Summary: Seventeen-year-old Joe has a date in a ghost town. A Halloween story.<\/p>\n
Rating: PG\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Word count: 4500<\/p>\n
The Date<\/strong><\/p>\n Prologue<\/strong><\/p>\n My stomach knotted with cold nerves as Hoss and I approached the abandoned town, its ruined buildings standing in eerie silence against the blood-red glow of the setting sun. A whistling wind sent dust swirling around our horses\u2019 hooves as they tossed their heads and snorted uneasily.<\/p>\n Hoss guided Chubby alongside me, reaching over to rest a warm hand on my tense shoulder as he studied my face, concern evident in his blue eyes. “You all right, Joe? You ready for this? If not, I can go in alone and…”<\/p>\n “Nah, I\u2019m fine,” I lied, trying to ease his worry. I ran a hand over my neck, feeling the wild flutter of my pulse beneath the vulnerable skin. “You got everything we need?” I asked, making sure, for what felt like the fifth time since we\u2019d ridden out of the Ponderosa two hours earlier. “The bullets, the\u2014”<\/p>\n Hoss interrupted me. “Yeah. Don\u2019t you worry. I\u2019m well prepared.” He gave his saddlebag a reassuring pat, where he kept a whole arsenal of weapons and other useful stuff.<\/p>\n I had every reason to be nervous. After all, I’d nearly died\u2014or worse\u2014one year ago. I squared my shoulders and drew a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. We had a job to finish, and there was no way around it.<\/p>\n “All right!” With more enthusiasm than I actually felt, I urged Cochise into a brisk trot. “Let\u2019s get this over with!”<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Exactly one year earlier<\/strong><\/p>\n Standing in front of the mirror in my room, I checked my appearance one last time. My hair was shiny and neatly brushed back, and my face was clean-shaven\u2014not that I had much of a beard to begin with. Grinning contentedly, I dabbed a little more Bay-Rum on my cheeks\u2014I’d snagged the bottle from Adam, which surely would earn me a scolding.<\/p>\n I smoothed out a wrinkle in my fine white shirt and plucked a piece of lint from my collar. Yeah, I looked stunning, as always!<\/p>\n Still, I felt a nervous flutter in my stomach as I rushed down the stairs into the main room of the Ponderosa. It was important for me to make a good impression on my first date with Lyanna, for she was unlike any other woman.<\/p>\n The meeting point she’d suggested initially struck me as odd, though. It was an abandoned town. People claimed it was haunted, but it was lonely, secluded, and undisturbed, making me suspect the girl had more in mind than just talking.<\/p>\n Since I wasn’t one to shy away from anything, I saw no reason not to get involved. After all, I didn’t believe in ghosts or any of that supernatural stuff.<\/p>\n “Hoss, I have a date. I might be late,” I called out to my brother as I walked by.<\/p>\n Hoss looked up from the rifle he had just taken apart to clean it. “A date? Tonight? I thought we’d spend the evening by the fire, playing a quiet game of checkers.”<\/p>\n “Well, no… seems my plans have changed. Haven’t I told you about Lyanna? I met her in Virginia City today. You wouldn’t believe how beautiful she is. Her skin is milky white, and her hair\u2026she’s got a mop of auburn curls that she wears down. She’s new in Virginia City, and she wants to, um, get to know a few people. I agreed to meet her in Gloomville at sundown.”<\/p>\n Hoss’s eyebrows shot up, furrows appearing on his forehead. “In the ghost town? What kind of meeting place is that for a date? There ain’t nothing but filth, crumbling buildings, and, well, ghosts.”<\/p>\n I flashed him a cheeky smile. “Lyanna said she got something special planned for me.”<\/p>\n Hoss was fidgeting on the settee and grimaced. “Joe, I have a bad feeling about this. You mean you’ve only known this woman since today? And what kind of strange name is that?”<\/p>\n I shrugged. “It’s an old Irish name. It means ‘the mysterious one.’ Hoss, I have to get going. I don’t want to be late. It’s a two-hour ride!”<\/p>\n “But\u2026”<\/p>\n “Don’t worry. It’s just a date with a girl\u2014what could go wrong?” I cut short his objection as I stepped out the door to saddle my horse.