//------------------------------// // Night One : Misguided // Story: Five Summer Nights // by Devious Dazzle //------------------------------// “Hidden Cove, the absolute best place on earth!” Penelope Treece giggled on the park bench joyously. Her bright blue eyes gazing over to her best friend Jimmy Hook, with a sense of playfulness. Something Jimmy sadly didn't allow himself to do much often. Instead he'd just dig himself a deep hole of despair or worry and let the anxiety creep in. Penelope would rather see him smiling or better yet laughing. The amount of work it took to get him outside to the park was tiring itself. “Hidden what!?” Jimmy flashed quite the confused look from behind a pair of glasses. “Cove, it's a nice little beach off in the city of Brentwood!” Penelope gave a light punch on her friend’s shoulder. Wearing a cute spring outfit consisting of a bright yellow mini dress and some pink sandals. “I'm not quite the beach person.” Jimmy ran a large hand through his messy hair nervously. His eyes lost on the horizon full of worry. “Everybody's a beach person! Promise me you'll relax there one day, under the sun and having fun!” Penelope bit her lower lip mischievously. Her long curly blonde hair nearly as vibrant, as the orange setting sun in the sky. “I promise.” Jimmy sighed gazing down to his beat up sneakers in defeat. “Promise what?” Troy Creed tilted his head to the right confused. Driving his old 1968 Chevy Impala down the large open road towards the city, his ride shaking wildly in place with uncertainty badly needing a tune-up. Jimmy sat in the passenger seat yawning aloud with a large stretch. Wearing an old white shirt and a casual pair of blue jeans. His eyes glancing out the dirty window of the ride boredly, averting attention from his friend wearing a navy blue rocker tee and beige shorts. “Didn't know, I said anything!?” Jimmy let his shoulders shrug in place lacklusterly. “Don't give me that crap! You know very well what you said!” Troy groaned in growing annoyance of the moment. His messy brunette hair flat from the humidity outside, this particular day hotter than normal. “Attitude much?” Jimmy snorted placing a hand on his cheek, elbow resting on the window. “Yes, attitude! You drag me on a road trip to some imaginary place, only to chicken out halfway there!” Troy blew a loud raspberry into the stuffy confines of the vehicle. “It's not imaginary! Just turn on the damn air!” Jimmy mumbled with an eye roll. “I can't the A.C. doesn't work! My windows don't work and see my glove compartment with the melted bag of M&M’s!?” Troy spoke sarcastically tilting his head towards the right again. “I know, it doesn't work…” Jimmy sighed with a growing headache. “We're one pothole away from walking home, I kid you not!” As if on cue the front of the old car erupted in a sea of thick black smoke. Both guys screaming aloud in complete shock the Impala swerving side to side across both lanes like a maniac. Troy felt the vehicle spinning around twice before his foot slammed down on the brakes. The car skidding off into the parking lot of an old run down motel, screeching loudly before halting to a complete stop. “Are we dead!?” Jimmy heaved his chest in place panicked. “I just crapped out my heart!” Troy felt his own hands sweating uncontrollably. The glove compartment limply falling open as melted chocolate poured out onto the floor board below. “Hehe, glove compartment is open?” Jimmy flashed an awkward grin towards his friend, who simply stepped out of the car in silence. Confused Jimmy followed the same action stepping out into the humid air of the setting night. The sky turning a bright orange hue over head, as even a few stars had begun to litter the wide open horizon. “Dude!?” Jimmy asked hesitantly. “I'm getting a room for the night. Ordering out if possible and taking a bath.” Troy was defeated for the moment at hand. His car needed work before, but now was more a less busted completely. “What about the car?” Jimmy scrunched his nose confused. “Grrr, it doesn't work!” Troy yelled out sarcastically vanishing into the manager's office in a huff. This night couldn't possibly get worse. “Six hundred for a tow!?” Troy gave a loud grunt into his cellphone. Sitting on the filthy motel bed in anger as Jimmy was smooshed up on the opposite side awkwardly. “I'd rather just dump it in a ditch!” Troy clenched his fist into ball. “Mmm, two hundred for a rental?” Troy continued