Paul

“Ok, you remember the rules?” Mark asked me.

I took another glance at the house and smiled back at him. This was going to be fun.

“Sure thing,” I said. “I’ll be in and out, no problem.”

Debbie and Lara were giggling about something that they were whispering amongst themselves. When I raised an eyebrow at them they both got quiet as little mice.

“Care to share with the rest of the class, ladies?” I asked.

“Um, no,” Lara said.

“You really don’t have to do this,” Debbie said.

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to. I used to love crap like this when I was a kid. And maybe I’m still a kid at heart because I think this is going to be so much fun. It might actually be better if we all went, unless you guys are chicken.”

“Yes, we are chickens, all of us. You have fun with this,” Mark said.

I looked at the rest of the group inquisitively. Anyone? Anyone?

None of these fish were taking the bait.

“Wow, you guys are happy being scared,” I said. “That’s perfectly fine. I guess I’m going to be the brave one in the group.”

“We all did this as kids. That was enough,” Greg said. “Seriously, man. This place is creepy as hell. I’ve seen some of the toughest dudes around dare each other to go into this house and they came out scared out of their minds. There is something to it.”

I stared into Greg’s eyes for a few minutes just trying to see how full of it he really was, but nothing. He thought he was telling the truth at least.

“Can I get a kiss for luck?” I asked Debbie, moving close to her.

Debbie blushed slightly and leaned in. Just when I thought she was going to kiss me she moved her lips next to my ear and whispered “I’ll give you a kiss when you come back.”

“Oh,” I said. “That’s how it is? Well, I guess that is about the best incentive you can give somebody. Ladies. Gentleman. I shall return shortly.”

“Nice knowing you, Paul,” Greg said popping the top of a can of beer he’d taken from the party.

I didn’t even glance back to acknowledge his little joke. I was gone already jogging up the front steps. The wood was half rotted and soft feeling under my feet. I was going to have to watch my step and make sure I didn’t break my ankle.

I tried the door, but it was locked. I guess I was going in through the porch window that was busted out and had an old garbage bag hanging over it.

Moving the garbage bag to the side I leaned in through the opening and stepped inside. Being careful not to trip as I pulled my rear foot inside I stepped down onto the floor below me.

I was in a living room. The house was even darker and creepier inside than it was outside. Mark and Greg weren’t lying. But it was still just a house. As much as I loved scary things and tales of the paranormal, I really didn’t believe in it. I’d never actually experienced anything and I’m one of those people who have to have actual proof in front of me that I can see with my own eyes to really believe in something. I’ve always been that way.

I pulled out my phone and activated the flashlight so I could actually see where I was going and began moving through the living room. The house looked normal enough, but very abandoned. There were a few small couches, a few pieces of furniture, and the smell of dust was thick and pungent in the air. It was hard to breathe without holding my hand over my mouth to filter some of it.

Coming out of the living room I was suddenly in front of a stairway that led up to the second floor. Around the stairway was a long hallway leading to a kitchen. I had to show the gang that I was in the upstairs window, so stepping carefully on the old decrepit steps I made my way to the upper story.

As I moved down the hallway I took a glance at a few of the bedrooms, an old bathroom, and a linen closet. It all looked pretty old and tattered. Nothing to see.

I quickly found the bedroom in the front of the house and stood in the window, holding the light up just enough to illuminate my face. I waved down at the gang who were all laughing and joking around. When they saw me they waved back.

Debbie had a gleam in her eye that I definitely wanted to see more of. She was kind of looking at me as if I was her next meal, and she was starving. That was hot.

I stepped back from the window and began searching for an object to take from the house. That was the dare after all. After a couple minutes of searching around the room I settled on an old knickknack of a union soldier. It was a little statue covered in dust, paint peeling, and cracked in a few pieces. But it was actually kind of cool.

I grabbed it and stuffed it in my pocket. Was it considered stealing? I mean none of this stuff belonged to anyone who was still alive. Besides I would probably bring it back at some point—or not. It was kind of cool.

As I descended the stairs down to the first floor my mind started wandering about how many horror movies start out this way. Yeah, this little statue was probably cursed and I’d be cursed forever.

“Wow, I’ve got to lay off the horror, just a little bit,” I said to myself as I landed on the floor coming off the steps.

I was just about to go back out the window when I got an idea.

“Oh, that is good…” I muttered.

I quickly jogged down the hallway into the small kitchen and tried the door that led outside. It opened easily with only minor creaking, surprisingly.

I was now in the back of the house. I could hear the gang still out front joking around with each other. This was going to be hysterical.

It had been a while since I’d played a great practical joke on anyone.

Behind the house was an alley that spilled out onto the street one block over. I quickly broke into a sprint running down the dark alley and then made my turn onto the sidewalk, jogging past people who were casually strolling around on the warm night, many of them still in Halloween costumes.

I loved this time of year. It was fantastic to see spooky decorations and people dressed up. It had always been my favorite since I was little kid.

Within a minute I had made my way back to the McNare house, but I was now in the shadows behind Debbie and her friends. They couldn’t see me due to the shade from some shrubbery and a few trees along the side of the street.

Somehow I was able to control my laughter and get up very close to them. Still hiding behind a large bush in the darkness, I was only about ten feet away.

There I stayed a few minutes, just to get them all guessing.

“Hey, I wonder where he is. Why is this taking so long?” Greg asked after a few minutes.

“I’m sure he is fine,” Lara said. “Hell, he is probably messing with us.”

I almost laughed out loud.

“Maybe he fell down the steps and split his wig,” Mark suggested. “I mean that wood has to be really old and sucky. It could easily break under foot.”

“Would you shut up?” Debbie groaned hitting Mark in the arm.

“Hey, it’s only cool for Lara to do that,” Mark said.

Lara quickly stepped up and hit him in the same spot.

“There, that’s better,” Mark said. Followed by an “Ow…”

I waited another minute and then I couldn’t hold it anymore.

I jumped out from behind the bushes and screamed “McNare’s Alive!”

Everything happened at once in a span of about five seconds, before they realized it was just me. But those five seconds were pure comedic gold.

“Jesus!” Greg yelled dropping his beer and stumbling over his feet as he tried to run.

Lara bumped into Mark and almost knocked him down as she screamed and tried to run.

And Debbie simply screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Wow!” I shouted between howling laughter. Oh, this was the best. I was laughing so hard my side started to hurt and I almost couldn’t stand anymore.

“You dirt bag!” Greg yelled stumbling back towards us wiping beer off his shirt.

“That was messed up!” Mark yelled.

“You almost gave me a heart attack!” Debbie squealed between laughter.

“I told you that you were all scared. It’s ok to be scared,” I said.

I wrapped my arms around Debbie and pulled her close to me. Before she could say a word I planted my mouth hard on hers, tasting the fullness of her kiss, her hot, sweet breath, and getting a slight lick of her tongue against mine. Damn. My whole body was on fire with raging lust.

“Don’t reward him for scaring the crap out of us,” Mark said.

“He owes me a beer,” Greg added.

“I did as I was asked,” I said pulling the little statue out of my pocket and holding it up for the group to admire. “And this is my reward.”

“Congratulations,” Lara said. “You did it. Now you get to be part of the cool kids.”

I laughed and pulled Debbie close enjoying a warm embrace. She smelled so good, delicious almost, like I wanted to run my tongue all over her body just to intake her whole scent. I’m sure she would love that.

“So, what’s next, kids?” I asked.

The group just looked at me like I was crazy with an odd smile on their faces.