Chapter 8: Chapter 7: Forbidden Fruits, Ripe for the Picking

On a breezy, late November afternoon, atop a hill overlooking the quaint, quiet small town of Easton, sits Jericho Parish, an unassuming little church with antiquated stone walls. In the grassy courtyard scattered with aged graves and moss-covered tombstones, an utterance of solemn prayer drifts through the crisp autumn air:

"Heavenly Father, we beseech thee..."

A slim elderly man with hair and full beard in strands of silvery white, garbed in a long black robe and ivory-white cuffs, stands in front of a newly erected headstone: a small, flat rectangular shaped piece of granite engraved with the words In Memory of Colette Graystone, tucked snugly in the midst of a fresh grassy patch.

He continues his oration in a gruff yet gentle voice, a stoic and grizzled look on his face. Standing next to him, Kazelle has her head down in solemn silence, her long black leather coat rippling about in the wind, her hands closed over the black metallic cross on her neckchain.

"May the soul of this dearly departed one... Find eternal rest in you. Amen."

"Amen."

As the elderly priest concludes his verbal offering, Kazelle echoes his final utterance.

"Thanks again for doing this, Father Zacharias."

Kazelle keeps her eyes fixed on Colette's headstone as she addresses the man next to her with some degree of calm reverence. The old man lowers the black cross in his grip and dons his black panama hat.

"No need for thanks, child. Is this not my duty as overseer of this parish? And I can tell this lass meant a great deal to you..."

He turns to leave, the black metallic cross swinging from his long neckchain. He leaves her with a final word as he shuffles toward the church.

"If you still wish to make confession, I will be in the parish. Don't stay out here too long, there's rain in the forecast."

"Yes, Father." 

Just then, a few small children come frolicking up the hill. The one in front, a sapphire-eyed girl with long golden hair, skips up to Kazelle with a handful of wild flowers.

"These are for your friend, Kazelle, so she won't be lonely. We picked them in the woods over there."

"Thank you, Sapphire."

As Kazelle takes the yellow and pink flowers and stoops down to lay them in front of the headstone, she reaches out and gently traces a finger through the engraving of Colette's name.

"There is something I need to do right now, Cole... I'll be sure to visit you again soon."

She turns to depart. The flower petals flutter in the wind against the grave.

"Death!♫"

Step...

"♪ Death comes for us all!♬"

Step...

"Oooh ♪ Yeeah ♪"

Step...

"Sweeeeet death!! ♫"

On a makeshift stage at the Halloween Festival in Eastford Cemetery Park, the Maniac Minstrels jams away while the crowd howls its approval.

"Embrace my sooooul!! ♫♬"

To the left side of the band leader, Kazelle is rocking away on her electric guitar, dressed in a white schoolgirl dress shirt, short plaid skirt, and knee-high striped socks- all tattered and bloodied. Her long raven locks falls behind her white ghoulish face, covered with dark bloody veins and chunks of decaying flesh, her mouth dripping with dark red foam. The crowd lets out one final, deafening roar as the piece reaches its metallic crescendo and slams home the finale.

"Good job, mates. I think we fuckin' nailed it."

As the group takes a bow and retreats backstage, Kean has a look of immense triumph. The band mates all concur that it was a spectacular success as they pack their instruments. Kazlle tucks her electric guitar into the case and slings it over her shoulder.

"Kazelle, not coming to have a drink with us?"

Female bassist Jethra Wilson, wearing a pair of bunny ears for the festivities, inquires as Kazelle prepares to head out.

"Ah, sorry. I'm meeting with my roommate. Catch you guys later."

Kazelle bids her crew farewell and ducks into the cemetery grounds, packed with booths and costumed partygoers amidst old crumpling catacombs and sepulchres that would be dead silent any other night of the year.

"My, what a wicked show! I think I'm in love!"

"Ah, Cole. There you are."

Kazelle turns around and spots Colette emerging from the crowd, wearing a tight-fitting, strapless gray tube dress with designs of a screen and buttons of an old game console printed across the front. She saunters over to her punk rock idol in a pair of running shoes and white knee-high socks, a shimmering pendant dances around her neck, a bright pink star face-painted on her left cheek.

"Haha, well, Kean and his girlfriend Jethra were the ones who wrote all the songs. I just had to play my part... Love the costume by the way, dressing up as a game console is wicked retro!"

"Hehe, glad you like it. That ghoul face looks brilliant as well!"

Hearing Colette say that, Kazelle blushes sheepishly.

"Haha, isn't that a compliment for yourself? You were the one who spent two hours doing my make-up... By the way, where is that assistant professor friend of yours? Weren't you coming together?"

The inquiry suddenly has Colette in a somber mood, she glances down with a sulking pout and digs at the dirt with her shoes.

"I... we were supposed to meet at his office before coming here together, but..."

"But?"

Colette looks up with a somewhat concerned look on her face, her hand gently stroking the pendant.

"When I got there, he wasn't there... There was a note on his table, with this box. The note said... "

"What did the note say?"

"'Sorry' and 'Good-bye'."

"That's it?"

