The old house on River Road creaked and groaned loudly, almost as if its elderly bones hurt. Nobody heard the sounds because the house was empty and had been since the last owners abandoned it in 1924. The grass had been taken over by straw grass and weeds. The bushes were over grown and scrapped against the clapboard siding. The screen door hung askew by one hinge and would soon be gone at the first winter wind.
Some people in the neighborhood claimed the house was haunted. Nobody knew for sure. The last owners packed their belongings into a truck and moved on to Seattle and never said a word. Still, the neighborhood wondered. Over the years, many stories had grown up about what old Mrs. Johnson called, "Strange happenings" around the house, but the kids in the neighborhood joked about it. It even became a test of courage to "run" the house as they called it.
A big, yellow moon rose low in the dark sky just above the trees surrounding the old house. The light from the moon bathed the property and surrounding neighborhood with a silvery glow. The evening sky was clear. The temperature was warm and had not yet dipped to the low 40's as was common in late October. But this night was special.
Down the block near the corner of Juniper Lane, Jackie O'Donald held her hand over the phone in her bedroom. "Sally, are you ready to go yet? Bob is on his way."
"Just a minute," came the response from her room mate. "I'm almost done with Mr. Tidbits Western Civ assignment." Jackie had met Sally in Mr. Tidbits classroom. They both were wide-eyed freshman at the University. They became immediate friends. It wasn't long before they two moved in together at the apartment on Juniper Lane.
"Well, hurry up. Bob says people are already showing up for the party," Jackie called back.
Sally came into Jackie's bedroom and twirled around. "You like?" she asked smiling.
Jackie took in Sally's costume. Sally was dressed exactly like Jackie. The costumes consisted of a long, white gown of the sheerest rayon, ruffled at the neck and belted at the waist. Their brown hair had been dyed jet black. There faces were whitened with powder to offset the black eye liner they wore. Their lips were painted with fire engine red lip gloss. A small trickle of "blood" ran from the corners of their lips.
"Peeeerfect Vaaaampiresssss, Daaaalink," Jackie mimed the words.
The two women picked up their shawls from the hall tree in the corner and headed for the party. At the old house, Sally turned to Jackie.
"Wow. Wouldn't it be cool to run the old house on Halloween night? The guys the party will go just nuts when we tell them," she said enthusiastically.
"Yeah. That would be great. Let's do it."
The two danced up the four old wooden steps to the front door. "I bet it's locked," frowned Sally. She reached out and turned the knob and was surprised when the door swung open. The two women peered into the gloomy foyer. Sally turned and grinned. "Let's go." Sally stepped inside.
Many kids in the neighborhood had run the house over the years, tempting the ghosts and goblins. But even among the youngest, no one ever ran the house after dark. It was dark now. The two women looked at each other and shivered.
"Are you scared?" asked Sally.
"No. Are you?"
"No. Let's go."
Holding hands Jackie and Sally ran out of the foyer into the living room. The house creaked and groaned. The women laughed.
"In here. What's in here?" laughed Sally as she ran toward the kitchen door. The kitchen was as old and decrepit as the house. Rust stained the old sink. The linoleum on the floor was worn nearly through. But it was the smell that made them stop. There was a musty smell almost like something dead and moldering under the floor.
"Ewww, Let's go up stairs," said Jackie.
A moaning sound seeming came from the walls around the women.
"Did you hear that?" asked Jackie, looking around.
"That's just the sound of an old house. Let's go."
Up the stairs they went. The stair boards bent, groaned and cracked under their weight. Sally laughed wildly as she ran. At the top of the stairs they stopped. In front of them was a long hallway. Slowly they crept toward the first door. It was open and a very low sound of music came from within.
"I'll bet Bob and the others are here somewhere," said Sally with a grin.
