All Dressed Up With No Place To Go

If your idea of normal is dressing up like a side show freak and traipsing out into the dark then it started out as a pretty normal night.

Marcel & Noelle
French Mimes

Each October a calling occurs and it summons the faithful to an undisclosed location in the wilds of West Virginia. Salem’s Lot reunites under the waning crescent moon to celebrate the season, cast spells, drink potions and practice rituals too horrible to elucidate in words. This year the focus was on creating and consuming potent potables made from rendered animals and distilled spirits (jello shots and vodka-soaked gummi bears). They also had a rousing success resurrecting a zombie cat. The members of the coven also cast spells to force the truth from the mouths of the assembled and after their souls were bared laughed mercilessly at each other’s bleeding wounds.

Yep, a good time was had by all.

Crescent moon calls all to come.

In WV it is actually this crescent moon.

Zombie cat after returning from death. It was originally orange.

Despite the strength of their magic, the Russo’s almost missed the festivities. Mrs. Russo had lent out her usual mode of transportation to her sister, who obviously did not subscribe to the rule of “don’t drink (blood) and drive”.

She was flying on a suspended license.

Stuck with having to employ a more earthly means of transportation, the Russo’s set out for the undisclosed haunted house that would be hosting this year’s festivities.

Our host’s lair

Our hostess, Robyn Rutherford, before putting on her make up.

They hit the road in high spirits, anxious to reunite with their fellow ghouls. Despite the incredible distance they had to navigate to find this year’s location, they were moving right along and expected to arrive on time. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.

The accident that shut down Route 50.

An uninterrupted line of red lights as far as the eye could see caused the Russo’s to decelerate and then come to a complete and utter stop. They waited and they waited and they waited some more. As the minutes transformed into hour intervals they searched for things to amuse and occupy themselves.

Marcel Rousseau playing with his phone.

Noelle contemplating having a beer but not wanting to pee on the side of the road like many of the other captives.

Aware that others in their group were also probably stuck in the same traffic, they desperately tried to make contact via their psychic abilities (because, of course, there’s no cell service in the middle of nowhere). Numerous emergency vehicles made their way to the scene. Interestingly, none left with lights and sirens. A lone, white van arrived being escorted by a police car.

Two silent prayers were released into the cosmos.

Eventually, as they always do, signs of life returned and the traffic started to move again. The Russo’s arrived at their party a little more grateful for the opportunity to spend time with their friends. They are not ones to take things for granted anymore.

Three-peat, bitches!

At the end of the night the Russo’s, once again, took home the Best Couples Costume trophy. However, they realized that the real prize was getting to spend time laughing with their friends.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween.

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