Allhallow's Eve: (Richard Laymon Horror Classic) (21 page)

‘Didn’t know you’re an artist.’

‘I’m a man of many talents.’ He flipped a black patch down, covering his left eye. Then he reached into the trunk and took out two grocery bags. ‘For our goodies,’ he said, handing one to Bill.

Side by side, they headed for Miss Bennett’s house. Her front porch light was on. A jack-o’-lantern grinned at them through her picture window.

‘Now don’t do anything dumb,’ Bill warned.

‘Dumb? Me?’

‘We’ll just ring her doorbell, and trick-or-treat, and that’s all.’

‘Sure.’

‘I mean it.’ Bill adjusted the red bandanna tied around his head. He touched the big, hooped earring that hung from his right ear, and wondered if he should pluck it off; he didn’t want to look silly.

‘What’re you waiting for?’ Nate asked.

‘Do I look okay?’

‘You look gorgeous. The baddest buccaneer that ever sailed the Seven Seas.’

Bill reached toward the doorbell.

‘’Cept your tool’s out.’

Bill pressed the button, Then, though he knew Nate was joking, he touched his fly. He found it safely zipped.

‘Had you worried.’

‘Sure.’

The door opened.

Miss Bennett smiled out at them. Her face was smeared with soot. She wore a shapeless felt hat, a
bandanna around her neck, a shirt of red flannel, and baggy brown pants held up by suspenders. A polka-dot patch adorned one knee of her trousers.

‘Trick-or-treat,’ said Bill and Nate.

‘What have we here? A pirate and an exhibitionist?’

Nate made a crooked smile. ‘Guess you’re a tramp.’

She laughed. ‘
Touché!
A hit, a palpable hit. Come on in out of the cold. Do you like cider?’

‘Sure,’ Bill said.

They stepped into the house. Miss Bennett closed the door. As she turned away, Nate nudged Bill with his elbow and winked his uncovered eye.

‘You boys must be freezing,’ she said.

‘We’re tough,’ said Nate.

They entered the living room. ‘Have a seat. I’ve got hot cider on the stove. I’ll be back in a jiff.’

Bill sat on the sofa, and watched her walk away. A polka-dot patch covered the seat of her pants. Nate winked again, and dropped into a stuffed chair near the corner. ‘Still think this was a lousy idea?’

Bill shook his head, grinning.

‘Got you to first base. Imagination and guts, that’s all it takes.’

A hand reached from behind the chair and clutched Nate’s shoulder. With a yelp, he leaped to his feet. As he whirled around, a black-clad Frankenstein monster rose into view. Nate backed away. ‘Very funny,’ he told the monster. ‘You’re a real barrel of yucks.’

It slowly stepped from behind the chair. Arms out, it lurched toward Nate.

Bill saw Miss Bennett in the kitchen doorway, shaking as she tried to hold in her laughter.

Nate continued to back away from the monster. ‘Okay! A joke’s a joke. Now knock it off!’

It kept coming.

‘Damn!’ He put up his fists. ‘One more step, shit-head!’

‘That’s enough,’ Miss Bennett said in a calm voice.

The monster’s huge, misshapen head turned toward her.

‘Sit down and be good,’ she said.

It lowered its arms. It turned away and lumbered back to the chair where Nate had been sitting. With a quiet grunt, it sat down. It folded its hands and crossed its legs.

‘Sorry if he scared you,’ Miss Bennett said, coming in with two mugs of cider.

Nate smirked and snorted. He sat on the sofa beside Bill.

‘Who are you?’ Bill asked the monster.

The monster sat motionless, and said nothing.

‘Who is it, Miss Bennett?’

‘My friend, the Wretch.’

‘Makes
me
want to retch,’ Nate muttered.

‘He’s quite harmless, Normally.’ Miss Bennett set down the mugs on the coffee table.

Bill thanked her, and picked one up. Pushing a cinnamon stick aside, he took a sip. ‘That’s good.’

‘It’ll warm your bones,’ she said. She crossed the room, and sat down on the lap of the Wretch. ‘So, what’re you fellows up to?’

