“Yeah, like why would Disney put us in the back yard of the Mansion?” Trixie said.
“I didn’t know the Haunted Mansion even had a back yard,” Bunny added.
“Like, yeah, I don’t really think it does,” Trixie said, and that is what’s creeping me out.”
“And what’s going on with that crest?” Vicky asked.
The engraved crest centered between the chairs began to glow orange, as if it were energized by the moon’s rays. Brighter and brighter and brighter—until six small meteor-like bursts of light shot out from the crest and began rapidly traveling in small, random motions above it. They continued to move faster and faster—creating trails of yellow-orange sparks, which formed a large globe-like mass of intense orange light in the center of all the activity.
“Oh, I think I know”, Lila said in a diabolical tone.
“What? How would you know?” Vicky snapped at Lila. The bright glow of the light mass highlighted her face in the darkness like a large bonfire, as she gave Lila a perplexed look.
“Wait. Who’s touching my arm?” Bunny screeched out.
“And my leg,” Katie followed.
The tall chairs had suddenly sprung to life! Their intricately carved details broke free from the rigid structures that lye beneath—moving in vine-like fashion, they quickly restrained the arms and legs of the four frightened girls.
“Why, why is this happing?” Vicky cried out. Too scared to say anything else.
The other girls shrieked out for the very same reason.
“And how come she’s not tied to her chair?” Katie yelled out, while directing her attention to a smiling Lila.
“Yeah, how come you’re still free, Lila?” Trixie asked.
Lila looked at Trixie with a sly grin, her green cat-like eyes began to glisten—startling the other four girls. “You’ll see,” she said with suppressed laughter. Slowly standing up from her chair and turning her attention towards the ominous moon, the green eyed girl raised her arms towards the dark sky and spun around—as her silky-black cape covered, then revealed, who she really was. A young and powerful witch! Lila had waited years for this night to finally arrive. The night when all her great-uncle’s darkest desires would become reality.
Her long, black hair was now streaked with violet hues, as it fluttered in the wind. Her perfectly toned skin contrasted beautifully with her burgundy lips and piercing green eyes. An intricately textured purple bodysuit with flowing black cape and knee high boots added to her stunning, yet very intimidating, appearance. Quickly, she scanned the circle with her evil eyes, looking at each of the four girls, before gazing upon the large black staff she now possessed in her left hand. Atop the staff, held in place by a vultures claw, sat a crystal-like sphere—five inches in diameter and transparent green in color. Its appearance, one could say, closely resembled the staff of her great-uncle’s inspiration, Maleficent.
The confident young witch waved her right hand in a circular motion over the top of her staff, which ignited into a green fireball—illuminating her evil, yet very beautiful, facial features. Gripping the staff with both hands, she thrust the blazing head towards the bright orange globe above the crest. A bolt of green lightning shot from the staff, striking the core of the radiant, orange mass centered between the chairs—which immediately burst into thousands of tiny blue and white light particles and transitioned into a giant tornado-like funnel around the area in which the girls sat. As the particles continued to rapidly orbit the area, the wind grew stronger and stronger—the hair of each girl was flying around so uncontrollably, they could hardly see what was happening.
Unaffected by the wind, Lila spread out her arms and raised her hands above her head; commanding the funnel to rise towards the eerie, moon-lit sky. Higher and higher it went, until it was at least thirty feet above the ground—all along, picking up speed. Again, the young witch took her staff with both hands, only this time she thrust it towards the funnel. A continuous stream of green lightning shot from her staff and into the center of the whirling mass of wind and light—transforming it into giant, free-flowing shapes of blue, green and white light—which moved in and around each other. As four petrified girls looked up to observe the unexplainable events taking place right before their very eyes, Lila raised her hands above her head yet again, as she called out to the moon above, “Halloween moon of spirits dark, let her roam throughout the park!”
“Her?” Vicky questioned. “What does she mean by ‘her’? I hope she doesn’t mean one of us.”
“I…don’t…think…so,” Bunny replied. “Look”, she said while nodding towards the floating shapes above them.
