The Cost of Freedom

The frame cracked the air after Jeremiah whipped the restroom door shut; enough to resonate throughout the house. Yet it was still drowned out by the incessant whirlwind that was the howling of his parents. Dad was at fault this time - he caused a fender bender last night in the downpour causing Mom to be profane over the cost of repairs coming out of the Christmas budget. The fight went beyond naughty, not that they should be rewarded with coal. A spark from them would reduce the house to a smoldering pit. Jeremiah’s anxiety paralyzed him as he worried about unrelated things to escape the noise. Unknowingly gripping the handles of the sink in front of the mirror, his makeup melted from a joyful mime to a flustered sideshow clown from a combination of the steam rising and the sweat raining. The costume felt ruined, he stood calculating for longer than he should have. Even worse, the overflow snuck its way to his weathered black journal. Jeremiah desperately slapped it to the floor to prevent further soaking because inside was Jeremiah’s golden ticket.

Metaphorically speaking: it was just a flyer claiming anyone brave enough to get through the “Gateway to Hell” this Halloween could take home $20,000. Must be the real deal, it is November 2nd and this is the last night they’re offering the prize before they break down the set. But that’s exactly why Jeremiah had to be brave, this was his chance to distance himself from home and, maybe someday, the empty hell that’s his hometown. As grandiose a dream he’s had as no one else has had expectations for him. Except Emmett.

EMMETT! At least that snapped him out of the trance as he plucked his journal off the floor, tossing it into his backpack, darting for the backdoor. Sneaking out never had to be elegant since Dad was ruminating on a cigarette. Kicking his bike forward he immediately decided the first thing he would purchase is something faster and possibly comfortable enough to fall asleep in the backseat on the side of the road to freedom. He’d have to learn from someone else, his dad never bothered to give him the first lesson even though he’s old enough to get a permit. Not that they had a car anymore.

Halloween is Emmett’s favorite holiday, always going out of his way to even disgust himself in the process. Emmett obsessed over the details of how to make the perfect blood splatter when sloshing dyed corn syrup on his windows or using beef heart when he stabbed Jeremiah in a chest prosthesis one year screaming he was a vampire. Emmett and Jeremiah became friends at the age of eight when they both ran into each other pranking the neighborhood with rotten eggs. They were so much of the same mind then, that’s why it hurt Emmett to know that Jeremiah was so hellbent on entering the Gateway to Hell. It terrified Emmett to think that one day Jeremiah wouldn’t be there anymore and that distance would be the death of their friendship. That’s why it mattered more than anything to make him smile.

Jeremiah didn’t get all the way up to the front door before something dropped from the tree, bursting yellow goo all over his right black dress shoe.

“Ooops, I missed!” Cawed out a giant blue and green parrot perched on the only strong limb of a knackered oak tree. Fluttering down on clumsy wings, the bird landed with the distinct sound of sneakers scraping the sidewalk - bowing with feathers spread wide, then leapt up to embrace the mime breast to breast.

“Why the long face?” Squawked Emmett through his cardboard beak, hopping left and right, clearly not knowing how to dance like a parrot. The reminder of his sloppy makeup stung Jeremiah for a second, replacing a smile with a pantomimed facsimile. Shielding his face with his hands, blooming forward with a toothy wide maw that Emmett decided was neither a smile, but at the very least, was clearly not a frown.

“Thanks for agreeing to wear your costume one more time with me, I know it’s not even Halloween anymore,” finally Emmett sighed bashfully in his own pitchy, almost avian voice.

Jeremiah warily broke character reluctantly to remind his friend, “Anything for you, pal.”

Entering the fairgrounds, the boys dashed towards the very back of the lot knowing exactly where their destiny lay hidden amongst the food vendors and cheap thrills that only promised fleeting fun compared to the eternal glory that awaited. Unfortunately for them, others headed the siren call of the carny for a chance to steal away with $20,000 while facing the terrors awaiting in the belly of the beast. Additionally unfun was the mandatory board of rules that accompanied the belt rope guarded by a troll of a man clenching the clasp. Without so much as glancing at the boys from behind a mossy outgrowth of hair, a raspy drawl coughed from inside a forest of a beard the final rule on the board, “YOU... MAY STOP... AT ANY... TIME!” Jeremiah awkwardly gave two thumbs up wondering if there were even eyes to acknowledge him as Emmett parroted back, “YOU... MAY STOP... AT ANY... TIME! SQUAWK!” Remaining unfazed the man only moved his arms enough to give entrance to the spirited boys.

As Jeremiah and Emmett trudged through the line like zombies waiting for their turn to enter the actual attraction, they at least wondered and laughed together at the cheesy graveyard garden leading to the doorway of a dilapidated manor. That’s when Emmett caught a glimpse once more of Jeremiah, this time unable to hide his smile from the laughter, this only made Emmett laugh harder because Jeremiah’s teeth looked just as bad as the grave stones sprouting in rows from the peat earth. Just as fast as they were enjoying themselves did they realize that they were now staring at the precipice. The rotting wood door leered back: rebuking their intentions to penetrate the first challenge. The boys had not yet attempted to turn the knob hesitant of the unknown. Only as Emmett finally freed his leg from its slumber creaked the floor board which prompted the door to harmonize by shrilling at the hinges and popping its splintery bones as it peeled from the frame.

