A house in a run-down area.
I’m on the outside looking in.
No lights.
No signs of life.
Noises emanate from other houses in the area.
But this house is quiet.
A note has been left for me.
From someone trapped inside.
My friends are too afraid to join me.
I go alone.
I enter the house.
The rooms are empty shells.
I open the basement door.
A rotting smell greets me from below.
I’m not going in.
I’m out of here.
I’m pushed from behind.
Down the steps I fall
to the hard basement floor.
I look up.
A light filters in from the open door.
Then the door slams shut.
I’m left in the dark.
I try to stand up.
My arms touches something soft.
A shaft of light from a high window
highlights a man’s trousered leg.
A body lies before me.
One that isn’t moving or breathing.
Something is wrong.
He has no head.
Shadows rise up from the ground.
I run to the stairs.
A hand catches my foot,
pulling me back into the darkness.
I scream.
The shadows lurch at me.
I reach out and my fingers find a crow bar.
I throw it at a tall shadow.
It goes down and cries,
“Stop, please stop.”
The light turns on.
I look around.
I’m looking at a room full of zombies.
The one I hit is sitting on the floor,
holding his head.
One zombie walks toward me.
He takes off his mask.
A boy from school was facing me.
“What’s going on?” I ask him.
“It is supposed to be a fun prank.
No one is supposed to get hurt.
It’s Halloween.”
“The prank is on me?”
“Yes, I’m sorry.
No one else was brave enough to join you.
But if you agree to be my date to the Halloween dance,
then it wouldn’t have been for nothing.”
“You’re kidding.” I say.
“No, I’m serious.
We’d be great together.”
He looks at me with his big blue eyes and I’m lost.
“I don’t even know your name.”
“My name is Brian and you’re Annie.”
“Hi Brian. I guess it’s a date.”
Why does the most popular boy in school want me?
Is there more to this prank that I don’t know about?