to feel his chest tighten by the second. Jimmy slowly picking up a slice of pizza, out of a greasy box on the bed. Cautiously offering it to his friend on the phone in silence. Troy quick to snatch the slice and flinging it out the open window with a thud. Jimmy just glaring from the attitude, his lips pursing. “Fine! But if it's not here by eight sharp, I'm kicking some ass!” Troy slammed his phone down on the bed flustered. “So we're good?” Jimmy raised a brow. “Oh, we're fine!” The brunette lifted off the bed heading towards the bathroom. “I'm sorry about…” Jimmy noticed a sudden beam of multicolored laser lights shooting into the sky, across the empty highway. “An apology doesn't count if you half-ass it.” Troy rolled his eyes slowly pulling off his navy shirt. Jimmy was quick to dart off the bed himself curiously. Gazing out the old motel window off into the distance to see dozens of people walking towards a large red barn. It was centered in the middle of an eerie open field across the way. Some kind of party seeming to be underway. “I think there's a festival going on?” Jimmy felt his brows rise. “Good for them! I'm going to drown myself in the tub…” Troy pushed the bathroom door open with an eye roll. “You don't want to check it out?” Jimmy almost whispered in reply, his eyes narrowing off towards the darkness. “Sick! This soap is black!” Troy bent over picking up a hairy piece of soap off the floor, swiftly kicking the bathroom door shut with a click. Jimmy didn't know why but felt an odd urge to investigate this party. As if something deep inside himself was guiding his path. Taking a deep breath he headed off towards the front door. He had a promise to keep. Walking through the overgrown grass of the field cautiously, Jimmy was extra careful about trying not to fall into a ditch or something worse. The sounds of crickets chirping echoed loudly in his ears as he drew closer to the festivities. The sound of a movie was blaring through the star covered night sky and people were laughing together happily. Jimmy could feel himself suddenly being transported back to his past. The grey haze of time shifting away the barrier of reality. Penelope loved watching movies together on Friday nights with him. They had a soft spot for My Little Pony specials that originally aired on television first. She'd microwave some buttery popcorn for them both and he would choose the flick. He could remember watching Equestria Girls with her on their old beat up red sofa. Her slender frame snuggled up close under his arm as she cracked jokes through the whole movie giggling. Slowly walking out of the open field he spotted what this whole party was about. A massive white screen had been set up across the side of the barn, a brand new projector flickering in a rainbow light from the icy darkness. On the screen a cheesy monster movie  played for the crowd to enjoy. Jimmy felt his heart sink inside his chest. This was indeed a wonderful place to be full of celebration and joy. But deep inside he was simply reminded of the past far too much. Besides, he wasn't really the type that enjoyed large crowds or older movies for that matter. His smile fading into a frown swiftly, Jimmy turned around to head back towards the motel in silence. “I just don't have it in me…” Jimmy sighed stepping into the overgrown grass and out of view. “Perhaps a little magic?” A melodically sweet voice full of familiarity wafted across the night breeze. Jimmy quickly shot his head up in surprise, eyes darting across the empty field for even a glimpse of the voice’s owner. But instead felt his balance give way suddenly, his old shoes shifting in place as he tumbled to the moist soil with a thud. Looking down in awe he saw his shoes changing shape and color. The old worn leather seeming to become new turning a dainty violet hue. The style losing masculine charm before gaining a feminine touch. A pair of violet dress shoes soon hugging his feet cutely in the dark. “What!? No!” He gasped in horror watching his dirty socks slithering up his legs reaching just below his knees. The fabric turning soft as fine silk becoming a snow white color in design, with a violet colored hem. He watched the new stockings tighten on his legs before cute little pom-poms formed at the top dangling in place. “Not here! Not now!” Jimmy let his pant leg fall as the color of his jeans became inky black. Unsure what to do he lifted up off the ground in a panic, tiny