Halloween Bash

Hey group,

I thought this one up on the fly after my wife and I came back from a ghost hunt at an abandoned insane asylum. Now you know why I write what I do...

Wanted to give you all a flash story just for the fun of it.

I hope you enjoy it.

_________________________________________________

HALLOWEEN BASH

There is one holiday I like more than any other. Halloween. The fun of decorating your yard, kids running around collecting candy and wearing costumes is better than the other holiday with that fat guy wearing red. You can wear something stupid or something scary as hell. The more realistic the better.

This year no one can beat my costume when it comes to the absolute realism of it. Even the flesh on my face would cause a Hollywood special effects artist to vomit. Yep, I got best costume this year and I'm going to use it to scare the hell out of people. The biggest and best party this year is at a large house outside of town. All my friends will be there.

It should really be a happy occasion for me because I really love Halloween. But this year it is more about righting a wrong than the holiday. Last year I was betrayed. I understand now it wasn't meant to happen, but it did. I shouldn't have been where I was. And the people responsible for it have lived happily since. That is until now. What they didn't count on was me coming back.

Since the life insurance paid out they quit their jobs and moved into party central. It's nice when a murder can cause so much happiness. Now a more than year later I'm here to say hello...and goodbye.

The Halloween Bash, as it has come to be, is expected to be heavily attended. All sorts of people are expected to be attend.

There is no need to go into detail about how we got to this point. It's pointless. I have a job to do and after it's done, I'll get to rest. For now, that's all you need to know.

Both were schmoozing their guests. Air kisses were flying among the woman and fist bumps among the men. They noticed me watching them. She had a look on her face like a ghost just shit in her pool. By the time she got his attention I had already moved out of sight.

The outside was nice place. Money well spent. The serenity of places like this forces some old memories to the surface, but remembering my past only brings me pain. The future is what drives me now. The future is all that matters. Not for me though. In order to save one, two must suffer.

She might be sad at first but a little pain would be necessary to ensure her long term happiness. Time was running short. I only have until midnight. The party was really jumping. The music was loud and the booze was flowing. It was time.

Walking back into the house many complimented me on my makeup. Most were shocked when I told them I wasn't wearing any. Then the sound of my voice reminded them of someone they used to know. I'm also sure I smelled pretty ripe. The costume they thought I was wearing was seen clearly now as the clothes of a dead man!

Within moments the house grew quiet. The party ended as everyone stood back not believing their eyes. How could a dead man be standing in front of them? The host and hostess came in the main room asking what the problem was. No one spoke but their eyes pointed to a truly gruesome looking figure in the center of the room.

Melissa looked into my eyes not wanting to believe the man who was once her husband was there. Eyes wide in horror she released a horrible scream. Words of "How? "It can't be!" "This is impossible!" flowed from her mouth. She froze in place not knowing what to do. Actually how could anyone know what to do in a situation like this?

About that time Michael's alcohol fueled brain made the realization that his former best friend crashed his Halloween Bash. His eyes matched those of my former wife. However he was not stricken with the inability to act. Thinking quick on his feet was something I always admired about him. Ever since grade school he DID! He thought quickly on his feet and acted without conscious before or after.

That is why I'm here tonight. And act he did. He pulled a pistol out from his costume and fired two shots into my chest. When I didn't fall he unloaded two more rounds. I just looked at him and smiled, "Not like last time huh Mike? Last year when I caught you and Melissa in bed together you didn't hesitate did you? And with the same pistol yet."

By now he knew lost his cool and attacked me with his hands. I was hoping for this. Even before my death he could never match me in a fair fight. I guess that's why he shot me instead. I stood still as he hit me in the head with his fists ripping more rotting flesh from my face. Time being short forced me to immobilize him with a hammer lock. Using my free hand I wrenched his right arm in an awkward direction snapping like a dry twig. His screams actually made me feel for the first time in a year. I have been devoid of all feeling, physical and emotional since I woke up. Except for the need for revenge that is.

Michael became docile laying on the floor holding his arm. It is quite pitiful seeing a grown man cry. Melissa ran over to him yelling at me to leave him alone and that she loved him. She kept on saying why did I have to ruin everything by showing up early and catching them in bed? Why didn't I just die in the crash last summer when they tampered with my car? Why was I here now destroying their wonderful life living off of my life insurance?

It may have been hard to see the smirk on my face with the shape it was in, but this actually turned out easier than I thought. Not only did that cheating whore I married confessed in front of a dozen people that they both tried to kill me previously but her lover, my former best friend, just shot me again with the same gun he killed me with last year.

No one thought it unusual Mike and Melissa became closer after my death. We three have always been tight since high school. It was expected Mike would be there for her as they consoled each other after my untimely death.

The police had no leads and the bullets pulled out of my chest never matched up with any weapons. The afore mentioned car wreck that put me in the hospital for a month was investigated as a crime from a former business associate after a deal we had went bad. But that's all it was and he was quickly forgotten as a suspect.

But now with witnesses of my second shooting, they not only had bullets to compare to my killing last year, but they also have the weapon. Like I said too easy. But what the hell, I'll take it.

You know how I said about she would have a little pain? Her eyes were showing more hurt than any 19 year old daughter's should show. She came out of her upstairs bedroom when the commotion started and caught everything her mother and step father just confessed to.

The realization that your mother murdered your father was a tremendous shock. Seeing your dead father was probably worse. I started to worry about the harm I was causing her. I succeeded in my task. Justice would be served and two people that I had once loved most in the world, next to my daughter, would never see freedom again.

I gave my princess one last look, told her I loved her and looked away. A few minutes from now the power sustaining my decayed body would disappear. Falling weak I collapsed to the floor along side the murderers. My daughter ran to my side and held my head to her lap showing no fear. Only showing the love she had always had for her father.

My death hit her especially hard and it was not until recently she was again a happy teenager preparing for her freshman year of college.

She looked at me telling me she loved me, telling me that she would see me again and not to worry about her. She did what she had to do. I looked at her questioningly. A smile and squeeze of my hand brought my attention to a ring on my finger I did not notice before. She told me of how she suspected her mother and Michael were responsible for my death. So she went to a Gypsy for help and she knew of a way to not only get the murderers put in jail but to see me one more time.

The ring had enough power to bring my body back from the grave for one night. All she had to do was get it on my finger. After that she knew I would take care of the happy couple. Using the trust fund my life insurance set up for her, she paid a couple starving college students to dig me up and put the ring on my finger and run like hell.

So here we are, justice serviced. I have to admit I felt pretty damn good, for dead man.

Telling my daughter I loved her one last time I closed my eyes. The last thing I felt was her tears falling on my face and her words of love.

I can only imagine the party guests would never attend another Halloween Bash. But for me, if heaven really wanted to have fun, God would allow a good costume party.

Happy Halloween.