Curfew (6 page)

“
But there’s more…tell him
Mary,” the demon taunted, pressing its decayed face against the
door while licking it like a lollipop. “Tell him, tell him, tell
him about your seventh grade Halloween party.”

Sobbing, Mary sat on the floor and
covered her ears trying to block out the demon’s voice. Barry
looked on, horrified at the revelation and suddenly he began to
understand why Mary was so guarded about telling him everything.
Looking up at Barry with her eyes filled with tears and sorrow she
continued,

“
Growing up I never
understood why my parents refused to let me out during Halloween.
Every year when the clock struck twelve I would be locked away in a
room and wouldn’t be allowed to leave until sunrise. When I was
twelve I found a way to pick the lock on the door and snuck out of
the house and went to a friend’s Halloween party. By six o’ clock
the next morning the demon had murdered twenty three people,
including my best friend Jackie. He ate them all and made me watch.
It was then the demon revealed what the second sacrifice was all
about. My father sacrificed his very soul to enter into another
deal with the same demon that deceived us and he agreed to honor
the original agreement if I would become his anchor to our
world.

As long as I live he would never be
able to roam beyond the six hours on Halloween, but if I am
murdered or commit suicide he would be free to roam our world for
as long as he wanted on any day or night. We are connected and he
can’t go anywhere on Halloween unless I’m also physically there. So
I was to remain locked away in that room as soon as the clock
struck twelve. As long as I remained in the room he couldn’t leave.
It’s horrifying to have to share six hours with such evil, but my
parents sacrificed everything to give me life and if I don’t lock
myself away the demon will be free to do what he did tonight and
more.

That’s why I made you go get the keys
alone because as long as I’m with you, it’s with you. That’s why I
told you we can’t hide from it. The demon can’t harm or kill me
himself, but if he can convince you or me to take my life; he’ll be
free. That’s why in the truck I couldn’t beg it for your life
because he would force me to trade my life for yours. I would have
to let it kill you otherwise many others will die. I know it sounds
selfish but I have no other choice. A cemetery should keep a demon
at bay, but this shape shifter is tied to me so the more powerful
it gets the stronger the bond. So if I can go there eventually so
can it. The stone used to build these mausoleums are the only thing
known that can keep a demon out, but his super natural strength
isn’t his greatest weapon. Deception is, and he will try to deceive
us both. Creating dissention between us, that’s why it took
Amanda’s form and did what it did. It knows how much I love you and
if it could get you in a single moment of weakness I would lose
trust in you and you in me. We have to trust each other in order to
survive and banish the demon back into his vessel until next year’s
Halloween. Now that you know, do you feel any better?”

Barry placed his hand over his eyes
and slid down the wall until he flopped down on the floor. He
couldn’t process everything that Mary just told him and his body
broke out into a cold sweat. There were so many lasting
ramifications that he would have to face now that he knew Mary’s
dark secret and none of them struck him as a “win”. He couldn’t
even assure himself him and Mary would remain friends after
tonight, let alone more than friends. He knew he loved her more
than he could even admit to, but is there enough love in the world
to accept this kind of con from a person? What kind of future would
they have if he had to share a house with a demon and Mary on
Halloween every year for the rest of their lives?

I don’t think this is
covered under the “for better or for worse clause” in the marriage
vows.

But he knew for right now they needed
to stay alive for another hour and a half and they couldn’t achieve
it unless they worked together. So his need to survive took over
and he crawled over to Mary and held her in his arms pretending to
comfort her, although touching her terrified him.

“
Ahh, that’s so sweet, but
Mary your boyfriend’s show of affection is a lie. All he’s worried
about is surviving this night. He doesn’t even believe you two will
remain friends after tonight. And that future you’ve dreamed about
of you two being husband and wife? Scratch that dream…what was his
exact thoughts? I don’t think this is covered under the “for better
or for worse marriage clause,” the demon said smiling as it
continued to try and break into the mausoleum.

