Page 85 of Yearning Difficulties

‘Max would be really proud of you, Zee.’

I held his gaze for a few seconds, not trusting myself to speak. In the end, I could only manage a curt sort of nod, acknowledging his words without committing to any sort of reply. I didn’t know what would have come out of my mouth should I have spoken.

Inside the mansion, it was like something from a film set. The great ballroom had been finished with gold foil and hanging lanterns, making the cavernous room look like a magical hollow. Lights had been draped around every column and every nook, creating the illusion of stardust, and a live string quartet was sitting on the balcony, playing for the guests below. I looked around at the diverse collection of costumes, barely recognizing anyone.

Some members of the town committee were gathered by a table in the corner, fussing over mountains of paper. I expected they were to do with the scavenger hunt. I was about to go over and see for myself when I felt a tap on my shoulder.

I turned and felt my whole body stiffen. ‘Hey, Dave.’

He was wearing a suit and some generic skeleton make-up. Not much of an effort, but he’d never been a big fan of Halloween. ‘You’re that girl from that movie.’

‘Dorothy Gale from Kansas,’ I said in my best Judy voice. ‘Yeah. How was your interview?’

‘Pretty good, I think.’

Something was troubling him. I stepped closer. ‘What, Dave?’

He glanced at the exit and for the first time in a long time, he looked unsure of himself. ‘Killian and his brother were there, too. I got there early, went to the bathroom and when I was about to go back into the waiting room, they were there.’

I waited for him to go on and when he didn’t, I pressed. ‘And?’

He fixed me with a very serious expression, one I’d never seen on his face before. ‘And they said some really weird things—’

‘Good evening, Lake Pristine!’

The start of the scavenger hunt caused us to abandon our conversation. The overhead lights dimmed a little and I desperately glanced around the ballroom, wondering where the rest of my friends were.

I spotted Logan Minola on the other side of the dance floor. He looked bored and was wearing a tux. The only thing that even hinted to Halloween was the cherry red pocket square he wore. Sterling was glued to his side in a figure-hugging catsuit. She at least had made an effort, with cute little ears to match, though she’d obviously drawn the line at painting whiskers on her face.

‘Welcome to this year’s Lake Pristine Halloween Ball!’ Killian’s father, the deputy mayor, was on a small dais, speaking loudly into a sensitive microphone. ‘Generously arranged and organized as part of the official Lake Pristine Autumn Season!’

People applauded politely. I kept looking for Killian and the others but I couldn’t see them. The room had hundreds of people in it now and almost every single person was dressed in a mask or a costume.

‘The scavenger hunt is about to begin,’ John Bergery continued. ‘You may find a list of the required items here, though I shall read them out momentarily. You may work as part of a team or by your own ghoulish self!’

Dave nudged me with a small smile, almost like he was asking me to be on his team. But those days were done. At least for me.

‘Item number one: the ace of a card that will help you to dig a grave!’

People began to murmur with hushed excitement and a few edged closer to the small stage.

‘Item number two: something unwanted!’

Up to interpretation, though I had seen a rubber rat hidden behind a door on my way in. I wondered if that would do.

‘Item number three: something a witch would use to get to and from a party.’

I smirked as someone loudly cried out ‘broomstick!’ before being viciously shushed by his teammates.

‘Item number four: something genuinely scary!’

Another one that was open to people’s own ideas. I turned and smiled as I spotted Cherry arriving, pushing through the crowd to get closer to the action. When she saw me, she waved enthusiastically.

‘And finally, item number five: linen for a mummy or for a ghostly ghoul!’

A bedsheet or bandages. I knew the large house would be stuffed with different items for people to find if they searched through the rooms. I gave Dave a quick goodbye and then headed over to where Cherry stood. She was dressed in a silky terracotta slip and carried a small basket of apples.

‘Who’re you dressed as?’ I asked, raising my voice over the sudden noise, as the rest of the room broke into pandemonium.