Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION by VERONA and DAMIEN
Chapter Text
Verona
Well, it’s that time again. Time for another trio of spooky tales from around Sparkyville. This time we have a story about a haunted house that one EVER leaves.
Damien
We also have a tale about a female doctor making a Frankenstein-like monster that will serve on her hand and foot, which has dire consequences.
Verona
And finally, a story about a vampire hunter who is looking for his sister who is the queen of vampires.
Damien
So, sit back. Relax. Enjoy your favorite Halloween candy…
Both
…and let’s get this show on the road!
UP NEXT, STORY 1!
Chapter 2: STORY 1: HAIL HOUSE (Part 1)
Notes:
Starring:
Charlie Brown
Frieda
Lucy
Linus
Schroeder
Eudora
Snoopy
Woodstock
5
3
4
Peppermint Patty
Marcie
Franklin
and Ed and Herman as the Harvinder’s of Doom
Special appearance by Black Widow and Orbweaver
Chapter Text
VERONA: First up is a tale about a haunted house that, to quote the Eagles’ song “Hotel California”, you can check out anytime you want, but you can’t never leave!
“So, what’s up for this Halloween, gang?” asked Peppermint Patty.
“I know I don’t want to go to another Halloween party this year,” said Schroeder. “I don’t mind providing the music; I just don’t want to dance to it.”
“Despite being a musical prodigy, my man has two left feet unfortunately,” lamented Lucy.
“Well, we’re too old for trick-or-treating,” said Franklin.
“That’s fine by me,” said Charlie Brown. “I’d get rocks for sure.”
“Aw, poor baby,” cooed Frieda, kissing him on the cheek. “I’d get you candy for sure, my love.”
“Plus, I missed out on that for years waiting for the Great Pumpkin,” said Linus. “But not that I’d be interested in that these days.”
“We understand, babe,” said Eudora to her boyfriend.
“Charlie Brown, what’s Sally and Michael doing?” asked 5.
“Going to a Halloween party,” Charlie Brown answered.
“Oh, good grief!” moaned Peppermint Patty. “How about your man, 5? What’s Quentin up to?”
“My man has got a new job,” 5 answered. “He actually working with Rudy Ace at Ace’s Ice Cream Shop.”
“Nice!” said Lucy. “Now Quentin AND Junior can hook us up!”
“Well, Quentin is more the janitor sweeping the floor,” said 3.
“He doesn’t serve the ice cream like Junior does,” added 4.
“Rats!” griped Lucy. “Anyway, back to the topic at hand. What do we do this Halloween?”
“Have you guys ever heard of Hail House?” asked Marcie.
“What house, babe?” asked Franklin.
“Hail House,” Marcie repeated. “It’s far west of Sparkyville. Lucille, has the Spiders ever mentioned Hail House to you and the Serpents before?”
“Widow mentioned it once, but never elaborated on it no more than that it was a dangerous place that no one goes to,” Lucy replied.
“Well, the story goes that it is haunted,” Marcie began.
“Big deal, Marcie!” said Peppermint Patty. “There are many haunted houses.”
“None like this one, sir,” Marcie continued. “While they say it’s haunted, that’s the LEAST scary part of the house. You see, the tale goes that anyone who enters Hail House, never leaves, either alive or dead. They just vanish off the face of the earth.”
“Good grief!” shuddered Charlie Brown.
“That’s awful!” said a scared Frieda.
“Well, I’m not entering that house,” said Linus.
“Me neither, Linus,” agreed Eudora.
“Come on, you guys!” said Patty. “You can’t be afraid of an urban legend! There’s no proof any kids disappeared in that house!”
“Well, you know the old saying, sir?” said Marcie.
“What old saying?”
“Better safe than sorry!”
“Well, I’m game, Patricia,” said Lucy with some bravado. “Besides that, I got Schroeder to protect me.”
“Looks like I haven’t got a choice in this,” sighed Schroeder.
“No, you don’t, man,” said Charlie Brown. “Frieda?”
“As long as you’re by my side, hun,” Frieda said, holding Charlie Brown’s arm.
“Well, we’ve been doing some research on urban legends,” said 3.
“Checking out Hail House could help in our homework,” added 4.
“Well, that settles it,” said a happy Patty. “Majority rules!”
“Wait a minute,” said Linus. “We hadn’t heard from Franklin.”
“Babe, we can go watch horror movies as we planned,” said Marcie to her boyfriend.
“Yeah, true,” Franklin agreed, “but, this is probably a once in a lifetime thing that could happen.”
“Probably be the only lifetime,” muttered Eudora to Linus, who nodded in agreement.
“Well, I have been curious about that place, myself,” Marcie relented. “Okay, sir. Franklin and I are in, against my better judgement, of course.”
“Oh, good grief!” moaned Linus.
“It’ll be okay, Linus,” assured Charlie Brown. “Besides, ghost don’t really exist.”
“Maybe not, Charlie Brown, but queen snakes do!” Linus retorted.
“Queen snakes are non-venomous, you blockhead!” said Lucy to her brother. “In fact, the timber rattlesnake and copperhead would be the only snakes to worry about and they don’t attack people unless you corner them! Usually they’ll flee from people, they won’t bite unless provoked!”
“Snakes or not, we all agree NOT to split up on this journey,” demanded Eudora.
“I can agree to that,” said Frieda.
“Same,” added Charlie Brown.
“All right!” cheered Patty. “Hail House, here we come!”
“We better draw up our wills now,” groaned Linus.
