The Skeleton Masquerade

The Skeleton Masquerade

Welcome back to all you tombstone tourists out there. Here we are for another episode of Spooky Slumbers designed to help you sleep like the long departed.

Tonight we have been invited to the skeleton masquerade ball. Since you were young you've heard many rumours about the old, castle ruins nearby, and how it was said to host a skeleton ball every 13 years or so. Many people said that the skeletons dance all night long to eerie music, in their finest gowns and suits and ornate masks. There is supposedly a feast with delicious ghostly delicacies and glowing, glittering punch. There has also the rumour that for every dance a living human is allowed to attend, and that they are invited through a golden invitation delivered by the master’s pet raven himself. For many years you hoped to see the skeleton raven dropping off a shiny gold invitation, but you as you grew older you stopped believing in such stories. Now on an evening stroll you get to see whether the legend is true.

There is nothing left to do today, and the Skeleton Masquerade ball is ready for you.

Tonight it's a crisp autumnal night and you are out for a stroll through the park to shake off the stresses of the day. Night time always feels like your time, and you love to be out for a walk or curled up with a book. The leaves are falling from the trees and the air is chilly but you are wrapped up warm in a coat and scarf. You hear the soft crunch of fallen leaves beneath your feet as you walk. You are walking for a while, taking in the sights and sounds of autumn, breathing in the fresh air, exhaling your visibly frosty breath, and relaxing. Feeling more like yourself again with every breath. Eventually you find yourself at your favourite spot where you can see the old castle ruins high up on the hill. You sit down on a bench and take in the peacefulness of the night. The moon is shining above you and the stars are burning brightly. You sit there for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet. A bird rustles in the tree right above you and knocks a few russet leaves off their branches onto your lap. After a moment you notice that the stars aren't the only lights that you can see. There appear to be twinkling lights coming from the old castle ruins and you are reminded of the old stories people would tell to children.

As a child you always wanted to believe the stories of skeleton ball were true, but as you got older you realized that it was probably just a myth, as the castle is mostly old ruins now. But what if it was true? The child in you would scream with delight at this. The lights seem to be getting more numerous and brighter. Something in you tells you to go and investigate.

You set about walking up the hill towards the castle along cobbled pathway. You see the flickering lights more clearly now and you think you start to hear faint music. The moon is high in the sky. There are bats flying around above your head, and you hear an owl hooting in the distance. As you get yet closer you think you hear music and laughter coming from the castle, and then a noise that you can’t immediately identify. Like bones rattling. A horse-drawn carriage which is decorated with skulls and skeletons and rattles louder as it pulled over the cobbles, and it is heading straight towards you. ‘Invitation ma’am?’ a skeleton driver dressed in a top hat and tails says. He hops down from his spot a top the carriage, extending a bony hand. You hesitate for a moment, you don’t have an invitation. This has all been some big mistake and you shouldn’t have come here you start to say when the driver reaches forward clearing a number of leaves from your hood and reveals the golden invitation.

There’s just no way you think. You must be dreaming. But you have no time to think as the skeleton driver ushers you into the bone carriage with a smile and an earnest nod. As you enter you also note that horses are skeletal with jewelled bridles, although they seem lively enough. Inside the carriage is decorated with more skulls and skeletons, black velvet lines the carriage and there are blood red drapes pinned back with golden ties. You sit down and the driver asks you to put on the ornate mask and robe which you see is on the seat next to you . The mask like one you would see at a masked ball in the movies. This one is covered in emerald green jewels and has a long black feather.

You put on the jeweled mask and robe and lean back against the velvet seat as the driver cracks his whip and sets off towards the castle, the bone wheels of the carriage resume their rhymical clattering. You look out of the window as you approach, and see that the castle is just as spooky and magnificent as you always thought it would be, but it doesn’t look like the ruins you remember. you always think of it as old very old and worn with the majority of it in ruins. The stone walls crumbling in places, but this just added to the charm of the place. But now it looks like you imagine it did when it was first built, there are turrets with black flags, huge stained glass windows reflecting the light of the flaming torches that line the pathway around the castle. The driver leads the horse up to the castle entrance where two skeletons guards stand.

The carriage pulls to a stop and the doors fling open. You are greeted by a woman who is wearing a rose coloured silk gown with huge balloon-like sleeves. You take her hand in yours, it is deathly cold but she gives you a warm smile to encourage you. She leads you passed the guards, who bowed their heads on your arrival, past some figures in the garden enjoying drinks in the moonlight, and into the castle itself.

In front of you is a there is a grand staircase leading up to the second floor, and a large chandelier hangs in the entryway. As you are led down a hallway the walls are lined with portraits of skeletons, and the floors are made of cold marble. You walk further into the castle following the mysterious woman you see its grand sitting rooms, the library with bookcases so high you need ladders to reach the top, and the dining room with the largest table you have ever seen covered with a ghoulish feast. Each room is more exquisite than the last.

Finally, you could hear eerie music playing yet louder, and it sounds like it is coming from room at the end of the hallway. The bony woman gestures for you to follow as you both walk towards the sound, now large candelabras much taller than you line the hallway giving off a soft glow.

You enter the ballroom, and sure enough, that's where the skeleton masquerade was taking place. The music sounded like it was from a different time, and the dancers were all people dressed in old-fashioned clothes, at least they used to be people but by now they have long since departed this world. Although they are wearing costumes and masks they no longer had skin covering their bones. Their clay white remains caught the light of the candles as they waltzed around the room.

The dancers notice your presence and begin cheering, you are their guest of honour after all. You are offered a glass of the glittering punch from an ornate golden rimmed glass and are pulled further in to the room dance. You see the masquerade masks and costumes of the skeleton dancers. Some are ravens and owls, some are cats or wolves, some are not a distinct animal have strange long noses, some are covered with velvet and some and some are covered in precious stones. Some are simple and some are flamboyant. But everyone is having a good time and is into the spirit if the skeleton masquerade. You see candles floating in the air and the ceiling is painted with stars and moons. What an amazing sight you think. A skeleton masquerade ball. Just like the legend. You dance all night in your mask and cape, feeling so happy to have seen this sight and, after a while, the skeleton woman tells you that it’s time to go home. You thank everyone for an evening you will never forget and tell them you hope to seen them next time they are back. As leave the castle you hear the same clattering noise behind you and the skeleton driver nods for you to get into the carriage. Within what seemed like just minutes you are outside your house, and it appears no time at all has passed, you’re ready to get into your cosy bed. The skeleton hands you back the golden invitation with a wink. Something to remember the evening by. As you drift into sleep back in your cosy bed you are filled with amazing memories from the midnight masquerade ball.

Goodnight. Don’t let the bed bugs bite.

Want to hear this narrated? Try the Spooky Slumbers podcast available where ever you get your podcasts.