It was a cool Friday night in August and Robot Jones was being dropped off at Sock's house for his first sleepover. His father walked him to the small, two-story house, built with tiny yellow bricks and redish-brown tiles on the roof.
"Have a good time. Have a good time. Have a good time," his dad repeated in his Microsoft Ralph voice.
"I will," Robot said in his Microsoft Junior voice. "Stop worrying so much."
"I can't. I was programmed to worry."
"We all were," he said. "It's not a very special thing."
"Alight. Alright. Alright," he repeated again. "I'll see you tomorrow." He rolled the opposite direction on the sidewalk to their big, metal house. Robot walked to the door with his metallic bundle wrapped in his arm and noticed the details of the yard. Unkept shrubs were huddled together against the front walls, covering up the slightly peaking windows. In the backyard, just behind a chainlinked fence was a old, rusted swingset. It looked so rusted, that if you were to simply blow on it, it would fade away in a cloud of orange smoke. The idea of rusting sent chills down Robot's silver spine so he decided to stop paying attention to it.
He looked at the watch on his wrist, which read 6:45 p.m. He knocked on the door loudly and Socks in his red and white striped pajamas with knee-length shorts appeared to open the door.
"Robot!" Socks greeted him. "Glad you could make it, buddy. What took you so long?"
"My mom-unit was being more protective than usual. She pulled me in a tight embrace and kissed me all over my face before I left."
"Really? Whenever I leave the house, my parents just say, 'Be back by eight or we'll take away your phone for a year!' Ha! But they always end up taking my phone away for a month!" Robot suddenly realized Mitch and Cubey sitting on the brown couch. Mitch wore a plain-white shirt and soft, red and black, checker-boarded pants. Cubey was wearing a black shirt with a wonder cube on it and wonder cube-patterned pants.
"Ay, Robot," Mitch said.
"What's up," Cubey said.
"Hello, Cubey and Mitch unit," Robot responded. "Sorry it took me and hour to arrive."
"Ah, that's okay," Mitch said. "One time, we were having a party at my house and Cubey showed up two hours after it ended! It was hilarious!"
"Shut up! Mom had to take me to the dentist." Cubey said, agitated. Socks went into the kitchen and brought out popcorn, a bowl of pretzels, and a case of beer.
"My parents went to a dinner party at the neighbor's house from across the street," Socks said to Robot, as he places the snacks on the coffee table. "They said they'll be staying there until morning so we got the whole place to ourselves."
"Why do they need to stay at the neighbor's house until the morning?" Robot asked.
" I don't know. They never explain why. They're always going to the same house every Friday night and sometimes those neighbors come over to our house instead. When they do, me and my brother have to stay in our rooms for the whole night. I guess they don't want any kids ruining their fun."
"That's stupid," Cubey piped up. "When my parents had a dinner party, I was allowed to be there. What makes your parents parties for adults only?"
"I don't know, man. I should probably ask them about that sometime but for now, I'm just glad they're out of the house. Anyway, let's get this party started!" He took a beer off the six pack of cans and tossed each one to his friends. When Robot was given his can, he examened the lable and nutrition fact section.
"Socks unit," He said. "I'm confused. Aren't we under the age of drinking alchol?"
"Don't worry about it, Robot," Socks said. "A little underaged drinking never hurt anyone. Besides, my parents won't know we're drinking their beer because I secretly bought an extra pack. That way they'll never suspect I stole anything."
"That is very clever," said Robot.
"Hah! Yeah," Socks said, before taking a sip of beer. He sat on the couch next to cubey and Robot put his bundle down and sat next to Mitch. "So Cubey, di-"
"What are you doing?" A child's voice interrupted Socks'. Everyone looked to the right side of the couch. Socks' little dorky brother was standing there in his baby-blue, footy pajamas. "I'm telling mom!" He said, pointing to the boys.
"Don't bother," Socks said. "I bought an extra case so they'll think I didn't touch them."
"They're still gonna believe me," The little boy said.
"No they won't," Socks barked. "I'm gonna replace the case in a few minutes. Now get the hell out of here you little twerp!" His little brother ran back down the hall to his bedroom. Everyone was now understandable feeling awkward after that exchange between Socks and his little bro but they would still rather have this sleepover with out that boy.
"So Cubey," Socks started again. "Did you bring the movie?"
"Oh yeah," He said, pulling out a vhs tape.
"Woah," Mitch explained. "Is that The Smith Brothers? I love that movie!"
"What is The Smith Brothers?" Robot asked.
"It's this super cool action, comedy movie about these two step-brothers whose parents get kidnapped and they have to work together to save them," Mitch explained.
"It's awesome," socks said, getting up and taking the tape from cubey. "I think you're gonna like it." He went over to the TV and put the tape into the vhs player. He adjusted the TV so it would play the tape but instead of the movie playing, the screen only showed static. He tried adjusting the wires a bit but nothing was working.
"What's wrong?" Cubey asked. "That tape's in great condition!" He expected Socks to argue back but, instead, his response was pretty concerning.
"I know! I think it might be my TV. I know it sounds weird but I think this house is being haunted and there's a ghost that's stopping us from playing the movie." Everyone burst out laughing. Even Robot let out an emotionless-sounding, robotic laugh. "Guys, I'm being serious!"
"What do you mean you're being haunted?" Mitch asked trying not to laugh.
"I keep seeing weird shadows and figures everywhere." He shuttered a bit. "I don't even want to talk about what they look like."
"Wait," Cubey started. "Why did you invite us over if you knew your house was haunted?"
"My parents were gonna be gone until morning and I didn't want to be alone for the night."
"You could have spent time with your brother," Robot added.
"Nah!" Socks said. "I don't wanna do that!" On the small table next to where Robot was sitting, the aqua green house phone started ringing.
"This phone is unplugged," Robot said, looking at an outlet with a detatched phone cord under it. "How is it ringing?"
"Oh my God!" Socks screamed. "THE GHOSTS ARE BACK!"
"Shut up, Socks," Mitch said, as he threw a pillow at him. Robot hesitated before he quickly picked the phone up and put it to his ear.
"Hello," he said. All he could hear on the other side was white noise. "Hello? Who is there?"
"Are you here?" A strange, feminine voice started talking. "Are you here right now? Have you seen me?" Robot looked over and saw a grey, distorted face by the window. He immediately looked away and curled his legs next to his torso in fear, while still holding the phone to his ear.
"You're right," Robot said to Socks. "There is certainly something ha-"
"EEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAA!" The voice screached into Robot's ear so loudly, it sent electric pulses throughout the lightbulb on his head. The staticy TV flashed that same grey face for a split second before turning off. Everyone started running around the living room, screaming and fearing for their life. It seemed like there wasn't going to be much slumber during this party.