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Generation X vs. the Haunted House
by Pirate Turner
It was a few days before Halloween. Emma Frost was in town with co-headmaster Sean Cassidy and her students, Jubilation Lee, Paige Guthrie, Monet St. Croix, Jonothon Starsmore, Angelo Espinosa, Everett Thomas, and Mondo.
"Shall we split up?" asked Monet.
"No, we should stay together," Emma replied.
"Mr. Cassidy?" inquired Paige.
"Em's right," replied Sean, stealing a quick glance at Emma.
Emma caught his glance and smiled secretly. She liked Sean.
"Hey! Look! We're coming up on that haunted house!" Everett excitedly announced.
Emma looked up. They were coming up on an old abandoned house. {It does look rather odd.} With its broken windows and peeling paint it looked old and shabby - the kind of a place that a ghost would probably feel right at home in!
Monet stated, "There is no such thing as a ghost."
"Some people don't think we're real, but we are," Mondo pointed out.
"True, we are," replied Monet. "However, ghosts are simply mythological creatures."
"How do you know that as a fact?" inquired Jonothon.
"Do not ask me to explain my super intelligence to you for nobody, not even I, can explain any such gift or curse, as the case may be!" Monet hotly exclaimed.
"For once, Ah agree with Monet," Paige spoke up.
"I agree with ya, too, Monet," Jubilee stated her opinion.
"Angelo?" Jonothon asked for Skin's opinion.
"I think Ev's right," Angelo replied, looking at the house.
{Hmm . . . we are even so far. I wonder if I can get Ms.Frost to agree with us.} Monet asked, "What do you think, Ms. Frost?"
"Until I am proven wrong," Emma replied, "I believe that ghosts are, as you said, Monet, 'simply mythological creatures'."
Monet beamed proudly. She loved when a teacher said that she was right or that they agreed with her.
{Two can play that game.} Everett inquired, "Mr. Cassidy, what do you think?"
"Well, laddie," Sean began, "I admit that ghosts are usually classified as mythology. However, we are also sometimes classified as mythology. Many people di nae believe that ghosts, aliens, or homo superior exist. However, we knae that both aliens and homo superiors di exist. Therefore, until it is proven that ghosts di nae exist, I agree with ye, Everett."
Now it was Everett's turn to grin. "Hey, guys, I have an ideal!"
"Hustle, laddies," Sean commanded. The guys followed Sean to a yard or so away from the girls.
"Let's hear that ideal o' yours, Everett," whispered Sean.
Whispering, Everett began, "Well, Mr.Cassidy, this is a perfect time to challenge the girls and Ms. Frost."
"Challenge? How so?" inquired Jonothon.
"Simple," replied Everett. "We challenge them to stay Halloween night in the haunted house."
"What will they win if they do?" Angelo asked.
"We'll do their chores for a week if they do it," Everett answered, "but I doubt they will." A mischievous grin spread across his face.
"They'll do it," replied Mondo.
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," Everett declared.
"Why?" wondered Mondo.
"Because that ghost . . . " began Everett. He then lowered his voice even more.
A few minutes later, the boys came back to the girls.
{I wonder what Ev's great ideal is}, thought Jubilee. {Guess I'll find out soon!}
Everett cleared his throat. "Ladies," he began, "we gentlemen challenge you to stay in the haunted house on Halloween night."
"If we accept and win this little bet, what will our prize be?" Monet inquired of Everett.
"I doubt you will win," Everett replied, "but if you do, we will do all your chores for an entire week."
"And if we loose?" asked Paige.
"Then you have to do our chores for an entire week," Everett answered.
"Okay," replied Jubilee. "We'll think 'bout it."
{Who wants to take this challenge?} Emma telepathically asked the girls.
{Ah do,} replied Paige.
{Me, too,} was Jubilee's response.
{As do I,} answered Monet.
"The girls and I accept your challenge," Emma informed the boys and Sean.
The afternoon was growing short. Angelo yawned, and then asked, "Are you guys ready to go home now?"
"I am," Mondo replied.
"Ah'm not," Paige disagreed.
"Count me in," replied Everett.
"Count me out," Jubilee replied, shifting her packages.
"I am not yet ready to retire for the evening," agreed Monet.
