A Beautiful Torment

10. House of Horror

10. House of Horror

Halloween snuck up on my corner of the universe. It felt like I woke up one morning and there were pumpkins lining the porch outside, fake spider-webs falling from the ceiling and fake blood splattered across the kitchen table.

Hayley had been wearing her new, shiny purple cape for the last three days. Mom hadn't been able to talk her into washing it before she went trick-or-treating with Tommy, and there were chocolate stains on the back.

"Your friends are gonna think you don't shower," I told her as I played with my spoon. Soggy, milk-soaked "O" shapes swirled around my bowl.

Hayley stuck her tongue out at me. It was smeared with Weetabix and milk – gross.

"You're so disgusting," I hissed behind Mom's back.

"You're so disgusting," she mocked, rolling her eyes.

"Girls!" Mom put down the dishcloth she was using to wipe down the countertops and smiled at Hayley. "Go get changed, little monster. You're coming to the store with me to get supplies for tonight."

"But why can't Isabel go?" Hayley whined.

"I'm going to Rachael's."

"You suck."

"You suck."

Mom sighed exasperatedly at me. "Really?"

"Sorry," I said, chagrined. "I'll go get my bag."

As I climbed the stairs to my room, a nervous ball of excitement bloomed in the pit of my stomach. Lauren's parents were going out of town for Halloween and her sister, Nicole, was throwing her annual Halloween party. Nicole told Lauren she could invite friends over as long as they didn't overdose on alcohol and get her in trouble for underage drinking.

Rachael's mom was perfectly happy with us going to the party and had already promised to provide an alibi if my mom happened to call. Rachael's mom really was the coolest parent ever.

I had already packed my bag the night before. Rachael and I went shopping for costumes last Saturday in Charleston with her mom. I wasn't that enthusiastic about dressing up - it was hard to get enthusiastic about anything these days – but Rachael had coaxed me into it. It wasn't until I found the perfect costume, buried beneath pink and purple boa scarves, that I really resigned myself to going.

I woke up this morning with a whirl of butterflies in my stomach, like my body had resolved whatever misgivings I'd been harbouring, and I was feeling a whole lot more enthusiastic about going now.

I slung my bag over my shoulder and started back down the stairs.

Rachael's mom's car was already outside, parked haphazardly along the kerb that separated the grass from the gravel driveway.

"Be careful," Mom warned as I pulled the front door open. I was one week off the sleeping pills and my sleep patterns were touch and go at best. I could tell she was still worried.

"I will," I promised. I kissed her cheek and smiled reassuringly. "I'll call you in the morning."

"Good girl. Have fun."

"I always do!"

I jogged down the driveway and tugged open the door to the backseat.

"Hey, summer baby," Rachael greeted me. Her long, brown hair was loose around her shoulders and windblown from the ride over here. She looked sort of like her mom.

"Hey, sugar pop," I teased. "Are you excited?"

"Super, super excited!"

She twisted the volume dial on her mom's beat-up stereo as her mom started the engine, and we crowed the words to Womanizer the whole way back to her house.