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The Last Laugh (Halloween Havoc no. 16)

by Sigma

I

The chamber’s stone floor was slick with blood and nearly choked with dead bodies.

Nightmare Witch walked among the corpses in hooded cloaks as her summoned demons stalked among the dead and dying, sniffing and gnawing at flesh. A smirk crossed her full lips as she stepped gingerly toward the altar, positioned beneath a giant stone statue of a lithe figure in a mask with a smiling face.

The figure had two other masked faces on the sides of its head, one frowning and one furious, and it held a sword aloft in one hand and a scepter in the other as it lorded over the altar on which lay a book. Nightmare Witch eyed the book, a giant red tome with three faces on its leather-bound cover, one smiling, one frowning, and one twisted in fury. She ran her fingers across the surface and felt power surge through her just from that one touch.

“The Red Grimoire...I can see why the faithful of the King of Fools protected it so,” Nightmare Witch smiled before picking it up and tucking it under her arm.

She then looked up when she heard one of her demons howl in agony before blade parting flesh silenced it. When she turned around, she saw two figures in colorful dress holding menacing looking weapons. One was a tall, thin woman in a white, ghostly mask. A skintight outfit of multiple colors hugged her dancer’s physique and she held a long, curved sword caked in the blood of the demon at her feet.

The other was a male, shorter and solidly built. His mask was red and his outfit was bright red and deep black. He held a mace-like weapon in his hand, the weighted end fashioned into the visage of a menacing jester.

“Ah, the Jesters. The champions of the King of Fools finally reveal themselves,” Nightmare Witch said, stepping down from the platform the altar sat on. “Funny, there are supposed to be three of you. Oh well, no matter. I have the book. Your fellow cultists were in my way.”

“No further, witch,” the woman of the pair said. “Put the book back and leave this place, or pay the price.”

“Hmm...no,” Nightmare Witch taunted. She held out her hand and the Grimoire floated in front of her and opened. The pages turned and stopped and Nightmare Witch considered the text in front of her. She then smirked, looked at the pair, and raised her hand. More demons suddenly filled the chamber, easily three times the number that were there when the pair arrived. They went back to back and faced down Nightmare Witch’s army of horned, clawed, and winged fiends.

“You two have fun. They’ll kill the male immediately, but they may have fun with the woman first,” Nightmare Witch taunted before summoning a portal. She then looked at her minions. “Do what you will with these two, but leave their beating hearts intact. I’ll be back for those.” She then stepped through just as a demon roared and combat commenced.

II

The event space was filled with the rambunctious laughter of children in costumes as they ran throughout the room and played games. Halloween decorations covered every surface, orange and black balloons, skeletons, spiders, fake webs, and banners. Axanna Morgan stood off to the side with a smile on her face. She wore a simple witch’s costume, low-black dress that stopped at her thighs, with wide-brimmed hat, and watched everything in front of her.

Her daughter, Summer, walked up next to her holding a green drink in a plastic cup in one hand and a cupcake with frosting made to look like an eyeball. She wore a stained white bridal gown, also stopping at her shapely thighs, and had on makeup to look like a zombie.

“Mom, this party is great,” Summer said, taking a bite of her cupcake.  “And I can’t stop eating these cupcakes!”

Axanna looked at her daughter. “Well don’t eat too many. They’re for the kids,” she told her. “But yes, The Morgan Youth Foundation outdid itself this year,” she smiled.

“Only one thing,” Summer said. “What’s with the clown?”

Axanna looked toward the center of the room where a clown wearing festive orange and black held the attention of a small crowd of children by juggling four batons while keeping his balance on a ball. “You mean Buster? He came highly recommended.”

“Ugh. Clowns are so creepy,” Summer groaned.

“It’s Halloween, Summer,” Axanna said. She then leaned close to her daughter and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Have you heard anything from the others?”

Summer took a sip of her drink. “Yumi and Carla say everything is all quiet on their patrol.”

