The letter came in the mail on a Tuesday in early October.
You've been invited to the annual Halloween masquerade ball.
Dress up, mask included. The night will be filled with mysteries.
No location mentioned and no hour. It lingered on his mind during the day before he eventually forget about it as it got lost in piles of paper on his desk.
His mother found the invitation again as she was sorting through the papers in his office. She asked him about it when he came home and he just shrugged.
The next morning he found another letter in his mail, another invitation.
The masquerade will be held at the Witchfield Mansion on Crow Hill.
Take place on the courtyard before the clock strikes 6 o'clock on October 31st.
He put the invitations up on his fridge and made a mental note to go shopping for a mask and some clothes for the masquerade.
As the end of October rolled around, he was buried in work before his week off. The week around Halloween was sacred to him and he always took out his sick days during those days.
On October 31st, he had his costume ready and on, mask in hand as he walked up the gravel road to the courtyard of Witchfield Mansion. He was alone and the sun had begun to set as he stopped infront of the stairs. He glanced down at his wrist watch, watching the seconds tick by. It was getting close to 6 o'clock.
As he waited on the steps to the mansion, the wind picked up and he shivered through his thin gold embroiled jacket.
Just as the clock struck 6, the heavy double doors to the mansion flew up with a loud bang and he jumped up in fear. Leaves whirled up around him in the warm colours of golden yellow and bright flaming red and orange. A man in tailcoat stepped out and raised an eyebrow at the young man in his sight.
The butler clasped his hands together infront of himself and the man walked up the steps, raising his mask to cover his face.
"Good evening, sir." The butler said, his voice deep and stiff. The man nodded in acknowledgement and smiled slightly.
"Good evening. Am I late?" he asked, smiling nervously. The butler shook his head and eyed him up and down.
"No, sir. You're right on time. The other guests are waiting for you." He turned around and his feet moved into a slow walk, letting the young man follow with ease. He looked around in awe, the mansion lit up in a warm welcoming light. The wall were covered by colorful tapestry, embroiled with gold patterns and images of dancing people and festive events. The heels of his boots clicked against the marble floor and the soft sound of music reached his ears as they approached a pair of double doors painted in gold. Above the doors, hung a big Pride flag, making the young man smile.
The butler stopped infront of the doors and gave them a light knock. Just as the young man went to speak, the double doors opened. He was met with a sea of masks in various colours of green and gold, red and silver, black and gold. Men and women stopped moving and looked at him.
"Welcome, to the Halloween masquerade ball." The butler announced in a clear voice, making the man avert his eyes from the crowd of ball gowns and suits to meet the older man's eyes. He parted his lips, ready to speak but not a sound slipped out. He pressed his lips together and swallowed hard before stepping into the big ball room. In the middle of the room there was a big dance floor and in the ceiling, hung a big crystal chandelier. A case of stairs leading up to a balcony with golden railing towered up on the other side of the room, infront of him. The orchestra played soft music and a quiet murmur went through the room.
