When Celeste cut his head off, which took a long time because she used a small hacksaw, she decided to arrange the body by the front door. She wanted it to be the first thing the others saw when she answered their knock. The head sat on a small table next to the tray that held her keys, phone, and vial of tin-white powder.
Everything was almost ready.
She could hear the others talking and laughing as they walked up the street to her door. They’re here. Celeste looked at her wet hands. There was no time to wash so she rubbed her face and her tattered clothing with her palms, and raked her fingertips through frizzy blonde hair.
She counted to five and opened the door, and laughed when she heard the cacophony of screams and shrieks.
“Happy Halloween!”
“Trick or Treat!”
The Grim Reaper, otherwise known as her neighbor Freddie, was the first to enter. He gasped as he looked around the room at all of its gory décor.
“You outdid yourself this year! And, wow, couldn’t figure out why you wanted that old mannequin from the dumpster. But, man, it’s freaky.”
The others agreed that they were frightened witless though they laughed and walked to the tables shrouded in misty white vapor trails from the dry ice, and helped themselves to the food and drinks.
At the end of the evening, vampires, witches, French maids, gargoyles and all the other costumed people from Weeping Willow Lane raised their glasses and toasted Celeste on being the scariest person in the neighborhood on this night of all nights.
* * * * * *
Celeste didn’t feel like cleaning up after everyone left, though she did have them take the mannequin and set it by the curb for the garbage collection tomorrow. She went to her bedroom and locked the door behind her.
He was there.
He was lying on plastic sheeting under her window.
All trussed up.
Celeste would never forgive him for telling her that morning that he wanted nothing more to do with her or their relationship – that she was a freak.
What I am, she thought, is a do it yourself type of woman.
She drew the blinds. She picked up the hacksaw.
Friday, October 30, 2009
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Yikes! Excellent read and left chills in me! Great for Halloween. Speaking of bones, tomorrow I'm going to have a post about 'em. :)
ReplyDeleteEEEEVIL! Nothing like some authentic decoration eh?
ReplyDeleteI love the play with readers' expectations!! And I love the line, "What I am, she thought, is a do it yourself type of woman." Yes, a very clever, very scary one at that. Love the title of your blog and your description.
ReplyDeleteHell hath no fury....
ReplyDeleteauthentic decoration indeed!
And some bloody good trickery from the reader's point of view!
Got to watch out for the do-it-yourself types. Never, ever piss them off. Great story. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHalloween is not the best time for a break up. Who knows what foul thoughts lurk in the mind. Creepy ending to a great story.
ReplyDeleteLove it!! Happy Halloween!!
ReplyDeleteLove the turnabout (and the first line). You make us think she really cut off a guy's head, then we find out she didn't, then we find out she's about to. Yep. I agree with the neighbors. She's the freakiest one on the block. Good piece.
ReplyDeleteJeff Posey
It's always the ones with the sweetest names! I like "tin-white."
ReplyDeleteA great twist. I expected the mannequin to be the real body. Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteHelen
Straight From Hel
You scared me! Good job. :)
ReplyDeleteElizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
My favorite line "which took a long time because she used a small hacksaw." That cracked me up!
ReplyDeleteLove it Marisa!
Grisly good!
ReplyDeleteSo..I guess the moral here is never break up with someone on Halloween???? LOL. Great trick or treat tale. :-)
ReplyDeleteI laughed more than was scared, but great job nonetheless!
ReplyDelete"What I am, she thought, is a do it yourself type of woman."
Is a fantastic line.
Very cute. I like the name of the street. The play on the mannequin is devilish.
ReplyDeleteSomething out of order here all right: dumb guests, drunk guests, or she cast a spell on them.
ReplyDeleteThis line cracked me up : "When Celeste cut his head off, which took a long time because she used a small hacksaw"
ReplyDeleteThen I was disappointed it was a mannequin and then I was cheering because she was about to do it to a real body! LOL There must be something wrong with me!!
Wonderful - and a great twist at the end to assuage all of us blood-thirsty people who were disappointed with the mannequin.
ReplyDeleteAnd you told Mark not to listen to ME! pffft.
I love the twist in this.
ReplyDeleteYou know what a guy really says when he breaks up with you? "I'll call you tomorrow."
"...Celeste cut his head off, which took a long time because she used a small hacksaw." That line is priceless. I thought about that line again when I got to the ending.
ReplyDeleteA ripping piece, or is grinding a better description? Having just seen Julie and Julia trussed up conjures up fleshy images.
ReplyDeleteNice one! I definitely like the "do it yourself" approach :)
ReplyDeleteGreat story for Halloween :)
Yeah, definitely the scariest lady on the block! One of the creepiest Halloween stories I've read in quite a while. I'd say, ahem, very well executed.
ReplyDelete~jon
I think halloween would be an easy time to dispose of a cut up body. I followed a lady home tonight who had a bloody arm sticking out of the trunk of her car....
ReplyDeleteand ps...hope she used a BIGGER hacksaw the second time or she'll be there all night....
:0)
I feel can-do women deserve toasts, even if they aren't getting them specifically for handling a bad break-up.
ReplyDeleteShe certainly is a DIY type - you;ve come a long way baby. Your story is the creepiest of the lot in this batch of FFs. Loved it. Peace, Linda
ReplyDeleteCalmly done and a cracking haloween read !
ReplyDeleteNever annoy a woman who has access to sharp instruments - and the determination to use them.
ReplyDeleteGood one for Halloween. Enjoyable (in a twisted kind of way) :)
Excellent tools -- and practice -- are very helpful in accomplishing your goals.
ReplyDeleteI loved the idea of all the neighbors partying with a dead guy in the next room. Great Halloween story.
ReplyDelete~chris
تعمل المؤسسة على مدار 24 ساعة؛ لذلك الداعِي بأي توقيت تريد الاستحواذ على الخدمات .
ReplyDeleteبالسنبة للأثمان التي تطلبها في بمقابل تلك الخدمات فإنها ضئيلة بصرف النظر عن جدارة الخدمات التي تقوم بتقديمها لكم المؤسسة.
مؤسسة مكافحة حشرات بالعاصمة السعودية -**-شركة مكافحة حشرات بتبوك
شركة رش مبيدات بتبوك
كيفية صنع مبيد للنمل بالمنزل
شركة الانوار لرش المبيدات