As the colorful shapes continued to move in and around each other, a pale white face began to take shape, and then a neck. Gradually, facial features, silvery-blue hair, slender arms, and a long, tattered grey dress—that effortlessly flowed through the air, became more pronounced. The smokey blue and green shapes formed an eerie aura-like border around the floating figure, then faded into the surrounding midnight sky.
“Who is that?” Katie asked.
“You don’t know me?” the floating figure replied with a grin.
“No, we don’t,” Vicky replied.
“Let me give you a clue,” the lady spirit answered back. “A ‘head start’ in the right direction, you could say. You can usually find my aunt floating about the seance room, if you know what I mean.”
“The lady in the crystal ball?” Bunny asked. “How can she be your aunt?”
“Yeah,” Trixie added. “Isn’t Madame Leota just a ride prop?”
“Don’t be silly, Trixie. She’s more than just a ride prop,” Vicky replied.
“Silence!” Lila shouted. “It’s time you learn to respect those around you.”
“Thank you my dear. Please ladies, call me Madame S.”
“So, Madame S, are you really, like, related to Madame Leota?” Bunny asked.
“Yes, I guess you could say that, in a roundabout way. But enough about me,” Madame S replied. “Tonight your friend, Lila, has freed me from the boundaries of the mansion walls. In return, I have agreed to help carry out her great-uncle’s wishes.”
“Wishes?” Vicky repeated.
“Oh, Lila didn’t tell you?” The floating spirit said as she glanced over at the young witch with a grin.
“Tell us what?” Katie asked. “We didn’t even know she had a great-uncle.”
“Ah, splendid,” Madame S responded. “So this whole thing is like one big surprise to the four of you? Wonderful,” she said with a sinister laugh.
“Surprise? Like, what does that mean?” Vicky said with the look of terror written across her face. “Lila, what have you done?”
“Well, considering I had such simple minds to work with, it was really rather easy,” Lila replied, signaling to Madame Sera to begin the ceremony.
“What? What are you doing, Lila?” Bunny asked.
“Preparing for big changes,” the young witch answered back.
“Changes for what?” Katie asked.
“All of this,”, Lila calmly replied, as she raised her arms—looking in all directions.
“Huh?” All four girls responded simultaneously. Flabbergasted by Lila’s response.
“I know, it’s too much for your feeble little minds to comprehend,” Lila said, “but in time you will understand.” The young witch walked over and calmly sat in the fifth chair, poised and ready for what was about to happen. Then she signaled to Madame Sera to begin.
The intimidating female spirit closed her eyes and slipped into deep concentration, while four frightened girls hung on her every word.
Still restrained by the chairs, they could do nothing but watch and wonder. Would they make it through this horrible nightmare?
“Chairs of black, it is blood you need. Prick a finger to do the deed.”
Instantaneously all the girls screeched out, startled by the sudden prick of their right index finger. The five chairs had each drawn a
single drop of blood.
The shadow spirit continued her seance: “Moon of orange, which shines so bright. Call out the spirits this hallows eve night.” The wind began to swirl around the area as villainous streaks of light came flying in from all corners of the Walt Disney World property. Each was led by an obscure facial image of a spooky ghost, ghoul or skeleton, and each, shot into the crest—giving it a life-force of its own.
Lila, still poised in her chair, sat confidently with her chin up and eyes closed. She felt the energy building around her, and the wind blowing through her hair.
Madame Sera’s dark, piercing eyes opened and gazed down at the energized crest, as she finished her calling. “Powers of shadow and evil that scares, rise from thy crest to all nested chairs. Inject them with darkness, Thorns they’ll become. So darkness may rule, all good that’s been done!” The energy of the wind was instantly sucked into the crest—the air went silent and still. In one giant burst, violent streams of orange and yellow light shot out from the crest’s center and into the five chairs—jolting and sending them into uncontrollable variations of transformation!
All five girls fell to the ground as their seats suddenly vanished and were replaced by tall, dark figures standing behind them. Each wore a hooded, long black cloak which covered their bony frames. Their skin was pale blue and wrinkled. Behind dry chapped lips were sets of uncared for teeth, past which, the most foul of breath flowed. Their large eyes appeared lifeless and black as night. Their hair, white as the polar caps, was lined with streaks of bright blue.
