Up Past Midnight

Halloween Horror

"Come on, Olivia. Let's go in here." Brynn pulled on her best friend's hand, dragging her into the umpteenth party shop.

"Bry, we are beyond done shopping," Olivia groaned.

"Last shop. I swear." Brynn used her finger to sign a "x" over her heart.

"Last one." Olivia sighed and followed her friend into the Halloween store.

Floor to ceiling was lined with costumes and decorations. Fake blood, cotton spider webs, dancing zombies and mummies, cackling motion sensor witch. It was just like everything else they'd seen in the other shops, and they'd already gotten everything they wanted for the party.

"Ooooh! We don't have one of these," Brynn said to Olivia.

She held up a board with letters and other writing, her green eyes shining bright.

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Just looking at the Ouija board made Olivia feel uneasy.

"Come on, Olivia. It's just a game. What could it hurt?"

"You've heard the stories. Just put it down."

"You mean the stories you read on the internet? Because those must all be true."

Olivia scratched her arm, looking back behind her.

"Come on, we're having a Halloween party. Don't you want it to be fun?"

"I suppose so."

"And what would be more fun than getting people together on All Hallows' Eve on a full moon to commune with the dead?" Brynn wiggled her eyebrows. "It's also seventy-five percent off."

"Fine. Just get the stupid board."

Brynn jumped up and down and grabbed the board, planchette, and the box it all came in, taking it up to the counter.

Olivia crossed her arms while her best friend chatted away with the woman behind the register. She did not want that thing anywhere near her. She didn't want it in her car, she didn't want it to stay in her house, she wanted nothing to do with it. Olivia didn't care if Brynn thought the stories were all crap because they were on the internet. There was always the chance that they were true, and the last thing she needed was a disruptive spirit in her house.

"Thank you so much." Brynn turned around with a large smile plastered to her face. "The planchette is made of bone. Isn't that so cool!"

"No, not cool!"

"Relax. It's just buffalo bone. But I bet we can convince the others that it's human bone." She did her little eyebrow wiggle thing again and Olivia turned to walk out of the shop.

"Come on, Liv. What's the matter?"

"I just don't think this is a good idea."

"They sell these things in the toy section. It's a toy, a board game. It's going to be fine." Brynn swung the bag back and forth as they made their way down the sidewalk.

"Whatever. We need to go set up before everyone gets there."

"Right. And my parents are gone until tomorrow night. So no rents to get in the way. This party is going to be epic."

They made their way back to Brynn's house, putting up the cobwebs, spiders, bats, eyeballs and everything else before changing.

Brynn finished up her costume and makeup by splattering fake blood all over herself, and adding a nice, thick red line across her neck.

"How do I look?" She asked.

"Dead," Oliva said, putting on her witch hat.

"Perfect. Are you ready?"