The Masquerade

Nicole pounded on the bedroom door, the sound slightly muted by her cut-off black leather gloves.

"Come on Prudence! How long does it take to put on the same damn 'Nerd Girl' costume you wear every year?"

She pulled a plastic night stick from a wide belt slung loosely around her hips, rattling a pair of toy handcuffs clipped on to accessorize her 'Officer Nikki' outfit.

She rapped impatiently on the door with it.

"Let's go! Move it, or Officer Nikki is gonna open a can of whoop ass with my night stick!"

She sighed inwardly, reminded of trying to get in the bathroom while one of her five brothers hid behind the locked door, pulling himself through puberty. Not having one herself, she never understood their fascination with tugging on a tube of flesh until it spit creamy goop.

Even after giving several hand jobs, she didn't 'get' what the big deal was. It seemed guys had a much bigger reaction than women did. She'd had her share of orgasms, but somehow they didn't seem as explosive as a guy's. Part of her felt that the whole deal was just unfair.

A soft giggle from behind drew her attention from the door. Nicole peered sternly over mirrored sunglasses perched on her nose at Madeline, who was making final adjustments to her 'Candy Striper' costume.

Madeline could turn heads on any night, but tonight, she was awesome. A red and white striped outfit hugged tightly around soft curves. Her 'shirt' was short sleeved, with just a tiny bit of fabric stretched between generous, well shaped tits. Some women had breasts, others had boobs, and still others had a nice rack. Maddy had tits. A great set of tits.

They gave a saucy bounce whenever she moved, pushed higher by the top ending just below them, leaving her gently toned midriff bare. An ultra-mini skirt with a small apron rode low on her hips and high on her pink-pantied bottom. A few soft wisps peeked around the edge of the panties. She preferred a 'natural look'. A large rhinestone glittered from her belly button, calling even more attention to a body that already screamed 'Look at me!' White lace up platform boots and a Nurses' cap pinned into loose blonde curls completed her costume.

Maddy laughed again and drawled, "What we have here, is a failure to communicate."

Nicole twirled the night stick from its strap, looped around her wrist. Her other hand adjusted the cop hat angled cockily over short, spiky dark hair. She pulled it into place and began a deliberate walk toward Madeline, patting the night stick into an open palm. The sound of plastic on leather gave her an idea.

Officer Nikki strolled a slow circle around 'Nurse Candy', small squeaks coming from her black latex knee high boots. She swung her hips under low rise, skin tight, black 'Boy shorts', one size too small to wear anything underneath. They showed off every muscle in her tight ass, while the front clearly outlined the soft rise of her neatly trimmed mound.

The night stick sounded a slow tempo on her palm. She stepped in front of Candy, and pointed to the badge pinned to her low cut, black spandex top. No one was going to notice the badge next to the zippered front of her shirt, closed just high enough to keep her from falling out of it.

Madeline glanced at the badge and then back to Officer Nikki's top, noticing a band of elastic at the bottom offering small support to the choice pair above it. There was no way in Hell they were going to stay inside that tiny top all night.

Officer Nikki gave Candy a disapproving look and questioned, "So, is that 'Candy Striper', or 'Candy Stripper'?"

Maddy felt a small start inside. Something about 'being watched' had always appealed to her, but she'd never worked up the nerve to try it. The idea of being the center of attention, teasing an audience, their eyes glazed with desire had lurked in the dark corners of her mind for as long as she could remember. She told herself that the fantasy was better than the reality, but the thought still lingered. On those nights when her fingers were slick with herself, it was the one that made her come.

Officer Nikki leaned in close, soft brown eyes peering into Madeline's hazel daydream. Maddy snapped back to reality, finally answering the question.

"Officer, I'll have you know I'm a highly qualified professional."

Nikki thought for a moment, and then told 'Nurse Candy', "Just to be sure, I'd better search you. Assume the position."

Madeline cooed and bent forward, placing her hands on the couch and her ass in the air. She wiggled it just a bit, taunting. A second later, two sounds filled the air. The splat of plastic on butt through very thin panty, followed by a yelp of pain.

Maddy's hand shot back to her ass. "OW! You bitch!"

Nikki laughed, cut, and ran all in the same second. Maddy shot up, rubbing her stung tush, a pained and pissed expression on her face. She let loose with a string of threats punctuated with cuss words and promises of revenge. Nikki stayed at a safe distance, laughing and taunting.

