Part 18 (2/2)
Luckily Eloise's Dad was nice enough to lend us the equipment his personal team of builders use to communicate when on a larger job site. I'm grateful to have communication with at least one person throughout this evening.
The ear piece crackles again, but this time it's another voice whispering into the device that controls each ear piece individually. ”Mine and Hayley's parents are in this group. Scare them good.”
”I'm on it,” I murmur to myself, smiling wickedly when I hear the doors creak open.
I've made a few fully grown men scream in the past hour, but these really take the cake. The women laugh out of fear as the men use them as s.h.i.+elds. I'm not sure who is who in the dark, but I make sure to get as close to the men as possible after the lights go out and I wait until they flicker, forcing one of the men to stumble into the other in a bid to escape.
I have no idea how anybody does this kind of thing without laughing. I'm no actor and this is hilarious.
”The next group will be in soon. Are you ready?”
I shake my head and pull the mic clipped to my s.h.i.+rt closer to my mouth. ”Give me a second,” I pant through my laughter and race back to my slot in the wall. ”You should have seen that.”
”Miss Hart just told me my dad wants to go home.” Eloise giggles. ”I can't wait for him to step through that exit.” She pauses and clears her throat. ”Your dad just sent the next group in.”
”I'm on it.”
Eloise The walk through the school lasts about ten to fifteen minutes, depending on how fast the groups move, but everybody exits unharmed and looking as excited and as scared as I hoped they would.
I accept their appraisals of the event before throwing the walky-talky type device back to Mr Price Senior and going outside to check on the food sales. There are a few stalls set up where people can buy food, drinks and souvenirs. It's actually really amazing. Not only are people getting an awesome scare, but they're also able to sit and laugh about it with their friends with hot and cold drinks in hand.
Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to truly appreciate the walk yet, not like the rest of the helpers have. I'm too busy keeping the event from falling apart.
The waiting line is ma.s.sive, but it's moving along quickly. More than half of the town have arrived already and are enjoying the creepy music blasting through the outdoor speakers. More and more arrive with their kids in costume and, by the size of their sweet bags, I'd say they've just been trick or treating.
”How's it going?” I ask Crystal, who is serving food alongside a happy looking Judith. Even though she's in a wheelchair, she's having the time of her life wrapping the sandwiches and party favours she made.
”Excellent and, if my calculations prove to be correct, with food sales and ticket sales we've made enough to provide quality rooms on the children's ward.” Crystal responds and Judith nods, smiling brightly.
”That definitely makes me feel good.” I beam along with them, feeling overwhelmed with emotion. ”If it wasn't for you, Crystal, this wouldn't have been possible.”
Crystal waves me off and throws me a sandwich. ”Take this to Mr Price. He'll be getting peckish.”
”Will do. I need to go and wait for my parents to exit the scare school anyway.” My smile is wicked this time, especially when I prepare the camera that hangs around my neck. ”This should be good.”
”Don't forget about yourself.” Mrs Price chuckles and throws me an extra sandwich. ”Eat, keep your energy up.”
”Thank you, Judith, I shall. Give me a shout if you need anything.”
”We will.”
I skip back inside, smoothing down my black tutu as I go. I decided this year to be a dark angel, complete with black feathered wings and black contacts that completely cover my eyeb.a.l.l.s, save for a red ring around my pupil. My red hair is curled to my shoulders, with black ribbon twisted around random locks. To complete my look, I added fish net stockings and matching gloves that smooth over the curve of my elbow. I definitely look creepy, but s.e.xy style of course.
I just wish I'd brought my leather jacket. It's b.l.o.o.d.y freezing and I envy those with coats on.
”Here's a gift from Crystal and your wife,” I tell Mr Price and throw him a sandwich.
He smiles and takes it eagerly. ”Thank you, Elle. Is everything running smoothly?”
Another group bursts through the exit door, screaming and laughing. ”It seems that way, but it is Halloween. I don't doubt that something will happen sooner or later.”
”As long as n.o.body toilet papers the school while we're not looking, I'm sure we'll be fine.” He winks at me and turns back to the waiting group. After discretely talking into the device, he waves them through the entrance doors and waits until the screaming stops before sending the next group in.
”What about you?” I move behind the ticket sales booth where Hayley and Wesley take money in exchange for homemade tickets. She looks awesome as a dead jester, killed by a king long ago, ready to reap her b.l.o.o.d.y revenge on the world. ”How are you getting on?”
”Brilliantly.” She nods to the janitor, who watches the three of us with eagle eyes. ”Apparently we're going to steal all of the money.”
I roll my eyes at the man dressed as himself and turn back to my friends. ”Ignore him; he's just a necessary precaution. He's actually here to protect you guys.” I say this last part loudly and he only rolls his own eyes in return. ”So other than eagle eyes over there, everything else is good?”
”It's brilliant.” She smiles and counts the heads of the next group of people before charging them accordingly and handing them their tickets. ”Honestly, I can't wait to walk through it myself.”
”Me too.” Wesley pouts, looking longingly at the entrance. ”When are the news guys coming? I thought they were sending someone to take pictures?”
I scan the crowd and lower my voice, just in case of listening ears. ”They're already here but want to remain inconspicuous. They said people will just get all up in the camera otherwise and this way they get the actual event on camera. I think they've already been through the scare school.”
”Oh my G.o.d, so I could have already been filmed?” Hayley looks mortified at the thought and pulls a pocket mirror from her bag before checking her face paint for any smudges. ”Well, I still look good so I suppose that's okay.”
”Get back to work.” I order playfully and move out of the booth. ”Call me if you need me.”
”Your b.o.o.bs look great tonight by the way.” She points to the lace up corset that pulls my ribs and chest in more than should be physically possible. My not too large and not too small b.r.e.a.s.t.s are definitely up there, I won't deny.
”Keep the talk PG,” I laugh as a guy in Freddy Krueger get up gives me a creepy up and down twice over. I keep moving back towards the entrance, biting into my sandwich as I go. I'm not hungry, but it's better to eat at this point than not get a chance later and have to starve myself. Plus the sandwich tastes brilliant, even though the bread has been dyed green and the egg mayo is dark red. A simple favourite, made awesome by someone's creative mind.
Isaac After three hours my legs are killing me and I'm losing the will to pretend kill. I'm hungry, tired and I definitely need to use the toilet soon. I knew I shouldn't have drunk three cans of Redbull before tackling this job.
Luckily there is a break scheduled in only ten minutes where we actors get a ten minute break to touch up our makeup if we have any, use the loo and eat something. Then we work for a further two hours. I can do this. I'll just moan internally during the whole event.
My break, when it finally comes, just doesn't last long enough. I had to eat whilst peeing... n.o.body should ever have to eat whilst peeing. It's disgusting and I still only just made it back to my section in time to have a one minute sit down to rest my aching legs.
This is getting lonely.
I can only imagine how the fictional Jason must have felt.
I didn't even get to say hi to anyone during my break. We should have pushed for fifteen minutes.
There's a crackle in my head piece only thirty seconds before I'm supposed to be working again and a female voice sounds, one I haven't heard tonight. ”Okay guys, it's Hayley and I have the best, most evil plan that will rock a certain person's f.u.c.king night so badly she'll have nightmares for a week. Are you listening?”
Oh I listen and I smile wickedly the entire time. Suddenly my night just got less boring.
Eloise ”We have a problem,” Mr Price Senior tells me, looking disgruntled.
”But we're so close to finis.h.i.+ng,” I whine, looking around the empty hall and watching longingly as Crystal and a few students pack away the few sc.r.a.ps of leftover food.
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