Did Someone Say Apple Bobbing? by Eddward
Did Someone Say Apple Bobbing?
Oneshot Title: Did Someone Say Apple Bobbing?
Author: Eddward
Genre: Horror, Angst, Dark… Drama…perhaps ironic dark humor if you squint really hard…
Word Count: 1907
Rating: MA
Warnings: Character death, gore, disturbing to the extreme, violence, disturbing… READ AT YOUR OWN RISK!
AU/ Canon: Alternate Universe
Summary: Kagome and friends spend the spookiest night of the year partying in the mountains. But little do they know that this will be a night they never forget…
Disclaimer: **sigh** I do not own the characters or plot of either the anime or manga versions of Inuyasha as they already belong to, and were created by, Rumiko Takahashi. I also don't make any money off of this. Takahashi, Shogakukan, Yomiuri TV, Sunrise, and Viz media do though. I just do it for the kicks. I do not own the classic Halloween song, "The Monster Mash", either. That belongs to Mr. Bobby "Boris" Pickett.
Author's Note: So this one goes out to Walter205! I saw the Halloween Horror Challenge posted and this idea just would not leave. And those conditions for the karma really stretched my brain to the max. But I got all of them in there!
Constructive criticism is always appreciated.
Now, without further ado, on with the story!
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"This spot is great! I can't believe you didn't tell us about it before now Miroku. It would be so much fun to camp here in the summer!" Kagome couldn't help but gush to her friends about the new site for their annual Halloween party.
Last year there had been an awesome haunted house at Sango's place. They had scared all of the annoying neighborhood kids; the punks still would not approach her end of the secluded street, even now. The year before that Ginta had closed down his nightclub and had an invitation only party that rocked, and it made headlines the very next day.
This year Miroku had suggested a place he had found by accident while he was younger and training to be a monk in the mountains. There was and old, dilapidated hunter's cabin that had a large cellar under the floor and a weird little shed behind it. The ground there was especially dark, and plants refused to grow. A few minutes' trek from the buildings revealed an abandoned cemetery that looked to be ancient. No one had probably stepped foot inside of it for a couple hundred of years, at least.
This spot was perfect. And everyone was helping out so that it would be ready for tonight. Naraku and Shippo, the resident tricksters of the gang, were busy arguing over the right spot to set up a bonfire or two. Kyokotsu used his larger size to help haul all of the supplies to the clearing. Games were in the jurisdiction of Hakudoshi.
Because of the amount of people supposed to be showing up, it was decided to have the main gathering away form the two features of the mountain. Kanna even suggested that the trails to the cemetery and cabin be made creepy as well, because both places were not that large and no one wanted it to be boring. Everyone agreed wholeheartedly. It could only add to the spooktacular fun.
Everything was a whirl of activity and noise and excitement and anticipation.
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The sun had set long ago, and the party was in full swing. Kagome looked around in satisfaction at the turnout this year. She could see about twenty people that she didn't know, or couldn't recognize because of their costumes. And her friends had all turned up also, as usual.
All of a sudden the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and a guttural "Boo!" was whispered in her ear. Kagome couldn't help but scream a little in fright, and she ended up covered in her beer when she whirled around to face her boyfriend, Sesshoumaru.
"Gosh dang it, Sesshou! Why do you always have to startle me like that? And now I'm going to have to get some more booze from Mukotsu! He gives me the creeps, like he's going to gobble me up or something…" She shuddered, disturbed, until he distracted her with a kiss.
"Hey you two! Why don't you come grab some apples? I did all of this hard work, and it's not going to be wasted!" Hakudoshi interrupted their moment, and they pulled apart reluctantly.
"Later?" he rumbled, and a quivering nod was his answer. He pulled her towards the barrel full of water and apples, and motioned for Kagome to step up. "Ladies first," he teased.
She laughed, took a deep breath, and then spent the next three minutes chasing apples through the water. Someone took pity on her and held one still for her to grab. She pulled her prize out and gasped for air, laughing again when she realized her front was soaked in water this time. "Thanks for the hand, Hojo!" He blushed before stumbling away, swaying drunkenly.
Kagome was munching happily on her apple when her man handed her his "devil horns" and stepped up to the barrel. He bent over, and she took a moment to appreciate how his behind looked in his leather pants, but it didn't last long enough for her tastes. Before she knew it he was once again at her side, this time with an apple of his own.
The gasps of awe drew her attention, and she couldn't help but ask what had happened, what did she miss?
"Kagome, how could you miss that? He didn't have any trouble at all biting an apple in there. He just sort of snatched it with his teeth. And a bunch of other people have done the same thing, too. It's awesome!" Rin was bouncing around in her excitement.
The stunned woman found out exactly what her friend was talking about when Ayame walked up to the barrel, watched it for a moment, and fluidly dipped her head in and came back out with an apple between her jaws. It was like she had just attacked the apples or something. Whoa…
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It was nearing midnight, and now people were either telling scary stories around the bon fire or were wandering off in ones or twos into the woods. The occasional distant scream of fright or shock could be heard every so often from the directions of the cemetery and haunted shack. Laughter and gasps and shrieks surrounded the storytellers as they weaved their magic back at camp.