They didn't hear the door to Prudence's room open, or see her step out. "What on Earth is going on out here?" she demanded loudly.

Officer Nikki stopped in mid laugh and stared. Madeline, with her back to Prudence began railing, "This bitch got me right across the ass wi-"

Maddy turned and stopped short, suddenly speechless. If they hadn't known it was Prudence, they wouldn't have believed it. They still weren't so sure. Their quiet, shy, kept to herself in her own room unless you dragged her out friend was transformed.

Instead of her usual baggy sweats, or the expected 'Nerd Girl' costume, was an exquisite creature, radiating sexuality. Trying to take in the vision that had silenced them, they blinked, swallowed, looked at each other, and blinked again. Odd sounds came from their open mouths as their brains tried to catch up with their eyes.

Madeline's eyes took in Prudence bit by bit, from head to toe. Soft auburn curls, freed from their normally severe bun, flowed thickly to mid back. Dark blue eyes danced with mischief above a sheer, light purple veil. A silver band circled each upper arm and wrist. Two small triangles of opaque cloth matching the veil and some string struggled to cover a chest that seemed one size too large for her taut, petite frame. Jeweled fringe twinkled from the bottom of each triangle.

A wide sash of silk around her waist belted a pair of nearly transparent harem pants. Open slits along the sides invited a playful glimpse of surprisingly long, toned legs. Loose chains of sparkling gems spanned the front waistband. Two others circled her ankles, keeping the pant legs in place. Darker purple panties showed through the thin fabric, accented with tiny jewels hinting at the delights beneath them.

The costume gave her an aura of sultry innocence, showing all, revealing nothing. It was perfect.

The silence in the room stretched, becoming uncomfortable. Behind the veil, Prudence blushed, feeling very self-conscious, teetering toward embarrassment. This was not the reaction she was hoping for. She needed approval, not silence.

Maddy finally stammered, "I would never have guessed!-I mean-look at-WOW!"

Nicole, surprised at a sudden twinge between her thighs, had to clear her throat before commenting. "It should be a crime to hide a body like that under all those baggy clothes you wear."

Maddy gushed, "Every guy in town is gonna be calling after they see you!"

Prudence's teeth flashed behind the veil as she asked, "And who, pray tell, will recognize me? Neither of you would have, how could anyone else?"

She put her palms together, as if in prayer, dropped gracefully to one knee and announced, "Tonight, I am no longer Prudence. You may call me Desiree. I am your Harem Slave, how would you use me?"

Nicole felt a flush as some possibilities sprang to mind. She'd never entertained the thought of being with another girl, but something about Prudence in that 'fuck me' costume was so out of character and appealing she couldn't help it. Her fingers drifted unconsciously along the length of her nightstick as she slowly licked her lips.

She asked Prudence, "Where did you find that costume? I checked all the local shops, and they didn't have anything like that."

Prudence's eyes sparkled above the veil, her smile from behind it. "Online. You didn't think I spent all that time in my room on the computer doing research work did you?"

Prudence had seen many things online. Things that she would never have dreamed of. Things a Preacher's daughter had never been exposed to, things that sent her running to the shower where the sound of water masked her soft sounds as she touched herself.

She had learned early on how to come quietly. Her first orgasm had happened after her enraged Father caught her with a boy, and beat her ass black and blue. Noticing the soft fur covering her femininity, he used his electric razor to remove it.

"But Poppa!" she protested, "I'm eighteen years old, almost a woman!"

He made her stand with her skirt up and panties down, looking off to one side as he 'disciplined' and 'corrected' her at the top of his lungs.

"You think you're a woman? You're not a woman! You're a girl! A bad girl! I'm gonna make sure you stay good! Not like your Momma! You ain't gonna run off like she did! No good whore is what she was! You wanna run off and be a whore like your Momma? Let men put their hands on you? Let them use you for their evil pleasures? Well, do you?"

The vibrations from his razor coursed through her, taking her mind from his ranting, and focusing it to where the humming device was pushing into her mound. Suddenly it seemed her entire being flowed into one spot, squeezed tight, and then flew outward. She gasped with the sudden release. He looked up at her flushed face, still wet with tears. He thought the razor had nicked her.

