Children of the Night

Chapter T H R E E

C H A P T E R  T H R E E

I heard the doorbell ring. I slid off my bed and raced down the stairs to greet Aliza. I opened the door and saw Aliza with a sheepish smile on her face. She held three designer bags and squeezed into my house.

            “How much stuff you need!?” I asked, grabbing a bag. She kissed my cheek

dismissively and went upstairs. I followed her into my room, setting the bag down on my neatly made queen sized bed. She touched the light lavender walls of my room and made her way over to the picture of her and I on my nightstand.

            “I remember this!” Aliza exclaimed, her blond head bobbing up and down. She stared at the picture of her on the park swing while I pushed her, smiles both on our faces.

            “We were so young! How old were we? Like, seven, right?” She asked, placing the chic frame on the antique nightstand.  I tugged open the curtains that shielded my room from the frosty, sunless weather. Leaves rolled along in the wind, aimlessly tumbling over one another.

            “Yeah, that was just about eight years ago,” I smiled and walked in front of where Aliza sat on my bed, “We’re so old now!” I laughed and grabbed her hands, pulling her off the bed.

            “Show me what you brought!”

            Aliza moved to her Coach luggage and unzipped the colorful bag. She reached in then pulled out a pair of gorgeous black boots, similar to the ones I had purchased a week previous to her coming here. A black buckle rested on the side ankle, gently touching the genuine aged leather. A smug smile crossed her lips as she held the boots in the air.

“You like them?” She asked, still smiling.

            “Those are so cute! When did you buy them?” I asked, trying on a shoe.

“Yesterday” She said; her face innocent now. “Don’t tell my mom, but I told her I was going to the library when I really went to mall to buy these, and lucky me, these cuties were on sale!” I laughed and took off the boot, going to her smallest bag.

 “I wouldn’t dare say a word.” I stated as I unzipped the colorful bag. Inside, many different makeup brands and types were helplessly mixed around, but the bright colors and pigments told me they were all expensive. I stood up abruptly, remembering the invitation that Brandi had given me still lay somewhere tucked in my purse. I went to my fuzzy chair and picked up the bag, searching for the invite frantically.

 Aliza stared at me with her mouth formed in a soft ‘o’. Finally, my hands contacted the rough piece of decorated paper and I held it up in victory.

“Found it!” I exclaimed, returning my prideful eyes to the little sheet. I read over the invite more than three times, and then looked at Aliza. A knot began to form inside my stomach as I read to her the information.

“It’s a costume party,” my eyes searched Aliza’s horrified face and I started again, “Which means we have to dress up.” Her lips pouted and she crossed her arms.

“But Halloween is still a week away; couldn’t she have picked a more settle theme, something more casual?” Aliza pleaded and stood up. She looked at the boots in her hand as an evil grin played across her face. I stared at her, then the invitation, then back at her.

            “We’ll go as vampire goddesses!” She insisted. I laughed and shook my head.

“I don’t know; what if we’re the only people who dress up?” I inquired, thinking of the awful schemes Brandi may have plotted to embarrass us again.

            “I don’t think Brandi would go through all that trouble just to make an invitation for us to go to our doom.” Aliza pointedly said. I nodded and gulped down air, walked to my closet and grabbed my black boots. I climbed to the back of the messy closet and pulled out a black cape and dark hoodie.

“Here, take the cape.” I suggested, giving Aliza the old decoration. She took it and tied it around her neck, smiling and flapping her arms like a wild bird.

“I vant to suck your blood,” She said as she ran to me and playfully bit my hand. I screamed and laughed at the same time, and I was sure I sounded like a dying hog. She laughed and retired to her suitcase where she found a black tank top and a leather mini skirt. I stare at her in awe.

“Since when did you own a leather mini skirt?” I asked, completely shocked. She smiled as she put her ensemble together.

“Since yesterday,” she said, “Stop looking at me like I’m a stranger, it’s weird.” I stared, still wondering why she would buy such a trashy article of clothing. It looked like something Brandi would wear.

“You never know when the time comes to go clubbing,” she said, laughing at my face. I shook my head and pointed at her skimpy outfit.

“If you get stolen tonight, don’t come running to me because I’ll just say I told you so.” I smirked at Aliza. She laughed and put her outfit on, as I dug through my dresser to find something decent.

“I don’t really know what to wear,” I thought aloud and looked down at my casual shorts and flannel. A static filled the room, making it nearly impossible to breathe. I looked at Aliza in alarm, but she was on her knees, holding her head. I tried to run to her, but I choked on hot air and almost drowned in the thick atmosphere.

 A strangled scream came from her throat, but turned to a low moan. I looked up in shock and saw her body twisting and bending back. Cracks came from her back, she screamed, and as the static disappeared, she fell to the floor. I stood up immediately, but regretted it as dizziness spotted my vision with black specks.

I fought away the harshness of the nausea threatening to take my stomach again and ran to Aliza. Her body was crumpled on the hardwood floor and she was crying. I touched her shoulder, tried to turn her over, but her body was solid weight. She sat up quickly, and twitched her head to me. Her hand thrust to my face, and I jumped back quickly. I searched her eyes, and was greeted by an empty black stare.

“Aliza, what happened?” I whispered. Her mouth twitched and she stood up abruptly. Her head swiveled to me and she stared with her mouth opened.

“Aliza.” I said again as I backed up to the side of my bed. Her leg took an uneven step forward like she was being controlled by a puppet master. I grabbed the flashlight from my nightstand and shined it in her face. A screech flew from her distorted mouth and she made an attempt to scratch me. Her screaming stopped and she jumped on me, knocking me down to the floor. I gasped as the air left my chest. My head stung, but Aliza didn’t stop. Her hands twitched to my neck and grabbed hard.

Red spots covered my vision as I tried to pry her cold hands from my neck. She screamed again and was thrown off my body by a convulsion that wracked her spine. A thought crossed my mind that left my head spinning. Demon. I visualized a demon that possessed my friend’s fragile body leaving her, and never coming back again. A gasp came from Aliza as a black liquid spilled from her lips.

“Leave, leave this world, leave my friend!” I screamed at the evil spirit. More black goo seeped from her orifices. Curses left her mouth, but they weren’t her voice, they were distorted and in another language. I imagined the cruel demon coming out of Aliza’s mouth and slipping out my window. A ghostly shadow slipped from her wet, black lips and disappeared.

I rushed to Aliza and shook her violently, tears streamed down my face.

“Aliza, Aliza!” I screamed, petting her head. She didn’t breathe, her body was still. I silently cried and held her close. Her body shook and she coughed, spitting up black goo. I let her go quickly and waited for her to come to her senses.