‘We’re gonna pillage the town,’ Nate said.

‘Actually, we’re going to a Halloween party, but that’s not till later.’

‘Same with us.’

‘We’re not keeping you, are we?’

‘No. There’s no rush.’

‘You heading over to the Sherwood place?’ Nate asked.

‘One of my students is having a few people over.’ She slapped one of the monster’s hands as it slid up her thigh. ‘There’s a party at the Sherwood …?’ The doorbell interrupted her. ‘Excuse me,’ she said. She pushed the Wretch’s hand off her leg, and went to the door.

Bill heard her open it. A chorus of children’s voices called out, ‘Trick-or-treat.’

Across the room, the monster stood. It began walking slowly toward Nate.

‘Okay, Wretch, knock it off.’

It raised its arms.

Nate jumped to his feet. ‘Okay, asshole.’

The monster reached out for him.

Nate kicked. His foot shot toward the crotch, but a quick hand blocked his blow, gripped Nate’s ankle and threw him backwards. He hit the floor, his head barely missing the coffee table.

Bill sprang to his feet, ready to fight, but the monster held up its hand. ‘I’ve got no quarrel with you,’ said a voice muffled by the mask.

‘Lay off Nate.’

‘I’m done with him.’ The monster’s hands fumbled with its mask then pulled it off.

Mr Carlson, the school librarian, frowned down at Nate. ‘That was for yesterday, Houlder, for knocking her into the bushes.’

‘You cocksucker,’ Nate muttered. ‘I’m gonna sue your ass.’

‘I believe this falls into the category of self-defense.’

‘What’s going on here?’ Miss Bennett asked, frowning as she entered the room.

‘Houlder was just leaving.’

‘Damn it, Nick!’

‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘But Houlder had it coming.’

‘An eye for an eye never solved anything.’

‘It helps, believe me.’

‘That’s right, man,’ Nate said as he got to his feet. ‘You just remember that. ’Cause you’re gonna pay.’ He flipped open his vest and tapped the skull-and-crossbones drawn on his chest. ‘See this? You’re gonna look worse by the time I’m done. Count on it.’

‘You scare me, Houlder.’

Nate’s hand darted to the hilt of his knife. He unsnapped the sheath.

Bill grabbed his wrist. ‘Come on, Nate. Let’s get out of here.’

He held on until Nate’s arm relaxed.

‘Yeah, okay. Let’s go.’

Miss Bennett hurried ahead of them, and opened the door.

‘Sorry about this,’ Bill told her. ‘But your friend did start it. Nate was just sitting there.’

She nodded and said nothing.

‘Carlson started it,’ Nate said, ‘but I’m gonna finish it.’ He stopped at the door and looked back at the black-clad man. ‘You hear that, Carlson? I’m gonna finish it. An eye for an eye.’

‘Just try it, Houlder.’

Bill tugged Nate’s sleeve. ‘Come on.’

They stepped outside, and Miss Bennett shut the door.

‘So then Doons accused
me
of being Houlder’s girlfriend.’

‘Doons is a jerk,’ Eric said.

‘I hate him.’

‘Me too.’ He finished his plastic glass of punch, and saw that Beth was nearly done. ‘You want some more?’

‘Yeah. Good, isn’t it?’

‘Yeah.’ He took her glass. I’ll be right back.’ She smiled, and Eric left her. He made his way across the living room, looking for gaps through the frantic dancers and watching the girls. They paid no attention to him as he weaved among them. Most had vacant looks in their eyes as if entranced by the loud music and the motions of their own jerking bodies.

Aleshia wore pink tights and a white tutu. Her shoulders were bare. A pearl choker hung at her throat, and she wore a tiara in her hair. Eric had never seen her look so beautiful. If only he were more like Eddie Ryker … He watched Eddie dance. The tall, handsome boy wore no real costume – just a football jersey and jeans. He had a complacent smile. His eyes were on the ceiling – not even
looking
at her!

Eric bumped into someone.

‘Jesus, Prince!’ Mark Bailey scowled at him from under his helmet liner.

