Black Hearts Dance

by Gerald Lopez

  “This isn’t part of the show,” Elise said. “And the cold chill feels familiar, Layton.”

  A strong gust of wind replaced the gentle breeze and there were screams. The fans in the room started blowing harder than they had been and it seemed like a dark shadow had settled over the space. We all watched as Karina started to rise into the air. She laughed in an insane way, then spoke.

  “I can feel them coming—angry ghosties are coming. Their presence is here in this place and they’re ready to be evil!” She laughed and cackled.

  “Oh my God!” somebody screamed.

  I looked ahead of me and saw people now being sucked toward the fans which were growing in both height and width. There were more screams as the fans’ suction grew stronger.

  “Alex!” I said instinctively to the air.

  The judges of the contest were trying to move away from the fans but were getting drawn toward them as their clothing and hair was being—almost pulled, to the fans with unbelievable force. I panicked for a second, until I saw Alex. Forrest had Alex by the hand and was dragging him away from the area.

  “Yes, yes, kill everyone in the way of you getting your black heart!” Karina said.

  “Cut the power!” I said, as loudly as I could.

  My comment was echoed through the room by numerous voices shouting for the power to be cut. The lights flickered and the fans cut off. Karina was laughing again, but now she was also spinning around in the air.

  “That won’t stop me,” Karina said in a different voice—a male voice. “You pathetic bitches won’t stop, Edmond Littrell!”

  An unseen force caused the two fans at the back to smash into one another causing sparks to fill the space. Before our eyes the fans seemed to melt into one another, twisting and turning until their now black shapes formed one huge black heart. More screams than ever were heard as people scurried to get away, but the pull coming from the fans was at its strongest and partygoers were lifted into the air. Rory was struggling to hold onto Mrs. Carson whose legs were in mid-air.

  “I don’t wanna die!” someone said.

  Then I heard a calming whisper in my ear. “This is your court, Layton Shayne,” Shannon said. “Remember you and Alex are the authority here in the spiritual realm not some bitter, troubled queen. Take your place and make a stand.”

  I looked toward Alex, whose legs were in the air and saw Forrest desperately clutching Alex’s wrists and hands.

  “Enough is enough!” I said. “This is my land not Karina Marino’s. Her dark deals are her own… for me and my household serve the Lord Jesus the Christ! Everyone here is under my protection unless they’ve declared otherwise. Take what’s yours and put everything back as it was in Jesus’s name!” I stood tall, steadfast, unmoved, and unwavering.

  A cold gust of wind came up from behind us whistling so loudly it sounded like the screams of a million lost souls. It made a path straight to Karina who wailed and screamed almost loud enough to break my eardrums. I looked down and held Shannon’s hand tightly knowing she must be hurting. When I glanced back up, Karina had become frozen, literally. The heart-shaped fan split into two again, but without the previous metal surrounds for safety—the blades were fully exposed. Both fans turned toward Karina and began pulling at her limbs from either direction. There was one last wail before her body was torn in two, each half sucked into one of the fans.

  The noise of a screaming crowd combined with the wails of wind, and all hell itself was heard for a moment… then there was silence and everything went still. I quietly watched as the two fans returned to their original shapes, sizes, and positions. The only breeze coming from the fans was a normal one and there were no longer people floating off the ground from a supernatural force pulling them toward their doom. It was as if nothing had occurred… except one person was dead.

  Chapter 28

  Aftermath and Visitation

  THE SERVERS were handing out shots of warm onion soup to everyone so they could warm their insides. Thank God things hadn’t been anywhere near as bad as when Elise and I had been touched by Veronica’s ghost, but folks were pretty shaken up. Delilah and Elise were making sure everyone was alright, while Shannon and I tried to find Forrest and Alex. They ended up being where I’d last seen them, near the back of the tent by Mrs. Carson and Henrietta, who were sitting on one of the divans. I went to Alex and embraced him tightly, then turned to Forrest, kissed his cheek, and hugged him as hard as I could.

