The Stormy Witch [Halloween 2015]

The sounds of children singing wafted by...

Stormy Witch – dead of night
snatch you up – stay in the light
if its dark – you will go
where only witch's goblins know

The words of the local children's Halloween song seemed a bit dark for kids out trick-or-treating. “It is Halloween,” Jason thought. “I guess a little scary stuff isn't out of the question.” Jason had never heard a song like that before and figured it was probably a local or regional thing. He was new here after all.

Jason hugged himself to fend off the cold October wind as he walked down the dimly lit street on the way home from his first visit to the local pub. New or not, he couldn't help but think that all the hard earned tax dollars could pay for more than one lousy street light. And as he looked up at the one lonely lamp feebly shining down on him it sputtered and sparked, then went out. And the first drop of a nascent rain storm landed squarely in his eye. It was going to be one of those nights. He felt a tingle on his skin like a heavy mist was upon him and smelled the ozone from the broken lamp above him.

Jason looked up at the fizzling light and some motion caught his eye. In the dark it was hard to tell what it was, mixed in with the traces of light that remained in his eyes even harder. He assumed it was probably a bat that had been feasting on the bugs swarming the lone light on the street. As he stood there staring into the darkness he felt light-headed, as though he was about to pass out. He hadn't had that much to drink. Yet he felt as if he had been momentarily lifted completely off his feet. He settled back down with a slight stumble, but otherwise no worse for wear.

An odd thumping sound echoed in Jason's ears and he first mistook it for his own heartbeat. He soon realized the sound was coming toward him in the dark. A realization that quickly unnerved him. He was about to turn and flee when an old fashioned lantern flickered to life on a post near the end of the dock he now found himself standing on. Jason froze. He was no where near a dock a moment ago. He stared intently into the dark for any sign of something familiar, and found none. The only thing he could detect was the odd thumping sound getting closer. He started to walk toward the lantern and saw the end of the dock. Below it only the same thick mist that swirled around him as he stood there. He turned and started to walk toward the other end of the dock and found himself approaching a flickering lantern at the end of the dock. The one he had just left behind him. His mind had to be playing tricks with him. He slowly turned, keeping the lantern in sight as long as possible. Just as it left his view on the left, it came into view on the right. It seemed as though he could head no direction other than toward the same lantern flickering at the end of the dock.

Determined not to be outfoxed he turned as quickly as he dared and started to walk. He managed only one step before bumping into the woman standing there looking scared to death. He imagined it must have been exactly as he had looked just moments ago when he first appeared there. She started to scream and move away from him. He shouted for her to stop. The woman found herself teetering on the edge of the dock, staring down into swirling nothingness, with a lantern beside her. Her brilliant red hair blazing like fire in the light of the lantern. The thumping sound was still coming closer and with it the sound of swirling water, like an oar bumping the side of a boat. Together the two stood motionless, waiting, afraid to move. Jason felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up and turned to find a portly gentleman standing there, wobbly, but standing. The smell of whiskey was strong on his breath.

The man demanded to know what was happening and who was responsible. Jason told him he had only just arrived there moments ago himself, just before the woman standing behind him, clutching his arm. The newest addition to the stranded group poked Jason in the chest and bellowed at him. “I don't know what kind of game you are playing, but I want it off, NOW!” Jason could only keep repeating that he was as confused as anyone and had no idea what was happening. The thumping continued to grow nearer and the swishing sound more pronounced. Jason and Kate, who had by now introduced herself, stood to the side as Benton stormed back and forth from lantern to lantern as fast as his stubby legs would carry him, bellowing all the while.

Jason and Kate both saw the latest addition to their group just appear in front of them in the swirling mist. A thin, sickly looking middle aged man with glasses and a frail, stooped posture stood before them. His eyes darted around trying to make sense of what was happening as he was nearly bowled over by Benton trying desperately to outrun the lantern. “Out of my way, tiny.” Benton snapped as he shoved the man who would soon introduce himself as Dale out of the way. Benton's will was stronger than his legs and he soon found himself short of breath, soaked with sweat, and still no nearer to the lantern than when he began.

