Hello readers I know it isn't Halloween just yet but Halloween is Thursday which is Friends with Benefits night and not extra story night. So here is some thrilling Halloween fluff for you.
I own nothing but the idea.
Important bits:
Eli and Clare got back together at prom and she got sick but they aren't together anymore.
Alli graduated and Owen still lives at home.
This is a one shot told entirely from Clare's pov.
The Halloween Trick
"We're leaving now Clare we'll be back on Monday." Mom says opening my door after knocking and not waiting for me to say come in as always.
"I know Mom I'm seventeen I'll be fine. Audra will check in on me, Adam and Drew are on my speed dial and they live five minutes away." I tell Mom as I sit at my vanity putting on light makeup.
"Going out?" Mom asked.
"Adam's having a Halloween party," I reply.
"Shouldn't you be in costume then?" Glen asks peeking his head in the door.
"The invitation said no costumes," I tell them handing Mom the invitation that I found in my locker at school this afternoon.
"Well have fun, home by curfew." Mom says.
"Yeah you guys have fun in Labrador see you Monday," I respond.
Mom kisses my head and leaves with Glen for their romantic weekend. I finish putting on my makeup and am just slipping on my shoes when the doorbell rings. Halloween isn't for a few days yet, Adam is holding the party the weekend before, so I know it's not trick-or-treaters. I'm not expecting anybody so I assume it's Mom or Glen because they forgot something. When I get down the stairs enough to see through the door however I'm more than surprised to see Owen Milligan at my door. As far as I know Owen has no reason to be at my door but I still go down and open the door.
"Hi Owen," I greet cautiously.
He eyes my outfit, a navy short sleeve, knee length dress with a sweetheart neckline. Silver flower earrings with little diamonds in the center, my cross, black heels and my dark wig as my hair is still growing back.
"Hey Clare I'm here to pick you up," he comments like this is an occurrence that happens all the time.
I knit my eyebrows together and raise one slightly as I look at him like he's lost his mind. Or I lost my mind and somehow accepted a date with him, although despite the fact that Owen is going to TU and living at home I haven't seen him since the Torres brothers threw their last party right before school started. Which was also the night I found out Eli was cheating on me with some skank named Lenore he was rooming with. Needless to say I broke it off with Eli right then; actually Owen had been remarkably sweet that night, even offering to drive to NYU to beat the shit out of Eli. But that was the last time I'd talked to Owen, that was over two months ago and I know I didn't make a date with him that night.
"Come again?" I inquire.
"For the party you're riding with us," he specifies.
"Ummm okay," I respond slowly.
I grab my black coat and purse from the hooks by the door and go through the front door locking it behind me. I follow Owen out to his SUV and he opens the passenger door for me before going around to the driver's side to get in.
"Hi Clare," comes two simultaneous voices from the back seat and I turn around.
"Hi Maya, Tris," I smile at the younger kids as Owen starts driving and I look back at him. "Whose idea was it exactly for you to pick me up?" I question.
"Adam he mentioned your folks would be out of town, we live close by so he asked me to pick you up since we're all going to the same place." Owen explains.
I shrug and look out the window, I could have taken Mom's car but oh well the company is nice I guess. Maya and Tris are talking about music and I'm sort of listening to them and the song on the radio when I notice we are not heading in the direction of the Torres house.
"Owen where are we going the Torres house is that way?" I point out.
"I know where the Torres house is but that's not where the party is." Owen responds.
He doesn't explain further and I don't really have much choice but to trust him right now. He's not the jerk he once was and his brother is in the car so I'm going to assume he's not tricking us. We continue driving and it's turning to dusk, we drive out to Woodbridge, old farming country, and we keep driving. We're kind of in the middle of nowhere at this point and I'm getting a little nervous. We finally stop in front of a two story Tudor home from the last century. It's white with black trim and very faded paint and it looks familiar, when I realize why I look at Owen.
"Are you serious? They're having the party here?" I question with a slightly anxious tone.
"Well it's the perfect place for a Halloween party isn't it?" Owen responds with a smirk.
"What is this place?" Maya questions with trepidation in her voice.
"It was built by a business man John Norhtway in 1910, he established several department stores throughout Ontario but when the great depression hit he went bankrupt and killed his family before committing suicide. It's reportedly haunted and it's been condemned by the city." I inform them.
"Well a haunted house is a fitting place for a Halloween party," Maya says.
"Yeah and I'm sure Adam, Drew and Dallas made sure it was safe before having the party here." Tris remarks as they get out of the car.
