submitted by omicrony - May 15, 2002
Here we go, my second story(hopefully the formatting will be better this time). This one is a pretty early for the subject matter, but I can't resist holding it off for so long. It's a Halloween tale. I hope you have as much fun reading it as I had writing it.
Youth Time
It was a clear night, one of those nights that you could see all the stars in the sky. One of those nights that you could see the Milky Way and the faint lines meteors trace when they enter the atmosphere. Or at least it would have been if it weren’t for all the city lights. But at least I could see the full moon. It shone down strongly, almost a light in of itself.
I sighed as I turned back towards the party. It was a month before Halloween and my friends were having their pre-Halloween party. In truth, it was just an excuse to have a party. Not that I was complaining, mind you.
I was 17 years old and preparing to go to college. A grin split my face. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t have fun now. Standing at 5’ 11’ I wasn’t a muscled hulk like Rick or a towering figure like Sam.. I stayed fit, but I preferred to stay out of organized sports events.
Walking back towards the house I realized I had walked a little further than I had thought. A party is fun but sometimes you just gotta get some air you know? The ground inclined up as I approached the house but then I swore I heard something. It sounded like… giggling? Who’d be giggling out here?
“Sam?” I called into the night, “Becca?” I knew it had to be one of them. Probably trying to scare me. The giggling continued along with murmuring. It sounded like a kid. I followed the sounds and came upon a playground.
It was a typical neighborhood playground, with swings, a couple slides and a jungle gym. But there were 4 kids playing on them. Another joined them, giggling, he must have been the one I was following.
“Hey mister, come play!” one called out as he swung from bar to bar.
“What are you kids doing out here so late, “ I called out, checking my watch, 12 am.
“C’mon mister, won’t you play with us?” one of the girls looked hurt as she paused from swinging and stood up.
“Where are you parents?”
“You should play with us,” a boy slid down the slide and faced me.
“What’s the matter with all of you,” I asked.
“Yes, you should,” the kid on the bars swung down and started walking towards me.
Another girl joined him. Now all of them were walking slowly towards me, 3 boys, 2 girls. Not that I was worried, there was no way they could overpower me. Never the less I took a step back.
“What are you all doing? You don’t need to come any closer.”
“Join us,” they intoned, “join us….” With a hiss, they spread their mouths open, in a smile, I thought, until I saw the sharp pointed teeth.
“What the hell,” I yelled as I backed up quickly.
Something grabbed my arm and I looked down to see a little girl who hadn’t been with them grab my arm and bite it. With a scream of pain I tried to shake her off but her grip was tenacious. A few seconds later she let go and I pushed her away from me.
She stumbled back and fell. The others kept advancing. I started getting dizzy and fell to my knees. My eyes couldn’t seem to focus. The kids were getting closer, I think. I fell to all fours as my vision blurred. The kids got closer and closer. All I saw and heard when I passed out were their smiling faces and their incessant giggling.
I was being shaken and I opened my eyes. Becca, was looking down at me, her eyes bleary from alcohol.
“I can’t believe it,” she drawled, “I actually out drank you!”
“No, you didn’t,” I protested. I looked at my arm; it was puffy from the bite. How could I explain what happened?
“C’mon, c’mon,” Becca pulled insistently on my arm, “Come back, I want to see you pass out again.”
Grinning at the challenge I let her pull me back.
*************
It was Halloween night! Man, was I excited! I had my share of drinking to do as well as exact my revenge on Becca. She had managed to drink me under the table last time and not she, nor Rick, nor Sam had let me forget for the entire month.
Ironically, the moon was full again, time for all the boogey men to come out. It was a clear night and the air practically vibrated with potential.
I had dressed up as Apollo, I had my toga on, a wreath around my head, and was wearing sandals. Luckily I don’t get cold easily. Sam and Rick had decided to make us a trio and came as Zeus and Caesar. As I entered the house my wreath slipped a little but I pushed it back up.
The festivities were going on full force. Rick and Sam were parading about looking like idiots and others were doing the same. Becca, her eyes bleary, approached holding a full beer bong and passed it to me.
“Drink up! You’re 3 behind already.”
Groaning I quickly downed the one she gave me, then 2 more in quick succession. Letting out a one-minute belch I was applauded by everyone around. Smiling and bowing I passed the bong back to Becca. She smiled back at me. That was strange, I thought. She looked a little taller than usual.
“What’s a matter bud,” Rick questioned, “You look a little green around the gills. Are you a goner already?”
The truth was, my head WAS hurting. And Rick looked bigger than he usually was. Should I even have been to this party?
“I’m,” I stuttered, “I’m going to get some fresh air.”
“Sure shrimp, “Rick pounded me on the back, “but be sure you come back you little wussy.”
I stumbled from his blow. Did it seem harder than usual? Why was he being so rough? Shaking my head I left the house. My toga was loose so I tightened the belt a little.
