The Day after Halloween

Deciding to expand on a truth, he replied, "Well, she has been pushing to get married and I keep telling her to wait. I think she's a little depressed."

"Get married? Now? I thought y'all had it worked out?" her mom probed.

"I thought we did too," he answered.

The news seemed to placate the woman and she only asked a few more questions before dropping the subject. Unfortunately, later that day, mother confronted daughter and Matt found himself dragged into the discussion. It made for a very contentious few days, and on the drive home, Heather became adamant that it was time for a wedding.

"I wish you wouldn't have told my mom of our differences," she said, which was a message she had delivered often over the past few days.

"I'm sorry... it was a mistake," he responded.

There were several minutes of silence, and then she said, "Matt, I really want us to get married. Please, let's do it. Do it for me. You know how much I love you."

It was the beginning of the most emotional interaction they had shared. Strangely, in this state, the woman seemed very much like his Heather, and before he knew it, he was nodding his head in agreement. Thus, a mere two weeks later, on an overcast Friday afternoon, they made their way to the courthouse and came out an hour later as husband and wife. Their honeymoon consisted of a weekend alone in the apartment with delivered pizza, and several trips to the bed, where Matt was surprised by the woman's newfound passion. She seemed in almost every detail like the real Heather and she even experienced an orgasm during their lovemaking. When things began winding down on Sunday, the newlywed student thought through the sequence of events and decided it was time to meet with Gus.

"They're worried about you and want to make sure you're close. They want you in that mausoleum next time so they can make the switch. For some reason it's important and they were worried you were moving on from her," the groundskeeper offered.

"Shit, these bastards are evil," Matt said while shaking his head.

"Pure evil... remember what they did to my brother and his wife. Stole their lives like they want to do with you," he replied, and before the young man could respond, he added, "Let me tell you the rest. She's been out here at least once and I think twice. Once for sure cause I saw her leaving and another time I think cause the piece of paper I put in the gate hinge was on the ground. That means she's in there with him and they're working their plan."

"What about Heather? My Heather?" he asked.

"She's still there... she's in there... I listen every now and then and I can pick her out," he replied.

"How? What's she doing? Saying?" he asked.

"I don't want you to take this the wrong way, but she's talking to him. She's been in there for a long time, you know... so they're talking..." Gus said.

"Talking... like what?" he asked.

"She's still confused some so there are questions about where she is and what's going on and then just kinda general stuff," he replied.

"General stuff? Like... talking... chit chat?" Matt asked, dumbfounded by the message.

"Yeah... like that. Now, you remember, you're doing the same thing. It ain't unexpected... they're locked up in that vessel..." he started but stopped, concerned about the direction.

"Shit... I guess..." he responded.

"Nothing unexpected when you think about it," he told Matt.

The groundskeeper spared the young man from the worst of what he had learned. The demon in the vessel was truly a strong force and the comparative power between him and the young woman was like the difference between a lion and a kitten. He knew the man was seeking something from her that was carnal and on his most recent trek into the mausoleum he had heard enough to know that he had succeeded. He wasn't certain how disembodied souls engaged in intimacy, but the sounds emerging from the vessel indicated that it was occurring. He had the young woman's passionate cries and knew she was enjoying the experience.

For the next few months, Matt and Gus met at least once every couple of weeks. They would try to determine ways to enhance the plan to free Heather, but never really found an angle that improved markedly on the basic concept. The entire idea rested on the ability of the captured woman to recognize the situation and act. They discussed trying to communicate with her, even thinking they might be able to create a code, but in the end, they always returned to the view that it was far too risky.

On each visit, Matt would spend a few minutes in the mausoleum listening for his girlfriend. It made him elated when he heard her voice, which didn't happen often, but even when his efforts proved fruitless, he was pleased he made the effort.

"Her voice seemed softer..." he said to Gus as they walked back to his apartment.

They had just finished spending thirty minutes in the mausoleum and were able to listen to the young woman. Matt had not been able to piece together her words, but her tone indicated less stress. He knew that the old man had a much more practiced ear from the years he spent dealing with his brother and hoped he could provide more information.

