A Halloween Party

         Estelle stood by the door observing the room in front of her with quiet interest.  It was quite the party with a werewolf dancing with a vampire, a cat chatting up a wizard by the punch bowl,  a grim reaper amusing three dainty fairies with limericks, and an angel kissing a devil on the loveseat in the corner.  That was just in her sitting room, outside there were another two or three dozen assorted ghost, ghouls, and creatures of the night.
         She grinned.  This was going to be the best Halloween party,ever.
         “Estelle!” The reaper called waving her over with his scythe.  He pulled back the hood of his cloak to reveal a smiling, albeit unnerving face.  He was deathly pale  with a shock of black hair that fell over his face; partially partially obscuring his gleaming crimson eyes.  His smile though; it was like the sun coming out from behind the storm clouds.  You had to smile back.
         Estelle strolled over to the reaper and his little group of giggling chatting fairies; a cup bloody red punch in her hand. “Hello Aiden.  Is something the matter?”
         He looked at Estelle with his eyebrows pulled together in a serious expression but his twitching lips gave him away.  “Yes, I have not been able to compliment the hostess of this party.  And might I say that she looks absolutely ravishing  tonight.”
         “Flattery will get you everywhere my friend. “ Estelle said, glowing at the compliment.  She had worked hard on her little black dress with it's short full skirt ,and silver embroidered snakes and lizards climbing over the bodice.  The piece de resistance being a black pointed hat with a silver snake surrounded by white belladonna sitting on her head at a stylish angle.  She was one cute little witch.  As well as one amazing hostess; her parties were legendary.  She had been so happy to learn that she would be the host of this Halloween party.  This wasthe night ,  and everything was going to be perfect.
         “You have everything set up for midnight right?” He asked, a bit of anxiety barely evident in his voice.  The fairies had stopped chattering amongst each other and gave all of their attention to Estelle's reply, apparently they were anxious as well.
         Estelle snorted, ignoring the dark cloud that had begun to form over their lighthearted conversation.  “Oh ye of little faith!”
         Aiden's mood lightened once again at her joking tone. “Of course I have faith in you.”
         “You darn well should” she said smiling at him, but internally she was slightly annoyed.  Aiden had been to all of her other parties, and they had all gone perfectly before.  Why would this one be any different?
         She shook off her irritation and moved onto the dance floor.  They were between songs. The vampire in her  long black gown with a red lace collar approached Estelle, and gave her a quick hug.  “The party is wonderful Estelle; you have out done yourself yet again.  Do you have everything ready for midnight?”
         “Does no one have any faith in me? And you especially Mina. ” Estelle  said dramatically with a hand over her heart feigning hurt feelings. Then she looked at them ,and for the second time that night had to reassure her friends that, “Everything is ready and waiting.”
         “We have faith in you Estelle.” the werewolf, Steve, said. He was a big guy  with messy brown hair and feral gold eyes.”But this is a big night for all of us...and it kinda all hangs on you since you know, none of the 'adults' are here.”
         “Yes I know.” Estelle sighed.  “The weight of our world on my shoulders, you don't think I've gotten enough of that these past few days?  Everything will be perfect, I can guarantee it .”
         “Your parties always are” Steve said patting her on the shoulder.  The music kicked up again and the two returned to their dancing.  Estelle moved off the dance floor.  She wasn't in the mood to shake or sway or do anything to a beat.  Instead she went over and kicked the loveseat with the happy couple.
         “Oy!” she snapped.  “Romeo. Juliet. This is a party.  You aren't allowed to stay inn one place for more than twenty minutes, and you two have been here almost an hour.  I don't care if you can finally make out without you parents here to look down their disapproving noses at your choices.  Get up, dance, be social.”
         “Oh lighten up Estelle!” the devil, Lucia, complained, her black hair that had been pulled back into a neat braid now had several loose locks framing her face, and if she hadn't been wearing a leather corset and pants she would've looked just as disheveled as Azreal.  Who's white robes were wrinkled and rumpled. 
         “Look, I support you two, with all my heart and soul I really and truly do.” Estelle said sincerely.  “Just not on my loveseat where everyone has to see you make out for the rest of the party.”
         Azreal sighed, his conscience getting the better of him, much to Lucia's disappointment they got up.
         'Is everything ready?” Lucia asked.
         “Yes.” Estelle replied simply walking off before she had to reassure them further.  She understood that tonight was an important night.  It was made even more tense knowing that if something didn't go according to plan she couldn't call in help.  But she was the one who had been chosen to arrange the party and set everything up.  She was the best girl for the job,  and everyone should respect that.
         Estelle was so caught up in her self consolation that she almost walked into the punch bowl.  She would have if a hand hadn't come down on her shoulder to stop her.
         “Careful.” Matt said.  He was the wizard, wearing his deep purple robes and his long blonde hair was pulled back in a n intricate plait.  He had gotten teased about it she was sure.
         'Thanks” Estelle said gratefully. 
         “Penny for your thoughts sweetie?” Salome asked concerned putting a hand on her arm and looking at her with large green eyes full of concern.  Salome was a wonderfully caring girl, always looking out for others.
         “Just worrying about tonight” Estelle said truthfully.
         Salome swatted her on the shoulder chidingly. “You'll be fine!  You're the best girl for the job. Don't let these silly worry warts make you nervous!”
         Estelle smiled happily and gave Salome a grateful hug. “Thanks Salome! That's just what I needed to hear!”