  “I’ll never ever forget how I saw you holding onto Alex for dear life,” I said, then turned to Alex and gave into my impulse to kiss him quickly on the mouth. “You’re everything to me… everything.”

  “I’m fine,” Alex said. “And thank you for saving all of us.”

  “All in a day’s work,” I said, then turned to Mrs. Carson. “How are you holding up?”

  “Like the widow of a general—slightly stirred but still somewhat composed,” Mrs. Carson said. “Miss Maribelle’s gonna say she’s right to skip parties when she hears about this one.”

  “Henrietta, you look good,” I said, facing a dazed-looking Henrietta. “How do you feel?”

  “I… I… I’ll be alright, thank you. But, please, Layton, please solve the mysteries of the court while there’s still a court to save.”

  “Believe me, I’m on it,” I said, then went to Forrest and spoke in a low voice. “How many injuries?”

  “None, which is a shock,” Forrest said. “Look around. The room is back to how it was… even the fans. You spoke with full authority in the name of your God—and mine for the record—and more importantly it worked. The only victim was Karina. I phoned for a crew to come deal with the mess.”

  “How much of a mess is there exactly?” I said. “We saw what happened to Karina.”

  “Maybe so, but her body is whole once more,” Forrest said. “Frozen and blue, but in one piece.”

  “Shit,” I said. “How are you going to explain this one?”

  “I don’t have to,” Forrest said. “There were other cops in here working security who saw everything. Plus, there are probably at least a few folks who captured all this on their cell phones. Why don’t you and Alex go satisfy your sweet tooths while I take care of things in here. It’ll be fine.”

  Alex and I found Shannon, Delilah, Elise, and Rory. Elise opted to stay with her grandmother, but the rest of us headed to The Pink Zone. I had my arm so tightly around Alex’s waist he had to pull me loose a couple times.

  While chewing on pink licorice, and looking for seats, I listened to the people around us. Most of them were still upset and had gone straight for a cocktail after leaving the main tent. Some thought the whole affair was an elaborate hoax and others put on a lot of false bravado. A gay goth couple dressed in black T-shirts, baggy black pants and black combat boots stood directly in front of me. They were young, looked almost like twins, and seemed excited about the evening’s events. The one closest to me had shoulder-length, straight, black hair with the right side shaved. His companion had the same length and style of hair but shaved on the left side.

  “That was really scary,” one of the young men said.

  “I know,” the other said. “I was scared I was gonna die or something when it got cold like it did. All I could think was that I’d never see you again, boo bear.”

  At the ‘boo bear’ comment I started to chuckle, but got a nudge from Delilah of all people and stopped.

  “Well, I don’t scare as easily as ‘boo bear’,” A tall and very slender drag queen said, as she took center stage. She was funky and elegant in a gold top hat, gold rhinestone encrusted corset, long gold gloves, gold sequined panties and garters, stockings, and high stiletto heels covered in gold crystals and rhinestones.

  I was impressed with her complete look, down to the platinum side part Veronica Lake hairdo.

  “You can’t tell me you weren’t afraid in there, Nellie Noir,” one of the goth boys said to the drag queen in the gold top hat who’d just spoken
.

  “Why should I have been?” Nellie said. “I’m a good Christian gal.” She walked up to me and ran her hand down my chest seductively. “You’re not the only one who believes in Jesus around here, handsome.”

  “I’m glad to hear it,” I said.

  “But I’m a new convert to Buddhism,” someone shouted.

  “Well, honey, you’d better convert back to Christianity quick, especially with all the hauntings around this place,” Nellie said. “Who knows—maybe we’ll have another ghostly visitation before the night is out?”

  “The night is already over,” Alex said. “It’s past one in the morning. And your hands are on my man.”

  Nellie lifted her hands. “So sorry, dear, I didn’t know he was taken.”

  “It’s technically a.m. so we should be safe,” one of the goth boys said.

  “How do you fight off ghosts anyway, besides calling on Jesus?” a handsome man dressed in a gold tuxedo said. “Not that I have anything against Jesus.”

