SS Halloween Special Ch 18

The ceiling has stopped spinning. Elsa sits up, so flooded with endorphins and hormones that the severe mess doesn’t bother her. She considers the walls of the tiny bathroom, the sink, the tiled floor, and the puddle she’s sitting in as though she’s a newborn and all of these things are unknown to her.

Something feels different. She reaches back, finding her costume unzipped. Did she pass out hard enough that Kayla was able to get this open without her noticing?

“Fuck me,” she mutters, her brain a haze of chemicals and orgasmic fog. Slowly, she picks herself up and peels the costume off her pale, tattooed body. She puts it in the trash, then takes a roll of paper towels and a bottle of cleaner from under the sink. She spends several minutes cleaning up before she even notices that scrubbing on all fours nude in a first-floor bathroom is an unusual thing to be doing.

There’s ****, though. She can’t leave this mess. By the time the biohazard is safely tied off in a trash bag, she’s thinking clearly enough to realize that she has a little problem. CCL bathrooms are well-equipped for a lot of situations, but they don’t include a change of clothes.

It’s fine. She just has to text someone to bring her something. But she has no phone because the costume had no pockets. Actually, the evening without her phone was kind of nice. Elsa’s head swims. What does Kayla think of her right now? Where is Kayla?

She shakes her head and goes to the door, opening it just a crack to peek out. The party’s still going on, and she’s face-to-face with a giant, dead eyeball.

It’s Donut in her unicorn costume. Presumably.

“OK, are you just standing out there creepily?” Elsa asks. “Actually, do you have room for one more in there? I have a little situation.”

The unicorn whinnies, not very convincingly, and prances off.

“Fucking Donut. Oh. Oh! Hita! Hita!”

Hita stops at the end of the hall and turns curiously. “Elsa?”

“Yes! Help!”

Hita smiles. “Yes, Elsa Daaahhhling? What is the matter?” She makes her way regally down the hall in a glittery dress.

“Who are you being?”

“Uh, Liz Taylor as portrayed by Vivian Corbin in the Oscar-winning biopic. Duh,” Hita says, sidling up to the door. She tries to peek in, and Elsa keeps her body out of sight. “Who you got in there?”

“Just me, but I’m naked.”

“Is this a sex thing? Smells like Clorox. What do you call it? ENF?”

“Listen to me. I just need something wear. Can you help me out?”

Hita rolls her eyes. “Of course. Gimme a sec.”

“Thank you.”

“You’ll owe me.”

“Sure.”

“CCL debts must be paid in blood.”

“Must they?”

“Bodily fluids.”

“You’re confusing real life with that **** fantasy smut you read,” Elsa says.

“Oh. Right. Let me get you a robe.”

Elsa pulls the door shut and takes several deep breaths. It’s time to stress about the impression that she made on Kayla. No. That’s wrong. Stressing is the wrong thing to do. She has to find Kayla and apologize, obviously. The idea is scary, but Elsa knows herself. She drinks and smokes too much as a way of running away, which is bad. Ergo, running toward things is good. Running toward a girl whom she has worshipped for such a short time and no doubt for very unhealthy reasons is probably dumb, but dumb and bad are two different things.

Elsa blinks several times. Yes. Her reasoning is sound. She must find Kayla and apologize. Maybe Kayla isn’t grossed and/or weirded out? There’s only one way to be sure.

Hita returns with a bathrobe, which Elsa gratefully dons and belts. She gathers herself and ventures out; a bathrobe will hardly stand out at the party. The powerful smell of Clorox might.

Walking around barefoot downstairs is also a no-no, but she doesn’t care. Clean clothes. Find Kayla.

Elsa emerges into the front hall. Girls in the TV room cheer for Piranhaconda while the little dance party in the living room is winding down. A lot of costumes are askew, and masks are off. It’s getting late.

The front door opens with a snap, and a familiar figure steps through.

Kayla Jameson wears cutoff shorts and a diner tee. Her hair in a messy bun, and she wears little makeup. Her shirt is stained with sweat, and she looks pissed. The party goes on, and she locks onto Elsa, who is staring like an idiot.

“What are you doing here… dressed like that?” Elsa asks as Kayla walks straight to her, looking around as though searching for someone.

“What?” Kayla replies, looking at her like she’s crazy. “I’m looking for my dumbass sister. Riley? The soccer player. Have you seen her?”

“Uh. Um,” Elsa says, looking around in confusion.

“Fuck it. Whatever. She’s on her own.” Kayla throws up her hands and turns on her heel, marching right back out of the house.

Elsa stares at her back, and then the door is shut.

A hand touches her shoulder. “Ah!”

“Elsa?” It’s Ying. “Are you OK?”

“I don’t know,” Elsa says shakily.

“Is that Hita’s robe?”

“Uh…”

Ying looks into her eyes. “I think you should lie down.”

Elsa licks her lips. “OK.”

Ying kindly puts her arm around Elsa’s waist and takes her upstairs. “It’s OK. You partied hard, Elsa. We summoned demons. We sang karaoke. We watched Piranhaconda. We did a lot of stuff. You overdid it.”

“I think I need a drink.”

“No. No, I don’t think so,” Ying says, giving her a squeeze. They pad down to Elsa’s door. “But I do think you should have some actual fluids. Just lie down. I’ll bring you some Gatorade, OK? And a snack.”

“OK.”

Ying steps back, watching her uneasily. “Lie down.”

The mattress squeaks softly as she lies down with a groan. Indeed, the headache’s already kicking in. She hopes Ying will bring her some aspirin.

Elsa stares at the ceiling and thinks about what happened.

Ying returns with a bottle of the red Gatorade. She twists off the top and sits on the edge of Elsa’s bed.

“If I pass out, will you make sure that Hita doesn’t come in here and do weird stuff to me?” Elsa asks.

“Yes.”

“I saw Kayla at the party.”

“I saw her too. I think she was looking for Riley.”

“No, I saw her earlier. She was in a sexy costume, and she had her makeup done and her hair straightened. And we…”

Ying looks taken aback.

“…made out,” Elsa says.

A moment passes, and Ying smiles. “Here.” She helps Elsa takes several swallows. “OK.” Ying leans over and kisses her forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

“You don’t believe me.”

“Believe what?”

“That I made out with hot Kayla and then normal Kayla showed up to the party ten minutes later.”

Ying pauses by the door, clearly uncomfortable. “Where did hot Kayla go?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

At a loss, Ying can only shrug. “I think that’s very spooky. Goodnight, Elsa. I’ll make them turn the movie down. People are leaving anyway. We’ll have waffles tomorrow and talk about it. OK?”

“OK,” Elsa says.

They both stiffen at the sudden crash of a door slamming open in the hallway. Someone trips and thumps to the floor, and the dismayed cry comes from Apple.

Ying leans into the hall and Elsa gazes at her back.

“Oh! Apple! Are you OK?” Ying asks.

Elsa hears Apple scramble upright and take off at a sprint, darting past the door in a flash of black.

“Apple?” Ying calls after her.

“I forgot to say goodbye!” Apple shouts from down the corridor. There’s a cry, and several thuds. Elsa and Ying wince. The thuds stop; so Apple didn’t fall all the way down the stairs. Just to the first landing.

“Jesus,” Elsa says. This is why Apple doesn’t have friends.

[ The End! Happy Halloween! ]

(Hope it wasn't _too _spooky and terrifying for you. Back to normal programming tomorrowish.)