Haunt

Delilah Does a Makeover - Part 2 of 2

Weekend One - Friday Night, Continued

September 16, 2022

POV: Seven Wonders Park

"Okay," said Delilah. "Just stay calm. Excuse me, Miss. Hello. Hello?"

Snapper looked up at Delilah with bright, horrific expectation, showing her full bar of rotting, broken teeth. Delilah could smell the decay from here, and sure as shit, that brown wriggling mass that had infected Jackie's hand was making itself a merry home in the creature's gums and jaws, sliding around in the remains of her shattered mouth.

Delilah pointed at the prosthetic set that Snapper held. "You like teeth?" she asked with an encouraging nod. "I have lots of teeth in here."

Snapper made a gesture that was startling in its clarity. It was like owning a cat for several years, only to have it suddenly start speaking aloud one day. The creature motioned at the prosthetic, then at her horrifying mouth, then motioned, with noticeable envy on her face, at the Tooth Fairy's natural teeth. Tooth Fairy had a beautiful smile of strong, straight, white teeth when she wasn't bruised up from having been mauled by a monster.

"Spider fix," said Snapper, hopefully in her faint whispery little voice.

"Sure," said Delilah. "Sure, I can give you pretty teeth. Like this?" Delilah pointed at her mouth – not a cover girl smile, but her chompers were in good shape thanks to high school braces and regular visits to her hot dentist. She motioned to Snapper. "Come in. Let me see."

Snapper thrust the prosthetics back at Tooth Fairy and moved eagerly toward Delilah. How she moved was unnerving – the flowing material of her gray clothing obscured her body to the extent that she could have been floating, for all Delilah could tell. Delilah pulled out of range as Snapper glided past her into the trailer.

To Marta, Delilah said, "I'm going to take my client here into the next room and get to work. And while I'm doing that, feel free to use the phone. Marta? Are you with me?"

Marta shook off her shocky fugue state, finding reality again. "Yes, I heard you. Maybe I'll just go find someone."

"Oh hell and damnation, don't you dare leave me," Delilah crooned. "You stay right here until help comes, or I'll kill you myself, la la la."

Then, Delilah simply had to trust that Marta would do as she had asked because now her attention focused on Snapper. Okay, this is just like dealing with snotty old rich bitches. Just agree with everything she says. Delilah quickly searched the makeup drawers, humming a merry tune as she did so, grabbing the highest quality ceramic vampire teeth, plastic gloves, and a tube of powerful-smelling denture cream. Then she guided Snapper into the next room of the trailer, where the professional entertainers often prepared for shows. Here was the best makeup mirror and vanity.

Delilah switched on the mirror's glaring lights and motioned for Snapper to be seated. The creature stood listless, watching Delilah's movements.

With sudden violence, Snapper coughed, choked, and spat a wad of the brown crap onto the floor. When it began to crawl under its own power, Delilah had to clamp her lips together to keep from screaming. And when it started growing larger, she decided that it was best to look elsewhere for the moment. Marta had damned well better be calling someone.

"Look at these beauties!" Delilah said, showing the gleaming vampire teeth to Snapper. Snapper's interest focused on the ceramic teeth; their sheen reflected in the black of her eyes and seemed to dance there. "Pretty white teeth, right? Let me just put these gloves on." She shoved her hands into one pair of plastic gloves and then another for good measure. "Got to keep things sanitary, amirite? Yes indeed."