Status Updates From Dia de Los Slashers

She slowly turned around. Heavy, stifled breathing could be heard from behind the mask. She noticed she couldn’t hear the rain any longer. The killer held a machete in one hand and an axe in the other. Some sick part of her wanted to see him. But she didn’t want to die. This was the second opportunity for the killer to strike, but nothing. “What are you waiting for?” she shouted.

When she was about to head back into the event, she noticed a man getting out of a truck. She recognized it. It felt like one of those buzz saws on a rope in the barn had split her chest in two, or Art the Clown had snuck up behind and carved her heart out of her chest, then held it beating next to her ear. His menacing, blackened grin taunting her like the man in front of her.

The already creepy petting zoo was decorated to make it appear like a slaughter had occurred. Strung up on an oak tree were fake bodies with masks over the heads, lashings of fake blood, and severed plastic limbs stuck out of tin buckets. Not far from the front porch and behind the barn was a maze made from piled hay bales. A sign not to enter was nailed to the front door of the house.

It amazed her how the two holidays, pagan in nature, were slowly merging. Ornately decorated skulls were everywhere and printed on anything this time of year. She grew up with both holidays. One was for fun and eating candy until she puked, and the other was a time of sacred reverence and learning about the importance of the altar. She felt more alive on Dia de los Muertos than at any other time of the year.

“What? You only make that face when there is more.” She waited a beat before answering. “I might have invited Jay.” Tula arched one eyebrow. “Now I get it. That’s why the pretty red lace bra, your shirt with too few buttons, and devil horns headband. Someone is on demon time.” Carmen nudged her. “I have needs.” Tula shook her head and grabbed her Terrifier t-shirt from the bed. “Same.”

No one walked their dogs during the warning after a man died there trying to save his child. He didn’t deserve to go like that, but who decides what we deserve and when? From the look of this spot, you would have never guessed this had happened here. But there were many places that invoked peace or were exceptionally beautiful yet had a dark history. The same could be said for people.

A little late for the season, but I can’t resist anything spooky.