The thumping was sounding more clear and the swishing water sounded very near. Two more joined the stranded bunch on the dock by the flickering lantern. An attractive young woman named Lily, and an older man named John. Lily quietly moved near to Kate and the two instinctively held on to each other. Benton approached the end of the dock and stared into the mist. “I don't know how deep it is, but I can swim and I am getting the hell out of here. Anything is better than standing on this damn dock.”

“I wouldn't do that,” came the voice from just beyond the limit of sight. The six of them nearly jumped out of their collective skin. The swishing sound was very close. A thump at the end of the dock alerted them to the arrival of the boat that had been making the noise that unnerved them.

Continued~

The boat was amazing. It appeared to be made entirely out of glass. It was shaped like an old viking long boat, with a raised pointed bow and a low wide belly. The man on the boat looked to be in bad shape. His skin was scarred and red. His hands looked like he had been in an accident of some kind. Probably more than once. The long pole he held tightly had an octagonal shaft which refracted the light from the lantern and looked like it was glowing.

“Don't touch the water.” the old man in the boat said. “Don't touch the water. Step onto the boat. And don't touch the water. It's not yours to touch.” He poled the boat broadside to the end of the dock.

Benton huffed at the idea of being ordered around by the old man. “I'm not getting on any damn boat until somebody tells me what the hell is going on!” Benton demanded. The others nodded in agreement, but remained silent.

The old man repeated his instructions. “Step onto the boat, and don't touch the water. It's not yours to touch.”

“I will not!” Benton howled.

“Then you can stay here. I won't be back.” And with that the old man lifted the lantern off it's hook and hung it on the bow of the boat. He stood patiently waiting for the people on the dock to step on to the boat as he had requested.

“Now look here old man,” yelled Benton. “You cant just grab people out of their lives and dump them on this damn dock and then tell them to get in a boat with you and not tell them what the hell is going on. The world doesn't work that way.”

“Step onto the boat and don't touch the water.”

Benton looked at the rest of the group, breathing hard but with no clue what to say or do. He turned his gaze to Jason and waved an accusing finger. “He was the only one here when I got here. This is his doing.” Kate stepped in and reminded Benton that she was also here when he arrived. Benton snapped at her, “And who was here when you got here?” Kate could only look at Jason for answers. Jason had none to give.

“I was the first one here, but I am as confused as you are. I didn't plan this and I don't want to be here any more than you do,” Jason insisted.

“Step onto the boat and don't touch the water.”

One by one they stepped carefully onto the boat, clinging to each other for comfort. Even Benton had a firm grasp of Jason's arm. Whether it was for comfort or not was debatable. The old man on the boat gave one shove with the long glass pole and immediately the dock disappeared from view. Lily shrieked at the sudden motion of the boat.

“Keep quiet on the water,” the old man said. Keep quiet, and don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

Lily wept quietly to herself.

The unwilling passengers could feel the motion of the boat but had no sense of distance without a visual reference. All they knew was the dock was nowhere in sight, and neither was anything else. Jason turned to the man controlling the boat. “Can you tell us where we are going?”

“Be quiet on the water. Don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

“You know, that is really getting old,” Jason said. “You must be able to tell us something...”

“Yes. Be quiet on the water. Don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

The thumping and swishing seemed to go on and on. Suddenly the boat lurched to a stop as it thudded against a landing. A landing made entirely of glass. It was stunning. The light from the lantern flickered off a thousand facets of glass on the landing and the odd octagonal structure attached to it. It looked for all the world like a glass bird cage with eight sides and a conical roof, all made of glass. Jason could see the swirling mist all around the landing and the octagon house. He had gotten used to the smell of it, but something about it still didn't look right. The old man hung the lantern, which was flickering like it was on it's way out, on the post at the edge of the landing.

