Samhain - Spirit of Halloween

by Will Sketch Harris

  After witnessing the madness, Ace looks to me and asks, “So what’s your plan now?”

  “Okay,” I say. “I bet the dead are heading somewhere to be together. The dead are following Samhain, so they’re going to be where he is. Someplace he can command them all at once.”

  Bradlee says, “The Paramount theater. It’s the central point of the city, and he can see everything from the rooftop.”

  “Agreed," I say.

  “So what do we do when we get there?” Gina asks.

  I turn to her and smile, “Well Gina I’m glad you asked because you are just the zombie killing lady I wanted to talk to.” I then proceed to cook up this entire scheme that revolves around Gina. “I determined back at the pub that since you were the one that brought the creature out of his world, you may be the one that could send him back. I believe that when you wore that amulet, it had psychically bonded with you and used me as a conduit to open up the doorway.”

  Veronica adds, “Yeah but Bradless cracked that damn thing in half.”

  “Well, I fixed it,” pulling the amulet out of my duffle-bag and holding it up by the chain, the others are pissed off. They’re moaning and complaining that it started all of this. I assure them as best as I can that we will control it this time. Gina will manage it. She must.

  ***

  We took the back alleys and avoided any zombies or spirits that may try to stop us from reaching the theatre. Ace is taking up the front with Bradlee watching our backs as we come up around the corner, two blocks from where the nasties are gathered. Samhain is speaking to them all saying, “My little ones, we rule the night, yet this is only the beginning! We will desecrate this miserable, meaningless little town and rejoice as these mortals fall under our heel. And after this night we will claim the rest of the whole world to be under our dominion! Darkness will last forever. Soon this world will know only eternal night.” At this, the undead mumbled and swayed back in forth in what passed in their shambling motions for cheers and applause.

  “Sounds like something he ripped off of a cartoon.” Ace complains.

  Veronica frowning at the sight of the amulet asks, “Derrick, I don’t get it. If the necklace is smashed how can we use it?” I don't answer her but turn to Gina and say, “Gina hold out your hand?” Startled and confused she replies, “Why?” But I'm determined, and I insist, “Just do it. Hold out your hand!”

  She does so, and I quickly dump the necklace and the pieces of the amulet right in her palm. Everyone started to look at me like I was foolish and wasting their time but as soon as the parts of the charm touched Gina's palm something happened. The same eerie purple light appears, and to our shock, the necklace begins to reassemble itself.

  Every little piece magically moves and like a living organism the amulet is whole again; the glow then subsides, and it lay fully intact resting in her hand as if nothing had ever happened.

  Everyone's gasping in surprise except for me, although I do belt out a triumphant laugh of exultation yelling, “I knew it! I frickin' knew it!” Then with Gina still holding out the necklace I grab her by the shoulders and shout, “Gina you are it! This amulet is psychically bonded to you! It works for you now! You used this thing to bring the spirit of Halloween out of the netherworld, and you have the power to send him back!”

  Staring in disbelief, she utters one word, “How?”

  At this, I shrug and just say, “I dunno. I’m still working on that.”

  Ace and Tony are getting impatient. They take the lead as we all began to follow. Bradlee and I were taking up the rear, browsing through the Book of Shadows, while Veronica and Gina stayed close between us all. “Keep that amulet safe,” I call to the girls. “And watch out for each other too.” As we walked hastily, Tony turns and says, “Whatever you do. You girls stay close to Tony. I will protect you.” Veronica looks at Gina and lets out a quiet laugh, but honestly, I think they should be grateful for his offer. It would soon prove to be Tony that needs the protection. Because we had only gone a few more feet pass some abandoned cars and stores when Tony shouts, “Help! Something’s got my leg!” He then fell down to the ground and cried, “God help Tony! Please, God! Get Tony away from this thing!” With barely any time to think Veronica whips out her cellphone and shines a light in Tony’s direction where we see a decayed old man cut in half at the waist. He’s pulling Tony by the ankle, dragging himself closer for a meal.

