Dionysia

12

Halloween weekend in the haunted city finally arrived, where devils and ghouls were still said to roam the French Quarter. Along the city streets were voodoo practitioners, who could connect with the spirits of the afterlife and cast premonitions on the public. For most, the holiday was just an excuse to party all night long, but Denny thought of Halloween as something different.

Ever since he and his friends escaped the Magnolia Lane Plantation, Denny believed haunted spirits existed within the green fog. Only the foolish and reckless would be sucked into the fog, never returning to the real world. Even now, Denny could hear the voices of paranoia obstruct his brainwaves, dismissing them as minor inconveniences. But lately, Denny could feel their presence grow stronger in the past few months. Why and where were they coming from?

However, they didn't thwart his plans to gain cash, as the first night of Halloween weekend on Friday thrived from success. With the TUPD involved, house parties shut down earlier than usual, as Denny headed home afterward. But Zeta Psi welcomed more people than ever before, distributing the well-renowned Swampwater Special to anyone interested. The sheer profit Dionysia gained was too much for Mason to calculate the day after, which was a Saturday. Today would be more chaotic than Friday, as his old friends were coming to Zeta Psi's party as well as the girls involved in Mason's double date.

And then there's...

Denny sat in deep contemplation on a crayfish bucket, where a small inlet of the Martin & Sons boathouse gleamed moonlight on him. He fixed his Halloween costume, inspired by the main character of The Phantom of the Opera. This consisted of a red tuxedo, black pants, and a white half-sized phantom mask. He didn't know where the idea came from, as Denny found it at a Halloween store and liked the sophisticated look. Still, what use would the costume play tonight?

Denny knew the answer to that question, as much as it inflicted deep wounds inside. He would use his charm, looks, and costume to allure female strippers in prostitution.

I'm a piece of trash, Denny thought, ashamed of himself. But what else is new? I've been trash ever since I flunked out of high school. Might as well live up to the name.

Ultimately, Denny couldn't resist the temptation of substantially more profit than selling alcohol according to Freddie's promise. He provided details after Denny said yes, including the club's name, the way their shares of cash were split, and instructions Denny needed to follow while on the job. The club on Bourbon Street that had an illegal prostitution system and drug sales was called Fairy Queens, a French-themed haven for pleasure. Unsure how Freddie had connections to this place, Denny knew it was foolish to get him even more agitated.

"Rule one, don't be an obvious pimp," he recalled Freddie's words when they met in person before tonight. "Tip heavy an' drink along with the girl ta avoid suspicion. Don't worry, my guys will cover ya if you're short on cash."

"Rule two, stay on her tail to see if she's doin' her job," Freddie continued. "But not too close; she'll think yer creepy."

"Rule three, the final and most important one," Freddie finished, "Don't ever let her seduce you. You have the power, which is da cash in yer hand."

After restating Freddie's rules in his head, Denny felt even worse than before. Regardless of how much "charm" he had, this wasn't really him. As Denny got up from the crayfish bucket, more conflicting thoughts parried through his mind. All he had to do was shut those thoughts with drinks, to the point where his alter ego would take over. The next day, hopefully, would help him forget every terrible thing he did for tonight.

Closing up the marina, Denny shut off the lights and took the tugboat across the Mississippi. He didn't have to bring any additional kegs this time, as Zeta Psi had its fair share of leftovers after Friday. No, Denny's first task for tonight was to indulge in Mason's double date, which began by meeting Lucie and Brianne at Audubon Park, a large public park with a golf course and a zoo. He checked his phone, the time showing 8:41 PM. This was good, as he was supposed to be at Tulane by nine before parties would start.