Summary: \u00a0Joe\u2019s family and his girlfriend are throwing him a surprise party. But what will Joe do when he has to search for where the party is and things go wrong, well wrong to him?<\/p>\n
Rated:\u00a0K+ (2,170 words)<\/p>\n
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A Birthday Gone Wrong<\/strong><\/p>\n Story Notes:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n This is a response to ML’s 2012 birthday literary exercise.<\/em><\/p>\n ***<\/p>\n October 31st came around<\/strong> and this year it was a little different then every other year. Instead of just celebrating Joe\u2019s birthday like normal this year they are throwing him a surprise party in Virginia City. The thing is, Joe isn\u2019t sure where it\u2019s going to be held. Everyone in town and his family, even Hop Sing knows where it\u2019s held but no one will tell him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cJoe, there\u2019s going to be little clues on where it\u2019s going to be held,\u201d was all he was getting from everyone. He sighed and picked up the journal his pa got him last year and wrote a little.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u2018Well I am still getting the normal answers about where the party will be held. The only thing I am getting is that there\u2019s going to be small clues on where it\u2019s going to be but yet no one is telling me what the clues will look like or where they will be at. Well more later.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n He put his pen back in the journal and put the journal in the night stands drawer. There was a knock on his room\u2019s door. He got up and answered it and there stood his girlfriend Vanessa, \u201chello Joe,\u201d she said in a dirty, bloody white dress.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cUh, hello, are you okay honey?\u201d he asked her.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah, oh this, it\u2019s just something your Pa said would be perfect to wear to your party and that I am your first clue on it,\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re all bloody and dirty. Your dress is all ripped and it looks like you have a few leaves in your hair,\u201d Joe told her, \u201cso, I guess I have to dress up like I am dead?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes, you got clue one right, well, I have your outfit downstairs, let\u2019s go down there, get you changed and ready and then we take Brownie and Cochise and we go find clue number two, but I am not allowed to tell you where it\u2019s hidden,\u201d she told him, \u201cbut I gave you a clue already.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cSo the next clue is in the barn?\u201d he asked and turned to face her and she was gone. He was confused and went downstairs and he couldn\u2019t find her anywhere\u2019s. He picked up the outfit and saw a small note saying \u2018clue #2\u2019 he opened it and read, \u2018go to barn and look for the unseen.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d he asked out loud and got changed quick like into the outfit Vanessa had waiting for him, which was a phantom of the opera type outfit with a mask that covered the areas around his eyes and forehead only.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He checked himself out in the mirror then went to the barn. He saw Cochise but no Vanessa or Brownie. He turned to get his blanket to put under his saddle and that was missing. He sighed and grabbed the extra blanket and placed it on Cochise then put his saddle on. After the saddle was done up he mounted Cochise and above the door was something shiny. He got off Cochise, climbed a ladder and grabbed the shiny object and it had 3 written on it. He sighed, twisted the top off and all that was in it was a small rose petal.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cMan Cooch, this family of ours is going to drive me nuts by the time the party is here,\u201d he told his horse as he climbed back on to the saddle. He slipped clue number three into his saddle bag and off towards Virginia City he went.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Half way there Cochise came to a dead stop and wouldn\u2019t go any further. Joe looked around and some how he was at a small river and Cochise wasn\u2019t crossing the bridge.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cTurn around and let\u2019s go the other way,\u201d Joe told his horse who obeyed and turned around. As they were heading back Joe was starting to get a little worried since the whole woods was oddly dark and the trees were swaying and limbs were creaking and cracking.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He clicked his tongue and tapped his heels against Cochise\u2019s sides and he went into a run. Cochise stopped when something fell to the ground in front of him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe slowly and carefully climbed off his horse and when he got to what fell it was a \u2018bloody\u2019 bale of hay.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cClue four?\u201d Joe asked reading the card. He opened it and read to Cochise, \u201cWell boy listen to this one, \u2018Go to river and cross, head straight four yards and you\u2019ll see a small well.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cochise shook his head no, \u201cI know boy it\u2019s creepy but if we want to get to Pa and them we gotta, and you get to see brownie again,\u201d Joe said as he climbed onto Cochise. Cochise turned back to the river\u2019s direction and headed back. He got to the bridge and crossed it slowly.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGood boy, now, let\u2019s do what the clue says that\u2019s here in your saddle bag,\u201d Joe said and Cochise headed in the direction he was supposed to. Joe spotted the well up a head a few feet and steered Cochise that way. He got there and saw a note that says Clue 5 on the front.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGreat all I want to do is a damn clue hunt tonight,\u201d Joe mumbled and Cochise grabbed the clue and handed it to Joe, \u201cthanks,\u201d Joe told his horse, \u201cGo straight a few miles until you see a house.\u2019 That\u2019s all it says so let\u2019s go boy.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He felt Cochise sigh beneath him as he headed in the direction he was told to go. They finally got to the house after about four miles. Joe got off and Cochise had some water out of the trough that was near by. He then stood at a grass patch and started eating some.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cGo on straight, you\u2019ll find the next clue,\u201d Joe read, \u201cwell Cochise, let\u2019s go to the next clue.\u201d He re-mounted Cochise and they headed to where the next clue would be, \u201cyou know boy, I just realized, all these are written in Vanessa\u2019s hand. Weird, but why would she be the one doing the clues? Unless this whole thing is her way of getting even with me for not going to the dance with her two weeks ago?