"And this was in the box."

Colette gingerly holds up the pendant for Kazelle to get a closer look: a silvery accessory with the shape of a sword resting on a shield.

"Oh my! It's gorgeous! A gift from him, I suppose?"

Colette nods slowly, still gently running her fingers across the pendant.

"It's from a game series we're both big fans of. We've actually spent quite a bit of time talking about it between our study sessions... We even planned to try out the new release together!"

"So... what's his deal? Where did he go?"

Colette looks up at Kazelle with a shrug, trying to keep the mood light by forcing a grin.

"Who knows... he never mentioned that he was going anywhere... or that he didn't want to see me anymore..."

Seeing the usually cheery Colette suddenly so forlorn, Kazelle reaches out and tenderly take her by the hand.

"I'm sure he has his reasons... And I'm sure you'll see him again! Now com'on, let's go check out the booths, I could really go for a munch!"

"Hehe, me too."

Hearing her dear friend's encouragment, Colette tries her best to perk up as the two stroll through the crowded cemetery.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Lilia is wearing a patterned sweater vest over her dress shirt, short denim skirt, and a pair of wedge heels, a small anklet with a heart shape dangles just above her right foot. She has a pair of fluffy wolf ears adorned on her hair band, with a fluffy wolf tail tucked at her hip, swaying side to side in sync with her brunette ponytail. In one hand she holds a handbag, in the other leading a small lad probably no older than 7, with bright hazel eyes, dressed handsomely as a policeman. The pair approach the Eastend Primary School, where many parents and their costumed children can be seen filing in. Across the top of the main entrance is a large banner that reads: Halloween Fun Night! 

"Here we are, luv. Are you sure you don't want mumsy to come in with you?"

"It's okay, mum. Really. Kip and his parents are right there." "Com'on, Iley!"

"Okay... But make sure to have the school call me if you need anything."

Lilia kneels down and wraps up her son tightly and plants a smooch on his little cheek.

"Alright then, I'll pick you up at 9:00pm. Have a good time, baby. Hugs and kisses!"

"Aww, mum. Stop it."

As the boy giggles and breaks free from his mother to meet his friends, Lilia gets up to leave, waving to Iley one last time.

"Bye bye, luv!"

"Later, mumsy!"

Lilia makes her way back towards the college campus on foot, passing many other pedestrians dressed up for the evening. Gradually, the sidewalks begins to clear of people as she passes by a lightly wooded area out of the residential and shopping areas. She hears a voice call out to her from behind:

"Yoohoo~~ Wolf girl~~ ♪"

She glances back and sees a figure standing not too far behind, wearing a form-fitting short dress and leggings. The figure steps closer to reveal a middle-aged woman with long blonde curls and thick long eyelashes, caked in heavy layers of eyeliner and lipsticks- Only Lilia cannot be certain that it is a woman: her cheeks dotted with neatly trimmed stubbles, and the masculine frame bulges tightly against the dress and leggings.

"Uh...pardon, were you talking to me?"

"Yes, yes, of course, my lovely lass."

The middle-aged lady-man approaches Lilia with saucy sways of her/his hip, speaking in a high-pitched squeal that apparently tries too hard to sound feminine.

"That lovely wolf tail on your hip is a clip-on, isn't it? Well, I know a far better way to attach a tail to that tidy bum of yours... I'm a costume expert by trade. If you want, I can get you the right kind of tail for your costume."

Lilia listens politely, but decides to break off the awkward conversation and hurry on her way.

"Um... no, thank you. I'm in a bit of a rush right now... Bye."

Lilia quickly darts off down the sidewalk and around a street corner before the "costume expert" can interject.

("What was that? She totally took me by surprise. I hope I'm not being followed...")

She takes a quick glance back, but the woman has vanished. In fact, that whole section of the street has become eerily silent, with not a single soul in sight. Lilia shudders slightly as a chill crawls up her thighs. She hurries on her way until the small building marked Campus Security comes into sight. It was not until she places her hand on the doorknob and turns it does she feel completely safe.

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"Trick or treat! Hope you're hungry!"

Trying to shake the uneasiness from the previous encounter, Lilia enters the office and beams with a pleasant smile. Corbin glances up at her in full security attire.

"Happy Halloween, foxy lady! Good timing, too. I'm absolutely starving!"

"I'm a wolf, ya cheeky chappy!"

Lilia quips at him playfully as she produces two foil-wrapped sandwiches from her handbag.

"Here, I made extras when I was making Iley's supper... You know, as thanks for taking care of that little girl. And what are you supposed to be... ? Oh wait, lemme guess, a security guard?"

"Haha, no choice. It's my shift tonight."

Corbin leans back and takes a mouthful of the sandwhich.

"It's an easy shift though. There really isn't much to do tonight with everyone at that off-campus festival... By the way, didn't my sister invite you?"

"She did, but I told her I needed to take Iley to a school event."

Lilia explains as she pulls up a chair and sits at the desk across from Corbin.

"You could have still gone for a bit after you dropped off Iley, right? If you wanted to."

