Dead Man's Party

    Danny had always worked at the same old bar in a small Western town. He would be seen serving drinks, conversing with the usual customers, and once in a while attempting to win the hearts of impossible drunkards with his music. Yes, music was his passion and in order to fulfill his dreams he would need to make enough cash. Not that Jerry Hope’s Bar & Grill enabled him to even make decent deposits in his account; it was just that Danny didn’t have much choice of employment. Isolated areas would do that to you.

    He was quite the looker; somewhat curly ginger red hair, average yet muscular body, chocolate brown eyes that would send you into a dreamland with every glance, and a smile that could warm the most cold-hearted person. Danny attracted some very interesting females but he didn’t care because of his first and only love; music.

    Every day was humid as the sun beamed down on the dry environment where it boggled the mind how anyone found Kevät remotely suitable for human life. What was worse than the heat and isolation were the travelers coming to and from Kevät. Lucky them; an ability to get away and see the world was all Danny wanted. Actually, even the slightest little variation in his lifestyle would be wonderful.

    When Danny sat at the piano stroking the keys, all the cares in the world vanished. Music was the magical cure; much like a voice of an angel which Danny had inherited. Just when he began playing a tune he wrote a week or two ago, a mysterious-looking figure stepped into the bar. He [or she] shifted over to the table at the back corner, and sat down with a seemingly attentive posture towards the stage. It would’ve been much easier had the person not been wearing a cloak, and in such weather too!

    Usually the people in the area  came into the bar to get a few laughs, become highly inebriated, and urinate wherever they please. However, as Danny kept glancing over at the darkish figure while singing, he couldn’t help but notice the figure had no drink or anyone around him for that matter; he was watching the stage. Danny began thinking in his mind, “I wish I could be where that person came from”.

   After the show, there was the inevitable clanking of beer bottles and hiccoughing from plastered individuals who cared nothing for the entertainment; except for that one soul. Danny was just about to clean up the empty tables when he felt a light tap on his shoulder, turned around, and came face to face with the figure. Although the term “face” wasn’t likely the best word to use since, well, there was a hood and a shadow. That was when the figure extended a hand.

    “Wonderful to meet you. I must say this little show has been the highlight of my long journey. You have a gift, young man”, the figure spoke; revealing at once his gender.

    “Yes, well, thank you. So what pray tell, is your name?” Danny asked, intrigued at how calm and interested he was. The man said, with great confidence and mystery, “Lu”.

    “What an interesting name, my friend. So, would I be able to help you with anything?” He asked Lu. Lu gave it a slight thought, and with a lowered voice, “Well, this is one thing”.

    ”I want you to accompany me to a brilliant little party held at a remarkable village about a full day’s journey from here. I must be honest though; the reason behind my traveling was to find a musician suitable for filling the party with music. Would you be willing to participate?” Lu asked with no variation of tone in his voice. Danny stood frozen as if a hurricane was coming.

   “You mean the village of Tepes? I’ve heard many stories, and none have ended with anything postitive“. Lu gave a sinister chuckle, “No young man. Tepes has always been misunderstood as a dark village but is actually quite…lively”, he said before taking from his cloak a few pieces of paper.

    Danny gave Lu a confused expression, “What are these for?” Lu handed him the papers. The first page was untitled and filled with very specific guidelines, but before Danny had any time to read more than one, Lu held out a pen in his direction.

    “All you have to do is sign on the dotted line. It is just a written agreement that you’ll be playing at the party, and that the host will know who to pay,” Lu said; again in monotone.

    The expression on Danny’s face turned to giddiness once he heard the word “pay”. “This party sounds promising. If I get enough cash, I will be able to permanently leave this no-talent hick town,” he thought. He slowly grabbed the pen from Lu and with a sigh of “Okay, here goes”, he signed on the dotted line and handed both pen and paper back to Lu. And like as if Danny had just given him a ticket to see Jesus, Lu jumped up and down, and shouted “It is done!”

    Riding on horseback was something all too common, but common wasn’t the best way to describe the journey from Kevät to Tepes. Danny’s hometown was not exactly the greatest sight in the world, but at least it had a somewhat light and welcoming aura to it. About 20 miles into the journey, all around it began to feel as if Danny’s happiness was slowly draining from him. “What was happening? Nothing could make me happier than being given an opportunity to help my dreams, but something just wasn’t right,” he thought as closer and closer they came to Tepes.

    Upon arriving at Tepes, Danny noticed that all the rumours about the village’s atmosphere were highly under-exaggerated. All the homes seemed to have been abandoned years ago, the curtains draped over the windows were tattered and filled with holes, the streets were completely bare, and you could have almost heard the sound of agonizing pain in the wind.

    All of a sudden, artificial light poured out onto the street through the door of a peculiar-looking residence. The horses halted at the bottom of the steps leading to the door. Both Lu and Danny got off the horses and began walking up the steps. Danny couldn’t help but feel slightly afraid and stopped just short of walking through the doorway.

    “What is the matter?” Lu asked just before joining the people inside. “I don’t know. I feel somewhat bummed out. When do I start playing? And do I have any instruments readily available?” Danny glanced at the odd people dancing and at once became drawn into the room.

    All happy feelings and hopes of the world were drowned right from the first step inside. Every angle had something sinister and disturbing about it; it felt like such a living nightmare. The lights began to grow dimmer with each step Danny took towards the stage that conveniently had all the instruments he needed.

    The passion for music that was inside for all those years died when he plucked the first note on the guitar. There were no cheers or applause from the members of the party; only uniform dancing in a depressive manner. At once, Danny felt something he had never felt before; nothing. No excitement, no sadness, and when he glanced at a mirror on the wall beside him; he saw nothing. A sight only familiar in a Dracula movie, but vampires weren’t real, so what was happening?

    The music was now coming from a man lost just like all the others. “That is yet another innocent soul sold to me. I positively adore my job”, Lucifer giggled after he checked off Danny’s name on his long list. Lucifer then turned and with a flick of the wrist, he closed the door once more. He began singing a tune after riding off into the night on his beloved Black Knight:

“I was struck by lighting
Walkin' down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
It's a dead man's party
Who could ask for more
Everybody's comin', leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door . . .”