The next night on Halloween, while kids were trick-or-treating and going to horror movie showings at the theater or parties kids were throwing, Charlie Brown, Frieda, Lucy, Schroeder, Linus, Eudora, Marcie, Franklin, 5, 3, 4, and Snoopy and Woodstock, led by Peppermint Patty, were heading towards Hail House. On the way, they encountered a weird boy wearing an eyepatch with what they thought was a dog, but didn’t look like one.
“Hey, where are you kids going?” he asked.
“We’re on our way to Hail House, kid,” said Patty, happily.
“Are you sure ya wanna check that place out?” asked the boy.
“We’re, you could say, ghost hunting,” said Charlie Brown.
“Well, the only spooks and ghouls you’ll find is yourselves if y’ go to that place,” the boy replied.
“Who do they call you, kid?” asked Linus.
“The name’s Ed, and this is m’ wolf, Herman.”
“Wait a minute!” said Lucy. “Did you say ‘wolf’?! I thought all wolves were driven out of Sparkyville over a hundred of years ago! Had to do with what happened with werebeagles appearing all over town, or something like that!”
“Yeah, but I’m licensed t’ have ol’ Herman with me,” said Ed. “Besides that, raised him since he was a pup. Plus, Herman is harmless. Loves people.”
“How’s it going, ol’ Herman?” said Snoopy through his thoughts.
“I’m okay,” said Herman. “Your friends, however, better be careful of Hail House.”
“How dangerous is it really?”
“Many folks went in, but never came back out! You and your friends may be the next ones!” Woodstock gulped at that thought.
“Well, thanks for the warning, Ed, but we’ll be careful,” assured Peppermint Patty. “Let’s go, gang! We have a haunted house to go to!” And the kids continued on their journey towards Hail House.
“I feel for them, Herman,” sighed Ed.
Not too long afterwards, after a long trek through Monte Woods, they finally arrived at an abandoned big house deep in the woods. Over the top of the door read, in big bold letters, “HAIL HOUSE”. Peppermint Patty smiled big.
“We made it!” she said, happily. “Let’s go in.”
“Wait a minute, why rush?” asked Linus. “Why don’t we get some pictures first and post them online, so that, you know, they can find our dead bodies later they know where to look.”
“Remember Linus, the people that entered never came back out,” said Lucy. “They disappeared of the face of the earth.”
“Don’t remind us, Lucy!” shivered Frieda.
“You guys aren’t chicken, are ya?” asked Patty.
“No, we’re just scared, Patty,” Eudora replied.
“Well, what are we waiting for?! Let’s go!” And Patty and the reluctant teens all went inside Hail House. Inside the house was old furniture covered in thick spiderwebs, dust, and other things less dwelled on. They even caught glimpses of rats running around. The girls, save Patty, freaked out a bit by the sight of rats running around.
“Good grief, it’s filthy in here!” said Charlie Brown.
“What did you expect, Chuck?” said Patty. “This house hadn’t been lived in for thousands of years.”
“It looks like it, Patty,” said Franklin.
“Well, aside from the rats and spiders, so far so good,” said 3.
“No ghost or goblin in sight,” added 4.
“Not even a door closing on its own…” Linus wouldn’t finish his train of thought. As he had said that, the main door to the outside closed and immediately was locked. On one could get out, or come in, at least for the moment.
“We’re trapped!” shivered Marcie.
“THERE’S NO WAY OUT!!!” hollered Lucy.
“I KNEW we should have gone to Violet’s Halloween party!” said Frieda to Charlie Brown.
“If we don’t get wipe out from existence, we are definitely going to her party next year!” agreed Charlie Brown.
“Don’t panic, everyone,” said Patty, calming everyone down. “Maybe with a gentle push we can open the door.”
“PATTY, DON’T!!!” Lucy tried to stop her, but before her fingers could touch the knob, a bolt of electricity shot Patty at least a quarter of a football field away from the rest.
“GOOD GRIEF!!!” exclaimed Charlie Brown.
“Sir, are you okay?” asked a concerned Marcie.
“Hey dad,” said Patty in a daze, “are you taking me, Yasmine, and Polly to the amusement park?”
“She’s going to be out of it for a while,” observed Marcie.
“Okay, nobody touch the door to outside!” ordered Franklin.
“Trust us, Frank, we are staying back from that thing!” said 5.
“I hope we don’t disappear from existence, Frieda,” said a worried Charlie Brown.
“As long as you’re with me, baby, even if we vanish, I’m just glad I’m with you one last time,” said Frieda, kissing Charlie Brown.
“Well, no point in standing here,” said Lucy. “Schroeder, baby, could you and 5 give Patricia a hand?”
“Yeah, sure, Lucy,” said Schroeder. And he and 5 picked up Patty who was still in a daze from her episode.
“Hey, Colleen, are we all going out for ice cream?” she asked, still acting goofy.
“Girl, does it look like I’m your stepmother?” asked 5. And the boys escorted Patty as the rest went deeper into the house to see what was inside.
Soon, they made it downstairs into the cellar, which was even more dirty than the living room upstairs with nearly twice as many spiderwebs and some rats also running around.
“Okay, how this place isn’t condemned is beyond me!” griped Eudora.
“Somehow, waiting for the Great Pumpkin ALMOST seems like a better idea,” said Linus.
“Linus, getting rocks in my sack for Halloween seems like a better idea,” Charlie Brown retorted.
“Wh-Whoa, what happened?” said Patty, coming out of her stupor.
“You were zapped when you tried to go for the door after it shut, sir,” Marcie explained.
“You were kind of out of it, Patty,” added Franklin.
“Schroeder and I had to escort you,” said 5. “Luckily, you were able to walk assisted and we didn’t have to drag you or carry you.”
“How long was I, you know, loopy?” asked Patty.
