MR. Bloody Mary

MR. Bloody Mary: Part 1

I know we have all heard the story of Bloody Mary. The tale of Boody Mary you've heard is wrong—trust me, I know. I am her husband.

There I was, getting ready to go stag to my senior prom. It wasn't that I hadn't asked, it was the fact that both Morgan and Amy had told me no. There was no need to dwell on it I already bought my tuxedo, ticket, and even got my dad to surrender the keys to the 69 Mustang.

So here I am, standing in front of the mirror in my very colorful red and black tuxedo when the thought comes to me: "Why not have Bloody Mary as your date? What's the tale? Turn around three times while calling out her name and she will appear?"

I look in the mirror. "Bloody Mary." I start turning around, I look at myself again in the mirror. "Bloody Mary," I say again as I turn around once more. I came face-to-face with myself in the mirror for the third and final time. "Bloody Mary." A pair of arms reach out from the mirror and grab me; all the while a voice calls out, "You will make a great husband."

"No" I screamed as I was being pulled into the mirror.

"Help! Someone!" I cried as I braced myself on the frame of the mirror, wishing it would slow my decent long enough for help to arrive. But as my fingers slipped so did my hope for help. As I look around, I realize I am no longer in my bathroom but in a different bathroom altogether.

"What in the world just happened? Where am I?" I look up and instinctively crawl as far away as possible from the women standing over me.

"You're in shock, please take my hand and we will get you some answers."

"No, I want some answers now!"

"OK, please try to remain calm and we will get you some answers."

"OK," I say as I pick myself up off the floor "Where am I?"

"You're at my house."

"And where is your house at?"

"In the afterlife."

"In the afterlife," I said, as I looked down at my hands "Am I dead?"

"Yes."

"How did this happen?"

"Well, you agreed to be my husband when you called my name three times in front of a mirror while wearing my wedding tuxedo of choice."

"Your choice of wedding tuxedo?"

"Yeah. Haven't you heard the legend, 'Say my name three times in a red and black tux to have Bloody Mary as your wife?'"

"No. The tuxedo has nothing to do with the legend told now. The myth is to say 'Bloody Mary' three times while looking in the mirror and spinning around, and you will appear—Wait. Now, I'm your husband?" As I looked at her, I began to notice how beautiful this woman was.

"Yes, you are my husband, but if this is not what you want, I will let you go back to the land of the living."

"Well, there is no rush for me to make a decision, is there?" I asked, hoping this wasn't the case. Being married to this woman for all time might not be so bad, I thought to myself as I looked her up and down.

"Yes, you have 24 hours to choose, or else you are stuck here as my husband."

"I'm going to have to make that choice based on the next 23 hours, then."

"Hello. My name is Justin," I introduced myself as I reached out my hand for hers.

As she grabbed my hand, she replied, "Nice to meet you, Justin. I'm Mary."

"Mary, do you have something to drink here? We could talk a little bit. So, what do you have to drink in the afterlife?"

"Well, it's not blood if that's what your wondering," she said as she walked to the fridge, laughing, "No, we have Coke."

"Oh OK, I'll take a Coke." I laughed.

"So, Mary, how did the legends of you get started?"

"Well, I don't know about legends, but the real story is I was waiting at the altar when my fiance stumbled out of the dressing room with a knife in his chest and died. I stayed true to my love till I died, hoping to find him in the afterlife. But after searching many years, I dedicated myself to finding a new husband that is worthy to spend eternity with."

"And how did you come up with the requirements on who becomes your husband?"

"Well; he had to be pure, had to be ready for a ceremony in my favorite colors, and be handsome."

"That's why I was chosen because I'm handsome," I thought for a second. "Wait, does that mean I can find my loved ones here as well?"

"Yes, it does all we have to do is go to the register to find out where they live and we can visit."

"Awesome!"

"Could we please wait until after the 24 hrs so I can spend that time with you?"

"Of course, we can spend the day getting to know each other better," I said, knowing she wanted to spend quality time with me. "What is your favorite thing to do here in the afterlife?"

"Well, we should go to the prehistoric district of the afterlife."

"Are there dinosaurs?"

"Yes," she chuckled "that's why I suggested it."

"How far away is it?"

"Ten hours on the train, and that gives us some time to get to know each other on the way while also letting you see a good portion of the afterlife."

"OK, let's do it then. When do we leave?"

"Let me show you to the car."

"Lead on," I said, thinking to myself that this would be an excellent time to look at more of her stunningly beautiful body.

After I put my seat belt on, she asked: "So, tell me about your life?"

"Well," I started off nervously, "not much to tell really. I'm a normal teenage boy, I'm about to finish school and working at a restaurant. I did have some health issues when I was younger; I had cancer and lost the ability to have children. I have a loving family that is the best, and I can't wait to see them again whenever that may be."

When we got to the top of the overpass, I looked out and saw the most amazing view of houses and shops as far as the eye could see. "That is the most amazing sight I have ever seen."

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes, it truly is!"

"I believe I need to talk to you about how things work in the afterlife before we get to the train station."

"Okay."

"First, the more you are remembered, the better life you have: that is why I have this nice car, nice house, and have something that others don't because I am remembered because of my legend."

"Oh, okay, so what would happen if I did stay here with you?"

"Well, when you're on your own, you have to deal with your own reputation, but when you're with me, you will deal with my status."

"Oh, Miss Mary, how excellent to see you, what can I help you with?" the man at the ticket counter asked.

"Good morning. I need two round-trip tickets to the prehistoric district please."

"Find a husband, did we?"

"Maybe, we'll see." I could see a slight smirk as she answered.

"Well, how about a nice cabin for the two of you then?"

"That would be perfect. Thank you."