Halloween night is crisp and foggy, the perfect setting for a spooky evening spent at the annual party in the abandoned house on the outskirts of town. 

The clock pushes past 10 P.M. as you arrive at the end of the long driveway. A little late, but your costume makeup demanded the extra time. You pull your phone from your pocket, unlocking the screen and pulling up the chat with Jongup.

You: 10:13 P.M.: Hey, I just made it. Walking up the driveway now!

You press send and begin to make your way to the house. The driveway is long, a canopy of trees blocking out the silver tendrils of the full moon. From this distance, you can hear the bass of the music blasting from the house–a good sign that the party is well underway. 

A rustle in the overgrown bushes to your left sends your heart racing in your throat, but when a small rabbit hops out you shakily laugh to yourself.

A few feet farther and another rustle catches your attention, but this time you are prepared.

“It’s just another rabbit,” you say, ignoring the noise and the unsteady feeling blossoming in the pit of your belly. 

But the rustling continues, following you through the bushes until finally, you come to a halt. Your voice shakes and your hand trembles as you flick on the flashlight on your phone.

The light falls on the gnarly bushes knotted with crumbling brown vines. You carefully sweep it over the bushes, but nothing appears