<\/p>\n Cochise seemed to agree with Hoss. He was reluctant to leave the warm stable, snorting in protest as I mounted him and pressed my heels into his flanks. It was pretty chilly for late October. With a shiver, I rolled up the collar of my jacket to protect myself from the piercing wind that went right to my bones.<\/p>\n As I approached the abandoned town after a brisk two-hour ride, the sun was already about to set. ‘People are right,’ I thought with a shudder. There was<\/em> something creepy about Gloomville.<\/p>\n The wind howled through the deserted main street, chasing a few tumbleweeds. An old wooden door hung askew on its hinges, clattering open and closed. Most of the buildings were in ruins, the panes broken or missing, and the black holes of the windows were like dark, square eyes that haunted me with their gazes.<\/p>\n Years ago, hooves and boots had left their mark on this once bustling street. Women in colorful dresses strolled along the sidewalks and looked at the goods in the store windows, filling the place with laughter and life.<\/p>\n Now, there were only rotten, sun-bleached boards, the silence of a deserted place, and a skinny yellow dog, the only living creature, sniffing in the alley in front of the former magnificent hotel.<\/p>\n Cochise flattened his ears and let out a nervous snort. He skidded to an abrupt halt, tossing his head as his muscles trembled beneath me. Irritation flared inside me. Cochise was usually obedient and sure-footed; never before had he refused to go where I wanted him to.<\/p>\n I patted his neck and murmured reassuring words, but it didn’t help. He wouldn’t even take a single step forward. With a sigh, I dismounted and tied the reins to a canopy post.<\/p>\n I adjusted my holster, my weapon a heavy, reassuring weight on my left hip. I ran my fingers over the ivory grip of my gun. It was just that strange atmosphere that made me feel funny. Nothing would happen to me.<\/p>\n Frowning, I swept my gaze down the street and into the dark alleys between the buildings. Where the heck was Lyanna? She should have been here by now. A flicker of unease crept over me. Lyanna wouldn’t let me down, would she?<\/p>\n An icy gust of wind nearly blew my hat off my head. I pressed it back over my curls and walked down the main street. It wouldn’t hurt to look around. Besides, I was freezing. I hoped Lyanna would bring hot coffee. She mentioned some kind of a midnight picnic.<\/p>\n My gaze settled on one of the houses, once a saloon. The swinging doors had vanished long ago, and the sign above the entrance had been bleached and worn blank by the blazing sun and the ceaseless wind that never stopped chewing at the buildings. I had no idea why the town was deserted. Sometimes towns died just as quickly as they had sprung up. Maybe there had been a strike of gold or silver, and the people had moved on when the vein was exhausted. Perhaps a drought caused the wells to dry up, and without water, there was no life.<\/p>\n After a few minutes, I reached the end of the town. There were only two dozen buildings, and I asked myself how such a large hotel could have existed here. Beside the saloon, there was a livery stable, a doctor’s office that doubled as an undertaker, and a mercantile, “Boone’s Food& Supplies.” The sign in front of the store swung on one rusty chain, squeaking in the breeze.<\/p>\n I spun in a circle with my hands hooked into my gunbelt. Still no sign of Lyanna. Had I misunderstood her or gotten the time wrong? No, that seemed unlikely.<\/p>\n Gray twilight settled over the crooked buildings, and the cold sank into my bones. I jerked at the sudden movement, a muffled cry escaping me as something broke free from a rooftop and swept past in a flurry of wings.<\/p>\n Geeze! Just an owl!<\/p>\n With a nervous chuckle, I blew out the air. Now, I almost believed these ghost stories!<\/p>\n No, that was nonsense. There was nothing supernatural. To prove myself right, I took a few more steps toward the dark stones that emerged from the twilight.<\/p>\n “Boothill,” announced the words painted across a weathered wooden sign.<\/p>\n Just my luck. I\u2019d wound up at the cemetery.<\/p>\n Nearby, a crippled oak stretched its gnarled branches toward me like twisted fingers, inviting me to step closer. Around it lay sunken graves, crooked crosses with barely legible inscriptions, and a scattering of tombstones. The earth, black and fertile, was disturbed in places as if someone\u2014<\/em>or something\u2014<\/em>had recently dug here.