The Creepy Halloween Party
‘Come on Dora, we’ll be late. We must leave now.’
‘Well I’ve got to look my best.’
‘Yes but you’re wearing a witch’s outfit - black pointed hat, black cape and a mask, and yet you’ve been in the bathroom for two hours!’
‘I’m ready now. Oh Murphy for goodness sake put that pint down. You can’t take it with you!’
Dora glided down the stairs two at a time. Her black cape flowing out behind her. Dora’s voice was muffled behind her green rubbery mask. The diminutive Murphy was standing at the foot of the stairs, handsome in his black top hat, tails and long cape. He held his large, half full glass in his right hand, and Dora’s broomstick in his left. As Dora approached he offered the broomstick to her and smiled lovingly. Murphy’s smile revealed a mouth filled with plastic Dracula teeth.
As Murphy stepped forward to greet her with a kiss, Dora recoiled in horror and disgust.
‘You’re not kissing me while you’re wearing those teeth, Mr. Dracula!’
Murphy laughed, took out the offending teeth, and climbed onto the third stair to reach Dora’s lips. They exchanged a hurried although passionate embrace, then left the house hand in hand, Murphy picking up his candle-lit pumpkin on the way.
It was twilight as they disappeared down the quiet street. Murphy and Dora made a facinating couple. Dora, very tall, extremely slim and elegant, towered about her squat partner. Their black capes billowed out behind them as a breeze wafted around the lovers. Dora’s long lolloping gait caused Murphy to run, skip and jump to keep up with her. They disappeared into the night with an occasional stare from strangers they passed by.
How exciting, their first Halloween Party together!
Marsden Bay
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'Where is the party being held, Murphy?' said Dora, as they approached a group of adults, dressed in a variety of Halloween costumes, 'and why all the secrecy?'
'I'll explain in a minute... Hello everyone, this is Dora.'
Murphy seemed to know everyone at the assembly point. He was a highly popular fellow. Dora, on the other hand recognised only a few of the women from her aerobics' class. After a lot of hand-shaking, hugs and kisses, Dora recognised quite a number of other faces, when masks were temporarily removed during the greetings.
Then Murphy pulled Dora to one side and said, 'A coach is taking us to our Halloween Party at the Marsden Grotto. You know the Grotto is supposed to be haunted, dont you?'
'Yes, I had heard, although don't know the story about the ghost. I'm not sure that I want to go now you've told me about the venue. I'm happy to go at any other time, but not Halloween.'
'This is why we kept the location a secret, Dora. Don't worry, we'll be with lots of good friends, and I've been assured that the lift is working tonight. I don't fancy climbing a hundred or so steps up from the beach to the cliff top, in the dark at midnight, with my little legs. Oh, here's our night bus.'
A black coach, with windows bedecked with illuminous bats, lanterns, witches and so on, slowing glided to a halt in front of the excited crowd, who eagerly clambered on board...........
"Careful Murphy!" tutted Dora, carefully rearranging her witches hat. Her golden curls framed her pretty face and Murphy smiled lovingly at her, thinking for the umpteenth time what a lucky man he was. "Sorry, gorgeous" he replied, "It's just that I'm so excited, I've been looking forwrd to this party for ages, I love spooky things, and you never know, we might even see Jibber John!"
"Jibber John?" enquired Pip from the seat behind. He was standing up, trying to rearrange his red devil tail. He wasn't very happy with the outfit that Pop had rented for him, but didn't like to complain as when he got home from work Pop had already commandeered the ghost one.
"Jibber John" Murphy lowered his voice and looked conspiratorially from side to side, "is the resident ghost at the Grotto" "Rubbish!" snorted Pop, "There are no such things as ghosts, I would have to see one in front of me before I would believe in them" He was already regretting grabbing the ghost outfit as he realised how warm it was becoming and the fact that it was going to be difficult to drink through the small holes provided. "It's all a ploy, to make us spend money during the time when we should be saving up for Christmas" "Oh, don't start" Pip poked him playfully, "You know you like a night out and tonight could be great fun, you'll enjoy it when we get there. Who was Jibber John anyway Murphy? and are we likely to see him?"
"I don't know a lot about him" said Murphy, "we can ask more when we get there, but apparently he was a smuggler who worked from Marsden beach. They used to go down on stormy nights to see what had been washed up on shore and then carry anything they could manage up through a tunnel cut into the cliff. It's rumoured that the tunnel led right up to one of the big houses out Whitburn way, on the top, by Lizard Lane, although I don't think it's ever been proved. Well, since those days, an old hermit made his home over the tunnel opening, and lived there for years. Eventually it was pulled down and the pub was built there. You can still see where the opening was, at the back of the lounge. All sorts of strange things happen there, furniture moving, lights being switched off and on. . They do say that an old tankard appeared on the bar one night and no one knew where it came from. Well, the landlord at that time decided that maybe the ghost was asking for a drink and left a pint for him in the old tankard. Funnily enough, the ghostly happenings calmed down and when they start up again they refill the tankard and the contents have always disappeared the next morning. A lot of people think that it's Jibber John, maybe we'll find out tonight ..."
" "Well I'm interested in spirits of a different kind" said Dora, "We're here, make mine a vodka and orange!"
‘I can’t see anything at all,’ said Pip attempting to peer through the coach window. A black rubbery spider which was dangling from the window, attached itself to Pip’s sparkling red horns. Pip jumped violently as the spider seemed to run across his face.
‘Aah! Get off me,’ screamed Pip.
Everyone turned to see what had frightened Pip.
‘Pip’s scared of a plastic spider, everyone. Goodness knows what he’ll do when a ghost appears!’ mocked Pop.
‘You’ll not be laughing when I tell you all the lights in the car park are out. I can’t see the Grotto lift entrance either,’ retorted Pip.
The laugher faded as forty pairs of eyes scanned their surroundings through the tinted coach windows. The coach driver pulled a lever to open the door and stepped from behind the steering wheel. He gazed out in the direction of the lift.
‘I’m afraid it looks as though there’s a power cut. Hellooo! I’ve brought the group for the Halloween Party. What’s happening? Is the party still on?’
Two figures loomed out from the darkness, each carrying a torch.
‘We’ve been without power for the last hour, so I’m afraid all the lights are out, both here and down in the Grotto. We’ve plenty of candles down there, but the lift’s off. We had to climb the cliff steps to reach you, and we’ll have to go down that way if you still want to come to the Halloween Party.’ The voice came from a very tall slender figure, adorned in a ‘death’ robe. He continued, ‘Rocky and I will lead you down, but we’ve only two torches. I don’t suppose any of you brought a torch with you?’
‘I’ve brought mine with me,’ said Dora, groping in her handbag.
‘I’ve a couple you may borrow,’ added the coach driver.
‘It’s still going to be difficult. Only five torches between about forty five of us. Is everyone game to continue. We’re hoping the power will come back on before the party ends, but there’s no guarantee. You may have to climb back up again, unless you want to camp down there overnight?’
A babble of anxious and excited voices rang around the coach.
‘Let’s give it a go.’
‘We’ve come this far and are dressed for the party. It would be a waste to go home now.’
‘What if we slip on the steps?’
‘My eyesight is really bad. I’ll need help……..’
After about five minutes everyone agreed to climb down the cliff stairs to the Grotto below.
‘Rocky, you lead the way, and I’ll stay at the back . Keep close together folks so we can try and maximise the beams from the torches. The sea fret has made the steps rather slippery. I hope you women aren’t wearing high-heels?
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