Page 53 of In Her Own Way
Once the ziti was situated, Bernadette high-fived Jessica. “That was superb. Thank you.” Bernadette’s smile was lovely.The cutest little dimples appeared, and Jessica kind of melted at the sight of them.
Bernadette checked her watch. “Let me go get the little angel, and we’ll head down to the haunted house, okay? Meet us at the elevator.
It didn’t take long to find Shanice, and before Jessica knew it, the elevator door opened on the bottom floor of the mansion. Eerie music filled the dimly lit hallway. Cotton cobwebs hung from the walls and the ceiling. They had to dodge and weave around them. Flickering electric candles lit the way.
“This is creepy,” Bernadette said as she pushed Shanice’s wheelchair.
“New victims,” a tall woman dressed in a long, flowing green dress said. Her long copper hair was curled and tucked underneath an elaborate witch’s hat. “Follow me if you dare.” She turned and led the way down the hall.
“That’s Miss Riri,” Shanice whispered to Jessica. “Miss Bernadette’s wife.”
“I know,” Jessica said, now fully understanding Bernadette’s cat costume. She was clearly the witch’s familiar.
Miss Rikki, err, the witch rang the bell outside a double set of metal doors and then flung them open with a flourish. They entered. Two figures leaped at them. Jessica jumped. Shanice’s screech was priceless and made them all laugh in relief.
The two figures were wearing high-waisted, wide-legged trousered zoot suits. Their broad-shouldered coats reminded Jessica of the 1940s. Of course, the scar makeup on the positively gorgeous Black woman looked so real, but Jessica had met Miss Jaleesa before and knew it wasn’t. DeShawn, one of Miss Jaleesa’s many subs, had a hilarious third eyeball affixed to his face, making Shanice laugh.
“Show you around, ladies?” Miss Jaleesa asked. She was so tall and athletic that Jessica was powerless. She slipped her arm in Miss Jaleesa’s offered arm.
“It’s okay, Miss Jessica,” Shanice said. “That’s Miss Jaleesa, and this guy with three eyes is my friend, DeShawn.”
“More eyes to see you with, my dear,” DeShawn said in a low, intentionally creepy voice.
“Follow me, please,” Miss Jaleesa said and led the way with Jessica on her arm.
The entryway led to a marked one-way hallway. It was narrowed and decorated with more cobwebs. There was a giant spider web on the right side, and Jessica was not pleased to see glowing red eyes affixed to it.
“Ooh,” DeShawn said and snatched one of the spiders off the web. He pretended to put it in his mouth and eat it. “Delightful.”
A rat skittered across the floor. Jessica practically leaped into Miss Jaleesa’s arms. “Oh. My. God. That was fake, right?”
Miss Jaleesa simply shrugged and ushered them all forward. “Come meet my pets.”
“Oh, no, no, no,” Jessica cried. There were clear sounds of not one, but many rattlesnakes up ahead.
The entire area was covered with snakes. Some of them were moving. A fake tree stood in one corner; bats with glowing red eyes hung upside down. Miss Jaleesa picked up one of the rattlers. “Come to mama, my precious.” She kissed it right on the mouth and then wrapped it around her neck.
Jessica knew the snakes, bats, rats, and spiders were fake, but the dim lighting, eerie music, and their guides made it seem oh-so-real. Something swooped down from the tree right in front of her face. She screamed like a little girl. It was a bat on an electronic wire.
“No, no, no, no,” Jessica said and ran behind Shanice and Bernadette. “Your turn to lead. I’m done being brave.”
Bernadette said low out of the side of her mouth, “Why do you think I’m pushing her out in front of me?”
“I heard that,” Shanice said. “C’mon, chickens. Let’s go.”
“This is where we leave you, my friends,” Mistress Jaleesa said. “Please enjoy some refreshments in the next room.” And with that, she and DeShawn turned, and they were alone.
“Do we dare?” Bernadette asked. “Refreshments? How bad can it be?”
It was bad.
A cute blonde woman that Jessica recognized from the coffee shop greeted them. She was dressed as a waitress, complete with a pink dress and apron. One ear looked as if it had been severed and was drooping down. She also had a nasty scar on her face.
“Tasty balls?” the blonde asked, presenting a tray. Shanice screeched and then laughed. The tray was filled with bloody eyeballs, each one speared with a toothpick. She held out napkins. She leaned closer to Shanice and said, “You can actually eat them. They’re made of Jello. Miss Rowena ordered them from a specialty shop.”
Shanice took one, looked at it, and then popped it in her mouth. “Thanks, Miss Lydia,” she said with her mouth full.
Both Jessica and Bernadette declined. Jessica just couldn’t bring herself to do it.
