The Halloween return

After party

Michael and Dylan, both eighteen, were still laughing as they drove up the long driveway to Michael’s house. Their clothes smelled faintly of fake fog, a result of the Halloween party they’d just left: a noisy and chaotic gathering thrown by some classmates in an old, renovated barn outside of town. The night had been filled with lights, poorly carved pumpkins, and attempts to summon spirits with a makeshift Ouija board that kept sticking to the table. Dylan had teased Michael for jumping up when one of their friends grabbed his shoulder from behind. By the time they reached Michael’s house, the energy of the party had faded into a tired but comfortable silence. The street was unusually quiet, accompanied by dark porches and leftover decorations swaying in the cold wind. Michael’s parents were on vacation, so the boys had the house completely to themselves. Inside, the house felt larger and emptier than usual, the kind of silence that made every step echo. They settled into the living room, swapping stories of the evening as they rummaged through the remaining sweets. Midnight approached without either of them noticing.

Then the doorbell rang….

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