“About a half an hour,” said Frieda.
“And you were acting a little weird,” added Charlie Brown.
“A little more than usual, I might add,” Lucy retorted.
“Man, all I know is that I now have a splitting headache,” groaned Patty.
“I have some aspirin, sir,” said Marcie, handing her two aspirin tablets and a bottled water.
“Thanks, Marcie.” And she took the tablets and washed them down with the water. “Anyway, where are we in the house?”
“We’re in the cellar,” said 3.
“And it’s dingier than upstairs,” added 4.
Suddenly, the teens heard a thud. Snoopy and Woodstock hid behind Charlie Brown and Frieda. The kids looked worried themselves.
“What the hell was that?!” asked Patty.
“I don’t know, but whatever it is, we better not stay to find out!” said Lucy. “We need to find a way out of here, and NOT through the front door. Try one of the windows.”
“No luck, Lucy,” said Charlie Brown. “They’re all bricked up.”
“Who designed this death trap?!” griped Lucy. “I’m going to call Cobra and see if she can get the rest of the Serpents and the Spiders here to help us.” And Lucy pulled out her cell phone, only for her to see that there was no service.
“We have no service in this place!” cried Eudora.
“Rats!” griped Charlie Brown. “No link to the outside, the front door has its own force field, the windows are all bricked up down here… Wait a minute! The windows upstairs! We can get out through there! They’re just boarded up and we can knock out the boards easily!”
“Good thinking, Charlie Brown,” said Linus.
“Quick, everyone back upstairs!” said Patty. And everyone ran back up to the main floor.
“Try to knock out one of the boards!” said 5.
Snoopy rubbed his paws together and stretched out. He backed up to get a running start. Then he charged full-tilt towards one of the windows that had boards on it. As soon as he made contact with the boards, he smashed into the wooden planks, falling down into a heap, with Woodstock laughing at the scene.
“Well, whatever force is holding us here, we’re not getting out anytime soon,” sighed Schroeder. “Does anyone have any other ideas?”
“Wait a minute, where’s our brother?” asked 3.
“He was with us a moment ago!” said 4.
“Yeah, he came up when we did!” said Lucy.
“5, WHERE ARE YOU?!” Patty called out.
“He disappeared!” shuddered Eudora, who started tearing up. “What they said about this place is true!”
“Oh dear!” cried Frieda. “It looks like this is it!”
And the kids huddled together, along with Snoopy and Woodstock, worried about what their outcome would be.
THIS STORY WILL CONTINUE…
Chapter 3: STORY 2: VIOLETSTEIN
Notes:
Starring:
Violet Gray as the Doctor
Shermy Wilson as the Monster
Oxford “Ox” Warren as the hunchback assistant
Patty Swanson as the maid
Lucy Van Pelt as the girl accosted by the Monster
Charlie Brown as the town mayor
Frieda Rich as the mayor’s wife
Snoopy as the mayor’s loyal dog
And the rest of the PEANUTS gang as the townspeople
Chapter Text
DAMIEN: We will return to “Hail House” later and find out if the gang gets out of the house. Right now, a retelling of the story of Frankenstein, but this time, we have “Violetstein”.
Old Sparkyville
17th Century
Up in a dark castle, a young woman was experimenting on a recently deceased young woodsman who was attacked by a bear. The woman was a scientist who experimented on dead animals in the past and has successfully revived them after they had died. Young Violet Gray was the youngest scientist in the area and the only female scientist around. The townspeople both revered and reviled her. Some have even accused her of “playing God” with her experiments.
But in the case of the woodsman, she had to keep that a secret. While the townsfolk tolerated her experimentation on animals, barely, she knew what trouble she’d be in if they found out she stole the body of the woodsman. Even less known is that she actually robbed another corpse that had just passed, but it was someone she knew. Her beloved husband Shermy had passed due to a severe fever. Rather than bury him, she had him cremated, but before that happened, she stole her husband’s brain and preserved it before returning his body to the town morgue. The mortician, thinking his assistant already did the autopsy, didn’t think nothing of Shermy’s head being stitched up.
This particular night, Violet had taken out the brain of the woodsman and surgically implanted Shermy’s brain. Plus, a thunderstorm was on the horizon. She knew she had to act fast if she was going to bring back her beloved Shermy. At that moment, Ox, her hunchback assistant, came in.
“Here’s the electrodes you requested, master,” he said, slurring a little.
“Excellent, Oxford,” said Violet. “You’re free to go now, but when you hear the first thunder, come back here immediately.
“Yes, master.” And Ox went off somewhere else.
Ox went to his quarters when Violet’s maid Patty came in. She had a liking to the hunchback and was always kind to him. She sat down next to him.
“What’s madam doing right now, my love?” she asked.
“Working on bringing Shermy back, Ms. Patty,” Ox replied.
“You don’t have to call me ‘Ms.’, Oxie,” cooed Patty. “We don’t need to formalities with each other.”
“How could you love a hump-backed nobody like me, Patty?”
“A little hump never hurt no one, darling.” And she kissed Ox, making him blush.
At that moment they heard Violet shout, “OXFORD, GET YOUR DEFORMED ASS IN HERE!!!”
“You better do as she says, baby,” said Patty. After one last kiss, Ox ran as fast as he could back to the lab. Over the sky was a lightning storm happening.
“Didn’t you hear the lightning crack?” she asked.
“Sorry, master, but I was busy with another task,” Ox replied. Violet looked at him suspiciously, but shrugged it off.
“No matter,” she said. “At least you’re here now when I need you. Get the lightning rod in place.”
“Yes, master.” And Ox started winching a crank that made a connecting lightning rod rise out of the opening in the castle roof.