“Step off the boat. Be quiet in the house. Don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

“What, thats it?” Jason asked. “You won't say any more than that?”

“Step off the boat. Be quiet in the house. Don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

Benton inhaled deeply and was set to launch into another tirade when the old man stopped him.

“Step off the boat! Be QUIET in the house! DON'T touch anything that isn't yours to touch!”

The old mans tone, though severe and with a sense of urgency, seemed more of a warning than a threat. One by one they disembarked. As the last of them stood upon the landing the old man pushed the boat off and started to turn. “What do we do?” Jason asked as quietly as he could and still be heard.

“Be quiet in the house. Don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.” And the old man in the boat disappeared into the darkness. The thumping faded far too quickly and the ensuing quiet was almost too much to handle. Had the thumping and swishing been their hearts and blood, they would have died in that moment's silence. All eyes turned toward the lantern as, just for a second, it went dark.

“Everyone, move into the house before the lantern goes out. Hurry...” Kate urged. She had a feeling that this was not a good place to be in total darkness. She was right.

The six stranded strangers huddled quietly in the center of the octagonal house not knowing what to do. The lantern flickered it's last light and went dark. The silence was deafening and the darkness smothering. “I can't take this,” Lily cried. There was a scratching noise followed by a burst of light. Dale had pulled a Zippo lighter from his pocket and lit it. Everyone froze in anticipation of the retribution they would surely be forced to endure. Dale smirked at them. “What's your problem? This is mine,” he said sarcastically.

Continued~

In it's light Benton spied a pile of flashlights and immediately lunged for the nearest one. “NO!” Jason exclaimed. But it was too late. Benton had scooped up the flashlight and jammed his finger into the switch. The flashlight burst to life shining a bright beam straight through the glass house and out into the darkness. Benton stared slack jawed at the beam of light and froze. Before anyone could move they heard a loud bang echoing across the water as intensely bright lights slammed on. The lights completely encircled the glass house. There were two concentric rings of lights. The inner ring was made up of eight lights, each aligned with a corner of the house. The outer ring, which appeared to be a significant distance away, totaled sixteen lights, equally spaced and aligned with the inner ring.

The scene would have been beautiful had it not been so damned frightening. The glass house acting like a prism for the twenty four lights that shone brightly on the smooth surface of the water. It was impressive to say the least.

Motion beyond the outer string of lights caught Kate's eye. She pointed and gasped. Everyone turned to look in the direction she was pointing but saw nothing. “Something moved out there. I don't know what it was, but it was moving fast.” “Jason peered as intently as he could. “On the water?” he asked as he looked for any sign of movement. “No,” Kate answered. “It was in the air...” Just as she said that Jason spotted something zing past one of the outer lights. It was larger than the lights and very dark, and looked like it had a pointed or jagged outline. To his right Dale saw one also. Behind him, Lily shrieked indicating that she had also seen one. Then Kate again gasped as the object flitted past once more. Jason realized they were all seeing the same object, and it was circling them, very very fast.

It almost seemed as though the object could read Jason's mind for as soon as he realized it was circling them, it stopped. It just hung there in the air next to one of the lights. None could believe their eyes. It had to be a trick of the light or a hallucination of some kind. Floating in mid air next to one of the outer lights was, by any means of description, a traditional looking witch with a pointy black hat riding a flying broomstick. Tattered edges of her black dress hung down below her, each looking like a shard of black glass. She hung there staring at them for a moment, then turned toward the light, flicked her tongue at it, and the light went dark with a bang and a flash of ozone. Still illuminated by the other lights the apparition moved to the next light in the string and repeated her actions popping the light into darkness. Again she moved, a little faster this time, to the next light. And the next, and the next. Each time gaining speed. Soon she was flying around the ring of lights almost too fast to follow. The group of stunned visitors stumbled over each other trying to keep up with the flying light eater. By the time the last light on the outer ring popped out she was moving faster than any could have imagined. When the last light on the outer ring went dark she immediately made the jump to the inner ring and continued. Now much closer the startled guests could see her more clearly. And they regretted it.

