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looked in the direction where he pointed. I concentrated on the nothingness and tried to make myself see something. Anything. I didn’t believe in ghosts or spirits or demons, none of that, but I could try to force myself to.
    Something flashed in the distance, and I pushed myself up onto my legs. “What the…”
    Dillon giggled. “You see him, Sissy?”
    For a moment, I’d thought I saw the outline of a figure, but then it was gone.

Chapter Seven
     
     
     
    “You look incredibly hot,” Meredith said as she perched on the end of my bed in her tiny Little Bo Peep costume later that night.
    I looked into the mirror on the back of my closet door. I had to agree with her comment. My hair was pulled into two braided pigtails that trailed down the top of my chest. My black dress hugged my body tightly down to the slight flair in the skirt. I also had on knee high black and white stripped socks and some short heels. My blue eyes were rimmed in their usual black with some dark shadow as well. I pulled the material at my waist downward, hoping to cover more of my legs but only lowering the already dangerous dip on the neckline of the dress.
    “I didn’t realize it was so revealing.”
    “Halloween is the perfect excuse to dress like a slut and get away with it,” Celeste said from the doorway as she walked in. She twirled around in her dress, which was shorter than mine, and laughed. Her boots laced up the front and landed above the knees. She smacked the fake scissors on her hands against the door.
    “Oops, sorry, Briar.”
    “It’s alright. I’m just glad they aren’t real.” It was uncomfortable being in the house with two girls I barely knew, but it was better than being alone. I’d agreed to the secret party Meredith had wanted to throw. Maybe I could fit in. Just maybe I could make some new friends.  
    “Don’t cover your legs, they’re nice.” Celeste walked over to me and hiked up my dress up again. “We’re going to find you a man.”
    “I don’t need a man. I feel naked.”
    “You can’t see anything,” Meredith insisted and turned her head to the side.
    I dreaded meeting strangers in something so revealing. The wallflower in me screamed that I was making a mistake. In the past, partying had only caused trouble for me, and it wasn’t the best idea in a haunted house.
    The doorbell sounded and I jumped, throwing my hands over my chest in fear. Ever since the knife incident, I was on edge. I hadn’t told the other girls about it, so they ran from the room in excitement. They had no reason to worry, but I was quickly on their heels to make sure they were safe. Just the thought of having a party at my house made me want to throw up. I hated being around people I didn’t know.
    “Hey!” Meredith exclaimed as she opened the door. 
    A couple of older guys stepped inside.
    The one dressed up to match Celeste stepped forward and held out a bag. “Here’s the booze.”
    “Thanks, Brett,” she said with a smile and kissed him on the cheek.
    From what I understood, they weren’t going out, but I could see in the way he looked at her that there was more to that story than I knew.
    Celeste reached for the bag but couldn’t grasp it due to the long plastic scissors getting in the way. “Stupid gloves. Just sit it on the table.” She motioned to the living room and that’s where he went. Several other guys and a couple of girls trailed behind him in their costumes. I didn’t recognize any of them.
    Ryder came in last with several large pizza boxes in his hand. I stepped closer to the door and reached out to help him. “Who are you supposed to be?”
    He moved his red, plaid button up to the side to reveal a burlap sack and fake knife tucked into his jeans. “Jason. It was just too hard to hold that stuff and bring in the pizzas. Hey, your neighbor is joining us by the way. He was outside on the porch when we got here; guess you didn’t hear him knocking.”
    Neighbor?
    The figure behind