EDENVILLE

Halloween

By @silenttomorrows

Dusk and a bright moon. Cuthbert Smidge had a warm glow about him.  A couple of three pints in the Jolly Sailor and he thought he'd take a short cut through the cemetery on his way home; maybe pick a bunch of flowers on his way through if he could find any.  He knew the way like the back of his hand, and he knew the back of his hand because he'd often seen it. 

'Oh, I didn't expect to see you here Edith, hic, pardon, muzzed  have been the tortilla I had at lunch time.'

'And not the Vale ale you had at teatime too Reverend,' Edith grinned.

'Excuse me young lady.  That's quite enough, it's up to me where I choose to meet my parishioners.'

'Where to fleece them more like.' Hi Japonica, I've just got to put my tools away'

'Hi Edith, hello reverend, on your way home from the Sailors?

'Mist's coming up.' Cuffy Smidge decided to change the subject.

'That's odd' Edith said, 'it only seems to be in the corner by the unmarked graves.'

'Oh, yes, it's wispy, like a sheet blowing in the wind'. Japonica agreed. 'That reminds me I need to put some washing in when I get home.  Dad's got some special industrial washing powder going cheap. 'Aciderise', I think it's called.

'That swirly mist, it's taking a shape.  Looks like it has a head, swirly arms' Cuffy added.   

'Don't need silly', rebuked Edith.

The odd white mass changed.  'Good grief, it looks like a ghost, the ghost of that crook who tried to run guns' Japonica stood staring. 

The spectre spoke into their minds... 'You... you all will pay for what you did to me.'

The reverend Smidge, put his cross up in a shaking motion towards the spirit. 'Begone'

'Bedevilled, hah hah hah hah' the spirit looked menacing.  'I will crush you all like fly's'

'Begone', this time Smidge's voice sounded like a squeaky whisper. In fact it was a squeaky cheeky moment for him. 

'Who the hell goes around crushing flys' said Edith. 

'I will sacrifice a virgin on this hallowed ground to make me whole again.'  It looked at Edith and said, 'are you a virgin?'

Edith responded, 'No, I just like a lot of olive oil on my salad.'

Japonica spoke up, 'You'll not hurt my friends'

'You'll not stop me, the sprit lifted a stone up and made ready to throw'

There was a rustling from the bushes and Morag leapt over stone graveyard wall, chanting at the spirit as she did. 'Spirit black, I have the knack. Put it down now, back back back.  Hand like treacle, churches steeple, weather wild come hither guide.'

'What are you doing here Morag?' Japonica asked.

'I sensed it girl', now hold my hand. You two, hold hands with us. Make a circle.'

'Yuk, what have you had in your hand Cuthbert' Edith asked with dismay.

'You're all going to die,'  the spirit cried out.  There was a rush of wind as the spirit shrieked, 'die'.

But Morag's voice raged above the noise of the wind. 

'We put the body in, but the spirits pop out . In out, in out.  The ghosts they shake about.  While the children have their cocoa, spirit turn about.  Go back without a pout.  Oh no more hocus pocus, oh no more hocus pocus,  oh no more hocus pocus. Knees bend, arms up. Ghost Ta Rah.

A horrendous wailing sound filled the air.  The earth opened under the spirit, as  it was sucked downwards, with a last scream the ground snapped shut. 

They all stood motionless catching their breath.  Except Morag, who was already 20 yards away, making her way home. 

Japonica said, 'at first I was afraid, I was petrified.  Kept thinking I would be like southern chicken deeply fried. But then I held my breath and realised that i was so young. I said to myself, I will survive, not me a sacrifice, I will survive.'

Cuthbert said, 'Wehad better not mention this to anyone caus they won't believe us.'

Edith said, 'Tiki bar, drink.'

'Hic, I'm up for that', Cuthbert added.