Chocolate Mountain

[ Disclaimer: This is a modern-day version of Hansel and Gretel, with a backstory on the wicked witch. Except, it's a reboot with Hansel, Hansel, Hansel, and Hansel.

Disclaimer: Strong adult themes, and violence. Reader beware.]

1989

PRESCOTT, Arizona

STANFORD HIGH SCHOOL

“Today, behind the Rec Center,” signals a buff senior. He tongues a distinctive ripped hole in his lined piece of paper. Valencia Moldono, a 14-year-old freshman cheerleader, smirks, waiting for Geometry class to end.

They meet, the school now deserted. Shoving her against a wall, the senior aggressively kisses her, unbuckles his pants, and begins to lift Valencia’s skirt. She rejects him with “No!” but his strength overtakes her. She tries to escape until he socks her in the face, almost knocking her out. Three other males arrive laughing as they punch her repeatedly, then take turns sexually assaulting her – until everything fades to black.

She awakens, afraid. A flagged driver races her to the hospital for a rape exam; she's eager to press charges.

THE FOLLOWING DAY

PRESCOTT POLICE STATION

“Miss, how can we believe you are telling the truth?” Chief Sanders questions.

“Look at ME! Do you think I'm lying?” pointing to her swollen face.

“Can you verify all of the participants?” He disqualifies. “We know you have a reputation at school.” He shames her.

“I know Eric Sanders.” She confirms.

Inches from her face, “If you continue this crap …” Her shirt clenched in his hand, “I will have you taken OUT,” he admonishes.

Exiting the interview, he heads towards his office. Valencia spots a large family portrait framed on the wall behind him – his oldest boy is Mr. Geometry.

***

1996

WESTPHALIA, Indiana

CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN BAKERY

Valencia, 21, is a pastry chef at her family’s Chocolate Mountain Bakery. Rows of cookies, puffy eclairs, fluffy pains au chocolat, and delicious cakes are her masterpieces. Her brownies and blondies rest next to her dark, milk, and white chocolate candy confections. Posters of her famous triple-layer, triple-chocolate ganache cake wallpaper the town. Visitors, eager to try a slice of chocolate cake, want to be a town celebrity even for just one day.

Four men enter her bakery before closing time. Shopping for a groom’s cake, they eye the triple-layer Chocolate Mountain Cake. In its case, under soft lights, it seduces them. Finally, they decide. Valencia offers them sample slices of chocolate cake, and they devour it. Moments later, their behavior changes.

“Looks like you need a drink. Meet up with us at Smitty’s Bar?” One of the frat guys smiles and eyes her curves and petite frame.

She declines; instead, she photographs their mugs and posts their pics on the Wall of Fame next to her famous cake. Her back to them, she readies the box for their two-hour drive back to Chicago. “Man, I’d love to sample her goodies,” Frat guy teases the others.

Repulsed, she passes them the boxed cake. Securing the three locks on the door behind them, “I bet you would, asshole!” Her eyes glow amber.

***

1996

WESTPHALIA, Indiana

“Four Men Killed in Head-On Collision Driving Wrong Way on Interstate,” reads the Westphalia Independent Gazette headline, February 10 morning edition. “Firefighters prepare for a grizzly clean-up of four men plus two other victims.” She smiles.

2016

SAINT ETIENNE, France

LeJeann Bassamos, 33, a successful soccer coach, swipes through his Instagram pics: kissing his beautiful French wife, Celeste; showcasing their newly built palatial house in the Loire Valley; displaying his two gold trophies and professional soccer jerseys playing Left Center in Amsterdam, Germany, and France; proposing on one knee, with a giant diamond sparkler on his trip to Positano, Italy.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil

Mario Delorados, 34, is LeJeann's friend. His Instagram photos include: displaying an exotic bird collection; showing a bevy of sports cars; acquiring his Positano, Barcelona, and French Riviera properties; enjoying his three gold trophies; playing Center Forward professionally with three leagues: Spain, Italy, and Brazil; starting “Future Soccer,” his new soccer school; revealing selfies with different South American beauty queens.