‘Sorry sir,’ Eric said, and snapped a salute.

‘Creep,’ muttered Mark’s partner.

Eric turned to her. Sue Diamond, the head cheerleader. She, too, was apparently dressed as a soldier. She wore a tiger-striped field bat, a drab olive jumpsuit, and a canteen on a web belt. Her jumpsuit was unzipped almost to her belly, showing a long V of bare skin and no trace of bra.

‘Fuck off,’ she said.

Eric hurried past, then looked back, wondering what would show if she bent down. She didn’t bend down. Instead, she gave him the finger.

He finally reached the refreshment table. He stood in line behind a clown and a vampire. Nobody spoke to him. He waited, watching Elmer Cantwell dip punch from the cut-glass bowl for the vampire.

Elmer seemed to be dressed as the hunchback of Notre Dame. With his squat figure and bulgy eyes, he looked right for the role.

‘Is that Aleshia’s father?’ Eric had asked when he first saw Elmer.

‘No,’ Beth told him. ‘Her dad’s never home. That’s Elmer Cantwell.’

‘What’s he doing here?’

‘He’s a friend of Aleshia’s mom. Ugly, isn’t he?’

‘Sort of.’

‘Women are supposed to be crazy about him. I can’t see it, though, can you?’

Eric had shaken his head.

‘He must have something going for him, ’cause it sure isn’t his looks.’

‘Maybe he’s rich.’

‘Maybe.’

The vampire and clown were gone, and Eric looked across the table at the man. He saw the eyes lower to his bare chest, and stare. He fought an urge to pull his jacket shut.

‘Two punches, please.’

Elmer grinned, showing his crooked upper teeth, and reached for the empty glasses. Eric held them out. The man’s fingers stroked his hands. He squirmed, wishing Aleshia’s mother was still at the punch bowl instead of this man.

Elmer took the glasses. He set them down, dipped into the punch bowl, and filled them with the frothy red liquid.

‘I’ve seen you at the library, Eric,’ he said in a whispery voice.

‘You have?’

‘Many times.’

‘Where?’

‘The public library.’

‘Oh.’

‘You have such lovely skin. A shame to hide it under such filth.’

‘Oh.’ He felt as if worms were crawling on his back. ‘Thanks for the punch,’ he said. He picked up the two glasses and hurried away. This time, passing through the dancers, he didn’t even notice those around him. He found Beth still standing in the comer. Mary Lou, one of the cheerleaders, was with her.

‘Hi Eric,’ Mary Lou said.

She was a slim redhead, dressed as a nurse.

‘Hi.’

‘Are you okay?’ Beth asked.

‘Sure.’ He handed a glass to her.

‘You look sick.’

‘I’m the living dead.’

‘What happened?’

He shrugged. ‘Oh, that guy Elmer.’

‘What’d he do?’ Mary Lou asked.

‘He’s just a creep.’

‘Do you know what he said to John? You know John? He’s Dracula. He was in front of you. Did you hear what that crazy guy said to him?’

Eric shook his head.

‘Get this.’ Mary Lou glanced from Beth to Eric, her eyes bright and eager. ‘He said, “You can suck me anytime. Count.”’

‘Good Christ,’ Beth muttered.

‘Gross, huh?’

‘Is he … gay?’ Beth asked.

‘God, I guess so. But you know, he’s supposed to be a real lady-killer.’

‘Maybe he likes both,’ Eric said.

Beth shook her head. ‘I don’t see why anybody’d be interested in
him
.’

‘Haven’t you heard? He’s …’ Mary Lou glanced at Eric, then back to Beth. ‘Well … They say he’s got an absolutely enormous
thing
.’

‘Yuck,’ Beth said.

‘It’s supposed to be – you know – gigantuous.’

‘Do you think he and Aleshia’s mom …?’

‘Why else would he be here?’

‘Boy,’ Beth muttered. She wrinkled her nose as if disgusted.

Mary Lou turned to Eric. ‘So look, what’d he say to you?’

‘He said I’ve got nice skin.’

‘Oh gross.’