Crowd.
The hall was crowded and loud music was blasting from the speakers at the rear end of the room. Speakers that had the shape of skulls drawn on them. It's October 31st and everybody is gathered for the Moon Night Ball. A ball held once every year for inhabitants of O'Neal city.
'I want to go get a drink' Justine spoke-shouted to her friend. Her voice slurring from the effect of having drunk too much wine.
She walked with drunken steps towards the table where the drinks were placed and picked two glass cups for herself. A lover of liquor but a lightweight she was. Quickly downing the first glass, she dropped it back on the table, still holding the other cup in hand. Hands and legs unsteady, eyes blurry, she turned and bumped into a guy.
A guy clad in an all black outfit, a black shirt, a black trouser with a veil falling from his shoulder down.
Black eyes.
The only part of his face that wasn't hidden under his black mask. Justine had never seen someone with eyes as black as his. She stared and stared, drawn into the depths which was his eyes that she didn't even notice the red seeping down her white gown.
A hand on her hand jolted her out of her reverie. She looked down to see him holding the glass up, dipping a finger into the remnants of the wine and pressing it on her forehead. Then, she remembered she held a drink in hand initially. Steadying herself, she stands upright, mutters thank you and walks away. Towards the door and vanishes into the night.
A lady in a white flowing gown smeared with red in front isn't the best sight at night but that was the least of things on Justine's mind at that moment.
Who was the young man with eyes as black as night?
Why did he press a drop of wine to her forehead?
Her overactive mind began reeling. She needed space and she walked towards the only place where she found solace.
The lake.
Getting closer to the lake, the music from the ball, slowly fading, giving way to serenity, everything was black.
Darkness.
There was no sign the moon existed in the sky, there was no indication of life. No chirping of insects.
Just darkness.
A voice in her head screamed for her to go back but Justine being who she was, ignored it.
She walked on and on, venturing farther away from where the party held and closer into the dark territory. Movement on her left has her pausing in her tracks and when she looks, it's just a lit pumpkin from faraway. One of the regular lighting decorations for Halloween.
Sitting by the lake, her initial drunken haze cleared, her mind replays the weird encounter with black eyes over and over. Her grandma's words coming back to her that instant.
'Help will come when you least expect it. On a night you know nothing about.'
And as if triggered by the thought of her grandma's words, sounds from around her brings her back to her surroundings.
Circling her are creatures.
Creatures similar to the characters cosplayed by people during the ball.
'What do we do with her now?' One of them spoke from behind her. She turned to see it, pinning her with a look of contempt.
'She's in our territory on a night dedicated to us' One standing at her 2am spoke. It's face, a mixture of rotten flesh and flesh.
'It wouldn't be a bad idea if we treat ourselves to one of them for all the wrong and ugly ways they've portrayed us.' Another spoke. It's face uglier than anything Justine had ever seen in the history of cosplays.
Not knowing the perfect response to give that wouldn't trigger them, she kept mute. Waiting to see what their next line of action will be.
'She's marked.' The largest one said almost inaudibly. So inaudibly, she would have missed it with how loudly her heart was thumping in her chest.
Each one of them turned to look at the one that just spoke and their eyes drifted slowly back to her in their midst. Fear shown in their eyes as they slowly began rolling into the lake. Silently. None of them daring to stare at her longer than two seconds before going into the lake.
Soon, she was left with the largest of them. The one who had told the others about the marking she had which she had no idea about.
He bowed.
Then left.
Now, Justine did not know what to make with the whole experience. She had heard of spirits wandering on Halloween night but was that really what she just experienced?
Why was she marked?
Did the guy with black eyes render the help her grandma had told her about?
Why?
Needing answers, she dashed back to the party, hoping to at least, get a good glimpse of him or if possible, ask questions. As she reached, she caught sight of his back, walking out onto the street.
A glimpse of his back was all she got as he disappeared into thin air. A trail of gold spots that vanished within seconds, the only indication of something.
Justine stood, transfixed to a spot, her mind in a state of disarray as a result of what she just experienced.
She turned and began walking back towards the party. Her unanswered questions tripling.
This is my entry into the hive naija weekly prompt and the hivebuzz Halloween challenge. Do check it out here to participate.
Thanks for reading