"Yeah... she's calmer for sure. Been that way for a while, too. My brother and his wife went through the same thing. Got to a point of acceptance I guess you'd say," he explained.

"I wonder if that's good or bad?" Matt asked.

"Good in a way and maybe bad..." he started, and then paused in thought for a moment before continuing, "Good that she can think better, but bad if she doesn't act when the time comes."

"Good point... we always come back to the same place," he replied.

"Yeah... yeah, we do..." the groundskeeper agreed.

Surprisingly, the young man's dealings with his new wife had become more balanced and they were living with less stress, too. Marriage seemed to have alleviated her concerns and she no longer maintained a watchful eye on his comings and goings. Also, she had become more sexual and several times she had been the one to initiate their lovemaking. Several of their encounters had been quite passionate, and Matt cringed at the thought of explaining the details to Heather if he was able to perform the rescue. He knew it would be the first thing she would ask about and she would not be pleased.

Gus spotted the woman near the Mausoleum several more times and he was able to determine she visited every week, either on Tuesday or Wednesday. She rarely stayed long, usually no more than fifteen minutes, and he could only surmise that they were working on their plan, as well. He made sure to stay far away, so as not to alarm the woman, and acted with complete indifference when he was in view.

Every other day, he would visit the crypts and spend some time listening, hoping he would glean more information. Also, he wanted to check on the status of the young woman's interaction with the demon. Unfortunately, the things he learned were not good. The discussions he heard provided clear evidence that the man had enforced his will on the young student, and on one occasion he once more heard them in the middle of an intimate encounter.

Twice, Matt made the trek to the cemetery to meet with the old man but was unable to locate him. It made him concerned about his wellbeing and he wondered if the demon had discovered their knowledge and harmed the old man. He decided to make one more visit, and if he was unsuccessful in finding the groundskeeper, he would contact the cemetery administrator. However, before the day arrived, he discovered an odd-looking letter in the mailbox. The handwritten address, written in ink, covered most of the envelope, and although it lacked any return markings, instinctively, he knew it was from Gus.

His wife was out so he made his way back to the apartment and quickly tore open the letter. A key fell out and clanked on the tabletop and he could see a handwritten note on a single piece of paper that had been torn from a pad.

Matt - things not going well for me. They say I won't live long. I wanted to make sure you got this key to that place so you can use it if you want to do your plan. I know you want to but remember it's dangerous. They are preparing so be ready. Your best weapon is that they don't know you know. Don't ever let them know. Then you'd be sunk. I got to tell you to think about if you want to do it. Sometimes you just got to move on. Thinking back maybe I'd been better to move on. Maybe you would be too. Think about it and if you decide to try you be damn careful. Real careful.

Matt, let the letter drop from his fingers and suddenly a massive sense of loneliness swept through him. He had nothing in common with the old man, but the evil mausoleum, but in the bizarre circumstances, he had been a pillar of wisdom and a steady shoulder. Now, he was on his own, totally alone. He picked up the key and turned it in his fingers thinking about the old man and his message. For the millionth time, he thought about the horrific situation and considered whether it was real. Perhaps, he had become schizophrenic and it was all some crazy chemical imbalance in his head. Also, even if it was real, maybe it was better to just walk away. He could divorce the demonic woman, more far away and start over. The idea certainly had some appeal because it was now just him against these well-prepared purveyors of evil. But, what about Heather, the magical woman he loved? The young girl that brightened every part of his life? How could he walk away and leave her to the existence she now faced?

Without the presence of Gus, Matt felt terrified when he visited the mausoleum, and he had to rely on his feelings for Heather to give him strength. He always went just at sundown, so the cemetery would be empty and he could return to the apartment before his wife became suspicious. Unfortunately, despite his efforts, he only heard Heather on once occasion, and even then, he wasn't entirely certain. It made him question whether any of it was real and he began to think that maybe Gus had somehow concocted the sounds he thought he heard. He thought about abandoning his plan but finally decided to see it through knowing he was banking on nothing more than faith.