feminine dots of purple soon designing the front of his jeans. Giving a loud girlish squeal Jimmy accidentally backed out of the field into the open crowd. His pants by this time having shrunk just above his knees. The fabric fusing into one piece while tightening, pushing his legs together becoming a delicate skirt. Jimmy could feel the glasses on his face shrinking smaller, reshaping into a new design. “Great, just what I need! My curse following me to the end of the earth!” Jimmy sighed blushing in place lifting his cute purple cat eye glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Dude, I love Basket Case!” A lax looking millennial chuckled aloud sipping on a beer beside an old tractor. Jimmy could just roll his eyes a bit annoyed. Dainty golden bracelets forming over his wrists as on screen a long snake like alien began to eat the brain of a human. That guy knew nothing of classic sci-fi horror, this movie was obviously Brain Damage not Basket Case! His shirt shifting to a silk turquoise blouse as the collar frilled outward in a feminine style. Even a stylish new mini jacket began to materialize over the blouse, covered in a few abstract swirl designs. Darkening to a soft warm magenta hue that absolutely dripped with carefree sass. “How did I even know that!?” Jimmy blushed a bright pink, his voice a soft soprano tone escaping his lips. “Know what?” The guy turned to Jimmy, hearing the tiny squeal of a girl. Jimmy could feel his hair tighen in place. Two movie reel bands tying his new long flowing locks, into two separate bouncy pigtails. His dull hair color shifting to a vibrant streak of teal and turquoise, long sleek bangs showering over his large ocean blue eyes. “Um, that this is Brain Damage.” He giggled nervously in place the world around him doubling in size, his once tall height dwindled down to barely five even. Everything felt larger as he looked down to see his feet were far more tiny than before. Legs and arms losing muscle soon smoothing out to something softer yet shapley. The millennial giving a loud snort aloud as if oblivious to the changes before him. “This isn't Basket Case? But the guy is going insane!?” He rose a brow curiously to the odd young movie buff. Jimmy could feel the changes speed up within her. The emptiness between her legs symbolizing her journey into womanhood was completed. Her hips shifting outward giving her mini skirt a playful bounce, while her waist became more narrow. “Basket Case, isn't named after a psychosis silly! It's about a brother hiding his twin away in a wicker prison.” She walked over to the tractor playfully, a pair of breasts instantly blossoming into reality under her blouse. “Then what the heck is this!?” The guy burst into laughter, watching the cute pale skinned girl stand at his side innocently. “It's Brain Damage dummy! About an intergalactic eater of brains, bonding with a poor schmuck!” Juniper Montage giggled with a flaunt of her tiny hand. Her brows thin and arched with a teal hue. Her cute nose small and upturned holding up stylish glasses. Her new friend taken back by her perfectly heart shaped face, large ocean blue eyes and pouty lips. “Love a girl, who knows her stuff! I'm Richard.” He held out his large hand in friendship. “Heehee, thank you! I'm Ji... Juniper.” She nearly didn't catch herself taking his hand sweetly, giving a playful shake. “Like the tree? Ha, you don't dwell on the past hmm!?” Rich joked offering out a fresh bottle of beverage towards her. She let those words sink in with a sting. Knowing for the last year she had been doing just that, wasting her life away dwelling on the past. Running away at any moment she could in search of a place without worry. “Mm-hmm, yeah. Look I have to…” Juniper politely refused the drink taking a few steps back. “Don't say go. A new movie is starting in a few, what if I mistake another plot point?” Rich grinned with a warm smile, hoping to break the ice with this cutie. “Well, my friend is back at the motel…” Juniper blushed pointing off into the distance awkwardly. “Awesome, she can join us too!” Rich gave a large stretch pushing off the tractor, ready to escort the young girl back to the motel. “Riiight!” Juniper felt the color drain from her cheeks. This was going to be a weird… The loud scream of a girl suddenly echoed out from across the field. Juniper feeling her eyes widen in total shock, the scream was coming from their motel room! Weird indeed!