by Jack Wallen
A tall, lanky male stood, arms at his sides, hands tightly balled in fists.
“Skorsdan,” Babbette hissed. “You may not enter my room uninvited.”
He waved Babbette’s command off and stepped into the room.
“Did you not hear me, Skorsdan?”
“Yes, mistress Gaultier, I did hear you. Thing is, I don’t care. I just want to know who this cracking fellow is.” The tall man slid up close to me. His hair was pure white and stood, stick straight, in a Billy Idol’s rebel yell sort of way. His legs were impossibly long and his breath smelled of salted meat.
“Skorsdan, I will only tell you one time. Please leave my room.”
He stopped his cat and mouse walk around me and jerked his head toward Babbette. “And I will only respond to your demand once…make me.”
Skorsdan (I assumed that was his name, not a title or epithet) finally turned his focus toward me. “What, exactly, are you doing here human? You have as much business with our kind as we of you. So why don’t you politely putter off before I forcibly remove you?”
I nervously coughed to clear my throat before I said, “I was invited, so I believe that means I am welcome here.”
I stepped over to Babbette and wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“Let me guess, the lady of the hour extended the invitation? Well, good sir, although she may be the princess du jour, she has no right to invite the likes of you into our world. Now…be gone!”
The ear-splitting roar from Skorsdan’s throat nearly melted my bones. My instincts begged me to run. My heart, however, insisted my feet remain planted.
Skorsdan let loose a deep, slow laugh. “So, not all of you are cowards. I like that.” He approached me, cracking his fingers against one another. “You might be a challenge worthy of me.”
“I don’t understand,” I said. Fear clearly registered in my voice, like a second puberty was about to strike me down.
Just as Skorsdan was about to explain, the door flung open to reveal Timely, a strange glow surrounding her hands.
“Get out,” Timely growled.
Skorsdan released another laugh and turned to face Timely. “Well now, it looks like Timely wants to play a little rough. I like this side of you.”
Timely raised her right arm and pointed her open hand toward Skorsdan. “Scott,” Timely’s voice was a menacing whisper, “I think you should go…now.”
There was no argument from Babbette. Skorsdan replied with an insulting slow clap and then said, “You cannot hide from me forever, human. I’ll find you and when I do, the last thing you’ll ever see is my victorious grin. I will conquer you; I will own you.”
I looked to Babbette; tears raced down her cheeks. She very gently nodded and closed her eyes.
Nothing could be said. There were two clear choices: Leave and hopefully make it home intact, or stay and most likely die hoping to get one more kiss. I opted to think with my brain and go. Before walking out, I turned to Babbette and spoke with as steady a voice as I could muster. “I want to see you again.”
Babbette remained staring at the ground, but whispered…“You will.”
Without another word or glance back, I walked out of the room.
As I sped down the hall, I had to fight back tears. There was no way I’d let anyone see through my mask of solitude and strength.
“I am an island,” I repeated in a breathy whisper until I found myself in a dark hallway, unsure of where I was. Lost, in a house of tricks and traps. Although everything appeared normal, the dungeon-esque sound and smell of the dark passageway immediately brought back memories of the haunted mansion. But even the memories of the haunt couldn’t match the manic look in Skorsdan’s eyes.
“If I were an exit,” I whispered.
Thankfully, there was no reply.
There was, however, a doorway standing sentinel at the end of the hall. It beckoned me, begged me to take comfort in its passage. I stepped in close to the door and carefully placed a hand on the knob. Nothing jumped out, dropped down, popped up, or threatened to steal my soul.
No sound, no light spilled from the other side.
I turned the knob.
The door slowly opened on hinges that would send chills up the spine of Freddy Kruger himself.
My heart decided to join my vocal cords for a party. I swallowed the lump back down and stepped one foot into the room. The door did not mysteriously shut behind me. I finally took a breath.
The room was unnaturally dark. I couldn’t see anything beyond my immediate vicinity. Thankfully, my smartphone had a flashlight app ready and waiting. I pulled the phone from my pocket, switched on the light, and pointed it outward.
