Purgatech: Jess' Horror

Chapter 6

A few nights later, Jess and Erica were working as a tag-team in the kitchen at Gram's house. Erica put the finishing touches on a batch of nachos while Jess poured various fruit juices into Gram's prized punch bowl.

Down the hall, the boys were arguing over the soundtrack for the night's festivities. Jess shook her head and sighed.

"Why I let you guys talk me into this, I have no idea," she said, glaring at her best friend over her shoulder.

"First of all, the last thing I want is this crew trampling around our place after they've had one too many," Erica said as she scattered a healthy serving of jalapenos across the contents of the platter.

Down the hall, Jess could hear the boys getting rowdy, letting out the occasional hoop and holler. She hesitated adding the rum to the punch.

"Oh, and letting them get all sloppy-drunk at Gram's is any better?"

"Uh, yeah it is. Gram may be gone, but that doesn't mean her influence is. No way they'd trash the place. They loved her, too."

"That doesn't make me feel any better."

"Don't worry about it," Erica said, lifting the over-sized platter with one hand. "My brother'll keep them in line. Besides, we need to have one last blow-out before Gram's executor sells the place."

Gram being gone was bad enough. But the thought that someone else would be living in her house was almost too much to bear.

As if sensing what Jess was thinking, Erica moved beside her and hugged her with her free arm. "It'll be okay. We've got each other. Now, finish up so we can get in there before those idiots start wrestling one another."

Jess rolled her eyes before dumping the contents of the bottle into the punchbowl. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad. One final party before she got back to real life. What could go wrong?

Erica coaxed Jess out of the kitchen. She shoved her up the hallway into the living room where the boys had all congregated. 80's pop music blared from the speakers Josh had set up in the front entryway. The plinking synthesizers made the crepe paper streamers and cheesy party store cut-out ghosts dance a disjointed jig.

"Party's here!" Erica shouted over the thumping beats.

"About time," Josh said, pushing past the other guys and grabbing at the platter of nachos. "You know you can't have movie time without snacks!"

"Hey!" Erica said, slapping at Josh's grubby hand. "Save some for the rest of us, you Neanderthal!"

"Didn't your mom ever teach you how to share?" Josh said, pointing to the keg set up in the corner of the room. "I guess that means I can share with my buddy, Jess here."

Jess put the punchbowl on the table then turned to find Kyle standing next to the keg. He turned and gave her an awkward smile. Jess' first instinct was to head over there and plant a kiss on him. But her cheeks stung with the guilt of having seen Dylan the other day so she didn't move an inch.

"Come on, Jess. Get a move on," Corey said. He bounded across the room as the familiar melody of the Ghostbusters theme blared from the speakers. "It's your fave flick of all time."

Josh and Erica let out a raucous round of groans. Jess spun on her heel and glared at them with her mouth hanging open.

"Are you guys seriously dissing the best 80's flick of all time?"

Josh looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "Girl? Are you nuts?"

"Uh...no! You've got thrills, chills, and the comedic stylings of one Mr. Bill Murray. What more could you ask for?"