<\/p>\n Rubbing the back of my head, I leaned closer and squinted at a weathered headstone that was far older than the graves around it, as if it didn’t belong there at all. The faded letters came into focus: “\u2026na Dark, 1721\u20131742.”<\/p>\n My gaze flicked to the right. The cross there belonged to a Mary Beth Miles, 1821-1846. There were even a few children’s graves, but it wasn’t uncommon for a child to die young. What puzzled me, though, was that most of the people had died thirteen years earlier, in 1846. Perhaps there had been a disease like the flu, diphtheria, or another plague.<\/p>\n Darn it, I\u2019d had enough. Lyanna had stood me up\u2014or worse, she\u2019d been playing me for a fool. I was done waiting. I\u2019d ride home and forget the whole thing. It was downright foolish, wandering around a deserted place in the dead of night when I could be sitting by a warm fire, playing checkers with Hoss instead. I was sure Lyanna wouldn’t be coming anymore, since it was almost dark, and heavy clouds chased across the night sky, promising rain. Now and then, the moon would peek out, bathing Gloomville in a pale light.<\/p>\n “Little Joe!”<\/p>\n The voice rang out behind me, clear as a church bell, nearly scaring me out of my skin. I whirled around, my heart pounding against my ribs.<\/p>\n “Lyanna!” I rasped, my voice cracking on her name. “I was about to leave!”<\/p>\n The girl\u2019s mouth twisted into a pout. She tossed back her auburn hair, worn loose in heavy waves over her shoulders, and her full, deep-red lips stood out sharply against her pale skin. “Did you think I wouldn’t come? This is a very important night for me. I can’t afford to waste it.”<\/p>\n ‘Strange wording,’ I thought, managing a crooked smile. How had she come all this way? By buggy?<\/p>\n Swaying her hips, Lyanna floated toward me, pushing all my worries aside.<\/p>\n She looked absolutely stunning. The top of the blood-red dress clung tightly to her body, emphasizing her curves, while the lace hem trailed across the dirty ground.<\/p>\n I wondered if the cold didn’t bother her.<\/p>\n The first thing that hit me, a bit confusing, was her overpowering perfume, which enveloped me like a sweet cloud. Then she grabbed the back of my neck to pull me towards her. My heart skipped a beat and started racing when her soft lips met mine. Sweet and slick, her tongue nudged my lips, entered my mouth, and explored the inside. Her hands dug into my hair, and I got lost in the sensation, wishing this moment would never end. None of it mattered anymore\u2014not the cold, not the rain rolling in, nor the dusty smell of rot that hung over the place.<\/p>\n My pants were getting tight, so I reached down to adjust myself. Lyanna seemed aroused as well, for her breathing had grown faster, and I could feel her trembling. I pulled away.<\/p>\n “Shall we … go into one of the buildings and get more comfortable?” I suggested, feeling the heat pool in my nether regions.<\/p>\n Lyanna pulled out a scarf. “Yes, let’s go inside. You remember I promised you a surprise? Well, it’s a dinner.”<\/p>\n I was a bit disappointed. “Just dinner? I thought …”<\/p>\n She pressed a cool finger to my lips, and I fell silent. “A special<\/em> dinner. Just wait and see. I think you will be surprised.”<\/p>\n With a quick, deft motion, she spun me around to tie the shawl over my eyes. Something about it felt wrong. My arm twitched upward, ready to pull the scarf away, but I let it fall back to my side and decided to play along. I was never one to turn down an adventure with a pretty girl.<\/p>\n Lyanna took my hand and pulled me downtown. I followed, letting her lead, each step careful and measured.<\/p>\n “Watch your feet!” she said as my boot caught on the remains of the old pavement, making me almost trip.<\/p>\n I could tell from the sounds that we had entered a building. Shards clinked under my boots, old floorboards creaked, and when a curtain of sticky cobwebs settled over my face, I jumped back.<\/p>\n Lyanna’s grip on my wrist tightened, and she dragged me forward a few more steps until I bumped into something. I stretched out my free arm, my fingers brushing against a solid armrest.<\/p>\n “Sit down,” Lyanna ordered. She shoved the object\u2014a chair\u2014into the back of my knees and pushed me down onto the upholstered seat, which squeaked in protest.