         Estelle caught a glimpse of the clock and practically ran out of the room.  It was ten minutes to midnight and she had to do just a few last minute things.
         At five minutes till midnight everyone was gathered outside surrounding a large intricately carved stone pillar.  The pillar was 6 feet tall and made of marble with images of laughing skulls and fire breathing beasts circling the pillar chasing each other.  At it's base was a plethora of poisonous plants and flowers.  Belladonna, foxglove, wolvesbane, hemlock,  monkshood, mistletoe, oleander, and numerous others.  Along the pillar there were crimson splashes mimicking blood.  Or maybe not mimicking, no one really knew.
         “Creatures of the supernatural realm” Estelle announced raising her glowing wand high above her head.  “We have gathered here today, still children in the eyes of our people.  But tonight! We finally join the ranks of our parents and brethren,  we will be children no longer.  Tonight we join together,  freaks having to hide in the human world, attending their schools, befriending their children, suffering at their hands with our restrcited powers.  Not anymore!  Tonight on this night of Samhain, all Hallows Eve, or as they call it now Halloween, together we shall open the portal to the other world.  We shall gaze into the rift and we shall come fully into our powers together! Between us there shall be a bond to help us overcome and live through this oppressive world!
         Children of heaven and hell, take to the skies and fly the perimeter!”
         The angels and devils spread their wings taking to the sky and circling overhead,  keeping withing the restrictions of the giant glowing circle in which everyone stood, with the pillar at its center.
         “Creatures of the night! Werecreatures, vampires run the circle giving your power to it.”
         The vampires took off around the circle, moving so that they were only a blur.  The werecreatures followed close behind, shedding their clothes and donning their animal skins.  Wolves, cats, monkeys, larger than life snakes, lizards, birds and even a dragonfly set off chasing the vampires keeping low to the ground.  Their voices a cacophony of excitement and anxiety.
         “Children of the fae and my brethren witches and warlocks raise your wands, your staffs, and your hands! Send all of this power and your own into the pillar!”
         The leftover mixture of fae and wizards moved so that they stood in a circle just outside the reach of the toxic plants, and joined their hands.  They raised them to the sky sending  brilliant beams of glowing multicoloured energy directly into the pillar.  The pillar absorbed it all, taking on a pale glow.
         Aiden appeared behind Estelle; materializing out of the shadows.  He had his hood pulled low over his face ,and his scythe gleamed maliciously in the combined glowing lights of the moon and pillar.  He took her hand, the one in which she held her wand.  A wand that was now a brilliant flare of light.  All of the energy being poured into the pillar began to flow through her.  She cried out. The pain was terrible and wonderful all at once.  The power screamed through her veins like fire, awakening every nerve she had triggering both immense pleasure and pain.  He mind was a tangled web of chaos and sensations.
         Estelle looked to Aiden, a maniac smile on her face and her eyes bright glowing orbs in her skull. “Now it is up to you, young death.”
         Aiden raised his scythe and began to chant in a low voice.  The power that had flown into Estelle was now flowing through her.  Estelle's scream pierced the night and sent a shiver down the spines of all the creatures in the circle.  But they didn't stop. They couldn't have if they had wanted to.  It was going to happen.  There was no turning back now.
         Aiden continued to chant, his voice reaching a crescendo until her fianally shouted.
“Tonight on this night of Samhain, I tear through the veils between worlds and create a rift.  Tonight we come into our full powers.  Tonight we take control!”
         Aiden swung the scythe, the power of the dozens of supernatural creatures and his own flowing through it.  Channeled to do exactly as it was meant to do.  A rip in the air floated above their heads and inside it was chaos. They fae and wizards, the creatures of the night, and the children on heaven and hell all froze. Their gazes locked on the impossible rip, tearing through every world at once, reaching past even the realm of death into chaos. 
           Estelle breathed, her voice raw with longing.  Then they could feel it.  The warm energy flowing through them, unlocking things in them that would have taken centuries to do otherwise.
         One of the werecreatures, a cat, dropped dead.  He had been unable to contain the energy that had been released within him all at once.  No one noticed, no one cared.  They were all basking in the wonder that was the light of chaos shining through the rift.
         Then it closed.  All to soon the rift closed leaving some of those on the ground whimpering in longing. 
         The fae had a while since stopped channeling the energy into the pillar ,but Estelle still felt it still inside her.  And it was wonderful.
         Aiden could feel it as well, the power raging within him.  Then he saw the werecat who had died and simply said. “Stand Leon, it is not your time.”
         Leon's eyes opened and he stood.  The others looked stunned.  Not even death was supposed to bring people back, he shouldn't have had the power.  But Aiden, the young reaper had so much more power in him that the revival felt like barely a tickle.
         Estelle looked out at the assorted group.  The freaks, the myths, the ones who should not exist, but did.  And they did by living under the oppressive reign of the humans who shunned them.  Who had persecuted them to near extinction when they had been weakened by a massive pandemic.  But now they were strong.
         “Now my brothers and sisters.  My allies my comrades.  We shall do what are parents were to afraid to do.  Tonight is the beginning of a new age.  A new world.  We are going to take it all back!  If we have to destroy every last human to do it we will take our home back!”
         The crowd cheered, a mixture of bloodthirsty screams and howls that ripped through the night.  They continued their celebrations until dawn.  The next night, they went off to take back what was theirs.