Sickly Sweet

Turning the car off the main road, Marcy headed up the gravel drive. When they came to a small worn patch, she stopped and turned off the engine and looked up at the last place anyone in their right mind would go on a good day, let alone so close to Halloween.

There were no lights in the time-smudged windows. No cars. No footsteps in the layers of dirt on the front steps to show anyone had been here in years. Marcy had a hard time believing anyone had set up this so-called party. Someone was playing a sick game luring them here and Marcy wasn't falling for it.

Chipped, stained shutters hung lopsided from rusted hinges. So much ivy had grown around the house, it hung like living, breathing curtains around the windows. Barren soil encircled the foundation like nothing good could grow here. If the stories their parents told them growing up were true, nothing ever did.

With one last check of her makeup, Jill was out of the car and headed for the front steps. Marcy jumped out after her.

"Jill, wait!"

"Oh, come on. We came this far. You can't chicken out now."

"This place looks as empty as it has the past 125 years."

"That's the point! This is a Halloween party, Marce. It's supposed to look creepy. Come on!"

Jill held out a small bundle wrapped in bright orange and purple tulle but when Marcy shook her head, Jill shoved it into Marcy's hand.

"Bobby obviously went to a lot of trouble to impress you by setting up this party. They least you can do is eat a little candy to get in the spirit."

"Who cares. We broke up. Remember?"

"So what! This must be his way of getting back on your good side. He knows you like all this Halloween crap."

Marcy looked up at the house. If Bobby really knew her at all, he'd realize this was the last place she wanted to be on a night like tonight.

Fog seeped ever closer to the house, but Marcy didn't believe it would protect her from the outside world and memories of the cruelty it inflicted on others. The closer the mist encroached, the more it felt like a threshold between where they'd been and what lay in store for them.

"Look, you can stand out here all night if you want. I'm going inside."

Before Marcy could stop her, Jill bounded up the stairs and went to the front door. Marcy chased after her, but the toe of her boot got caught in one of the worn boards. She lost her footing and fell forward on both hands. By the time she'd righted herself, Jill had already opened the front door and disappeared inside.

"Jill!" Marcy hissed.

No answer.

Marcy edged inside the door. Someone grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her inside. She swung both arms to knock them away. When she tried to run, her sister burst out laughing.

Marcy spun around, it surprised her to see the inside of the house lit by soft candlelight from glass votives scattered around the room. A bunch of their friends were already inside enjoying the festivities.

"What the hell, Jill?"

"Oh, come on! Lighten up, Marce!"

Jill opened another candy bar and ate it in two bites.

"You better slow down or you'll hurl," Marcy said bitingly.

Jill turned and headed inside where the party was already in full swing.

Cheesy horror music played from a set of scratchy speakers set on one a folding table. Gauzy material hung from the corners of the room. Fake spiders poked out of white webbing intertwined with purple fairy lights draped across the old stone hearth.