Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

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Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by darkstarrising »

Hi all and Happy Halloween to everyone :trickortreat:

The story below is something that has been running around in the back of my head for some time, but it was missing something. With the Halloween challenge, it all came together (I hope!).

ETA: This story is a bit of a sad one, or not, depending upon how you read it.

Rated PG for mild language.

Please enjoy and may your Halloween be frightful, but fun!! :ghosty:

Ghosts of Halloween

LA – a few years in the future

The five year old fairy princess twirled before the mirror, trying in vain to get a proper view of her golden wings. Failing that, she waved her star-tipped wand and did her best to cast a magic spell.

“Abacadaba.”

Close enough. Or was it? Eyes cast upward, the fairy princess saw that her Lady-in-Waiting's solemn expression still remained.

“Gramma, why are you sad? Don’t you like Hal’ween?”

Beth Turner’s answer wasn’t the entire truth, but hopefully it was enough to satisfy her granddaughter’s curiosity. Children her age were naturally curious, but Erin was also incredibly perceptive, not to mention far too young for the entire truth. Beth’s adopted daughter Colleen had been nearly 20 before she was told the story of her mother’s life and the real reason she despised Halloween.

“Halloween is for children, Erin, not for old ladies like me. Don’t you think I’d look silly dressed up like a fairy princess?”

The little red head shook, sending her crown tumbling. “Nooo. You’d be beyewtiful.”

“What if I were a mermaid? How would I get around?” Beth mimicked trying to walk with her legs together.

That sent the little girl giggling, imagining her grandmother covered with scales and having fins instead of feet. Erin’s laughter was infectious, causing her grandmother to giggle as well, dispelling the gloom that settled over the older woman this time of year. As Beth replaced the sparkly crown on the little girl’s head, she noticed her own daughter standing in the doorway, gazing thoughtfully at the pair. With their eyes, mother and daughter silently agreed to keep their own sadness from spoiling the little one’s excitement. Halloween was for children and they should enjoy their harmless fun while they could. All too soon, they’d grow up and encounter the real monsters in the world.

Colleen and her daughter both were redheads, with pale green eyes and not so pale freckles, a tribute to their Celtic heritage. Colleen’s biological parents had left their young daughter orphaned one New Year’s Eve nearly 30 years ago, their lives cut short by a driver so drunk he could barely say his name. Overnight, Beth found herself the guardian of a close friend’s child, and ultimately her adoptive mother. Whatever loathing Beth felt for Halloween, Colleen felt the same for New Years.

Even as a child, Halloween had never been high on the list of Beth’s favorite holidays. The monsters she encountered at Erin’s age hadn’t been in costume. Pointed fangs and sharp nails drew piercing screams, with bright red and very real blood. Flashes of the life and death struggle in that house of horrors would be with her for years to come. As she grew older, Beth learned to enjoy the innocent fun of people transforming themselves into fantastic creatures for a night, until the Halloween she was to be transformed for eternity. That’s when the horror came back, and with it, Beth’s hatred of the holiday.

It was 2009, and she’d been preparing for Josef’s annual Halloween party, the last time she expected to cross his threshold as a human. Those of the vampiric persuasion knew the party was Josef’s send off for Mick and herself as they embarked on a very private, very intimate get away during which Beth would finally be turned. What better occasion than Halloween? Once she’d come through the transition, they’d return to LA to start their eternal lives together, happily undead ever after. Or so she thought.

That Halloween day so long ago had been spent getting ready for their time together, packing what she’d need for their time away. Trouble was, since their destination was a secret, she didn’t know what to pack. Mick had grinned wickedly at this, telling her that most of the time they were away, it would be just the two of them and they’d be indoors. She wouldn’t need much in the way of clothing.

Thoughts of Mick brought a smile to her face. Their story was unique, their love like no other. Even after he opened his heart and overcame his fears of loving her, he was adamant that she stay human. With time, he came to accept her decision to be turned, sharing her wish that death never separate them. There had been much soul searching on both of their parts, with second thoughts in abundance. Both knew that once turned, there’d be no going back. Of course there could be no children, something that Beth was ambivalent about even as a human. Having children seemed to be at odds with her dreams of having a successful career, of being a woman in control of her own destiny. Yet when a close friend became a mother, Beth began to wonder what it would be like to have children of her own, a nagging question that kept haunting her thoughts.

