Night Of The Masks

Chapter 1
Part 1

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Chapter Description: High school senior Tia Spitz is reluctantly forced to take her kid brother Sammy trick-or-treating.

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"C’mon, please?"

With an annoyed sigh, Tia Spitz pulled her book closer to her as she curled up tighter on her bed. As her brother pouted at her, she said once again, matter-of-factily, "No. I have to study tonight."

"You can study any night! Halloween’s once a year" The teenager sighed, her hopes dashed when the boy crawled onto the foot of her bed, a slight bounce to his weight, "Just take me to a few houses- You don’t even need a costume."

While hesitant at the idea of dropping her studies for something like this, Tia did at the very least figure that she should hear her brother out. First, though, she had to ask, "Sammy, wasn’t Mom supposed to take you? What happened to that?"

"She’s not back yet." The grade schooler pressing on the subject explained, "And she said to ask you if she had too much over time, so can you please take me? Pleeeease?"

After glancing up from her book to see her little brother’s enormous green eyes blinking at him, Tia finally shut it and let out a very long, tremendously reluctant, "Fiiiiiine."

"Alright!" Hopping off the bed at once, Sammy bolted at once from the room, an enormous grin on his face as he called out behind him, "I’m gonna go change into my costume!"

"Sammy! Three blocks and that’s it!" Tia rose from her bed as well, this time instead moving to her closet to fetch her jacket. "Can’t believe this.... It’s not even Halloween yet..."

Of course, one thing that had always bugged Tia about the holiday was that it was never actually celebrated on the day that corresponded with it. No, instead trick-or-treating tended to be assigned to random nights toward the end of October - in this case, the 29th.

"It makes no sense." Still, there was a certain satisfaction in knowing that this would likely do a good bit to have her family happy with her for awhile. Not that she gave them reasons to complain, other than the occasional remark about barely leaving the house.

Once Tia had buttoned up her jacket and grabbed her purse, she stepped into the hallway, knocking for a moment on Sammy’s door, "Sam, c’mon! Let’s get moving!"

"Almost done...." The teen could hear some shuffling about in the boy’s room, before he cried through the door, "Hey, uh... Y’know, thanks for taking me. I told Mom I was totally mature enough to go myself, but she didn’t believe me."

"Did she? Can’t imagine why." Looking bored as she leaned on her brother’s doorframe, Tia asked, "What’re you going as this year, anyway?"

"A dragon!" came the reply through the door, as there was continued movement from within the room. "It’s really cool - lots of red and black."

"Sounds more cliché, but sure it looks alright."

"Sure does - Mom got it from this boy who’s really good at making costumes!"

Tia didn’t know much about that, generally tuning out details about the town and most people at school in favor of studies. At that comment, however, she couldn’t help but wonder as an unusual thought crossed her mind. She quickly asked of her brother, "Wait, didn’t I see you yesterday as a werewolf or something?"

"No, I always wanted to be a dragon this year," came the response from the other side of the door. "You must’ve seen some other kid."

"I don’t know any other kids." Rolling her eyes back toward the ceiling, Tia wondered aloud, "You ever get deja-"

"All done! Check it out!"

Thoughts were kicked out of the teen’s head as Sammy half-strutted out, now garbed in his surprisingly-well-made costume. The surface of it was smooth and shimmery, almost like snakeskin instead of a cheap plastic or cardboard. Even more surprising was the seamless fit- it attached to the boy perfectly instead of being loose or clunky. The face paint was a little bit sloppy (assumingly because he’d done it himself) but beyond that, it seemed like a decent enough costume.

"Huh, actually is pretty good."

"I know, right?" With a grin as he gestured down to himself, with arms not restricted in movement while they looked like they should have been, Sammy commented, "I figured Mom was just gonna pick up something at the store, but she went and got this instead!"

"Heh. That kind of work I might," more like not, "look into that myself. Now, let’s get going so I can hurry back to studying."

"Yeah, yeah, all ya ever do is study..."Grabbing his bag and rushing to the door, Sammy stepped into the chilly October air, Tia just behind him. "Remember when you weren’t such a dork and actually went trick-or-treating too?"

"You mean, the time you were still wetting the bed?" asked the teenager teasingly. "Yeah, but then I grew up, remember?"

The pair of siblings left their yard, greeted by a few odd clusters of children and parents wandering about the sidewalks. A number of SUVs crept along the streets, filled with kids who were forced to trick-or-treat via cars, but the street seemed relatively empty tonight.