I remain in the car looking at the old house. When I don't get out of the car Owen opens my door, reaches across me and unhooks my seatbelt.
"Come on Edwards your presence has been requested." Owen says taking my hand and pulling me out of the car.
I'm so caught up in the fact that they decided to have the party here I don't realize I'm leaving my purse in Owen's car.
"Are you sure the party is here? Where is everybody? Where's Drew's car and why don't I hear music?" I question Owen as the four of us walk to the front of the house.
"We're a little early, Drew probably pulled around back so they could unload the food in the kitchen and they probably haven't set up the music yet. Jesus no wonder you want to be a reporter all you do is ask questions." Owen teases lightly.
I look at the rickety front steps wondering if they will even support our weight. Owen seems to realize this as he suddenly takes me by the waist and lifts me up; I shriek a little as he sets me on the porch. Tris starts walking up the stairs and Owen looks at Maya.
"I'll walk," she says running up the steps behind Tris.
Owen shrugs and follows them up the steps then walks ahead of us opening the front door. The old house smells musty and is full of cobwebs but I guess as Halloween locations go it is suiting. Lanterns and flashlights are set about and hung from the wall so we can see. It still has some of the original furniture which is covered in dust and faded now. I don't however see Adam, Drew or Dallas or anything for a Halloween party.
"Oh shit I forgot I needed to pick up ice, you guys stay here I'll be back in a few minutes." Owen says turning around and heading out the front door.
"Owen wait you're not just going to leave us here!" I exclaim as I turn to chase after him.
"I'll be right back, go find the Torres boys," he calls without looking back.
I reach the front door ready to follow him out when the front door slams shut just before I get there! The three of us scream and I jump back; Tris and Maya each hold one of my arms and we're breathing hard as I hear Owen's car leaving!
"This place really is haunted let's get out of here!" Maya squeaks.
"It's not haunted, there are no such things as ghosts it's just an old house and the wind blew the door closed. Anyway Owen just left so we can't leave with him." I tell them.
"Okay well it's getting dark and I think I'd rather spend my Friday night doing something else." Tris says quickly and I agree with him.
I take the last few steps to the door and turn the handle, the door creaks open and I look out to see nothing but empty space and woods. I look at the younger kids and realize I have to take charge here. I really don't know Owen very well but I know he is protective of his brother so I really don't think he'd abandon his brother in the middle of nowhere. He's also not a complete jerk anymore so it's hard for me to imagine he would leave us in the middle of nowhere by ourselves.
"ADAM, DREW!" I call into the house and it echoes in the old house but after the echo dies there is only silence. "ADAM! ANDREW GET OUT HERE!" I call again and once again I am answered by an echo and then silence. "MIKE DALLAS IF YOU…" I start yelling into the house and then cut myself off with my own gasp as a hand comes down on my shoulder.
I turn around quickly to see Dallas looking at me with a grin.
"You called?" Dallas asks cocking an eyebrow.
"Where is everybody I thought this was a party?" Tris remarks as I see Miles and Winston come out of a room.
"It's more like a private party for the six of us." Dallas tells me.
"So Owen's not coming back?" Maya asks looking a little scared.
"And the Torres brother's are not here so why are we?" I Inquire.
"For some Halloween fun of course," Miles grins.
"Okay I'm out of here; I'm calling a cab and going home." I state and that's when I realize my phone is still in my purse in Owen's car. "I left my phone in Owen's car," I sigh and look at Maya and Tris.
"I have mine," Tris says pulling it from his pocket.
I reach out to grab it but Dallas grabs my hand and keeps me from getting the phone.
"Come on stay, just until midnight and then we'll leave. We have food and everything. We'll explore the house and have some fun and then we'll go home." Dallas insists.
"Yeah come on stay we went through all the trouble of doing this for you three." Miles says looking at Maya and she smiles.
"Okay fine but where is this food?" Tris gives in.
"Fine I'll stay but Adam, Drew, Owen and you are all dead because I know you were all in on this…this…whatever it is." I relent.
Dallas takes my hand and pulls me toward the back of the first floor where Miles and Winston just came from. The younger kids follow us and we're taken into what was once the dining room where they have a picnic blanket with pizza, chips, soda, skittles and brownies. At least they remembered plates and napkins. They also hung lanterns so we could see. We all sit down and begin assembling plates of food based on taste. I take a piece of pizza and a soda, Maya does the same. Dallas takes three pieces of pizza piling them all together and a huge handful of chips. Miles takes two pizza slices and chips as does Tris but Winston takes on pizza slice putting chips and skittles on top of it and we all look at him like he's crazy.
