Polterheist: An Esther Diamond Novel (22 page)

“Hmm.” Max stroked his beard. “They are a couple of tragically unhappy and unappealing families, it seems to me.”

“They make me appreciate my family, that’s for sure,” Lucky said with feeling. “I’m gonna go visit my daughter when this is over.”

Max and I looked at each other.

Lucky noticed. “What?”

“There’s some stuff we need to catch you up on,” I said. “Something we figured out last night right after you left Fenster’s. This isn’t so much a polterheist situation, Max now thinks, as it is a demon-devouring-us situation.”

“That don’t sound good,” Lucky said. “I think I liked this thing better when it was a poltergeist.”

“I liked this thing better when it was just a humiliating day job,” I said.

* * *

Dimension-crossing demon or not, I
had
to get some sleep. I insisted that Max did, too. We had worked a full day at the store yesterday, had barely survived a terrifying confrontation with mystical Evil last night, and hadn’t slept in at least thirty-six hours. I was so exhausted that I’d keel over if a toddler gave me a firm tap, never mind being assaulted by a battle-ready solstice demon.

My fatigue was such that I treated myself to a taxi to get home from Max’s. It was an extravagance I regretted as soon as I got to my apartment and discovered some bills in the mailbox. It occurred to me then: destroying about one-third of Solsticeland last night undoubtedly meant I had lost my job, and it probably also meant I wouldn’t even get my final paycheck.

Damn, damn, damn.

This gloomy thought stayed with me as I stripped off my ruined elf clothes, took a hot shower in my chilly bathroom, and then went straight to bed. I couldn’t face the problem of paying my bills this month—or any other problems—right now. Like Scarlett O’Hara, I would think about that tomorrow. I also couldn’t be bothered to check my phone for messages. I didn’t want to know if Lopez had called to tell me he’d found out about last night. I didn’t want to know
anything.
For now, I just wanted to sleep . . .

And I did so. For almost twelve hours.

When I woke up the following day, I felt rested and peaceful for almost ten seconds. Then I remembered that we might all be killed soon by a solstice demon.

I also remembered that if New York was not shortly devoured by something from another dimension, I wasn’t sure I had enough money to live on for the next few weeks.

Shit.

These thoughts were depressing enough to make the possibility of getting chewed out by Lopez seem positively sunny by comparison. So I checked my messages. There was one from him yesterday afternoon saying he was working long hours due to the case breaking with such a high profile arrest, but let’s talk soon. Nothing since then . . . so I supposed it was possible he didn’t know I’d accidentally destroyed part of Fenster’s fourth floor a few hours after he’d kissed me in the park.

The next message was from Twinkle, who had called yesterday afternoon, too, while I was still incarcerated. “Dreidel, I got your number from Miles’ file cabinet. I hope you guys are okay? I still don’t know what happened, except that part of the fourth floor got demolished and three people were locked up on the sixth floor—which has been off-limits to everyone since late last night. So I’m guessing that was you guys?”

He continued, “But I swear, no one went in or out of the building last night . . . I’m a little punchy. Sorry. Just hoping you’re okay. Oh, and maybe you heard? Freddie Fenster has been arrested. The way
we
found out around here was that Elspeth Fenster came down here and fired Naughty and Nice. Told them about Freddie and sent them packing. Naughty’s going back to stripping, she says. Nice thinks she might have to move back home with her parents now that she’s off Freddie’s payroll.”

Couldn’t happen to a couple of more deserving elves, I thought.

“We’re keeping Solsticeland open for the final day of the season,” Twinkle said. “Well, sort of. About half the place is still intact. Solstice Castle, the Enchanted Forest, the solstice mural . . . Probably not much chance of running my lunar eclipse display, though, since things are in chaos and we’re so understaffed. Drag Queen Santa didn’t come to work today. So that’s makes
another
one. I’ve lost count by now. Of course, you and Diversity Santa are being counted as no-shows, too, but I know that’s not true.”

After a pause, he concluded, “Well, call me when you get this, okay? Just to let me know if you’re all right? It’s getting weird, the way everyone just disappears around here.”

And that’s when I knew. It all came together in my head at that moment, thanks to Twinkle’s rambling.

The final message on my phone was from my friend Whoopsy Daisy, who worked at the Pony Expressive with Satsy. It was from yesterday afternoon, too. As soon as I heard Whoopsy’s voice, I knew I was right. I didn’t really understand what was happening, but I could see the shape of the scheme now.

“Esther, sweetie, gimme a call when you get this. Satsy didn’t show up for her show last night, and she’s
never
missed a performance. I’ve left her three messages, and she hasn’t called me back. Honey, this is not like her! You’re working at that department store with her. When did
you
last see her? I’m really worried. All the girls here are.
Call
me.”