MIAMI, Florida

Dylan Bauman, 33, knows LeJeann and Mario. His profile pics begin: chronicling his career as a professional Center Forward in four leagues: France, Italy, Denmark, and Spain; enjoying his four gold trophies; starting his corporate fishing boat business; showcasing one guest with a small 150lb shark caught in international waters; dating Desiree, his girlfriend, a model from Martinique; loving his three children from different mothers; displaying his penthouse suite overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.

LAKE COMO, Italy

Brandon Stiles, 34, is friends with the others. His Instagram showcases: playing professionally in four leagues: England, Spain, France, and Italy; enjoying his retirement party nine months ago; living his charmed life on Lake Como; signing autographs for his fans as a Right Center; enjoying his four gold trophies; loving his beautiful wife and their newborn; owning several properties in France, England, and Italy.

***

2016

SAINT ETIENNE, France

Cleaning out his desk, he finds a photo. LeJeann flashbacks to twenty years ago.

June 18, 1996

WESTPHALIA, Indiana

CAMP SOCCALOT

Dylan, Brandon, Mario, and LeJeann, 13-14 years old, prepare themselves for Camp Soccalot – well respected within the community for creating world-famous soccer stars. The boys begin the first leg of their trip with a two-mile hike, their 50 lb. backpacks secured, through downtown Westphalia. They cross the Annual Cake Fair Celebration, honoring the town’s famous Chocolate Mountain Cake.

The boys complain before traversing the 45-degree muddy slope. They wipe their brows, reach for their water bottles, and eye the posters wallpapered everywhere. They witness crowds entering Chocolate Mountain Bakery. Glancing inside, they see the famous cake atop a backlit shelf, displayed with importance. It shines. It glimmers. It sees them and makes an imprint in their minds. “I see you,” it beckons. Mouths dry – they swallow and feel their bellies growl.

“Champions Are Made, Not Born,” captions on a poster in their camp cabin. The boys know about their upcoming strict training regimen. They groan over the expectations.

It pours, the town amok with water levels rising, muddy banks forming, and storm drains guzzling. After a two-mile hike, three separate practices, ongoing drills, a 10-mile run, burpees and push-ups, weightlifting, and endless screaming from a hard-ass coach, they lay in their bunks, exhausted and hungry.

“That protein pasta shit and iceberg salad sucked. I’m starving. It's 10 pm – eight more hours ‘til we eat again,” Mario wails.

“Fuck it!” LeJeann grabs his shoes.

The two-mile hike back to Chocolate Mountain isn’t bad – not as frightening as the lightning, thunder, and rain pounding beneath the clouds.

***

2016

THE FOLLOWING DAY

VARIOUS Locations

Mario looks through LeJeann’s Instagram photos; he witnesses LeJeann’s happiness – his wife, house, and coaching. Mario eyes LeJeann’s wife’s beauty and sees the love written all over their faces. Envy gut punches him; what I wouldn't do to have a wife love me like that one day. He hearts the photo.

He reflects on his two failed engagements: one left him at the altar; the other, his first girlfriend – the love of his life – died in a car accident years ago.

*

LeJeann sees the heart on his social media, noting Mario’s admiration. He scrolls to Dylan’s profile and thumbs through the pics of his friend enjoying his children. In Dylan’s eyes, he sees a proud papa. LeJeann smiles and hearts. Someday, he thinks to himself. He’s both a little sad and a bit jealous.

Celeste’s two miscarriages have devastated their marriage. Every month LeJeann fears Celeste may leave him if she doesn’t become pregnant. His masculinity and dignity remain on the line.

*

Dylan notices LeJeann’s new heart between charter trips. Twenty-five groupers, one hammerhead, and two 40lb tunas mean he has four more trips to go today. Dylan sighs. At lunch, he thumbs through Brandon’s Instagram. A headline reads, “Brandon Stiles – Virtual Euro Millionaire.” He scans through the article. Brandon’s wealth soared last year when he became a tech giant, netting him a fortune of 75 million euros. Dylan's confidence shrinks; he collects himself, “Good for you, Brandon, Good – for – you!” smiles, then hearts.