Corbin offers Lilia a canned beer, which she accepts with gratitude.

"What, and leave you by your lonesome? And I couldn't exactly tell everyone I'm spending the evening here with you, can I?"

"Haha, I'll drink to that!"

Hearing Lilia's explanation, Corbin grins and takes a swig from the can. Lilia clanks her can against his before she too takes a swig.

"I do hope your sister is enjoying it."

"I'm sure she is."

Back at the cemetery, Colette has one side of her skirt pulled up above her thighs, inspecting a freshly-inked tattoo of a gaming console, the gaming cord wrapped around a small flag of the United Kingdom.

"Hehe, this new tattoo goes perfectly with my costume!"

"Haha, you are such a nerd."

Colette pulls her skirt back down and takes another sip from her nearly-empty soda cup as the pair weave through the crowd.

"Still, it's pretty surprising to see a makeshift tattoo booth out here, with a professional tattoist! And nice tools, too!"

"I know, right? They really have everything here tonight. I couldn't resist getting another one myself."

Kazelle lifts her tattered dress shirt to reveal a skull with the wings of a moth, freshly-inked just below her left rib cage.

"And there's so much food. Look at all those stalls."

"Speaking of which, that chili I had earlier isn't sitting too well..."

Colette bends over with a slight grimace, holding her stomach.

"Now I've got to find a toilet."

"Ugh, same here. Drinking all that cola is making me want to use the loo."

Kazelle presses her thighs together and looks about, spotting a goat-headed masked man wearing an Event Staff T-shirt, leaning against a tree.

"Yoo hoo, pardon. Goat-face guy. Can you help us?"

The goat-head takes notice of their pleas and turns to face them. Colette gestures to him desperately.

"Sorry, can you point us to the nearest toilet?"

"..." 

Without uttering a single word, the goat-head points to the right. Kazelle and Colette look in the direction and sees a dimly-lit dirt trail, surrounded by dense brushes and leading into the dark thickets.

"In there?"

"Umm... Are you sure?"

"..."

The goat-head remains eerily silent, his finger holding still in the same direction.

"Oookay, if you say so... Thanks, I suppose..."

"Com'on, let's go."

Taking Colette by the hand, Kazelle leads her toward the path while the two exchange whispers:

"Wow, that was... kinda creepy..."

"Uhh... yea."

Back at the security offuce, Corbin and his female visitor has polished off the food she brought.

"Ahh~~ That was a good meal. Thanks for the sandwhich."

"Hehe, glad you liked it."

Lilia sits across from him holding the beer can, her face slightly flushed from the alcohol.

"And thanks for the beer. It goes really nicely with the sandwhiches!"

"Yeah, especially since you drank my beer, too."

"Hey, I'm doing you a favor! You shouldn't drink on duty."

Lilia retorts playfully with her face reddish and head slightly tilted to the side.

"Careful. I think you're getting tipsy."

"Heehee, am not! (hic)"

Lilia pushes herself up from the chair and lightheadedly staggers toward one end of the room.

"Now if you would excuse me, I need to use the ladies' room." ("So I can look good for what's next, hehe...") 

"That's the storage closet. Toilet's in the back."

"Oops, I knew that, hehe..."

Lilia frivolously staggers the other way, her face bright red. She gives Corbin an enticing wave as she turns the door.

"I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere!"

"Where would I go?"

As Lilia vanishes into the backroom, Corbin leans back with his hands resting behind his head and a helpless grin across his face.

"She's definitely hammered and just doesn't want to admit it. (Sigh)... women."

"(Sigh)... men."

Lilia exhales as she hikes up her denim skirt, pulls down her heart-dotted white knickers, and relieves herself.

("Take a hint, won't cha?")

Sitting on the toilet, she looks up at the mirror in front of her and lets down her ponytail, fluffing her long wavy brunette hair in her fingers,

("Now then... should I go for this look? Hmm... maybe it's a bit too flirty...?")

After she finishes her business and flushes, she washes her hands and decides to tie her ponytail back up.

("I should just do it naturally. Don't want to come off as desperate.")

She skips out of the backroom, Corbin looks up at her from his CCTV monitors, slightly suspicious of her intent.

"I'm back! Miss me?"

"Oh yea, all the time. Did you sober up?"

"I told you, I wasn't drunk!"

"So... what's for dessert?"

Corbin inquires eagerly as Lilia saunters back over to the table. But instead of sitting back down, she rests one knee on the chair cushion, letting her wedge heel dangle from her bare foot as she leans toward him with a seductively smile.

"Well... I'm in the mood for a bit of extra protein, if you catch my drift..."

Corbin does a bit of a double take. He was not surprised at what Lilia has in mind, but he was caught off guard by how bold she is about it. He feels the bulge growing in his pants, pushing up tightly against the fabric and longing to be pleasured. He reaches down to unzip his khakis.

"I think I have just the thing."

"Heehee, perfect~~♥"

Meanwhile, Colette and Kazelle's venture leads them deeper into the secluded cemetery, further and further away from the crowd.

From the bosky shadows, a pair of beady, sinister eyes follow them closely...

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