“Hmm, Brenda and Angela said the same…” Axanna responded. “Still, it’s Halloween. Nightmare Witch will be up to something tonight. Just be ready.”

“Yup,” Summer said, swallowing her cupcake when a little boy dressed in a robot costume came up to them.

“Die zombie!” he pointed his toy ray gun at Summer and imitated firing.

Summer flashed the boy an evil smile. “Well it’s a sad day for you, because I just happen to be a robot-eating zombie!” She then lunged at him. The boy screamed and ran, and Summer chased after him, much to Axanna’s laughter. She then paused when she noticed someone walk in, a tall dark haired woman in skimpy dress with a blood red cloak around her shoulders clasped together by a green gem.

Nightmare Witch looked right at Axanna, smiled, and gave her a light wave.

“Shit…” Axanna said. She pressed a small stud in her ear. “She’s here…” Summer was chasing the robot boy on the other side of the room, so Axanna made her way toward Buster, who had just finished his act.

“Watch out children, a vile witch approaches!” Buster feigned terror at Axanna’s presence.

Axanna smiled and leaned in close to the clown. “Buster, listen to me. I need you to lead the children to the other room. Stay there until you hear from me or Summer.”

The clown looked at her, saw the serious expression, and then gave an exaggerated salute.  “Yes ma’am! Come children! We’re going on an adventure!”

Axanna was startled by the suddenness with which all the kids listened, but they snapped to attention as Buster led a parade of costumed kids out of the room. Once they were gone, Summer was at her side and Nightmare Witch stood across from them.

“Hello there, Morgans,” Nightmare Witch said.

Axanna smirked. “We were beginning to think you were taking off this year.”

Nightmare Witch looked her up and down. “For what reason? I enjoy these little adventures. Now, Green Specter, what in the hell are you wearing?” she asked, pointing to her witch costume. “As a witch, I am offended.”

“Well, you’re free to leave,” Axanna told her.

“No, I don’t think I will,” Nightmare Witch smiled. “Instead, I’ll kill the two of you. Then I’ll take the souls of those darling children. Then I’ll go after those cows you call your friends and end them once and for all.” She snapped her fingers and the Red Grimoire appeared, floating in front of her. “Do you like my new book?”

“I’m more into whodunits, myself,” Axanna told her while taking a fighting stance.

Summer took a stance next to her mom. “It’s a good thing these costumes are short, huh?”

The heroines charged at Nightmare Witch and she hovered back, keeping the Grimoire close. She dodged punches and kicks from the pair and sent Summer flying with a quick blast of energy. Axanna missed with a flying kick and landed on her feet, only for Nightmare Witch to fly in front of her and grab her by the throat. She threw her across the room and into Summer, who was just getting back up. The two of them crashed into the treats table, spilling punch, cupcakes, pretzels, and chips.

When they got up, they froze in place as Nightmare Witch cast a spell that wrapped them both in rings of energy. She hovered over to the table and picked up one of the cupcakes that landed upright and took a bite. “Hmm, not bad,” she grinned. She then looked at her busty blonde captives. “Now...what to do with you two, eh?” She looked them over closely, and they stared are her defiantly. She then hovered back. “I know!”

She turned to a page in the Grimoire and read the passage. The book glowed and soon, dozens of shadowy figures appeared out of thin air and surrounded the mother and daughter. They struggled in their bonds as the shadow-men began fondling their helpless bodies, gently pulling away their costumes to get at the supple flesh beneath. They pulled the two away from each other, and Summer screamed as one of them fondled her breasts while another began fingering her.

Axanna was forced to her knees, in front of one of the shadows. A cock sprang up between its legs and it forced it into Axanna’s mouth, holding the sides of her head as it thrust its hips back and forth.

