Meanwhile, in another part of town, the creepy old house on the hill with the turrets and spires creaked and groaned as it settled, its age-old timbers moaning their protest. The wind howled and cried, sounding like a thousand souls screaming their torment, and rain lashed the battered old roof.

In one window, a solitary candle's light flickered, even though the house was deserted and had been since its occupants were horribly murdered decades before. It was the library window, and the delicate light cast dancing shadows across the rows of oak shelving and the dusty old tones, which they carried.

The aforementioned occupants hovered above their easy chairs.

"Serius, darling," the female figure quavered, "I'm sure I heard a noise from downstairs..."

"Dorothea, dearest - I'm not going down there again. This is the third time this millennia," groused the hairless and eyeless old ghost without looking up from his book.

"But darling, it could be burglars! Touching our precious things! Why, Serius - they may dash up here, biff you on the head and ravage me!"

Serius closed his book with a sigh. "Dear, how many times must we have this conversation?"

There was a 'thud' from outside, closely followed by a hammering at the door. Dorothea's jaw dropped in terror. Serius floated to her, picked it up off the floor and settled it back in place before continuing to the window.

In tones which spoke of the deepest dread, he said, "Oh God, no! Quick, put the light out! Pretend we're not here!"

"Darling?" shrieked the terrified wife, "What is it? Burglars? Murderers? Pirates???"

"No, it's that bloody Zombie from the cemetary down the road. Every Halloween, he has to turn up here... quick, duck down behind the door!"

The stairs creaked as footsteps progressed slowly until they stopped outside the library door. There was a moment of agonising silence, broken eventually by: "Coo-ee! Anybody home?" There was a banging at the door. "Oh now, come along Dowothea, Serius..."

The doorhandle turned with a rusty creak, and the door was pushed open. A battered head peeked around, a ragged smile on its lipless features. "Coo-ee, dawlings!" The being minced in, as best he could with one leg shorter than the other. "Hewe's Wandy!"

"What AWE you two up to?"

With resignation, the two ghosts floated above the settee. "Well, actually Randy, we were about to, to..." Dorothea looked to Serius in desperation.

"Do our hair?" he hazarded. The Zombie clapped his hands together, and giggled as fingernails flipped across the furniture. "Your haiw! How MARVY!!! I didn't want to say anything, but pigtails awe just so last century."

Serius realized the extent of his mistake and continued. "Well, we were doing her hair because we are going... out."

"Out?" Randy's eyes widened until one fell out. "Whewe?"

"Out?" squeaked Dorothea. "As in Out... side? But..."

Serius took advantage of the zombie's eye problem by batting it behind the fire grate to gain time. He desperately looked out the window, and found himself staring at a group of young girls gathered outside the abandoned house next door.

"Our neighbors holding a party," he lied

"A PAWTY! Oh goody goody goody! and I know just what I can wear."

"I'm sorry Randy, you know if it was up to us... but it's invitation only."

"But, I'm sure if you asked..."

"No, he's very... private. And how would it look if you couldn't even pronounce the host's name? You know, our neighbour? The Sorority Slaughterer?"

After a few futile attempts at pronunciation and the replacement of his tongue, Randy began to pout. "Well I am going to wait pwacticing wight here until you get back."

"Oh dear..." Dorothea towards the door leading OUTSIDE with many misgivings...