The Fantastic adventures of prince Jeremie

III THE TRAP-1

III THE TRAP“Iam curdling!” Etienne whimpered and he vigorously rubbed his thighs and his chest.

The two openings on eachside of the vehicle did not have panes and terrible draughts were rushed into it. An icy wind was creeping into the car.

“You should’nt have come with me, Jeremie said angrily.”

Alex did not agree with him.

“It’s you Cinderella, it is you who put us in this jam.”

Its face was pepper red.

“You’re lying!” Jeremie yelled.

The diligence jolted on a cobble-stoned road, then it drove along fields on stony paths. The storm had ceased. A shiny full moon had replaced. Suddenly a wheel fell on a watery pothole. A muddy puddle splashed on them all. Etienne moaned even more. Jeremie recognized the bakery next to their place… So the diligence was driving them to his uncle’s. He expected it, but the message was clearly stating “before midnight”. They saw the house.

Alex complained: “We’re going to your home and there’s no one in!”

Etienne feared they would freeze. Etienne liked adventures but this one was going beyond expectations. He started regretting.

His uncle was being meddled with Valerie’s and would be back soon. But who was this mysterious coachman? What would happen next? How mysterious. The car slowed down and the boys leaned on the two openings. Ah! How amazing! The whole house was lit up, from the ground floor to the floor!

“Your uncle is back,” Etienne hastened to note.

As the diligence was forwarding, Jeremie noticed that too many rooms were illuminated. An incredible flow of cabs, diligences and barouches were invading the front as well as the gravel yard. Jeremie’s heart beat faster. What was going on? Noone uttered a word in the car. The diligence began rode in the alley. It threaded between the vehicles and stopped next to the main entrance. The coachman launched a sound “hooo!” to stop the four horses who branned themselves.

“I can’t see my uncle’s car!” Jeremy said. He was feeling more and more uneasy.

They were shivering. They got off.

“I want to go home”, groaned Etienne. He was flapping teeth.

“Ah no, Jeremie scolded him, the three of us must face the danger together! Let us hold one another’s hand and go.”

So they did. They moved towards the main door. They had the strange feeling that they are moving towards a scene of theatre and would be soon watch an imposing show.

Alex and Jeremie were dressed about fittingly as a Harry Potter, but Etienne, in Rahan’s clothes, felt very embarrassed. They pushed the heavy wooden door. A wonderful puff of heat filled up them with happiness. They marched in the entry, always holding one another’s hand. The door closed by itself behind them. They couldn’t believe their eyes. They were witnessing an unimaginable scene: about a hundred guests dressed in smoking and veening dresses. Some were young, some old. They were smoking and calmly conversing in the home.

Some people were dressed after the 19th century fashion and others after that of the 18th one, like the time of Louis XV and of Pompadour. All were drinking large vintage champagne served by well trained waiters and were enjoying salmon, Russian caviar and petit four. It reigned like a feltlike atmosphere, as it was suitable with society people. No word was uttered louder than one other. Distinguished expressions were used. The three children did not feel like outsiders because they were from the same social environment and they were used to this kind of party. A handsome young man was playing the harpsichord. He was as smart as an 18th century gentleman could be and he was wearing a powdered white wig. A superb marquess, dressed in an evening dress was turning the pages of the score and was eating him with her eyes. When he had finished, a young woman out of evening dress, with a splendid chignon, played a waltz from Chopin and a nocturne on Chelsea’s baby grand piano.

“Do old people celebrate Halloween, too?” Etienne wondered. He though found everything looked like a carnival party.

Some old women sat in toady like armchairs were cooling themselves with fans and were conversing among themselves or with their husband, a very “bon chic bon genre “attitude. A chamber orchestra started to play the Brandbourg 5th concerto from J.S. Bach. The three boys heard the music but couldn’t see the players. Some motioned them to come nearer.

Alex panicked and urged the others not to part from one another.

Suddenly Jeremie held Etienne’s hand firmly. He was sure of one terrible truth.

“They are not among my uncle’s friends, I have never seen them! Who are these people?!”

They did not move forward.

“Let’s move away, decided Alex, they frighten me, they are not human…”

“You fool! Etienne startled, if they are not human, what are they? Martians?”

“But how did they enter? Did they have the key?” Jeremie asked.

Jeremie decided to make the first move. He approached a gray haired monocle man. The latter was wearing a top hat, a frock coat, and his moustache was beautifully cut with edges on each side. The man looked curiously at the little boy. This glance worried Jeremie.

“Who are you, he asked him, what are you doing at Mr. Hollbrook’s?”

The man became sad.

“Are You the son of the house? Why are you disguised?”

It was at best!

“Will you answer my question Sir”, Jeremie insisted, gathering all his remaining forces.

One glass broke somewhere and laughter burst out.

“We’ve come from far, we’ve received an invitation card in the name of Hogmanay.”

Jeremie faded, asked with a quavering voice:

“What do you want of Hogmanay?”

“Do you know him?”

“No, no, I do not know who he is.”

Etienne and Alex drew Jeremie by the sleeve.

Alex begged Jeremie:

“Come on, let’s pull out of here, it is a trap!”

Jeremie pushed his friends back and spoke again with the moustache man:

“What do you want of Hogmanay?”

The orchestra was always playing Bach and in this fearful atmosphere, that sounded false. A strange gleam crossed the man’s eyes, a cruel smile rolled up his lips.

“We want to slay him.”

“Slay him?”

“To make him pass away.”

Jeremie stared wide-eyed.

“To twist his neck!”

“You are crazy! Why?!”

The man did not answer, took a pipe out of his pocket. He stuffed it with tobacco and lit it.