Sean replied, "I be ready when ye boyo's be ready."
"I've been ready," Jonothon stated.
"I am not quite ready yet, either," Emma replied. "We came in two vehicles, so, if you want, you guys can go home in Sean's jeep."
"We couldn't do that!" Everett gasped. "You girls need us here to protect you!"
"Oh, we see what it is!" Jubilee exclaimed. "You guys are afraid to go home without us, because you won't have us there to protect you!"
The teenagers laughed. Emma and Sean smiled.
When the laughter had died down, Sean asked, "Well, di ye laddies want tae gi ahead and gi home or nae?"
"I'm all fer goin' home," replied Jonothon.
"Same here," Mondo replied.
"Count me in, senor," answered Angelo.
"I'm in," Everett declared.
"Okay, then," Sean said. "We'll see ye lasses later taenight when ye get home." He then walked away. The guys followed after saying their farewells to the girls.
"Okay, then, let's shop 'till we drop!" Jubilee exclaimed with a grin after the guys had left.
"Yes, let's," agreed Monet. She spotted "Spencer's Gifts". "Let's go in there!" She pointed to the store in order to draw the others' attention to it.
They walked out of the store and across to "Spencer's Gifts". Once inside, they branched off.
Emma spied some crystal necklaces and chose one with a blue stone in it. Paige located some necklaces and pins. She chose a necklace with a smiley face and a pin to match.
Monet passed a shelf of statues. Wondering what they were statues of, Monet glanced upward. {Gargoyles.} She recalled her bodyguard, Miss Gayle, teaching her that gargoyles were evil and shuddered quietly.
Jubilee was looking at some keychains when something caught her eye. She turned to see a moving robotic skeleton with cobwebs in its hair. {Disgusting!}
Monet, meanwhile, had discovered a crystal ball and a set of tarot cards. "Hey, Jubilee!"
Jubilee's head jerked up, "Yeah?"
"Come here," was Monet's response.
Jubilee walked over to Monet. "Yeah? What is it?"
"Look," Monet showed the crystal ball and tarot cards to Jubilee.
"Those will come in perfect for Halloween! After all, if we're gonna spend Halloween night in a haunted house, we might as well make the best of it!" Jubilee exclaimed.
"My thoughts exactly," replied Monet. "I shall put them on my credit card."
It was two days before Halloween. Jubilation Lee and Monet St.Croix were in town again. This time they were in the local Winn Dixie. They had already split up and went their separate ways. Jubilee was on the row of the spices. She was looking for one particular spice. {There! Garlic!} Jubilee located the garlic and put a container of it in her basket. {It never hurts to be prepared!}
Jubilee decided she was done shopping and would go see if Monet was ready to go as well. After a little bit, she located Monet. "Hey, Monet!"
"Hello, Jubilation," greeted Monet. "Are you ready?"
"Yeah, I am," replied Jubilee. "Are ya?"
"I am ready as well," replied Monet.
"'Kay then, let's go!" said Jubilee.
Monet then noticed the garlic. She raised an eyebrow. "I realize that Californian taste is different than Algerian taste, but, really, Jubilation, garlic?"
"Oh, yeah, well, that's just in case," Jubilee responded casually.
"Just in case of what?" Monet inquired.
"Oh, ya know, just in case we meet up with vamps on Halloween night," Jubilee admitted.
"Jubilation . . ." Monet sighed and shook her head in exasperation.
Jubilee shrugged. "Hey, anything's possible!"
Monet went to a nearby Catholic church the next afternoon. She looked around for the priest. When she saw him, she walked up to him and asked, "Father, if I may have a moment of your time?"
"Most certainly, child," replied the monk. "What seems to be the trouble?"
"Well, Father, some friends and I are spending All Hallow's Eve in an old house that is supposedly haunted. I do not believe the legend, but, for some reason unknown to me, I fear I need some Holy water . . ." Monet replied, her head bowed, looking at the floor of the church.
The Father shook his head slowly and sadly. "You need say no more, my child. I comprehend your predicament. I do not believe in ghosts or other such mythological creatures, either. However, if you feel you are in need of some Holy water, then, by all means, take some." He handed Monet a container of Holy water.
"Thank you, Father. I appreciate it greatly." Monet accepted the Holy water and left after saying a prayer she had been taught as a child.
