No Guidelines

Chapter 9

Oct. 31, 2015 Sat.

Audrey

Here again? Audrey thought.

Surrounded by familiar emptiness became routine as of late. A visage of the tarr-like figure stood before her. The muscles in her leg set out to run but were held back. Water once again holding her down. A silhouette of a beast flew below the viscous screen of murky water, causing ripples that moved her across a distance.

Fear clouded her mind. Her hands slipped on the slimy ligaments clinging to her in her panicked attempts to pull them off.

With an explosion of water, a massive great white shark flew into the air; splashing once more, submerging her into the deep. The creature swam straight for her.

"You guys made it," Natalie exclaimed.

Audrey snapped out of her trance, standing behind Looz, Sam and Sebastian. Natalie hugged each one as they entered her house. The warmth of her house was inviting to Audrey and Co., happy to escape the cold night air. Music blared from the living room across the house. Bright lights flashed red, orange and green, flashing to the beat of the music. The rhythm illuminated the faces of silhouetted peers hanging around the house.

"You would think they'd be playing 'Monster Mash' or something," Looz said, nudging her elbow to Audrey's.

Audrey nodded her head, not entirely comprehending what Looz said. Natalie led them over to the kitchen, where Jacob was standing, chugging a beer next to Emma. Emma clapped her hands to the rhythm of everyone else, cheering him on. His triumphant howl of victory barely surpassed the volume of 'Shut Up and Dance with Me'. Chris and Niko hovered around him, each with their own beer bottle, laughing and cheering. Natalie weaved her way through the crowd and took her own bottle and gave Jacob a kiss on the cheek.

"Yuck, I can't believe they're drinking beer." Sam said, "where's the vodka?"

"You drink Sam?" Audrey asked.

"Of course I do, whenever my family throws a party at least."

This was news to Audrey, she never thought any of her friends would drink. She turned her head to Looz: bug-eyed and mouth wide open.

"I'm pretty sure she's told us many times before fam," Looz said to her.
"I do too but very rarely."

Audrey's jaw hurt, she didn't expect it to fall so wide. Just how much did she not know about her friends?

"Sorry, I guess I just don't remember," Audrey said. Her stare fixated on Jacob and Natalie, both laughing with everyone else. Then to Emma, who was pouring shots.

"Ooh, now we're talking," Sam said, dragging Sebastian with her.

The crowd's movement came to a crawl, the festivity drowned out by Audrey's heart: beating loudly against her ear drums. Her lunch climbed slowly up her stomach. Hastily, she made her way through the crowd back outside to the front. The cold hit her like a breath of fresh air. She sat on a beautiful cement garden bench; Halloween lights decorating the tree above her. Looz rushed to her side.

"Hey, you okay?" She put her hand on Audrey's back, rubbing it in a circular motion.

"If this is too much we can just go back to your house and hand out candy with your mom."

"Yeah, I think that would be better," Audrey said. She wiped her watery eyes and held Looz's hand tight as they walked past all the halloween decorations in front of Natalie's house.

"You guys leaving already," Adrian said. Danielle sat beside him on the driveway, both handing out candy to the trick or treaters. They were bundled in cozy jackets and had their own Halloween music coming from Adrian's phone. Having his own Halloween playlist didn't seem to surprise Audrey. She smiled at the thought.