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n They finally arrived at a small pond and someone was standing there with their back to them. Clue 6 was written on the back of the person, Joe slowly took his gun out and pointed it at the person, \u201cwho, who are you?\u201d Joe asked getting scared since the person didn\u2019t even budge when Cochise walked a little closer.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The person turned around and there stood Adam. To Joe it looked like Adam had a gun shot wound to the left shoulder, \u201cwe, we go four miles north,\u201d Adam told his younger brother acting like the gunshot was real. Joe got off his horse and Sport came out of hiding and Joe helped Adam onto his horse.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cEasy Adam, let\u2019s go,\u201d Joe said and got onto Cochise. When his back was turned to Adam, Adam smiled and thought, \u2018Man if Vanessa lives after this huge trick on Joe, It\u2019ll be a miracle.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam made Sport go up next to Cochise and he was still acting like he was in a lot of pain, \u201cJoe don\u2019t stop until the end,\u201d was all he got out and \u2018passed out.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe grabbed a hold of Sports reins and led him the way. He wanted to stop and help his older brother but Adam did just tell him not to stop and if he didn\u2019t listen he\u2019d get his but kicked if everything goes right.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Four long miles later Joe came across a house. He brought the horses to a stop and saw a wagon; he got an idea and hooked the horses up to the wagon after taking Adam off his horse. After they were hooked up correctly Joe picked Adam up and put him on the back of the wagon, \u201cstay put,\u201d Joe told Adam and left to go find Clue #6.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Adam chuckled a little and saw Hoss sitting in a chair making it look like he was dead, \u201cHOSS!\u201d Joe called, \u201cNo, not my brothers.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe had tears in his eyes and found a paper with Clue #6 written in \u2018blood\u2019 pinned to Hoss with an arrow. Joe unhooked it and opened it, \u201cPut him in the wagon with Adam, go four more miles north. Clue #7 is waiting,\u201d Joe read and wondered how he\u2019d get Hoss to the wagon. He got the idea of dragging him out on a sheet that was in the same room. So he pulled the sheet over, rolled Hoss onto it and Hoss tried his hardest not to say ouch when his head it the floor with a thud. Joe then dragged the sheet out with Hoss on it and then the problem came, how is he going to get Hoss onto the wagon?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He looked around and found a plank of wood that was a bigger size. He went over, got it, put the break on the wagon, and dragged Hoss up onto the wagon that way. The tears were rolling down his cheeks as he was doing the whole thing. After Hoss was on the wagon he un-locked the break and whipped the reins and headed in the direction he was supposed to. Scared to know what lies ahead for him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n When he got to the spot he didn\u2019t see anything there. Suddenly a big flash of light came with a bunch of smoke. When the smoke was cleared away he looked and Hoss and Adam were missing out of the back of the wagon.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDouble, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble,\u201d he heard in an odd, creepy voice. He looked around and where the empty spot was is now a witch standing there by a cauldron. There was a fire burning bright under it and he thought \u2018man this is one odd clue hunt.\u2019<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI smell blood,\u201d a third unfamiliar voice said, \u201csmells like the fourth Cartwright has joined us for dinner sisters.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Joe gulped and started to back the horses up but the wagon hit something and broke a wheel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t be scared my sweets, we\u2019re not going to hurt you,\u201d a voice said that sounded kind of familiar to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cVanessa?\u201d he squeaked out.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYes my love, it is I, Vanessa!\u201d she said and threw something onto the flames to make them burn brighter. He glanced around and couldn\u2019t find his family but found four grave type areas.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cUnfaithful Souls, long since dead. Deep asleep in thy wormy bed. Wiggle thy toes, open thine eyes. Twist thy fingers towards the sky. Life is sleepy, not to shy, on thy feet so say \u2018aye\u201d Vanessa spoke and Ben, Hoss and Adam all slowly rose from the graves they were in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cPa? Adam? Hoss?\u201d he asked feeling the tears build up more, \u201cNo, Vanessa why?\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cCome to me my children, come to me!\u201d she shouted and a bunch more \u2018zombies\u2019 came from the woods. Suddenly they all turned to Joe and headed his way.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n He got out of the wagon and started backing away but got grabbed from behind and was taken to Vanessa. She grabbed him, kissed him and everyone started laughing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!\u201d they all called laughing, even Ben, Hoss and Adam were laughing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cBut you all are?\u201d Joe asked as he slowly sat down in a chair that was brought to him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHoney, I told you I was good with my makeup,\u201d Vanessa told him and he smiled, \u201csorry fro the clue hunting and the family acting dead on you.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s, It\u2019s fine, this time honey,\u201d he told her and they hugged.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHappy Birthday baby,\u201d Vanessa told him.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThank you, thank you everyone and wow this is one odd birthday now, but it was fun, even though Cochise was scared to cross the bridge at first,\u201d Joe said making everyone laugh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cYeah Brownie, Sport, Chubs and Buck were scared of that bridge also but it was the only way across without going in the water,\u201d Ben spoke up.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhoa, creepy make up Pa,\u201d Joe said as they hugged.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThanks, blame Vessa, she even did Hoss\u2019s death and Adam\u2019s to make it look real,\u201d Ben said, \u201cshe used food coloring and water that was thickened by flour.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWow, well, let\u2019s PARTY!\u201d Joe shouted and the band started playing and they all danced the night away.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Disclaimer:\u00a0All publicly recognizable characters and settings are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n