As Tia and Sammy made their way down the walk and to the sidewalk themselves, they both could not help but look around to study the costumes on display themselves. Not many just yet, but the night was young. Ordinarily Tia would complain about Sammy’s insistence on rushing out right away, but at least it meant she’d have the chance to get back to studying with more time left before bed than if he had been willing to wait.

"So, where we going? I remember last year Mom took me toward where all of the stores and stuff are, but would there be more candy the other way? Or maybe just around the house, or --"

"Okay, Sammy? We’ll probably just circle the block and the two closest to it. Being on foot does limit how far you can go in a short amount of time."

"Hmph..." That news did put the slightest of frowns on Sammy’s face, but apparently he didn’t find too much wrong with it as he didn’t argue, only demanding, "If one block doesn’t have many lights on, we’re doing four."

"Fine, whatever." Taking that news in stride, Tia began to head east with her brother, "Just don’t start whining if you start to get ti-"

"Miles, look!" The siblings froze when they heard a cry directed toward them. "Look, it’s your dragon costume!"

"Hm? Oh, so it is..."

A turn to the source of the voice revealed a pair coming toward them, one a little girl and the other a teenager who by the look of him was likely a senior like Tia. He was certainly attractive if nothing else, or might have been if he wasn’t wearing a costume that, while impressive, she didn’t recognize the source of.

With a bit of a frown, the bookworm questioned, "Hey, think I’ve seen you at school?"

"Hm?" The boy had a smooth look to him, giving an almost nonchalant glance at the girl as he took in her image. In a dignified sort of voice, he replied, "Why, yes, I believe I’ve taken you in somewhere or another. Hair bands and sweaters in the spring, eats lunch outside the library? That about right?"

"Uh.... Yeah." Feeling a tad annoyed that that particular sum-up of her habits at school, Tia frowned a little before asking, "You... You make costumes?"

"I design costumes, yes. I find masquerades a most intriguing affair, don’t you?" remarked the boy, a drop of pride coming off every word. Without waiting for an answer, he gestured with his wrist toward the shorter boy, "One of my better works this year- first time really capturing the scale effect."

"So, you... design these for money or just in your spare time, or what?"

"Oh, if I could make them free I would, but materials are expensive and it takes a lot of time." With a shrug, Miles explained, "I charge just enough to get something out of it. Guess your parents are the ones who picked that one up then. I was kind of sad to see it go really, but your - brother, is it? - does fill it out well."

"Heh. Thanks," Sammy piped up with a grin as he looked up at the boy, blushing a bit in the process. "You, uh, did really good with it..."

"Of course, I did," said the boy with some degree of smugness, but that subsided somewhat when he reached and, in a manner befitting a prince, shook Tia’s hand. "Miles Renado. This is my darling sister, Sylvia."

The little girl gave a slightly bashfull laugh, swishing about in her princess gown before letting out a tiny, "Hi...."

"Uh... Tia Spitz," replied the bookworm, slightly taken aback. "Guessing you already know Sammy?"

"Yes, I did his fittings," replied the slightly-taller teen with a nod. "Essential for a good designer. So many costumes fit like sacks, hanging in some places and clutching the skin in others."

Tia could see the point there, but she could not help but inwardly question if it really mattered. Still, she didn’t say that and instead answered, "I’m not really a costume person myself, or I might give you a look. I’m a senior and all so after this --"

"Oh, nonsense."

Miles chuckled after this interruption, which had Tia confused on where exactly he was going with this. After a moment though. the boy explained, "Plenty of reasons besides trick-or-treating. Usually I like to go to parties myself to look around at what people have, but this year I wanted to take my sister out and try something different."

"Erm... Alright..." Taking Sammy’s hand and beginning to inch away, Tia remarked, "Well, you certainly did a good job, so-"

"The elements of a masquerade, pretending to be what you’re not, just speaks deeply to a man’s inner self, don’t you think?" Apparently Miles didn’t notice or didn’t care that the girl was attempting to escape, as he began to keep pace with her, "When I was a little boy, my family lived in New Orleans, where the tradition of wearing masks at Mardi Gras was meant to take on this idea to become the opposite of what you really are."

