“Tessa, you don’t understand,” I say, sitting up straighter.
“No, I get it, Tori. Really, I do. We’re all shocked that Jonathan and Marissa are together, and maybe you’re really not into this weekend.”
“What I’m talking about has nothing to do with Jonathan and Marissa?—”
“Tori, come on,” she interrupts with a sigh. “Can you just try to have a nice weekend and get into the spooky holiday spirit like you always used to? Just forget Jonathan. It’s been over two months now, hasn’t it?”
“I slept with Lyle,” I say flatly.
She freezes, staring at me. “Wait, what? I knew you lied about knowing him. When? Last night?”
“No,” I sigh, rubbing a hand over my face. “Last night I slept with Hayes. The night before, I was with Lyle, before we came here.”
“How?”
“I met him at a bar in town the night before we were all supposed to meet up.”
Tessa’s eyes widen, and for a moment, there’s silence. Then she asks, almost too casually, “How was Hayes?”
“I didn’t tell him. He has no clue.”
“No,” Tessa laughs, “I mean, how was Hayes? I’ve always wondered what he was like in bed.”
“Phenomenal,” I admit. “After Hayes, I have no thoughts about being with Jonathan, now or ever again. But this rose,” I say, lifting the flower as if it were a ticking bomb, “is from a guy I had a one-night stand with and left his weird all-white apartment without ever telling him my real name.”
“Oh, shit,” she says, her eyes like saucers.
“Yeah, now you get it.”
“How, uh, drunk were you?”
“Extremely.”
“Yikes. What are you going to do?” she asks, shifting on the sofa closer to me. “Maybe we shouldn’t go tonight?” Her gaze drops down to her hands, and I can tell she hopes I’ll brush this off and not ruin her carefully planned horror-filled weekend.
I unfold the brochure that she’d just given me and look through its advertisement.
Welcome to Everwood Estates:
The Ultimate Haunted Getaway!
Do you thrive on the thrill of the unknown? Does the idea of unexplained whispers and ghostly apparitions excite you? Then Everwood Estates is your perfect escape. Immerse yourself in an eerie experience like no other at our haunted mansion, where the past lingers and the supernatural is just a heartbeat away.
Spine-Tingling Atmosphere:
Feel the chill in the air as you explore rooms where time has stood still. From flickering candlelight to creaky floorboards, every detail is designed to send shivers down your spine.
Ghostly Encounters:
Spend the night in rooms rumored to be frequented by restless spirits. Listen closely for the faint sound of footsteps, or catch a glimpse of a shadow moving in the corner of your eye. Are you brave enough to meet our spectral residents?
Historic Charm:
Our haunted manor is steeped in history, with each room telling a tale of its own. Wander through the corridors and discover the stories of former inhabitants who, for reasons unknown, still call this place home.
Everwood Estates is proud to present a new concept of interactive entertainment: Everwood’s Abandoned Amusement Park Escape Room! You have two hours and one goal. Escape before your time runs out!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a ghost hunter? Or maybe how it would feel to be in a horror movie like Saw or It? Could you escape a maximum-security prison or survive a night in a haunted asylum?
