Horror vs Romance Story Contest

Chapter 1

Ever heard of voodoo? You most likely have. It maybe unsettles you. But don’t fret - not all voodoo is harmful. Many of its practitioners actually use voodoo for good. Of course, while voodoo often only exists in the towns of Louisiana or the depths of Africa. Sometimes, it may be found elsewhere.

Timothy couldn’t believe his eyes. In a cloud of purple smoke, the bedroom had completely transformed. In fact, it was most certainly a completely different room. A room that was more home in a storybook than 21st century Britain. A room galore with gothic purples and reds, a small circular table with an idle glass ball planted on top lay in the centre. He looked up at his best friend - the one who‘s bedroom he was in a minute ago, the one who “had something important to show him.” He was smiling. A little smug smile that read, ‘yeah, that’s right.’ Timothy watched Brad elegantly stepped forward into the middle of the room. The room unsettled, no, it straight out terrified him.

“Speechless, huh? Come, come to the table.” Brad gestured the hesitant boy to the table then dropped down on the furthest away seat.

Timothy slowly stepped up to the table and reluctantly plucked down on the seat parallel to Brad. His smile was still there. That wide, boasting smile that made him shiver whenever he caught sight of it.

With a click of the fingers, another purple cloud exploded on the table. Timothy almost flew out his seat in fright, Brad barely budged. As the cloud dissipated, a small array of cards appeared. All Timothy could do was blink in disbelief.

Brad presented the cards in a showmanship-like manner. “Observe, Timothy. The story of your life lies in these very cards.”

Timothy ogled the cards. He sure didn’t see anything.

Brad pointed at the first card. “The card of solitude. You have journeyed down the path of isolation, though not by choice. No, you’ve always felt like an outcast, like there’s no one who really understands you. Your mother and father neglected you for other things. Your fellow students have always looked down on you, sneered behind your back. You just want to be accepted, right?”

Timothy’s puzzlement quickly faded into dismay. He still couldn’t look Brad in the eye and admit it. He always figured that Brad had known that Timothy was unhappy anyway. He always did have a keen eye for observation.

Brad shifted to the next card. “The card of consistency. Things are now as they were then. You want excitement, company, happiness. But there is hope. All lies in the next card.”

“The what? Wait! What are you talking about? What is this place?” Timothy had finally come to his senses and now it was time for answers.

Brad’s smile faded. “I thought you would have guessed by now, Tim. This is my parlour. This is where I practice the ancient art of… voodoo.”

“That’s ridiculous! There‘s no such thing as voodoo!”

“That attitude will not do at all.” Brad spoke with calmness and charisma. “For voodoo, you must believe. Otherwise it won’t work. Faith is the key.”

Timothy’s face was as hard as stone. Brad sighed. “Then explain how you got here. How do you explain the cards? All of this?”

“This is some kind of trick,” Timothy frowned.

“What did you say to me this morning? Did you not tell me you had a crush on Becky? I came here to help you with that. Do you not want my help?”

Timothy sank in his seat. “I would never have a chance with her anyway.”

Brad slammed his fist on the table. “My friend, what have I told you about that attitude? Only positivity can ignite the marvels of voodoo. You say voodoo can’t possibly be real. Bah! No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream. But today is the day I make your dreams come true. Trust me. What do you have to lose?”

Brad possessed the words and the mannerisms of a lawyer and Timothy was now starting to believe. After all, what did he have to lose?

“Fine,” the boy muttered.

Brad smiled again. The same smile as always. He pulled out a necklace from under the table with a single ruby gemstone and presented it in front of his client. “This is the answer to your prayers. Wear this charm around your neck and the one you desire will be yours.”

Timothy let Brad drop the charm into his palm. He gazed at it in wonder, trying to unlock its secrets. In the corner of his eye he noticed the final card. It pictured a magnificent red stone, identical to the bead that rested in his hands.

Brad grinned at him. “Satisfied?”

Timothy nodded silently, still confused by the whole ordeal.

“Very good. But you must be off. I have some dealings to attend to. But remember, you must believe for your wish to become reality. I trust you know the way home.” Brad clicked his fingers and Timothy was engulfed in purple mist before disappearing entirely.

Brad smiled to himself in satisfaction. His first customer. Hopefully, Timothy would find all the happiness he had wished for. Then he would grant more wishes. All Brad ever wanted to do was enrich a few lives. He wanted to make a difference. And of course, he had the spirits to thank for that.

Suddenly, flashes of light purple flew across the room. Before him stood an army of five lavender ghostly figures. The middle one smiled at Brad.

“Did he like his gift?” the ghost asked, his voice slithering like a snake.

Brad shrugged. “I think so. We’ll find out tomorrow for sure though. Now, do you have something for me?”

“Not as of yet, everything is well,” the centre phantom hissed.

“Very good. Well if it would please you, I would like to get some sleep. Long day.” Brad got up from his seat.

“Of course.” the spirit smiled.