"Uh-huh. Well-"

"I always wondered what my own opposite would be..." Giving his long hair the slightest of whishes, the boy remarked, "Perhaps some uncultured neanderthalic jock. I recalled wondering if the people outside on Mardi Gras and Halloween who didn’t wear costumes might be monsters who were also taking part in the custom and dressing up as humans."

Odd thing to think about. Tia didn’t have much to say about it, and instead offered, "Well, I should probably get him his candy so we can go home, and --"

"Oh, we should come with you!"

So not what Tia was hoping she would hear from Miles. It didn’t help, though, when Sylvia piped up to say, "Miles was wanting to go to the side of town near the woods if you wanna come with..."

"Hm." Sammy put a hand to his chin in thought, tapping it with the clawed end, "How’s the candy output there?"

"It’s great!" squeaked Sylvia with a wide grin. "Last year I came back home with a whole bunch of Snickers."

"The bite-sized kind or-"

"No, the regular ones." Nodding gleefully, Sylvia blinked eagerly up at Tia, "Can he come? I betcha we’ll get extra candy for both having such cool costumes!"

There were to certain desires going through Tia’s head simultaneously - either to tell Sammy no and to stick to the plan of staying close to the house, or to tell him to go on with them.

But the former wouldn’t get her in his best graces and the latter was sure to make their parents mad if they found out. Defeated, Tia as such groaned out, "Sure, whatever."

"Delighted to have you," declared Miles with the slightest of nods. A grin on his face as he began to gracefully lead the group away, he asked aloud, "So when did you stop wearing costumes yourself?"

"I dunno, I guess I was like eleven or twelve..." Tia kept close to Sammy just to be safe, although she supposed with a large enough group as this she didn’t need to hold his hand. He hated that anyway. "Don’t even think I remember who I went as."

"I think it was some elf from those Ring movies," replied Sammy with a grin. "She got like pointy earmuffs from some space show and this dress with really flowy sleeves."

"Interesting." As he walked along, Miles explained, "I’ve always found costumes like that interesting, but they’re not my cup of tea. Those sorts of things seem to be what others put their talents to, while I prefer costumes of a more inhuman nature."

"So that’s why you’re dressed as..." After a moment of scanning her brain for an exact term, Tia admitted, "Okay, I don’t know what it is."

Miles grinned, adjusting his long coat and frilly shirt, "I am a Gilne of Masks."

"O.... kay." Unsure of what to say to that, Tia wondered, "You’re into DnD?"

"Hardly," came the response with another whip of the boy’s hair. "They are part of customs from back in my Grandmother’s day. She would tell us the signs of them when we were younger."

Tia was torn on whether or not to even press further, split on if that space in her brain was better served being used for something else. Sammy, though, didn’t give her the choice as he questioned, "What’re they?"

"Monsters, but they’re not mean," Sylvia was piping in now, smiling and keeping her eyes on Sammy as she explained, "They can basically do whatever they want though, but they usually just get happy with stuff people’re doing and watch ’em."

"Uh huh. Interesting bit of mythology."

"Yes, and absurdly powerful," replied the boy smoothly. "Grandmama told us there was one Gilne who could dance through clock gears and twist time into pleasing sculptures."

"Huh. Alright, then..." Smiling politely as they reached their first house, Tia leaned down to remind her brother, "If you say that stupid "Smell my feet" chant at every house like last year, I’m never taking you out like this again."

"Pft." Rolling his eyes, the young dragon scoffed, "I’m not gonna do that. I’m in the third grade now, remember?"

"Good, then." Looking up from her brother and to the other pair of siblings, Tia now saw fit to question, "You don’t plan to do this too late, do you? I have studying to do, and --"

"Is that really a reason to cut out early ?" Smiling in a way that was already quickly becoming clearly his standard, Miles questioned, "We don’t intend to be at this for too long, but who puts off once-a-year festivities to study?"

"The world’s biggest geek."

Tia almost said something to the little boy for that crack but had to settle for glaring at him. The door had opened and given its cue for the kids to chirp, "Trick-Or-Treat!" happily before receiving candy and costume compliments.

Instead deciding to address the person in the group also not interested in candy, Tia asked, "Well, it’s not a festivity for us, is it? We’re too old to really take part like they can. If Sam hadn’t dragged me out, most I was gonna do was maybe hand out candy."