Nightmare Witch watched the double violation and cackled. She stepped back, licking her lips and running her fingers across the front of her bikini bottoms. She was getting wet, her nipples poked at the fabric of her top, and as the Specters were at the mercy of her Shadow Men, Nightmare Witch began to think about what else she could do to the pair before ultimately killing them. She was certain the Grimoire would have some ideas for inspiration. It was going to be a very long Halloween for these girls and a very fruitful one for Nightmare Witch.

Just then, Nightmare Witch turned around when she heard the floor creak and a fist wrapped in a red glove hit her hard in the face. She grunted and staggered back, rubbing her face and finding herself facing Ms. Americana, Lady Midnight, and Hexanna. With a wave of her staff and a chant, Hexanna dispelled the Shadow Men, freeing her friends. The Specters recovered and got back up and Nightmare Witch found herself surrounded.

“We really doing this?” Americana asked.

“Oh, but we are...,” Nightmare Witch grinned. “For what would the season be without a bit of mischief?” She flipped the pages in the Red Grimoire.

“I…” Hexanna looked closely. “Is that the Red Grimoire?!”

“Ah, yes, you are a bit more traveled than these cows, aren’t you?” Nightmare Witch said. “Indeed, it is , sorceress.”

“This is not good,” Hexanna said to the others. “That book belongs to the King of Fools, a very powerful trickster god. How did you get it away from the Jesters?”

“Oh, I kept them busy. Much like I’ll be doing with you,” Nightmare Witch promised.

“So we need to get it away from her…” Lady Midnight said, cracking her knuckles. “Fine with me.”

Nightmare Witch smirked, stopping on a page and reciting the spell she found. As she did, the room began to twist and warp, causing the heroines to lose their footing and become disoriented. Hexanna held her staff high and the eyes on the skull lit up. The warping effect dissipated and the other four heroines charged at Nightmare Witch.

She growled and took Lady Midnight’s fist to the face. When she staggered back, Axanna hit her with another punch, sending her right into Americana, who hit her a third time. Summer then punched her a fourth time. The four heroines pinballed the Witch back and forth between them, a flurry of left and right fists, with the occasional muscular leg stretching out and catching her in the face.

It lasted several agonizing, painful minutes before Hexanna hit her with a blast of energy that put her on her back. Nightmare Witch hit the ground, groaning and holding her head as the five busty heroines stood over her, all long legs and curvy bodies.

“Now...ready to give up?” Americana asked. “Or do we keep going?”

***

Nightmare Witch stood in the center of the room with the Grimoire opened in front of her. The five heroines were suspended in the air in front of her, chained to stone pillars she summoned after placing them all under a powerful sensory illusion she pulled from the book. She got the Morgans the minute she stepped into Axanna’s Halloween party and the other three the moment they walked through the door.

She made sure the illusion she put them in was one their minds wouldn’t question and potentially reject, it gave her all the time in the world to do what she wanted with those luscious, curvy bodies of theirs. They were all unconscious, their wrists bound over their heads by iron chains and their bodies covered in markings, arcane brands that gave her total control and suppressed their powers.

Nightmare Witch admired the work the Red Grimoire allowed her complete as she walked the line of heroines. With a mere thought and the book’s help, the surroundings of the party melted away and she transported them all into a nightmarish realm under a red sky. The ground was an endless expanse of ground that looked like glass. Faces twisted in agony pressed against the surface, clawing with their hands to try and get at the captive heroines.

Nightmare Witch licked her lips as she watched her captives. She stopped at Lady Midnight and ran her hand across the flawless, dark skin of the woman’s hips and thighs.

“I am going to have so much fun with each and every one of you,” she promised. She then walked to Hexanna. She reached up, cupping one of Hexanna’s tits and then leaned in and licked the sorceress’ nipple. “Oh, there are so many dark powers out there who want a piece of you, my dear. I wonder who will be the highest bidder, hmm?”

