Your First Halloween Party

6:30 p.m.

Daniel Mercer looked at his reflection in the hallway mirror.

Black jeans, a dark, tight-fitting shirt, a leather jacket. Nothing particularly original. A little black eyeliner around his eyes completed the look.

His phone buzzed.

Danny rolled his eyes.

“Here we go again.”

He typed a quick reply.

He put his phone away before she could reply.

His family had always been strange when it came to Halloween.
No parties, no costumes, no going out after dark.

His grandmother had once told him that October 31st wasn’t a night to mess with things you didn’t understand. That Halloween was dangerous.

Back then, Danny had laughed.

Now he wasn’t laughing. He was just eager to finally enjoy his very first Halloween party.

7:00 p.m.

The house stood at the end of a quiet residential street, a large detached property surrounded by trees. Coloured lights illuminated the windows, several enormous pumpkins grinned beside the porch, and fake cobwebs covered the entrance.

Music was already audible from the street.

Danny didn't have to ring the bell.

The door opened almost immediately.

"Finally!"

His friend Chris stood there wearing a ridiculous vampire costume, complete with a red-lined velvet cape and plastic fangs.

"Thought you'd chickened out. As usual."

"Very funny."

Chris pulled him inside.

The house was packed. Maybe forty or fifty people, most of them university students like Danny. The living room had been transformed into a Halloween party venue, with flashing lights, bat, spider, and skull decorations and—most importantly—a generous supply of drinks.

Danny grinned.

Now this was more like it.

Costumes ranged from elaborate gothic outfits to barely disguised attempts at wearing as little as possible. A couple of women dressed as sexy witches were dancing near the speakers. Someone wearing devil horns was enthusiastically flirting with a rather convincing angel.

Nobody seemed particularly concerned about typical Halloween conventions.

"Beer?" Chris offered.

"Definitely."

They headed towards the kitchen.

Danny recognized several familiar faces. There was Emma, dressed as a pretty glamorous succubus, and Sophie, whose black cat costume consisted mostly of furry ears, a tight black bra, and bikini bottoms with a tail.

"Looking good, Mercer!" Sophie called.

"You're not so bad yourself."

He winked.

She laughed and gave him a playful shove.

"Get yourself a drink. We're going to have fun tonight."

Danny was beginning to think she might be right.