"It tastes good," he shrugs just as the floor above us creaks and Maya jumps right into Winston's arms.
"What was that?" Tris asks as he stops eating.
"Just the ghosts, don't worry." Winston smiles.
"There is no such thing as ghosts, this is an old house old houses settle." I state firmly.
"How can you not believe in ghosts this is the most haunted house in Ontario. I heard the owner back in the 1800's was a serial killer that killed drifters and slaves." Winston says.
"No it was the 1950's and he lured women to his house and tortured them in hidden gas chambers." Dallas argues.
"That was H.H. Holmes and he lived in Chicago and you're both wrong. The man who built the house was a family annihilator who lost it after the depression hit and he went bankrupt." I correct them.
"You know a curious amount about serial killers," Dallas taunts.
"I want to be an investigative reporter," I remark, "also I did a report on the so called haunted sights of Toronto in 6th grade." I inform them.
"So then you tell us what really happened Clare?" Miles prods.
"Can we save the haunted house talk until after we eat?" Maya requests.
"Yes in fact we don't have to talk about it all," I reply and keep eating.
Winston changes the subject to movies coming out as everyone goes back to eating dinner, but I stop when I hear what I think are footsteps on the floor above us.
"Shh do you hear that?" I hush everybody.
"Hear what?" Dallas asks.
"It sounds like someone else is in the house, if Drew is here and about jump out scare us I'm going to hurt you all now." I inform them.
"Drew and Adam are holding a Halloween party at their house, they aren't here. Anyway I thought you didn't believe in ghosts," he chides.
"I don't but vagrants and serial killers are quite real." I counter.
"You must be hearing things we're the only ones in the house." Miles responds.
"Don't worry I'll protect you," Dallas says in a cocky voice with a cocky grin as his arm comes around my shoulders.
"I think I'm safer with the vagrants and serial killers," I reply in a snarky tone as I take his arm off my shoulders.
"Before we eat dessert why don't we explore the house a little bit." Miles suggests standing up and pulling Maya with him.
"I assume one of you was smart enough to bring flashlights seeing as the house is dark now?" I question as Dallas pulls me up.
"I'm insulted, we came prepared," Dallas says feigning hurt feelings.
I take my hand back from him as he walks to a backpack on the other side of the room and pulls out three flashlights. He gives one to Miles, one to Winston and keeps one for himself. He turns on the flashlight and I follow him out to the hall, the creepy old house is even creepier with no lights and the sounds of the owls and wolves in the night. While I don't believe in ghosts the hairs are standing up on the back of my neck and I take a few steps closer to Dallas.
"You know I heard from Drew that people have stayed the night in the house and never been seen or heard from again." Dallas remarks as we walk into the kitchen.
"If they've never been seen or heard from again how do you know they tried to stay the night here?" I question.
Dallas opens his mouth probably to shoot back a snarky response but before he can Maya lets out a high pitched shriek! We spin around to see her cowering in Miles' arms.
"What happened?" Tris asks as we all look at Maya and Miles in the back of the group.
"I saw a ghost, this old man he was right there," Maya says in a frantic voice while still cowering in Miles' arms.
"Maya there are no such things as ghosts, it's a dark hallway you only have a flashlight. It was a trick of the light and shadows that's all." I assure her.
"But I saw…" she stops looking around and thinking about it. "Yeah I guess that was it." Maya nods.
After a few seconds we start walking again, going into the kitchen which is dirtier than the rest of the house. There are still pots, pans and dishes piled on the counters, the house truly was just abandoned. Most of it is covered in dust and cobwebs but around the sink is clean looking like it was recently used but I'm sure that's because Dallas, Miles and Winston were using it. Each pair is looking around with their flashlight silently until a clamorous noise makes Maya and I scream and the guys all turn around.
"It was just some falling pots and pans," Tris tells us but when I look at him he and Winston are holding each other.
Maya is cowering in Miles' arms again and I realize that not only is Dallas holding me but I'm gripping his shirt.
"Maybe we should go explore some other room," Maya suggests.
"Yeah good idea," I nod releasing Dallas' shirt.
We quickly exit the kitchen back to the hall and go across the hall to the parlor. Dallas shines his flashlight across the room illuminating faded and dusty dark green curtains. I follow him into the room watching the other flashlights illuminate the mostly bare walls, a worn sofa covered in cobwebs and a broken piano.
"God imagine the swank parties they had in here. I am so having a parlor in my house with a grand piano and a big plush purple sofa." Tris remarks.