She then stopped at Americana. “And you...Delta City’s favorite daughter. The Star Spangled Defender herself. I have so much planned for you, for all the years of aggravation you have caused me.” She summoned the Grimoire over to her. “Now...I believe there’s spell in here that will allow me to heighten your sense of pleasure to a fatal degree,” she said, rubbing Americana’s pussy with her hand. “You will orgasm, again, and again, and again, until your heart finally gives out. With your Aphrodite physiology, that could be a very long time indeed.” She stuck her fingers inside Americana, and the unconscious Queen of Justice moaned ever so lightly. Nightmare Witch then pulled her fingers back, the tips glistening with Americana’s juices. She licked the tips of her fingers and chuckled.

“And to think, I only have five of you here. Once I am done, I will go deal with the rest: The little ninja girl, the one with the shield, Omega Woman should make for a very hearty feast, those Got Gem twits...I will gorge myself on you sanctimonious whores.”

“Hey, what’s going on over here?”

Nightmare Witch spun around and turned to find Buster the Clown walking through, looking around.

“Well, this certainly doesn’t look like Delta City,” the clown said. He then stopped and looked at Nightmare Witch. “Oh, hi there. By chance, have you seen about 20 little kids in Halloween costumes? I appear to have lost them.”

“How did you get here?!” Nightmare Witch turned and faced him.

Buster shrugged. “I didn’t mean to intrude on whatever it is you’re doing, Miss. I think I’m lost.”

Nightmare Witch narrowed her eyes at the clown.

“Say, is that Ms. Morgan and her daughter. Wow, look at the bodies on them. And these other ladies,” Buster whistled. “I don’t know what’s in the water in Delta, but I ain’t complainin’!”

“Fool!” Nightmare Witch screamed and fired a bolt of energy. It hit buster and exploded and Nightmare Witch smirked when nothing stood once the blast subsided.

“Well, that wasn’t very nice…” a voice behind her dripped with cold malice.

She turned to see Buster standing on top of Americana’s pillar. The clown leapt down, floated, and landed as light as a feather right in front of her. He looked at the Red Grimoire and then at Nightmare Witch. “May I have that, please?” he pointed at the book.

She eyed him closely and then stepped back. “I knew it! All of the legends said there were three Jesters! I wondered why I only encountered two.”

Buster took a bow. “Loyal servant of the King of Fools, at your service. Now, I would like the Grimoire back, please.”

“I took care of your companions, clown. I’ll take care of you, too.”

Buster frowned. “I see.” He then straightened his bow tie. “Well, let’s begin, I suppose.”  He then surged toward her, faster than she anticipated, and she barely had time to fly back as he closed in. She fired off another blast, and then the smoke cleared, there was nothing left.

“Maybe it’ll work a third time,” Buster said from behind her.

Nightmare Witch spun around and groaned when she got hit in the jaw with a cartoonishly large mallet. The blow knocked her into the air and when she came down, she landed in Buster’s outstretched arms.

“Fancy meeting you here,” Buster grinned, fondling Nightmare Witch’s thighs and tits as she pushed her way out of his grip.

She jumped back and growled as the Grimoire floated around her, opened and flipped through several pages. She cast the spell she landed on  and the ground beneath Buster shook and cracked.

“Huh…” The clown mused before the ground beneath him erupted and a massive creature burst forth. Buster vanished into the beast’s maw and the beast then went back underground.  Nightmare Witch smirked as she watched and then sealed the hole in the ground behind him. When she was satisfied she was rid of him, she turned and faced her busty captives. She then clapped her hands. “Wake up!” she said, and her voice carried with a deafening echo.

The heroines all jolted awake, looking around in confusion.

“Mom, where are we?!” Summer asked, panic in her voice.

Lady Midnight and Hexanna struggled in their bonds and Americana looked at Nightmare Witch and growled.

