And You Can't Tell Anyone, chapter 2
Several hours later, and well past midnight, Wren was lying on her bed. She was just on the verge of sleep, partially because she was tired, and mostly because she was trying to study history. History was actually really easy for Wren, but it just had this drowsy effect upon her. The trio had shut her in her room and instructed her not to come out until they summoned. Wren was running out of curiosity to keep her awake. Besides, she really should get some sleep if she wanted to be conscious for the test. As she wrenched her eyes open, she thought,
School classes should be illegal before noon. What's the point of being there if you can't learn anything anyhow? Oh well, this is the last year. Then, no more.
She sighed as she tried to contemplate life after high school. It would be awesome to actually move up in the world, have her own things, a car, a house. A real job would not be that bad, as long as it was something worth doing. Problem was, if--unfortunately, when---that happened, she would be tied down. No more crazy escapades with Tre', or drinking binges with Billie Joe. A bit of anxiety twisted her guts. When the guys hit the big time, things would change so harshly. Wren dug her fingers into her blanket, trying to hold onto the time at hand. A strange, almost incorporeal voice whispered on the edge of her mind.
Hold on now. It won't do you any good. Enjoy it while it lasts, for when it all comes to a halt.... No force you can create will stop the disintegration.
A bit unsettled, Wren sat up and looked around her room. Nothing stirred. Shaking her head, she went back to her notes.
A little pre-Halloween jitters, that's all. She frowned and sniffed the air. Was that the smell of something burning? It smelt just disgusting, a sickly sweet scent. She narrowed her eyes as a small light flickered on the lawn outside her window.
What is going on?
Nervously, she held onto her pen. Sure, it wouldn't do much good against ghosts, but it was better than nothing. The light drew closer. Closer. A chill ran up her spine as her door creaked open. It was no one more than Mike, but he was dressed fully in black, even down to a black bandana on his hair. A bit of her fear melted away as she stared at his face.
"Are you wearing my makeup?" Really, it looked like someone had less than skilfully applied eyeliner to him. He raised a hand and beckoned her with a curling motion of his finger, revealing a newly black nail polished fingernail. He slipped out of the door, out of sight. Wren was forced to follow. Mike led her down the dark hall, to the kitchen and out of the house.
Outside, Wren noticed that it was still bitterly cold. It was worse than before, since the sun was no longer up to add its heat to the fight. Stillness was shrouding the neighbourhood, the wind did not blow, and there were no signs of life. She halted as the strange light flared into being, several feet away. In fact, it looked like it had only moved a few steps from her window. Mike kept walking, until the night's shadow's swallowed him up.
What is out here? No. I'm not afraid. I'm not a sissy. It's just my overactive imagination. Besides the only thing out here is me. Whatever that light is, it's not going to hurt me. And if it tries to, I know Mike is out here somewhere and he can help me fight it. But, there IS NOTHING out here, so why am I worrying?
Boldly, Wren walked right up to the light. She felt incredibly stupid to discover that the evil thing was only Billie Joe, holding a lighter. He too was dressed mainly in one colour, green, and wearing eyeliner. His was considerably better done than Mike's, probably because of more practise.
"What--" Wren began to query.
"Ssssh." Billie Joe's eyes did not move from the lighter's flame. The hair on the back of Wren's neck rose as a low hum vibrated through the air. She continued to be confused as Billie Joe added his voice to the hum. As Mike came up beside her, she jumped.
"Easy now," he whispered into her ear. "Don't run or you will cause me to send out my legions of marshmellowness upon you."
"Thought you were afraid of those."
"Well, I sacrificed a few to the mighty Micro-Wavati and resurrected them to do my bidding."
The lighter went out, but she could see Tre' approaching, a flashlight held under his chin. Keeping with the style, he had eyeliner, and all blue clothes. Unlike the others, he wore something very much resembling Wren's Santa hat (that she made in sewing class as a joke) askew on his head. He held something behind his back. As he stepped up beside Billie, he changed his humming to the Barney song, which was so much creepier. With a flourish, Tre' brought out his hands, revealing only the head of a rather beaten garden gnome.