<\/p>\n The hairs on my neck rose, a warning that something wasn\u2019t right. Whatever appetite I\u2019d had for a picnic was gone in a heartbeat. I sniffed the air. There was no hint of fried chicken, apple pie, or fresh biscuits. The air held nothing but the smell of rotting wood, decay, and death. My hand shot up to remove the blindfold.<\/p>\n Lyanna stopped me. “Don’t, Joe. Do you trust me?”<\/p>\n “Um\u2026” I nodded hesitantly, though doubt lingered. I had only just met Lyanna that day. She stopped me as I came out of the mercantile, and before we knew it, we had spent an hour talking. She hadn’t revealed much about herself, sidestepping my questions with practiced ease. Still, her striking beauty and quiet, enigmatic presence held me in a kind of spell I couldn\u2019t quite shake.<\/p>\n Lyanna slipped my jacket off my shoulders and began unbuttoning my shirt. I broke out in goosebumps, my nipples hardening in the cool air. My heart beat so fast I felt dizzy. Now, it was time to bring it down to business! Her hands moved from my neck down my left arm to my hand. I felt soft fabric being wrapped and tightened around my wrist.<\/p>\n “Hey!” I tugged at the restraint. I was blindfolded, half-naked, and now she wanted to tie me up. This was going too far.<\/p>\n “Shh, Joe. Relax. It’s all part of the game,” the girl whispered close to my ear, and once more, I let go of my resistance. I was always looking for a little excitement, was a ladies’ man\u2014or at least that\u2019s what I liked to believe\u2014and I wanted to be open to new experiences. Good Lord, I was probably about to lose my innocence!<\/p>\n My crotch throbbed in anticipation, making me shift back and forth on my seat. I hoped that I could hold out long enough.<\/p>\n Lyanna, probably aware of how aroused I was, giggled as she tied my other wrist to the chair’s armrest. Her long fingernails brushed my cheek, and I could feel her breath on my neck, over my pulse. She drew in the air. “Your scent is so delicious, Joe!”<\/p>\n When she finally removed my blindfold, I took in our surroundings. We were in the hotel\u2019s dining room. You could only imagine its former grandeur. Moth-eaten carpets lay in tangled patches across the floor, and cobweb-draped oil paintings hung crooked on the walls. In one corner sat a mummified grey shape that might once have been a cat. A single candle was fixed to the table beside us, casting a thin, flickering light across the room.<\/p>\n “So, what’s the surprise?” Whatever it was, it sure wasn’t a picnic. There was no sign of a basket of food, a tablecloth, or anything.<\/p>\n Lyanna blocked my view by straddling me, her face only inches from mine. Even up close, she looked unnaturally perfect, but underneath her heavy perfume, I could smell something earthy and wild. My heartbeat quickened even more, but a sense of unease mingled with the thrill.<\/p>\n The girl placed her fingertips on my pulse. “I can feel how excited you are, darling. Let’s get on with the surprise.”<\/p>\n A moment later, the floorboards creaked behind me. Startled, I whipped my head around, my eyes growing wide at the sight.<\/p>\n With slow, deliberate movements, two more women approached, a hungry look in their eyes that made my blood run cold. Though their beauty took my breath away, something about it felt off, too polished. Their skin was flawless, long, loose hair framing pale, cream-white faces.<\/p>\n Perfect rows of pearly white teeth flashed between slightly parted lips as they drew closer. Their low-cut dresses trailed through the dust. The brown-haired woman licked her red lips, reminding me of a cougar sizing up its prey.<\/p>\n The blonde asked, “Shall we play with him first?”<\/p>\n “Play?” I croaked, a heavy nervousness settling in my gut. I swallowed against the lump in my throat. This couldn’t be real. This wasn’t how I’d pictured the night. Since I’ve never been with a woman, the situation was overwhelming. What did they expect of me? Surely, they wouldn’t all three\u2014<\/em>?<\/p>\n “No, let’s eat,” Lyanna said.<\/p>\n I shifted in the chair. Caught between excitement, fear, doubt, and anticipation, I was a trembling mess. How could they possibly be thinking about food right now? Something was very wrong. “Eat? Now?” I asked, my voice coming out as an embarrassing high-pitched squeak.