Chapter 7: Trick or Treat

DEMING, WA – BROWN’S RESIDENCE

“Wow, you look hot as f*ck, Anna.” Jessica smiles as she finishes touching up my eyeshadow.

Curious, the girls walk over to my vanity mirror and gasp.

“Damn, girl!” Annica hollers. “Aphrodite, who?”

“Adam’s jaw will be on the floor the whole night, I can tell you that much.” Claire whistles.

I try to take a sneak peek, but Jessica chastises me.

“Don’t open your eyes yet! I’m almost done.”

It’s finally the night of the Halloween party. It turns out that Adam wanted to match costumes for it, so we both decided to be Greek gods. We thought it would be cool if we went in as our own kind of god, not really sticking to an official name. So of course, the girls were eager to help me design my own divine deity.

Thank God Taylor decided to get ready at another friend’s house and not join us here, although she planned on doing so. Apparently, Jacob and her have been on and off, but they’re rumored to be going to the event together. My friends were hoping to see her here, but nevertheless, I think it’s better this way. I can just have fun getting ready with them.

“Okay…there. Wait, let me stand you up in front of the mirror before you open your eyes.” Jessica takes my hand and guides me upward, assisting me to the other side of my room.

“Ready? Three, two, one…and open!”

My eyelids lift up to see a beautiful woman standing in front of me. Dawned with a wreath of crystal, her red hair shined a brilliant autumn that danced in curls to the straps of a silver lilac dress, framing her body. It sparkles like the constellations in the night sky; a mystic milky color like that of the full moon. A lone crystal adorns her neck, with earrings to match. Her brown eyes flutter in purple stardust, and lips glossed a beautiful sheen of pink. I’m in the presence of a true divine being.

Jessica beams. “You look so good, Anna!”

I blink. So does my reflection. I move my hand, and it moves in unison.

This is…

“This is me?”

The girls all pause at that and suddenly let out a huge laugh.

“Yes! You can’t even recognize yourself?” Claire puts a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it with reassurance. “This is how beautiful you are.”

I couldn’t believe it.

“Ah, I’ve been so focused on your makeup, I forgot to touch up on mine!” Jessica frantically runs to your vanity, taking out the blush.

“Oh my goodness,” I turn to see Claire and Annica personified as Pisces, wearing their own cute matching mini-dresses. They were both born in the pisces season, so they felt it fitting to go all out in it together. “You all look amazing. Claire and Annica, thank you for helping me find this dress. And Jessica,” she turns around in her racy nurse dress. “Thank you so much. You’re a true beauty guru through and through.”

They all stand speechless, startled by the sudden words of praise.

“You-you’re welcome.” Claire coughs, now glancing between the other two.

“Oh geez, no need to get all gushy now. Save that for Adam!” Annica laughs, pushing her hair behind her ear.

“Yeah! That’s what friends are for anyways, silly.” Jessica claps the blush compact back into her makeup bag.

I smile, holding back the incoming heat of tears in my eyes. I cannot ruin this makeup.

Looking back at the mirror, I admire Jessica’s handiwork. However, the more I look at myself, the more I don’t feel like it’s me. It looks like someone else. Someone I know.

Wait. Who, though?

I inspect a little closer, glancing between the crystal wreath and my face, and suddenly, it’s not me. I see another woman looking back. She smiles, although it looks more sorrowful than happy. Her hand comes up to the mirror, reaching out to me. On instinct, I bring my hand closer to her, touching the glass that separates us.

We blink in unison, but I gasp in shock. My eyes! They’re…yellow?

“Ah!” Jumping back, I almost fall to the floor, but catch myself.

“What?” The girls all flock to me in a hurry. “What’s wrong? Did you mess up your eyeliner?”

Jessica tilts my chin her way, inspecting my makeup.

“M-my eyes…” I breathe. How are they not freaking out?

“Yeah, I’m looking at them,” determining that nothing looks off, she pulls her hand away. “You’re good, the makeup isn't messed up anywhere.”

“But…but I-”

“You’re just nervous!” Annica speaks up. “The sooner we leave, the less likely you’ll back out. Let’s get going girls!”

I take a breath and look back at the mirror. It’s me again. I blink a few times, but my eyes stay the mute brown they’ve always been. Was I just imagining things?

***

DEMING WOODS, WA – BEHIND CAROL’S LAUNDROMAT

Man, was Annica right that I would’ve backed out. I mean, after all the hard work they put into my outfit, I knew I couldn’t, but still. This is absolute chaos.

After pulling into the back parking lot of the laundromat, we stroll down the naturemade path to the sound of bass boosting and chatter. By the time we reach the bonfire pit, the smell of weed is strong and beer cans litter the dirt. I try to keep the hem of my dress from getting dirty, but something tells me that will be near to impossible with how rowdy the people already are.

