Halloween 2019: Choose Your Spooky Outcome: Chapter 12
Your hand is still hot, though no longer burning, and there’s a slight ringing in your ears. That much, you expected, but realizing the Phantom Phone is no longer in your pocket comes as a shock. As you grab the other items, you feel around, noting only what seems like a handful of ash in the phone’s previous pocket. That’s a new one, and would be the largest concern on your mind of the moment, if you hadn’t just gotten a sneak peek at what was waiting for you and your friends.
“Thad, we both know you’re always holding back. I’m not sure if its for me or for the world at large, but as my big brother, I need a favor. For the next five minutes, I want you to go full-force.”
He blinks then nods, maybe surprised by the acknowledgement of something that had gone unspoken for so long, or by hearing you actually want him to fully strut his stuff. At the moment, you don’t especially give a shit about anything as petty as sibling rivalry though. This is a fight that has to be won.
“Jim, got a job for you too buddy. Hold this and think of the most interesting version of it you can imagine.” You toss him the spider, feeling perhaps the briefest shadow of guilt. Of all the things you’re turning loose, Jim’s imagination might well be the most horrific of the lot. Or the most useless, he’s always a gamble, which is why you’re not bothering to take chances.
Frankie lunges for Thad while you’re pulling out the costume powder. This time, rather than pull off her acrobatic kick, the attack is blocked as Thad catches her limb, rolling her entire body over her shoulder and hurling her into the pile of prizes on the other side of the table. She hits so hard the trophy goes rolling down from its display, joining a growing pile on the ground. Hot damn, you knew Thad took it easy on people, but you weren’t quite expecting that much. Then again, you did tell him to go all out. This isn’t just Thad not holding back, this is Thad trying.
Cort’s face flickers with uncertainty, the first step on his journey to true terror. You slam the bag of dust roughly on your chest, causing it to burst out and coat you in a small cloud. The magic takes hold slowly, working it’s way through your cheap outfit, turning the disposable plastic material into cloth, and the concealed prop bottles into actual potions.
Behind you, something is growing. You can already hear the nervous titters from the crowd and see the unnatural shadow thanks to all the excellent lighting. What Jim did to that spider, you’re not quite sure, but the shocked revulsion on Cort and the nearby audience’s face tells you he came through as only Jim can.
“What on Earth are you doing? This is unacceptable, it is not how these matters are conducted!”
Titters turn to terror as the first screams rise up, right around the same time you wrap your hands around a potion. Taking one glance back, you make sure Styne hasn’t gotten her device out yet. It’s just long enough to see the white-coated figure slide down to the ground as a familiar form slinks away.
“No, this is what Halloween is supposed to be. These are the nights when we learn to face our smaller fears, preparation for the bigger ones still to come. It demands a special recipe; the right amount of scary on top of the fun, a touch of danger, a dose of friendship.” You produce one of the bottles from your robe, swirling it by the neck in your hands. “And of course, it wouldn’t be Halloween without a dash of Fucking Magic.”
Hurling the bottle down, you’re unsurprised when a dozen smoke imps come pouring out, causing fresh yelps from the crowd. They won’t harm anyone, nor do you expect Jim’s spider to cause lasting damage. That was never the point of this, you didn’t want to hurt the families that had come out for a nice night. You just had to make sure they got a proper Halloween, one with plenty of fear sprinkled in.
The smoke clears just as she steps into view. No more wavering energy or lilting form, Victoria strides between you both looking somehow more dangerous than ever, the very snakes in her hair have their mouths open with venom dripping from their teeth. The Lady of Autumn has returned, and with her, you see the first glimpse of genuine horror in Cort’s eyes.
“You would dare-”
“On this night? I would absolutely dare. My words were true, yet you paid them no heed. You endangered these people with the very magic you loathe.”
Displaying a keen sense of intellect, Cort utilizes potentially the only functional strategy against an angry Victoria; he darts off into the night. Guess that cane was more for style than function, or he’s got some tricks of his own.
Rather than give chase, Victoria takes advantage of the opportunity to dash through the chaos, scooping up the trophy from where it landed. Not a bad idea, now that you take a better look around. It seems that Jim’s transforming spider has broken the magical dam, you can see adorable objects warping, twisting, and growing. Jim himself is nowhere to be seen, but you hear screams coming from nearby so he probably hasn’t wandered off far. Thad is surrounded by collapsed bodies, and has produced a beer from somewhere as he casually knocks down another helper trying to grab him.
Standing around isn’t helping anyone, you need to get moving. Seeing as you’re an alchemist for the moment, maybe you can help Victoria deal with the trophy. Then again, you don’t actually know anything about what she’s doing, your time might be better spent collecting the magical items. Hopefully you can contain most of them until Victoria is finished. Of course, there is still the fleeing figure of Cort Scruples, he hasn’t entirely escaped yet. Just because Victoria is busy enough to let him escape doesn’t mean you have to.
Better get a move on, whatever you pick. This whole place has turned into total chaos.