Mick arrived later that afternoon to spend some quiet time with her before the party. Truth be told, he was a little nervous, not only about the turning, but about her costume as well. Damn Josef and his warped sense of humor! Depending upon what Beth had chosen for her costume, Mick’s had to go along with it, the price for losing a bet with his best friend. He’d hoped she had given up on being Elvira, Mistress of the Dark. If she hadn’t, God only knows what his costume would be, and seeing Beth in that outfit might just be too much for some at Josef’s party, including himself.

When the door to Beth’s apartment opened, Mick was greeted by the Queen of the Nile. Mick chuckled at the fake asp and knew that Josef would appreciate Beth’s nod to her imminent transformation. One set of fangs had dispatched Cleopatra from the land of the living, another would do the same for Beth. When asked why he wasn’t in costume, Mick replied that he’d change once he got to Josef’s. At Beth’s quizzical expression, he smiled playfully and said he wanted to surprise her.

While Beth continued getting ready, Mick received a call, one that she sensed upset him. Ending it, he told her he had to take care of a little something for Josef. Nothing major. He’d be back in an hour. He kissed her then, the depth of his love for her evident in his eyes and his touch. A warm smile, a gentle caress of her face, then he was gone.

That was the last she ever saw of him.

Beth had waited for an hour, then two, and was about to call Josef when the elder vampire arrived on her doorstep, his face grey, his clothes torn and splattered in blood. Childhood memories came flooding back in an instant; this was no Halloween costume. The blood was real and it was Mick’s.

Josef struggled to find the words, and when he did, they brought Beth to her knees.

Mick’s gone… I’m sorry….

After that, Beth caught only bits and pieces….

Betrayal…

Trap…

Saved me…..

Loved you….


Josef stood silently then, watching Beth, unsure of what to do. For a while, she rocked silently, too numb to speak. Finally, he knelt beside her, seeking to ease his own pain as much as hers. As he tried to embrace her, a cry erupted, one from the depths of her very soul. Agony, despair and anger emerged as one. She’d slapped his hands away and screamed at him for what seemed an eternity, blaming him for Mick’s death, cursing him and all his kind.

Monster!

When she was spent, Josef tried once again to hold her, but the burning anger in her eyes stopped him cold. Mick was dead. He was responsible. She would never forgive him. Never.

Get out! Get out and never return….

He left her then, to grieve as she would. He had his own grief to deal with. Before this night was through, the streets of LA would run red with the blood the real monsters responsible for this tragedy. Yet no amount of blood would ease the pain of Josef’s loss. Mick was gone, and there was nothing he could ever do to bring him back.

In the days that followed, Josef tried to contact her, but Beth wouldn’t see or even speak with him. With Mick gone, the link between mortal and immortal was severed, the door to his undead world closed forever. Halloween was over. It was time to be human again.

A few days later, a small package arrived by courier. Inside were some legal documents and black velvet box. As Beth opened the box, her heart broke anew. With trembling fingers, she lovingly touched the ring and medallion Mick had worn for as long as she had known him. A brief message in Josef’s hand accompanied them:

These had a special meaning for Mick and he would have wanted you to have them. Wear them as a way of keeping him with you and remembering the love he had for you.

Mick named you his sole heir. It was his wish that you never want for anything for the rest of your life and it falls to me to ensure that you never do. Accounts have been set up for you, the details of which are enclosed.

Beth, I’m more sorry than you will ever know. We’ve both lost the one person we loved most in this world, and I’ve lost you, a friend I’ve come to love and admire. At some point, may you find some way to forgive me. Until that day, I will stay away and let you grieve in your own way, as I will in mine. Know that I will always look out for you. Should you ever require anything, all you need do is ask….

Josef


Beth took the medallion from its case and placed it around her neck. Josef was right, wearing it somehow made Mick feel closer. What had once rested above his heart, now lay near hers. The ring she would put away, memories of his strong hands caressing her, holding her, too fresh, too much to bear.