"I think I'd rather have a music room," Maya says and then a crash on the floor and the sound of breaking glass startles us all.
I end up in Dallas' arms again, Maya's right back in Miles' arms while Tris and Winston are holding each other once more.
"What was that?" Maya asks.
Dallas keeps his arm around me while he uses his flashlight to look around. "One of the pictures fell off the walls," he tells her shining a light on the newly fallen picture surrounded by broken glass.
"There's broken glasss on the floor we should get out of this room now." I point out.
"Yeah good idea, you guys get out first," Dallas instructs the younger kids.
We watch as Maya, Miles, Winston and Tris leave the room and we follow them out.
"Shall we go explore the upstairs now?" Miles suggests.
"I think we should all go home." I respond.
"Oh come on you're not scared are you Clare, I thought you didn't believe in ghosts?" Dallas teases.
"I don't but like I said vagrants and serial killers are quite real and the house is creepy." I shoot back.
"Like I said before I'll protect you," Dallas comments tightening his arm around me.
"Come on let's go upstairs, you're probably safer with us than Dallas." Tris comments as I shrug off Dallas' arm and Tris links his arm with mine.
"Hey! She's safe with me!" Dallas complains as we leave him behind and start ascending the stairs.
The three of us take the lead and the upstairs hallway looks dingier and dirtier than the bottom floor.
"I don't suppose the washroom in this place still work?" I query as we approach a washroom and the full can of soda I drank earlier has worked its way through my bladder.
"Actually the plumbing all still works," Winston informs me.
"Good cause I have to use the washroom," I tell them.
"We'll go check out the first bedroom," Miles says turning on a camping lantern they must have hung in the washroom earlier.
Miles, Maya, Tris and Winston start to walk down the hall but before Dallas follows them I catch his arm.
"Can you wait outside of the door?" I request.
"I thought you weren't afraid of ghosts?" Dallas taunts.
"I don't believe in ghosts but if there is a serial killer is in the house then I want him to kill you first." I shoot back sardonically.
Dallas sighs and leans against the wall just outside the washroom door. I close the washroom door and go pee, they didn't think to bring toilet paper of course or soap. I still rinse my hands in the sink and when I look up in the mirror I see a face peering through the window.
"AGGGGHHHHH!" I scream backing up to the sink as the door flies open and Dallas is in front of me with his arms around me.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Dallas questions rapidly as the others run to the washroom doorway.
"Someone was watching me through the window," I tell him.
We both look back at the window but no one is there.
"Clare we're on the second story, there's nothing outside that window but a drop to the ground and there's no one there. I think this house is starting to affect you." Dallas says.
"I didn't see a ghost I saw a man, some pervert watching me through the window. He had dark eyes, bushy hair and bushy eyebrows and a mustache." I insist.
"Clare there couldn't have been anyone out there they wouldn't have anywhere to stand. Come on let's go look at the bedrooms, I'll be with you the whole time." Dallas assures me taking my hand and pulling me out of the washroom and into his arms.
"The first bedroom wasn't very interesting there's nothing in there." Winston tells us.
"Except for a lot of spiders," Maya says shivering slightly.
We go down the hall a short ways to a second bedroom; this one has an old bed with some blankets on it. The bed isn't made, it looks like someone just got out of bed and there are no pillows. There is also an old dresser with broken drawers and an old cracked mirror.
"You want to try out the bed?" Miles asks Maya.
I hear her hit him lightly before she responds. "No! And that bed looks gross and old," Maya states and then we all jump when we hear a door slam loudly!
"It was just the wind," I assure everyone but I'm still clinging to Dallas.
"Let's go check out the master bedroom and then we'll go down to the attic." Dallas says guiding me out of the bedroom.
We walk out to the hall and the master bedroom at the end of it. The door is closed now so it must be the one that slammed shut. Dallas tries the handle but it's locked.
"Well guess we can't go in there so can we go home now?" I request.
"A locked door has never stopped me before," Dallas grins pulling out a pocket knife and using it to jimmy the door open.
"Why am I not surprised you know how to pick locks?" I admonish as Dallas opens the door.
He just grins and pulls me into the room. The master bedroom isn't very big but for the time period of the house it seems about right. There is a bed frame with no mattress and an old chair that looks like somebody took a knife to, ripping open the cushion. Apart from that the room is barren of any other furniture.
"Okay we've seen the house can we go now?" Maya requests.
"Uh huh we haven't seen the whole house there is still the basement." Winston points out.
"Yeah after we see the basement we'll have dessert and then we'll go." Miles agrees.