<\/p>\n Close to my ear, Lyanna whispered, “This is going to be a bitter disappointment to you, my sweet Joe, but you’re<\/em> the dinner! Our<\/em> dinner!”<\/p>\n Lyanna rose from my lap and leaned in, fisting my hair. She tilted my head back until I gasped in pain, exposing the column of my throat. Her mouth opened for a throaty laugh, revealing long, razor-sharp fangs.<\/p>\n How come I hadn’t noticed them before?<\/p>\n The blonde, who was standing right behind me, placed her cold hand on my shoulder. “Once a year, on October 31st, the veil between the world of the dead and the world of the living is at its thinnest. We can slip through the curtain and enjoy ourselves for a little while. By drinking the blood of a virgin, we gain the strength to return to our graves and rest for another year.”<\/p>\n Horrified, I squinted at Lyanna’s pointed teeth, which were hovering inches over my vulnerable neck veins.<\/p>\n “What? You wanna \u2026 drink my blood<\/em>?” I stared at her, fighting to break free from her grip as I tried to process what I had learned. This had to be a nightmare, right? But the relentless fingers tangled in my curls, the restraints around my wrists, and the candle bathing the room in uneasy, flickering light were all too real. “Did I get that right?” I croaked. “And how do you know I\u2014?”<\/p>\n Lyanna’s chuckle was like velvet\u2014smooth and deep. “Oh, we can smell if someone’s a virgin. Every year, I make my way to the nearby settlements or towns to pick out a suitable victim. That’s how we’ve done it for over a hundred years. ”<\/p>\n My throat tightened. “No one ever found out about you?”<\/p>\n Lyanne scowled at the other women. “Unfortunately, my two sisters<\/em> went too far here thirteen years ago. They were discovered, and we had no choice but to wipe out the entire town of Gloomville. But usually, when a person disappears here and there, nobody gives a damn.<\/p>\n “It’s easy to have young men wrapped around your finger. You, handsome, fell right into my trap. We had women, too, but it’s more fun with young men, isn’t it, girls?”<\/p>\n “Sure is!” The blonde nodded and smiled, while the other one trailed a soft, cold hand down my bare torso, leaving gooseflesh in its wake.<\/p>\n “I can hear your hot blood rush and smell your dread, Joe. Fear gives the whole thing a certain spice, but trust me. You’d be better off relaxing. Then it won’t hurt much. If you don’t fight back, sweetheart, it’ll be over before you know it.”<\/p>\n Panic swept over me like a wave, and a cold weight settled in my chest. I clenched my hands until my fingernails dug into my palms and tugged at my restraints. I wasn’t ready to die \u2014 not this way, not in that place. I was young, and I still had my whole life ahead of me. “No, please, I \u2026I want to live!”<\/p>\n Lyanna’s scent, wild and earthy, clouded my mind while her breath caressed my throat. She opened her mouth wide, and the tips of her fangs grazed my skin.<\/p>\n I swallowed thickly, my heart hammering in my chest as I braced myself for the inevitable. There was one thing I still needed to know. “Will it be over if you bite me? Or will I… end up like you?”<\/p>\n “That depends. Most of the time, we let them die.” Blondie ran her hand up my thigh. “It’s so cute when they beg and fight! Remember last year, the drifter who\u2014<\/em>”<\/p>\n The door slammed so hard against the wall that it came off its hinges.<\/p>\n “GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!” Hoss’ voice filled the room, sending the girls scurrying. He stood broad-legged in the doorway, holding one of Pa’s old dueling pistols in each hand.<\/p>\n Lyanna’s head snapped around, her nostrils flaring, anticipation coloring her voice. “Oh, it’s going to be a feast tonight!” She let go of me and turned to face Hoss, sniffling. “Look who showed up. Another victim!”<\/p>\n Hoss didn’t bat an eye. “Back against the wall, all three! I don’t wanna shoot you. Just let us leave!”<\/p>\n “Hoss, they’re vampires!” I screamed, not at all ashamed of my squeaky voice.<\/p>\n The women began closing in on Hoss, while I desperately fought against my restraints. The chair was rotten\u2014it was bound to collapse at any moment! Sweat slicked my torso, and my heart was about to jump out of my chest. “Run, Hoss!” I yelled in panic, afraid they’d catch him too.