During the next few months, Beth struggled to find something to focus on. She needed to get on with her life on her own terms, yet she knew she was never alone. Members of the LA vamp community kept their distance, perhaps on Josef’s orders, easing her return to the human world. Yet she sensed they were watching out for her, doing what they could for her from the shadows. True to his word, Josef never tried to contact her again and at the end of the year, he left LA, never to return as Josef Kostan.

When 2010 began, Beth found herself once more grieving the untimely deaths of close friends. When she’d agreed to be Colleen’s guardian in the event her parents died, Beth had never thought she’d have to make good on that promise. At first, she had no clue how to deal with a one year old child. But with time and the help of some friends, caring for the toddler became easier. Beth poured her energies into giving Colleen all the love she could ever require, and love was hers in return.

With the money from Mick’s estate, Beth bought a house on the outskirts of LA, nestled on a hillside overlooking the city. Once she had become comfortable as a surrogate mother, Beth began to look for other avenues to channel her energies. She’d made some contacts in the publishing world, and became a part-time, then full-time editor. Over the years, her efforts and her talents allowed her to rise though the ranks of a major publishing house. Beth was successful, she had a loving daughter, but each night as she climbed into bed, she did so alone. Many had sought to draw the handsome woman out of her solitude and into their arms, but none were successful. The only touch she longed for would never be hers again. When loneliness threatened to overwhelm her, she held Mick’s ring as she drifted off to sleep. Sometimes, she thought she felt his hand in hers as she awakened. But like the memory he was, the sensation evaporated in the morning’s light.

Colleen became the focus of her heart and Beth delighted in the child’s intelligent, inquisitive nature. As the child grew, there were the normal mother daughter confrontations, but there was one that was somewhat unique; under no circumstances would Beth allow her daughter to dress up for Halloween or participate in any Halloween activities. Along with her intelligence, Colleen had temper, but no amount of tantrum would sway her mother’s feelings on Halloween.

By the time Colleen went away to college, Beth had mellowed, comfortable and content with her life. During a visit home, Colleen decided to ask her mother why she loathed Halloween as she did. Beth nervously fingered the medallion she wore as she contemplated her answer. Looking into her daughter’s eyes, she saw an intelligent woman who could understand and appreciate both the horrors and the joys of her mother’s past.

Beth poured them each a glass of wine and told her story from the beginning; her childhood abduction, her rescue and her reconnection 23 years later with the man who had been her savior. Colleen had never considered herself naïve, but she found herself both stunned and fascinated by her mother’s tale. By time she had learned the reason for her mother’s hatred of Halloween, the wine was gone and Colleen was wiping tears from her eyes.

That was almost ten years ago. Since that time, Colleen had married, given birth to Erin and divorced. She had watched her daughter grow strong and her mother fail. Beth had always been resilient, and Colleen fretted at the periodic signs of weakness her mother was showing, despite Beth’s reassurances that all was well. After Colleen’s divorce, Beth’s offer to have her daughter and granddaughter move in with her was gratefully accepted. Erin and her grandmother would have time to enjoy each other and Colleen could keep an eye on them both.

A few months ago, Colleen’s worst fears were confirmed; her mother wasn’t merely failing, she was dying. When told that treatments would delay, not cure her condition, Beth opted to forego them, wishing instead to spend the rest of her days at home with her family. Now, as Erin giggled with at her grandmother’s antics, Colleen marveled how her little fairy princess had driven away the ghosts of Halloween that haunted Beth. All except one.

“Are you coming to my party, Gramma?”

“Of course, sweetie. It will be fun to see all your friends in their costumes.”

“Mommy’s going to dress up.”

The wheedling challenge from the five year old was clear, and one Colleen wouldn’t tolerate. “Erin, your grandmother already told you that she doesn’t want to dress up. Now, why don’t you help me get ready and let your grandmother rest up a bit.”

As mother and child climbed the stairs, Beth headed out to the terrace, there to enjoy the sunset and a little peace before a small hoard of noisy children and their parents descended on her home. Twilight always reminded her of Mick and the world she’d glimpsed so many years ago, one she almost became a part of. Did she have any regrets? Yes, the greatest of which was losing Mick as she did. Not far behind was her estrangement from Josef. She’d held him responsible all these years, yet she was to blame as well. Mick had been pre-occupied with her turning, anticipating their time together as she came through the transition. He’d been distracted and that had cost him his life.