"Welcome," he intoned, "to the official start of the Gnome Games."
School classes should be illegal before noon. What's the point of being there if you can't learn anything anyhow? Oh well, this is the last year. Then, no more.
She sighed as she tried to contemplate life after high school. It would be awesome to actually move up in the world, have her own things, a car, a house. A real job would not be that bad, as long as it was something worth doing. Problem was, if--unfortunately, when---that happened, she would be tied down. No more crazy escapades with Tre', or drinking binges with Billie Joe. A bit of anxiety twisted her guts. When the guys hit the big time, things would change so harshly. Wren dug her fingers into her blanket, trying to hold onto the time at hand. A strange, almost incorporeal voice whispered on the edge of her mind.
Hold on now. It won't do you any good. Enjoy it while it lasts, for when it all comes to a halt.... No force you can create will stop the disintegration.
A bit unsettled, Wren sat up and looked around her room. Nothing stirred. Shaking her head, she went back to her notes.
A little pre-Halloween jitters, that's all. She frowned and sniffed the air. Was that the smell of something burning? It smelt just disgusting, a sickly sweet scent. She narrowed her eyes as a small light flickered on the lawn outside her window.
What is going on?
Nervously, she held onto her pen. Sure, it wouldn't do much good against ghosts, but it was better than nothing. The light drew closer. Closer. A chill ran up her spine as her door creaked open. It was no one more than Mike, but he was dressed fully in black, even down to a black bandana on his hair. A bit of her fear melted away as she stared at his face.
"Are you wearing my makeup?" Really, it looked like someone had less than skilfully applied eyeliner to him. He raised a hand and beckoned her with a curling motion of his finger, revealing a newly black nail polished fingernail. He slipped out of the door, out of sight. Wren was forced to follow. Mike led her down the dark hall, to the kitchen and out of the house.
Outside, Wren noticed that it was still bitterly cold. It was worse than before, since the sun was no longer up to add its heat to the fight. Stillness was shrouding the neighbourhood, the wind did not blow, and there were no signs of life. She halted as the strange light flared into being, several feet away. In fact, it looked like it had only moved a few steps from her window. Mike kept walking, until the night's shadow's swallowed him up.
What is out here? No. I'm not afraid. I'm not a sissy. It's just my overactive imagination. Besides the only thing out here is me. Whatever that light is, it's not going to hurt me. And if it tries to, I know Mike is out here somewhere and he can help me fight it. But, there IS NOTHING out here, so why am I worrying?
Boldly, Wren walked right up to the light. She felt incredibly stupid to discover that the evil thing was only Billie Joe, holding a lighter. He too was dressed mainly in one colour, green, and wearing eyeliner. His was considerably better done than Mike's, probably because of more practise.
"What--" Wren began to query.
"Ssssh." Billie Joe's eyes did not move from the lighter's flame. The hair on the back of Wren's neck rose as a low hum vibrated through the air. She continued to be confused as Billie Joe added his voice to the hum. As Mike came up beside her, she jumped.
"Easy now," he whispered into her ear. "Don't run or you will cause me to send out my legions of marshmellowness upon you."
"Thought you were afraid of those."
"Well, I sacrificed a few to the mighty Micro-Wavati and resurrected them to do my bidding."
The lighter went out, but she could see Tre' approaching, a flashlight held under his chin. Keeping with the style, he had eyeliner, and all blue clothes. Unlike the others, he wore something very much resembling Wren's Santa hat (that she made in sewing class as a joke) askew on his head. He held something behind his back. As he stepped up beside Billie, he changed his humming to the Barney song, which was so much creepier. With a flourish, Tre' brought out his hands, revealing only the head of a rather beaten garden gnome.
"Welcome," he intoned, "to the official start of the Gnome Games."