"Mmm Dessert," Dallas grins wiggling his eyebrows at me.
"I am not dessert and you are a pig!" I scold him walking out of his arms and the bedroom.
The lantern is still on in the washroom and I can see well enough to find the stairs. Dallas reaches me before I reach the stairs, catching my arm and preventing me from going down the stairs.
"Isn't splitting up usually how people die in horror movies?" He says and I glare at him. "Maya has to use the washroom so we're all waiting for her. Whether or not you believe in ghosts I'm not letting you walk around by yourself it's an old house and you could fall or get hurt."
I lean against the wall as we wait for Maya to get out of the washroom. We hear her flush and then start washing her hands and then a scream! Miles gets through the door first and the rest of us follow.
"I saw the face, the same one as Clare. Someone was at that window or there is a pervert ghost in the house." Maya says clinging to Miles.
"Let's just go see the basement so we can get out of here." I say grabbing Dallas by the jacket sleeve and pulling him out to the hall.
As soon as we're in the hall he puts his arm around me and I don't shrug it off. The longer I'm in this house the creepier it gets plus he has a flashlight and I don't. The six of us go down to the first floor again and start walking back near the kitchen.
"Oh my god!" Tris suddenly exclaims and we all turn to look at him. "I saw a…" Tris is saying and then looks at all of us. "Never mind I was probably just seeing things, this house is starting to affect all of us. Show us the basement and let's go." Tris says holding Winston's hand tightly.
We turn again and walk into the hall, Dallas opens a door in the middle of the hall and pulls me down the stairs with the others following. The basement is basically a root cellar, the walls are dirt and there are no windows. There are however shelves that still have mason jars filled with various fruits, vegetables and what looks like pickled eggs and homemade juices. It also smells awful, truly awful like rotten food and it gives me an ominous feeling causing me to inadvertently cling to Dallas a little tighter.
"Well this is definitely the creepiest part of the house and we've seen it so can we go now?" Maya requests.
"Yeah we've seen the basement let's go, it smells like…" I start to say and stop trying to find the right word to describe the smell.
"Like death," Tris finishes for me and then the door slams shut!
"Dude when did you plan that?" Winston asks Miles.
"I didn't," Miles shakes his head. He runs up the stairs to the door and tries to open it. "It's locked from the outside," Miles says coming down the stairs again.
"Let me try I have bigger muscles," Dallas boasts letting go of me. He runs up the stairs with his flashlight and shakes the door, turning the handle and trying to open it but it won't budge. "Seriously Miles this was not the plan," Dallas says coming down to me again.
He tries to put his arm around me but I push him away.
"What plan?! What the hell are you three talking about?!" I demand, now Maya and Miles are staring at them too.
"It was all a trick, my dad's friend is a special effects guy that works on a lot of the TV shows and movies filmed here. He rigged the house, the slamming door upstairs; the ghosts Maya and Tris thought they saw, the face you girls saw in the washroom. It was all just projectors and special effects, no ghosts. Except the picture falling off the wall and the basement door slamming those weren't planned." Winston explains.
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU THREE?! WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT?!" I yell at them.
"YOU GUYS DRAGGED US OUT TO THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE TO SCARE US HALF TO DEATH?! YOU GUYS ARE SICK!" Maya screams at them hitting Miles.
"You three have problems? Does my brother know you were going to do this because he's in so much trouble if he did?" Tris says.
"No it wasn't like that, we just wanted to scare you enough to get you into our arms." Miles explains in a somewhat sheepish voice.
"We all had crushes and were too afraid to ask you out." Winston tells us.
"So you scare us into your arms instead?! Next time try asking us out!" I snap at them in angry frustration.
"I didn't think you'd go out with me after what a jerk I was last year." Dallas tells me in a voice edged with apology.
"Oh yes because tricking me into a supposedly haunted house where you planned to scare me half to death proves that you aren't a jerk!" I reprimand crossing my arms over my chest and walking away from Dallas into the dark basement.
I hear Miles beg to talk to Maya and Winston beg to talk to Tris as footsteps come up behind me and I know it's Dallas.
"Okay you're right this wasn't the best idea but…" he starts and I cut him off without looking at him.
"Don't talk to me, the fact that you thought this was a good idea and talked Miles and Winston into it just shows what an idiot you are?! This is not…" I cut off my own sentence when I nearly fall after tripping over something.
Dallas may be a jerk but he has fast reflexes and catches me. "You okay?" He asks helping to right me again.
"Yeah I'm fine just tripped on something," I tell him.