Lila rose to her feet and walked to the center of the crest, slowly turning three hundred and sixty degrees, admiring what she and Madame Sera had just accomplished.
The other four girls had been knocked unconscious by the light streams that had passed through their bodies and into the chairs—erasing all memories they had just witnessed. They would have no recollection of how their Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ended that evening.
Madame Sera’s spell had worked to perfection. Standing before her and the young witch, Lila, was their future—their legacy to be.
“Welcome,” Lila said, as she walked around the crest, “my new conjurers of villainy and chaos. We have brought you here, this Halloween eve, to lead a new Order. One that will carry on the legacy my great-uncle so unwillingly left behind. Each of you possesses the power of dark magic. The ability to call on characters and creatures in shadow, manipulate environments in and around WONDER, or whatever else your ruthless minds can think up within Disney’s precious little World of Natural Dream Enhanced Realities. Your only goal, crush the Disney spirit. Put an end to all happily ever afters. Build your armies, teach your leaders the ways of villainy—how to deceive, lie, cheat, steal, con and sabotage. Anything, that would lead to Disney’s inevitable demise and give birth to the new kingdom. A dark kingdom, where new villains will rule and evil shall triumph over good.” Lila raised her arms, staff in hand, and looked to the moon. Her voice echoed these words: “I declare the five who stand before me, supreme rulers of the new Order. To honor the villain my great-uncle most admired, the new name of this Order shall reflect Maleficent’s inspiring words: ‘A forest of thorns shall be his tomb. Borne through the skies on a fog of doom! Now go with the curse, and serve me well! Round Stefan’s castle, CAST MY SPELL!’ And that name shall be… the Forest of Thorns Order. Each of you, my Dark Thorn leaders, shall rule over a segment of the Order. Elontra, my dear, you will control the Magic Kingdom. Senkrad, Epcot shall be yours. Oltar, Hollywood Studios is now yours to command. Kunn, the Animal Kingdom shall fall under your ruling. And Tanion, you are to be Roamer for all of Disney World. As Dark Thorn leaders, you will answer to one, and only one, person… me. Is that understood?”
The five Dark Thorns kneeled, bowed their heads, and answered in unison, “yes your majesty”.
“Very well then,” Lila said. There is work to be done. Seek out your lairs, build your armies, nest, conjure, and plan the fate of all you rule—in darkness and WONDER alike. Now, off you go!” The young witch slammed the base of her staff into the crest—instantly launching the five Dark Thorn leaders, like a series of sizzling-green fireworks, into the night sky towards their new respective territories.
The shadow spirit hovered close to Lila, who was still standing on the large crest tablet. “I should get back inside the mansion, my dear. I can sense my presence is needed.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Lila replied. “But remember, you are free to roam the Kingdom as you please, now. The walls of Gracey Manor no longer define you.”
With a devilish smirk, Madame Sera said, “If you ever require my services again, just call on the spirits. I will hear you.”
Lila and Madame Sera gave each other a look of appreciation, as the tablet on which they stood slowly descended back underground. The grass-covered panels moved back into place—leaving only the foggy, hidden courtyard behind Gracey Manor to be highlighted by the Halloween moon.
Chapter Three
Sometime in recent past.
It was a blustery Sunday evening in snowy February. Typical winter weather for Michigan. Charlie, his parents, and brother had just finished with dinner and were gathered in the family room for what had become known as “Disney movie night” in their household. And tonight’s selection was no exception. It was Charlie’s turn to choose, and his choice was a family favorite—as were most Disney movies in the Zastawits household, Alice in Wonderland.
The fireplace was cracking and popping, as it filled the room with an amber-like glow and steady, flowing heat—making the entire family comfy and warm, while they all nestled under blankets—ready to enjoy the movie.
Their father inserted the disc, the castle appeared, and the Disney movie theme song began to play. Showtime had arrived.
