What's This? (a Nightmare Before Christmas Story)

Chapter I

Chapter I

I love halloween. Ingenious costumes, scares around every corner, and, my favorite, free candy. This year, I told my little brother to pick up some extra candy for me, because I'm playing a tempest in a haunted house. Teller High School does this every year, and it's not like normal haunted houses. Instead of walking through a set, we have one room. The gym. All the doors are locked, save for the emergency exits, and we put on a show. It's practice for when I finally get out of this town, and become an actress, or a writer, or a doctor. As long as I'm out, I don't care. This year's theme: the oncoming storm, hence the reason I'm playing a tempest. Specifically, the opening tempest. It's my job to lock everyone inside, then let them out when the show's over. It's a typical job assigned to freshmen, as well as the crawling creatures. At least I got a speaking part. I recount my lines in my head. My school does this every year but this is the first year I've been able to participate. I tie my blonde curls up in a messy bun and hurry to the school down the street.

A senior with stage fright does my make up, an eerie pale blue base that has to be added on heavily to conceal my tan Georgia skin, black lipstick and eye shadow, and a red pin-up style wig. A sophomore who loves to sew pulls my costume from a rack, a pale blue swing dress with a black bow just below my breasts, and no shoes. I give a cool smile in the mirror. The expression and my blue eyes are my only recognizable features. A junior with a clipboard and an authoritative look marches over. "Marilyn Rowe?"

"I go by Lyn." I correct.

"I don't care." He scribbles something on his clipboard. "We start in ten, get to the commons."

"Yes sir." I salute sarcastically and walk off.

The crowd gathers in the commons, practically quivering with nervous excitement. I assume my place at the front, smiling an ice cold smile. "Welcome to Storm Asylum." I say with practiced calm. "A home for those with, well, below average mental status." I gesture to the crowd. "I see we have a lovely new macedoine of patients. Please, allow me to show you where all your wildest dreams will come true." I lead the crowd to the gym doors and gesture for them to go in. "Oh, I forgot to mention, you can never leave." I slam the door shut.

As the echoes of the show and the screams of the audience radiate through the door, I creep off to the library and grab a Stephen King book. Tonight's selection, the Shining. My favorite. I read while I walk back, and barely hear the screams go off pitch. I don't notice the drop in temperature, as I'm lost in the plot of the book. I ignore the crunch of leaves under my...wait, leaves? When did I get to the forest? Why are there holiday-themed doors painted on the trees? What's this?