The Blood Runs Red

Jacob waits outside for his younger sister, Holly to take her trick-or-treating. Begrudgingly complying to the request from his parents made over dinner.

[’I have plans though.’ He tried to convince his parents otherwise. Was going to go to his friend’s place to watch movies and perhaps walk around after dark; sneaking in the cemetery to perhaps prank people or tell stories. Request overruled by the premise of them going to a Halloween party too so it was up to him to watch her.

‘But she is ten. Isn’t she too old for trick-or-treating.’ Which is why they wanted to allow her one last year; therefore, with no obligations for next year will be able to do as he pleases.

’Fine.’]

Jacob puts the hood up of his red hoodie and places his hands in his pockets. Shifting from one foot to the other, sighs. The sun is setting making a soft glow of orange and pinks fading to blue-green colors. Sighs.

“Jacob,” He looks down to see an old fox mask up in his face. “Here, I found this for you.” He stares at the empty eyes of the mask for a moment. “Please, it will match your outfit.” Jacob takes it and puts it on, might as well go along with the tradition. Truth be told other than having his plans cut he wasn’t going to upset with Holly or her plans over it.

****

Going down a few blocks through their neighborhood. Collecting candy and enjoying the autumn colors. Dusk approaches going down one of the final streets of the route. Holly’s bag getting heavy, even despite eating some treats on occasion. Even Jacob occasionally took a piece or two and kept them in his pocket. Getting dark Jacob decides to head back, she had more than enough anyways. Going through the route and neighborhood in his mind’s eye figures a shortcut through the old cometary.

Its gate screeches; years of rust. “Come-on, let’s go.” He urges, but she reluctantly follows.

“I don’t know about that, it’s getting dark.” Taking out his phone and turning on the light assures her it will be fine, holding out his hand for her.

“It is just a short cut and besides the cometary adds some ambience for a day like today.”

Weaving between tilted headstones; carved names and dates eroded after a century. Hiding behind and jumping from hiding places, an impromptu tag and hide and seek. Just playing around racing across the large cemetery with a mausoleum in the center. The trees, tall monuments, and setting sun stretched the shadows. A perfect hiding spot for a third party. Traditions may have changed, but the veil thins all the same, and malevolent spirits roam.

*****

In the shadows a figure, tall and gangly hides and waits. Weaken seeks easy prey to regain its strength. Behind an old oak he hides, looks to his left at the boy and the right the girl. Blue-grey eyes skims them both and with his long arms and fingers twists the shadows into shape. Glowing light, dull purple cast an illusion of the girl darting from tombstones in front of the young lad. A quick darting shadow matching her silhouette, just enough to stray him away. It already made a shadowed veil between the two ensured some sounds and sights escrowed, but his fading magic will be quick live.

Making a ball of shadows watches the girl look this way and that. With a flick of his wrist dark butterflies flutter, like shadows taking flight. Circling her head and enticing her away towards the Mausoleum.

*****

Giggling and chasing the butterflies leans over one which landed on a flower. A shadow loom over her. Turning around calling, “Jacob?”

“Hehe,” Holly sits up seeing a stranger leaning over. A tall man, pale face framed by straight black hair and black eyes. Wearing a long black trench coat that went down to his feet. Pooling around like his feet were in shadow. Standing up and backing up a bit sees some costume angel wings from behind his back. “I don’t know who that is but I am not him.”

“Um…my brother.” She looks around for him.

“Hey, you know the only other person here was someone with a red hoodie.”

“That is Jacob.” She beams forgetting briefly her fear of the stranger. Who seems to be helpful. “Where you see him?”

“Over there,” pointing to the old Mausoleum; vines grown wild and green mold grew on the sides. A place of final rest left to a descripted fate.

“In there?” She asks, “oh, he must be hiding. Probably to scare me.”

“Having fun this Samhain?”

“Huh,”

“It is what your Halloween is formerly known as. The old ways of warding evil spirits.”

“Ha--, those are just stories.”

“Well, let’s go over and find your brother.”

The large, thick door easily opens at the man’s touch. Holly takes a cautious step inside the man waiting in the doorway, keeping his distance.

“Jacob!” Her small voice echoes in the chamber; a musty smell wafts in the air. Decayed flowers and statue monuments including one of Angel Raphael. Poised to strike Satan with a spear. It looks out of place like the mausoleum became storage. The stands in the center of the one room structure, not much to hide her brother. Another turn brought her face to face with ‘him’ Now a sickly grey tone, eyes obsidian with no whites of the eyes. Hair grew long floaty like shadows. Wings faded into a shade and blended with the shadows around him; coat still present but shoulders narrower and sharper looking and seamlessly into the floor. A wide grin which splits his face in half.

“Those stories aren’t just stories child.” He grabs her by the neck and brings her up to eye level. “This day was once more than for childish fun, but to divert things like me.” His mouth hinges open and her soul slowly pulls out of her. Legs kicking but slowing down. Edge of her vision blurring. Behind them a teen just runs into the doorway; huffing after running and zigzagging between tombstones to find his sister right after the faded illusion. Reinvigorated upon seeing the state his sister is in.

“HOLLY NO!” It breaks the concentration the demon was in, dropping the girl. A bit of herself already drained, but only weakened lies on the ground. Jacob tackles the demon and they are in a dead lock. Holly helplessly lies there trying to lift up her head and weakly telling her brother’s name. He holds his own against a demon, but only because he hasn’t gained full strength. However, it isn’t much of a match, just before Holly loses consciousness sees Jacob pushing him towards the unstable statue of Raphael.

*****

“-olly?!” She blinks into consciousness. “Holly?” Jacob leans over her, covered in blue blood and dirt on his face and hoodie. Tear streak stains on his face. “Holly, I’m so sorry I couldn’t find you and I looked for you all over and I- “

Holly slowly sits up, voice a bit wobbly. “Jacob, I’m so glad you are okay. It’s my fault I wasn’t supposed to talk to strangers, I know, but he said he saw you and we were playing a game. Mom and dad are going to be mad.”

“Yeah, they will believe the demon story. Listen he tricked both of us.” Jacob hugs her and they embrace for a moment. Jacob helps her stand up and become steady. He leads Holly to the door and faced away from the body of the demon; impaled by the spear of Raphael his blood pooling around him and his form the sickly grey and limbs appears tangled.

Holly only got a glimpse of the scene on the way out. At the last moment it seems the demonic blood have briefly turned red, like a glitch in the illusions; barely held together and showing a teens body in a red hood, fox mask broken on the floor next to the blood running red, and then flickers back. All she sees right before being pushed out. Turning around the moment the door slams shut with her ‘brother.’ Staring back at her. Looking up to him asks, with uncertainty in her voice. “Jacob?”

End