What I saw nearly punched the breath from my lungs.
“Masks.”
On all four walls of the room, hung in immaculate rows, were masks. Each mask was a perfect rendition of a human face – every one different. The detail was incredible. Make-up, pores, wrinkles…the minutia of human flesh displayed before me in a macabre wallpaper.
Slowly, I raised a hand to one of the masks. When my finger came in contact with the thing, I nearly fell back in shock. The “flesh” of the mask felt as real as the skin on my face.
“How did they…” I pulled one of the masks down to get a closer look. The material had elasticity, yet held its shape to perfection. The mask was a young, pretty female with lush lips and well groomed eyebrows. The scent of makeup and hairspray wafted up to my nose. When I went to replace the mask, I noticed a name tag attached to the wall.
“Genovieve,” I whispered.
Before I could do a full scan of the hanging faces, the sound of a door opening sent a shock to my system. I had to run. The mask room was a dead end. I replaced the Genovieve mask and left. At the other end of the hall, another door led me to familiar territory. The metal cages from the first time I slithered through the basement of the Gaultier house. I picked up my pace when I heard voices.
Before those voices could find me, I was safely out of the Gauliter house.
It took every ounce of willpower I had stored in my muscles and mind to keep myself moving forward. With each step, the tug back to Babbette and the mask room grew stronger. On the off chance I gave in and let my heart insist me back into the eye of a dangerous storm, I pulled out my phone and dialed Sally’s number. After the fourth ring, she picked up; her voice a distant song, begging clarity from my conscience. The sweet, familiar tone filled me with intention and hope – enough to continue through the fog.
“Scott, is that you?”
“Yeah,” I sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
Sally knew me – inside and out. My emotions were something that could never remain tucked away from her. She read my mind, my heart, and my soul. I was her book to consume from the inside out.
I sucked in a breath to reply, but realized I had no idea what to say. Before I made a gigantic mess of the entire situation, I grabbed hold of the truth and ran with it. In the end, I couldn’t believe my story managed to elicit sympathy from Sally.
“Did you sneak out in your dad’s car again?”
“Not this time.” I didn’t want to confess the truth and hear for myself just how desperate I was.
“Scott,” Sally prodded.
“I took the bus.”
“I’ll pick you up,” Sally insisted.
“No, Sally,” I started.
Sally gave me no choice. We agreed to meet at the only secretive location we both knew of in Tyler’s End – the Monolith. As soon as I hung up, I took off at a jog. The location was in the center of a small wood. I wanted very little to do with the darkness at the moment. I wanted less to do with handing Skorsdan my whereabouts – let alone, Sally’s.
fourteen | in the name of love
“Skorsdan,” Timely shouted. “You have no right to remove Babbette’s visitors.”
“I do when those visitors are not welcome,” growled Skorsdan.
Babbette turned to Skorsdan, her
eyes aglow with anger. “There is but one man among us with such power…”
“And we all know who that is,” Skorsdan interrupted. “I have grown weary of your excuses, Babbette. You know what is told in the Lore.”
“I don’t care about the Lore. We live in a completely different time; the old laws no longer apply.”
Skorsdan stood up stick straight, his back nearly snapping from rigidity. “How dare you speak with a viper’s tongue against the Lore of ‘Kind.”
Timely stepped between Skorsdan and Babbette. “I think we’ve had enough here. Skorsdan, It’s time you left.”
Before Timely could continue, Skorsdan had her throat in his grip. “Who do you think you are, giving the likes of me orders?”
“Leave her alone,” Babbette shouted. As the words flew from her mouth, a bubble of energy expanded from her outstretched hands and tossed Skorsdan across the room like an unstrung puppet.
From the floor, Skorsdan glared at Babbette. “Why? I practically pray at your feet. Promises of eternity, I have made to you, and yet you continue to push me away as if I repulsed you.”