  Surprising us in her ferocity, Veronica shouts, “Get away from my boyfriend!” Then pulls out the baseball bat from my bag and with no fear, charges forward and beats the non-walking dead in the skull. Chunks are flying everywhere. It takes Veronica a little time to realize she already won. Tony quickly rolls away from the body violently kicking at his other leg trying to get the still attached zombie handoff. “DAMN BABE!”

  Suddenly a rush of screams came up the street. We curiously peak out from the alleyway, and to our surprise, it's the townspeople. They’ve taken up some kind of mob to fight the creatures, but maybe that’s a bad idea. I look up at the roof of the theatre. Yeah, it looks like Samhain notices them too.

  “My children,” Samhain commands. “They want to hurt you. They want to hurt me. Those my little ones are the only creatures that stand between us and the end of All Hallow’s Day. That must not interfere. Eliminate them!” As the crowd passes us, I spot my AP Literature Professor Meyers in the charge. I knew it, that guy is cool as shit.

  Quickly Ace and Tony run into the street to join the band of heroes. “You guys do your thing and save the world,” Ace screams to us. “We've got some zombie smashing to do. Veronica grabs Tony’s hand, “Babe, this is nuts. Stay with me.”

  “You'll be okay,” He declares. “Those guys know what to do. Right now, Tony needs to watch my homie’s back.

  Ace thrashes a goblin square in the jaw and yells, “Make us all proud Derrick.”

  Gina smiles at me. ”He got your name right.”

  “Yeah, he’s alright.”

  The great pumpkin

  Chapter Ten

  After we brainstormed for a few more minutes, I decide to consult the Book of Shadows a bit more until I come up with only one idea, I look at Gina and sigh saying, “Well you are just going to have to put it back on Gina.” At this Veronica lets out a forceful exclamation shouting, “I don’t like that idea at all! Derrick, are you nuts? Do you remember what happened last time she wore that God forbidden thing!”

  I nod at her and say, “Absolutely. She became an instrument for Samhain. Gina was linked to him and everything that had to do with the other side. The problem was that the previous owner of this amulet, no doubt an evil witch that now haunts it, got into her. She took control and shut Gina out. Now your chance to fight back. Show her B.”

  “Here,” Bradlee opens the book. “I found this spell. I think it will help us lock the witch out but give you complete control of her abilities when wearing the amulet.”

  Gina then reluctantly puts the necklace around her neck, yet immediately after doing so, she feels that same sense of power emanating through her. But she didn’t feel out of control this time. I can tell, as her eyes begin to glow from a bright purple to a bright white, Gina is taking command of the amulet. Then, she does that brilliant Gina Romero smile.

  Bradlee taps me, “It’s working. The spell we put on the amulet is keeping that bitch at bay and giving Gina freedom to use its powers.”

  “It just appeared as a haze at first” Gina explains to us. “but now in the darkness, beyond the veil I can do more than see them, I can hear their thoughts… their pain.”

  “What is she talking about?” Veronica wonders.

  “Souls and wayward spirits. The ones that are wandering the streets of Halcyon city right now. They're making themselves known to her.”

  Gina continues, "I can hear their voices. At first, it was too much to bear, and I put my hands to my ears. But now I’m fine….Derrick is right…its different this time…I’m in control now, and I can hear them
….and they want to go home….”

  “Perfect,” I say. “Let's go get that son of a bitch.”

  ***

  Bradlee and I ran like hell, each of us with a weapon, smashing anything without a pulse in its skull. For the ghosts, Gina would hold out her hand, and somehow she could vaporize them in thin air. Everything that came at us, we made short work of it. Of course, we are scared out of our damn minds, but I think that’s what’s driving us to win. Veronica stops far behind us. “V come on, we need you,” I yell back to her.

  “Go on ahead, I’ll catch up!”

  She’s running into the hardware store. Whatever it is she has planned, I hope it's helpful.

  We reach the front of the Paramount theatre. Samhain is quietly looking down on us. It’s hard to tell what’s going on in that pumpkin-shaped head of his, but he merely grins, like he knows something we don’t. The monster raises both arms to the clouds. Suddenly he is shrouded in darkness and the clouds part just for him. Samhain lowers his gaze back upon us and the demonic glow of light from inside his eyes and mouth increases. His next move is to the point that damn scepter in our direction and a massive bolt of lighting is brought down on us. He’s toying with us, like ants to a kid with a magnifying glass. Luckily we manage to fall out of the way just in time.