I put down the phone and looked at my Dreidel costume. It was a wreck. I couldn’t possibly work in that outfit. Besides, Dreidel would probably never be allowed on the floor at Fenster’s again. Nor would Esther Diamond, I realized.

But I knew with sinking dread what I had to do. So I called Twinkle and left him a message. He was probably on the floor right now, but I hoped he’d check his phone regularly and get this soon: “Twinkle, it’s Dreidel. I’m fine. We’re all fine. But I need you to do something very important for me. Tell Princess Crystal she’s been fired—too many smoking violations. Tell her Miles wants her off the floor
right now
. Then get her costume—I don’t care how—and meet me in the employee stairwell. I’ll be there in three hours, so get this done by then.”

Then I phoned Whoopsy, who picked up my call, and said I hadn’t seen Satsy for two days, but I thought I’d be seeing him tonight, and I’d tell him to check in.

No reason to worry Whoopsy with the details. Hopefully this would all work out. And if not . . . well, why make him grieve sooner than he had to?

After that, I called Max. I was glad he answered the phone, since he didn’t always.

“Max,” I said, “they
are
related—the mystical phenomena and the heists! She’s using
employees
to do the hijackings. She just used Freddie as a cruel joke on the family—or maybe because she hates him. Anyway, I don’t understand
how,
but that’s
why
Solsticeland employees keep disappearing with their costumes! We thought they were quitting without giving notice. No, they’re being waylaid when they get off work! That’s how she’s recruiting her robbery crews. She’s culling temporary staff in Solsticeland, where people hardly know each other and don’t ask questions if someone stops turning up for work.”

“I think I know her ultimate plan, Esther,” he said. “I did some research last night—before I fell asleep on top of my books. Tell me again what that enchanted tree said to you when it tried to kill you.”

“The same thing Mrs. Claus said: ‘I want flesh! And blood!’”

“Yes, that’s it! She has promised sacrifices to this demon. She’s going to make
sure
it’s powerful enough to hold back the light and wreak terrible destruction,” Max said. “And she’s going to do it tonight!”

“Tonight, yes, I thought so! Two magic words,” I said. “Lunar eclipse.”

18

I
sat hiding in Solstice Castle, dressed as Princess Crystal, for several hours. A big advantage of this role was that Crystal spent most of her time up on the ramparts or in the tower, where it wasn’t easy to see her face. Another big advantage was that her costume had a hood. The actress who usually played Crystal didn’t use it often, but I’d kept it up ever since confiscating the costume, via Twinkle’s subterfuge, and entering Solsticeland in this guise.

It was handy that my build and coloring were similar to the original Crystal’s. And it was
very
handy that, unlike Dreidel, Crystal actually still had a job here.

Solsticeland was the last place on earth I wanted to be this evening . . . but since I didn’t want this to be my friend Satsy’s last evening on earth (nor mine, nor anyone else’s), this was where I had to be, since someone needed to let Max, Nelli, and Lucky into Fenster’s after closing time, which was surely when Elspeth planned to make her blood sacrifices and raise her demon in Solsticeland.

To my dismay, Twinkle insisted on helping us. I really didn’t want to get the elf killed. But it is everyone’s right to choose whether or not they’re ready to confront Evil; and since he clearly felt his fantasy role-playing games had prepared him for tonight, who was I to deny him this chance to make a cosmic difference?

My stomach was roiling so much that I was afraid a few times that I’d toss my cookies on Crystal’s bulky gown as I sat in the castle tower, waiting for the closing gong to sound. Fenster’s was shutting down at eight o’clock this evening, Christmas Eve. (Nothing like waiting until the last possible minute to buy that special someone a gift from the heart.)

A lunar eclipse on Christmas Eve.

Of
course
Elspeth couldn’t resist that symbolism when plotting the destruction of her family and, incidentally, a substantial portion of New York City. I didn’t know what had led her into dark magic and demon summoning, which is not exactly an inevitable destination for those who start out as goth girls and/or vampire groupies. But there was a big, dark hole inside that girl, and I could see that she had repeatedly tried to fill it with more darkness.

So how could she possibly resist making
this
her night for summoning ultimate spiritual darkness? In the deepest part of winter, this night which was holy to the gentiles—of which she was one—would become the darkest Christmas Eve in over four hundred years.

It almost seemed as if tonight and Elspeth were meant for each other.

I stifled a shiver and hoped there was also something in this oppressively dark night that was meant—in a good way—for a nice Jewish elf from Wisconsin who was dressed as a princess and just trying to do her part to confront Evil, keep the city from being consumed in a demon’s fiery belly, and pay the rent on time.

Was that so much to ask?

Before ending our call earlier today, I had asked Max what to expect if the demon broke through the dimensional barrier tonight. He replied by asking me if I’d ever seen Walt Disney’s
Fantasia
.

