Such Wicked Things Read online

“I need some sleep,” Luke said, ignoring Alistair’s stare.

  “Then go home and sleep, my boy. Tomorrow we will be working into the night. There is someone I must have for my personal collection,” Alistair explained. Luke shook his head and ventured into the dark.

  He hurried home and stopped in his tracks when he saw a dark gray carriage pulling into the Salazar’s courtyard. Two boys stepped out onto the gravel and kissed each other passionately.

  One of the boys was holding onto the other and was smiling. It didn’t take long for Luke to realize that it was Julian and his fiancé. He seethed with jealousy, and it was then that he decided to use the elixir on Julian. Julian would be his … forever.

  3

  Ezra fixed his coat as Julian combed his fingers through his hair. He couldn’t help that he was still shaken by the incident that had occurred only a couple of hours ago. That man, there was something terribly off about him. He reached up to his neck and remembered his scarf. The man had taken it. Why would he need his scarf? Julian asked himself as he turned to take in the new additions to his family’s home.

  The courtyard still looked the same, except for the bushes. They had been cut to resemble animals and he knew the handiwork. It was his old friend Luke Travis who had done this. He wondered how he was doing, he hadn't written him in years and the last time he saw him was last Christmas. When he walked away from a cat shaped bush, he caught a glimpse of Luke. He was walking with his head down, hurrying behind the carriage house as if he had been late for something. He had definitely grown to be a tall boy. Ezra grabbed Julian from behind, kissing his neck. Julian grew warm to his touch.

  The driver cleared his throat as the couple turned back to the carriage.

  “Be careful young ones, so many have gone missing in the last few months and the zombies like the dark. . . . ” the driver said as the horses hissed to life and the carriage made its way out of the courtyard. Julian watched the carriage disappear into the purple fog that had begun to manifest, he hoped that the driver had a safe trip back.

  “Do you believe that old fool?” Ezra laughed. Julian turned and swatted him across the shoulder.

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” Julian snapped at Ezra as he headed for the front door.

  Ezra swallowed hard. He couldn’t help that a part of him believed the driver too. But he didn’t want to let it show to Julian.

  Just then a man appeared out of the fog, walking toward Ezra. Julian turned and saw the man heading their way. Frightened, he yanked the doorbell numerous times and banged on the door. When Julian lived at home, he never saw a single zombie. No one spoke of them. But he was back now and the zombies seemed to be out in the open like stray cats. And now one of them was headed toward Ezra and Julian.

  The man came into full view, coughing tremendously into a handkerchief and leaning on a brass cane. Julian’s fear deflated and Ezra let his fists down at the sight of the old man. He was no zombie. He was merely a tired elderly fellow. He looked up from his handkerchief and smiled at the couple. Julian had hurried over to Ezra and held onto his arm. He wanted to laugh, but it didn’t seem appropriate.

  “Hello, sir. You nearly scared us to death there for a moment,” Ezra said, chuckling. The man giggled and shoved the handkerchief into his coat before reaching his hand out to Ezra. Julian finally let out a small laugh. The front door opened, and an unfamiliar maid stood near the gaslit porch light.

  “I suppose I’m ugly enough to be frightened of,” the old man laughed.

  “Oh no, it’s just we thought you were one of those things.” Ezra couldn’t stop himself from spilling his inner thoughts. He hadn’t meant to bring up the zombies.

  “What things?” the man asked, curiously.

  “A zombie,” Julian said before Ezra could answer. He looked up at his fiancé and saw how flustered he looked. He figured he probably didn’t mean to talk about the zombies. Julian caressed his arm before he shook the nervousness from himself and smiled at the old man once again.

  “Oh, yes, I've heard several stories about them. But I can't say I have seen any for myself. As far as we know, with the advances in magic in our world, anything is possible.” The old man looked terribly serious and it made Ezra feel uncomfortable.