But Mick’s death and her separation from his world allowed Beth to appreciate her own. From death came life, from sorrow, joy. Had Mick and Colleen’s parents not died, Colleen and Erin would never have been a part of Beth’s life. And that was something she could never regret.

As the sun began to set, Beth withdrew a small card from her pocket, one of several that had arrived over the years. Unadorned, it bore a phone number and a name in a hand she knew all too well. She’d nearly called him when told of her illness but for whatever reason, couldn’t bring herself to do so. Now, with her life coming to an end, it was finally time to call. More importantly, it was time to forgive.

A few hours later, the pint-sized ghosts and goblins had come and gone. Erin had thoroughly enjoyed her party and her mother and grandmother were swept up in the child’s happiness. A short time later, Beth sat next to her granddaughter as she lay in bed, reading her a story, one with a ‘happily ever after’ ending. By the end of the story, Erin was asleep, her wand clutched tightly in her chubby fingers, a dreamy smile on her face.

Beth closed the book, then gently moved a stray lock of hair from the child’s face. “Sweet dreams, fairy princess, and may they all come true.” Kissing Erin softly, Beth withdrew, casting one last glance at the sleeping child before she closed the door. With Erin asleep, Beth made her way downstairs to find that her daughter had dealt with most of the after party mess. Colleen worried at how tired and strained her mother appeared. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, just tired from all the excitement tonight, but too wired to sleep. Come sit with me for a while and we’ll both relax a bit.”

Arm in arm, the two women headed for the terrace to enjoy the bright mid-autumn moonlight. For a while, both were silent, each enjoying the peaceful company of the other. After a while Colleen spoke, a slight tremble in her voice. “You’re leaving soon, aren’t you?”

For a moment, Beth said nothing, then answered truthfully. “Yes. How did you know?”

“I was watching you tonight at the party. I haven’t seen you that happy and at peace with yourself for a long time. It’s as if you’ve made a decision and an awful burden has been removed. Have you made a decision?”

“Yes, several actually. Colleen, when I was told of my illness, the doctors gave me a few months to live. I could have prolonged that time by undergoing treatment, but my quality of life, my time with you and Erin would have been diminished. I chose to spend my time with my family in our home and not in some hospital. Now, the time has come for me to pay for that decision. My time grows short and there are still some things I have to do before I die.”

Colleen flinched at the last word, but her mother continued. “Child, we all die. That’s the price for coming into this world. Some people are granted long and healthy lives, while others are denied time they should have had.”

“My parents.”

“Yes. They should be the ones sitting here with you, not me. But as a dear friend of mine once said, ‘the universe had other plans’, in this case for both of us. My life is not as long as I would have hoped, but it’s been an amazing one. I’ve loved and been loved more deeply than most in this world. You and Erin have brought me so much joy, more than I could ever have imagined.” Beth fingered the medallion she wore, then removed it from her neck, holding it lovingly in her hands. “But I once loved and was loved by another, in a different place, in a different lifetime. When I lost Mick, I lost a part of myself, one that I could never recover. It’s time for me to find him again. It’s time for me to become whole again. Can you understand that, Colleen?”

The young woman nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek. “Yes. I knew this was coming, I just didn’t expect it so soon. I don’t want to lose you.”

Beth approached her daughter and placed the medallion around her neck, kissing her cheek gently. “I’ll always be in your heart, child. Wear this as a way of remembering me, as I wore it to remember Mick.”

Colleen fingered the medallion, then held her mother close. A cool breeze stirred, causing the women to shiver. “It’s getting late. Maybe we should go in now and get to bed. I don’t want you to…”

“What, catch cold?” Beth laughed, trying to lighten the mood. “You go in. I want to stay out here a little while longer and enjoy the view.”

“OK, but don’t stay out too long.” Colleen kissed her mother. “I’ll see you in the morning. Love you.”

“Love you too, baby. Check on our fairy princess before you turn in.”

A few minutes after her daughter left, Beth whispered into the darkness. “You can come out now Josef.”