“This is it, Oxford,” Violet said to her hunchbacked assistant. “Now we wait.”
As soon as she said that, the lightning struck the rod, sending bolts of electricity towards the reconstructed body on the gurney. Electricity flowed through the corpse and hit the two bolts connected to her machine. Soon, after some activity from the sky, the storm stopped, and Violet and Ox watched to see what the body would do. Soon, they saw some movement.
“Is it…” Ox began.
“I think so, Oxford,” said Violet. Then, the creature’s bandaged right arm rose. “Good grief, it worked! He’s alive! ALIVE!!!”
And soon enough, a pale green creature arose from the gurney. While it looked like her beloved Shermy, something was different. It was Shermy’s body, but in the mind, Shermy wasn’t there at all. In its place was a vicious monster, not knowing where it was or who the people that was standing before it were. Shermy’s head was sewn onto the body of the woodsman but the brain didn’t have any of his memories, unbeknownst to Violet and Ox.
“Shermy, my love!” Violet began. “Welcome back to the land of the…”
Before she could finish her sentence, the monster grabbed her head and twisted it backwards, killing her instantly. Ox was shocked at what happened and fled before the monster got its hands on him. He saw Patty walking up.
“Oxie, honey, what’s going on?” she asked, concerned.
“I’ll explain later, Patty,” said a frantic Ox. “Right now, we need to leave this castle!” And he and Patty escaped the castle walls. Not too long afterwards, the monster made its way out.
In the nighttime in the village, the Lady Lucy Van Pelt was leaving a local tavern heading back home when she saw a shadowy figure standing before her. She didn’t see their face or know who it was.
“Okay, buster,” she began, “unless you want to escort a lady home, get out the way!”
The figure didn’t budge.
“Do I have to spell it out for you, you blockhead?! Move now or I’ll slug…”
Before she could finish her speech, the creature came from out of the shadows, scaring the young lady. People heard what sounded like a woman screaming.
The next day, the mayor Charlie Brown was swarmed with scared town folk. His wife, Frieda, and his dog, Snoopy, were with him at his side.
“MY SHEEP WERE KILLED!!!” cried a herdsman named Pig Pen.
“MY DAUGHTER’S MISSING!!!” yelled a farmer named Schroeder.
“MY SISTER’S BEEN MURDERED BY SOME MONSTER!!!” screamed a young boy named Rerun, who was Lucy’s younger brother. “PLUS, MY BROTHER HASN’T COME HOME YET!!!”
“Calm down, people!” said Charlie Brown, trying to relax the angry mob. “I am well-aware of the attacks on the good folks here in our village, and our livestock. And I can assure you as your mayor, I will find out about what’s been going on with these senseless killings.”
“YOU BETTER, CHUCK!!!” said a chambermaid named Peppermint Patty. Just then, Ox and Patty came into the crowd.
“People, we know who’s been killing everyone!” Ox announced.
“Look, it’s that hunchback Oxford Warren!” yelled the town’s resident curmudgeon Thibault. “You know, the one who works with that weird doctor Violet Gray! Or ‘Violetstein’ as we call her!”
“ ‘Violetstein’?!” said a confused Charlie Brown.
“Yeah, that’s him!” said another vagrant Joe Agate. “Get him!”
“HOLD IT!” This time the mayor’s wife Frieda stopped the angry mob from forming, for a moment. “He said he knows who’s been killing our people and animals. Let the man speak!”
“Go ahead, Oxie,” said Patty.
“The person who’s been killing people and livestock wasn’t a person, at least not anymore,” Ox began. “You remember the woodsman who was killed by the bear? Well, she carried his body back to her lab and started experimenting on it. She also kept the head of her deceased husband Shermy! That thing is the amalgamation of both the woodsman AND Shermy. But it’s no longer human! It was brought to life by the storm! It was a creation of Dr. Gray!”
“So, SHE’S responsible!” said a man named Franklin, who worked as a blacksmith.
“WE KILL DR. VIOLETSTEIN!!!” yelled Rerun.
“No need!” Ox continued. “Her own creation already did the deed. Dr. Gray is no more, but that monster is still on the loose! IT’S the one you want to go after!”
“He’s right!” said Schroeder. “We need to kill the monster!”
“Ox, do you know where it was heading?” asked Charlie Brown.
“We lost its trail after Dr. Gray was killed,” said Ox, “but we heard about the killings here in town and we think we can stop it. We have to burn the monster. Bullets and pitchforks won’t work. Only fire can destroy it, but we first need to contain it!”
“Well, you herd the man!” shouted Pig Pen. “LET’S KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!” And an angry mob proceeded to make torches to kill the monster with.
Not too long afterward, the monster was walking down a trail towards a lake where a young lady named Marcie was dipping her toes in while taking in the moonlight. The monster walked up to Marcie, who looked at the strange creature.
“Are you lost, sir?” she asked. The monster didn’t do anything. “Do you need help? I can help you if you want.” She took the creature’s hand, not knowing it had killed multiple people and animals just moments ago. The monster, for its part, was confused by the kind gesture of the woman.
“I’ll take you to my house so I can help you feel better,” Marcie offered. The monster, not knowing what to think, complied and went with his new friend (?) to her home. Once there, it looked around. It was a small, yet nice little house that was clean and inviting.
“Have a seat,” she said. “I will make you some herbal tea.” And Marcie went into the kitchen.
The monster just sat idly. It didn’t make any kind of murderous move towards the nice lady ever since she first saw it. She wasn’t afraid of its ugly face, or even intimidated by it. The monster seemed to actually relax and enjoy itself. Marcie came back with two mugs of tea.