The Father smiled after her and his old eyes twinkled with happiness. {As long as some still believe in the Lord, all is not lost. With the Lord on our side, we will win. Good luck, my Child." He then knelt at the alter and prayed.
It was the afternoon of the big day, Halloween. Jubilee was going to tell Monet that it was time to go. She knocked on Monet's door.
"Come in," called Monet.
Jubilee came in to Monet's room. "It's time to go, M."
"Okay, I shall be with you in just a moment, Jubilation," Monet replied. She started to put a container of water in a little bag.
Jubilee raised an eyebrow at the container. "What's that?"
Monet tried to hide the container. "What is what?"
"That container," Jubilee replied. "What's in it?"
"Oh, it merely contains water," answered Monet.
"Why are ya putting it in that bag?" asked Jubilee.
"Water is good for both your body and your protection," responded M.
"Protection? Is that Holy water?" guessed Jubilee.
Monet blushed. "Yes," she admitted.
"Ah ha! So you really do think it's possible!" exclaimed Jubilee.
"What is possible?"
"That the legends are true."
"Well, Jubilee, when your brother is Emplate, you learn to believe that anything is possible."
"So ya believe it is possible then?"
"Yes." Monet looked at her clock. "We had best embark for the haunted house now."
"Yeah, we had," agreed Jubilee. "Let's go!"
Generation X was outside the gate of the old, haunted house.
"Are ye lasses sure ye want tae gi in?" Banshee asked, looking up at the house.
"Yes, Sean," replied Emma.
"Yeah, Mr. Cassidy," answered Paige.
"Yup," replied Jubilee.
"Most positively," agreed Monet.
"Okay. Good luck tae ye all then," Sean opened the gate and stood back.
"We'll see you girls shortly," Mondo declared.
Paige asked, "Shortly?"
Mondo nodded, "Yeah, you'll probably run outta there as soon as ya go in."
Jubilee smirked. "Ya wish."
"We'll see," said Everett.
"Yes, we will indeed see," agreed Monet.
"Okay. Let's go in," announced Emma.
The group of girls filed into the yard of the haunted house, which was full of weeds. Paige spotted something red on the doorknob and quietly showed it to Jubilee.
Jubilee exclaimed, "Euuw!!! Gross!!!" She made a disgusted face.
Monet and Emma ran to them. "What is it?"
"There's blood on the door handle!" exclaimed Paige.
"Hmm . . . I wonder . . ." Emma mumbled as she looked at the door knob.
Monet inquired, "What, Ms. Frost?"
"Nothing," Emma quickly responded.
Monet knew that Emma suspected something. She wondered if Emma was beginning to think the legend might be true. She shivered as the legend ran through her mind. {A man once lived here happily with a big family, a wife, three girls, two boys, a dog, and a cat. One day, he lost his job, which meant the world to him. He went crazy, and, one day, while his wife was at work and the kids at school, he brutally murdered the dog and cat. He hid their remains in the attic. When his youngest children found out what he had done, they confronted him with it. He killed them, and hid their corpses in the basement. The oldest son and next to oldest daughter found out, confronted their father with it, and were killed. He cut them up into numerous, small pieces and scattered them in hiding places on the second floor. His oldest daughter and wife then found out. They were the most intelligent of his victims and went to the police with the information. However, he followed them, and, when they went back to the house to get their belongings, he killed them as well. He hid their remains on the first floor. That night, around midnight, he climbed to the top of the house and jumped. He stabbed himself with a knife at the same time as he fell to the ground far below. The police removed his body, but his spirit still haunts the house to this day.}
The girls had continued on inside while Monet had been thinking about the legend.
Unexpectedly, Jubilee screamed, "Look!!!" She pointed a shaky finger at a picture on the wall of a lovely lady. An ax was cut in at the lady's throat. Blood was dripping from the ax blade.
Paige exclaimed, "Yuck!!!"
Monet shook her head sadly.
Emma gasped when she saw the picture.
The group continued on. They went up to the attic. They were settling down to spend the night there, when, suddenly, Emma found the head of a white cat. She screamed.
Monet, Jubilee, and Paige ran to her. "What's wrong, Ms. Frost?"
Emma said nothing, but pointed to the dead feline's head.