  “It’s the supernatural,” I said. “How else do you fight against ghosts who are technically already dead? It’s not like you can shoot them or hit them over the head with a bat.”

  “Stakes and garlic work against vampires, and silver bullets take down werewolves,” Shannon said. “But ghosts are of a more spiritual nature and must be dealt with on the spiritual plane.”

  “Sounds good to me,” Nellie said. “Only… don’t crosses work against vampires too? Unless the person holding the cross isn’t a true believer… in which case they’re well and truly fucked. And not in good way.”

  Everyone laughed, Nellie bowed, turned, then pointed to the right toward the grassy area. “Is she part of the show or the real thing?”

  We all turned and saw what looked like the ghost of a girl dressed in black, holding flowers, and walking slowly toward where the twins’ bodies were found.

  “What a great effect!” Nellie said, then raced to the spot.

  “Don’t touch the ghost!” I said.

  The crowd moved and I had to push my way through the throng, then I heard a loud scream.

  Chapter 29

  There is Power

  A GHOSTLY tree was rising from the spot where the twins’ bodies had been discovered years ago. The ghost girl was there and looking up at the still growing, gnarly tree. In the grip of one of the tree’s twisted branches was a struggling, squirming, and screaming Nellie Noir. People gasped, seemingly frozen to where they stood.

  “Help me!” Nellie said. “It hurts. Jesus! Help me, Jesus.”

  I heard someone singing a gospel song behind me—it was Shannon.

  “There is power, power, wonder working power in the blood of the lamb.”

  Delilah had joined in and so had some people in the crowd. The thick tree branch holding Nellie was swaying in the air, but its unearthly glow seemed to be fading. Then something really unexpected happened. Beneath the tree, the exact spot where the twins’ bodies were found opened up. The tree turned ash black and started going down into the ground with amazing speed. Nellie screamed loudly, and I ran closer and yelled at the spot on the ground and the tree limb.

  “In the name of Jesus the Christ, stop!”

  The ground closed back up, the tree disappeared and Nellie fell… right into my arms. Thankfully, she wasn’t far from the ground when the limb disappeared. She hugged my neck and spoke through her tears.

  “Please, please, don’t put me down yet.”

  Alex had run up to us and was checking Nellie to make sure she was OK. “Layton,” Alex said, “bring her to the sofa so she can lie down.”

  The crowd around us parted and I did as Alex said.

  “The doctor’s coming,” someone in the crowd said.

  A man in a medical uniform appeared carrying equipment. He raced to where we were and I tried to move out of his way, but Nellie grabbed my hand.

  “Don’t go,” Nellie said.

  “I’m here,” I said. “We’re all here.”

  Everyone stood around us waiting while the doctor checked Nellie.

  “You’re shook up, but fine,” the doctor said. “A cocktail might do you some good.”

  “Somebody get her a cocktail,” one of the goth guys said.

  “One Glitter Bomb Cocktail coming up,” someone else said.

  Everyone laughed, Nellie sat up, and the crowd applauded.

  “OK, folks, party’s over,” Forrest said as he made his way through the gathered partygoers. “The ball has already lasted longer than usual, time to go home.”

  People began dispersing as Forrest walked around dismissing them. Shannon and Delilah walked to my side.

  “Great singing voices ladies, you definitely helped diffuse the situation,” I said.

  “Thank you,” Delilah said. “Layton, please be sure to pay me a visit at my establishment Wednesday evening at seven. I’m not my grandmother, but I’d like to help you in any way I can. Bring Alex and Shannon with you, if they’re free.”

  “I’m free,” Shannon said.

  “So am I,” Alex said.

  “Good, then I’ll see you all Wednesday,” Delilah said. “I’m just going to make one more quick visit to the candy bar.” She leaned over, kissed my cheek, then Alex’s and left to get some treats.

  “Layton,” Shannon said. “I was able to get a good look at the ghost and I know beyond a shadow of a doubt who it was.”

  “Who?” Alex said.

  “Javina Morelle,” Shannon said.