“The segment known as ‘Night On Bald Mountain’ is an excellent representation of what awaits us if we do not succeed tonight,” he said.

I tried not to tremble as I contemplated the night ahead of me. That movie depicted an immense, terrifying, dark demon, shrouded in night, with glowing eyes, fangs, and claws. It took pleasure in torturing and tormenting other creatures.

I had worked myself into quite a state of nerves by the time the closing gong finally sounded at Fenster’s and a canned voice on the intercom asked all shoppers to depart, wishing them Happy Holidays. Finally! I wouldn’t have to keep hiding from Miles or preventing Prince Midnight from getting a good look at my face when he popped by to propose to Crystal. That part of this ordeal, at least, was over now. Fenster’s was closing, and the holiday shopping season was finished at long last.

The plan was that Twinkle would clock out, change into his street clothes, and appear to leave. In reality, he’d let our friends in through the employee stairs, and they’d make their way to Solstice Castle to join me. We would then prepare for Elspeth’s arrival with, we suspected, her sacrifices.

Since we had a better idea of what we were facing tonight, Max had ensured that we also came better prepared. I was wearing a protective amulet pinned inside my gown. It would shield me from collateral attacks—the sort of thing we had experienced in recent days, and particularly the other night, when the demon’s energy was piercing through the increasingly permeable dimensional barrier, testing its powers in this world the way you might dip your foot into the water from a boat to test the temperature and the current. This was the time of year when barriers crumbled between this world and dark dimensions, and the demon had been looking forward to tonight, unable to wait until now to start toying with its new victims.

What could Elspeth
possibly
be thinking? Did she understand what horrors she was about to unleash? No matter how awful her family was, did
anyone
deserve this? And what about those of us who weren’t even related to her?

Waiting here alone for Twinkle, Max, Lucky, and Nelli to arrive was unnerving. This store had become a terrifying place to me. My heart was pounding so loudly, I had trouble listening for the reassuring sound of their footsteps in the eternal starlit night of Solsticeland—or what was left of it. Then I heard them coming at last.

“Esther?” Max called.

I tensed, thinking he should lower his voice . . . but then I remembered how light the security staff was expected to be tonight. Christmas Eve. I doubted there were any guards on this floor at all.

“This place gives me the creeps,” Lucky said. “I hope to God these amulets work, Doc.”

“So do I,” said Max, which was not the reassuring answer that I had hoped to hear.

“I’m up here,” I called. “I’ll come down to you. I’ve been stuck in this tower all damn evening.”

The lunar eclipse was due to occur shortly before midnight. That, too, seemed like symbolism that would have appealed to Elspeth when plotting her revenge on her family.

We didn’t know how soon she would arrive. She would no doubt need time to prepare her ritual. I realized we should get ready right away to confront her. She might be here very soon.

I reached the bottom of the tower’s spiral stairs, where I could still hear the reassuring sounds of my friends’ voices in the dark. Twinkle was lamenting the lunar eclipse he’d programmed but hadn’t gotten to display in the Solsticeland sky. Lucky told him to shut up, we had enough eclipses already. Nelli growled suddenly.

“What is it, Nelli?” Max asked.

Beneath my bodice, I touched the amulet I wore, reassured to feel it there. The other night’s experience here was
not
something I wanted to repeat.

“This place is makin’ her jumpy, too,” said Lucky.

I exited the castle, then gasped and fell back a step when a large figure loomed before me. I turned on the flashlight I’d brought with me today and found myself staring at my purple-lashed friend.

“Satsy?” I said in surprise.

The blow came from behind. I never saw it or knew who delivered it. I dropped my flashlight and staggered forward into Satsy, whose arms caught me in a ruthlessly tight embrace. I tried to call for help, but Satsy squeezed me so hard I couldn’t breathe. He gazed down into my face without expression, his eyes unblinking in Solsticeland’s dim light. Elsewhere in the building, I heard cries of alarm and the sounds of physical violence. My friends were being ambushed.

Trap.

As I slipped into unconsciousness, I finally understood why Elspeth Fenster had released us from her family’s private prison.

So that we would come here tonight and become her sacrifices.

* * *

“Esther, wake up! Esther, can you hear me? Esther.”

There was an annoying whispering in my ear. My head was pounding fiercely. And that chanting was so loud . . .

Chanting.

My eyes flew open.

“Oh, my God,” I said, appalled by the spectacle before me.

Elspeth Fenster had painted a bright red symbol in the fake snow on the floor outside of Solstice Castle. Based on the knife in her hands and the blood flowing from a cut in each of her arms, I gathered that the blood was hers.

Okay, stay calm, at least she’s not cutting anyone else,
I thought.
Such as me.

Elspeth was also, incidentally, stark naked.

Although I really don’t like to judge my own gender on the basis of appearance, public nudity was not a look that I thought anyone would ever recommend for this girl.