In a puff of smoke, Brad was back in the comfort of his own bedroom. Today, he had finally shared his secret with someone, something he had always been excited for. Smiling to himself, he crashed down on his bed. Then he grimaced. School tomorrow. Ugh. And the major’s daughter would be starting tomorrow. That’s exactly what he needed - another popular girl. Brad groaned then closed his eyes. He wasn’t going to let someone he didn’t even know ruin his sleep.

Break time was usually Brad’s favourite time of the school day. But not today. He had spent the last ten minutes listening to Timothy brag on and on about his date with Becky. He was proud for his friend, he truly was, but he lost all his excitement 5 minutes ago and the guy was just getting tiresome.

Finally, Brad gestured for his friend to stop. “That’s great, Tim. Glad I could be of service but I really gotta take a whizz.”

Twisting round, he crashed into someone and fell to the ground with a yelp. Groaning, he turned angrily to his offender. A girl, no older than him, was clutching her head in pain down on the linoleum beside him. Instantly disregarding his pain and anger, he focused on her. Thick blonde hair pressed down on her silky crimson cheeks. The fluorescent lights dangling above her bounced off her glowing skin radiantly. Brad had never seen her before but there was something about her face that made him feel like he had known her for years.

Eventually, he regained himself and hoisted himself up off the cold floor. He then handed a gentle hand to the golden maiden still squatting on the ground. “Sorry.”

The stranger accepted his hand. “It’s alright. I wasn’t looking where I was going.” Redeeming her balance, she brought her head up and beamed at Brad, her amazing aqua eyes heaving Brad in towards her.

Strangely feeling nervous, Brad gulped. “Um, you okay?” He managed a small smile.

The girl smirked. “I’m fine.” She looked down at his chest. “Oh my. I didn’t burn you, did I?”

“What?” Brad looked. He noticed a dark, humid stain that had attached itself to his shirt. Instinctively, he rubbed at it with his fist. “Erm, no, no. I’m fine. It’s nothing.” He let out an unconvincing laugh as he patted the creases out. The girl smiled at him again, her huge blue eyes as magnetic as ever. Breaking a sweat, he avoided her eye and began scanning for a distraction. His eyes fixed on the lonely coffee cup lying on the floor. Bending down, he picked it up and examined it. He held it in front of her helplessly.

“Um, there’s still some left if you want it.”

The girl giggled. Every nerve in Brad’s body held back a blush. She looked back up at him with her steel eyes. “You’re funny.”

Now the struggle was even tougher. He was definitely going to blush this time. His brain panicked. So many thoughts dizzying round his mind. ‘Say something! Anything!’ His brain frantically shouted.

He found himself talking again. “Um, how about I get you another cup?” After school? We’ll go down to that coffee place on main street.”

Wait, what did he just say?

The girl’s smile grew bigger. “I’d like that. Meet here after school?” she suggested, her voice delicate like a field-mouse.

Lost in his thoughts, Brad could only manage a meagre nod. She slipped past him, still with that alluring smile on her face. Brad was confused. Very confused. He never felt the way he did just then ever in his whole life. Did one of his spells backfire or something? Ah well, never mind, it probably wasn’t that important anyway. What was he going to do again? Ah, right, the bathroom. He couldn’t even remember if he even had to go in the first place but he did have to get that coffee stain off.

Walking the short distance to the boys’ bathroom, he slid the door open and stepped inside, almost gagging at the gruesome, vile aroma that invaded his nostrils. He strolled over to the sink and examined his shirt in the mirror. He frowned. That was going to be pretty tough to get out.

Suddenly, a gust of wind filled the room and a team of ghostly shadows slid out from under the bathroom door and took place in the centre of the room. Brad’s spirit guardians. But this time, each one sported a deadly serious face.

Brad rolled his eyes when he saw them. “Oh, what have I done now? Did I step on a future-changing bug? Did I accidentally summon something? Is it that I stole one of Jerome’s pencils today in English? It can’t be that, can it? What could a pencil do? Nothing life-changing, surely?”

The spirits‘ expression unchanged. Brad sighed. “What?”

“The girl,” the leader hissed.

“What girl?

“You’re going to have coffee with her.”

“Oh, right, that girl,” Brad held back a blush. “Yeah, that was just being friendly.”

“Stay away from her.”

Brad’s smile disappeared. “What?”

“That girl is important in our plans.” The spirit’s words were calm and firm. “You cannot talk to her. She is destined for another.”

Brad bottled up his frustration. “Who?”

“Gavin Cochlea.”

“Him?!?” Brad erupted. “Gavin’s a bully! An ignoramus! Plus he’s super rich!

“Ha!” one of the female spirits jeered. “I thought it was a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife or at the very least a female companion.”

“He’s the nastiest jerk in school! He doesn‘t deserve anything!”

“That may be,” came the ghostly whisper of the leader spirit. “But our say is final.”

The spirit’s eyebrows narrowed. “Do not get in the way of our destiny.”

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