  “Julian!” a girl’s voice rang out, startling both Julian and Ezra. Julian turned to the front door and saw his older sister, Eliza, standing in the doorway. The thoughts of zombies quickly left his head as he hurried over to his sister and they embraced in a hug. Ezra turned to the old man, taking him in.

  “Just hope you never run into one, sir. By the way, the name is Ezra Langston,” Ezra said, attempting to sway the subject. He wanted to look as normal and clear headed as possible when he met his fiancé’s family for the first time.

  “Joseph Bruner. But you may call me Dr. Bruner,” said the old man as he headed toward the Salazar’s front door. Ezra stood by himself, staring down the road they had come from. The fog sent chills down his spine once again. For a moment, he waited for a zombie to come staggering out from the fog. But he shook his head, fixed his collar, and plastered a smile on his face as he headed over to Julian and his sister.

  . . .

  Mr. Salazar stood before his family, including Ezra and Dr. Bruner. Julian and Ezra had come to find out that the doctor was there to check up on Mrs. Salazar who sat on the love-seat near the fireplace, her brown hair glistening in the firelight. It seemed she had contracted a virus but was steadily getting better.

  Eliza, Julian's nineteen-year-old sister was in her room, writing a letter to their cousin Camille, who was getting married soon as well. Mr. Salazar raised his glass of champagne and nodded to his soon to be son-in-law.

  “I would like to make a toast, to my lovely son and his soon-to-be husband,” Mr. Salazar said aloud. Everyone raised their glasses and drank the last of their champagne. Julian hated the taste of champagne, but it was custom at small gatherings in his home. Mr. Salazar sat down and grabbed his guitar from behind the sofa and began playing something soothing. Ezra didn’t want anything more than to head off to bed. He had a terrible headache and he could not stop thinking of the mysterious man and his zombies. Julian noticed Ezra and nudged him.

  “Are you ready for bed?” he asked.

  “Would it sound rude to say that I am?” Ezra laughed softly. Mr. Salazar had turned to his wife and was playing something especially for her. Dr. Bruner looked to be dozing off, so Julian took Ezra by the hand and led him away from the lounge.

  “Cordelia, make sure they are in separate rooms.” Mr. Salazar’s voice rang above his music. The maid stood near the archway, eyeing the couple as if they were rancid apples.

  “Yes sir,” Cordelia said and led the two upstairs.

  On the way up the spiral staircase, they passed a large window. Ezra noticed a man dressed in dark clothing. He was standing near the street lamp outside the courtyard, staring up at the house as if it were made of diamonds. Ezra couldn’t make out the man’s features simply because he was wearing a dark scarf around his jaw. But his eyes. . . he recognized those eerie eyes. Before Ezra could say a word to Julian, he was rushed into a bedroom by Cordelia. He blew a kiss to Ezra as he was sent into a room further down the hall. Cordelia unlocked the bedroom door and followed Ezra into the room. He turned the dial on the gas lamp and the entire room erupted in light.

  “I patrol these halls late at night, sir. I hope not to catch you sneaking over to Master Salazar’s room without parental consent.” Cordelia said as she closed the door in Ezra’s face. It had crossed Ezra’s mind to sneak over to Julian’s room, but now that he knew he had eyes watching his every move, he’d stay put to save himself the embarrassment of being caught. He wouldn’t want to look bad.

  He spied his luggage near the window and made his way over to the cases. The room was beautifully decorated. The gold canopy bed rested in the middle of the room, a dresser, a vanity, and a grandfather clock garnished the rest of the room. The walls were covered in floral wallpaper with tiny clock gears added into the design.

  Ezra unpacked his suit and hung it neatly over a vacant vanity chair. It would need a good steaming before the wedding. His parents would be arriving soon and he was nervous they would make him look like he was too involved in his school work to become a husband. His grandfather’s top hat rested in a hat box at the bottom of his main case. It would look stunning with his black suit and burgundy undershirt.