He keeps an arm around my waist and shines the flashlight down by my feet. All we see is dirt and then I feel my heart sink and my stomach drop out as protruding from the dirt is a human head! The flesh is rotting away and being eaten by maggots which explains the smell down here. Only part of the left eye and forehead are sticking out of the dirt but it's enough for me to see that there's long black hair attached and some pink flesh. I stifle a scream and turn into Dallas completely, gripping his shirt as I begin to shake. He stiffens up and holds me tighter; I feel his other arm come around me and he moves the flashlight.
"Tell me that is part of this demented plan you guys have?!" I whisper so the younger kids can't hear me as I don't want to ruin Winston and Miles apologies.
"No we had nothing to do with that I swear. I would not bring you to a place with a dead body Clare you have to believe me. Guess those stories about the guy that built the house are true." Dallas says keeping his voice down too.
"The stories are true but that body has not been here since the 20's it wouldn't still have flesh and hair." I point out.
"So that body is fresh?" He asks and his muscles tighten again.
"A few months old I would guess but I really don't know the rate of decay of human flesh is or the life cycle of maggots!" I bark at him quietly so I don't bother the younger kids but I'm starting to lose it.
"Okay it's okay we'll get out of here." Dallas assures me.
I take his hand and pull him farther away from the others so we can talk. "Mike there is a dead body in this basement! That terrible smell is rotting flesh not rotting food! It's been here maybe a few months probably less than that and now we are trapped down here with it! Your little fake haunted house just became a real house of horrors! That bed upstairs is freshly slept in and the sink in the kitchen is clean! Someone has been living here Dallas! Someone that has killed at least one person and I don't want to be next!" I tell him in a harsh whisper as I get more and more agitated.
"We'll get out of here I won't let anything happen to you, any of you I promise." He says in a comforting tone. He lets go of me with one hand to pull out his phone. "I don't have a signal." He says, he lets go of me a little more so we can walk and we go over toward the other two couples. "Anyone's cell phone working?" Dallas asks interrupting Miles and Winston's apologies.
They all look over to us and then everyone pulls out their cell phones and then shakes their head.
"I don't have any signal down here," Maya says and the others nod.
They watch us a second and then go back to talking. I feel like screaming or breaking into hysterics, I've been to funerals, I've seen dead bodies but not like this. I don't want the younger kids knowing though so I'm using every bit of strength I have to keep it together. I turn to Dallas gripping his Ice Hounds jacket and standing on my tiptoes to whisper in his ear.
"There could be more bodies down here we need to keep the others in one space so they don't accidently discover one." I tell Dallas and he nods.
He lets go of me and I suddenly feel very cold, now that he isn't holding me keeping it together becomes harder. I turn away from the younger kids to see Dallas walking to one wall of the basement filled with salt sacks. He picks one up easily and the thing must weigh 50 pounds. He sets it down with a loud thud and kicks up a bunch of dirt which attracts the attention of the others. They stop talking and we all watch Dallas put down three more salt sacks in a semi circle.
"You four sit and stay!" He commands the tenners.
They look at him for a second and then each one sits on a sack and they go back to talking. Dallas returns wrapping his arms around me again and it's warm again.
"Just how do you plan on getting us out of here?" I question.
"When we aren't back in the morning Owen or the brothers Torres will come looking for us." Dallas says.
"Morning?! You mean you want me to stay all night down here?!" I exclaim.
"We'll be fine, I told you I'd protect you didn't I?" He reminds me brushing a curl behind my ear.
"Yes but w…" I start and then stop myself when I hear footsteps on the first floor.
I cling to Dallas, holding my breath, hoping it's Owen or Drew and Adam but afraid that it's whoever killed that woman. Dallas holds me so tight that I feel the end of the flashlight pressing into my back.
"WHO'S HERE!" A voice yells and it's not Owen or a Torres brother.
"Who was that?" Miles asks.
"Shh!" I hush them hearing the footsteps get closer to the basement door.
"Guys get over here with us," Dallas whispers motioning for them to come to us.
"Who is upstairs?!" Maya asks in a frightened voice.
Before we can answer the basement door opens and the man starts coming down the stairs. Dallas lets go of me and starts looking around for some kind of weapon I assume.
"Anyone down here?" The man calls, his voice is eerily malicious.
Winston looks like he's about to answer and I clamp my hand over his mouth and shake my head so they all know not to talk. I see a light coming down the stairs and grab Winston's' flashlight turning it off. Miles does the same and Dallas comes back to my side turning his flashlight off and holding an axe handle.
