The Shadow Sisters

[E1] Chapter 23 - Hannah Cole

Hannah and Marie were driven to Shriekfest, to the pier on the east coast of Willow Town. Off to the northern edge of the pier, a cluster of sharp rocks punctuated the beach, at the base of a cliff. Atop that, further beyond, were the Slate Woods.

They were named that because the massive expanse was ceilinged by a canopy so dense that everything beneath appeared colourless. In her first week at Willow Wood Secondary School, Hannah was able to confirm that the Slate Woods were indeed one of Willow Town's most renowned haunted hotspots. It contained hundreds of stories, going back hundreds of years.

It made the skin prickle on Hannah's back. She liked spooky stuff, of course, and even tried to hunt for ghosts in her younger years, but there was something about that place that repelled her, that made her want to avoid it at all costs. Just a feeling.

A huge crowd had gathered onto the boardwalk and the pier. Small, breakaway groups dotted the beach below, but security walled off the foundations, preventing anyone from getting into the underside and climbing up to the concert.

Mum's eyes widened. It was already very dark. Individual bodies could only be made out from the lights of costumes and the glow sticks. Apart from that, it was all one shifting mass, like a river.

On stage, the warm-up band were already thrashing their guitars and pounding their drums. The female vocalist sprinted up and down the stage while throwing her hair back and forth. Her glistening face was projected onto the backing screen. Finally, she fell onto her knees and crooned into her microphone.

"Be careful you two, okay?" Mum said.

Both of them promised that they would.

"And be home as soon as the concert ends. You'll-"

"Meet up and send you a text," Marie finished. "Then we'll wait here by the edge of the road, where we're easily visible."

"Right, right," Mum said.

Marie and Hannah exited the car before she could change her mind.

They walked together for a while, milling through the beginnings of the crowd, situated on the edge of the boardwalk. As they went, Hannah assessed her sister's costume.

Marie wore a cloak, a pair of fangs, and had blood dribbling down either side of her mouth. For someone else, it might be considered low effort, but it was a big deal for Marie, who hadn't properly dressed up in costume since she was ten. Even then, it'd been slightly forced.

"You really like this boy, don't you?" Hannah asked.

"I'm not sure how I feel, to be honest," Marie said.

The closer that they drew to the pier, the more people that surrounded them. There was also a higher ratio of those who dressed up compared to those who'd abstained.

"Mum's out of sight," Hannah said.

"And?" Marie asked. "What's your point?"

"You don't have to walk with me anymore."

"I thought I should at least see you to the gate, so you don't get lost."

"How considerate of you."

They both made it to the turn style, where they had to show their tickets. Marie showed hers to an Elvis, who was more in his twilight years Elvis than in his prime Elvis, while Hannah showed hers to a rosy-cheeked little Red Riding Hood, who blew big pink bubblegum bubbles.

After that, they were admitted onto the pier. The huge stage was set up at the back. That was where the crowd flowed towards.

Marie wandered off to find her friends, while Hannah lingered at the pizza stand and texted hers. There were rowdy teens and young adults drinking beer in the stand next to that, but thankfully, Alex, Stick, Joe, and Jasmine soon found her to keep her company.

They were all still dressed in their costumes, which somehow, in the evening air, were even more convincing.

Jasmine hugged her, as if she hadn't seen her in weeks, and for some reason the others were compelled to join in.

"Uh, nice to see you too," Hannah said, almost bouncing with excitement.

"Come on," Alex said. "Let's find a good spot."

When the warm-up act were done, they exited the stage, ushered off by thunderous applause and whistling. Following that, the stage lights dimmed. There was quiet for about twenty minutes, until five band members took to the stage.

That was when the crowd exploded into a mad frenzy.

People were jumping and shouting. They chanted, "James, James, James," and the front man saluted them.

The atmosphere was electric. It was difficult not to be infected by it.

Hannah was surprised when they started playing. She'd expected something either heavy metal adjacent or parody-esque, like a spooky version of Weird Al, but the sound they gave off was quite 80s revival. It was fast and upbeat, infused with synth and electronic rock. Their aesthetic was also one of 80s rockers. The bass player, a woman, had wild long blond hair that fell to her waist. The lead guitarist was a mirror of her, except his hair was black and he wore shades.

It made Hannah's body move of its own accord. Her hips swayed to the opening song, Unfair Promises. When the band moved onto their second song, The Nowhere Boy, one of their biggest hits, the crowd went absolutely wild.

She couldn't take it anymore.

Hannah turned to her friends and asked, "Does anybody want to dance?"

Stick barked out a laugh.

"You're a live wire, aren't you, Hannah Banana?" Alex said.

"There's no keeping her down," Jasmine said. "I love it. Love the energy and love the attitude."

Hannah laughed as Jasmine slung her arm over her shoulder. "It is a bit hard for me to keep still sometimes," she admitted. "I think I drive my Mum and my sister crazy."

"You gotta be true to yourself," Joe said.

"You think so?" Hannah asked.

He seemed like he was about to answer, but then he glanced away. Joe often did that. Hannah guessed that it was just one of his quirks, that he got distracted or bored in the middle of whatever he was about to say.

"Come on then, let's move forward," Alex said.

They moved ahead, to where people danced along to the fast-paced music.

As Hannah twirled around, laughing with her friends and becoming lost, she spotted someone. On the railings, at the edge of the pier, sat a boy with long hair. He was staring at her. He must have been out of the line of sight of any security, otherwise they surely would have removed him if they saw him so brazenly beyond the limits like that.

He wore strange clothes, an odd mismatch of things, like a child who had dressed themselves. His coat was long and brown. On his hands were two gloves, one fingerless and beige, the other solid black. His hair was very messy as it hung down, covering half of his face like a curtain of vines.

Hannah met his one visible eye, expecting him to glance away, embarrassed, the way people often did when caught gazing at strangers.

But he only smiled and raised his beige hand. Was he going to wave? She would not find that out, as Jasmine grasped her hands and she was soon yanked away, back into the dancing circle by her friends.