All Hallows Haunt and All Must Have Fun

[concierge]

The fog had begun near the dusk hours, coating all the plants and flowers in the garden. It settled, heavy, and blanketed everything with a new cover that was only matched in mood by the graveyard that had unearthed itself from the grass and the moss. Names were etched on each gravestone, but the most unnerving part was that every few steps, if you stopped and listened very, very carefully, you might hear a knock of a human hand against hard wood. It was almost as if the dead were being called upwards.

The maze stood normal, but inside around the corners, there were things lurking and waiting.

Outside might have become frightening and gloomy, but the contrast to indoors was stark. Inside, carved pumpkins lit with candles turned the ballroom and restaurants into amber-lit abodes, costumed partygoers twirled to the music played by the band in the lobby (while the DJ had set up in the conservatory). Candy and small hors d'oeuvres circulated on the trays of immaculately clad waiters and though outside it was stormy, foggy, and spooky, inside was a delight of themed drinks, delicious food, and the manic and half-crazed mood of people in the midst of their fun.

The party for Halloween had begun.

And there was no telling when it might ever end.

Comments

[roartonrisen]

"Yeah," Kieren agrees, thinking that watching other people drink is the sort of thing that he just has to get used to, seeing as it's basically what he does now -- pretend. He nods his head towards the light and warmth in the distance. "Might as well head off. Thanks," he adds, a bit off-handedly. "For, you know, sticking it out with me."

[prongsdefiant]

"It's what I do," James said, grinning at him. "Besides, never had my head looked at as an appetizer before. It's something to tell Evans the next time she wants to say I don't have any brains at all."

[roartonrisen]

"Who's Evans?" Kieren asks, even though he's already two steps away. His curiosity has got the better of him, though, and he lingers, just a bit. Maybe it's just because he's not sure how long it will take him to get home and he's still tense from earlier. He could use a bit of mindless conversation, admittedly.

[prongsdefiant]

"My girlfriend," James explained. Calling her Evans was a long-held habit and he guessed he should probably start referring to her by her name when talking about her to third parties. Oh well, too late now.

"Lily Evans, but Evans is the preferred term of endearment."

[roartonrisen]

Right. He'd forgotten that. Then again, he'd sort of been dead for a good bit of a year when the books were being finished off, so he thinks that's a pretty good excuse for missing out on the minutia. "Is she here, then?" he asks.

[prongsdefiant]

James shook his head. "Nah, mate. She's never come through here with me. It's like this place exists and...not everyone from my world can get through to it. I guess that's good, considering what's around in my world that I don't want following me through."

[roartonrisen]

"Doesn't anyone find that a bit weird?" Kieren wonders, the look on his face saying that he definitely does. It's not that he wants to bring Simon here or anything, definitely not his parents, but not even having the option is strange. "Why are we the chosen ones? What's so special about us?"

[prongsdefiant]

"I always thought it was because there was something I needed to do here," James admitted. "I've always thought it was because she didn't need to come through and that I had it handled here. In hindsight, it's a little slow of me to think that. Why am I special? No idea."