“Maybe they will go all out! They have motion-activated props!” Emmett squealed as only a fan of the macabre could at the myth and movie magic behind the frights. At least that thought seemed to revive Jeremiah’s courage, but again only brought forward the reminder of the real horror he was retreating from. Emmett! He already ran inside, so Jeremiah snapped his chains once more accepting he can no longer hold back if he actually wants to grasp at a future that he determines. “Hurry! Hurry!” Shouted Emmett already flying into a door leading into the first of what could be countless rooms from a grand foyer. The door slamming shut behind him.

Catching up to the door only revealed that it was locked. Jeremiah the mime wasn’t going to let anything stop him now! Not especially if by digging around in his pocket he could fish out... the very key he needed! The front door taught him that he doesn’t have to wait, he can keep going. Which once again became very prevalent as now he was looking at himself dead in the eye. Pivoting to escape proved futile for the mirrors were staring at him now, he didn’t belong. IT’S TIME TO RUN!

CRASH! It didn’t take long for Jeremiah to draw blood as he slammed into a mirror sprinting as fast as he could sacrificing agility and perception. A shard sliced his cheek plopping drip after drip of scarlet corn syrup, sloshing on the mirror. Feathers strewn about were now dyed developing a sickly purple color. Jeremiah trailed the feathers watching where Emmett failed to avoid tagging nearly every surface with his body. That’s when he heard a distant crash! Which thundered as countless mirrors, wave after wave, exploded right in front of his eyes! Jeremiah ducked, covered, and held his place as crystal rained over him. With eyes shut tight the sound of the glass clinking and scraping as if being collected up into a pile alerted him to a presence.

Granules climbing each other to form an amorphous shape, the silicon was transitioning into life. A shiny, sharp homunculus was beginning to walk as it gave chase to Jeremiah who desperately needed to keep going forward! The clinking behind him gained rhythm, it's catching up to him yet there the exit is somewhere skewed in front of him! Jeremiah had no choice but to bump into glass as he continued to hound the feathers until he was nearly safe! “AAAAAAAAGGHH!”

The homunculus sliced his back from shoulder to hip crumpling Jeremiah from excruciating pain. Without recourse and in despair, the last act he performed was a hopeless gesture of throwing up a wall with his hands wishing that a barrier were to prevent his doom.

Smash! The homunculus was brainless after all, running straight into the trap vaporizing into a fine powdery cloud. That was amazing! Jeremiah was stunned but redoubled his resolve immediately to continue and hopefully catch up to Emmett. Turning to find the exit he found a pair of eyes staring back. Blinking removed the background and put Jeremiah back in his restroom, unwittingly gripping the handles of the sink in front of the mirror. His makeup melted from a joyful mime to a flustered sideshow clown from a combination of the steam rising and the sweat raining, his blood blushing one cheek. WHERE WAS EMMETT?!

If he opened the door will he be there? Something struck Jeremiah. If this was his restroom, why was it so silent? Where were his parents? Jeremiah was getting tired, his adrenaline has been keeping him alive but this is also no longer a thrill ride. He shouldn’t be here, this was no illusion yet the impossible was reality - that his journal was open on the floor soggy with words bleeding throughout the page. Picking it up for a closer look read: I’d do anything to get out of here. Jeremiah wrote that earlier today dreaming that he would finally catch a break and make a choice from the heart.

Holding his breath he flung the door open, so much so it flew off the hinges, if only because the other side was compromised due to being charred. It was like he always imagined it would end. His house, grey and ash laden an inverse of what it was as he last remembered. From the restroom he could see there was a glow rising from the basement doorway. He knew he had nowhere else to go. There was also no denying that Emmett was also down there waiting.

Like fallen leaves surrounding the winter tree, a pile of what remaining feathers were strewn about, but so were slivers and chunks and some organs that required the additional support. Emmett was hoisted by two meat hooks through the shoulders hanging above the abyss. Jeremiah was about to breathe relief as Emmett was lifting his head - he wasn’t dead - however what spewed from his mouth gurgling between streams of blood and bile was not his voice.

“Welcome Jeremiah, you finally arrived at the Gateway to Hell! Your reward is below me, yours to take, your friend always to give, your commitment fake. Your heart and actions have spoken for you.” Before he could counter, tiny shadows slithered up his body to sink their teeth into his lips, then weaving to bind his mouth shut. The chains snapped and Emmett blinked out of existence. Erupting from the darkness to flutter in the wind like green feathers were 20,000 reminders of what Jeremiah gave up for freedom.