I glance at Hayes, who nods for me to explain. “I saw something inside,” I say, my voice thin, just a wisp of sound. “Something that didn’t feel like part of the attraction. It just... freaked me out. But I’m okay now.”
“What was it?” Tessa asks, leaning closer.
“The lights went out and…” I hesitate, because the words sound so childish saying them out loud. “It doesn’t matter, I just got caught up in my feels, but it’s all part of the ambiance of the place, right?”
Tessa gives me a reassuring smile. "Of course it is! This whole place is designed to give you a fright. That's why it's the best Halloween attraction around. You're supposed to get spooked. Look, it's almost six." She glances down at her watch. "We should head to the dining room. Agatha planned a special dinner for us."
“I thought you were feeling like lobster tonight,” I say, standing up, dusting off the bottom of my pants.
“Agatha promised me this would be better. Come on, I’m starving.”
Hayes takes my hand, intertwining our fingers, sending a spark of warmth up my arm. I quickly glance around to see if anyone notices. Tessa gives me a quick wink, and Griffin smirks. “Isn’t that cute.” He chuckles. “Maybe this will calm down the other two.”
“God, Griff, shut up,” Tessa mutters.
“Wait, what’s going on?” I ask, and Hayes brings my hand up to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against my fingers. I actually giggle like a schoolgirl.
“Jonathan and Marissa have been at each other’s throats all day,” Griffin says as we walk through the front doors. “If you two are together now, maybe they’ll finally shut up. Today wassupposed to be relaxing, but it felt like being back home with my parents fighting.”
Tessa purses her lips. “It was awful.”
I want to hear more, but I’m too ashamed to ask.
The aroma of rich, savory food draws us into the manor's grand dining room. The table is elegantly set, but the sight of the food stops us in our tracks. Everything is gray—the soup, the main course, even the desserts on the side table. It all looks dull and unappetizing. Thank God I’m still full from my sandwich.
"Uh, is this some kind of joke?" Griffin asks, eyeing a plate of gray roasted chicken warily, as he sits down.
“I’m not eating that,” Hayes murmurs. “It looks horrible.”
“Don’t be chickens,” Tessa whisper-yells, trying to sound braver than she looks.
Agatha sweeps into the room with a flourish. “It’s all perfectly edible and quite delicious, I assure you. Just a little Halloween trick to test your bravery in a different way.”
We all stare at her like she sprouted four heads and a pig’s tail.
“Well, come now, dig in,” she cackles.
Nobody moves. We continue gawking, unsure whether to laugh or leave.
Tessa’s eyes are wide, almost on the verge of tears.
“Okay, I’ll go first,” I say, taking a tentative bite. I brace myself for the worst, but to my surprise, the chicken is crisp, well-seasoned, and bursting with flavor. “Wow, this is actually really good,” I say, laughing. “Seriously, try it. It’s delicious.”
Griffin is the next to take a bite. His eyes widen as he chews. “It is good,” he agrees, a goofy grin spreading across his face.
Tessa takes a forkful of gray mashed potatoes, shoves it into her mouth, and squeezes her eyes shut. “Oh, wait. That is good.”
Looking quite pleased, Agatha moves around the table, pouring us all a glass of dark red wine. As I take my first sip,I hear Jonathan and Marissa’s raised voices from the hallway. "I told you, we were supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago," Marissa snaps, her voice dripping with irritation.
"And I told you, it doesn't matter! We're here now, aren't we?" Jonathan retorts. “Fix your face, you look like shit.”
The dining room doors swing open, and Marissa and Jonathan walk in, their faces tight with frustration, clearly in the middle of a heated argument.
“Great. Now dinner will be ruined too,” Griffin mumbles under his breath, exchanging a look with Hayes.
“Ew,” Marissa complains loudly. “What is all that gray stuff?” The entire mood in the room shifts as we look up at Marissa’s red-rimmed eyes.
“I promise it’s delicious, try it,” Tessa says.
