The month of October is upon us, and All Hallows Eve draws nigh. As we walk about on these autumn afternoons, death surrounds us. Dying leaves swirl to the ground in the afternoon breeze. Summer's crops, now harvested, leave in their wake browning leaves and stalks caught in death's embrace. There are those who say that as All Hallows Eve approaches, the veil between the worlds is thinnest.
Perhaps, you the reader, would like to dismiss such notions with a dose of your modern-day rationality. Well, I have a tale to tell, for it was only a matter of nights ago when I, and my companion for that night, Kindle, witnessed irrefutable proof that the fabric of that veil had already worn thin as we were unexpectedly drawn into an unforgettable night of pure, unadulterated terror. Yes, we survived one of the most ghastly places imaginable. We took part in an event that could only have been orchestrated in the very depths of Hell.
Our evening began simply enough in another town in another county where we had decided to stop for pizza. Everything seemed normal enough as we consumed the delicious pie and engaged in conversation. Other patrons were present doing the same; some, while consuming alcoholic beverages.
Darkness had descended over the landscape as we contentedly departed the venue. As we walked out the door, a most unusual coach and driver pulled up in front of us. My mind flashed to scenes from Dracula films as I gazed upon the carriage. It resembled something that one would take to Dracula's castle.
The driver's appearance was unusual to say the least, for although he wore a top hat in a most gentlemanly fashion, his appearance was disconcerting. One look at this skeletal figure and his horse told us that, at the very least, he had not been a living resident of this world for quite some time. Yet, he moved. How could this be?
He spoke to us in a most unearthly voice; yet, the question he posed to us came as a challenge--one that we felt we must accept. "Are you worthy of Halloween?" he asked. "Are you truly creatures of the night? Are you true goths?"
"Why yes," came out response. "Halloween is our favorite night of the year."
"Then you must prove it," he informed us. "Come. Climb on my carriage and ride with me. Let us see if your words are true."
Although filled with trepidation, we could not resist the challenge. Within a flash, we were moving swiftly through the darkness of the night. The lights of the town faded behind us as we moved through the dark forest toward whatever awaited us.
The carriage finally came to a stop in front of that which appeared to be an old abandoned warehouse. I descended first, and took my first look at our new surroundings.
Kindle quickly followed. She was equally baffled by the surroundings at which he had brought us.
"Have a frightful night!" he cried out with an insidious laugh, before speeding off into the night.
The carriage quickly disappeared from sight as we examined our new but unfamiliar surroundings. We were deeply concerned that we might meet other somewhat frightening characters that might be hidden in the deep woods that surrounded us. So, we opted for the relative safety of the warehouse. This is what we saw as we entered.
The confusing configurations lined the ceiling in the entrance way, and they illuminated the rather large room.
"They're so unusual," my friend remarked to me. All I could do was nod in agreement as we moved deeper into the warehouse.
We walked with caution as we went through another door, which led us into a darkened corridor. The door shut quickly behind us, locking us inside a restricted space, cutting us off from the illumination we had enjoyed.
We had no choice but to advance toward a dimly lit room situated just ahead of us. An indescribable fear gripped at us as we stared in disbelief at what appeared in front of us. A seriously demented man, a doctor perhaps, was conducting a brutal experiment upon his unwilling victim, A helpless man was stretched out upon a bed, his head split open--his brains exposed, the mad doctor reveling in the evil he was performing!
We moved away from there as fast as we could, but horror after horror confronted us almost every step of the way. Diabolical creatures, perhaps once human, lunged at us from within their locked cells. Grotesque creatures hurled blood-curdling screams in our direction, even as they pulled on their chains in a vain attempt to break free and tear open our very flesh. The walking dead moved about the darkened halls of the structure. One was holding a baby, or what was left of it. It seemed that she herself had perhaps eaten alive her own offspring. Now, she grieved while holding the mutilated body she herself had created. Never had we felt such terror! Never had we witnessed such abominations! Then...suddenly...
We had made it to the outside and found ourselves in a fog-laden bog. The only way to attempt escape from this hellish place was forward on the narrow path of high ground that lay before us. There was no light; the moon had not as yet arisen. We had no idea what might await us in the murky waters just below our feet. Still, we had to press on, in spite of the screams of terror that surrounded us in that God-forbidden place.
We moved with caution, listening for whatever sounds might alert us to danger. Without warning, a large serpentine creature, something prehistoric, lunged at us from behind a clutter of vegetation. We managed to escape its grasp only to hear the revving of a chainsaw from behind. We faced unspeakable terror in that place, but we faced it with as much bravery as we could muster, which wasn't much, really.
It seemed like hours before we could find our way back to that Warehouse of Fear, but we finally made it in tact, but not without narrowly escaping a ghoulish thing that attacked us with a chainsaw. Still, it was the ghoul's attempt to dismember us that forced us, unwittingly, back to the warehouse. Oh yes, the warehouse! We stood in front of that abominable place wondering what to do, wondering if we could somehow find the highway and make our way back to town, where we could find our vehicle and a sense of normality. It was at that moment that the coach driver emerged from the darkness to greet us anew.
"You have passed the test," he informed us with his unsettling voice. "You survived the ordeal, and are worthy to be called creatures of the night, lovers of Halloween, and true goths.
He first led us back into the structure's entrance hall. For the first time in who knows how long, we relaxed, and were thankful that we still had our skins--as well as our souls!
I turned to the driver and asked, "how do we get back to the place where we met you.?"
"This way," he responded, heading toward the exit.
For the first time, we took notice of a parking lot outside the warehouse.
"Look at this vehicle," Kindle said, pointing to a hearse parked nearby. "Doesn't it look familiar?"
Indeed it was familiar--all too familiar! That hearse was well known in the town that we live in; it's reputation goes back decades. Still, I couldn't help but examine it closely for the first time myself. I just couldn't believe that it had appeared.
The driver approached; and, opening the rear door said, "enter. This is your ride back.
We both knew that had we not passed the test, the hearse could have represented something far more sinister for us. Still, we gladly got in and were whisked away--back to town--back to my friend's vehicle.
So, now we know the truth; as should you, dear reader. As I sit here telling this story under the protection of afternoon sunlight, I know what horrors are afoot as All Hallows Eve approaches. Look! There's already activity taking place not very far from the cemeteries at which I live. Who knows what frightful things these two might wreak upon some unsuspecting souls this very night?
Happy Halloween!
Bottom photo by Don Shreve