  Something hit the window, startling Ezra. He slowly maneuvered over his luggage and pushed the gold curtains aside. Down below in the garden stood a boy. He was smiling gleefully and he was carrying a brown box. When the boy noticed Ezra his smile faded and he waved his hands, signaling that he had the wrong window. The boy was about to walk away when Ezra unlocked the window and pushed it outward.

  “Can I help you?” Ezra asked, careful not to be too loud. The boy hesitated and then turned back to the window.

  “I’m sorry. I was looking for someone else,” the boy said.

  “Who might that be?”

  “Julian Salazar,” the boy replied. Ezra tensed at the mention of his fiancé's name. Who was this boy? And why was he out late looking for his fiancé.

  “He’s in the room over there,” Ezra pointed to a lit window. The boy looked nervous and kept combing his hand through his short brown hair. “It’s sort of late; could you come by in the morning? I’m not sure he’d like to be disturbed at this time.”

  “Yes, I will do that. Thank you, sir.” The boy turned and ran down the garden and into a small cottage that sat near the entrance of the woods. It was the gardener’s house. Ezra knew who the boy was now.

  He was Luke Travis, the gardener’s son. He was also Julian’s first best friend. But Julian expressed to Ezra that he hadn’t spoken to the boy in years. So why was he trying to get his attention in the middle of the night? A glimmer of jealousy shot through Ezra as he closed the window. No one was going to ruin his big day. Not even one of Julian’s old raggedy friends.

  4

  Alistair stared up at the burgundy manor. He had been standing under the street lamp for a while, tying a blue silk scarf around a candle in the shape of a man. The scarf had belonged to Julian, and he was the one Alistair wanted for his personal collection. He mused over the various things he could do to him, sexually and mentally, such wicked games he was going to play. He would make a fine addition next to Madeline and Harper.

  He had come to the realization that Julian was the boy Luke was mentioning earlier at the factory, and he knew exactly what he was doing. He’d let the boy give Julian the elixir, and then he’d even let the boy suffer with the zombie-fied Julian for a day or two. But afterward, he’d enslave Luke and take Julian along with him to slowly work his magic around town. When Alistair wanted something, he got it. Nothing was going to halt his decision. He wanted the boy and he wanted him now.

  He placed the wax doll into his cloak pocket and advanced toward the cottage in the back of the house. The dead grass crunched under his boots as he stopped at Luke’s bedroom window. The fog made him somewhat invisible to the boy who sat at a desk, scribbling insanely on a piece of parchment. Slowly, Alistair reached through the open window and snagged a silver ring from the bedside dresser. It would do perfectly when he constructed the boy’s own doll.

  Alistair slithered away from the window, gliding over the grass. A small carriage awaited him at the end of the street, obscured by the heavy fog that moved like a humongous serpent. Everything would go as planned. And if by chance Luke did not go through with the elixir, Alistair would kill the boy, and he would make sure he felt every ounce of pain. Alistair turned to the zombie holding the reigns to the mechanical horse. The horse was on its last leg, with its jaw missing, and its hooves squeaking. Alistair would have to steal one from another town; he wouldn’t risk getting caught in Mistwood Falls.

  “Back to the factory,” Alistair turned to the zombie. It bowed its rotting head for its master and shook the reigns. The horse shot to life, the squeaking already irritating Alistair. The zombie and Alistair rode back to the factory, the fog trailing behind them like a lost dog following a stranger home. When they arrived at the factory, Alistair closed his eyes and chanted a spell. The fog dispersed from behind the carriage and evaporated into the ground. Alistair smiled with satisfaction, he’d use the purple fog again when he began his doll making of the entire town. It served him well and he was grateful for his extraordinary power.

  . . .

  The next morning Julian stared at himself in the vanity mirror. Several more days to go and he would be Ezra’s for eternity. The day after tomorrow was the pre-wedding celebration and he couldn’t think of anything more wonderful. The sunlight washed over his room casting shadows and causing his white wedding suit to glow in the light. He looked over at it and could not wait to wear it. His father had contacted all the family members and friends in town to be at the wedding, and a local band would play at the reception. It was looking to be a tremendously beautiful day and night. Julian was just about to fix the brass cuffs on his suit when something tapped at his bedroom window.