Mary looked up at Barry with eyes
filled with shock and confusion and Barry shook his head while
trying to appear sincere as he silently denied the demon’s
accusations.

“
It can hear your thoughts
and can feel what you feel when you touch me,” She said while
pushing him away. “I don’t need your pity or pretending. If that’s
how you feel I understand, but don’t pretend you care about what
I’m going through.”

“
What you’re going
through?! My best friend is dead! His girlfriend is
dead!”

“
No, correction; his
“THOT-o-bot” action figure is dead and by the way she had you in
the truck; that action figure comes with a kung-fu grip. She was
far from his girlfriend. She fucked the entire football
team!”

“
No she didn’t!”

“
Ohhh, my bad. She didn’t
fuck you…yet. But had that really been her in the truck she
would’ve been one hand job away from accomplishing that
“whore-plishment”.”

“
You and my mom are so
judgmental when neither of you are remotely in a position to judge
anyone.”

“
Oh shit! I know Barry
isn’t going there when he knew his mom was banging his best
friend’s father for the last two years,” the demon yelled out
laughing wildly. “His whore of a mother even made a pass on your
dad Mary, while he stood right there with zero fucks given. Did he
tell you that? By your feelings of betrayal I can assume that
little rat bastard didn’t mention it. Talk about self-righteous?
Listen, Mary open the door and let me in so I can eat him. You
won’t miss him after I burb up his worthless bones,” the demon
pleaded.

“
Barry!?”

Leaping up to his feet Barry cursed
and screamed at the door. His rage had taken control of him and he
began kicking and swinging at the air until he collapsed on the
floor with exhaustion. Looking over at Mary as she stared at him
like she was actually considering taking the demon up on its offer,
he opened his mouth and said,

“
How am I supposed to say
to the girl I have loved since the first day I saw her that my mom
is a tramp and she tried to fuck your dad?”

“
I don’t know, just say
that shit! I can’t believe you kept that from me while smiling in
my face everyday as if you were my friend!”

“
Oh Mary let’s not point
fingers when you played tongue tango last year with Triston after
the homecoming game under the bleachers!”

“
Shut up demon! You’re
twisting things!”

“
What the flying fuck?!?! I
was looking for you and you told me your parents came to pick you
up early, but now I find out you were making out with my best
friend? But Amanda’s the slut?! Oh wow, I see I really didn’t know
you at all.”

“
Oh Triston didn’t just
kiss her lips, he got a little titty action too and Triston didn’t
even need any Mardi Gras beads to see them chest-ticles! Mary’s
Gone Wild, WorldStaaaar!!” The demon yelled out while jumping up
and down with excitement as he could feel the negative energy
building between the two teenagers.

“
Shut up!” Mary screamed
out, agonizing at the thought of what the demon was saying could be
doing to Barry. Triston was drunk as usual that day and I asked him
to meet me under the bleachers so that we can plan your surprise
birthday party last year. He thought I was coming on to him, but I
wasn’t. He then got upset and started forcing me to the ground. He
tore off my shirt and just when I was fighting him off Amanda
showed up thinking I lured him down there for sex and that girl has
hated me since. I never said anything to you because I didn’t want
to ruin your friendship with Triston and he apologized to me;
blaming the alcohol for his behavior. And besides, who would
believe me that the Paul Walker look alike of Warren High was
capable of rape?”

Barry broke down in tears as he rolled
over, unable to look Mary in her face after knowing his best friend
kissed the love of his life before he did. He suddenly began to
feel Triston got exactly what he deserved and he wished he could’ve
helped the demon tear off Triston’s head. But how could Mary keep
that from him, among other things? How could she be his friend? As
Barry contemplated everything in his mind the demon began to feel
Barry’s anger and pain and decided to use it to its
advantage.