A voice answered from the shadows. “Can’t sneak up on you, can I, Buzzwire?”

“You almost did. But there hasn’t been any breeze to speak of tonight.”

“I’ll have to remember to check the weather the next time I want to drop in unannounced. But this wasn’t exactly unannounced, now, was it?”

Turning, Beth saw Josef slowly emerge from the shadows. After 30 years, he looked much as he had when she last saw him. The moonlight made his face appear ghostly grey, only this time there were no torn and bloodied clothes. “No, and thank you for coming…. I didn’t really know if you would after all this time …after everything.”

As he approached, Josef’s eyes found hers and in them, the forgiveness he thought he’d never receive. Beth closed the distance between them, and finding herself in his cool embrace, the words he had longed to hear tumbled out. “I’m so sorry, Josef. So very sorry. I shouldn’t have said all those horrible things. It wasn’t your fault.”

Josef stroked her head, the long blonde tresses he remembered now dark and streaked with grey. “It was my fault, Beth. I could have called someone else. I should have…”

“No. You called Mick because you needed him and trusted him. If you hadn’t, you wouldn’t have survived and Mick wouldn’t have been able to live with himself.”

For a few moments, the two held on to each other, each reliving their last encounter, each feeling the pain of Mick’s loss all over again. When they pulled apart, Beth swayed momentarily, but Josef steadied her. “I’m all right. Just tired. Too much excitement today for an old lady. Come, sit with me for a while.” Beth led Josef to chaise, then drew him down to sit beside her. “Josef, I know what you’ve done for me over the years, watching over me as you did. You were always out of sight, but never out of mind. I want to thank you now, but have a few more favors to ask of you.”

Josef nodded, fearing he knew what one of those would be. “All you need do is ask, Beth. If it is mine to give, I will.”

“First, my daughter and granddaughter. Colleen knows my story and of your existence, but I’m not entirely sure how much she actually believes. She has given me her word that she will never reveal what she knows to another living soul, and I believe her. When I’m gone, look after them as you’ve looked after me.”

“I will. Your daughter’s quite attractive, you know. Divorced, is she?”

Beth swatted Josef playfully. “Look after them from a distance, Josef. I’m not sure I want Colleen to know any more about you than she does, not with a small child to care for.”

“Beth, you wound me. I’d never come between a mother and child.”

“See that you don’t.” Beth reached into her pocket and withdrew Mick’s ring. “I also want to thank you for giving me this and the medallion. It’s been one way I’ve been able to hold onto him, other than in my dreams. Soon, I’ll be with him again forever, so it’s time to return it to you, to remember us both by.”

Josef shook his head. “No. It’s not your time yet.”

“Josef, my life is rapidly coming to an end. If you weren’t aware of that before tonight, you’ve now sensed the disease that’s killing me. The doctor’s say I have a month or so left, but I don’t want to linger, wasting away before my daughter’s eyes. It’s too cruel, for both of us.”

“And that’s why you’ve summoned me, on tonight of all nights, to play angel of death? You speak of cruelty, Beth, but what you ask of me is beyond cruel. Is this the price of forgiveness?”

Beth took Josef’s face in her hands, holding his eyes with hers. “No. Forgiveness is free and it should have been given years ago. Please, the one last thing I’ll ever ask of you is to grant me a peaceful death on my own terms. Free me from my pain, Josef, and let me be with Mick again.”

The elder vampire sighed and gave his assent. “I owe you that much. When?”

“Tonight. But first, stay with me a while, tell me what you’ve been up to, who you’ve become. I know you’re no longer Josef Kostan. I read of his untimely death in a plane crash.”

Josef smiled sadly. “Josef Kostan died the same night Mick did, I just didn’t realize it at the time. After a few years without Mick or yourself around, I found that there was no one left who truly cared about me. And so, it was time to for Josef to die, to be replaced with someone else, someone who would incorporate Josef and all who preceded him into a new entity. After Josef’s ‘death’, I moved around, trying to find my new niche. For the last few years, I’ve lived in Australia, and made a killing in mining there. If only it wasn’t so god damned hot I could learn to like the place. Seems Australian women are attracted to non-Aussie men, so I had my pick of lovely, willing freshies. But now, I think it’s time for me to come back to LA. After all, you’ve given me the responsibility of looking after your family.”