As Halloween approached, Matt worked hard to find a party to attend that would be on friendly turf. He wanted it to be with people he knew to reduce his stress and be in a part of town not too far from the cemetery so he could get there quickly. The basic concept hadn't changed since he first mentioned it to Gus. He planned to take his new wife out, party and pretend to consume lots of alcohol, and wait for her to make her move to get him to the cemetery. Then, just before they left, he would find a way to doctor her drink. Once she had consumed the drug, he knew from his research he had 15-20 minutes before any effects appeared, and since she was slender, he thought it would be on the short end. He would get her to the structure, dally until he was sure she was firmly under the influence, and then go inside. If the plan worked, her weakened condition would give his Heather the chance to burst free and reclaim her body. He knew that in this dangerous game, he was the untrained rookie against the seasoned veteran, but he had to try.

Two weeks before Halloween, he settled on a party hosted by friends of friends at a house that was a fifteen-minute drive from the cemetery. Surprisingly, his wife was not keen on the idea of going out, which was something he had not anticipated. Clearly, his plan conflicted with hers, but it only took some gentle prodding to get her to agree, and then their conversation moved to costumes.

The newly married couple arrived just after nine, and Matt noticed immediately that the woman was acting uncharacteristically clingy. She had dressed as a black cat wearing tights and a long-sleeved sweater. Also, she had elbow-length gloves and had purchased a two-foot-long tail and cute little ears. The snug fit of the attire highlighted her sexy body and she got lots of looks from the moment they entered. Matt new the real Heather would have headed off on her own to flirt, but the woman stayed right at his side.

A makeshift dance floor had been set-up on the back porch and after getting them punch, he guided her towards it. They joined a spirited throng through several songs and then headed back to the kitchen for more punch, and when they arrived, the young grad student saw that she had barely touched her drink.

"Are you okay?" he asked her over the noise.

"I'm fine," she responded and gave him a forced smile.

Matt knew that his entire plan relied on getting her to ingest the drug at the right moment, and he became worried that she was playing her own script, intending to stay sober.

"Drink up," he said and took a gulp from his cup.

With a smile, she took a sip, but when she pulled the cup down, he could see she had drunk very little. For the next few hours, things stayed basically the same. The woman stayed close to him, danced when he wanted her to, and consumed very little of the punch. He knew she was simply going through the motions and by the look in her eyes when she didn't see him looking, he could tell there was something on her mind. However, just a few minutes after eleven, things began to change.

"Let's go to the cemetery and do it again. That was so hot," she whispered into his ear, while her hand squeezed his butt.

"Mmmm... you're horny," the young man responded.

Matt was prepared for her attempt, but it still sent a shiver through his body as he realized it was really going to play out.

"Yeah... C'mon. Let's do it," she begged.

"No, it's too cold. Let's go home and crawl under the covers," he replied.

Just for a moment, he saw anger flash through her eyes, but she quickly regained control and said, "Please... for me... please..."

He looked at her and forced a smile, and then responded, "Maybe... I'm not ready to go yet."

"Soon..." she whined.

"Drink up," he said.

Matt emptied his cup and then looked towards the woman expectantly. He was pleased to see her do the same, and he knew he could use it to his advantage when the time arrived. He wanted to build her angst, knowing it would make her more cooperative, so he guided her back to the dance area and let the clock tick closer to midnight.

Her eyes continued to find his and he could tell she was using all her female wiles to try and bend him to her will. Now, it was his turn to experience a flash of anger as he thought about her wanting desperately to put him into a state of purgatory while her demon husband enjoyed his body. It took immense willpower to let the moment pass and look back at her with a playful smile.

It was just a few minutes before midnight when she whispered into his ear, "Let's go fuck."

Matt knew it was time. It had been a year since he lost the woman he loved and he had struggled every day without her. Now, he approached the culmination of all the discovery and planning with Gus, which he knew always led back to the cemetery. The thought created stress for him as he wondered what he would do if it didn't work.

"Okay, baby... as long as I can fuck your brains out," he responded, trying to keep his voice from cracking.