“Here you go, sir,” she said, smiling. “Try this.”
As the monster was drinking its tea, Franklin the blacksmith, who happened to be Marcie’s husband, walked in, and was shocked to see Violetstein’s monster in his own house.
“MARCIE, GET AWAY FROM IT!!!” he yelled.
“Franklin, what’s going…”
“That thing killed the Lady Van Pelt tonight, as well as Dr. Violet Gray, who created it in the first place!”
“WHAT?!”
At that moment, the monster’s rage returned and it began to toss the furniture around. The couple managed to escape the house unscathed. They ran into the townsfolk and Mayor Charlie Brown and Frieda.
“Franklin, what happened?” Charlie Brown asked.
“The monster,” Franklin began, “it’s in our house!”
“You’re kidding!” said Schroeder.
“I invited him in,” said Marcie. “I had no idea he killed so many.”
“It’s not a ‘him’ anymore, Marcie,” said Peppermint Patty, the chambermaid who happened to be Marcie’s best friend. “It’s a thing, created by Violetstein!”
“Peppermint Patty’s right!” added Rerun. “It killed my sister Lucy, and possibly my brother Linus, as well!”
“Who killed me?”
And, to the surprise of the folks, Linus Van Pelt, the brother of Lucy and Rerun, showed up with some animal pelts and meat. He was a game hunter by trade.
“Linus, where were you?!” demanded Rerun.
“You knew I was on a hunting trip, little brother,” Linus replied. “Now what happened to Lucy?”
The townspeople explained what had been going on with Violetstein’s Monster and how it killed a lot of people, including his sister. He was crestfallen, and immediately joined them in hunting the monster, who was still in Franklin and Marcie’s cottage, trashing it.
“Franklin, we’re sorry to say that we may have to destroy your home to stop that thing,” said Charlie Brown.
“It’s okay, your honor,” said Franklin. “We were thinking about upgrading to a new humble abode. You see, we’re expecting.”
“I’m going to be an aunt?!” asked an excited Peppermint Patty.
“You are, sir,” said Marcie to her friend. “Still, going to be sad about our home.”
“You can stay with me, Marcie,” Peppermint Patty replied. “You and Franklin. I have plenty of room for you and your budding family.”
“Thanks, Peppermint Patty,” said Franklin.
“In the meantime, we need to kill my former master’s creation!” said Ox.
“You’re right, Oxie,” said Patty.
“Everyone, to the Armstrong’s place!” said Rerun. And everyone walked up to the house where the monster was still trashing the place.
“THROW THE TORCHES!!!” yelled Schroeder. And everyone proceeded to throw their torches to the house. They heard the monster roar, until it ran out a flaming mass. It didn’t even try to kill anyone in its path, as it was trying to get the flame out, but after a while it was too late. The flames overtook the creature and it fell to the ground in the middle of the town square. Everyone looked at the still-burning body of the monster.
“And THIS is why we don’t play God,” observed Linus. And everyone nodded in agreement. They continued to watch as the creature burned into ashes and embers. And since that day, the tale of the Sparkyville Monster is told over to centuries of people. Many wonder if the story is fact or fiction. But on trips through Monte Woods in modern day Sparkyville, people get a fain glimpse of cobblestone steps that supposedly belonged to the young Dr. Violetstein.
UP NEXT, TIME TO HUNT SOME VAMPIRES
Chapter 4: STORY 3: VAN PELTSING
Notes:
Starring:
Linus Van Pelt as Van Peltsing
Lucy Van Pelt as the Vampiress
Charlie Brown as Van Peltsing’s assistant
Frieda Rich as the assistant’s wife
Schroeder Klimt as the Vampiress’s Unwitting Slave
Sylvia “Cobra” Martinez, Holly “Rattler” Newton, Amanda “Anaconda” Robinson, and Margaux “Python” Holt as the Vampiress’s henchwomen
and Snoopy as, well, Snoopy
Chapter Text
VERONA: What would you do if YOUR sibling became a vampire?
DAMIEN: We explore that in our next story.
In a sparce village in an old tavern, a group of men were discussing something very fierce and harsh. The townsfolk had been disappearing at alarming rates, and some of the people who had vanished were rumored to be returning but much different than they were. The townsfolk were getting worried about what was happening.
“VAMPIRES!!!” yelled one man. “THAT’S what’s taking our townsfolk out!”
“Dammit, Cooper, we don’t know that!” yelled another man.
“Well, do YOU know?” asked Cooper.
“No, of course not!” said the man. “But, that doesn’t mean YOU do, either!”
“Gentlemen, let’s not argue amongst each other,” said an older man, calming the two men. “Now, Cooper, it could very well be vampires, and Jacob, you also have a valid point of not knowing what’s happening. That’s why we got together in the first place, to figure out what is going on.”
“Cooper is right about it being vampires,” said a new voice, “and I have proof!” In walked a man cloaked in a flowing cape and all-brown clothes. Following him was his faithful assistant and a curly red-haired woman draped along the assistant’s arm and a beagle.
“How in the hell would YOU know Cooper’s right, sir?” asked Jacob.
“Van Peltsing’s the name,” said the man. “Linus Van Peltsing. And this is my assistant Charles and his wife Frieda. And this is their dog Snoopy. And I know it is vampires because my sister is the queen vampire. She’s the one who has started this whole chaos to begin with.”
“Well, what are we waiting for?!” hollered Cooper. “Everyone, let’s grab a torch and kill the Vampiress!”
“NO!” said Linus. “If anyone is going to stop my sister, it will be ME! All I need you folks to do is stay in your homes! My assistant here will help with stopping her, and no one else! Is that understood?”
