Beth was bored of the movie. The kids however were glued to the screen so she decided she'd tidy up around the house for the Cartwright's while they were out. Beth sat up and walked towards the hallway and glanced back once, they hadn't even noticed that she had gotten up and left the living room. She climbed the stairs and went from bedroom to bedroom and gathered the dirty clothes from the floor and carried them into the bathroom and put them in the hamper. She walked back downstairs and placed the hamper down and approached the kids who's eyes were still glued to the TV.
"Where's your laundry room?" Beth asked. The children were in a video trance. "Earth to the kids! Did you hear me?"
"Huh?" Jeremy looked at Beth.
"Where's your washing machine?"
"Outside."
"Outside," Beth mused. "I see. And I guess the dryer is in a tree."
The kids giggled. "No, they're outside in the little house in the yard". Jeremy and Sophia kept giggling to themselves and looking at Beth who wasn't amused. "Mommy didn't like the noise".
"She didn't like the inconvenience, figures".
"We can't see the TV" Sophia said as she climbed over her brother to see the screen. "Move!"
"I'm terribly terribly sorry," Beth said in her best British accent. "Okay, I'm going to carry this stuff out to the laundry house or whatever you call it. Will you be alright alone?" She asked but the kids didn't respond. Yeah, they'd be fine.
She picked up the hamper and walked into the kitchen, unlocked the door and pushed it open and stepped out into the darkness. The back door breezed closed and she followed the pathway towards the small hut. She struggled to carry everything and ultimately dropped several items to the ground along her way. She cussed, she'd come back and get it. She reached the hut, freeing one hand from the load of laundry and the box of soap, she opened the door and stepped inside, dropping everything on the flat top of the dryer.
The door behind her slammed shut and she jumped.
"Oh, shit!"
The Shape was standing in the yard watching her from a distance. He could see the movement inside laundry room from the glass panel door that had slammed shut behind her. She was looking at the door and then into the yard, he had moved into a darker location as her eyes scanned the yard. He walked towards the hut slowly but leapt back into the darkness as Beth found and turned on the light switch. A beam of bright vibrant reach out into the yard and he avoided the light and stuck to the darkness. He gripped the handle of the kitchen knife even tighter as he began to imagine all the ways he could take her life.
Beth pushed the door open and placed the box of washing powder between it and the frame so it stayed. She turned back and opened the washing machine and piled the clothes inside before taking a scoop from the powder and applying it to the machine. She closed the lid and pressed start. Water began flowing into the device.
The door behind her banged. She spun around, it had somehow been blown shut and the box of powder had been shoved to the side and knocked over. She clutched her chest as her curls bounced around. She approached the door and tried to shove it but with all the strength she could conjure it wouldn't budge. She then leapt back with a scream as Paul surprised her.
The Shape watched the two of them closely. Hand tightly wrapped around the blade. This was very familiar to him.
Paul pried the doorway and the door opened and Beth crossed her arms and walked over and stepped out into the darkness. Paul held it open for her then closed it when she was free, it slammed loudly and Beth turned to Paul. She wasn't amused that he had snuck up on her like that.
"Don't I get a kiss?" Paul cooed.
"I don't know. I don't think Paul will be getting any treats tonight" Beth said as she walked past him, her hand wrapped around his and she guided him to the house. They stopped at the front door and she gave him a kiss. "I'm glad you're here".
"I'm glad I came. You looked really bored lounging around".
"You've been watching me?"
He giggled. "I got here as you were getting up, then the kids let me in".
"Oh, Paul!" She mused. "You're such a little stalker!"
As they went to step back inside Beth's head snapped back when she heard a twig snap. She looked around the yard, the wind had began to settle. She looked at the hedges and then back to the hut where the light was still shinning brightly. Paul pulled her inside by her hand gently and closed the door, but he didn't lock it. They walked into the living room.
"Thanks for letting him inside, you two" Beth said.
They just watched the movie.
Beth dragged Paul into the other room, when they were out of view they locked tongues and began kissing each other. The kids paid no attention to them at all, instead they continued watching the movie. An explosion on the movie made them jump and then start laughing, not long now before a different movie would need to be exchanged.
In the tangle of a wisteria vine at the side of the Cartwright's porch, the prowler stood, holding his knife. He watched the two girls cross the street. He turned his head and looked into the room and saw Paul and Beth kissing each other. Paul's hand snuck up her top and she slapped his hand away playfully and looked around the corner to make sure the kids were still watching TV. But they weren't, instead Jeremy was standing at the doorway looking past the two teenagers and at the window and into The Shape's eyes.
He pointed and The Shape backed away into the darkness. "It's the Boogeyman! He's outside! He's right there!"
Paul and Beth turned to the window and started laughing while Jeremy backed away in fear, he was pointing at the window and crying out that he had seen the Boogeyman. Paul and Beth exchanged looks then commented; "I think it's time for bed".
Jeremy and Sophia cried out. "No!"
Beth went over to the window and opened it and looked out and scanned the small area playfully, she leant back in and closed the window and locked it and turned back to the children. "There's nobody out there Jeremy, and if you don't stop playing I'm gonna have to turn off the bed and send you to bed".
Jeremy lowered his head. "Nobody believes me".
"I believe you, Jeremy".
The two kids walked back into the living room and sat in front of the TV.
"Well Mr. Jack-o-Lantern, you're going to see some things tonight!" Paul laughed then grabbed Beth's hand and walked them into the kitchen.
Laurie was driving around frantically at this point. She was searching for anything that didn't look right. A mere shape in the darkness, a dog running with its tail between its legs, an open door on a house with no one attending. Something to point her in the right direction. Her police scanner was going off and when the voice of Brackett came over the headset giving her an address she turned the car around. Tommy grabbed onto the handle above him as the wheels spun and kicked smoke up and sent them across town in the other direction.
YOU ARE READING
HALLOWEEN - INFERNO
Horror"LET IT BURN!" Heads lifted into the night sky as the sound of a distance explosion rocked the town of Haddonfield. Sirens scrambled to the house where it stood burning brightly. Inside locked in the basement stood the pure essence of evil. Micheal...