“True. But who are you now? I’ve always been fascinated by the names and personas you create for yourself.”

Josef looked toward the nighttime sky. “I took a name that would never let me forget the two people who mean so very much to me - Michael Turner. Close friends call me Mike, but that doesn’t happen very often.”

Beth squeezed the old vampire’s hand in hers. “That’s sweet, but do you mind if I still call you Josef?”

“You, dear Buzzwire, may call me what you like. And how many times do I have to tell you. I’m. Not. Sweet. I’m a vampire, ergo, I’m can’t possibly be sweet.”

“Yes, Josef, you are a vampire and now it’s time for you to prove it.” Beth rose and pulled Josef to his feet. “Before you grant me my last request, there is one more question, a silly one I know, but one that I’ve always wondered about.”

“What’s that?”

“What was Mick going to dress up as at your Halloween party? He wouldn’t tell me, only that it was a surprise.”

Josef snorted, recalling the memory. “Mark Antony. Believe me, it was a surprise for him as well. He lost a bet with me and his payment was that his costume had to go along with yours. When I called, he told me that you were Cleopatra and I was supposed to get his costume ready for him. But then there was that little task I had for him….” Josef shook his head. “I’d have given anything to see him in a toga, knowing how silly he would feel and all the grief I could give him. But I’d have given everything just to have him show up with you on his arm.”

Beth embraced the old vampire, feeling his sorrow and regret. Mortal and immortal joined one last time, then pulled away. Beth took Josef’s hand in hers and led him to the edge of the terrace. “Look at that brilliant, full moon, Josef. Isn’t it beautiful? It reminds me of the night I met Mick. He told me he’d always remember me, walking barefoot in the fountain, bathed in Moonlight.”

“He loved you so much, Beth. You brought out the best in him. You made him see that he wasn’t a monster, only a man in search of his soul. He found what he was searching for, Beth. He found it in you.” Josef moved behind Beth and holding her close, whispered softly. “Think of him now. Hold his ring in your hand as you gaze at the moon. Think only of Mick….”

She barely felt his fangs pierce the tender skin of her neck. Beth felt as though she was floating, a sign her life was ebbing away. For a moment, the moonlight darkened as she fell into Josef’s arms. The old vampire carried her to the chaise, and laying her down gently, kissed her goodbye. Whispering her thanks, Beth closed her eyes and Mick’s ring fell to the ground.

A hand touched her cheek, a familiar hand. As she opened her eyes, the moonlight had returned and the ring was back where it belonged, where it had always belonged; on his hand. Hazel eyes gazed at her, mahogany curls framing the face she’d longed to see. The medallion was partly hidden, but she knew it lay near his heart. A smile greeted her as she touched the scruff on his cheek. Capturing her hand, Mick kissed it gently. “Hey. We’re going to be late for the party.”
Last edited by darkstarrising on Sun Jan 10, 2010 3:38 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by francis »

My reaction to this story. I have no words.
So good. So heartfelt. So sad. So happy. So real.
:gasp: :eek2: :hankie: :reading: :hankie: :confused2: :hankie: :reading: :pray: :happysigh:
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by redwinter101 »

Oh dsr, you've gone and done it. Really done it this time. With no warning that this was going to be such a sad story, it was too late before I realised - and then I had to keep reading. And sobbing.

Beautiful.

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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by coco »

Oh that totally took me by surprise. I was not expecting this reaction. So many tears, dsr.

Incredibly, incredibly beautiful. :flowers:
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by Albra »

:reading: :reading: :reading: :reading:

... beautiful ...

:hankie: :hankie: :hankie: :hankie:

Thank you :rose:
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by draco »

This story is just so bitter-sweet beautiful!
The pain of both Beth and Josef was palpable and I nearly ended up crying.
Loved the ending with the reunion, first with Josef and at last with Mick. You really captured the spirit of every character involved and brought them back to life and for that I want to thank you. :hankie: :rose:
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by Lilly »

I'm just sitting here -- sobbing and sobbing. I'm an absolute mess, but I didn't even get up for tissues because I couldn't stop reading. I don't think I've ever had such a visceral reaction to anything I've read before in my life.