Walking around the block my head cleared and soon I was admiring the sight of the full moon again. Should I even go back, I questioned myself, they seemed to be so old. I heard giggling. I found myself torn. I remembered what happened last time and didn’t want a repeat of that. Yet, something in me wanted to see if the kids were there to play with.
Eh, I thought, where’d that come from? Well, I’ll follow the laughter, but those kids better not be there.
Slowly I followed the laughter and eventually came upon the playground again. Sure enough the children were there. Groaning, I started to turn away.
They quickly jumped off the bars and swings and approached me, “Come play with us. We’re having fun!”
“Are you kidding? You all are nuts, you should go home,” I retorted as I turned to leave. But my legs weren’t working right. It was like they wanted to stay. I turned to face them. They seemed bigger than last time. I wasn’t sure if I could overpower them this time if they attacked.
“Come on,” the little girl coerced, “I’ll let you use the swing.”
“Okay,” I replied, “I mean, no! Get away from me!”
The biggest kid walked up in front of me and stopped. The other kids formed a V with him as the center point. Then to some silent beat they raised their arms and started beating them back and forth.
Incredulous, I stared. That looked kinda fun. No! I shook my head, what they were doing was stupid and idiotic. What are they doing?
As a group they took two steps to the left, then two to the right and spun in place. My mouth dropped open. They’re dancing? Trying to dance? The big kid opened his mouth.
He sung(note: to the tune of Michael Jackson’s Thriller):
It's close
to midnight and something young is lurkin’ in the dark
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops your heart
The kids were all circling around me, their sharp teeth protruding through horrible smiles.
You try to scream but your age starts to drop before
you do it
You start to freeze as a kid looks you right between the eyes,
You're going back in time!
What were they talking about? Are kids these days insane? They seemed to be getting taller and my wreath slipped to one side of my head.
'Cause this is youth time, youth time tonight
Age ain’t going to save ya ‘cause you’re headin’ back in time
You know it's youth time, youth
time tonight
You're fighting for your age against youth time tonight
Yes, these kids were insane. I turned and started to run. But my toga was too large and I tripped and fell. My wreath fell off my head and rolled away. The kids surrounded me again and the big one slunk up towards me and continued:
You hear the swing rattle and wonder if you can have fun
You hear the laughter and wish that you could run
Close your eyes, you’re gunna play hide and seek
And all the time another kids been sneakin’ up behind
You’ve been tagged it!
A hand hit me on the shoulder. I turned around and looked the big kid in the eyes. His eyes flashing mischievously, he started to run away. No way he’s getting away! I started to run after him, I’m going to tag him “it”!
I stopped. “What am I doing,” I wondered aloud. “I don’t want to play tag. I have a party to go back to.”
But as I asked myself if I really wanted to return, the big kid came back and continued:
‘Cause this is youth time, youth time tonight
You’re approaching second grade and your will is fading fast
You know it's youth time, youth time tonight
You're fighting for
your age against youth time tonight
It was true, I must be getting younger. The big one was taller than me now and the others were as tall as me. I must fight this, I must!
They’re out to get you, there’s young ones closing from
every side
They will regress you unless you start to play right now
Now is the time for you to accept your roguish feelings
All through the night we’ll play and have fun together
It’ll be much better!
See this is youth time, youth time tonight
You and I could play
more than anyone has before
Boy, this is youth time, youth time tonight
So try and hold tight or share a filler, spiller, diaper!!!
All of the kids stood around me, bouncing up and down to the silent beat only they could hear. They were all taller than me now. My body was lost in the toga I had been wearing. I was trying to resist, but the harder I struggled the smaller I became and the smaller I became, the more I wanted to play. I even felt like my teeth were getting sharper. I thought I heard the beat. My shoulders started ticking to it. I felt the urge to dance.
No, I won’t join them! I looked around desperately for an out. I saw Rick and Sam, standing huge beside the kids.
“Help me Sam, please Rick….”
They smiled down at me and started to shrink. No, they were getting younger. Before my eyes, I watched Rick lose his Herculean muscles, I saw Sam lose his amazing height. They stopped shrinking, but still stood taller than me. They had the same scary sharp-toothed grin as the other children.
Rick walked slowly towards me, step by step, and intoned in a voice much deeper than it should be:
Darkness falls across the land
The midnight hour is close at hand
Children crawl in search of fun
Terrorizing parents neighborhoods
If any adults should be found
Without the youth for playing around
Must crawl and face regressions might
And experience a baby’s fright
I looked around panicking. My legs, weak with fright, no, too young and weak to hold me, collapsed.
The foulest stench is
in the air
The funk of forty thousand diapers
And cries and wails fill the air
From playmates who want to pull your hair
And though you fight to keep your age
Your body continues to diminish
I spotted Becca coming down the street towards me.
“Help me Becca,” I cried in my young immature voice.
With every step she towards me she became younger and younger. Her sharp teeth protruded through her smile. With horror I realized that she was the same girl who bit me a month ago.
For no
mere adult can resist
The regression of youth time
Rick burst into deep maniacal laughter as my screams turned into a baby’s wailing.