"I want you to," she answered eagerly.

"Let's have another drink and dance a little and then we'll go," he told her and headed for the kitchen before she could reply.

He had hoped she would stay in the other room and give him some space to doctor her drink, but she followed close behind. Still, he knew he was committed, so on the pretense of getting something from the counter, he turned his back to her and as quickly as possible, slipped the small vial from his pocket and dosed her cup. He was shaking as he turned back, hoping no one had noticed and was pleased to see everyone in their normal inebriated state. Even Heather, distracted by a large guy that he didn't know, was occupied. Matt's approach ended their discussion and he handed her the cup of liquid.

"Happy Halloween! Drink up!" he declared.

"Yes... but let's hurry!" she responded and then emptied her cup.

Inwardly, the young man smiled as he knew the countdown had begun. He wanted to stay at the party until just before the effects became apparent and then head out. It would take fifteen minutes to arrive at the cemetery gate and five more to walk to the mausoleum, so he knew he was in no rush to achieve the one-hour target. He would take things slowly and if need be, keep her outside the structure until he was certain the drug had fully taken effect.

At the twenty-minute mark, he could tell by the look in her eyes that she was drifting, so he took her arm and headed towards the door.

"This is so crazy!" he said with faux enthusiasm as they pulled away.

"Yes... it's crazy hot," she replied, slightly slurring her words.

Matt worked hard to hit several lights, so when they pulled up at the gate, seventeen minutes had elapsed. He met her at the entrance, and together, they started towards the mausoleum. Several times, he stopped and pulled her into a kiss which brought no objection. During the last stop, they were a mere fifty yards from the building and he could tell her body was losing coordination. He knew the drug was kicking in and they would arrive at the mausoleum near the perfect time.

"You're so beautiful," he told her when they arrived.

"Mmmm... I'm ready..." she replied in a detached voice.

"Let me kiss you some more," he said and pulled her close.

"Mmmm..." she moaned in response.

When they broke the kiss, he checked his phone and saw that fifty-five minutes had passed. It was close enough, so he guided her slowly towards the entrance and was not surprised to find the gate open. He had considered whether it was necessary to have sex during the transfer, but he decided he would do things exactly as before, so he took her to the altar and pushed her tights and thong down to her knees. The drug had made her completely silent, and at first, she held her body up on her arms, but before he could drop his pants, she fell onto her elbows. His hand moved to her vagina and found it nice and slick, so he lined up and pushed forward.

"Ugggghhh..." he groaned as his shaft penetrated.

The young man paused for a moment to take in everything around him as he wanted to be prepared for the inevitable attempt for his body. Strangely, all was quiet, so he started moving slowly into the woman. The minutes ticked by as they fucked and along the way, little mews started coming from her mouth. Matt tried to remember how long he had made love to Heather the last time before the strange feelings and lights appeared, as it seemed much longer now. He began to wonder if anything would occur, and soon, doubt crept into his head. Perhaps, it had always been a fantasy that existed only in his head.

The woman's pussy had become so wet that it was now slurping in rhythm with his movement. Strangely, his dick, which had been barely hard enough to enter her when they started, had grown and was now fully erect. Also, he could feel his balls tingling in the telltale way that signaled an impending release.

"Fuck me good..." the woman said in a voice that filled the small space.

It sent a sudden shiver of terror through the young man as he didn't think she was in a condition to speak so clearly. For a moment, he wondered if the drug had its normal effect on the demon and if not, was he about to feel their combined wrath? Still, he kept moving as something pushed him forward. Soon, he felt his balls tightening and he knew he was only seconds away from filling the woman's pussy.

Then, just as his release arrived, when he was in his most vulnerable condition, the strange waves he had felt before began to permeate his body and the odd light, like fanned embers in a fire, appeared. He wanted to finish badly, and his hands were dug into her hips, pulling her hard against his body, but suddenly, a vision of his Heather looking at him with her impish smile flashed before him and with a strength he didn't think he possessed, he pulled away and flung his body towards the entrance.