The Weird Friends Co.

Halloween Day

An Alternate Timeline Where this Odd Trio are in the Business of Performing Exorcisms

The Weird Friends Co.

October 31st, as Malfoy predicted, would be our busiest twenty-four hours of the year.

"This is just what newborn businesses must do." He claimed.

Our hours were 8AM to 8PM, but for Halloween they had been altered from 6AM to 10PM, to accommodate the influx of calls we got on the 30th. Anticipating that their ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, and wraiths would purposefully wreak havoc for the special occasion, folks could no longer put off their long overdue exorcisms. I wasn't excited about it, but I empathized with their procrastination, especially in this economy, spiritual purgation's weren't cheap.

Malfoy got serious earlier that year when we cut the ribbon of our new office doors and installed a rotary telephone at my desk. Our high-end, professionally operated company ran out of my apartment which produced a whole host of problems that I will do my best not to get too into. My classy foyer was turned into a waiting room, my kitchen became a free-range cafeteria for my two coworkers, and two desks were placed on either side of the living room. My desk sat farthest away from the fireplace and nearest the front door. Since I was the only one unable to cast any spells, Wensley and Malfoy took on the brunt of the responsibility, heroically exorcising spirits and demons and the physically manifested machinations of man, while I bravely took calls, managed the schedule, and kept track of who hadn't paid their invoices yet. He hired me as the receptionist, but I liked to tell people I was an apprentice. While my position wasn't that deserving of recognition, after I started a couple of explosive arguments and exchanged a series of backhanded comments with the Chief, I was allowed to be in the updated staff group photo taken in June.

I stayed at the office on Mondays through Thursdays, but Friday was my day to tag along with the others in the field. 6AM hadn't even struck the clock before the phone rang. I ran down the stairs while I pulled my vest over my button up—which in hindsight was a stupid idea—and my foot landed a quarter too far on the first step and I slammed into the rail. This was a foreboding start to my day, and it could only mean one thing: that I was going to carry on this way until it was over.

I tore the phone from the receiver and leaned over my desk to catch my breath.

"...Thank you for calling Weird Friends Co., this is—"

"D-Do you have any o-openings this... this evening at 11PM?"

"Unfortunately, no. We're completely booked today, but in case someone cancels I can jot down your information," I reached for a quill, "We would have to conduct an interview at your current address however..."

"Yes, yes! Jot me down! You may c-come... any...any time after 11PM. 6636 Wyncrest St—"

"I'm sorry sir, you said 666—"

"No! 6636... 6636 Wyn-crest. Street. Highgate."

I could've sworn I heard him laughing breathily on the other end.

"Thank you... May I have a first and last name?"

"Griffin... Griffin Winder," I heard his lips curl spit over his teeth, "W-We have a p-p-p-problem, a-hah-ha! I beg your pardon... A problem... with a..." his voice suddenly dropped an octave or two and he practically growled his next piece of information into my ear, "POLTER-GEISSST."

His phone slammed on the receiver and the call disconnected. It wasn't unusual to get strange or unnerved clients, since they were the ones being haunted and had an urgency to expel their unwanted guests so expressly that they could hardly think straight. But the image I had of him grinning into the phone was uncomfortably visceral.