Jubilee and Paige simultaneously shouted, "Disgusting!!!"
Monet whispered in a hushed tone of voice, "The legend must be true."
No one offered an argument.
"Let's go down to the second floor," Paige suggested.
Jubilee and Monet nodded in agreement.
Emma replied, "You three go ahead. I'll be right with you."
"Okay," replied Paige. She left for the second floor. Jubilee and Monet followed her.
When her students were gone, Emma turned around with her back to the cat's corpse. She crossed her shoulders and forehead and then went to catch up with her students. Her students had not gone too far when Emma caught up with them.
A door blocked their path down. Monet opened it. A knife swung down straight at M's throat! Automatically, M ducked, hit the floor, and rolled. She did not give a second thought to the dirtiness of the floor.
Emma and Jubilee rushed over to Monet. "Are you okay, Monet?" Emma gently asked.
Monet rose from the floor and dusted herself off. "I am fine, Ms. Frost."
Paige stood off to the side. {Show-off.}
Jubilee glanced around the room that they were now in. It was empty except for three pieces of furniture that were covered with white sheets. "Let's stay here."
"Yeah," agreed Paige.
"Good ideal, Jubilation," commented Emma.
Monet merely nodded, still shaken from the close encounter with the knife.
It was late, ten minutes to midnight to be exact. Paige and Emma were asleep. Jubilee was telling Monet a ghost story. "And when she looked around the corner of the house, she saw . . . "
"What did the old lady see?" inquired Monet.
"The head of her dog held in the hands of the mad butcher. The butcher was . . . "
Jubilee was interrupted by the ghostly sound of an organ above.
Jubilee and Monet looked at each other. Jubilee asked, "What was that?!?"
"It sounds like an organ," replied Monet.
"I know that, but who could be playing it?!?"
The organ continued to play.
"The ghost of the old, crazy man," suggested Monet.
"The ghost?!? Yeah, right!"
"Do you have any other ideals as to who could be playing it?"
"Well, no, not really," Jubilee admitted.
The organ played on and on and on . . .
M glanced at her watch. Both hands were pointing at 12!
Paige Guthrie was awoken at 2:35 in the morning by the sound of something swinging. There was the blade of an ax right above her. It was swinging from side to side, lowering slowly. She screamed, awakening the others.
Emma directed, "Paige, do not move!"
Even if Paige had wanted to, she couldn't have moved. She was frozen to the spot! Fearfully, her blue eyes followed the ax.
A ghostly laughter rang out from everywhere. The ghost appeared!
The girls screamed their lungs off!
The guys heard the laughter and the screaming. They ran into the room where the girls were.
Monet suddenly flew through the ghost, grabbed the ax from the ghost's hands, and wrestled with the ghost for control over the ax. Emma shot a psychic burst of power at the ghost. The ghost let go of the ax and disappeared.
Monet handed the ax to Sean. "Here, Mr. Cassidy. You had best keep this."
"Aye, I had," replied Sean.
Chamber and Skin rushed over to Paige's side.
"Are ya okay, Country Mouse?" Angelo asked.
"Ah'm okay, Angie," replied Paige. {A little bit shaken, though.}
Emma cleared her throat. She looked at Paige, to Monet, and then back to Paige.
"Thanks, Monet," mumbled Paige.
"No problem," replied Monet. "After all, you would have done the same for me."
"Well, ya girls managed to stay here throughout the night, after all," declared Everett.
"Of course we did!" Jubilee exclaimed.
"What all happened?" inquired Mondo.
The girls took turns telling their story. When they had finished, Sean admitted, "The laddies an' I did everything except fer the ax blade o'er Paige."
"Ya mean ta tell us that ya cheated!" yelled Jubilee.
"Sean Cassidy! How could you go along with such a thing? You should be setting a good example for the children to follow not going along with them cheating to try and win a bet!" Emma lectured Sean angrily as she faced him eyeball to eyeball.
"Ya boys should be ashamed of yourselves!" cried Paige.
"We are supposed to be the next generation of mutants. We should be setting a good example for the generation of mutants that shall come after us to follow. We should not be setting an example for the next generation of super villains!" Monet scolded.
The girls chased the boys out of the haunted house and all the way back to the school.
The End