Claire’s Halloween Voyage

Halloween 10/31

“They can’t find out my secret”, Claire said to herself as she walked across the field. The sun was just about to set, and the sky was cast with deep violet and orange hues. A sunset perfect for Halloween night. Only this Halloween night would be unlike any Halloween night she or anyone in the town had experienced before. That is… Unless she got her hands on the Emerald. 

John couldn’t stop thinking about Claire. The way her grey streaked black hair fell across her face, her lightning blue eyes peeking out to meet his gaze. There was something about her appearance that always struck him as odd. What 15-year-old has grey in their hair already? And how are her eyes equally flecked with that same grey color? John asked himself. Her eyes were blue, yes; but in them emanated a greyish-white pattern that kept him in a trance anytime they met eyes. Both her hair and her eyes were unlike any human’s he’d ever saw anywhere— real life, and fiction alike. 

The sun had set now, and the Halloween Haze had vanished into the deep black night. Right about now, Claire wished that she could disappear. Just like the Halloween Haze did. That would solve everybody’s problem, she thought to herself. Suddenly, a sound jarred her. Leaves, sticks— someone was close. She had been in this field for hours. She had not seen anyone yet, and now someone was very close. A familiar voice was coming from behind her. 

“Claire?”

Claire turned around quickly towards the voice. It was John. 

“Oh, it’s you”, Claire said quietly. 

He was just a few yards away, and she was not certain how closely he would have been able to read her. If he sensed the apprehension, then he may read deceit as well. She had to handle this. Claire quickly started across the clearing, wrapping her arms around him, once to him. 

“You weren’t in class today. I couldn’t believe it. I had a feeling you would be here in this field and so I came right away.” said John. 

Claire had to really work at keeping her emotions under control. John is clearly lying. Claire had never come to this field before. She doesn’t go to “fields”. For him to have had a hunch she would be here is just a flat lie. What, like he is psychic or something? More like he’s probably been following her since she left her house. Stalker. She had bigger problems to deal with today though. 

Cool and collected, Claire instead replied, “Really? Well that’s just luck I guess. I missed you too. I just had something to take care of. I’ll have to go now, but I’ll catch up with you at Brandy‘s house later? Party is at 10, right?” 

John’s eyes narrowed. He could sense there was more to the situation. There was always more to Claire in any given moment, but this time in particular was more than the usual. John pursed his lips and smoothed his tongue over them, his eyes studying her expression. 

“Right as rain”, John said, and spun on his heel to walk away. 

His lips did not smile, but there was a glimmer of a grin in his eyes. And the way he spun out on his heel. Claire read it as mischief. She was the one being mischievous; could he have a secret too? John? No way. John is the boy down the street in the cargo pants. With the earth colored shirts. Non-threatening. Handsome in a boring way. John didn’t have a secret. Not like she did anyway. She concluded she must’ve been projecting her own plot, and went on her way deeper into the field. Ahead of her, there was a thick of woods. Just before she got to the clearing, she turned around. She wanted to make sure nobody could see her. Specifically John. Of all people, he was the last person she would want to know about this. She may not have shown it, but she cared deeply for him. In her own way. If she could just make it past tonight without…. — she thought to herself— then, and only then, could she be with John. Really be with him. She didn’t see him, and she was running out of time; so she took off into the woods.

10:00 PM 

Right next door to Brandy’s house was the town’s cathedral. As far as Brandy knew, everybody in town was catholic. She felt a little guilty throwing a Halloween party right next door to the church, but she was the most popular girl at school, and she wasn’t going to give that up— so her house was ready. The exterior of the white home was lit with green, purple, orange and white lights. Spiderweb and skeleton decor covered the yard and sidewalks. She even got a fog machine for right outside the door, rolling fog onto the feet of any who dare enter. A few dozen boys and girls from school had arrived, and the party was going. But neither John nor Claire had yet arrived. John and Claire were quiet. Each sort of an island to themselves; and then, when together, created another exclusive island that only they possessed the coordinates to. They made a magic feel about them. Both of their lives were so secretive. Brandy and others sometimes speculated on what they were together, boyfriend and girlfriend? Best friends? The best of both worlds? But in the end gave up. Besides, everybody has secrets. Best to just leave them on their island and observe what can be. The door to the house opened. It was John. He asked everyone if Claire had arrived yet. They said no. His face fell, and he began to worry. 

Inside the cathedral next door, Father Bernard prepared the Eucharist at the altar. He wondered when Claire would arrive. The cathedral was empty. The Eucharist would be for the Midnight Mass. Once he was finished, he closed the cabinet and locked it away. He was a man of routine. Even though tonight was nothing close to routine, a man of routine he was, and so once the Eucharist was prepared, he locked it away as he usually did. He then stepped down from the alter and opened the door to the basement. He was more excited than he had ever been in his entire life. 

These days earlier, October 28th

Claire approached the cathedral. She was practically raised in this place. After her parents were killed, her devout catholic grandmother raised her. So from age 5 until now, and forever more she imagined, she had Father Bernard. She opened the door and a smooth, long puff of air sounded. The door closed behind her with the same sound. 

“My sweet Claire”, Father Bernard said, “how can I help you?”