Timely coughed and then drew in a deep breath to speak. Before she could release a single word, the familiar roar of Gorman Gaultier was heard. “What in the name of Torvald Gaultier is going on?”
Babbette stiffened at the mention of her grandfather. She knew her father only ever spoke of Torvald when anger was getting the best of him.
“Skorsdan,” Babbette whispered. “You must hide. If father finds you in here, who knows what he may do.”
Before a single thought had time to process in Skorsdan’s mind, a crushing knock was unleashed on the door.
“Babbette, my dearest,” shouted Gorman.
“Y-yes, Father?”
The doorknob wiggled and bounced about in place. “Open the door, my dear.”
Babbette tossed a frightened look at Timely, who shrugged but then led Skorsdan to Babbette’s closet.
Timely pointed to the over-sized closet. “In there.”
Skorsdan shook his head. “I want Gorman to know the truth.”
“You mean that you’ve been forceful with his daughter,” offered Timely.
Skorsdan’s lips pursed and his eyes dropped to the floor.
The door rattled under the might of Gorman’s fist. “Babbette, dear, open the door for your father, before I break it down.”
“He’ll do it,” Babbette whispered. “And if he catches you here, Skorsdan, well…let’s just say you may or may not make it out alive.”
A resounding blow rattled and cracked the heavy wood of the door.
“What do we do?” begged Babbette.
Timely grabbed Skorsdan by the arm and yanked him off his feet. “I’m taking this insult to all ‘Kind into the closet. It probably won’t be the first time Skorsdan ran screaming into such a familiar space.”
Timely did exactly as she said and forced Skorsdan toward the closet. Before they reached the stolen sanctuary, the door cracked once again and swung open sharply. Gorman Gaultier stood, his arms crossed, his sight locked on the situation.
“What is going on?” Gorman spoke roughly.
Babbette, Timely, and Skorsdan turned sharply toward the voice.
“What are you doing with that young man?” asked Gorman. “Better still, what is that young man doing in your room, Babbette?”
No one said a word; they simply stared into space, as if unable to comprehend what the over-sized man had said.
Babbette stepped forward. “Father.”
Before she could speak another word, Gorman raised a hand for silence. “No excuses, Daughter.”
Gorman stepped into the room and motioned for Timely to release Skorsdan. “Skorsdan,” Gorman gestured for the younger ‘Kind to step in close. When he was within arm’s reach, Gorman placed a massive hand on Skorsdan’s shoulder and gave a squeeze.
Skorsdan winced and attempted to wriggle free…to no avail.
“I will not have such behavior going on under my nose.” Gorman looked to Babbette. “You only just had your ‘Ages celebration. You know I do not yet approve of you having boys in your room alone.”
Timely raised her hand. “Um, I believe I was…”
Gorman glared at Timely.
“…just minding my own business,” Timely mumbled.
“Young man, you should go…now.”
There was no hesitation in Skorsdan’s reaction. Within a matter of seconds, he was up and racing out the door. Gorman didn’t immediately turn his attention back to Babbette. Instead, his eyes remained trained on the floor at his feet, as a low rumbling noise rose from his mouth.
“My flesh and my blood. The one creature on this planet with whom I have a profound and unchanging devotion…and you mock me with such behavior.” Gorman’s breath was hot and angry as he raged at his daughter.
Once Babbette knew she had a window, she turned to her father, tears pouring down her cheeks. “Father, this is not what you might expect. Skorsdan forced his way into my room, without my consent.”
Out of nowhere, Gorman released a wall-rattling laugh. “You fell for it!”
Another round of laughter.
“I’ve still got it, girls. I had your bones rattling in their flesh bags.”
Gorman pulled both Babbette and Timely into a fierce hug. The two girls looked at one another, eyes wide, and smiled.
Finally, the girls pulled away from the embrace.
“Sir,” Timely spoke while she had the opportunity.
Gorman nodded.
“That is not all. Skorsdan has been…” Timely hesitated.