  “But, why would her ghost have attacked a guest?” I said.

  “Are we sure it was an attack?” Alex said. “Maybe she just wanted to bring attention to where the twins were found. It did look as if the ghost was walking almost in a procession to the spot.”

  Nellie Noir held her hand out for me to kiss. I kissed the air above it and she smiled.

  “Who knew you were the educated gentleman type,” Nellie said. “I just wanted to express my thanks to you, Layton, and to the women who sang.”

  “You’re welcome,” I said.

  “Always glad to be of service,” Shannon said. “Delilah helped too, but she just left.”

  “You, Alex, are a very lucky boy,” Nellie said. “I found out your name and Layton’s. I also discovered you’re the new owners of the court. She reached into a small, metal compact purse, took out a business card, then handed it to me. “Call me, I might be able to help you solve some of the mysteries the court holds.”

  “She might indeed,” a newcomer to our group said. “I’m Nathan Chandler, artist extraordinaire.”

  “Most people who’d say that would merely be bragging,” Nellie said. “But, Nate really is an exceptional talent.”

  “Thank you,” Nathan said. “I enjoyed our session together… portrait session I mean.”

  “I have fond memories of our session and enjoyed all of it,” Nellie said. “I can’t wait to see the painting.”

  I looked at Nathan Chandler closely. He was probably in his mid-sixties, of medium height, tan, and fit. His full head of hair was black with streaks of white in it, and his brown eyes sparkled when he looked at Nellie. There was a lot that was attractive about the artist.

  “I’ve done portraits of most of the interesting people in town,” Nathan said. “I’d love to do a session with you and Alex, Layton. Provided you both agree.”

  “Why don’t you invite us to the unofficial unveiling of my portrait, sometime soon… like Monday night,” Nellie said.

  “That is a truly inspired idea, Nellie,” Nathan said, then reached into the pocket of his gold satin jacket, took out a business card, and handed it to Alex. “I really would love to see all of you Monday night.” He turned to Shannon. “You’re invited too, my Nubian beauty.”

  Shannon smiled when Nathan raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. He was quite the charmer.

  “What time, dear?” Nellie said.

  “Let’s make it eight,” Nathan said. “I’ll make sure to have some chilled c
hampagne ready. Well, it’s way past my bedtime, so I’d best be leaving.”

  “I’ll see you out,” Nellie said. “Thanks again for the rescue, Layton.”

  “No problem,” I said, then watched Nellie and Nathan leave arm in arm.

  “The two of you have moved to a very interesting town,” Shannon said to Alex and me.

  “To say the least,” Alex said. “I don’t know what I’m surprised by more, the number of ghosts I’ve seen or the many gays I’ve met while here.”

  “I’ve discovered that in older neighborhoods like this, there are more than a few homosexuals,” Shannon said. “Quite often, they’re the first to see the potential in older homes which need restoring. It’s probably because of their artistic nature—not that I feel comfortable talking about people groups with such a broad stroke.”

  “Understood about the ‘broad stroke thing’, but you make sense,” I said. “Not to mention, this party would bring out all the gays in the area. And it seems like Carson Court was always a meeting place or at least a safe location for ‘like-minded’ people to gather.”

  “It really is late, would you two mind walking me to my door?” Shannon said.

  “Not at all,” I said.

  AFTER WE walked Shannon to the guesthouse, Alex and I checked on Mrs. Carson who was still in the main tent. Workers were rushing around the inside of the main tent taking things down, so we stayed out of their way. Alex saw Rory standing next to Mrs. Carson who was seated in her gold divan and we walked over to them. Rory told us everything was under control, so we said our good nights and went back inside the main house.

  Once we were in our room, with the door closed, I let out a loud sigh of relief.

  “What a night,” I said. “And that was one helluva party… even before the ghosts appeared. I’m glad there were security guards, cops and a doctor on hand.” I noticed Alex held a large white bag in his hand. “When did you get that?”

  “When you were talking to one of the guests in the bar area, I asked for a sort of doggy bag from the bartender.”