"Oh, there’s still plenty of fun to be had with it." Keeping his voice low, perhaps to keep the conversation somewhat private from the stranger at the door, Miles explained, "There’s a lot one can do on a Halloween night. No offense but it is a little like saying that when you hit eighteen you should stop receiving Christmas because you get a lot less presents."

After this comment, Miles smirked and added on, "Now, please give me a second - I like to hear the costume praise myself."

While the boy basked in a moment for his admittedly-well-deserved praise, Tia sighed. Maybe this was a mistake. Once Sam separated himself from the girls though, she was able to ask, "Get anything good?"

"Yeah, I guess," replied the little boy, peeking into his bag. "Good enough for me to wanna keep going this way. What do ya say?"

"I guess..." There was a nagging feeling in the back of Tia’s head as she glanced up the street, "Do we know anyone in that direc-"

"And if you ever need one for any reason, here’s my card," finished Miles, sliping a business card out of his pocket and smoothly flicking it into the lady’s candy bowl. "Come along, Sylvia, we’ve got more houses to visit."

Admittedly somewhat bemused by the gesture, Tia couldn’t help but mostly be a bit floored as she questioned, "Seriously?"

"What?"

"You just up and advertise at people’s doorsteps? And carry cards for that matter?"

Sylvia piped up to be the one to explain, "Well, that is how Miles lets people know ’bout the costumes he makes!"

"Honestly, it’s not as if I’m being cheap. People admire my costumes, so it only makes sense I share the news." Miles reached into his pocket again and flipped through his cards, looking halfway bored. "Sylvia’s costume cost money, after all- I put more work into that than any other."

"Uh-huh." Looking proud of herself as she swished her dress around again, the little girl cooed, "Isn’t it pretty?"

"Oh, yes. It’s very nice - I’m sure it did cost a lot." With that said, Tia turned her focus back toward Miles and explained, "Still, it isn’t the most modest approach."

"I mostly do it for the art, though."

With a roll of his neck that didn’t help in making the boy look somewhat arrogant, Miles further explained, "See, I really mostly just like seeing people wearing my work, plus of course there’s the fun of designing my costumes. I actually sell these at a lot less than I could - I do just enough to profit, and that’s only really because of the time involved."

"I... Well, that does sound different...."

It did have a bit more integrity than Tia was expecting from someone with that position. The bookworm still didn’t feel comfortable when the boy asked, "You should really come by my place sometime. I’ve got a dozen ideas just looking at you."

"Uh... Yeah..." Squirming uncomfortably, the teen remarked, "I don’t really think I could do that- I’d be too nervous..."

"Well, just keep the offer in mind." With a smile, Miles threw out, "Maybe to keep it relevant for a month or two longer I could see you as a particularly colorful turkey."

"Not... Usually a bird someone uses to compliment somebody, but... thanks?"

"My pleasure," replied the boy nonchalantly. As the group neared the next house, he remarked, "I usually try to throw a costume party after Christmas for my friends if you wish to come then. No theming there of course- Yuletide costumes provide for the most limited options."

"Uh-huh..." Although she knew the answer before she asked, Tia couldn’t help herself, "And your friends all wear costumes made by you?"

"Who else? It’s not like I charge them for it."

That sounded oddly appealing, but Tia didn’t feel like expressing that. Sammy, though, beat her to the punch by piping in to urge, "Oh, you should be his friend then! His costumes are really good!"

"I’ll keep that in mind."

The subject of Sammy and costumes did get Tia wondering about something, though. Moving her voice to being somewhat low, mostly to keep the kids who were marching in front and looking over their candy out of it, the girl questioned, "Do you, like... Half-remember trick-or-treating being yesterday or something? I’d think it’s just a mistake but it, I don’t know, really feels like it for some reason."

"It’s just the holiday hype, that’s all. You can’t walk down the street without seeing pumpkins and discount costumes," replied Miles with a careless wave of his hand. "Haven’t you noticed Halloween comes earlier and disappears faster every year to extend Christmas mania?"

"I... I guess that’s true." Shrugging, Tia tried to put these thoughts out of her head, but couldn’t help but ask, "What was the last costume you finished? Besides Sammy’s, I mean."

After a moment of consideration, which made Tia wonder just how heavy the boy’s workload was, Miles pondered, "I believe a werewolf... Honestly, I’ve been busier than ever this year. I only half-remember making some of them."

"Weird. Seems like that’d take some of the fun out of it, right?"

"I don’t think so. Sort of nice being able to surprise myself."

 

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