The Prom Queen

Ellen Baskins shook her head as she headed out to search the boathouse, for what would be the third time this evening. She couldn’t believe her friends had actually managed to find a way to elude her grasp again. Not only that, but she was doing such a mundane chore in such an expensive strapless evening gown, complete with elbow-length white silk gloves and diamond-clad ears.

Reflecting on the earlier portion of the evening, she had been the belle of the ball at her senior prom. Or, more correctly, she had been crowned this year’s Prom Queen. She would never forget the thrill she felt when they announced her name and placed the sparkling tiara upon her head. Nothing could spoil her happiness tonight. Nothing.

Ellen was humming as she let herself into the boathouse just as she had twice before that evening, only this time she heard a noise come from the corner. It was sort of a low growl. As she lunged for the door, a figure rushed out of the shadows and grabbed her. She was startled and began to scream. A hairy hand clamped over her mouth to quiet her. Slowly the figure moved his face into the moonlight. She became mesmerized by what she was seeing. He looked like a man, but he also looked like a creature of some sort.

“What . . . do you want?” she asked, trying to keep back the sobs.

The look on his face became dark and sinister. He howled at the full moon and then took care of his prey. When he was finished he ran from the building, and back out into the night. He stopped once more to gaze up at the full moon with one long, slender, white, silk glove hanging from between his jagged, bloodied teeth.