“You self-righteous whores have been beaten. I am victorious,” Nightmare Witch taunted. “And as the victor, it is my decision what to do with you all. With a wave of her hand, the pillars all sank somewhat into the ground, just enough the the heroines’ bare feet touched the ground. She approached them, walking up to Americana first before walking down the line. “Now...I already know what I’m going to do to you,” she said, pressing her finger to Americana’s nose. “And you,” she did the same to Lady Midnight. “And you, she repeated to Hexanna. She then stopped at the Morgans. “But what will become of the blond beauties, I wonder?”

She ran her hand through Summer’s blonde locks and cupped a bare tit in her hand. “Such a hard life for one so young. But I do so enjoy making the young suffer in particular. It’s just...sweeter, somehow.”  She then leaned in and kissed Summer, and the busty teen whined and struggled in her grip. She tried pushing the Witch away with her body, but her bonds only rattled with her struggling 

“Don’t you hurt her!” Axanna screamed, fighting against her bonds to try and get at the witch. She, like the other heroines, could only watch as Nightmare Witch did what she pleased with Summer’s body. When Axanna let out a frustrated, rage-filled scream, Nightmare Witch pulled back and looked at her.

“So protective of your young,” she teased. She then snapped her fingers. When she did, Axanna’s bonds vanished and she fell to the ground. “Then come get her.”

Axanna blinked and stared at the witch.

“Don’t do it, Axanna. It’s a trap!” Lady Midnight warned.

Nightmare Witch smirked and stepped back. Axanna ran at her, but slid to a stop when the ground cracked all around her. Four of the pale-skinned, emaciated ghouls that had lurked underneath, pawing at the surface then emerged, their hollow eye sockets fixed on Axanna. She punched one and it staggered back, but then began shambling toward her. The others closed in and the tall, busty blonde heroine lashed out with punches and kicks, trying to keep them away from her. No matter how hard she hit them, they always bounced back. Eventually, they grabbed her arms and legs, dragging the screaming heroine to the ground as they piled on her.

The ghouls pawed at her flesh, explored her vulnerable body with their hands and mouths, and they moaned in what sounded like pleasure as she was helpless to do anything about them. The other four captives simply stared in horror as Nightmare Witch watched. Axanna tried to fight her way back up and managed to get to her knees, but cried out in terror when she realized she had sank into the ground up to her knees. The ghouls were sinking too, but they continued pulling at her.

“No!” Axanna said, punching them to get them off of her. One of them pulled her blonde hair. Two of them grabbed at her arms and shoulders, and the fourth clung to her chest, grabbing and molding the 38DD tits as they pulled her down with their collective weight. She screamed right until the final moment she sank beneath the surface, and once she and the ghouls were submerged, the ground closed over her. Soon, the four ghouls pulled the struggling, panicking blonde out of view, into the darkened abyss below and other ghouls fighting to get out filled the space they left behind.

“MOM!” Summer screamed with tears in her eyes.

“Shit…” Americana said with a shaky voice.

Lady Midnight simply lowered her head and looked away. “God damn you, Witch…”

“Oh…” Nightmare Witch chuckled, palming the Red Grimoire. “I fully intend to dethrone him once I’ve gotten bored with you Aphrodites,” she laughed. “But for now…” she flipped to another page in the book and found a spell. She read from the page and, in that instant, Americana let out a scream that was a mix of surprise and pleasure. Her legs quivered, her body heaved, her breathing became rapid as her tits rose and fell.

“W...why am I...AGGGHH!” she screamed. Her meaty thighs shook and her juices began pouring out in a steady stream. The others watched with confused and worried looks on their faces when Americana’s screaming and shaking didn’t stop or even slow.

“Savor this, for these will be the last orgasms you ever have,” Nightmare Witch said.

“Monster!” Hexanna screamed at her.

“You should worry about yourself, child,” Nightmare Witch told her. “The torments I am about to visit on the three of you will have you wishing you were this cow,” she said, pointing to the screaming, whimpering Americana, whose thighs were already slick with her fluids.

“Please! Make it stop!” the disgraced Queen of Justice begged.