The entire family was enjoying the movie—sharing wholesome conversation, as the white rabbit came scampering across the screen. “Oh my fur and whiskers! I’m late, I’m late, I’m late!,” the white rabbit said.
Mrs. Z, as she was known throughout the community, burst into laughter. “Oh, how I adore that silly bunny.”
“You say that every time we watch this,” Mr. Z replied.
Charlie and his brother looked at their parents, then each other, as they rolled their eyes.
The family cats, Cocoa and Skats came scampering into the family room to see what all the giggling was about. Skats, the grey cat with a lean build and floppy belly, favored Charlie. While Cocoa, the black cat with a portly build and short legs, belonged to Michael. Both quickly claimed their napping spots next to the kids, while curling up to enjoy the humble comforts of a well heated room.
Charlie was gently stroking Skats, who purred in appreciation while kneading the blanket upon which he laid. It was the perfect end to another weekend. Until that is, something rather odd happened—something, only Charlie could see. The white rabbit suddenly stopped in his tracks, turned, and looked straight at Charlie as if he were in the same room.
“Oh, hello there,” the rabbit said with a startled reaction. “I was told you’d be here tonight, hiding in the bushes. It’s okay, you can come out. I have a little secret a friend of yours wanted me to share with you.”
Charlie quickly looked around the room to see if anyone else had noticed what was going on. “Are, are you talking to me?” the startled boy asked.
“Why of course. Your name is Charlie, is it not?”
“Uh. Yeah?” Charlie replied.
“Well then, there’s something I need to tell you—I haven’t much time to waste,” the rabbit said, while looking at his oversized watch. “Your friend down in Florida wants you to watch the Disney vacation planner disc he sent to your house a few months ago. He said there’s something REALLY important you need to see on it before you come down to visit in June.”
“Huh? How would you know that?” Charlie asked.
“Heh, heh. Cause he told me, he did. And now I’m telling you.”
“But why? And how?”
“Never mind that, young man. Just make sure you watch the disc. I have to be on my way now. No time to waste.”
“But?”
“No time for buts. No time at all.”
“Okay?” Charlie doubtfully replied.
The rabbit quickly spun around, as if he’d heard a noise. “Oh! I gotta go,” he said, disappearing from the screen. Then suddenly, he popped back into view. “I almost forgot. Make sure you watch it alone. Got it? OK then, I’m off.”
As quickly as their discussion had begun, it was over. Everything in the room returned to normal, including the movie.
Charlie looked around the room, and just like his experience on the Small World attraction the year before, no one had seen or heard a thing but him.
“Charlie, would you like some popcorn?” his mother asked. “Charlie, can you hear me? Charlie? Charlie, you need to wake up. Hey, Charlie!”
What? What’s happening? Charlie thought to himself as he opened his eyes and looked around his bedroom—his mother’s voice blaring through the hallway and into his room. He sat up, scratching his head, wondering, was it all just a dream? Did I actually have a discussion with the white rabbit from Alice and Wonderland? Charlie raised the blinds on his window, allowing the early morning sun to burst into the room. The birds were singing, the neighbors were setting out their yard waste bin full of grass clippings—it was another beautiful late spring morning, which confirmed what Charlie had thought to be true. He had indeed had another unusual dream. A dream infused with a message from his good friend, Frank Wellington, by way of micro dream particles and the Magic Dream Expander. But I didn’t eat any “special chocolates” last night? Charlie thought, as he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom to clean up.
“Hurry up Charlie, breakfast is almost ready,” his mom called out.
Unfazed by his mother’s voice, he continued to review in his mind all he had eaten the day before—trying to figure out what could have possibly contained the micro dream particles. But as hard as he thought, nothing came to mind. Even after cleaning up and eating breakfast, Charlie still could not pinpoint a moment from the day before when he may have consumed something outside of his daily diet. Frustrated for lack of an answer, he decided it was best to move on—to focus more on what the white rabbit had told him, which was to watch the vacation planner disc and make sure he was alone when doing so. Easy enough, Charlie thought, as he sat in the passenger seat of his dad’s minivan.
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