of the Cauldron: Part I, The Cauldron

Night of the Cauldron
Part I

The Cauldron

Traci brought the freshly carved Jack o' lantern out of the house.  She set it upon the railing at the edge of the deck.  She moved the bowl of candy to the small table beside the steps.  Turning the Jack o' Lantern so that it fully faced the driveway, she paused to admire her handwork. She adjusted her witches hat and her black skirt, being careful not to knock off her fake fingernails.  She was ready for the trick-or-treaters.

Her father was preparing a fire bowl further back on the deck.  Suddenly there was cackling laughter behind her.  She started and sighed, glaring at the source.  Hanging from the fence at the deck's edge was a creepy mechanical grim reaper that cackled, lit up, and shook whenever there was movement nearby.  She hated it, but her father enjoyed how it scared the other kids when they came up the side stairs to get their treats.  She swiped at its tattered robe and stuck her tongue out at it.  The reaper shook its scythe in mock menace.

Coming Soon: Night of the Cauldron

Something is brewing at Zombie Bites.  There is a strange green glow beyond the falling autumn leaves and voices echo on the wind.  Last year, Zombie Bites was haunted by the Halloween Zombie Outbreak.  This year, strange magick is afoot.  something is bringing Halloween to life.  It's the Second Annual Halloween Outbreak: Night of the Cauldron!  Night of the Cauldron posts will be part of the regularly scheduled Featured Creature.  Come check it out the week before Halloween!

Featured Creature HZO: An Apology

I must tender an apology.  I have run up against a truly unexpected barrier with the Halloween Zombie Outbreak.

There is a fine line in film where a horror movie can turn into a snuff film.  I enjoy being frightened as simulated catharsis, but I am not into murder porn.  I feel like I've been dancing around that line with the HZO pieces and maybe even crossed over it at a couple of points.  In my searches for reference material for the Halloween Zombie Outbreak pieces, I've come across some real world images that have made my soul hurt.

Generally, I find myself inured to most horrific imagery, but there is real violence and real suffering in the world that is soul humbling.  I just can't draw anymore undead children with their intestines hanging out.  I'm not done with horror or with even with zombies, I just have to take a break.  I can't draw any more horror right now.

I may not be able to create anything new, but I do have some other zombie pieces that have been waiting in the wings that I will post to round out the Halloween Zombie Outbreak.

Thanks for understanding and viewing.

  

Featured Creature HZO: Black Cat

"I work security over at the park off main and north.  The first one I saw was when I was patrolling near the front.  Halloween night is usually pretty busy so I had one other guy, Ted, working with me. I don't wanna talk about what happened to him, okay?