Halloween

 

 

 

 

            One Night Only – The Grave Diggers, in the dark with red lighting the banner had the desired creepy effect.

            Virgil looked at John, “Kind of cheesy and over the top, isn’t it?”

            John came recommended as a very good promoter; his sense of fashion needed some work. The promoter stood there in designer jeans tucked into elaborately tooled white cowboy boots, a big silver belt buckle, light blue shirt with pearl buttons, the top three unbuttoned to show off his chest hair and gold chains, and a leather fringed jacket completed his outfit. This was John’s idea of a business suit. John covered his bald spot with a long comb over of his thinning hair; the stench from his fat cigar announced his presences by several yards.

            John rubbed his hands together, “This is going to be great!”

            An outdoor concert on Halloween night in an abandoned graveyard on the outskirts of town. It was an idea whose time had come. No one was quite sure how old the graveyard actually was, most of the headstones were too weathered to read. A little over an acre and surrounded by a twelve foot high brick wall. The entrance was through an arched double wrought iron gate that creaked as it moved. Headstones leaned over, tall weeds sprouted through-out the site, and the circular concrete drive was more gravel than concrete. A stage had been setup in-between two mausoleums. The sound and light control panels situated over a couple of graves fifty yards in front of the stage.

            Virgil and John looked across the highway, Ginger, Greg, and Chartreuse were taking care of the parking in a fallow cornfield, then turned and walked toward the stage area. A couple of hundred people had paid forty bucks a head for tonight’s concert. Christmas lights provided just enough light to keep people from stumbling over each over. Smoke from tobacco and pot hung thickly in the air. The crowd was mostly older, with some rowdy youngsters mixed in.

            They walked past the concession area; Virgil’s four female friends worked handing out beer and snacks. The four appeared dressed as vampires.

            “Your costumes are awesome! This night is going to rock!”

            They separated at the stage, John to count the money, Virgil to the stage. Virgil signaled the troll twins at the control panels and the lights went out. Absolute darkness enveloped the graveyard.

            The restless crowd turned their attention in the direction of the stage.

            A couple of opening riffs drifted thru the air, then the band opened with Paint it Black by the Rolling Stones. The front of the stage exploded in pyrotechnics, the crowd went wild.

            The Grave Diggers were good. Virgil played lead guitar. Low riding black leather hip huggers, burgundy velvet sleeveless shirt, and black Italian loafers highlighted his glistening pale skin.

 Zoom played bass. Colorful mismatched clothes helped to hide the oozing sores on her dusky skin.

Betty, a coloratura soprano, sang lead. She wore several layers of strips of clothing with a black cape swinging out behind her.

 Little Gary played rhythm guitar. He wore green to blend with his green skin, pointed ears, needle sharp teeth.

 Skull the skeleton played drums. A perpetual joint hung from his mouth, he was so high his eyes are twin red pinpricks deep in his skull.

 And on keyboards was Frank Stein, looking as such. He played a massive multi-layer keyboard with bony tubes projecting up from the keyboard. A small pipe organ situated to his left.

            The band went from Stones to the Edgar Winter Group Frankenstein, showcasing Frank’s talent to tickle the ivories. Multicolor lasers and pyrotechnics entranced the crowd visually while the band blew them away with sound.

            From Frankenstein they segued into In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Playing songs from the 60’s and 70’s the ninety minute show turned into two and a half hour rock revival. When the lights finally came back on the crowd stomped, clapped and chanted “G.D.-G.D.-G,D.”

            After the third encore a blood red spotlight focused on Virgil.

            “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you, but it is time.”

            Virgil waved his hand and the front gates slammed shut.

            Rotting hands burst from the ground grabbing at people, dragging them into the bowels of the earth. The troll twins dropped the lights, and the crowd went crazy, screaming and darting about in the dark. Several made it to the wall but unable to climb fast enough to escape the undead onslaught.

            The band played Monster Mash to drown out the screams of terror. At the end of the song Virgil turned to his bandmates, “Feeding time.”

            A mornings pale sunrise glistened off a pearl button laying in the weeds. Plastic cups skittered across graves to gather at the foot of headstones. The debris the only sign of last night’s activities. Until next Halloween.