  Gina, now confident in her newfound abilities, steps in front of us. “Set them free spirit.”

  Samhain laughs. “What manner of foolishness is this?”

  She repeats, “Set them free spirit. Not all things dead are yours to command. Send them back to rest peacefully and begone. The world belongs to the living. Return to your dark abyss and take the evil with you. Your time has ended here.”

  Samhain’s bellowing laugh shakes my nerves. He points up to the clock on the town hall which reads 11:42 pm. “Not quite, witch.” Samhain jumps down from the rooftop, ready to face us head-on. Obviously, we’re no match for a fight with God-like strength and powers, so I take that as a hint to move fast. Bradlee and I shoot across the street and sit under the awning of the theater for cover. “What are we looking for exactly?” Bradlee panics. “How are we going to know when we’ve found it, it’s all in Latin!” I’m grunting in frustration. “Dude, just keep the flashlight on the book, we’ll figure it out!” I dig into the duffle-bag, pulling out my dad’s translation journal. “We’ll use this.”

  Gina gives her best against the demon. She seems to have no fear at this point, so she closes her eyes, letting the amulet do most of the work for her. All kinds of random crap start flying from behind Gina, attacking Samhain. She’s still not ready though, as nothing seems to cause any him any harm. Samhain is not even phased, motioning his hands, knocking the projectiles away one by one. He then reaches his hand out to Gina.

  “Now, you try mine,” he commands.

  Samhain summons a burst of flame from only God knows where hurling it at Gina like a game of dodgeball. The only thing that saves her is the amulet’s field of protection, but the attack sends Gina flying back into a wall.

  The next thing I know, a huge pickup truck comes barreling down the road, smashing into everything in its path. The driver is pounding on the horn, saying get the hell outta my way or get run over. It spins out into a screeching halt between Samhain and Gina and all of sudden, Ace and Tony jumped out of the back with shotguns and lights attached to them. In the driver’s seat is the lovely Veronica. Laughing hysterically as she switches on the high beams and roof lights. Tony yells to her, “Give him everything we’ve got!” And they do. Veronica shines the lights directly at Samhain.

  “Creature of the night right,” she screams out. “How do you like this?”

  Samhain flinches for a mere second, then burst out in laughter yet again. “Fool child,” his eyes and mouth ignite in from the fire within. “This is false light.” All of the bulbs on the car explode simultaneously. Veronica jumps out of the vehicle just before he sends it flying through the air.

  “Dude,” I announce to Bradlee. “Veronica has the right idea. Look at this spell! That’s what we need to weaken him. Light.”

  Bradlee and I make another run for it. In our attempt to get past the demon, Bradlee is stopped in his tracks. “Insignificant little insect,” Samhain mumbles to himself, all while slowly sucking the life from Bradlee. I have to watch in terror as this creature literally turn my best friend into a shriveled stick figure. Bradlee’s eyes fall out, his skin is, and body meat melts away like hot butter, leaving nothing but his skeleton.

  Tony charges, firing the shotgun at Samhain’s face.“You son of a bitch! Go back to hell!”

  “Hell,” Samhain responds. “What do you know of Hell? Let me show you the way.” Tony’s mouth suddenly is gone, his feet melted into the asphalt, and the Samhain sets him on fire. “There may be a particular vacancy for you my friend. Hell couldn’t hold me.”

  “No–o–o!” Now Ace was firing off like a wild man in pure hatred.

  I wake Gina and show her the spell she needs to learn from the book. It doesn’t take long before she absorbs the entire thing. Her eyes light up again. Gina slowly walks out into the street and chants the spell out loud. I don’t know where it came from, but this beautiful ray of positive light cuts across the road, burning into Samhain, who screams in pain. “He cannot stand the light, Ace” I yell as loud as I can. “Take him down now!”

  Ace takes aim and starts blasting Samhain with everything he’s got.

  The monster is weakened.