“What does the mayor have to say about that?” asked Jacob.
“I already talked to the mayor and he gave me his permission to do so,” Linus replied. And Linus and his party left the tavern.
A little while later, Linus, Charles, and Frieda, along with Snoopy were getting Linus’s weapons ready. Charles and his wife were nervous for their friend.
“Be careful, boss,” said Charles. “I know it’s your sister and all, but it still could be very dangerous.”
“My husband is right, sir,” added Frieda. “We don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Not to worry, my friends,” Linus assured them. “If I am to die, I will be taking her with me! And the town will be safe once again. Now, are the wooden stakes sharpened?”
“Just like you wanted,” said Charles. “Plus, your swords are ready, as well.”
“Excellent. Now then, my horse is all set, as well?”
“Yes, my lord,” Frieda answered.
“Okay, I am off! Be sure to lock yourselves up in your home. I would hate myself if something were to happen to you, as well!”
“We will. Good luck, boss.” And Charles, Frieda, and Snoopy went back to their home, while Linus gathered his weaponry and got on his horse. Then he took off for the castle of his sister.
At the castle of the Vampiress Lucy Van Peltsing. Her henchwomen Margaux, Sylvia, Holly, and Amanda were relaxing. Alongside the Vampiress’s throne was her slave Schroeder, who she kept human, though she did drink some of his blood but never bit him to turn him. Margaux walked up to a window and saw someone riding on a horse from the distance.
“My mistress,” she began, “someone on horseback comes this way!”
“My senses tells me my mortal brother is coming,” said Lucy.
“Are you sure, mistress?” asked Sylvia.
“For certain,” Lucy replied. “Even as a vampire, I still have some connection to my sibling. In the meantime, we need to get ready for my brother’s arrival. Now!” And Lucy handed Schroeder off to Amanda to take to his quarters.
Linus was approaching the castle of his sister. He knew he was in for a battle with her and her minions. Luckily he was prepared for such a battle. He had crucifixes, wooden stakes, holy water, and his sword in case he had to decapitate one or all of the vampires. He got off his horse once he reached the front gates of the property. He looked around and saw no one around; not even someone guarding the gate. He pushed on the rusty knarred twisted metal gates and they creaked open, but with little push back. He got back on his horse and slowly approached the front doors of the castle. Lucy looked outside her window and saw her brother Linus looking around the property.
“Come in, brother,” she called to him from inside. “The door is open.”
Linus grabbed his gear and draped it over his shoulder. Then he approached the front door and opened it. It also creaked and wailed as it opened. Then he closed the door. As soon as he did that, Lucy appeared from the top of a staircase.
“It’s been a long time, Linus,” she said, smiling with vampire fangs showing. “How’s mom and dad? Rerun?”
“They’re good, Lucy,” Linus replied, cautiously. “Rerun is, in fact, engaged to be wed in a few weeks’ time. I’m just glad they’re away from this cursed place.”
“This might sound strange, with how I am and all, but I am glad they’re away from here as well. I never want to turn them, but I don’t think I could resist my urges.”
“But you’d turn me. Right?”
“No, not even you. I know we never got along the best, but you’re still my brother. But, alas. I know why you’re here and I know your mission. And while I can promise you that I, myself, won’t bite you, my friends, on the other hand, I’m sorry to say, I can’t make that same promise.” At that moment, Margaux, Sylvia, Holly, and Amanda came out of the shadows, vicious fangs bare as they hissed and growled.
“Ladies,” Linus greeted.
“My, you’ve grown handsome, darling,” said Sylvia.
“Enough talk,” growled Holly. “Let’s get him!”
And in a blink of an eye, Linus and Lucy’s vampiric minions were battling it out. Linus had briefly subdued them with showing the cross, making them recoil for a moment as he readied one of his wooden stakes and his sword. The first to get destroyed was Amanda, the largest of Lucy’s minions. He had driven his sword into her heart, killing her instantly, and she dissolved into dust. Next, Margaux flew out of nowhere and tried to take a bite of Linus’s neck, but he was wearing a necklace of garlic, which she recoiled once she got a whiff of it.. He made short work of her by driving the first stake through her heart, and she too turned to dust. Sylvia and Holly were next. They tried to surround Linus, but he was quick and dodged their ambush. He decapitated Sylvia and drove a wooden stake through Holly’s heart. All that was left was his sister Lucy. The two siblings stood looking at each other.
“You did good, brother,” Lucy admitted. “You’ve definitely gotten stronger and more agile than when we were kids. But now, one of us will live and one will die.”
“This is probably the first time we were on the same page,” Linus acknowledged. “The question is, which one of us will perish?”
“Looks like we will find out now, won’t we?”
And Linus drew his sword. Lucy also had a sword on her, to make it more fair. She decided not to try to turn her brother into a vampire, out of respect, but they needed to battle to the death, as they agreed only one of them will make it out alive. Lucy was amazed at her brother, as he was a formidable foe. They continued to sword battle for what seemed forever. But with her being undead, Lucy had endless energy, while Linus was getting a little tired, but pressed through. Eventually Linus was able to knock his sister’s sword out of her hand. He immediately held up the cross, making Lucy recoil.
“That was a valiant fight, sister,” Linus said, “but now, this is all to come to an end.”
And with one swipe of his word, Linus decapitated his demonic sister, killing her. He held up the severed head of Lucy and looked with sorrow.
“I’m sorry it came to this, Lucy,” he lamented, “but something had to be done to end this madness. Despite how you’ve become, I’ll always love you, sister.” And he placed the head next to her body, which all soon turned to dust. As he was exiting the castle, he heard someone speak.
