This is my entry in the Halloween Story Contest 2008. It's a bit different for me so I hope you enjoy it. I'd like to thank all my readers for your votes, comments and feedback on my previous stories. In addition, my thanks and appreciation goes out to Iamcanadian28 for the challenge to write this.
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Zack swore when he saw what he thought was a parking ticket under the wiper blade of his wife's car. All the neighbors complained about the local police department handing out citations for petty infractions. Space was limited to one vehicle per family at the apartment complex so everyone used the side street for their other cars with no problems in the past.
He walked over and grabbed the paper. It was just like the flyers he'd seen tacked to trees during his morning run a few minutes ago. Someone was hosting a haunted house for Halloween again. He figured it was just a bunch from the local college looking for another excuse to have a party. Zack crumpled it up and took it with him to throw away inside. Lisa sat at the table in her robe with a cup of coffee in front of her.
"You're up early," he said as he tossed the orange paper towards the wastebasket.
"I'm putting up a few more Halloween decorations today. This year I think we should go to at least one of our friends' parties, Zack. It's so much fun deciding what costumes to wear and seeing what everyone else chose. You know this is one of my favorite holidays."
He groaned but remained silent. Zack loved his wife and her enthusiasm for life. That vitality drew him to her the first time he saw her. It was also one of the often-discussed differences between them. Lisa thought nothing of making plans for dinners, shows or other evenings out with friends before checking with him. Entertaining came natural to her and she thrived on it. Zack didn't mind getting out but preferred a quieter lifestyle. He tolerated it all because he enjoyed seeing her happy.
"Let's just stay home and —"
"No." Lisa cut off his words and stood up. "We didn't do anything last year, Zack."
"Okay, but do I have to wear a stupid costume?"
"I'll check out what activities are going on around town and let you know," she said in a distracted tone.
Zack let the topic go and went on to take a shower. Lisa stopped him a short while later on his way out to work.
"Where did this come from?"
Lisa held the wrinkled flyer for the haunted house in front of him. She looked at him and waited for his answer.
"I found it on your car this morning," he said.
"This is perfect, Zack. It's been years since I went to a haunted house. They can be so scary."
"Those things are always so fake looking."
"You won't have to wear a costume," she said in a teasing voice. "I promise if we go to the haunted house then we'll skip the other things we've been invited to."
"Okay, that works for me," he told her with a smile.
She kissed him good-bye and looked back at the printing on the paper for the details. The haunted house was on Raven Lane and there was a small map with directions. Lisa wrote the time for the following Saturday on her calendar and grinned. Already she knew it would be a memorable event for them.
Zack kept busy over the next few days and forgot all about their night out. Lisa reminded him of it that morning as they had a late breakfast together.
"Tonight is the haunted house, Zack."
"Oh, yeah," he said, "that's right. What's the address?"
"It's out on Raven Lane," she replied.
"I don't recognize it."
"They put directions on the flyer. If we leave here just before seven we'll be fine," Lisa said on her way to the shower.
The day flew by as they ran some errands and did a few household chores. Soon they found themselves heading just outside of town. Zack humored Lisa and said it might even be fun and something interesting to talk about with their friends later. He just knew it would be cheesy and amateurish, though.
Raven Lane twisted along a section of the countryside unknown to Zack. He followed the narrow gravel road for so long he thought there must be a mistake in the directions. Lisa peered through her window and shivered.
"They sure have a perfect setting out here for a haunted house," she said.
Her words came out a bit more hushed than usual for her, Zack thought. He grinned at the idea that she might be scared even before they arrived. The beam of the headlights caught the eyes of two deer running across the road in front of them. Zack swerved to avoid hitting them and slammed on the brakes.
"Holy shit," Lisa whispered. "That was a little too close." "Yeah, it was," he said.
"It would be scary to be stuck out here for long, Zack."
"We must be almost there, honey. Relax."
Lisa felt embarrassed and a bit silly and chuckled. "You're right. Let's go, baby."
Zack drove on and spotted the small sign for the haunted house less than a mile later. Huge trees hung over the bumpy driveway and prevented any hint of the moon from shining through. A light fog swirled in the air to make the night seem even more eerie. All around them the sounds of nature echoed through the woods. Zack hit his brakes once more and whistled.
"It's almost like in the movies," he said in a hushed voice.
Lisa stared at the ramshackle old house sitting in front of them. The warped siding was a dull grey with no hint of the former color. Only a few rooms had any light coming through the cracked windows. Dead flowers drooped over the edges of clay pots sitting on the steps. Not a blade of grass grew in the yard.
Zack shut the car off and turned to his wife. "Still want to go in now that you've seen it?"
"I can't believe how realistic everything is. This will be fantastic," she replied as she opened her door and stepped out.
They walked hand-in-hand up to the rickety porch. The boards creaked from their weight and sagged with each step they took. Lisa pushed the button for the doorbell and a skeleton fell and hung from the rafters behind them. Her scream blocked out the sound of the door opening. Zack pulled her closer just as a cackling voice came out of nowhere.
"Welcome, dear friends. Please, come in and enjoy yourselves."
Haunting music began playing as they took a few tentative steps inside. What might have once been a parlor now had witches, broomsticks and steaming pots of water everywhere. One evil looking woman hissed and shaped her hands into claws at them when they glanced her way. A sinister looking old grandmother repeated magic spells in the corner of the room. Zack and Lisa spun around as more witches materialized out of nowhere and floated in the air.
Zack felt his heartbeat speeding up as the wicked witches snickered and screeched. Pale white faces resembling those of the dead contrasted with the black costumes and hats. Long stringy hair stuck out in clumps. Dark eyes mocked the couple's obvious fear. Lisa twirled to dodge the wrinkled hands grabbing at her but everywhere she moved they followed her.