"I know you're down here I can hear you breathing!" The man taunts.
I cling to Dallas and we all hold our breath, as the lantern reaches the bottom of the stairs and a face is illuminated. He doesn't look like evil incarnate; he looks like an average person, not particularly malevolent or scary until I see his eyes. His eyes look dead and this is scary. Of course it's entirely possible that he's simply some vagrant taking refuge here and had nothing to do with the woman's body buried in the basement. It's possible but the cold chill running up my spine tells me that is not the case. He lifts the light holding it out and we're trapped, the light reaches us and I hide in Dallas' chest!
"What the hell are you kids doing down here?!" He roars in an angry tone and now he looks malevolent!
"We were just leaving," Dallas says keeping his voice firm.
Dallas moves making an angry growl and I hear the sound of the axe handle connecting with something hard! Then Dallas grabs my hand and pulls me at a running pace toward the stairs I open my eyes to see Maya, Tris, Winston and Miles running for the stairs. Dallas moves me in front of him and pushes at me to run up the stairs! His hand is at my back and then suddenly it's not! The mystery man makes another angry growl and pulls Dallas by his jacket! Yanking him down and dropping him to the dirt floor where Dallas lands hard on his back with a loud thud and he wheezes!
"NOOOO! MIKE!" I scream, tears running down my cheeks and my heart pounding out of my chest.
"Clare run! Go!" Dallas commands then starts coughing and turning pale.
I don't want to leave him but the man is coming closer and two of the others are grabbing my hands pulling me up the stairs. We make it out to the hallway but the man is right behind us and as we start running for the door he grabs Miles! The rest of us stop turning around to see the man has miles pinned to the wall with a knife at his throat!
"MILES!" Maya screams.
"GET AWAY FROM HIM! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I cry looking around desperately for some kind of weapon but seeing nothing!
I get ready to just attack the man myself, jump on his back and claw out his eyes! But before I can an Ice Hounds jacket runs past us, but it's not Dallas. Owen grabs the man pulling him away from Miles and tossing him into the opposite wall! Owen gets the knife away from him and then punches him repeatedly in the face so hard he falls to the floor unconscious and Owen looks at the rest of us.
"You guys okay? Who the hell is that guy?!" He asks.
"We have no idea who he is; we're not hurt but…" Tris is saying when the shock of Owen's heroics wear off and I realize I haven't seen Dallas since we left the basement.
"Mike!" I shriek wiping away my tears and start running for the basement!
"Right here," he says appearing through the basement door and I go into his arms holding him close.
"Dude are you okay? What the fuck happened and who the fuck is that?" Owen demands again.
"I'll explain in a minute, you're car out front?" Dallas asks.
"Yeah," Owen nods.
"Good the rest of you go out to Owen's car we'll be out in a minute." Dallas instructs.
I look away from Dallas' chest to see Owen hand his car keys to his brother.
"I'm not going outside," I tell him and Dallas nods. Once the tenners are outside I look at Owen. "Thank god you came back before morning."
"Yeah well midnight came and went and I hadn't heard from anybody. I tried calling everyone so did Adam and Drew and everyone's phones were going straight to voicemail so we got worried that something had happened and I told Drew I was coming out to check in you. Now what the fuck is going on?" Owen asks again.
"Well that guys probably a killer and at least one of his dead bodies is in the basement." Dallas informs him pointing to the unconscious man on the floor.
"Fuck seriously?" Owen asks.
"Yeah we saw the body but we kept the others from seeing it. There's some rope in the kitchen I'll grab it and we'll tie that guy up." Dallas says pulling me away from him.
With Dallas gone I cling to Owen, grabbing his jacket and holding tightly as I try to keep myself from losing it!
"You okay?" Owen asks putting a hand on my shoulder.
"No I'm not okay! I got tricked by people I trusted into coming to a fake haunted house that was rigged to appear haunted because three guys were too terrified to ask out the people they liked!" I ramble frantically. "Then I see a rotting dead body, watch a killer grab Dallas and toss him to the bottom of the stairs and nearly kill Miles! I am anything but okay!" I shriek in agitation.
"It's over Clare you're all safe now." Owen says as Dallas comes out of the kitchen with a length of rope.
They guys tie up the man, good and tight so he can't possibly get out and then Dallas stands putting his arm around me.
"You take your brother and the others home. Clare and I will stop at the police station and tell them about that guy and the body we found. Then I'll take her home with me to the Torres place since her parents are out of town and I doubt she wants to be alone tonight." Dallas instructs and I shake my head because I don't want to be alone tonight.
