If the ancient Celts were alive today, they’d be astounded by what had become of Samhain, one of their most important Sabbats. Both the Roman conquerors and the early Church in England had a hand in eclipsing pagan holidays, by renaming and merging them with their own. You can learn more about the history of Halloween here and here. One last point before getting on with our story … There’s a difference between a witch and a warlock; and although not gender specific, it is left open to some interpretation. Basically, it’s the difference between light and dark. You can learn more here and here.

The short story I’d like to share with you isn’t about trick-or-treating, pumpkins, or jack-o-lanterns. It’s about the transformation and transmutation of a disagreeable young woman who plays malicious tricks every day of the year. 

Halloween Harpy

No one escaped her claws. Everyone felt the hot breath of her rage. She hissed when met with refusal and scowled when faced with upstarts requesting entry to her coveted clique.

 Submit and obey or expect to grovel! Be loyal or be ousted!

Chris stopped at nothing to gratify her perverted ego. She was certain she was entitled.

Her parents cultivated this insufferable attitude by giving her all she ever wanted and catering to her frequent outbursts of teenage angst. Convinced their progeny could do no wrong, they were clueless to having unleashed a monster into the world.

Her teachers wavered between reprimanding and commending, hoping the latter would assuage her obnoxious need for attention and, hopefully, set her on a humane path. But she met scolding with insolence and praise with arrogance.

Her friends either idolized her or equaled her repugnance. Those denied entry to her loathsome coterie feared for their lives. Notorious for flaunting her superiority, she would cast an evil sneer, menacing glare, or flip of the hip as she turned her back on the unworthy outsiders.

Her most coveted victim was Charlotte, an erudite classmate she secretly envied but openly despised. Her longing for acumen and intellect beyond her potential always evoked contempt when seeing someone with their nose in a book.

She abhorred innocence even more and quickly diverted her attention when a shy naïve country girl transferred in from a rural school. Chris thought the timid and credulous were begging for abuse. With Halloween fast approaching, she began a full-scale assault against Becca.

The communal nature of holidays with their demonstrations of affection and homage piqued her wrath; unless, of course, the idolatry was bestowed upon her by her minions. Halloween, however, was the one and only exception. Its motif of disguises allowed her to fly under the radar and mask all manner of malicious deeds. She intended this Halloween to hallmark the pinnacle of her wickedness.

Her high school was of Celtic tradition and acknowledged Halloween as the New Year. This prestigious holiday originated from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Her school celebrated by presenting their Distinguished Druid Award to a senior selected by the student body.

Chris despised award ceremonies and devised a heinous plan to ruin it. She ordered her boyfriend Billy and BFF Sue to nominate Becca. The vicious duo smacked their lips in delight at the prospect of humiliating someone, especially on Halloween, and especially if that someone was their worshiped leader’s number one target.

Chris then commanded her doting coterie to vote for the unsuspecting victim, knowing Becca would be mortified by the mere thought of having to give a speech. Confident her following would obey and Becca would win by a landslide, Chris wove the threads of her spiteful scheme into a nefarious web.

On the eve of nominations, she secretly taped her and Billy’s orgasmic outbursts, ensuring they were as offensive as possible. The following morning, she gave him the tape with explicit instructions: don’t listen to it; connect it to the school’s PA system; turn it on when Becca begins her speech. Then, not wanting to reveal the heart of her plan, she feigned an off-the-cuff command to set up the movie screen as well. Conditioned to blindly obey orders from his punitive but savory dominatrix, Billy took the tape without question. Chris gave him a peck on the cheek, ushered him to the door, and said not to pick her up for the ceremony; she had something she must do and would meet him there. He left with a smile on his face and without uttering a word.

As soon as his car pulled away, Chris jumped into hers and floored it to Tommy’s house, taking care with the precious cargo on her lap. Not only was Billy unaware of the contents of the tape, but he also had no idea she’d videoed their amorous tryst. Tommy was the quintessential techie, and Chris intended he overlay her and Billy’s faces with that of Becca and a nerdy male classmate whom she loathed.

Embroiled in hatred, she sped through a railroad crossing and into an oncoming train. Hovering above the wreckage, she howled with laughter at the idiot driver. Her voice echoed with a sinister eeriness, like that of a malevolent ghost haunting the unsuspecting on Halloween. But the hilarity came to an abrupt halt when she realized she was looking down on a mangled body. Bewildered, she stretched out her arms to ensure she was still intact. All she saw were diaphanous bones.