Some are kicking up dirt to the sound of the beat, while others are chugging cans sideways, then there’s people passing blunts around and getting high. All things that I don’t find myself wanting to get into. Regret pools in my stomach.

“Oh, Anna!”

Oh no. I glance over at my sister gracefully making her way to me in her own breathtaking greek goddess outfit with a random guy beside her. She truly looks like a deity. “I didn’t know you wanted to be a Greek god, too! You should’ve told me, we could’ve matched!”

Murmurs buzz around us. Damnit, now everyone’s saying that I copied her. And after all the hard work my friends put in my costume.

“Wow, you…you look great!” I say behind my teeth. Just hold in your anger. Don’t make a scene.

“Aw, thanks! By the way, this is Oscar. You’ve met him, right?”

Now that I take a closer look, he’s the same guy from her kickback that was in the smoking circle.

He looks me up and down with a sneer. “Don’t know her.”

Wow, rude.

“Can’t say I’ve met him, either.” I smile. “But you two have fun.”

Guess it was a lie about her and Jacob coming together. Then again, I never really see her with the same guy twice.

“Yo, Ray!”

My head swivels to the sound of their voice, but I’m met with disappointment seeing it was some other guy talking to a blonde.

Definitely not him.

Abandoning my sister and her boytoy, I start looking around, seeing if I can find that tall jenga tower, but fail to notice someone calling out to me.

“Hey, Anna! Get outta la la land, Adam’s coming over!” Jessica shakes me out of my search as Adam, dressed in a white toga and a gold wreath, comes over. Although he kept stumbling.

“Anna! Glad you–hic!–made it!” His eyes travel up and down my body, cheeks glowing red. “Wow, you look sooo incredible. Like a real goddess!”

My smile falters at his appearance. He’s really drunk.

Suddenly, he throws his arms around me in a slack embrace. “You smell really good, too. Wow, you’re hot.”

The girls giggle, excited for me that our plan to ‘seduce’ Adam worked, but something in me doesn’t feel very victorious. Probably because he’s drunk out of his mind and can barely hold a conversation without falling over or talking about something else entirely.

“We’ll leave you two lovebirds alone!” Claire winks, waving goodbye.

“W-wait, you guys, I can’t-!”

“Enjoy your time together!” Jessica shouts before linking arms with the others and heading closer towards the firepit.

I turn to Adam who is on some tangent about me looking like the stars, and I pull him up a bit so I can see his face.

“Thank you, Adam. That’s very nice of you. But let’s go get you some water, okay?”

He repeatedly nods his head, and we head over to the snack table propped up by a foldable long table. Taking a few bottles, I guide him away from his friends who try to get him to join another round of chugging.

So that’s how he got into this state. Probably a lightweight.

I find a nice spot, somewhat close but far enough away from the crowd so that we won’t be disturbed. I anchor Adam by a tree and sit beside him, feeling the cool air blow past our feet. Sorry, dress.

As he downs one of the bottles, he looks up at me apologetic, coming back to his senses a little.

“I’m sorry,” he sighs. “I totally made a fool of myself earlier.”

I shake my head. “You were enjoying yourself, so I get it. But just be careful with those drinking games. I know it’s like–a thing for ‘the guys,’ but don’t push yourself.”

He nods, smiling up at me. I would be lying if I said it didn’t make my heart flutter a bit.

“You truly are a goddess, aren’t you?”

I laugh. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“But you are.” He presses on. “You’re so nice to everyone around you…so selfless. And beautiful.”

Receiving one compliment after the other is bad for my heart. I don’t even know how to respond, but suddenly, Adam pushes himself forward, encasing me between him and the tree.

“Wait, Adam…?”

“You’re so pretty, Anna. I like you. I really really like you.” His face is still flushed with alcohol and his eyes lidded in lust.

My stomach plummets as my chest rises and falls in anxiety. Am I supposed to let him kiss me? Is that how it goes? Is this how it’s supposed to be?

I squeeze my eyes tight as his lips touch mine, but what starts as a soft peck turns into a greedy desire that wants to devour me. He becomes more forceful, pushing himself up against me and sloppily taking my lips into his own. I’m paralyzed. I don’t know how to feel about this.

A sudden bite wakes me out of my daze.

“Adam!” I push him back, but he overpowers my strength and comes back in again.

My heart is racing for a different reason now. I’m scared.

“Stop!”

I hit his shoulders and kick at his legs, but he doesn’t budge.

Help. Someone help me!

I’m about to scream until I hear a sudden loud growl a few feet away from us.

My breath stops and Adam ceases movement. We both look behind him and see a pair of yellow eyes glowing menacingly in our direction. It saunters forward out of the shadows, revealing a large black wolf, its fur the shade of pure onyx. And it looks anything but friendly.