Jack and Jean O’ Lantern: A Halloween Romance Part 3
Jean was beneath the water again, drowning as the icy waters clung to her … jeans? She blinked; the dream had always been the men holding her head below the river until the water weighed her down and her strength left her.
Now…. she was wearing her sweatshirt and jeans, the ones she always wore while tending her garden. And instead of being held under, she was being dragged under. Glancing down, a ghastly face rose from the darkness, a woman, her black hair swirling in the water, her mouth open in a silent scream, her eyes black and empty. She clutched at her leg with long, bone-thin fingers, her nails, talon like, ripping into the fabric. Her form was equally as skeletal, but despite her near dead appearance, her grip never wavered. Not until Jean was near the bottom, at least; then, faster than Jean could blink, the woman had her hands tightly around her Jean’s throat.
The next moment Hellion’s booming bark pulled her from the dream; the dog sat beside her, his warm body thawing the chill that seeped from the dream river into her bones. She looked around the yard, and spied Jack, huddled in a corner. Hellion, dropped his heavy body across Jean’s lap, holding her in place until her hands stopped shaking.
Jack threw back his head, flames erupting around his body and bellowed,
“CURSE YOU TO HEAVENS HIGH! HARM HER AGAIN AND I’LL SEE YOU DIE!”
The cold in the garden grew; her breath came out in foggy puffs, even as frost formed rapidly in front of her eyes.. Hellion growled, and the frost stopped short of the bench. Snorting, Hellion slide down to the ground, and glanced back at Jean. She rose and placed her shaky hand on his pelt, feeling his warmth flow into her. She glanced at Jack a moment longer, before the black dog led her back inside.
Jack could feel the evil creatures presence standing just behind him. The Black Dog had shed, purposefully, all over Jean’s house; the cold, and therefore, her influence, could not enter.
“Show yourself, you heartless wench, i know you’re there, i know your stench.” He whispered.
The door to the small house slammed shut a moment before a blast of icy air froze his vines to their core.
“Speak kindly to me, you son of a whore, or i’ll see to it you’ll walk no more.”
Jack slowly turned to face her; the woman stood in the center of the garden, the ground around the hem of her dress frozen white. Her eyes and hair were black as the night, and her lips, frozen blue. Her bone-thin fingers clutched a broken staff, the other end impaled through where her heart should be.
Jack noted there was no stain of blood around the wound….
“You’ve tried that once, I’ve escaped your pen; what happen once, will happen again.” Jack whispered.
The woman’s smile was as sharp and brittle as the icy surrounding her, “Not if i freeze your bones; i’ll break your pact, and destroy her home.”
Flames danced along vines, the fiery colors of fall erupting over the frozen ground. Jack’s visage grew more sinister, as he raised a gnarled finger at the woman,
“She’s not dead yet, despite your plan; she remains tied to this land.”
The woman laughed, sending chills down his wooden spine; “Not for long my dearest grandson; you’re still in danger, you’ve far from won.”
Jean watched from the couch as the woman in white vanished, and Jack visibly sagged. Hellion was laying beside her, head in her lap; she stroked his head absently,
“So… i’m guessing my granddad wasn’t kidding when he said he saw a Black Dog on the road.” she said.
Hellion licked her hand, nuzzling her palm.
“Then again, it was near churchyard…” she smiled and glanced at him, “when they moved the church and graves, you had nothing left to protect, did you?”
Hellion stared at her with soul-piercing eyes; she moved her legs down and her snuggled against her side,
“Thank you.” she whispered.
Jack stepped into the room a moment later, shaking in rage, “What have i wrought, what have i done? I’ve drawn her here, and you can’t run.”
Hellion barked, and the rocking chair Jean kept near the fire place slid across the room, knocking Jack into the seat. Blinking, Jean glanced down at him,
“And this is why i locked up your food.” she said.
Hellion whined and rolled over onto his back, tongue lolling out the side of his mouth. Groaning, Jean rubbed the fearsome creatures belly,
“My goodness, for a hellhound you’re very needy.”
Hellion yipped at her, tail wagging; Jack chuckled,
“He loves you, but not as I do.” he said.
Jean nods, “That woman… i saw her in my dream. Is she as dangerous as she seemed?”
Jack nodded, “She sought to frighten you to death, Hellion came at your struggling breath. I could not wake you, as hard as i tried. It was my fault; you could have died.”
Jean took his hand, “But i didn’t love, do not fear. I’m alive, i’m still here.”
Jack covered her hand with his, just as someone knocked on front door
Jack blinked, “The man you confused me for, why’s he here at your door??”
Jean glanced at Jack, “I’m not surprised, it’s what they do; Matt’s family runs the town… and are related to you.”
… and here we add a supernatural element that’s more typical of Halloween. Yeah i might had info dumped a bit here. Let me know if it’s too much.