YTZ#17:
The Fear Grips Again
My ongoing writings cited for future use as a graphic novel. Enjoy.
Start from the beginning.
What follows is a fictional account.
The Fear Grid, Part 6
“
It was the night of the Infinity High Heavenly Ball, and, for the moment at least, Purity had her mind turned to the excitement and fun ahead.Gavin rang the doorbell at six thirty, just as Purity had finished getting ready and was coming downstairs.
“You look beautiful,” Gavin said, showing some amazement in his face. Purity blushed, pleased that he noticed.
“Gavin, this is my mom and dad,” she introduced him. They were standing right behind.
“Hi Gavin, I’m Jim,” said her dad. “I hear you’re quite the track star. Don’t run my daughter all over town tonight, you hear?”
Corny dad joke. “Dad!” Purity admonished.
“It’s nice to meet you,” her mom said. “You kids be sure to be home by eighty thirty, ok?”
“Mom…” Purity groaned.
“Nine o’clock, that’s the latest,” said Purity’s mom sternly. And she added, as Gavin and Purity walked to the sidewalk, “Have fun!”
“My parents are so lame,” Purity commented to Gavin.
“Not as lame as mine,” he joked.
A couple blocks down the two met up with Grace and Leo, who were waiting.
“Purity, you look…” Grace attempted, “stunning.”
“Thanks,” Purity blushed again. “You look very beautiful, too.”
“Thank you,” Grace giggled.
“Hey, Leo,” said Gavin.
“Gavin,” said Leo.
Good talk. The four high school kids walked on to the dance in near silence, with the boys occasionally joking along the way.
When they got to Infinity, they saw courses of students streaming in, all decked out and looking nice. They joined the throngs, slowly filtering into the main double door entrance and following the halls to the multipurpose room, the fancy new word for gym.
The room was decorated with what one could only guess was supposed to fit the heavenly theme. There were stars and trumpets and angels hanging from paper streamers. And the disco ball hanging in the middle made almost everyone cringe, except one guy who shouted and pointed excitedly at it.
Many of the teachers and faculty were there, too, hovering around the edges of the room or else engaged with the audio crew at the makeshift stage on one end. There they had equipment and wires and speakers, and a small DJ booth. Principal Nightmare, ahem, Bartley, was barking something at the crew and waving his arms about angrily.
“Looks fun,” Leo commented.
“Shyea,” Gavin agreed.
“Come on guys, they just need to get the music going,” said Grace optimistically.
I hope they do, Purity thought, or it’s going to be one, long awkward night at school.
Some kids were helping themselves to some punch and popcorn that was provided. The four decided to kill some time and do the same.
It was just about then that the speakers blurted out loud popping sounds, then some fuzz, and one loud squeal that made everyone cover their ears.
Then the DJ got on the mic, “Sorry, everyone. I think we’ve sorted the technical difficulties. Just another minute here and we’ll crank those sweet tunes, alright? For sure!”
“What a geek,” Gavin joked.
“Be nice,” Purity said.
At last the music started with a steady, obvious sort of beat that at least filled the room with some sound to blanket the nerves of all the fifteen to eighteen-year-olds there.
By no means did that create a frenzy of fun and dancing. In fact, only one carefree couple got out in the middle of the dance floor. They started flailing and gyrating wildly, like they didn’t notice anyone else there or simply didn’t care.
“Look at these lamos,” Leo pointed and nudged Gavin. The guys laughed.
“Would you guys stop,” said Grace.
“What’s with you two?” Gavin asked. “Too goody-two-shoes to talk crap about people?”
“I just don’t like it,” replied Grace, turning her nose up a bit. Leo showed a bit of shame and threw his hands in a shrug, as if he’d only been trying to fit in.
“Come on guys, let’s just have fun,” Purity suggested. “Who wants to dance?”
“Not me,” said Gavin flatly.
So much for asking the guy to a school dance, Purity thought. “Come on, Grace.”
So the two girls went in towards the dance floor, and as they did a slow crowd began to join the couple already out there. Now a handful of kids were enjoying the music.
After the first song, it picked up a little more and the DJ started to play more familiar, popular tunes mixed in with the occasional classic. It took a song or two, but eventually Gavin and Leo seemed to agree that they’d be better off feeling awkward on the dance floor with their dates than awkward alone on the sidelines with each other.
At last the dance party was going strong. And when the “Cha-Cha Slide” came on, almost everyone there got in on the fun. Even some of the faculty enjoyed the shout-outs to “slide to the left,” “two stomps this time,” and everyone’s favorite, “cha-cha, now, ya’ll.”
When the song called for everyone to “Charlie Brown,” most people attempted something without knowing what to actually do. Some actually impersonated dance moves from the “Peanuts” cartoons. The students and staff had a laugh at themselves and each other.
But something strange happened then. Someone started freaking out. At first people thought he just felt embarrassed about the dance, but his reaction was extreme. He started screaming and pointing over the crowd. Everyone followed his finger, but saw nothing.
Then the panic spread. Other kids started yelling as if in terror of something. Eyes opened wide, hands covered mouths, and people started backing away as if from some unseen threat.
Purity and Grace looked at each other, and Gavin and Leo were staring around with confused looks on their faces.
“What’s happening?” Grace seemed to whisper. “Is it like what happened to you?”
Purity shrugged but was pretty certain that it was. She was just surprised that it hadn’t gotten to her yet, like previous times.
Bobby Finn was there, calling Purity’s attention like a bullseye radar. He looked fiendish and was running frantically through the room shouting, “They’re here! They’re here!”
He ran straight up to Purity, like last time. “You’ve got to help us, Pure!” Then he was off again, as if chased by a wild animal.
Purity was so rattled that she hardly perceived what began to happen. The fear feeling overtook her again, but she was lost in thoughts. The world darkened, but she looked within. The screaming room became a thunder, but her ears grew muffled. The thing lurked behind her, but she looked towards the floor.
Then the sensation became overwhelming and Purity finally turned about to face it. There was a shadowed form, maybe ten or twelve feet high. She couldn’t make out any details. She thought maybe it was wearing a cloak. It had eyes that glowed red. She felt sheer dread to see it.
She backed away, but could hardly move. The thing moved closer, raising what seemed to be an arm. A claw of some dark, otherworldly substance grasped for her.
And around her the students of Infinity High were being chased and tormented by other apparitions and figures. The room had gone mad, and fear, not fun, had become the order of the night. The Heavenly Ball had turned hellish.
And the music droned on, beats bouncing around the walls in odd juxtaposition to the terrible events happening within.
“
Please comment and share.
Thanks for reading.
Blessings to you,
Matthew