Below her, the growing crowd was making fast work of decorating. A few more people in town had heard what was going on and had shown up to help. As a result, the decorations she’d gathered and everything Hauk had collected over the years had been pulled out and mostly set up. With the bulk of the work below done, the crowd began thinning out so only a few of them remained.
No one had been kind enough, or maybe crazy enough, to shimmy along the rafters with her to hang bodies. Oddly, it didn’t bother her in the least. There was a sense of pride in knowing she’d done a large part of the work herself.
“Come take a break, Vic,” Mrs. Michaelsen urged with an iced Dr. Pepper in hand.
It was Vic’s favorite but she shook her head. “Bring it up and I’ll take a drink, but I don’t want to climb up here more than absolutely necessary.”
She’d already traversed the length of two beams and rigged the stuffed zombie bodies, skeletons and gauze ghosts on those. Comfortable with heights or not, even she was reaching her limit after nearly three hours.
“You’re a stubborn woman,” Mrs. Michaelsen grumbled sweetly as she climbed the ladder with the drink in one hand. “It’s what gives us hope this will work.”
Vic smiled her thanks as she took the drink. She didn’t think decorating the bar would be enough to convince Hauk she was a safe bet for life, but she hoped it would help him see how his sacrifices in life had paid off. He’d known tragedy, but the community loved him and nothing would be right if he had gone away.
Another forty-five minutes later, with only Hauk’s parents, Sophie, Dani and Andie remaining, Vic shimmied across the beam running the length of the pub and reached out a hand in time to catch the end of the noose Mr. Michaelsen tossed up. While she raised the zombie dummy so its feet dangled inches off the ground, Sophie, Dani, Andie and Mrs. Michaelsen set up a haunted poker table in one corner.
Light bulbs had been changed to spooky colors. Some even flickered. The fog machine had been hidden in a giant tarantula that could make JK Rowling proud, and the candles in the table votives had been swapped for LED lit eyeballs.
“This our last one?” she called down as Mr. Michaelsen hugged the zombie one-handed to keep it from swinging too much.
“Yep. Just need to rig the last pulley for its feet.”
“Excellent,” she muttered as she fought the rope into a firm enough knot. Her fingers were getting sore from all the tying and gripping. And from using the powered screwdriver, which she’d never been very good at. “Anything down there still need done?”
“Nope,” Andie answered for everyone.
“The black light makes the cards look creepy,” Sophie said with a grin in her voice. “Dad is going to love this.”
“The iPod has the new haunted playlist complete with ‘Thriller’ and haunted sounds,” Andie added, rubbing her extended belly as she waddled out from behind the bar. “And the front door chime is ready.”
“I can’t thank you guys enough for this.”
She had known her friends would pitch in to make Hauk’s dream a reality, just as she knew she could count on Braydon, Brody, Reece, Adam and Trent to keep the plan to themselves.
“Guys,” Dani called out. “It’s time to vacate. Hauk is on his way back.” The town’s favorite doctor grabbed a now empty tote. “Drag a tub into the kitchen on the way. Vic, we expect a full report.”
“Promise.”
Mrs. Michaelsen wrapped an arm around Sophie’s shoulders. “You are with me for the night. Stian,” she called to Mr. Michaelsen, “help her down and come on. Fast.”
He tossed her the rope for the zombie’s feet. “Vic?”
“Go ahead. I just need to secure the feet and I’ll be down.”
He looked from his wife to Vic. “I can’t let you get hurt.”
Sophie peered out the front window. “He’s getting really close.”
“Thanks, but I’m fine.” Aside from a couple splinters in her stomach and muscles that would seriously be bitching tomorrow, it was true.
“If you say so, but be careful.”
“I always am.”
Mr. Michaelsen lingered another minute, uncomfortable with the idea of leaving her. She waved him off again and finally he left. It wouldn’t be the worst thing for him to stay, but she wanted to be alone when Hauk came in. She wanted to be the first and only one to see his face.
After looping the rope through the pulley and securing the end like she had the others, she eased toward the ladder. The pub wouldn’t open for another few hours, but everyone knew Hauk’s habit of going through the pub to check on things. Today would likely be no different, especially after he’d been gone most of the day.