Devil's Night: The Hunt for Laughing Jack

I: JACK-O-LANTERN (Pt. 4)

JACK-O-LANTERN (Pt. 4)

BEN ate everything.
Gone shopping for replenishments,
explained the yellow sticky note.
I will hide with the candy until Halloween night.
Consult Dark Link for wise elderly advice in my absence.
Sincerely...

Slenderman's signature sprawled off the paper and onto the refrigerator door. Smiley attacked the unsightly smear with a cotton wedge soaked in spirits, while an incredulous Smirky scrunched the note and lobbed it at a bin. He missed.

"Dammit! Why the hell did everyone else go with him?"

"Language, language," Smiley said, wiping the ink-infused (now wetter) spot with a napkin. "Who wouldn't jump for a free vacation from this madhouse?"

"True, but still-"

"The only thing we should think about is this: if they're hiding from BEN, then we sure as hell don't have a bloody chance of finding them. On our own, at least."

"Didn't you just say to mind our lang-"

Smiley ignored him. "For now, we'll do what the note says and ask Dark Link for advice. Three heads work better than two, and I bet he's seen some uncanny things too."

"... Who died under the knife and declared you ringleader?"

"Well, according to the patient records I keep in my desk, at least-"

"That wasn't a question you were supposed to answer, Mr. Serial Killer."

"Oh. Are you sure?"

"Positive."
______

Dark Link removed his hat in astonishment and fidgeted with it as he listened to the twins' watered-down versions of their experiences. Smiley left out the dialogue between himself and the little boy. Smirky neglected to mention that he'd willingly climbed through the window.

Finally, the shade interrupted.

"Let me recap this. You," (he gestured towards Smiley), "got a knife flung at your head by a creepy ghost child, then found yourself drinking from a mug which turned from glass to ceramic, full of hot chocolate that you spilled awhile ago?"

"That is the gist of it, yes," Smiley nodded.

"And meanwhile, you," (he jabbed Smirky in the chest), "were felt up by a dead woman's ghost, who chased and threw you over a windowsill? Then you snuck past me, and had a bizarre hallucination where the kitchen turned red, Smiley was dead and disembodied voices tormented you?"

"It's too traumatising to... um... to talk about. Did you experience anything strange?" the illusionist said quickly, absentmindedly rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yes. I did." Dark Link leant back in the armchair, folding his hands over his lap. "Until you two came along, I thought I was going nuts."

Firelight cast a flickering orange glow over Smiley's face. The not-so-good doctor's eyes glittered like hewn rubies. "What did you see?"

They were lounging by the crackling fireplace, surrounded by unlit candles and jack-o-lanterns with full candle holders glued inside them (presumably with help from Toby's stick-anything book), and empty fun-themed trick-or-treat bags piled in the corner (L.J's was the biggest).

Fed a generous bounty of chopped logs, the merry fire was bright enough to illuminate the whole living room. They didn't need other lights, so they didn't turn any on.

Dark Link's sheath stood propped against his leg, sword's exposed burnished handle gleaming.

"For starters... that ghost cat broke a window. Scared me half to death, it did. I don't know how or why but- What's so funny, Smirky?"

The illusionist's hand flew to his mouth.

"I'm- I'm having a nervous breakdown. Because of stress. And... um... other stressful things. Don't mind me - carry on, carry on..."

Looking unconvinced, Dark Link faced Smiley instead and continued. Smiley, who had been staring intently at the back of Smirky's neck, snapped to attention. "Go on."

"Hundreds of his grandkittens were sitting outside, staring at me. But when I blinked... they all vanished. When I started patrolling the halls again, they were meowing at the window."

He paused, then smiled sheepishly. "That's it, I'm afraid. I know it's nothing compared to what you went through, but at the time..."

"It must've been quite eerie, correct?"

Nod.

The not-so-good doctor considered something else. "By the way, did you notice a chill-"

In the background, Smirky coughed indiscreetly. "Scared by a bunch of cats? Pa-the-tic."

A lilac blush appeared on Darkness' cheeks.

Smiley stepped on his brother's foot as he stood up. "Never mind him. We'll drag the others out of bed and make a decision as a group. Who's still around?"

Dark Link pinched the bridge of his nose, seemingly thinking hard. In actuality, he was discreetly reading what was written on the inside of his hand.

"Jell- sorry, Jeff... BEM- wait, BEN... er... Then you, myself, Smirky and L.J." He glanced up. "I did notice a chill, Smiley. Unsettling sensation, wasn't it?"

"Extremely."

Smirky cleared his throat. "Jack."

Their attentions turned towards the illusionist. "Come again?"

"He's well-rehearsed in the art of being creepy, demonic and imaginary, isn't he? Wouldn't he know exactly what we should do about these... things?"

Dark Link blinked. "I don't think I've ever heard anyone call L.J Jack before."

Smiley chuckled. "Never thought I'd live to hear the day you'd ask him for help. Has your grudge's sharp edge finally gone a bit soft?"

"The trauma has impacted my delicate thinking," deadpanned Smirky. "Savour it while it lasts. I won't let it happen agai-"

All three jumped out of their seats as a bloodcurdling scream shattered the windows, glittering glass bursting from the frames, drought exploding into the living room.

The fire went out, stranding them in abrupt, crushing silence. The whole mansion was plunged into utter darkness.