Fright Night

By R.J. Byrd

I was snuggled under a blanket decorated with pumpkins and bats. I loved using it when October rolled around. I had also put on my Halloween pajamas and fluffy socks. I leaned my head against my boyfriend’s shoulder as we watched the last of The Addams Family. We were going to watch Haunted Mansion next. It wasn’t late, but it was already dark outside, and it was supposed to start raining soon. Perfect weather for snuggling and movies.

I leaned forward to grab a handful of caramel corn from the bowl on the coffee table. We had an impressive array of sweets for our spooky, not scary, movie marathon. The table had two bowls of popcorn, both butter and caramel, a bowl of assorted mini candy bars, a bowl full of gummy candy and we each had iced apple cider cocktails.

I needed a bathroom break, so I got up and stretched, feeling a chill without the blanket. On the way back from the bathroom, I heard a noise. It was coming from the kitchen. I walked into the kitchen, turned on the light, and listened, but I didn’t hear it again. Figuring it was nothing, I turned around to leave when I heard it again. It was coming from the back door. I slowly walked to the door and listened. At first, I could only hear the rain outside.

I jumped when I saw the doorknob wiggle. Someone was trying to get into the house!

I rushed back to the living room.

“Mike, someone is trying to break into the house,” I frantically whispered to my boyfriend.

“What?”

“Yes, come on, the back door.”

He grabbed the nearest heavy object, a solid glass pumpkin we had sitting on the TV stand, and we both went to the kitchen and watched the door. I held in a gasp as the knob moved again. My boyfriend held out a hand so I would stay put. He moved the curtains so he could peek outside.

“I don’t see anything,” he whispered. Slowly he unlocked the door and threw it open with the glass pumpkin poised above his head.

Darkness was all that greeted us. We were both silent, scanning the shadows, when suddenly a plaintive meow was heard. We looked down and saw our tortoiseshell cat, Pumpkin Spice, innocently looking up at us. She let out another soft meow before strolling into the house like she hadn’t just scared the hell out of us.

“I guess she learned a new way to get our attention,” I said.

Mike and I looked at each other and laughed, all the nervous energy draining away. We hugged before returning to the living room. We settled on the couch with Pumpkin Spice between us, purring and happy to be out of the rain.

“You made our night extra frightening, Spice,” I told her. She started kneading the blanket in satisfaction her purrs growing louder.

“She keeps us on our toes,” said Mike, giving Spice a few pets. I smiled as the opening scene of the movie started. The rain outside was getting louder, and maybe I heard some distant thunder. It really was a perfect spooky night.

The End

Copyright 2024 R.J. Byrd All Rights Reserved