Just then, the ground rumbled and Nightmare Witch turned around. The ground burst open and the fanged behemoth that swallowed Buster emerged and collapsed, dead. Its fanged mouth then opened and the clown stepped out, none the worse for wear, as he dusted off his shoulders and straightened his bowtie.

“Well that was an adventure,” he said. “What did I miss?”

Nightmare Witch growled and fully turned to him. “Why won’t you die?!” She then gasped when she felt an arm drape over her shoulder and squeeze her tit.

“Because I can’t…” Buster said in a sinister tone, standing right next to her.

Nightmare Witch screamed and pushed him away.

“Rather, I can’t die by your hand,” he said. He then grinned wide. “But I am having fun watching you try.”

She summoned forth the Grimoire and flipped through the pages as Buster began walking toward her. His walk then turned to a light jog. The clown’s grin widened and a sinister looking knife appeared in his hand as he began running toward her.

Nightmare Witch growled and raised more of the ghouls from the ground. They all fell, cut to ribbons by the clown’s blade in what seemed like a lightning fast series of strokes. Buster let out a bone-chilling laugh and continued toward her.

“Wanna try another one?”

Nightmare Witch felt a tinge of panic as Buster continued coming. She fired a series of small, fast, bolts of energy and the clown shrugged them all off, laughing the entire time. Nightmare Witch as forced back as the knife swung upward. It nearly cleaved her in two, but instead cut her bikini top up the middle and continued right up to the jewel clasp in the center that held her cloak together. Her tits spilled out and her cloak came off as she took to the air and put more distance between them before coming down. She landed and looked at Buster, who twirled the blade in his hands.

“You shouldn’t mess with powers you know nothing about, little girl…” the clown warned.

Nightmare Witch stared at him when an idea came to her. She then smirked and looked through the Grimoire until she found a spell. She recited it and her right hand shifted into a deformed, monstrous claw.

Buster looked at her and smirked, raised his knife, and continued his charge. Nightmare Witch smiled and flew at him. The two collided and Buster’s knife thrust at Nightmare Witch’s face. She moved her head to the side at the last minute to avoid being skewered and she thrust her claw at Buster’s chest.

The clown’s body jolted as the claw punched all the way through. Nightmare Witch looked past him, at the bloody, beating heart she held in her claw.

“...That’s not funny…” Buster said, coughing up blood as he dropped his weapon. He then slid off her arm and onto the ground, where his body was pulled under by the ghouls. Nightmare Witch fed the miserable wretches the clown’s heart, too, and then sealed the hole and returned her arm to its normal state. She licked the blood from her fingers and looked at her captives.

Americana hang lifeless in her bonds, her legs slick with a thick puddle of cum under her. Summer’s head was slumped over, her shoulders heaving with heavy sobbing. Hexanna looked on stunned, unable to say anything. Lady Midnight sighed and closed her eyes in quiet resignation.

Nightmare Witch sucked on her fingers and walked over to her remaining captives with a bloody smile.  “Now...where were we?”

III

The chamber’s stone floor was slick with blood and nearly choked with dead bodies.

“This was really all she thought to throw at us?” The shorter, male Jester holding the mace said as he looked at the dead demons.

“She does not know who she challenged,” the female Jester said, returning her sword to the scabbard on her ship. Neither of them had so much as a scratch on them. They turned around to the Altar where a naked Nightmare Witch was on her knees, her wrists bound above her head by chains. She had a blank look in her eyes.

Buster sat on the altar, holding the Red Grimoire before he closed it and put it back. “She certainly went through a lot of trouble for a single book, didn’t she friends?”

“Why do you insist on wearing that ridiculous outfit, Pierrot?” The female said. “It is demeaning.”

“You have no appreciation for theatrics, dear Solitaire,” Pierrot said before being engulfed in a flash of light. The image of Buster was then replaced by that of a tall figure in a top hat with a face painted white. He wore of suit made of loud colors and had a walking stick in his hand with the head of a jester at the top. He jumped atop the altar and looked down at Nightmare Witch. “Still, placing her under my illusion provided me with a good amount of entertainment while you two played with her little demons,” Pierrot told his companions.

