Johnny's car slows to a stop. When I look out the window I see a few other cars already parked beside us along what looks to be an old stone wall.

I reach for the door, but Johnny locks it before I can pull the handle.

"You ready to die, Sis?"

I growl at him. "Are you?"

He chuckles softly, but then turns around to look me in the eye. "Trust me, Ginger, I'm helping you, but if you breathe a word of this to Mom or Dad we're both dead."

I swallow hard. Father would kill Johnny if he found out he was sneaking out at night, and I wouldn't last much longer now that I'm here too. "So are you going to let me out or what?"

An evil grin creeps across his face as he unlocks the doors. We both step out, and he locks the car behind us.

I follow close on his tail, tracing my pale golden claws along the weathered surface of the stone. The grass beneath our feet is tall and overgrown. The whole place has this eerie feel about it, almost like it's not as empty as it seems.

"They say it's haunted." Johnny says, reading my thoughts. "Monsters have come here and found nothing, but still claimed to have seen figures standing beyond the shadows."

My ears perk with interest. "Beyond the shadows?"

I see him smirk at my childish tone, but he continues. "Yes. Most say they saw two figures, one is always indescribable, seeming to change shape and move frighteningly fast."

He pauses, staring blankly at the grass ahead.

"And the other?" I squeak, genuinely interested in this story.

His grin returns full force. "They say the other has horns like the devil, and it's said that if you look into his eyes you'll see your worst nightmares."

"So… What happens to the monsters that have seen them?"

"They go batty. Most of them can't talk straight and some get panic attacks when the memory is brought back."

A demon and a shapeshifter? I have to admit that sounds really cool, but at the same time really scary. For whatever reason Johnny isn't fazed a bit.

"Um, so why are we here?" I ask, a sudden fear taking over me.

He chuckles. "Don't worry, they don't come out to attack crowds."

"Crowds?"

My question is answered by the blaring of music. Up ahead I see a crack in the wall where time has broken it. Light of all colors shines through it, and shapes dance around in the colorful light show.

Johnny steps over the fallen stones, I join him shortly before having the wind stolen right from my lungs. We're inside a huge, abandoned auditorium, lit up by colorful strobe lights. A hundred monsters are dancing to the electronic beat of a DJ. The smell of pizza is heavy in the air, and I realize once again how starving I am.

I turn to Johnny, who is watching me gape in awe with an expression most amused. The white shirt he's wearing is now glowing brightly in the strobe light. "What?"

"Not so bad is it, Freshman?"

"You shut up."

He laughs. "Alright, I'm sure you can go off and die without me. Help yourself to some pizza, grab a glow stick, dance, do whatever." He turns to leave me. "Oh but stay away from the punch. It can be a bit strong." Then he saunters off into the crowd before I can say a word.

"Ookay Ginger," I squeak to myself. "Welcome to your first party."

I timidly walk through the crowd of monsters; some dancing, others mingling, most holding red plastic cups of a fruity drink. I recognize some of the monsters, though their names are not known to me, as juniors, seniors, sophomores, and freshman like myself. None of them seem to notice me, none of them seem to care. I could probably drop dead of a heart attack right here and no one would so much as blink. Well at least they're not all staring at me.

I sniff out the snack table at last, and find forty boxes of pizza stacked by a large punch bowl. I immediately lunge for the pepperoni, my hunger taking over me as I take two slices and eat them at once. It tastes sooo good.

I finish my third slice, feeling much less empty, but much thirstier. I reach for a cup of punch, remembering what Johnny said about it being 'strong'. I don't know what that means, but it's not like it's going to kill me. There are other freshman here drinking from the red cups and they look… a little sloppy to be honest, but how bad can it be?

I take a sip of the fruity beverage, then lurch at the pungent taste. That's alcohol. The punch had been spiked. "Eww." I grumble, setting the cup down. I'm only thirteen, I shouldn't even be this close to alcohol. "Johnny…" Why did he have to bring me here? There's a life supply (actually probably only a week) of pizza, but nothing to drink! Of all the dirty tricks he's pulled on me this is one of the worst.

I slouch against the cold stone of the wall, listening to the music and terrible singing echo around the auditorium. I don't know what I was thinking. Pranking Johnny? What did I expect? And I've still got to study. For once I actually miss my dusty books and quiet room, but I'm a long way away from home, and Johnny was right when he said I wouldn't walk home. I'm too lazy and I'd probably get lost. I wish I could be alone. "But I am alone…"

"Oh chica, you don't have to feel so lonely."

I jump at the sudden voice, turning abruptly to see a dark, four-eyed monster leaning on the wall beside me. He's tall. That's the first thing I notice. This monster is very tall.

"What's the matter? Did I scare you?" He grins, revealing razor sharp, pearly white teeth.

"N-no…" I stammer, looking down at his four arms. "I just…wasn't expecting that."

He snickers, but his laugh sounds more like a hiss. "Oh of course." He looks me up and down, and I notice the whites of his eyes are… red. "What's a cute chica like you doing over here by yourself?"

I furrow my brow. "Cute? Cute? Excuse me, but I am not cute." I jab my claw at his chest, immediately regretting it when I realize that under his black button up jacket there is a beetle-like shell.