"Good." he grumbled.

Shaving became a regular event. Aside from the embarrassment, Prudence looked forward to it. She learned to play 'good girl', to not make a sound as the razor did it's work, disguising the fact she was a young woman, no longer a little girl. Sometimes the hoped for release didn't happen. She learned how to make it happen for herself, in her room, biting her lip to keep any sound from escaping. She could only imagine her Father's rage at being caught, the punishments he would inflict.

After he died, during a tirade laced sermon condemning all sinners to Eternal Damnation, she felt a combination of loss and freedom. At the reading of his will, she found he had left her nothing. She moved to a bigger town, found a job, and some room mates.

At first, the girls seemed wild to her. She was shocked by all the 'sin' going on around her. Over time she realized that this was how normal people lived, and contrary to what had been beaten into her, the Earth wasn't going to split open and the fires of Hell consume them.

Still, she couldn't escape her past. She dressed very conservatively, and held fast to her more traditional values. A part of her was jealous of her room mates, the guys they brought home, the sounds that came through her wall at night. She wanted to experience some of the things they did, but couldn't bring herself to cross that line.

A short time later, she got a second-hand computer and discovered the internet. From the safety of her room, she could explore worlds unimaginable until now. Her room mates teased her about the time she spent in her room. They called her an 'Infomaniac'. They didn't realize the mental restraints holding her hostage, or how much she wanted to escape them. Tonight was a huge leap for her.

She had agonized for hours, the two costumes laid out on her bed. 'Nerd Girl' or 'Harem Slave'? To stay with the known, the safe, the secure? Or to step out of herself and live what she had only read about, at least from behind a costume and a veil?

When she saw herself in the mirror, she knew she'd made the right choice. For one night, she could be 'Someone Else'. Someone mysterious, exotic, enigmatic. Someone...she struggled with the thought, finally pushing it through. Someone sexy.

The old clock tower striking 9 came through an open window. It was unusually warm for late October, they wouldn't have to bring coats with them. There was nothing worse than having to cover a sexy costume under a bulky coat. It also meant a bigger turnout for the annual party in the park. To the girls, that meant more hot guys.

The town really did it up for Halloween. All the street lights were left off. The only light came from the moon, or the clubs getting into the spirit by competing against one another with Halloween themed decorations. People milled from club to club, dressed in costumes ranging from the outrageous, to garb paying tribute to the tradition of Halloween, the night when the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest.

At the clock's third chime, Officer Nikki spurred them to action, and began barking orders.

"Please disperse! Nothing to see here! Let's go Citizens! Move it, Move it! MOVE IT!"

Nurse Candy mimicked an ultra-girlie walk as Desiree rose from her bow. Officer Nikki herded them out the door, anxious to get going. A few moments later, they emerged on the back walk. A shortcut through the wooded area would put them only a few blocks from where the parties would just be hitting full stride. Nikki and Candy's boots echoed off the walk in contrast to the silence of Desiree's bare feet.

Desiree noticed the rising moon. A thin crescent of gold on one side, the rest of it partially shadowed in shades of gray and silver. It would be full and bright soon. She stopped, admiring its beauty. A moment later, Nikki and Candy did too. They stood, taking in the sight.

A slight breeze stirred the trees, sending a chill through the girls. They looked to one another, and laughed uneasily. No one wanted to admit they were spooked. The breeze blew again, the rasp of dry leaves a whispered dare. Desiree and Candy took an involuntary step back.

Nikki turned and caught them. Their fear made her braver. She put a gloved fist on one hip and tipped her hat back with the other.

In a voice braver than she actually felt, she chided, "Oh for Pete's sake! Look at you two! You act like you never cut through here after dark before!"

She continued, with sarcastic emphasis on the word 'girls', "Well, girls, I for one, am going straight through here, and finding myself a party! Are you chickens coming or not?"

She pulled her nightstick, waved it, and proclaimed, "I ain't afraid o' no ghost!"

They moved reluctantly, following Nikki's lead onto the hard packed dirt path and into the woods. The breeze rose and fell again, like laughter.