Given the ardor on Elspeth’s face as she raised her bleeding arms and chanted to her dark lord, offering the solstice demon (who, fortunately, had yet to make an appearance) her body, I thought that her disappointments with sex were perhaps due to focusing a little too much of her sexual energy on
this
sort of thing, rather than on the simple pleasures of the flesh with an earthly partner.

She was surrounded by Solsticeland employees, all stone-faced and chanting with her. I saw Satsy, Poinsettia, Moody Santa, Thistle, Giggly Santa, and several other people whose names I didn’t know—some of whose faces I didn’t even recognize, so they had apparently gone missing even before I had been hired. Elspeth had been collecting victims for a few weeks. And she had gotten away with it, because (as I had thought from the start) it seemed perfectly understandable that someone might just stop showing up for this job. Still, it had taken people in Satsy’s life less than a day to realize he was missing and to start worrying and making inquiries. I wondered if he was Elspeth’s only miscalculation, or if she was leaving a trail of Missing Persons that led straight back to Solsticeland.

“Esther,” that whispering voice said from behind me again. “You’re awake? Good. No, shh! Don’t say anything, and don’t turn around.”

I finally recognized that voice. “Rick?” I whispered. “What are you doing here?”

“She’s gone insane,” he whispered back. “We have to stop her. Will you help me?”

“Of course!” I blurted.

“Shh!”

Fortunately, my outburst had not been audible above the chanting. I noticed the bloody symbol in the snow was starting to glow a dark red. That struck me as a bad thing.

I started to move, then realized I had been tied up. Without turning around, I whispered, “Can you untie me?”

“Yes. I have a knife.”

“Be very careful with it,” I instructed.

As soon as I felt my bonds loosen, I said, “Now free Max—um, Belsnickel.”

“That crazy old blind elf?”

“He’s not what he seems,” I said. “He can stop Elspeth.”

I noticed with anxiety that Max appeared to be unconscious. This was not going well.

I supposed the first thing we should do was disrupt the chanting. As soon as Rick appeared to have freed Max, who was not yet awake, and then moved on to Lucky, I leapt to my feet with a blood-curdling scream and launched myself at Elspeth. Using a move similar to the one which had worked on Lopez’s father, I drop-kicked her out of her enchanted circle and clear into the Enchanted Forest.

Damn, I’m good. I should study kung fu or something.

“Lucky, wake up Max. He’s got to stop the demon from breaking through!” That red circle appeared to be glowing more robustly now. The thing was on its way.

Twinkle cried, “Untie me! Untie me! I can help!”

Freed from his bonds, Lucky crawled over and started shaking and slapping Max, shouting into his face.

I heard Nelli barking excitedly and looked around. I saw her tied to a fake tree. “The dog, Rick! Free the dog!”

“The
dog?
” he repeated incredulously.

“It’s important! Free the damn dog!”

“Untie me! Untie me!” Twinkle shouted.

Without Elspeth directing them, the missing Solsticeland actors seemed unthreatening now. But they kept chanting. I wondered how to make them stop.

Max staggered to his feet. He took one look at the glowing red circle and said, “The demon is coming! It’s arriving! We must stop it! Nelli!”

Freed from her tree by Rick, the familiar came running over to the circle and promptly began racing madly around it, going widdershins, trying to reverse the direction of its energy. She was howling at the top of her lungs as she did so, doing a fair job of drowning out the chanting.

With Max awake and on the job now, Lucky turned his attention to Twinkle, who was still demanding to be untied. As soon as that task was achieved, the two of them began flinging themselves at the chanters, trying to get them out of formation, startle them, interrupt their chant—
anything
to weaken the demon’s attempt to break through the dimensional barrier and emerge here in all its power and ferocity. Max started bellowing out a chant of his own.

Cold wind filled the room, heralding the demon’s arrival. The most unimaginably foul stench came with it.

“Aw, Jesus, that
smell,”
Lucky said.

I realized that I hadn’t seen Rick since he had followed Elspeth into the Enchanted Forest to free Nelli. Who knew what Elspeth might be doing to him in there? I went running after them, lifting my heavy skirts and praying that my amulet would protect me from being attacked by a frisky tree again.

But when I found the two of them, Elspeth wasn’t torturing or tormenting Rick. The two of them were fighting. Like partners. Co-conspirators. A
couple . . .

“You’ve ruined everything!” Rick raged. “We had a perfect plan!”

“You have betrayed me!” she screeched into his face. “How
dare
you interfere!”

“Interfere? When you’re about to get half the city devoured? Including yourself! And, more to the point,
me!”

“Death is the ultimate glory!” she proclaimed, indeed sounding insane. “The ultimate reward!”

“No,” he shot back, “the ultimate reward will be getting back every penny of what your family stole from my family, you demented, frigid bitch!”