“Come on, let’s go!” Etienne drew Jeremie by his sleeve.

Alex remained a set back. He whispered to Etienne:

“They are staring at you, cover yourself up!”

Alex grabbed a coat from closet and covered himself. The ex Rahan chuckled of wellness. The coat with a fur was well too broad, too long but it hid its legs. Jeremie decided to act again. He rushed to the middle of the large living room, through the crowd of guests and required that the orchestra stop.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please listen to me! You are here at Mr. Hollbrook’s, my uncle, I would like to know who invited you here this evening?”

Several men dressed out and smoking the cigar stared at Jeremy. Some very distinguished women burst of laughing. One of men made rings with his cigarette smoke and exhaled them to the ceiling. He took a small gold and Bordeaux pasteboard paper, a very refined paper, out of his jacket pocket. He handed it to the child.

Please come to the address above (…)

On October 31st at 11 p.m. to attend the festival

of Hogmanay.

Signed: Manikus, chief of Baalamites

virtutis causa

Jeremie felt thouroughly depressed. This Bristol-board was a forgery. But these two initials intrigued it. One resembled a galaxy and the other… nothing. Six branches were welded to a central point and three others were not. Why? What did that mean? Wasn’t this invitation a trap which was intended to him? These people were at his home, they were drinking champagne which was served by styled servants. They were listening to concerts. Did they really intend to kill him? Jeremie read the signature again: Manikus, chief of Baalamites. He couldn’t understand anything there. His hand trembled and he nearly dropped the Bristol-board. They are here “for my party”. But which party? He realized that these people wanted his death. They were his enemies. My God! And what about Etienne, and Alexandre? He ran towards them, begged them to leave, but they refused to listen to him.

“Hé, you three there. You are our guests. Cheers!” An old man in bow tie and in tailcoat said.

He burst of laughing while raising his glass of champagne.

At this moment, Etienne cried out. The coat that Alex had put on him was rotting! In a second, it became swarming with worms. Jeremie and Alex moved back terrified. Etienne tore off the remains of the coat and threw them on the ground. The scraps turned into hundreds of small snakes which fled under the furniture and threaded under the carpets.

“Wow! It’s so cool”, Etienne said.

About ten guests clapped their hands and raised their glasses of champagne:

“Crudelitas! Crudelitas!”

But the bewildered children saw hundreds of scorpions coming from nowhere rushing to the snakes and swallowed them. Within a few minutes, none was left.

“Beurk!”

Etienne and Alex vomitted.

“Glory to the child-sun! Glory to Satur! Glory to Beltis! Viva 126, Viva 126!”

Other guests uttered an Ooh! In unison. The cry turned into a complaint.

“One of these children is Hogmanay! Yes, the one that we must assassinate is here, a young man howled. His fear made him look insane!”

Jeremie begged Etienne and Alexandre to leave immediately.

Etienne started to give up, it was all too much for him.

“Who is Satur? They want to kill you, the child-sun! Are you the child-sun?”

“Take the diligence and leave!”

“Never without you, they are going to kill you”, retorted Alex. But Jeremie urged them towards the door.

This one was locked! Alex looked haggard.

“We are trapped! We are doomed…”

“And the barouches have left, there’s nothing!” Etienne added.

Jeremie and Alex rushed to the windows. The yard was empty.

Etienne lost his war make-up, except a little black around the eyes. A horrible doubt came over Jeremie and there he stood for a long moment. He stared at each guest, seeking for a cue which could help him. The cherub could not sent him here to be killed, all the same! The orchestra stopped playing. Time seemed hanging… Etienne whimpered on a carpet, as usual. These people were really odd. With a closer look, the children noticed that not all were wearing old fashioned clothes. Others were dressed into suits and ties, today’s fashion, and all were extremely smart.

Jeremie heard the guests talking to one another and did not understand anything of what they were saying. Alex and Etienne looked inquiringly at him.

Alex was scared. “I’m smelling death”.

An accordion replaced the harpsichord, which was completely unseemingly with the place. Yes, Jeremie did not doubt it any more: these people who had fun on airs of accordion and spoke an unknown language HAD DIED. And they died for a long time ago…

“Who is this Hogmanay?” Etienne asked.

“Shut up you, idiot!” Jeremie was irritated.

Etienne’s question made the effect of a catalyst on the living dead. Their pale and grimacing faces twitched dreadfully. The three boys moved back, but the crowd took suddenly interest in them and marched implacably towards them.

“They are going to kill us!” Etienne panicked and bursted into tears.

Jeremie ran ahead of his buddies and drawing aside the arms as if to protect them. He challenged the hideous crowd.

“If you want me, here I am!”

Alex pushed him violently:

“Are you crazy? What are you up to?”

“He is sacrificing for us, Etienne said, let him alone…”

Jeremie’s face was transformed. He did not fear anything or anyone longer. He was pushing Alex back, he stretched his arms open and shouted: he opened the arms in cross.

“I am the one you are looking for, I am… Hogmanay!”

Etienne was too bewildered to prevent such mad confession. As for Alex, he hastened to beg the monsters out of diner suit and evening dresses not to believe him.

“That’s not true, he is crazy! Hogmanay it is me!”

“Let me alone, you idiot, Jeremie stamped his feet, do not listen to him. Hogmanay, it is me!”

The living dead moaned: “Oh! Who is the one?”

Their faces became hideous…

“Neither!”

Etienne gained self-control again. He faced the monsters proudly, bending the chest.

“Neither, he continued with his voice perched high, because Hogmanay it is me, and me only!”

The creatures shouted. Their clothing started to fall in wrecks and dust, corroded by the moths. A woman with the devastated face with boils and other dreadful buttons addressed Etienne with a guttural voice.