"Well, then what are you?" He asks, his voice smooth and full of charm, taking no notice that I just stabbed him.

I can't quite will myself to look into those four red eyes, instead I look up to find that he sports a pair of antennae. "I'm not your chica."

His eyes widen at my response and his smirk disappears. It's my turn to have some fun.

"What's the matter big guy?" I tease, taking a confident step forward. "Did I burn your tongue out?"

He blinks a couple times, taking in the card I just dealt, but his grin returns. "What's your name kitten?"

My ears flip forward and my eyes burn with rage. "Kitten?! I'm sorry but I'm nobody's little kitten! If you came over just to try and pet me, you can shove off!"

He hisses a laugh, I swear one more word and I'll rip his tongue out. "I just came over because you looked lonely. No need to be hostile." He holds his hands up in 'innocence', but his devilish smile remains. "So what's been bothering you, Kitten?"

"Shut your mouth."

"Hey, I'm just asking."

I growl and slump back against the wall.

He waits for my answer. "Are you going to tell me?"

I sigh in defeat. "My brother tricked me into coming here and I can't drink the punch."

"Oh, there's a cooler with soda over there." He points across the dance floor.

"Wait what?"

"Si, to the left of the DJ."

"Oh…" I say quietly. "Thanks."

"Anytime Kitten."

I frown. "My name is Ginger. Don't call me Kitten."

"I can't make any promises. I'm Javier, by the way." He holds out a black-clawed hand.

"Pleasure." I say blandly before walking to where he said the soda was, and sure enough I find it. A blue cooler full of ice and sugary drinks. I shovel through the ice until I find a grape flavored one, my favorite.

I crack the can open and choose another spot on the wall to chill, watching all the drunk monsters dance their lives away. I see couples grinding and duking it out in the middle of the floor. For once I hope Johnny isn't making a fool of himself. I don't want to live in the same house with that purple goon if he's off in some broom closet. No doubt he probably is doing something stupid right now, I'm just glad I'm not around to see it.

"Hola Kitten."

Bloody. Hell. "I thought I told you my name is Ginger." I say dryly without taking my eyes off of the crowd of monsters.

"You did," I can feel that smirk burning into my skull. "but I prefer to call you Kitten."

"Wonderful." I sip my drink as casually as possible. "So care to explain why you found me again?"

A silence lingers after my question, but he eventually finds enough of an excuse for an answer. "Everyone else is dancing, I didn't want you to feel left out."

"Everyone else is drunk." I spit. "And you're not dancing."

"All the more reason to ask." He leans in close to me. Now I smell the heavy alcohol on his breath, it's almost dizzying. "Come on, Kitten. Dance with me."

"Give me a reason to." I growl, angrily crushing the soda can in my claws.

Suddenly I feel his claws on my cheek, turning my face to meet his. "What reason do I need?"

I hiss. "There is no reason, in all of Hell, that I would ever dance with you." I shove him away from me, turning to leave.

"Oh well, I suppose you wouldn't be very good at it anyways…"

I shove past him, grabbing his jacket and pulling him out to the dance floor. Once we're there I drop him, his grinning face not even showing a hint of surprise. I hold my chin high, staring him dead in the eyes.

"Oooh did I make the Kitten mad?" He chortles.

"There's nothing wrong with just a taste of what you paid for."

I am quite proud of my dancing skills, and if this Javier has the guts to insult me then he must have the will to try and best me.

I chuckle to myself as I spin around, swaying my body to the rhythm of the music. "Give me a sign I wanna believe!" I gesture for him to try his luck, my own smirk forming as I watch his expression with amusement.

Sadly, Javier turns out to be a good dancer. His feet are faster, and he has this upbeat air that just screams with confidence. "Say what you mean, tell me I'm right!"

I growl as he leans close to me. "What's the matter Kitten? Had enough of the dance floor?" He hisses an evil chuckle. "Or would you prefer to be alone?"

I'm done. I rush away from the devil of a monster, towards the entrance where this nightmare had begun. This was all a big mistake. I should be in my room right now studying. Not here. I don't want this…

"Woah, hey Ginger, where are you going?" A voice that at the beginning of tonight could have curdled my blood is now a sweet lullaby to my ears.

"Johnny I want to go home."

He doesn't say anything at first, just looks at me puzzled. "Sis are you okay? What ha…"

"I want to go home."

I lay staring at the ceiling in my room. That wasn't a dream. I can still smell the toxic fume of alcohol clinging to my clothes. The flashing lights still burn in the back of my head, music rings constantly in my ears. No solid thoughts come together in my head, but one image remains glued to my conscience.

The pearly white grin of that fiendish monster. Javier.

And now Ginger has been to her first party, and has also has had a run in with the devil himself. I've got some things planned for my sweet little Ginger snap, oh boy here we go. The song they were dancing to is Ballad of Mona Lisa by Panic! at the Disco, and I'm sorry that I'm terrible at dancing scenes. Welp, I'll be working on that next chapter soon enough, but it may take longer due to some life business. So until the next chapter, Elf out!