“I hope you don’t mind, but I invited Shayla and her fiancée, Penny. I know Shayla can be a little much, but it’s just for one night.”
“Nah, that’s fine. I was a last-minute addition anyway.” I’ve known Shayla for as long as I’ve known Callie with them being sisters it’s hard to avoid ending up together. Truthfully, her boisterous personality gets under Callie’s skin more than it does mine. I find her hilarious and enjoy seeing her make Callie squirm as only sisters can.
“Bitch, you’re always first in my book.” Callie says, linking her arm in mine as we head down the narrow staircase. We barely fit, but that just makes us giggle. Her long black hair sways behind her. It’s so long that it brushes against the top of her non-existent ass.
“Are you two already starting with your shit?” Shayla calls up as we round the staircase landing.
“Are you already complaining?” Callie quips, and I elbow her.
She glares at me and then relents. “Fine. Let’s get going. We don’t want to be late.”
“For what?” I ask, grabbing my purse and keys.
“You’ll see.”
Whatever it is, it has to beat staying home and sulking. So, I follow. Locking the door firmly behind me.
Chapter 2
Olivia
We drive down a secluded path tucked away in the middle of nowhere. The pines press in from all around us as several flickering torches light the way. It’s unsettling, but also entrancing how ethereal it all looks. Enveloping us into its warm embrace. A fine layer of fog rolls along the ground, kicking up into circles as we pass through it. I still have no idea where we’re headed, but seeing this has me feeling nervous.
“Are you sure this is the right place?” Shayla snaps at Callie from the back.
“For the last time, yes. I followed the directions.”
“Still, it’s crazy it doesn’t show up on GPS at all. Shouldn’t businesses list their locations on the map?” Shayla utters.
“Whatever. Maybe they’re a little more old school. I, for one, like the nostalgia. Don’t you remember having to print out directions when we were little for mom?”
“Wait. What the hell is that?” Penny asks, and we all look in the direction that she’s pointing. Callie slows the car down to a crawl as we peer into the dark. Deep in the trees, there’s whatlooks like gallows, with several hanging bodies swinging back and forth. Only, there’s no breeze tonight.
“Creepy. Those videos on TikTok saying this place is the most life-like they’ve seen, might not be wrong.” Shayla mutters.
“I told you. This place is worth it.” Callie quips, pressing on the gas.
The word, ‘lifelike’, spins in my head, fearful of what that means. I’ve always hated haunted houses, choosing instead to attend more festivals and play dress up. I leave the scarier elements of this holiday to Callie, who seems hellbent on us dragging us along to whatever this place is. Wherever we’re going seems creepy as fuck.
We come to a fork in the road where, a large ten-foot-tall statue of a pumpkin headed man waving. His skeletal arm points us to the right as he holds a sign in the other arm that reads, “This way to your doom”.
Unease coats my stomach, but Callie turns the car in that direction completely unaffected. As we turn, a sign with two jack o’lanterns on either end flickers a chilling welcome to Nightmare Acres. The jagged letters look as if they’re about to fall off at any moment to smash us as we pass below.
“What is this place?” I ask.
“Babes, it literally says on the sign, Nightmare Acres.” Callie replies, and I bristle at her response. “There’s a corn maze, a haunted house, a haunted hayride, and in the summer, they have a week-long camp where they chase you night and day.”
My eyebrows raise. “Sounds intense.” Suddenly, I’m not so sure this is a good idea. I wanted to get out of the house for once, but there’s something in the air here that has me on edge. I grip the seatbelt, wishing I could just turn back around.
The car comes to a stop in a packed gravel parking lot. In the distance, a lone building flashes with an ominous red glow. Its several stories high, looming around the surrounding area.
“Looks like someone is trying to compensate for something.” Shayla murmurs, snaking Penny’s hand in hers. They spent the majority of the time on the drive over making out with each other, and God, it made me jealous. I don’t begrudge them their happiness, but seeing them so in love only reminds me of how alone I’ve been. The last person I kissed was Trent.
That depressing bit of knowledge clings to my skin as we exit the car and are met with the smell of beer and hay.
“Ladies, right this way!” Shayla shouts, leading the way to where a line has formed around the tall building.
Looking up at the imposing structure, I determine it has to be at least five stories high.