<\/p>\n “Joe’s right, big guy. Bullets can’t hurt us!” Lyanne said as she sneaked a step closer to my brother.<\/p>\n Hoss didn’t waver. “Silver bullets already!” he shouted, firing off two shots.<\/p>\n The impact knocked Lyanna off balance, and she stumbled, turning toward me. Shock and disbelief flashed in her wide eyes, and the eerie sound of her scream echoed through the building.<\/p>\n Pressing her hands to her chest as smoke began to curl from the wound, she dropped to her knees, her accusing gaze never leaving my face. Then, her form began to crumble into dust, starting from the bullet hole.<\/p>\n The blonde girl\u2014<\/em>a vampire<\/em>, I reminded myself, trying to suppress my guilt\u2014<\/em>suffered the same fate, collapsing into a heap of ash as well.<\/p>\n Before Hoss had a chance to reload, the brown-haired woman spun around and disappeared out the back door. Hoss followed her to the door, stopped, and hesitated, torn between following her and freeing me.<\/p>\n I breathed a sigh of relief when he turned my way and came toward me in long strides. He pulled out his knife to cut me loose. Hoss was breathing hard, and sweat was beading on his forehead as his concerned gaze flickered over my torso.<\/p>\n “Are you alright? They didn’t bite you, did they?” Hoss asked, picking up the candle from the table to examine the skin on my neck.<\/p>\n “Nah, they didn’t bite me, but it had been mighty close. You got here just in time.”<\/p>\n Hoss stared at me, frowning at my expression. “Dadburnit, Shortshanks, you don’t feel sorry for them, do you?”<\/p>\n I shook my head, not quite sure what<\/em> I felt. Relief, mixed with … regret? “What … how \u2026 did you know …?”<\/p>\n “Today’s date gave me no peace. Why would a girl want to meet a young man in a ghost town at night? Adam had once told me that October 31st was a special night for Irish immigrants, who held pagan celebrations with weird rites. I had a strange feeling and decided to follow you.”<\/p>\n “Yeah. Vampires were the ones who killed the folks of this town. There’s a whole lot of graves from thirteen years back, and every year since, they’ve claimed another soul.” With a shudder, I grabbed my shirt and put it on. “You can always trust your gut,” I said with a rueful sigh, regretting that I hadn’t listened to Hoss when he tried to warn me earlier.<\/p>\n “Yeah. And I was well prepared. Have a look!” Hoss reached for a chain around his neck, with a silver cross dangling from it, then pulled two garlic cloves from his pocket.<\/p>\n “They said they needed the blood of a virgin … oh my God, Hoss, good thing you got here at the right time!” I had escaped death\u2014or an even worse fate\u2014by the skin of my teeth. I grabbed my jacket and stared at the two piles of ashes on the dirty, faded carpet. “Let’s get outta here!”<\/p>\n “I’m fine with that,” Hoss agreed, clutching his silver cross.<\/p>\n The most embarrassing thing is that something similar happened to me recently. Lotta Crabtree had caught me in her web four weeks ago, “like a spider catches a fat fly,” were Adam’s words. And now this. My brothers must doubt my common sense, but it somehow shuts off when it comes to women.<\/p>\n A wicked smile spread across my face as another thought popped into my mind. “Um, Hoss, they were about to suck you dry, too. They said they only go after virgins. Does that mean you’ve never …”<\/p>\n Hoss grabbed me by the arm and hauled me out of the hotel into the cold drizzle. “Don’t ask stupid questions. Let’s get out of here, boy! Pa must be going crazy worrying!”<\/p>\n I suppressed a chuckle. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but I could swear Hoss’s face was red as a ripe tomato.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, next year we’ll need to come back and finish the job. We had to stop the cycle before there were more victims. But that wasn’t something I was worried about right now. I was alright and alive.<\/p>\n The End<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Episodes referred to:<\/p>\n A Rose for Lotta (written by David Dortort)<\/p>\n Written October 2023, edited 2026<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Summary: Seventeen-year-old Joe has a date in a ghost town. A Halloween story.
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