R/Nosleep (Get Spooked)

This Year's Halloween Party Was To Die For (Suburbia Part 4)

By u/firesidechats451

My phone read 7:12 as I stood on the sidewalk, fidgeting with a tower of Tupperware containing my hard-won deviled eggs. Carol's and Bob's lawn was decorated to the nines with fake tombstones, an animatronic grim reaper, and a ghost-inspired light show. Loud (but not too loud) music pulsed through the two-story, with an undercurrent of laughter and chatter. I wished I could see who'd already arrived so I could judge how appropriate my timing was.

"Hey, stranger!"

I looked up and instantly broke into a grin. Frances returned my smile as she strode over to me, her own arms filled with plastic containers of cupcakes.

"Girl, you look fantastic!" she said. I was glad it was dark outside so she couldn't see me blush.

"It's nothing," I said. Carol's Halloween parties always had a theme—this year's was "decades." In compliance, I was decked out in a 60's minidress with pink-and-purple paisley print, white sock boots, and a white headband in my bouffant (hair sprayed to hell to keep its shape, of course). "But look at you! You're—you're gorgeous!"

"That's real groovy of you to say," Frances said, unable to hold back a cackle. In keeping with her 70's theme, Frances wore yellow high-waisted, bell-bottom jeans and an orange, floral wrap top with draping sleeves. Ridiculously chunky hoops dangled from her ears, and her kinky curls radiated from her head like a halo. Frances always looked effortlessly beautiful, but tonight was something else.

Frances jerked her head toward the house. "Come on! The party doesn't start until we arrive, right?"

I smiled weakly. "If you say so."

I let Frances lead to the way to Carol's door, feeling a little comforted by her presence, but mostly anxious.

*

"Oh, don't you two just look darling!" Carol beamed as she welcomed us each in turn with a hug that made my skin crawl. She was dressed in an impeccable 50's plaid A-line dress, her hair done up in curls. "Bob's working on the rack of ribs—they should be done in an hour or so. Everyone else is on the deck—we've got a couple of those heat lamps in case you get chilled."

"That's so kind of you," Frances said, swooping in to my relief. She always seemed so natural, no matter who she was talking to. "We've been looking forward to this party all day!"

Carol glowed like uranium. "Oh, you know, I try my best to ensure everyone has a great time," she said. "The refreshment table is on the deck—why don't you go set your stuff down and join the other guests?"

We thanked her and headed toward the back as Carol took up her station at the front door yet again. As we left, Frances muttered under her breath, "Huh."

"What?" I said, glancing back to make sure Carol didn't hear. She was peeking out the front window, watching for anyone coming up the walk.

"I didn't see a bowl of candy. Guess she's not anticipating any trick-or-treaters."

"So?"

Frances gave me a look. "It's Halloween. There should be kids all over the neighborhood. Don't you think it's a little weird that we haven't seen a single kid?"

"I . . ."

It was snowing. It'd been snowing, and I could hardly see the road. I shouldn't have left tonight—I should've just waited until morning. But here I was, in the thick of it, and there wasn't anywhere to go but forward. I reached for my coffee, only to find it empty. Fuck. I'd have to turn off at the next rest stop, get some caffeine. At this rate, I was going to—