The witch flicked her tongue at the first light on the inner ring, sickly looking saliva slopping out of her mouth as the light popped and sizzled into darkness. Again, she moved quickly to the next light, and the next, moving faster and faster. It was like she was feeding on the electricity. The realization struck a moment too late. Jason turned to Benton who was still frozen with fear save for the beam of light vibrating in his right hand like a sad little distress beacon. Before Jason could intervene the witch smashed through the wall of the house and hung in the air staring at the beam of light in Benton's hand. It was the only light left shining.

The frightened guest's nostrils were assailed by an acrid stench coming from the flying apparition. Her skin looked worse than the hands of the old man in the boat. Pock marked sores dotted her face. The skin around her mouth seemed to have been eaten away revealing the blackened flesh beneath the pitted skin.

Everyone moved away from Benton not knowing what else to do. The witch flicked her sinuous tongue at Benton, wrapping it around his wrist. The flashlight clattered to the floor but stayed on. The witch withdrew her tongue and revealed the flesh slowly disappearing from Benton's wrist. Benton howled in pain. At that moment his watch beeped. The tongue of the witch slapped Benton's left wrist dousing it and the floor with a large quantity of putrid saliva. Benton was trying desperately to wipe the saliva off his wrists and hands. Everyone was watching the macabre scene and failed to notice that the floor where Benton stood was also disappearing.

With a crash Benton found himself thigh deep in the water. His screams of suffering were the stuff of nightmares. Benton's legs began to dissolve as he slowly sank into the pool. His face contorted with agony as the fluid enveloped his genitals. Benton flailed furiously at the ruined edge of the floor trying to pull himself free. But his efforts were doomed to fail. Benton had no hands.

The five remaining guests, and the flying apparition, watched Benton disappear into the bubbling fluid beneath the octagon house.

The thump of a boat at the landing jarred the group back from their horror. They turned to see the old man in the boat waiting for them. They looked back where the witch had been just seconds earlier to find nothing but empty air.

“Step onto the boat. Be quiet, and don't touch anything that isn't yours to touch.”

The five frightened guests stepped quickly onto the boat and stood quietly. The old man grinned and pushed off.

Jason heard a slight buzzing sound overhead and looked up just in time to see the street light pop back on. He was soaked with sweat and his heart was beating in his chest like a mallet on a bass drum. He took stock of himself and discovered to his amazement, he was alright. The familiar sights and sounds of his street were safely in place, just as they should be. He was too quick to accept that it was all a hallucination or that he had fallen and knocked himself out for a moment and dreamed it all. Yes, it had to be something like that. No matter how unconvinced he was with his story, he was happy to accept it as fact and put the making of future nightmares behind him.

Jason tucked his shirt in properly and smoothed the lapels of his jacket. He took a deep breath to clear his mind and was about to finish his journey home when the flickering of a single strand of brilliant red hair on his jacket caught his eye.

And the sounds of children singing wafted by...

If you go - keep it dark
no more fire – not a spark
close your mouth - and your eyes
the loudest is the one who dies...

Amazing My kinda story! So many different scary elements rolled into it.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Nice! I like the oldie feel to it.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

That was surreal! You have a great imagination, and really made that easy to read. You painted a very vivid picture of Jason's ...test?
Rather him than me, though.

a reply to: Vroomfondel

Really excellent! If I ever hear children singing those words I will know what not to do!

Thank you for the compliments all.

Yes, it was a test of sorts...

a reply to: Vroomfondel

That was just great Vroom!

How am I going to get to sleep tonight??? LOL

Great stuff! Thanks for sharing!

BigG

a reply to: Vroomfondel

I've always enjoyed Your writing style Vroom! This Story did not dissappoint Me either!!
Very Well done!!!
I can see "Writer" under Your UserName already!!!

S+F for YOU!!!