It took a minute for their eyes and ears to adjust to the woods. Trees filtered any light from the still rising moon, creating deep shadows split haphazardly by muted beams providing just enough illumination to guide them along the path. The sounds of the night woods began to register along with the soft crunch of boots on hard dirt. A wisp of wind would agitate the remaining leaves, occasionally dry branches would rattle. Candy and Desiree stayed close together, letting Officer Nikki take the point. Nikki took off her sunglasses, wishing she'd added a flashlight to her costume.

Hoping to push aside her own case of the creeps, Nikki began chanting softly, "Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!"

Candy snapped, "Would you shut up? That's not funny!"

Nikki stopped and teased, "OOOOoooOOOOohhh! S'matter? Is you a-skeered? The Boogeyman gonna get you? Ghosties and Goblins? OoooHHHHhhh! Watch out for the flying monkeys!" She turned and stomped up the path, restarting her chant, pacing her walk in time with increasing cadence and volume, almost shouting as she parade stepped. "Li-yons! and Ti-gers! and Bears! OH MY!"

Out of the shadows, a black cat suddenly appeared in a pool of light directly in front of them. It arched its back and hissed, they let go with a chorus of ear piercing screams that echoed into the woods.

The cat ran one way, they ran the other. Each girl fled from her own vision of terror. Nicole, from every movie monster she had ever seen. Madeline, from her own fear. Prudence, from everything she'd ever been told coming true. The Earth splitting open, unseen hands pulling her down to be consumed in fire and tormented by demons forever.

They ran blindly, flashes of moonlight showing where to run next. Without warning, they stumbled into a small clearing. Nikki stopped, giving a short scream as Candy and Desiree ran into her from behind. They caught their breath, laughing sheepishly at themselves and each other between pants.

In the distance, the clock struck 10.

Between gasps, Nikki joked, "Time sure flies when you're having fun."

Candy gave her the finger.

Desiree was the first to notice where they were. She pointed, unable to speak. The other two turned to see, immediately wishing they hadn't.

The moon had risen, producing a full view of the rest of the clearing. It was the edge of the old graveyard. Small hills peeked from under a low evening fog. Silvery light from above gave a glow to the top layer as it crept along and between the silhouettes of tombstones.

They realized their options were to go back through the woods and find the right path, or cross the graveyard. The silent vote was unanimous. They turned to the woods, only to find they could no longer see the spot they'd run out of. There was only one way to go. A small breeze rippled, the woods chuckled.

They trudged into the cemetery, mist closing around their ankles. Behind them, a small shape jumped on top of one of the tombstones. It licked a paw, then another. It cleaned the dew from its black fur. With yellow eyes, it watched the girls picking their way through the haze shrouded rows. They moved deeper into the fog, fading from sight. It made a satisfied sound, jumped silently from the marker, and disappeared back into the woods.

The girls held hands, giving small comfort as they gingerly felt their way through the deepening smoky gauze that surrounded them. It was so thick, they could only see an outline of each other.

Desiree whispered, "Stop."

Nikki whispered back, "No fucking way."

Desiree shushed her. "Listen."

They were silent. From somewhere up ahead, they heard a low thrum.

Candy recognized it. "It's music!"

They knew if they followed the sound, it would lead them out of this spook show of a graveyard they were lost in.

Nikki cocked an ear, and tugged on Candy's hand. "This way."

They moved a bit quicker, still being careful to not bang into a gravestone, or worse yet, fall into some freshly dug hole. The music grew louder. They had a fix on it now and followed it easily. The haze thinned, they could see a dull glow flickering through it.

Nikki picked up the pace. A few moments later, they found themselves at the top of a small rise. Smaller hills formed a circle of sorts, resembling a bowl. At the bottom was a small square stone building.

The music was coming from the arched stone entrance. A single torch marked each side. A deep orange glow came from inside. Someone had converted a mausoleum into a party place for the night. They moved toward it, the curtain of mist closed behind them.

Nikki exclaimed, "AWESOME!"

Her bottom rolled and flexed under the tight shorts as she strutted toward the entrance. Without stopping, she turned to Candy and Desiree.

"Come on you two! Quit dragging your asses!"

She paused in the arch, tapping her foot impatiently. A large, hooded figure moved behind her. A thick black robe covered it from head to toe. A large scythe rested over one shoulder. Red eyes glowed dimly inside the hood, no other face was visible. Candy and Desiree froze. Nikki was tired of waiting. Without looking, she turned, took a step and bumped squarely into the Grim Reaper.