“Rude,” said Babbette. “Rude to Timely. I would wish him to at least be pleasant to my dearest friend.”
As Gorman’s attention was locked on his daughter, Timely mouthed What? Babbette blinked and turned her eyes up to meet her father’s. Timely stomped her foot and huffed, an action that inadvertently brought back the attention of Gorman.
“What is it, young lady?” Gorman’s deep, fatherly voice wrapped itself around Timely and soothed her welling frustration.
Babbette knew what Timely was up to. She rabidly shook her head ‘no’. Timely swallowed hard, bit her lip, and continued on.
“Sir…” Timely hesitated. “There’s another you should know about.”
Babbette slumped as if the air had been knocked from her. Gorman turned back to his daughter and nodded. “I’m all ears, child.”
Babbette took in a deep breath and stepped before her father. “A human boy.” The words tripped and trembled from a mouth dry from nerves.
Gorman let loose another deep bellow of a laugh. Both girls turned to one another to exchange curious glances.
“You had me going, Babbette. For a moment I believed you were speaking the truth.”
“I was, Father.”
The room fell instantly, silent. Gorman stared down his nose at the two girls before him. When it seemed as if hell would unseal and rain down rage upon the room, a smile crossed the elder ‘Kind’s lips.
“My dear, Babbette. You know that cannot be. The ‘Kind took a solemn vow when we left the homeland. We are not to commune with that which fears and loathes us.”
“But Father,” Babbette protested.
Gorman held up a hand. “I wish it were different, my dear. We must never forget that humans killed your mother and your brother.”
“How can we continue to hold the whole of the race responsible for the actions of a very small group of people?”
Gorman looked up to the vaulted ceiling as he sucked in a great breath.
“Father…”
“Enough, Daughter. I will not waste my breath on such a matter. I wrote these laws to protect us. Do not treat them as if they are yours to bend and break. You are not to see this human male. Is that clear?”
Tears rained down from Babbette’s eyes. The ‘tip’ and ‘tap’ of each drop was a broken-hearted clock ticking away time.
Gorman pulled Babbette i
nto hug and kissed the top of her head.
“I’m very sorry. I wish there was a way to allow you such freedom. I adore you beyond words, my child.”
Without another word, Gorman left the room. The very second the echoing footfalls faded to silence, Timely raced to Babbette, grabbed her hand, and kissed the soft flesh.
“I’m so sorry, Babbette. I didn’t know he would react so strongly. I was only trying to protect you. Rumor and lies spread so quickly within our community. If your father found out from anyone else…”
Babbette relinquished and melted into the embrace.
“I understand, Timely. You’ve always acted with my best interests in mind.” Babbette pulled away from Timely’s embrace. “Normally, I wouldn’t dare go against my father’s wishes. This time, however…are you with me?”
A wicked grin traveled across Timely’s lips. “When am I not?”
“We could wind up in a great deal of trouble,” warned Babbette.
“If it’s in the name of love, it’ll be worth it.”
fifteen | sleep over dreamscape
The further into the night I got, the faster my feet carried me. My lungs protested, but my mind insisted they not slow. So far, Tyler’s End hadn’t been the most welcoming place for the likes of me…human. Why had Skorsdan used the word with such disdain? Sure, I was prone to dislike the whole of humanity at times, but that was mostly an affected bravado to make me look cool.
Note to self – stop trying so hard.
I hit the woods at a pace I knew I couldn’t continue. My lungs burned like I’d been smoking since birth. Finally, my heart insisted I stop before it took a time-out to eat a Big Mac, down a liter of Diet Dew, and induce permanent and very fatal heart failure. I bent over, palms on my knees, and sucked in as much air as I could gulp.
“Human.”
The whispered word surrounded me, caressed my ears like a long lost lover.
I stood and turned.
“Human.”
This time the whisper was a chorus underscored with laughter.
I swallowed my fear down and spoke, softly at first. “Who are you? What do you want?”
The laughter ebbed and flowed, only to be replaced by a single, familiar voice.