“
Baaaaarrrry, Baaaaarrrry!
I know your heart is broken and the pain is too much to bear. But
if you free me you will get your revenge on the little bitch that
broke your heart and get to walk away from this night alive. Look
at her; beautiful and perfect. But under all that beauty is a heart
so black and cold she didn’t care that she crossed the line with
your best friend. Yeah, she told you Triston tried to force himself
onto her, but judging by how much she’s lied and kept so many
secrets from you; can you really trust her word? And how convenient
is it that Triston tried to rape her now that he’s dead and unable
to tell his side of the story. She didn’t even care to tell you the
truth about tonight. Knowing what would happen if she’s not home
before twelve, why would she risk all of your lives for one night
of fun? Think about it Barry ole’ pal. What kind of heartless bitch
would let this happen? All she had to do was say “no”. That’s it,
disaster averted. But did she do that? Nope! She’s already
experienced what could happen if things go wrong, so you would
think any caring person would’ve learned their lesson after twenty
three deaths, right?

So what do you conclude of her total
disregard for human life? The pot head said it best, Mary is a
Stone Cold Creamery type of bitch that doesn’t deserve to live
another day on this earth. So do the planet a favor and take out
the garbage! Kill her!”

Barry sat up and stared over at Mary
with eyes red with hate and pain. She could see the demon had
gotten to him and he allowed the filth of the demon’s deception to
infect his mind. She got up and stood against the wall, making sure
she was facing Barry at all times.

“
Barry don’t listen to it.
It’s turned us against each other. Can’t you see?”

Barry remained silent as he slowly
walked over to her. The skin on his face seemed to darken the
closer he got to her and his eyes glowed like red embers of
fire.

“
Barry please don’t do
this,” she pleaded.

“
Do it Barry! Do it! Kill
the bitch, kill the bitch,” the demon taunted. The demon could
sense its freedom the closer Barry got to killing Mary and it shook
as if it was experiencing an orgasm at the thought of victory.
“Strangle the life out of her and freeeeeeee meeeeeee,” the demon
hissed in ecstasy.

Barry reached out his hands to wrap
them around Mary’s throat and she quickly kneed him in the groin,
but her strike didn’t seem to affect him. His cold hands gripped
her neck and he began to apply a massive amount of pressure causing
her to turn blue almost immediately.

“
Yeeees, Yeeees,” the demon
repeated as he could feel his bond with Mary weakening. He could
feel the evil in him being liberated with each passing second that
her life was leaving her body. “Give it to me Barry, give me my
freedom!”

Mary’s vision became blurry as her
body started to give in to the oncoming shadow of death. Feeling
death’s frigid grip come over her, she forced herself to say one
last thing to Barry,

“
I love you
Barry.”

After hearing those words Barry felt
himself being lifted out of the darkness of his rage and he
released his grip on Mary and backed away; wildly shaking his head.
The demon with its arms outstretched suddenly felt its connection
with Mary grow stronger and it screamed in anger.

“
BARRY YOU SPINELESS SON OF
A WHORE! I WILL SKIN YOU ALIVE. I WILL TEAR YOUR BONES FROM INSIDE
YOUR BODY AND FEAST ON YOUR FLESH, YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF HUMAN
SHIT!”

Then over the demon’s shoulder it
noticed a small ray of sunlight and when it turned around it
watched in horror as the morning sun slowly rose over the horizon.
Mary’s alarm went off in celebration as the time of 6:00am blinked
repeatedly on the screen and as suddenly as the demon appeared; it
was gone. Exhaling as if he’d been holding his breath for hours,
Barry leaned on the wall trying to brace his exhausted body against
it.

“
Is it over?” Barry asked,
still out of breath.

“
The demon is gone, but it
will never be over. Halloween comes every year so it will never be
over for me.”

“
Then next year I will sit
in that room with you and we will face this together for as long as
I live.”

“
Barry don’t…don’t make
promises you can’t keep. You’ve already done that tonight. Let’s
not go down that road again. Besides, there’s no way my parents
will allow you in that room with me. Unlike me the demon can and
will kill you. Especially considering how you disappointed
it.”