Ivy
It has been twenty years since any of these people has had anything like real entertainment. Spotty electricity and no movies and no internet for twenty years is something I couldn't fathom. Even living here this short amount of time without it has been absolute torture.
Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration. But it sucked.
So when Layla proposed a second game night a few days after the new wards went up, I suggested something a little different.
Everyone pitched in. We printed out flyers and sent cute emoji messages, because hey, inconsistent electricity and spotty cell service was better than the almost nothing of before. Though teaching each of them to use a phone was its own very special challenge.
We used Ada's café equipment to make cupcakes, cookies, and giant buckets of popcorn.
As the sun finally sets on the beach looking out over Lake Huron, monsters from around the island, known and unknown, gather.
Some are on beach towels, in chairs, hanging from trees, floating—whatever works for them.
We'd collected donated sheets from the locals and sewn them together, and I'd pulled out the projector I brought to the island in case my new cottage didn't have a TV.
I connect it to my phone, finally able to use it for the first time.
The sun dips below the horizon, and the gentle lapping of waves settles under the murmur of excited voices.
The scent of fresh evening air mingles with popcorn and sugar.
I join my group near the center, settling between Conall's outstretched legs, leaning back and tucking myself under his chin.
Laz, Amy, Layla, Dolly, Ada, Killian, and Edgar sit in a hodgepodge around us.Edgar holds a popcorn bucket that appears to float on its own,
"I'm so excited," Amy murmurs. "I vaguely remember movies from when I was a kid."
"I remember when they were invented," Layla adds, and I suddenly wonder how old she is.
"I died before they were invented, so this'll be a real first for me," Edgar agrees.
"No pressure then." The words come out soft as I snuggle down and Conall wraps an arm around me. A tap against my watch starts the movie on my phone.
It looks amazing on the sheets. Not perfect, a little fuzzy, a little uneven, but but better than nothing.
Everyone gasps when the production company logo comes on.
My hand flies to my mouth to keep the laughter from bursting out too loudly.
Dolly passes me some popcorn. Laz mumbles about how he could have magicked something like this.
Conall's fingers come around to my chin, tipping it up, and he kisses me.
This is my home. And these are my weird, caring, monstrous people.
Thank you for reading Howling on the Bluff!