Kagome was enjoying herself when she was nudged by her boyfriend in the back. "Do you want to get out of here?" She nodded in anticipation and got up, heading towards the tree line. "I'll catch up in a minute, babe," his voice floated to her, and with a smile she weaved through the trees. He always could find her, no matter how much she ran or hid herself.
Humming the Monster Mash tune to herself, all was right in her world.
It took a while for her intoxicated mind to realize that Sesshoumaru should have caught up by now. She slowed her brisk pace down to a stop, and paused to listen. There were no footsteps, no heavy breathing that would indicate running, no bushes rattling. Nothing. The entire forest was quiet, holding its breath.
Waiting.
Watching.
Stalking.
A shadow moved in behind the tree line to her side, and Kagome gasped in alarm while ducking behind a tree trunk opposite of the mysterious apparition. Her rapid heart beat was the only sound in the stillness of the night. She whimpered in growing terror, heart beating even quicker, when a twig snapped right behind her, but nothing was there after she gathered her courage and whipped around to check.
All was quiet once again. Her eyes darted around, but couldn't find anything out of place. Her ears strained, but came across nothing. Except for that awful quietness. A breeze picked up and blew her hair in her face. Through her tresses she saw a pair of red orbs staring at her, and she froze, too petrified to think or to act.
Then the horrifying screams began, carried by the breeze from camp. Kagome gave her own startled yelp in response before she bolted from those dreadful eyes, from the terror at camp, even trying to run from her own fear.
But those bloody orbs followed, along with the shouts and moans, and soon they were joined by more red and more noise.
Run! Run! Must get away. Hide! But where?
Something sharp and warm and wet brushed against her leg.
Teeth! Faster, I must run faster!
She put on a burst of speed, pushing her body to the max; still they chased her, still they snapped their jaws at her heels.
Hunting.
Waiting.
Knowing she would tire eventually.
All too soon Kagome had to slow. The alcohol, and exertion, and lack of air made her high speed flight, though necessary for continued survival, dangerous to continue in the forest. Looking behind her to see where her assailants were, she missed the bush in her path and soared through the air, landing harshly on the uneven ground.
Panting, she felt a sharp nip on her calf and a nudge on the opposite foot, and instantly scrambled back up to run again.
An eerie howl rose up into the night air behind her, and Kagome felt despair fill her. They were going to catch her!
She screeched in pain when one beast lunged at her foot and sliced an ankle, which forced a limp into her stride.
There! A cave, a place to hide!
Her left index finger fell victim to jaws and sharp teeth next. An abrupt inhale of air was all she could manage in response because she had no more air in her lungs to shout and no more energy in her body to run.
Kagome stumbled again when another tore out a piece of flesh at the back of her thigh. Lame, she dragged herself towards the dark fissure in the mountainside. Hair-raising growls and snarls were heard at her back.
Circling.
Victorious.
Waiting for the right moment to pounce.
In she went, bleeding and terrified. They followed. Trapped, Kagome failed to notice the hole in the floor just inside of the cave and went tumbling down, down, down, finally impacting with a stalagmite.
Shocked, she brought her mangled hand to the protrusion in her stomach, disbelief apparent on her face. Then the pain set in. A scream fell from her lips before the blood gurgled in her throat and spilled down her chin, silencing her.
Kagome's eyes were becoming glassy when she felt bristly fur rub up against an exposed knee. There were those bright red eyes again. She looked at the rest of the beast for the first time, and noticed a piece of almost shiny, torn material around its back leg. Leather?
Muffled thumps signaled the arrival of more animals. The creature beside her issued a chilling growl, which she felt rumble through her, and was reminded of her boyfriend, Sesshoumaru. He used to rumble the same way when laughing. Where was he? Was he in camp when the screams began?
Dying, the woman looked up at the creature's face, only to discover it looking down at her with a snarl on its face; it was a sick caricature of a toothy smile.
Realization dawned slowly on her face, and then he ducked down and tore effortlessly into her belly, quickly coming back out with her liver between his jaws and gobbling it up. She gurgled.
He moved onto her lungs next. Through the haze of her pain she became aware of a tugging on her arm. Kagome looked over and watched as one of them chewed at her bicep while another one ripped off her arm. Her lame leg followed.
She glanced back at the first and noticed he had moved on. With a savage shake of his head he wrenched her heart out of her chest. There was amusement and satisfaction in his eyes.
He looked away, and Kagome followed with her eyes to where his bloody muzzle pointed. Someone was standing at the top of the ledge. They shouted something, but all Kagome could hear was a loud ringing in her ears. How annoying.
That someone stooped down and picked up a very large rock. Was it Hojo? He could barely lift it above his head! Put down the stone before you get hurt, Hojo.
I said put it down, not throw it. Why is it coming this way? Wow, it's bigger than I thought. Is it growing? Rocks aren't supposed to grow...
Oh!
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