Hide and Seek

October 31st 2001:

 “Not yet Dana!” Her mother gently tapped Dana's hand.

“You'll be having enough sugar tonight, and I want these cupcakes to arrive in one piece. Go get the rest of your things or we'll be late again.”

As a single mom, sometimes it was hard for JoAnn to rein in her rambunctious, tomboy daughter. But she wouldn't have it any other way. Dana was so much like her father Pat. Red hair and green eyes and freckles. He died when Dana was only two. Car accident. JoAnn was left a single mother, and sole owner of a fully functioning farmhouse. When he could, JoAnn’s brother would come over and help with some of the workload. But, JoAnn was a hard worker, and she was managing just fine.

Meanwhile, Dana was busy upstairs putting the finishing touches on her cowgirl costume. She braided her long red hair, put her toy gun on her belt, and put her red cowgirl hat on her head. Her eyes studied her reflection, and the picture of her dad on her wall. She mimicked his pose, and smiled as she straightened her shoulders. She thought she nailed the look. Danas eyes darted over to her bed. She had almost forgot her throw away camera and flashlight. She would need them later for the plan she had that night.

She ran back down stairs. “All set.”

“Oh my goodness Dana you look adorable!”

“Adorable?! Cowgirls aren't adorable.”

“Well this one is. Let me take a picture.” JoAnn grabbed her camera. “1, 2, 3…” Dana struck a pose.

“Alright, let's go kiddo. I'll grab the cupcakes. Don't forget your bag.”

Dana waited till her mother headed to the truck and she stuffed one last thing in her bag. It was the mask her mother said was “inappropriate” for a Halloween party held at her Sunday school. She was probably right. The nuns would probably frown on costumes replicating the undead. But, Dana wanted to scare Mike and Chris, her best friends. They always seemed to be the ones pranking her. But she had a plan of her own.

 

As Dana sat in the passenger seat of her mom's pick-up truck she went over her plan in her head. Mike and Chris were bringing flashlights too so they could play hide and seek outside once it got dark. They figured no one would notice they were gone, and they could have more fun by themselves. Dana imagined it would just be a lot of musical chairs and structured games that would eventually devolve into a bunch of sweaty kids running around as these events tended to. But what's Mike and Chris didn't know was Dana brought her mask so she could jump out and scare them when it was her turn to hide. She couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. She brought her throw away camera too, so she could catch the response. In her ten year old mind, it was quite the plan. She wasn't really quite sure what the mask was supposed to be, but it was pretty hideous. She borrowed it from her older cousin. Well, took it without asking, but she was bringing it back.

“Wow, the parking lots actually full. Better turnout than last year. You ready string bean?” JoAnn had begun calling Dana string bean last year when she went through a growth spurt. The name was pretty self-explanatory.

“Ready. I'll grab the cupcakes.” Dana put her bag on her shoulder and grabbed the tray.

“Mike!!! Hey, over here!” Dana called out to her friend who just arrived with his mom.

“Hold on there cowgirl, give me the tray then you can go chase after your boyfriend.” JoAnn joked as she took the big tray from Dana.

“He's not my boyfriend…” Dana protested, cheeks a bit red.

 “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on and have some fun.” Dana sprinted over to Mike

“Stay on the grass where I can see you…” JoAnn called over. She was a bit overprotective, but how much trouble could they get in at a church function?

 

“Oh don't they just look adorable!” Mike's mother Mary smiled as she walked toward JoAnn. Mike was one of five boys. They were all older, in high school and their early 20s. Mike was her baby. They were one big Italian family. JoAnn kind of envied that. But, like JoAnn, Mary was also overprotective.

 “Oh JoAnn, have you heard about Sharon and Frank? They're getting a divorce. Isn't it just terrible how many people are divorcing nowadays?”

Mary was kind of a gossip. JoAnn didn't like that, but Mary was a good person deep down and a devoted wife and mom. The two walked inside to set up the food.

Dana watched to make sure they were out of sight before she pulled out her flashlight.

“Did you bring yours?” Dana asked.

“Yeah, right here.” Mike was a football player. It was his older brother Paul's uniform. Mike idolized him.

“Hey, smile for the camera!” Dana turned around to see Chris.

“Ahhh! Dana, back up, you're gunna break it.” Chris joked. He not so secretly had a but if a crush on Dana.

Chris was a Hollywood director. Sunglasses and all. He loved the movies. They were his escape from reality. He always had his camera with him.

“ Hey, how did you get here, where's your mom?” Mike asked.