“Father, hello” Claire replied. “I’m afraid I have more questions. About Halloween night. I’m getting really nervous. What if I can’t find the stone in the field? What if someone else has taken it?” 

Father Bernard sighed and brushed Claire’s cheek with the back of his hand, “Dearest Claire. Do you not trust me to know the Father‘s will? It is in the prophecy. The Emerald will be there. The prophecy will be fulfilled and has been confirmed, just as you have been confirmed. Fear not.”

“But what if—“ Claire stammered. 

“No, child. Fear not. There is no need to discuss that. It will happen the way we discussed. Now come back on Halloween night after you have found the stone. I will see you then”. 

Present Day, Halloween 10/31 11:30 PM

Claire was shivering. It was getting cold and her adrenaline was pumping too. She was looking exactly where Father Bernard told her to. Why was it not here? She had tried asking Father Bernard what would happen if… if… but he wouldn’t discuss it. Could this be part of the plan? Once the clock strikes midnight, she would be transformed. And since she had never been transformed before, she didn’t know how her mind would be after the transformation. Or what would happen to her at all. She was the only one of her kind, at least that’s what the book said in Father Bernard’s basement of the cathedral. She herself had never read them; he said they would be too difficult for her to understand. But she trusted him about what it said. Why wouldn’t she? He was the only one who knew her secret. Her memory shuffled back to the first time she had met Father Bernard, when she was just 5 years old. 

“Have we met before?”, he asked her warmly, bowing down to her level so they were almost eye to eye. He extended out his hand to her slowly, the way you would if you were trying to gain an unfamiliar animal’s trust. At the time, Claire thought nothing of it. Reflecting now though, she knew why he would approach her as if she were an animal. Much later, when Claire became a teenager, he told her more about the day they first met, and told her about prophecy, too. Father Bernard explained that as soon as he laid eyes on her, that very first day, he immediately noticed the grey streaks in her hair and in her eyes, and knew to keep her close. In that loaded conversation, learning for the first time about the significance of her appearance, the Emerald, and the prophecy, was most importantly the promise he gave to her— that with the Emerald, she could stay the same and would not have to transform into such a hideous…. Claire stopped thinking. Father Bernard was right. There’s no sense in entertaining such things. She would not transform. She would find the Emerald. She would get to the cathedral. And Halloween night would just be another night. 

The books inside the cathedral’s basement described a prophecy. The prophecy reffered to a girl with grey streaked black hair and blue eyes. This girl also had the same grey streaks in her eyes. On her 15th year, Halloween night, she would transform into what hell would describe as the beautiful death of the midnight massacre. Also described is an Emerald stone, that if administered by a proper priest, would prevent such a transformation. However, should the Emerald not be administered before midnight, there would be a series of mass murders that would bring about the Antichrist into the world. And, after, whoever held the Emerald at midnight instead, would be granted the desires of their heart— no limitations. 

11:40 PM

Finally, Claire found the Emerald. It was smaller than she expected, fitting in the palm of her hand. She tucked it into the pocket of her sweater and started running towards town. 

11:59 PM

Claire’s body is damp from sweat and her skin is cold to the touch. She is out of breath as she swings the doors to the cathedral open. The church is packed for Midnight Mass, and Father Bernard is beaming with joy seeing Claire in the doorway. His time has come! Everybody in the pews turns to look at who has just arrived.

MIDNIGHT

Every strand of Claire’s hair that was grey turns into a knife. Everybody at the Midnight Mass begins to scream at the horror before them. The knives launch across the cathedral, having infinite flexibility, slitting each and every person’s throat, young and old. Brandy’s house party hears the screams and they run into the cathedral to see what’s happening. The knives launch at their throats as they enter, killing them one by one. 

The last person to enter the cathedral is John. There is blood everywhere and Claire slips, launching the Emerald out of her pocket. John catches the Emerald in his hands by chance, and the air in the room shifts. Father Bernard falls to his knees, screaming. The Emerald was supposed to be his. Just then, the grey flecks in Claire’s eyes turn red and she becomes clairvoyant. In a moment’s time, imported into her mind is the total truth that lies within the hearts of those that remain alive in the room: Father Bernard and John. Her clairvoyance allows her to see everything. How Father Bernard betrayed her. How he is the Antichrist. How he was the one who murdered her parents so he could groom her for this very day. How he was never going to administer the Emerald to stop her transformation. How he wanted her to transform, so he could use her to kill all those people and rise to power. How he planned to have the Emerald for himself.

And John: how John really did have a hunch about the field. He wasn’t lying. How much he loves her, really loves her. How, even now, after seeing her in her transformed state, having brutally killed all those people…even now, he still, somehow— loves her all the same. 

Claire launches a final dagger at Father Bernard‘s throat. Blood pools out and he collapses. John stands trembling, holding the Emerald in his hands, having no idea the power he possesses. The Emerald begins to glow. Granted, without any limitations, are the desires of his heart. His desire was always to have Claire forever, to love her the way God intended her to be loved. Claire transforms back, and her hair turns solid black; eyes solid blue— no grey streaks anywhere. John wraps her in his arms. His love or the Emerald, which was greater? We may never know. 

The End.