over the years. You have no idea.”
“Don’t worry about it. That’s all in the past, right?” she responds.
“I just feel that if I would’ve done something…anything, you wouldn’t be in the position you’re in now.”
“Kids are cruel. You had no way of controlling them. Don’t beat yourself up over this. Besides, my mom’s the real issue here.” Janice places her hand on my shoulder and sends me a look of endearment. “I’m glad you asked me to hang out tonight. It’s been way overdue.”
“I agree. We’re going to have so much fun tonight. I can feel it.”
She laughs. “I hope so.”
“Finished,” I say, putting the lip gloss back into my makeup kit.
“Your time’s up, ladies,” Rory calls into the dressing room.
Chapter Five
The location of the Shriek and Howl Halloween Bash is deep within a wooded area on the edge of the Holden Ridge city limits. We have to park our cars in a cordoned-off lot, already a ways into the woods, and then walk the rest of the way. This is a precautionary measure so that if the deputies find our vehicles, they have to maneuver the twisting and winding labyrinth-like path to find the party. Gunnar goes to great lengths to keep these parties as hidden as possible.
Reaching what I think is the entrance, Janice and I stop to admire the decorations. There’s a long passageway that seems like it was formed naturally by the surrounding foliage. Two scarecrows with gnarled branches for hands, arms, and legs stand guard on either side of the passage. The sinister smiles cut into their pumpkin heads are brought to life by the eerie flicker of the candles inside.
Just above the archway is an old wooden sign, bearing the words “Drink Me” painted in white. An arrow points to a table littered with shot glasses. There are a ton of empty glasses flipped upside down already, which means the majority of the party guests have been through here.
“Bottoms up,” I say, handing a drink to Janice. “Here’s to a rekindled friendship.”
“To a rekindled friendship,” she repeats with a smile.
We clink the shot glasses together in a toast and toss them back. An intense burn flows from my throat all the way up through my nose. I cough a little and so does she.
“Holy shit, that stuff’s strong,” I blurt after catching my breath.
“Yeah,” she manages between coughs.
“What the hell was in that?”
Janice giggles. “It kind of tasted like pumpkin pie.”
“Yeah, if it was mixed with kerosene.”
“So, now what?” she asks, placing her shot glass upside down on the table.
“I guess we travel down the rabbit hole,” I answer while staring into the passageway before us.
“Wait—we’re going through there?”
I hear the hesitation in Janice’s voice. “I guess so. Do you need a little more liquid courage before we do?”
“Definitely not.”
“Okay then, in we go,” I say, leading the way into the vortex of foliage.
A little ways down the passage, it opens up and we find ourselves surrounded by jack-o-lanterns with scary carved faces. All of them are littered throughout the area above and around us. The scene is so beautifully haunting that it takes my breath away.
“Gunnar really goes all out, doesn’t he?”
I wait for Janice’s response, but she’s too distracted by all the dancing lights within the pumpkins.
Continuing down the passageway, following the winding path, we eventually hear some noise in the distance. A bright, fiery light emanates from what looks like the end of the tunnel. The heavy thunderous rhythm of the music coming from up ahead reverberates through the cramped space of the passage.
“That’s probably my friend, Alex’s, band playing right now,” I comment as we continue to move forward.
“Cool. Can’t wait to meet her.”
“I think you’ll like her. She’s a little wild, but you get used to her ways. Oh, and she’s the daughter of Pastor Bachman.”
“I know him. He’s the pastor at the church my mom drags me to,” Janice replies.
“Drags you to?”
“Just because my mom became ‘enlightened’ doesn’t mean I believe like she does, Dani,” She says with agitation in her voice.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to offend.”
“It’s no big deal. I just didn’t want you to think that I’m some religious freak like my mother. It’s funny, because she says she’s so religious and such a true Christian, yet she spews so much venom toward others.”
A clearly drunk couple stumbles up the path toward us, catching my attention. They’re dressed as sexy Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. I laugh under my breath when Andy tries to make a