"Yeah good plan, call me when you get home and I'll call Drew to let him know what you guys are doing." Owen says.
He shakes hands with Dallas and gives me comforting look before he goes out the front. Dallas and I leave through the back and get into Drew's car that is parked in back. We drive back into town and I am very happy to see civilization again. We stop at the first RCMP station we see and tell them everything. It takes over an hour and then they want us to go back out there with them to show them the body!
"Are you crazy! I'm not going back there ever again!" I state slamming my hand on the table in agitation.
"I'll go, take Drew's car and drive to the Torres house." Dallas instructs me.
"No! Don't go back there Mike they…" I'm begging when I get cutoff by his lips crushing to mine.
Last time Dallas kissed me I slapped him, this time the kiss is comforting and I exhale. I feel safe at his touch and calm down.
"I'll be okay I'm going with a bunch of cops. Go to the Torres house, Drew and Adam are there, I'm sure Owen has called them by now. I'll be there soon." Dallas assures me and kisses me again.
I still think this is a bad idea but I take his keys and drive to Adam's. Only the minivan is in the driveway when I get there but there is a light on in the basement. I head to the basement to see Drew and Adam cleaning up after the party. I open the basement door and they stop cleaning looking over and then running over to me.
"Owen told us what happened where's Dallas?" Adam inquires hugging me close.
"He went with the cops to show them the body. I'd help you clean but…" I'm saying and my voice wavers.
"No it's fine, do you want to go to bed? You can sleep in one of our rooms." Drew offers.
"I really don't want to be alone," I shake my head.
"Sit on the sofa and watch TV," Adam says guiding me to the sofa and handing me the remote.
I turn on the TV, the boys keep cleaning up and in spite of how very agitated I am exhaustion takes over and I fall asleep. I wake up late the next morning to the smell of flowers, lots of them. Opening my eyes I see bouquets of flowers surrounding me and I'm in Dallas' bed. There are roses, lilies, orchids, anemones and many other kinds of flowers in dozens of bouquets lying around me and permeating the room with their soft perfume, making me smile. I rub my eyes and sit up to see Dallas at the end of the bed.
"What's all this?" I question.
"An apology, tricking you and scaring you was the wrong way to tell you I liked you. I really do like you and I have for a while. I promise no more tricks or haunted houses but would you go out with me tonight?" Dallas requests handing me a rose.
"Yes Mike I will go out with you tonight," I smile leaning forward, he leans forward as well and our lips meet.
"Well you two look cozy," Adam grins as he appears around the privacy screen.
"We have a date tonight," I inform him.
"Cool, well the cops called they wanted to come talk you guys. I called Mom and Dad they're on their way back." Adam tells us.
"Thanks bro we'll be up in a minute," Dallas says. Adam grins and we hear him run back up the stairs. "We should probably have breakfast before we get grilled by the cops." Dallas says.
My jackets been taken off and my shoes but I'm still wearing my dress and under things. I get out of bed and follow Dallas upstairs. We eat and wait for Omar and Audra before we let the cops talk to us. Turns out that man Owen saved us from is wanted in two other provinces for suspicion of murder. The cops found three other bodies in the basement; all four of them were runaways and prostitutes. And the cops were able to link all four bodies to him so he was a serial killer after all. He's been arrested obviously; he was still where Owen and Dallas left him and still tied up. While we were in trouble for going into the house were being praised for our heroism and catching a killer.
I still could have gone without that whole night as glad as I am that a killer is off the streets. At least one good this came out of that night Dallas and I are a couple now. Our date was wonderful, he was sweet and fun and I felt safe with him. Maya and Miles as well as Tris and Chewy are now dating also both couples are extremely happy as are Dallas and I. We managed to keep the killer and the body secret from the tenners until Owen, Dallas and I were interviewed by the Interpreter. The whole school saw our picture in Monday mornings paper and we were even on the news. That guy confessed to killing seven people so there will be no trial. Still I couldn't return home to sleep in my room because I kept having bad dreams about the killer and the body in the basement. Audra and Omar let me basically move in; I sleep in the basement with Dallas. He starts out on the sofa and the adults think that's where he stays all night. But as soon as the adults are in bed Dallas is in bed with me. Maya has also been sleeping at the Milligan house the last few nights, as have Miles and Winston.
So while I don't agree with what they did and I would never ever relive that night again I am happy. And even though it's only been a few days I think I'm falling in love with Mike Dallas!
Okay I hope you enjoyed my Halloween one shot.