Good lord, dsr -- this is exquisite.


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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by PNWgal »

Oh...Karen... :hankie:

I WEPT through the whole thing. It's so beautifully written and such a lovely commentary to the love Mick and Beth shared. Her anger at Josef, blaming him for Mick's death, and her attempt to live out her life without Mick in it just had me sobbing.

I think this is probably one of the best damn things you've written to date. Congratulations on moving me beyond belief with this. :hug:
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GuardianAngel
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by GuardianAngel »

Oh, dsr. I'd say this was sad but that's not exactly true. Yes, my heart broke along with Beth's when Mick died. And then again at her separation with Josef. But she also gained so much, able to live a human life. And yes, her death was unfair but it put things in perspective, allowing her to repair things with Josef and sending her back into her love's arms.

I cried. A lot. This was amazing!
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Lilly
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by Lilly »

PNWgal wrote:
....I think this is probably one of the best damn things you've written to date.
I think this may be one of the best damn ML fanfics written to date. :rose:
Lilly

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mitzie
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by mitzie »

How beautifully sad!!!! :hankie: :hankie: :hankie: You've outdone yourself with this story, dsr!!!! :thud: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :clapping: :gasp: :Mickangel: :bmoon: :eyes: :eyes: :rainbow: :thud: :thud: :thud: :thud: :notworthy: :worship: :heart: :rose: :flowers: :catpumpkin:


mitzie :mooncat:
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cassysj
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by cassysj »

This is so beautiful. :hankie: It's so sad but I'm so happy with the ending. Beth and Mick are together again and it's like no time has passed.

Just wonderful.
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Kara
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by Kara »

Oh. I didn't expect to be crying. But cry I did. :sigh: :comfort: I felt such sorrow for Mick & Beth losing each other. Then Josef losing Beth as well. I could see Beth living her life alone losing Mick like that. But at least she made her peace with Josef. And got her Mick again in the end. Yep. Bittersweet indeed. :comfort:

Great story. Thank you. :hearts: :rose: :clapping:
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HotMicks
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Location: In the freezer, waitin' for Mick to chill...

Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by HotMicks »

Wow, that was such a tale! I couldn't stop reading. :reading:

Thanks so much, dsr! :clapping: :notworthy: :clapping:
~ Hot Mick's Mistress of Chill
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darkstarrising
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Re: Ghosts of Halloween - PG Challenge 110

Post by darkstarrising »

Thank you all so much for your comments :hug: .....when I wrote this story, I had no intention of upsetting anyone and apologize if I did so. In the spirit of Halloween, this was the 'Trick' in 'Trick or Treat'. Depending upon how you read it, Beth either lives out her life alone without Mick and rejoins him in the afterlife or she fell asleep waiting for him to return from his errand and it was all a dream. The 'nagging question' about losing the ability to have children after she was turned played out in her subconscious mind creating Colleen and Erin and the life she had with them.

There is no 'right' way to read this story. Whichever way you choose to read it is strictly up to you....

francis - thanks, it did come from the heart...

red - thanks, I'm glad you found it beautiful, but sorry for the upset

coco - thank you so much and I'm glad you found it beautiful

Albra - thanks sweetie and I'm glad you found it beautiful as well

draco - thanks and I appreciate the comment about capturing the spirit of the characters - that's always tough to do

lilly - Wow and thank you for all your kind words :hug: (hopefully hubby thinks you're ok now)

PNWGal- Again, Wow and thank you for your kind and supportive words :smooch: . I made you cry, but you made me laugh in return

GuardianAngel - Thank you so much!! Beth's life is what she made of it. Whichever path she chose, to stay human or to be turned, she would have had to have given up something or someone.

mitzie - thanks honey. I'm glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate the compliment.

carol - thank you! Either way you read it, it does have a happy ending.

kara - thanks so much! Without Mick, Beth's life was full, but never quite complete...and it took a long life without him (or a dream of one) to make her realize that.

hot micks - thanks and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
darkstarrising
Love – the universal language, the story of Moonlight
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