Settlement of scores at Halloween

Chapter 10

The girl had no "visible" reaction, but a bucket load of questions were now scrambling in her head. Anick? In love with Martin? Was it possible? She didn't remember that Martin told her about the interest of a girl. Except that perhaps it wasn't the kind of conversation to have with his girlfriend. Everyone had a life before meetig someone. He didn't hide it. But why Anick would hide this detail?

"She didn't told you?" Celia asked in a hesitant voice. "I heard rumors about this and I..."

"And once again," Jessy cut, annoyed, "you don't mind your own business."

Celia curled up in her chair, lowering her head.

"If you don't like them, why listen to rumors?"

She had no answer. At least, I managed to shut her up. But to find out the truth, she knew exactly where she needed to go. She walked up to the door indicated earlier by Sebastian. She found herself near the stage where the DJ was. A little devil came to join her. By chance she had seen her enter the room because with dim lights and her makeup, she had difficulty recognizing Nelly. The latter bent to ask her to follow her. The two girls came forward in the half-light to an empty control room. They quietly locked themselves there. The music was less loud there. And we may be able to discuss...

"You can prepare here," Nelly announced. "I'll tell Anick. She will join you."

"Do you know about Anick?"

Nelly frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"She was in love with Martin? Did she ever talk about it?"

"We don't have time for that. And anyway, it does go back far, right? What will it change now?"

"Maybe nothing for you, but..."

"This isn't really a good time, okay? Hurry to get ready."

Then the girl scurried out of the room. Jessy gave a deep sigh, shaking her head. Nelly knew everything. She was sure of it. It was much too obvious. But why not have told her? Of course, it wouldn't matter because Martin wasn't there. Except that she remembered a strange conversation that had taken place in the cafeteria. Nelly told her that Martin had a girlfriend and that maybe she didn't know him as much as she thought. Had she wanted to point out this detail? She gave a deep sigh. Celia... I hate you! I don't have time to think about this! She didn't know this girl, but she was far from liking her. Why did she tell her that? She didn't need to know anything about Martin. And since he was no longer there to validate half of rumors...

Shaking her head, she fumbled in her bag for the costume and start preparing. Her friends counted on her. So, she didn't want to disappoint them. When she was about to start her makeup, she realized she had no mirror. Shit...! She had completely forgotten this detail. She looked around her to find Something with a reflective surface, but she saw Nothing. Then she thought of her phone. Shrugging, she fumbled again in her bag to find it. She reversed the camera and began to put her makeup like in the sketch she had made.

She had to do it fast, but good. She looked down two seconds to take a tissue. She jumped when she saw the face of Anick and her wig with beads. She turned to her.

"You scared the heck out of me...!" she said lowering her phone. "I didn't hear you come in. How long have you been there?"

"I just got in," the young girl replied, readjusting her white tunic, "but I didn't want to disturb your concentration."

"Oh. I... I'm almost done."

"The result is really great."

Jessy said Nothing. She finished her makeup and Anick was amazed by the result. She congratulated her for her talent. Hoping that's good enough to terrorize my aunt, I'll be happy with it! She gathered her stuff in her bag.

"I'm not late?" she asked without looking at her friend.

"Right on time!"

Anick approached the window to watch the dancers below.

"I can't wait to see their faces!"

"Someone will immortalize the scene?"

"Nelly got this," she replied, moving away from the glass. "She'll have a good angle of view near the DJ."

"Because I will not be here next year."

Jessy picked up her stuff under Anick's gaze who was smiling.

"I hope not."

I know that this is not the time but... maybe she'll answer me... The girl was struggling against her own curiosity which, despite all her efforts, would eventually prevail. But why she wanted to know the truth? Martin was dead. It didn't matter anymore. The door had opened slightly and Sebastian poked his head.

"Are you ready?"

"Let's go!" Anick happily threw. "Let the show begins!"

Sebastian smiled at them before closing the door, following by Anick very closely. Jessy suddenly had a strange feeling. As if something wasn't okay at all. She shook her head to take off this impression. She left her bag in the small room to follow her friends. Pascal was waiting for them a little further, a rope in his hand. He handed the rope to Anick before getting away with Sebastian.

"What are they doing?" Jessy asked, frowning. "Where are they going?"

Anick shrugged.

"Downstairs," she said. "They are the ones who will make sure you stay above the ground to create the effect of being hanged."

The girl nodded. Why don't I find it very reassuring? For Anick, it seemed so banal. They had thought about all the details of their plan before Jessy comes into the picture. So who was she to question everything? She therefore contented herself with a nod saying anything. But when she looked down on the rope that her friend was still holding, she felt a weight on her stomach. The rope formed a more or less long curve ending in a knot. A noose... She hastened to shake her head.

"I... I won't touch that," Jessy said.

Anick looked up at her, surprised.

"Why?"

"A noose was never part of the details that you provided to me."

"Oh that? It is essential, you see! Legend has it that Nancy hung herself, remember?"

"It seems so real..."

"It is, too. It's Pascal who did it. Great, isn't it?"

"I... I don't understand... Where is the harness we talked about?"

Anick gave a small smile, brandishing the knot.

"Oh? I don't remember that."