Disclaimer: "Happy Tree Friends" is copyright of Mondo Media
[Sorry for the delay – work took most of my time and I always end up falling asleep just as soon as I get home…
…so here it is finally!]
Happy Tree Friends: Camp Sanguine
Chapter 29 – Epilogue
Skirch…scrape…skirch…scrape…
"So…what are you doing again?" Demon Splendid/Splendont asked as he watched Demon Flippy/Flipqy. Said teen soldier remained silent, concentrating on etching a massive pentagram on the ground.
Nearby, the remaining campers were assisting the camp staff in laying the mutilated bodies in a circle around the pentagram; both are trying not to think about the blood, guts and horrific stench that no doubt clung to them since they're handling corpses.
Angel Flaky flew overhead and (with her boyfriend's instructions) scattered un-burnt twigs and leaves along the pentagram's outline; braided a pair long vines, tied one end to each of Demon Flippy/Flipqy's wrists and the other ends buried into the ground as though 'linking' him to the earth.
"Alright, everyone stand back," he ordered, watching them move a few meters away. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and clutched the vines as he began.
"Defunctorum animas
Et mittam te
In regno serenitatis
Defunctorum animas
Vos ludent
Rerum A tenebris"
Translation: "Departed souls
I'll send thee away
Into a realm of serenity
Departed souls
Tonight you shall play
Away from the realm of dark shadows"
An ethereal glow emanated from his hands and flowed through the vine braids and pentagram as he sung the incantation, followed by slight levitation as he continued to let words flow from his mouth.
"Defunctorum animas
Ostendeberis via
Et dolor a dolor
Defunctorum animas
New reposita est hodie
Et transite vobis, et vixeritis et cras faciant"
Translation: "Departed souls
You'll be shown the way
Away from the pain and the sorrow
Departed souls
New life awaits today
Pass on and live again tomorrow"
The audience gasped as the bodies began to glow, causing a few of them to shield their eyes from the growing light intensity; the rest witnessed Demon Flippy/Flipqy engulfed within a bright flame, but the teen soldier remained unfazed as he went on.
"Defunctorum animas
Hac nocte est dies,
Vos satus ad pascua viridius
Defunctorum animas
Mox eris procul
Pax et quies Terram"
Translation: "Departed souls
Tonight is the day
You move on to greener pastures
Departed souls
Soon you'll be away
To the land of peace and quiet"
"F-Flaky?" Lifty stuttered as said teen girl stepped forward followed by Demon Splendid/Splendont, both appearing to be in a trance as they stepped onto the glowing pentagram; floated to Demon Flippy/Flipqy's height and held each others' hands.
The 'ritual site' was then surrounded by a dome of pure white light, making the dark night look like day as it began to spread throughout the land. The audience shivered as a blast of ice-cold air hit them in the form of a breezy wind.
As though synchronized, the three chanted the final verse…
"Defunctorum animas
Et mittam te
In regno serenitatis
Defunctorum animas
Vos ludent
Rerum A tenebris"
Translation: "Departed souls
We'll send thee away
Into a realm of serenity
Departed souls
Tonight you shall play
Away from the realm of dark shadows"
Ka-thump…ka-thump…ka-thump…
A loud heartbeat seemed to echo around them as the ground shook, startling the girls and causing some to cover their ears from the sound.
And just as it started, it stopped…
…and in the now-normal pentagram stood four teenagers devoid of angel and demon features, feet firmly on the ground. "Could someone explain why I'm holding my brother's hand?" a familiar voice asked.
Splendid snapped out of the earlier trance and looked at his brother; hugged him close while fighting back pooling tears. His red-haired brother gave a small smile and hugged back, comforting his brother. "Mom said 'hi'…" he whispered.
"Is…is it over?" Flaky asked Flippy, who nodded before looking around at the reviving campers. "It'll be like it never happened," he ensured, "But there's no doubt nobody will forget what happened here."
X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X
Camp Sanguine was sealed off from public access under the cover story of it being a restricted endangered wildlife sanctuary. The campers and camp staff who went through that experience made a pact to never speak of it to anyone as long as they live, for the fear of being found by angry demons or seen as lunatics (most likely the latter) is what they prefer to avoid.
Flippy and Moonlight were lounging in the twins' room with Splendid and Flaky one lazy afternoon, making plans for the remainder of their summer when they heard laughter a few rooms away.
"Mom and Dad probably got visitors," Flippy noted, but then realized something seemed off as the laughter was followed by screams. Holding Flaky's quivering hand, he peeked out a crack in the door as loud thudding sounds echoed down the hall.
The teen soldier turned to Splendid and the blue-haired teen nodded; snuck out through the window to investigate. When he returned seconds later, he had a look of fright on his face. "We have to get out of here now," he whispered as they approached the window.
"And where do you think you're going~?"
The teens jumped as Possessed Captain and Possessed Starlight stood at the doorway, fangs bared and pupils glowing red as they smirked at them. "Are you kids in a hurry to go somewhere?" Flippy and Moonlight's father asked, "And if so, why not use the front door?"
"You're not Dad!" Moonlight growled, "And what have you done to Aunt Nova!"
"Oh, don't worry about her~!" Possessed Starlight purred, stepping close, "We just dragged her home, that's all."
SLAM!
"No!" Splendid screamed as the window was slammed shut by an unseen force; grunted and groaned as he tried to pry it back open and was also futile in smashing the glass as though it's suddenly made of hard plastic.
Flaky shrieked as she was thrown across the room, falling unconscious as she hit her head hard on the wall and lay limp on the floor.
Flippy and Moonlight backed themselves into a corner as their possessed parents closed in, snickering evilly.
"It's not over until we say it is…" they chorused.
To be continued…