Beastie

There was a time when there was nothing that could have frightened her, not those ridiculous horror movies or those terrible stories her grandmother used to tell her on Halloween night. There was nothing she couldn’t face, nothing she couldn’t overcome but now, all of that had changed. No, she was no longer herself because she had become lost somewhere along the way. Now, every time the wind moaned and sighed through the trees Antoinette jumped and skittered away from the windows. Each time the wood creaked under her own feet, her hear would pound. She hated living in fear, knowing that once upon a time she was strong and downright brave. All of that had changed that night when the beasties lurked.

Three Days Ago-The Eve of Halloween Night
Antoinette carried an oversized bag in her arms, crammed full of candy, decorations and a bottle or three of cheap boxed wine. She was barely even able to see over the top of it, bumping into a few strangers on her way home. Long blonde hair hung in gentle waves down her back, her bright blue eyes shining with excitement. Three hours was all she had left before her annual Halloween party would start. Kicking at the front door she was instantly greeted by disgruntled green eyes and even more disgruntled black hair. She could clearly see the scowl across her boyfriend’s face as she dumped the large bag in his arms before pushing past him.

“Holy crap Billy.” She turned on the spot where she stood, her mouth slightly agape as she took in the decorations. Her living room didn’t look much like a living room anymore. More like an explosion of the living dead. She couldn’t have been more proud of what he had accomplished in a mere two hours.

“You like it?” he asked, kissing the top of her head as he passed her.

“Do I like it?! Baby it’s incredible.” She half squealed, clapping her hands together before launching herself behind him. She collided with his back, a gentle ‘oomph’ escaping his lips the moment she made contact.

“I nearly killed myself trying to put up the bats.” He twisted around in her arms and looked down at the woman he loved oh so dearly. She was plenty much shorter than him but he loved it when she had to get on the very tips of her toes to kiss him.

“Everything looks amazing. This is going to be great!” she gazed up at him, her lips parted slightly as he leaned down to his kiss.

“The first of many more.” He whispered before pressing his soft lips against hers.

Every time he kissed her she felt slightly giddy and a little weak at the knees. It had been a little over a year, the two of them having met Halloween night at the spot where they now stood in a passionate embrace. He was dressed in all black, his green eyes outlined with kajal that made them contrast starkly against the milkiness of his skin. He had given her a wolfish grin and offered to help her refill the punch bowl while her guests milled around them as rock and techno music blared from the speakers. The initial attraction they had felt that night hadn’t waned, if anything it had increased tenfold and a year later, they were as star crossed as when they had first met.

“I love you Antoinette” Billy whispered, kissing the top of her head. She grinned up at him and whispered that she loved him too before pulling away from him.

They still had a lot of things to get done before the party which had been held the night before Halloween Night for the last five years. It had always been a resounding success but this year, Antoinette could care less if it was a hit or miss simply because for the first time, she was in love and nothing else really seemed to matter.

“Little French muppet. Do you want pizza for dinner?” Billy hollered at her retreating back as she headed to her. He was slightly confused when they had first met to hear her English accented by something else which he had later found out was French. She was originally from France but had moved to America for university a mere two years ago. He had always dreamt of going to France and he couldn’t think of anyone else he’d ever want to visit that country with that the blue eyed beauty he had the privilege of calling his.

Four hours later there was a steady trickle of costumed guests making their way into Antoinette’s apartment. She greeted Freddy and Jason as well as Batman and Schrodinger’s Cat. Just as she was about to close the door, it jammed against a booted foot. Semi- shouting an apology as she opened the door, her breath caught and her eyes widened in shock.

There were three of them, standing at almost six feet tall with their faces covered by skeleton printed masks. Hazel, green and dark brown eyes seemed to rake over her entire body making her blush as a sense of profound discomfort began to churn in her stomach. Before she could blink they were pushing past her; all the while she could feel them leering at her, undressing her with just their piercing gazes.

She hurried to close the front door and went in search of Billy. Each movement she made she felt as if it were being done under a microscope. Her skin prickled unpleasantly and her heart thumped in her chest. Casting a furtive glance over her shoulder she met the burliest of the men’s predatory gaze as he lifted his beer in her direction. He had taken off the bandana at that moment, while their eyes were still locked, causing her to nearly fall over her own feet. He was devastatingly gorgeous but there was something sinister about him, about the way his lips pulled up into snide smile as he crossed his muscular arms across his chest.

“J’ai peur” she had a habit of breaking out into French when she was uncomfortable. It was a safety blanket for her because not many people she knew could actually understand her; except for Billy who had purposefully learned French when they had gotten together.

“De ce que?” Billy replied, half shouting over the music. He gave her a concerned look when he saw that she was trembling and that her skin was cold to the touch. Without another question he tugged her towards the sanctuary of her bedroom, shutting the door behind them to drown out the music.

“What’s happened? You’re shaking.” He put his arms around her, holding her in his comforting embrace.

“There are these guys. I don’t know who they are but they kind of pushed their way into the apartment. Billy, I can’t stand the way they were looking at me.” Her voice shook as she spoke and Billy had to strain to translate what she was saying before he could soothe her.

“They must be stupid gate crashers baby.” He said slowly, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. “I’ll just ask them to leave.” He gave her a soft smile before he ran his fingers through his ebony hair.