Oh my god, I’m a skeleton! This can’t be! I have got to be dreaming!

While trying to pinch herself awake, an amorphous glowing light appeared and seemed to beckon as it gently undulated. She heard a whispered voice call her name. Twice. Three times. It then urged forestalling her contemptible plan and warned of karmic consequences.

Bloody hell, I’m dead!

The realization exploded into consciousness and would have paralyzed had she still been mortal. She was the idiot driver!

No! This can’t be happening, dammit! I won’t allow it! 

Her scream erupted into nothingness.

The soft light continued to pulsate as fear took form and drifted before her. The shadowy menace glowered and dared her to fight – fight it or fight the light. As it inflamed her consciousness, she began to recognize the grotesque creature she had become.

Is this an epiphany? she wondered. She’d always relegated epiphanies to the dominion of stupidity. But this moment of clarity compelled admission of her foolish beliefs.

She recalled the small child she once was, fists held tight against a multitude of sexual abuse. She wanted to hug the child and tell her everything would be all right. In that moment of recognition, the ghost of her fear burst and shattered, each piece hissing as it caught fire and fizzled from sight. Accepting her fate, she shrugged her ghostly shoulders.

Oh well, it’s Halloween. I guess everyone’s entitled to one good scare.

She now knew what had to be done. As soon as her thoughts turned to Billy, she found herself in the school auditorium.

Well, this is new. I love it!

Billy looked so handsome. She felt a desperate need to hug him. That surprised her. She had always thought hugs were for dorks. Her heart ached with regret for how utterly foolish she had been.

Her classmates were in their Celtic attire, looking excited and happy. She missed that joyful feeling and wished she could right the wrong she had done in trying to crush it in others. While watching everyone gather, she experienced an emotion previously unfamiliar to her – appreciation. As she took note of this, a familiar sensation crept in – something she hadn’t felt for a very long time – something she remembered as love.

Billy stood on the backstage catwalk, fiddling with equipment. She called to him. He didn’t respond. She reached for his arm. Her hand passed through it. He didn’t see her. He didn’t hear her. He didn’t know she was there.

Desperate to stop him from executing her villainous plan, she racked her brain for ideas. As thoughts flooded her mind, she had an epiphany.

Help is here for the asking!

A swell of energy surged and electrified her spirit. She directed the energy toward the electronics, intent on making them malfunction.

Billy had set up the movie screen and was now preparing the audio equipment to operate remotely. It wouldn’t engage. He tried time and again, rechecking all wiring and connections, but nothing worked. Biting his bottom lip, he glanced back and forth between the offstage wings. He was looking for his beloved vixen and hoping to get the equipment functioning before she arrived. He didn’t relish the thought of her unforgiving fury. He tried a few more times then gave up. Head down and shoulders slumped, he shuffled his way to the auditorium anteroom.

Sue snagged him at the door, licking her lips in fiendish pleasure. She’d just finished counting the votes. Becca won, nearly unrivaled. When Billy told her about the audio problem, she turned toward the stage and insisted they try again. He straightened his back, grabbed her arm, and, for the first time in four years, said NO to his girlfriend’s BFF. Sue tried to pull away, but he held tight and forced her to go with him. Her mouth fell open at his defiance. So did his when he realized what he’d done. Just as he was about to give it a second thought, music for the opening ceremony began to play. It was too late to change his mind.

Boyfriend and BFF fidgeted in their seats, throwing cursory glances at the door as they anxiously awaited the late arrival of their merciless leader. Becca tripped on her way to the podium, as well as over a few words, but managed to deliver her speech and accept the coveted award.

Billy and Sue sat silent and apprehensive throughout the applause. Chris bathed in her newfound awareness, grateful she could depart this life without another reprehensible black mark against her name – and soul. This was fortunate because Becca could move objects with her mind. She surely would have been humiliated, which would have ignited her rage, which would have annihilated everything in its path.

But fortune prevailed. The equipment didn’t burst into flames, catch the heavy stage drapes, travel along the wiring to the back speakers, and set the auditorium ablaze. The doors didn’t slam shut, seal in billowing smoke, and force frantic captives to gag and wheeze as they gasped for their last breath. Instead, everyone lived to enjoy the Halloween festivities. No one knew they had escaped an inferno. No one knew Becca Carrie White had telekinetic powers. No one, that is, except Chris. And she wasn’t talking.

© Tina Frisco 2017

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Happy Halloween, everyone!❤
Here’s a little treat 😊 
A Telekinetic Surprise in a Coffee Shop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlOxlSOr3_M