“What do we do with her?” the other Jester said, putting his mace down and sitting in front of Nightmare Witch. He grabbed her by the jaw and lifted her head. “Can I keep her?”

“That you may, dear Puck. We have no use for petty thieves here in the Court of Fools.” Pierrot said.

Puck laughed and licked his lips, cupping Nightmare Witch’s tits with his stubby fingers.

Solitaire folded her arms across her narrow chest. “I’ve heard of this woman. She terrorizes the Aphrodites of Delta City. She’s little better than a children’s entertainer with the sort of magic she uses.”

“I will never understand your disdain for children, Solitaire,” Pierrot said, leaping down from the altar. When he looked at Puck, he saw him staring at a gem in his hand, the same gem that held Nightmare Witch’s cape together. He snatched it from Puck’s hand and added it to the lapel of his jacket. “They are, after all, so full of wonder. And many of them are quite funny.”

Solitaire scoffed and looked back as hooded cultists began removing the bodies of the demons. “Well, the night is young and I haven’t had my fill of excitement. I’m going hunting for more demons, I think. Would you like to join me, Puck?”

Puck turned to his companion and shook his head. “I’m busy tonight, sister.” He slapped Nightmare Witch hard across the face. She jolted awake and looked up.

“Wh…where am I?” she asked, looking around the chamber. She then froze and went pale when she saw the Jesters and realized what happened. “No! Nooooo!” she screamed.

Puck grinned and covered her mouth with his hand. “Goodie, she’s a screamer.” He then ripped her chains free and used them to hogtie her before flinging the busty witch over his shoulder.  “Later,” he said to Pierrot and Solitaire before carrying the kicking, screaming Nightmare Witch away.

Solitaire simply chuckled and then turned to Pierrot. “I don’t suppose you want to go hunt demons with me?”

“I have a prior engagement, my dear,” Pierrot said, bowing and tipping his hat to her before vanishing.

***

The event space was filled with the rambunctious laughter of children in costumes as they ran throughout the room and played games. Halloween decorations covered every surface, orange and black balloons, skeletons, spiders, fake webs, and banners. Axanna Morgan stood off to the side with a smile on her face. She wore her witch’s costume and Summer approached her, wearing her zombie bride costume with a cupcake in one hand and a drink in the other.

“Mom, this party is great!” Summer said.

“It’s for the children, Summer…” Axanna said. “But yes, the Morgan Youth Foundation outdid itself this year.” She then leaned in. “You haven’t heard from the others about Nightmare Witch have you?”

“Nothing,” Summer told her. “They’re saying it’s all quiet.”

“Yeah, that worries me,” Axanna said. She and Summer then looked up when a small parade of children led by Buster the clown approached.

“Beware, children! A vile witch and a vicious zombie are near! But worry not, Buster will keep you all safe!” he proclaimed before fashioning a sword from a balloon. He gave both Axanna and Summer playful wacks on the arm and they feigned injury. “Quickly, children! Run!” Buster told the kids, who ran screaming and laughing.

Axanna smiled. “You’re really good with them, Buster. I’m so glad we were able to get you for this.”

“The pleasure is mine, Ms. Morgan,” Buster simply smiled and bowed. When he stood back up, Axanna looked at the green gem pinned to his collar and couldn’t help but feel it looked familiar. She pushed the thought out of her head when Buster left to continue his game with the children.

“Ugh...clowns are so creepy…” Summer said when he was out of earshot.

“Better than another year of dealing with Nightmare Witch,” Axanna said.

“Yeah...true,” Summer admitted. “If we haven’t heard from her yet, I’m guessing we won’t.”

“Fine with me,” Axanna said. “There’s always next year…”

The End

(Author’s Note: And with that, Halloween Havoc 2 is done.)