  As I look around, his legion of undead is starting to deplete.

  He’s not only weak now, but he’s also alone.

  The good witch

  Chapter Eleven

  At first, it seemed to do some real damage. Samhain is knocked off of his feet proving my theory correct; like a hive, the undead won’t make a further move against us without command from their king. So Ace doesn't let up to give him that chance. While Samhain is on the ground Ace charges at him, the whole time filling his pumpkin head with hot lead. Oozing holes were appearing out of the side of his bulbous melon, and with Samhain, on his knees, it seemed like Ace was really having an impact. “Woooohoooo! Come on big bad, do something now! We got him on the ropes Y'all! When you’re ready to put him down for the 10-count let me know, ha ha ha!” But Ace is getting to close, he started getting cocky, and that’s when Samhain forces himself to his feet and growls, “Enough, you impudent waste of flesh!” He towers over Ace by at least two feet.

  Before Ace can fire off another round, Samhain telekinetically disarms him; just a wave of his fingers and the shotgun goes flying across the road. Then he twists his hand around and begins to chock the breath from Ace, Vader-style. There’s not much anyone can do as Samhain starts ripping Ace apart. With every finger gesture he makes, our friend loses and a body part, one by one. Tony is dead, Bradlee is gone, even Veronica is powerless to stop it. In the end, Samhain's wounds seal up and heal completely. He then tosses Ace’s broken, bloodied body like an old doll in front of our feet.

  “That was…entertaining.” He brags. “I’ve faced many humans in my time. All those who have tried to eliminate me or keep me from my destiny. Witches, sorcerers, armies, knights, modern-day spirit hunters, and now… children. When will you mortals learn? I cannot be defeated. I am darkness eternal. I AM HALLOWEEN!”

  An extremely angry Samhain then starts to stride toward us when Gina makes it back to her feet and walks out to face him again, “Samhain!” The monster, while being completely hideous and horrible has a look of irritation on his face like, “What now?”

  To his amazement, she stood her ground. “Daemones, qui venerunt in domum meam, non solus stare. Ego, mitte te ad unde venistis, ego protector, salutaris lux, et ultimum mole.” Gina was chanting the spell that would send him away, holding her own like a boss. The strength that had been coursing through her is getting stronger and stronger, and she is ready to send Samhain packing.

  But upon seeing her, Samhain only laughed and grunted, “Ok you can die
now.”

  He starts to approach her. Gina then threw her arms in the air, and she begins calling out to all the spirits that were wandering in anguish, “Stop him!” The amulet began to glow a brilliant white, illuminating the whole area. Samhain then stopped in his tracks and cried, “No…no…! The light…! Stop!!!”

  All of the disembodied spirits whose corpses had been extinguished by Samhain came forth to take on a visible form. First, very random flashes of light scattered throughout the city center, they soon became evident, converging onto Samhain. These thousands of spirits who could be heard shrieking and crying out their pain, are now swirled around Samhain like a tornado.

  While the angry spirits are keeping Samhain pinned down, I ran over to Gina's side yelling, “Gina! I got it! I got it!” I flip open the Book of Shadows, pointing to a specific passage telling her, “With your hand holding the book, say this!” She lays her hand upon the page of the book, and even though it was written in an archaic form of Latin, it was as if she knew it front and back. It’s as though the energy from the amulet is guiding Gina. Once her eyes spilled over the passage, it instantly came bubbling out, and she screams at the top of her lungs the spellbinding words.

  The spell is reverberating through the city streets leaving our aggressor Samhain seem like the victim as he cries out in pain, “No…, please! It’s too soon! I cannot be stopped! Nothing will hold me! I must be free!” As the spirits form a vortex spiraling around Samhain faster and faster, bright beam of light shoots out of the amulet and rips a hole right into the night sky. It appears to be some sort of large door has opened.

  Feeling a power, she never knew she could have, Gina steps toward Samhain who is trapped within the vortex of spirits and whispers with authority, “Begone.” Samhain screams, “No-oo!” But his voice is rapidly cut short when he and the avenging spirits are immediately sucked into the portal which instantly seals behind them.