“Trust me.I work for him too.He’s a real hard-ass.Definitely won’t put up with Jonathan taking a break even if it’s just to say hi.”
“Maybe we shouldn’t,” I say, suddenly concerned that if we show up tonight, Jonathan might not be allowed to come to my party.Collin and I have talked about what sets Mr.Reeves off, and we can’t figure it out.Jonathan claims it’s his existence alone, which only reflects how awful it must be for him at home.
“We’ll be careful,” Danika says.“I want to go to the haunted house anyway.Especially if this party really isn’t like your others.I prefer your gorier-themed birthdays.”She quickly adds, “No offense.”
I understand.I’m not thrilled about my tame party theme either.
We leave the filled skeleton bowlfor the last hour of trick-or-treating.All the cute and imaginative costumes have already visited us at this point—the late Halloweeners, usually older kids, are all about the candy and barely make an effort.I don’t feel bad about leaving them granola bars and raisins.
As we pile into Danika’s car, I’m still not convinced we should be going.I consider texting to warn Jonathan, but he probably won’t see it.Not in time anyway.He really is horrible at checking his phone.
The haunted house is packed.It’s Halloween weekend.Probably why Jonathan was forced to work.Maybe he’s been working here the past couple weeks, and I didn’t know.I don’t ask about every move he makes.And he doesn’t volunteer many details.Working here probably isn’t important enough to mention.I realize we’re the exact opposite of Oren and Danika.
We approach the ticket shack, prepared to enthusiastically greet Jonathan.But a woman dressed as a zombie greets us instead.We purchase tickets and join the line corralled within the red velvet ropes leading to the old Victorian house looming atop the hill.Lights flash in windows, and screams echo through the chilled air.Ominous music, straight from some horror film, pipes in from surrounding speakers.I usually have a pillow in front of my face when this music plays on the screen while Danika leans forward in giddy anticipation, yelling at the dumb people who are about to die.I prefer to have control over the things that are meant to scare me.
I crane my neck in search of Jonathan without any luck.
Danika asks, “Should we text him?”She’s not looking very hard for him, more interested in the costumes passing by.
“He won’t check it,” Collin says, echoing my thoughts from earlier.“Maybe he’s taking the tickets at the front.”
Twenty minutes later, a guy with a half-melted face takes our tickets.The prosthetic is so realistic; it’s hard to look at him.But I force myself to meet his eye, the one that’s bright blue.Not Jonathan.
We actually have to go inside.I’ve been hoping this entire time that we’d find him and I wouldn’t be forced to experience the haunted house.I grip Collin’s leaf-stuffed arm, determined to stay close to him.“I’m closing my eyes for most of this, so don’t let me run into anything.”
“You’re no fun,” Danika scolds.“Nothing in here will really hurt you.”
“Tell that to my heart.It’s already trying to escape my chest, and we haven’t even entered yet,” I grumble.I’m not kidding.Danika cackles like I’m the biggest wimp.I’m not about to argue with her.
She boldly traverses the stairs and opens the door.“Let’s have some fun.”She has a wicked gleam in her eye as she smiles like a psychotic clown.I feel bad for the poor actors who cross her path.
I stick to Collin, burying my face in his shoulder when we round each corner.Gripping him tight with every creak of a board.My heart literally tries to leap from my chest every time a gruesome character jumps out of nowhere or sneaks up behind us.Danika laughs in their faces.Seriouslylaughs, like this is the funniest thing she’s ever seen.And I’m suddenly questioning my friend choice.
I spin around when I hear a whimper directly behind me.Collin disappears with Danika into the next room… without me.Before I can reach for him, the door slams shut, separating us.When I try the doorknob, it’s locked.I can hear him pounding on the other side.
“We’ll meet you outside!”Danika yells.
I slap my hand on the door, and a squeak of despair escapes from the back of my throat.
A door creaks open beside me.It’s my only choice, so I swing it open.There’s a staircase leading down into the basement.Nothing good ever happens in basements.Well… that’s not true.I’ve had some hilarious moments in Collin’s finished basement.But this oneisn’tfinished.The boards barely look safe to step on.I swallow the heart lodged in my throat and decide to rush through.I’m not the only person in this house.It can’t bethatdangerous.I just have to ignore everything that’s determined to scare me to absolute death.
What feels like hours later, I trip up the basement bulkhead steps, released into the fresh air, panting.I kept thinking I’d run into other visitors as I groped my way through the near dark, but I swear they reserved that cobwebbed, hissing basement just for me.I breathe in the cold air and release a billowing cloud of breath.Orienting myself, I veer toward the side of the house on quaking legs.I really hope Collin and Danika are waiting out front.I want to go home.
I notice two shadowy figures behind the shed off to the left of the path.As I near, the strung bulbs illuminating the perimeter bring Jonathan’s face into view.I smile in relief.Finally.I start in his direction and immediately halt when I notice the icy expression on his face.The person in front of him is his father.I don’t have to seehisface to know it.
I can’t hear what they’re saying over the broken music-box effects blasting through the speakers.But his father is animated, waving his arms and shaking his head, obviously upset.Jonathan’s expression hardens.I’ve never seen him look so… hateful.
His dark eyes shift to me.I’m absolutely still, staring back at his feral gaze.Jonathan’s mouth becomes a tense line when he realizes I’m watching.Like I’ve invaded a private exchange no one was meant to witness, even if it’s in sight of anyone passing by.My heartbeat stammers, and I find my feet stumbling backward.His father grips his jaw and redirects his attention back to him.Jonathan knocks his hand away.
Nearly tripping on my cape, I rush to the front of the house, my pulse hammering in my ears.There’s no way he could’ve known it was me.He’d never look at me like that.Never.My body shivers.
“There you are!”Danika exclaims.“I was about to go back in and search for you.I totally imagined you curled in a ball in some corner, rocking, with your hands clamped over your ears and your eyes squeezed shut.”
“That’s very vivid,” Collin comments.Danika shrugs a single shoulder, owning it.
“We should go,” I say, wrapping my arm around Collin’s and continuing my quickened pace, forcing him to keep up.
“Whoa, what happened?”Collin asks, pulling me to his side with an arm wrapped around my shoulders.“Did you totally get freaked out or what?”