“She's at home. She wasn't feeling good. I drove my bike.”

Chris was usually alone. He was an only child. His dad died when he was younger too. Dana bonded with him over that. His mom drank a lot. But Chris never talked about it. One time Mike made a comment about her being drunk. Chris punched him in the face. He was very protective of his mother.

“Alright so, we have to wait until it gets dark and then we can sneak away while everyone else is busy watching the movie.”

Once the kids were coming down from their sugar high, the adults would sit them down to watch a Halloween movie. That's when they planned on sneaking outside to have some real fun. She couldn't wait to see the looks on their faces. She thought this was epic. So, they ran back inside and prepared to stuff themselves with candy.

 

 In the gymnasium, JoAnn finished setting up the chairs for musical chairs, laid out the last plates of food, and sax down next to Mary.

“So, I've been meaning to ask you how Karen is doing. I know she always has a hard time around this time of year.” Her husband died in October 8 years ago. She always drank more on the anniversary.

“Well, she's doing okay. Chris sleep over our house three nights last week. She needs her space sometimes. But Tommy has been looking after her.”

JoAnn was worried though. She didn't like Tom. Just a feeling. Karen didn't have the best taste in men.

“Tommy? Is he the new boyfriend?” Mary asked somewhat judgmentally.

“How is he?”

JoAnn didn't take the bait.

“He's a good guy.” She replied, but she didn't believe that.

 

About an hour went by. The movie went on and Dana could tell it was dark outside. The three of them looked at each other, and checked the only two chaperones. When they realized no one was watching, they snuck outside.

They stood in the open space of the church parking lot. There was some fog rolling in from the mild day air meeting the crisp night chill.  There was one full moon behind dark sapphire clouds. Dana had her mask in her shirt where no one could see.

Mike would hide first. She and Chris closed their eyes and counted to ten as Mike found a hiding spot. Chris had his camera on and turned it in Dana again. She took a picture of him with her throw away camera.

“Got you!” She said.

It only took about a minute to find Mike. He wasn't very good at hide and seek. He was behind a tree. Dana heard him unwrapping his candy.

“Found you!” Chris snuck up behind him.

“Aww come on!” Mike whined with a mouth full of Reese's.

“OK, OK, OK, I'm hiding next.” Dana couldn't wait any longer, and she was getting cold.

“Close your eyes and count to 10.”

Mike and Chris turned their backs. Dana knew exactly where she was going. She turned quickly and ran to the big oak tree in front of the church. She climbed up on a limb high enough to keep an eye on them. When she saw them come close enough, she wanted to jump down, scare them, and snap a picture of the looks on their faces. She figured she could use it as blackmail in high school when they inevitably became jerks.

 “...9, 10. Ready or not here we come.” Mike's melodious voice filled the yard. She hoped her mom didn't hear.

   Dana slipped on her zombie mask and watched. They were not even close. Mike was looking  around trees. I guess he thought she was as simple minded as him. She laughed to herself. Chris was over near the woods on the side of the Sunday school building. Again not even close. “This may take a while.” Dana sighed to herself and settled in. She noticed Chris go closer to the woods. What did he think, she was hiding behind a bush? Then, she saw Chris motion to Mike. A come here gesture.

“What is he doing that for?” Dana whispered to herself. “Nothing's there.”

  Dana watched Mike make his way over as Chris filmed him. They both looked at each other and said something, and they proceeded to walk a bit deeper in the woods. Dana could still see them, but just barely. They were just illuminated by some moonlight and the glare if the flashlights.

 All of a sudden Dana saw one bigger figure approach them from behind. It must have come from deep in the woods. It was much taller and wider than Mike Chris. But was it an animal? Was it human? Dana wanted to yell out to Mike and Chris to look out. But when she opened her mouth to scream, nothing came out. That was when she saw the black figure engulf Chris and Mike pulling them deep into the woods. Dana knew she heard muffled screams as they were both carried away. Tears came rushing to Dana's eyes. What just happened? Who or what was that? She was too scared to move. She kept expecting to hear someone scream, or see them come running out. But nothing. Silence. She wanted to jump down, but she didn't know if it was still there. About ten minutes later Dana heard a door open.

 “Dana? Dana honey where are you?” It was her mom. Dana was so relieved.

“Mom!!!” she yelled through sobs as she jumped down from the tree. She ran towards her mother.

 “Someone took Mike and Chris!”

 

Author's Note

This is where I wanted to explain the events of that night and introduce the characters on that night. Any suggestion welcomed...