  He turned, cautious. Should he run to Ezra’s room? He kept his eyes on the window and saw a pebble smack the glass. Someone was trying to get his attention, and he knew exactly who it was. Julian ran to the window. Below in the garden stood Luke Travis, holding a small box in his arms and smiling. He had known him since childhood, but when he turned thirteen Luke suddenly stopped talking to him. Soon Luke was ignoring him, and making excuses to not be around Julian. Eventually he had come to accept that their friendship had ceased to exist. Julian had lost a good friend and he missed his company. Julian unlatched the lock on the window and pushed it open, smiling down at the boy.

  “Luke Travis, to what might I owe the pleasure?” Julian leaned out from the window. Luke stared up at Julian. He was magnificently beautiful in all ways, and to him no flaws existed and never would. For moment Luke had to catch his breath. He hadn’t spoken to Julian in a long time.

  “Oh, it’s not for your pleasure it’s for mine,” Luke said sarcastically. He was always such a joker and a playful boy. Julian missed his personality most. Julian laughed and nodded to the box in his arms.

  “What is that?” he asked.

  “It’s a gift, come down and see what I’ve got for you. I promise it’s not a box of garden snakes,” Luke laughed.

  “I’ll be down in a moment, wait by the fountain for me.” Julian closed the window and finished getting ready. He raced down the hall to Ezra’s bedroom and knocked lightly.

  “Come in,” Ezra said and Julian glided into the room. Ezra was leaning over a desk in the corner of the room, typing vigorously on his portable typewriter.

  “My fiancé, how are you this morning?” Ezra turned and wrapped his hands around Julian’s waist.

  “I was going to head out to talk to an old friend of mine, Luke Travis. Would you like to come along? We might head into town.” Ezra’s cheeks fired up at the mention of the boy’s name. He didn’t want to be near that boy and he surely didn’t want Julian around him either. But he knew Julian wouldn’t understand his reasons to keep him away from the boy. So he swallowed his pride and smiled at Julian.

  “No, thank you, darling. I have some paperwork that needs to be mailed back home and it seems I’ve forgotten my suit cuffs. I’m going to have to go into town later for a new pair. You have a wonderful time and I will see you back here later for dinner.” Ezra kissed Julian on the lips and he chuckled playfully when he tickled his waist.

  “I will see you later on then, and try Manifesto's on Oleander Street. They have a various selection of cuffs, even some made with that glowy frog venom that's in your pocket watch.” Julian said and turned to leave the room. Before he opened the door, he gave a backward glance at Ezra. His cheeks turned red when Julian mentioned Luke. Was he jealous? If so, he did not need to be. Julian only saw Luke as a friend, more like a brother actually. And he somehow knew deep down that that was part of the reason why Luke stopped talking to him.

  5

  Luke awaited Julian’s arrival at the fountain in the courtyard. He played with the yellow fish in the water and thought about the gift that he hid in the box. He hoped that he would like it and would wear it on his wedding day. The night before he had made the awful mistake of selecting the wrong room and caught the unwanted attention of Julian’s fiancé. He had the urge to throw a rock at him, but he held himself back. It was childish to act or think that way. His father taught him better. But he needed Julian. He completed Luke and he knew without him he’d rot. The front door opened and Julian stepped out. Before he could say a word Luke hurried up to him and handed him the box. Julian looked down at it and untied the white ribbon.

  “No garden snakes?” Julian eyed Luke and laughed.

  “I promise,” Luke smiled. He watched as Julian lifted the lid of the box and retrieved the blue rose corsage from inside. Julian’s eyes lit up, he had never seen a blue rose before. It was a magnificent sight. Julian placed the rose back into the box and rushed into Luke's arms.