He left her where she stood, opening and closing the door swiftly. Without a second thought she took off behind him, letting herself out of the bedroom. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong and with each step she took that sense of dread threatened to consume her. She pushed past friends and co-workers, her eyes searching for Billy, only Billy. He was nowhere to be found and neither were the men in bandanas. Blinking back tears of panic, Antoinette checked all the different rooms of her apartment before heading out onto the balcony.

The cool night’s air rushed in to greet her, bringing with it the smell of leaves and spices. Inhaling deeply she steadied her nerves and closed her eyes. It wasn’t until something soft swept against her cheek did her eyelids flutter opened. She was alone on the balcony, in fact, she was totally alone. The music had stopped and there was not a soul within the confines of her apartment. Fear and panic choked her as she looked around, taken aback by what she was seeing. Shaking herself she looked down at her feet where a single black feather brushed against her foot. Without a second thought she reached down and grabbed it.

She couldn’t control the way her hands shook, almost so violently that she could barely grip the handle to reopen the door of the balcony…the door she had closed five seconds ago to drown out the exuberant laughter and blaring music of the party she was hosting. Stepping inside she called out Billy’s name, her voice echoing in her ears. She looked around what she assumed was her apartment. It was barren, it’s walls white and sterile save for her coffee table with a photograph on it. The only giveaway that this place was hers was the photo of her and Billy that they had taken together a few days ago.

It was the last photo they ever took together.

Soft, malicious laughter rumbled through the room.

“Bonjour Antoinette. So good of you to join us.” The voice was deep and sounded similar to crunching gravel.

Turning around, a soft gasp escaped past her lips as those painstakingly familiar green eyes glinted wickedly at her.

“Billy?” her voice was barely a whisper. “What’s happening.”

His voice was different, twisted and dark; nothing like the voice she knew. He watched her with a sneer curling on her his lip; his eyes darkening to the deepest pools of emerald.

“You have been chosen Antoinette.” He took a step towards her, his sinister aura rippling off him in waves. She instinctively took a step back causing him to chuckle dryly.

“Chosen for what? Who are you? Where’s Billy?” she tried to sound brave but her fear surrounded her like a blanket as she watched this thing approach her.

“I am Billy. I’m still the man you know, the man you love.” He said, his voice dripping with icy sarcasm.

“No. You just look like him. What have you done to him?” she half screamed at the man whose cohorts grinned evilly from behind him. She watched with horror as his eyes darkened to black pools, no traces of white visible at all. He grabbed for her, holding her with such force she had to cry out.

She banged her fists against his chest but it was to no avail. She was his captive, a prisoner to the thing that had taken Billy from her, using his image to lure her into a sense of comfort and security. The black wing that she had in her right hand fluttered to the floor, gently, innocently.

“You’ve always been mine. Now you’re time has come.” He kissed her then, roughly and almost predatory; nothing like the way Billy ever kissed her. She felt bile rising at the back of her throat and the thought of this inhuman creature’s lips against hers. She watched in horror as black wings, blacker than night, blacker than his eyes, burst forth, unfurling in all their glory that even Antoinette was momentarily stunned. They surrounded her, engulfed the light until she was cocooned by them. She could feel his breath on her neck, colder than ice, causing her to shiver unpleasantly.

“You will not deny me. You will not escape me.” He pressed featherlight kisses to her temple but he grip was inhumanly strong, making her wince with each breath she took. “You have three days to say your goodbyes to your world. After that…. I will come for you. Do not make me regret my decision for leniency.”

“What are you?” she choked on her tears, her vision swimming with images of Billy Joel Armstrong; his laughter, his eyes..everything. He was gone, she could feel it even though she had not a single clue where he could ever be now. All she knew that the shell of his body had been overtaken by a monster.

“It was so easy making you fall in love with me. Did you really think that you were lucky enough to get that fairytale ending Antoinette?” his words sliced her to the core. “I am a master of disguise…amongst many other things…I simply chose the thing you wanted most, the ideals you lusted after and I became them. There was never a Billy Joel Armstrong you foolish girl. He was invented, created from ash.

Struggling against his infernally strong grip, Antoinette summoned the last reserves of her bravery and kicked out at the thing that had tricked her into loving it…into making her believe a lie. He gave her a bored look before he released her. She stumbled away from him, away from the monster that had looked everything like her Billy yet nothing like him.

“Three days my darling.” He smirked at her before turning away, leaving her shaking and in tears. “I will find you. We’ll be together for eternity.”

His laughter rang in her ears as she sank to her knees, the single black feather at her feet. She closed her eyes, the sound of rave music slowly returning to her as a gentle breeze rustled her hair.

“Antoinette?” his voice surrounded her, his sweet loving voice ringing in her ears. She felt his arms wrap around her as she inhaled his familiar scent.

She opened her eyes and drank in the sight of the man she loved with every fiber of her being before she let out a blood curling scream that ripped through the night.

Three Days Later

Antoinette stepped into the cold night’s air while children dressed as their favorite characters ran passed her, their laughter and excited chatter barely registering with her. For almost an hour she had stared out the window of her apartment before she gathered her scarf and coat and headed outside. She had no idea where she was going, she simply allowed herself to move until she found herself hopelessly lost. For two nights she cried, her mind playing tricks on her in the darkness as she waited for the beasties to find her. It was only a moment of time….she could feel it…they were close.

“Hello sweetheart.”

His voice came from behind her. It was the last thing she heard before her entire world faded to black.