“Help! Get me out of here!”
He ran to a dungeon down in the basement of the castle and opened the door. He saw his sister’s human slave Schroeder chained to a wall.
“Get me down from here!” he hollered.
“Are you a vampire like them?” Linus asked.
“No,” Schroeder replied. “While Lucy fed on me, she never bit me. She just used a dagger to cut me and sucked on my blood without ever biting me. Put a mirror next to my face, and you’ll see I’m still human!”
Linus grabbed a nearby mirror and held it in front of Schroeder. His reflection showed up in the mirror, thus convincing Linus that he was telling the truth.
“Why didn’t my sister turn you like the others?” asked Linus.
“I guess she liked me as a regular human,” Schroeder shrugged.
“Well, let’s get you some clothes and we’ll head back to the village.” And after gathering some clothes, Linus and Schroeder left the castle, but not before Linus set it on fire, destroying it completely. And with Lucy, the Vampiress, no more, the townspeople slept better than they did in years.
NEXT, THE CONCLUSION OF “HAIL HOUSE”
Chapter 5: HAIL HOUSE (Conclusion)
Chapter Text
VERONA: And now the conclusion of “Hail House”.
“We need to find 5 like now!” said Linus.
“We don’t know where he is!” cried Lucy.
“Or where he disappeared to!” added Eudora.
“Did he leave any clues?” asked Franklin.
“I don’t see anything,” said Charlie Brown.
“Neither do I,” added Frieda.
“Okay, everyone settle down,” said Peppermint Patty, trying to calm everyone. “We will look for 5 and we all agree to stick together. Right?” Everyone nodded. “Okay, he couldn’t have gone far. This house should be easy to find someone.”
“It is a big house, sir,” said Marcie.
“Well, we better start searching,” said Schroeder. And the kids started looking for 5.
“Where are you, 5?” cried 3 and 4.
In some alternate plain within the house, 5 found himself seemingly all alone. He looked around and didn’t see his friends or sisters. He looked up and saw a young boy standing before him.
“Hello,” said the boy.
“Uh, hey, kid,” 5 replied. “Who are you?”
“I’m Joshua. What’s your name?”
“It’s 5.” Joshua giggled.
“That’s a funny name.”
“I’ve been told. Anyway, where am I?”
“You’re with me in the Void. I have others here with me.”
“Others?”
Right at that moment, other kids, teens, and even some adults showed up, but no one he recognized. Some even had clothes on from the 1940s and even earlier than that.
“This must be the missing people who have disappeared in Hail House,” said 5 to himself.
“Whenever someone comes here, I have them come through my secret opening from their world to mine,” Joshua explained.
“Kid, these people’s families have been looking for them,” 5 said. “Some of them, by the looks of it, for decades now.”
“Young man, what year is it?” asked a woman who seemed to be from the 1920s.
“It’s the 21st Century, lady,” said 5. “We have electric cars, telephones we carry in our pockets, televisions that are flat screens and widescreen…”
“Television?” asked a teen who looked like he was from the late 1800s.
“We know what you’re talking about, man,” said another teen with his girlfriend. “We entered Hail House last year and found ourselves in this Void.”
“You must be Chet Gordon and Tracy Landry!” said 5. “Your disappearance was all over the news last year!”
“Is our parents worried?” asked Tracy.
“Big time!” 5 replied. “You go to our rival school, Leeville High. I’m at Sparkyville High.”
“That’s right!” said Chet.
Turning back to Joshua, 5 said, “Listen, Joshua, I take it you brought all these people in because you wanted company. Am I right?”
“Please don’t make me send them back,” said Joshua, getting sad. “I’m afraid I won’t have anyone here to keep me company.”
“But these people have loved ones looking for them,” explained 5. “Some of them, sadly, may be deceased by the looks of it. But for the rest of us, especially myself, Chet, and Tracy, we still have a chance to get back to our world and be safe. So, what do you say, Joshua?”
“I’m scared of what’s to come afterwards,” cried Joshua.
“Kid, what are yous scared of?!” asked a man who looked like a gangster from the 1930s.
“I think I know,” said 5. “I think he’s afraid of moving to the next plain.”
“Yous sayin’ he’s a freaking ghost?!” said the gangster.
“That’s EXACTLY what I’m saying,” 5 responded. Turning back to Joshua, he said, “Tell me Joshua. Are you afraid to go to the next plane?”
“I’m scared of what’s over there, 5,” he wept.
“There’s nothing to be afraid of. If I’m to be exact, you were from the 1800s, am I right?”
Joshua nodded.
“Then I think your family is waiting for you on that other side. Don’t you want to be with your family?”
“Of course, I do.”
“Then you’ll need to make that move. But before you do that, you’ll need to release me and these other people from this Void. You understand, right?”
Joshua thought for a moment. Then he said, “Okay, 5. I’ll let all of you go.”
And with a wave of his little hand, Joshua opened up a blinding white portal. Coincidentally, back in the main realm, the gang were shocked by what they just saw.
“Good grief!” exclaimed Charlie Brown. “What in the world is that?!”
“I don’t know, baby,” said Frieda, also shocked by what they were seeing. “We better not get too close, otherwise we may end up wherever 5 is.”
“You got a point, Frieda,” agreed Linus.
Back in the Void, Joshua said to 5 and the others, “You must go now. I can only keep this open for ten minutes at a time, and then I need time to rejuvenate.”
“Okay everyone, we’re going home!” 5 announced.
“Abouts time!” said the gangster.
“The crew ain’t never going to believe this, babe,” said Chet to Tracy. And everyone started their way out. On the other side, the gang were shocked by what they were seeing.