Until he grimaces, “Sir, your card has been declined.” His bank account’s dry. Ongoing child support payments, crazy taxes, property liens, and his illegal hustling of goods break him of all his wealth. He thinks, Jesus, I can’t wait for this shit to be over. My ass won’t belong to someone else anymore.

Returning to his slip, the DEA and FBI handcuff him. “Dylan Bauman, you are under arrest for racketeering, drug trafficking, and illegal firearm sales and contraband.”

*

Brandon – next to his Lake Como pool, enjoying the fresh air – sees Dylan’s notification.

“Amore mio, can I bring you anything? Some tea?” Sylviana kisses him. She brings him a blanket for his chills, despite the sunshine.

“No, amore mia, ti amo,” smiling back.

He thumbs through Dylan’s charter business, spotting his strong constitution and healthy tan while holding a marlin. LeJeann looks sharp as a head soccer coach, fit and athletic – his training video shows him dodging opponents. Mario looks trim and smitten with his Brazilian beauty at Carnival. He hits the heart buttons across his friends’ photos. Wishing and praying, Brandon thinks of the times he disregarded his health. At 33, he looks 58 – bags and dark circles crowding his eyes, his lean constitution unhealthy, his skin pasty and pale.

Tomorrow, he has an appointment with a new specialist. He coughs, his headache returns, and his stomach cramps restrict any food from staying down. It’s the third time this year the hospital released him; baffled to find a diagnosis.

***

2016

SAINT ETIENNE, France

LeJeann flashbacks again after locating a Camp Soccalot pin.

1996

Westphalia, Indiana

CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN BAKERY

They hoist each other through the shattered bakery window, smashing the candy, smushing the cookies, muddying the divinity cake – undoing a pastry chef’s hard work.

Mario spots Chocolate Mountain on display. He places the case on a bistro table – wiggling and prying, unscrewing and cursing. “Man, I’d give my right foot to eat this cake right now. Adorn these walls with my face; I’d do anything. Be famous now instead of later.” The others agree. Seconds later, LeJeann opens the case with ease.

They savor every bite. Minutes later, they shove fistfuls of cake as fast as they can into their greedy mouths, like feral animals – chasing it with milk. Now 2 am, they bolt. Four fresh-faced portraits appear, adding to the famous back wall collection.

1996

3:30 am

CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN BAKERY

Valencia, 21, is eager to start the day. Before her shift ends, she needs to bake cakes, pastries, and cookies then make chocolates. She eyes the broken glass, “What the hell?” She confirms that she locked the door last night. She sees the shattered window, food all over the floor, the missing cake, and its busted case. “Steal from me? Seriously? I will so rob you of your shit!” The muddy footprints and Wall of Fame headshots make her eyes flash with evil.

***

June 18, 2016

3:55 am

CHOCOLATE MOUNTAIN BAKERY

Valencia, 41, prepares her award-winning chocolate candy confections. She flashbacks to June 18, 1996 – the early morning those boys robbed her twenty years ago.

Angry, she casts a spell. She places four charms in her cake batter: a heart, a coin, a baby, and a pair of lungs. At 4 am, “Twenty years of luck will not spare you of my wrath!” Her eyes turn amber. She takes the cake and sets it ablaze. Moving forward, she hexes all her famous cakes.

4 am

VARIOUS Locations

Dylan, learning he'll be forever penniless, takes his life in his cell.

*

Passing away from chronic pulmonary disease, Brandon now has a diagnosis.

*

A robber shoots Mario, dead in the heart, inside a liquor store.

*

LeJeann’s car loses control and nosedives over a 300-foot cliff. His wife left him after enduring another month without a baby.

*

Valencia laughs once the clock strikes 4 am, then her eyes shift from amber back to brown.