Ariana stormed down the lone, country road. The full moon hung high, and stars dotted the sky like spilt salt across a black tablecloth. She wore a kinky Catwoman costume, which blended in with the night: thigh-high boots, gloves that went to her elbows, skirt barely covered her flat backside, and halter-top tied around her neck—all black, latex with cat ears on top of her head. Although petite, she didn't fear the spooky night or the eerily quiet empty road. With a hardened expression, she hugged herself close, shielding her bare arms from the autumn nip, and marched down the center lane. Her dark chocolate hair, fixed in a genie bun which hung down her back, swayed back and forth with her angry pace. After another half-mile, she stopped and sighed in relief.
In the near distance, a grand mansion set on a hill, guarded by a spiked steel fence. Light abound from inside, pouring out several windows. A buzz of lively chatter filled the night.
Ariana approached two husky guards at the gated entrance. "Hey! I need some help. We had a bad wreck down th—" She stopped herself upon noticing the guards' lack of attention.
They stood still, soldierly, eyes staring off into the empty field across the street.
"Hello?" Ariana waved her hand in front of their faces. "What's wrong with you two dummies? You don't speak English. Habla espanol?"
They didn't reply nor flinch for that matter.
"Well, fuck you too. You've been a real help. I tell you I've been in a bad accident and you—" Ariana growled. "You know what? I'm going inside. Maybe, someone in there will be sympathetic to a fuckin' damsel in distress."
The guards remained quiet.
"I'm going in now..." Ariana eased by, expecting one of them to snag her arm. They didn't. She furrowed her brow and turned her attention on the mansion, which looked to be tilting slightly to the left. Bats flittered over the roof in the moonlight. She followed the long serpentine sidewalk to the front porch.
Two doors towered over her, both with golden lion door-knockers. A name plate read: Addams residence.
"Addams..." Ariana mumbled to herself. The name sounded familiar. She shrugged, and without knocking, she entered. The brooding door opened with a howl.
The lobby was congested. People conversed, shared drinks, in a plethora of different costumes: skeletons, vampires, and zombies; Marilyn Monroe, Scooby Doo, and even Ghostbusters. Some even got inventive and mixed two characters into one: James Bean, a string bean with a pompadour and red jacket. Indiana Bones, a skeleton in a brown fedora with whip. And, of course, Ace Ven-fuhrer... just to name a few.
Ariana started making her rounds, but like the guards outside no one acknowledged her. She put her hands on her hips, frowned. "What is wrong with you people?"
"Hello there, Catwoman," a voice said.
"Finally." Ariana wheeled around with a scowl. "Listen, I need some..."
A man approached her dressed in a Batman costume. His hypnotically blue eyes glowed from behind the black mask. "I can see."
"You can?" Ariana asked.
"You're bleeding."
"I am?"
Batman walked her to the connecting kitchen. Everything looked clean, flawless. The white counter tops and cabinets gleamed under the ceiling lights. At the stainless steel sink, he wadded a paper towel, soaked it in cold water, and dabbed her forehead.
Ariana flinched as he put pressure on the wound just above her hairline. "How bad is it?"
"Ah, just a little cut." Batman grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. "I think you'll survive."
"Prrrr-fect," Ariana sighed. She then turned her attention to the grand mansion. "This is a beautiful place you have here. I like the retro vibe."
"Thanks. It's my parents' home away from home. But for years, I've been using it as my party palace. It's cool, I guess."
"Cool, you guess? Someone sounds spoiled."
Batman shrugged and redirected the topic. "So, what happened?"
"With..." Ariana drew a blank. She felt spellbound as though Batman's baby-blue's performed hocus-pocus on her. She shook the feeling and livened up. "Oh! Ha. How forgetful of me. I lost myself for a moment in this beautiful place."
Batman nodded, waiting.
"Um, well, we had a wreck."
"And?"
"I kinda caused it." Ariana looked to the tile floor.
"You did?" Batman gently pinched her small chin and raised her remorseful eyes.
"Me and my friends were on our way to a costume party. I was in the backseat, minding my own business, when..." Ariana paused. "Well, my friend Laurie—the driver and former bestie—Ugh!—slipped up and confirmed my suspicions."
"Like?"
"Sleeping with my fuckin' boyfriend behind my back." Ariana crossed her arms, pouted.
"I can actually relate," Batman said. "So, what did you do?"
"Without thinking, I punched her in the back of the head. She lost control, and we ran off the road. Hit a tree."
"Is everyone alright?"