“Are you seeing what I’m seeing, gang?!” asked a bewildered Peppermint Patty.
“Looks like a whole lot a people from different time periods,” said Schroeder. “Wonder if anyone from Beethoven’s time is in there?”
“Look!” said Eudora. “That looks like Chet Gordon and Tracy Landry, the kids from Leeville that vanished!”
“Good grief, it is them!” said Lucy.
“They must’ve disappeared here in Hail House, as did these other people,” said Franklin.
“But where’s our brother?” asked 3.
“Yeah, where’s 5?” added 4.
“Right here, sisters!” And 5 emerged from the opening back into the main world.
“5, you’re alive!” said Linus.
“Who are these people?” asked Lucy.
“The folks who got lost in Hail House over the years,” 5 replied. “They were held by a, I won’t say a disgruntled spirit, but one desperate for company and didn’t want anyone to leave. I told him his family was waiting on the other side.”
“Who was this spirit?” asked Marcie.
“A kid named Joshua,” 5 responded.
“Hmm, I wonder…” Marcie pondered something, but would wait until they were out of the house.
“Okay, so this Joshua let you go and the others,” Lucy began, “but we’re still stuck in this hellacious place! We still don’t know how we’re getting out!”
“I think maybe since the spirit let you and the others go,” Linus began, “MAYBE the doors can finally be opened without anyone getting zapped like Patty did.”
“I still have no memory of that beyond reaching for the knob,” said Patty.
“Well, one way to find out,” said Charlie Brown. And the kids and the missing people headed for the front door. Charlie Brown reached out for the knob.
“Be careful, Charlie Brown,” said Franklin.
“Relax, Chuck endured worse than this,” assured Patty. “Remember, I can strike him out with three pitches.”
“I think getting shocked by a thousand volts of electricity trumps getting stuck out in baseball, sir,” Marcie retorted.
“Easy, baby,” said Frieda to her boyfriend.
Charlie Brown slowly grabbed the knob and it didn’t shock him. He turned it and opened the door, to be greeted by the rising sun. The gang and the missing people stepped out and saw the world before them. Aside from Chet and Tracy, everyone else was shocked by how much had changed.
“I wondah if th’ kid will let me back into that Void,” said the gangster.
“Is the speakeasy still around?” asked the woman from the 1920s.
“Speakeasy?” asked a confused Patty. Snoopy and Woodstock giggled, as they knew exactly what the lady was talking about.
“Lady, welcome to the 21st Century,” said Lucy. “You’re going to see that a lot has changed since you were last here.” And everyone started leaving Hail House, but 5 heard something come from the doorway. He looked back and saw Joshua standing by there.
“Thank you, 5,” he said. And then he vanished into thin air. 5 smiled back.
“You’re welcome, Joshua,” he said. 3 and 4 came up to him.
“Come on, bro,” said 3. “I’m sure Quentin is waiting to hear from you after the long night we had.” And 5 went with his sisters back home, as did everyone. Chet and Tracy would help the lost people find homes of their own, or living relatives.
A few days later, 5 was at Ace’s Ice Cream Shop visiting Quentin, who was on break. Black Widow and Orbweaver were there, as well, with Weaver visiting Rudy Ace, Jr. They were talking about 5’s adventure in Hail House.
“I wished I would have been there,” said Quentin. “Mainly to protect you, babe.”
“I turned out okay, Quent,” said 5, holding his hand. “I just wonder who Joshua was.”
“There’s no telling, 5,” said Widow. “Sounds like an unsolvable mystery.”
“I wonder what will happen with all of those people that were missing for years, though,” added Weaver. At that moment, Marcie and Franklin ran into the shop with a piece of paper.
“5, you are not going to believe this!” said Marcie.
“What’s going on?” asked a nervous 5.
“You know that ghost Joshua you and the other people were with?” said Franklin.
“Yeah?”
“Well, this kid lived in Hail House!” Marcie continued. “The home was owned to the Hail family, a wealthy Sparkyville family, who abandoned it after their youngest son died from illness. That son’s name was Joshua Hail!”
“Good grief!” shuddered 5.
“Well, MOST mysteries are unsolvable!” said a nervous Weaver. And the gang continued to discuss the findings Marcie and Franklin found on Joshua and Hail House.
UP NEXT, CONCLUSION…
Chapter Text
DAMIEN: Well, that’s another Halloween come and gone. But we appreciate your time with us and letting us tell some more stories for you
VERONA: Come back again soon…
Sally and Michael looked at the ghoulish teens. Sally was immediately ready to give her critique of the stories.
“Spending the night in the pumpkin patch waiting for the Great Pumpkin with Linus was the worst night of my life!” she began. “But, THIS?! This may be a really close second!”
“Let’s go, Sally,” said Michael. “Maybe we can still meet your brother and Frieda at Violet’s party.”
“Good thinking, Sweet Babboo,” said Sally. And they left the house.
“Damien, what in the hell’s a ‘Babboo’?” asked Verona. Damien just shrugged.
Later at Violet’s Halloween party, Sally and Michael were talking about the stories Verona and Damien told.
“We tried to warn you, Sally,” said Lucy.
“NEVER go to those two for a haunted house experience,” added Cobra.
“You think you’re going to enjoy yourself, but then you hear some corny stories,” said Peppermint Patty.
“Frieda and I endured that last time,” said Charlie Brown.
“Don’t remind me, sweetie,” said Frieda.
“Well at least we can have fun here for the rest of the evening,” said Sally. And the kids enjoyed themselves at the party.
THE END
Notes:
Next time, a reunion with Snoopy’s mother. Stay tuned!