A gust of wind blew through the house as the screaming Savannah was pulled in against her will and--wait. What the devil? The first person narrative has been changed to third! Oh, whatever. As I was saying...

The person who had grabbed her pulled his skeleton mask away. He had not expected her to keep on screaming for help even after he revealed himself, but she did just that.

"Oh my God! Somebody help!"

He tried calming her, but his words of reassurance were drowned out by her wailing like a siren. Becoming fed up, he covered her mouth, forcing her to listen.

"It was just a joke! Calm down!"

The girl stared at him through eyes encrusted with makeup, then fell limp. He had to struggle to catch her--she was heavier than she looked.

Great, she had fainted. Well, so much for only scaring her.

No sooner had she gone spindly in his arms, the girl was awake again. “What the heck? Where am I? Who are you?”

This change of tune encouraged him. “You’re in Someplace Else, and I’m the Maestro.”

She looked up and around. “Oh. Okay.”

Her sudden calm unnerved him. He was constantly expecting her to start screaming again. “Er…”

“Put me down.” She commanded. He obeyed without protest, setting her on her feet.

“May I ask who you are and why you knocked?”

The girl gave him a dull-eyed and slightly creepy look. “I’m Savannah Chastity Cook.”

The mayor’s daughter? Uh oh. “And why are you here?”

“I got dared by some people at a party.”

“Is that what the costume is for?”

Her face was utterly serious. “I’m a polyester vampire.”

O-kay. She was a strange girl, but he was weird himself. He could handle it… right? “Why didn’t you refuse? Going to the houses of strangers can be dangerous.”

“I dunno.” She studied him through her paper masquerade mask, and he began to feel funny. His knees seemed weak, and goosebumps traveled up and down his arms. This was getting disturbing.

“Well, you can go home now. I just wanted to scare you. A Halloween prank, you know?” He forced a smile to hide his discomfort; her gaze intensified, and the smile faded. “Um… what are you doing?”

“Can you walk me home?”

He blinked. The stare was gone, and her eyes went dull and stupid again. He shook his head. “I can’t, sorry. I have things to do--”

“Then I won’t leave.” She said matter-of-factly. “I hate my house. My dad’s a jerk.”

He couldn’t help agreeing with her on that. “You can’t stay here. Your father will call the police.”

“I don’t care.” She started to wander down one of the hallways. “I’ll stay here tonight.”

A sinking feeling developed in the pit of his stomach. “Listen, you really should go home--”

But she had resorted to ignoring him. He sighed. “I guess you can stay… but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Warn me about what?”

He started off in the other direction. “You’ll know when you see it.”

I walked past the Maestro guy and--oh, for Christ’s sake! You changed the POV again! Bloody hell--

The house was full of antiques and old crap. There were painting on the walls that were probably hundreds of years old and everything was covered in dusty old sheets. But the place was huge, and I wanted to explore it, because I’m a rebel who ignores warnings from adults. Maybe I’d get killed or something. That would be fine with me, since I hate myself.

I passed by this room that had an old organ in it covered in cobwebs and dust. My asshole teen nature told me to start pounding on the keys, so I did. It was much louder than I thought it would be, and I got a feeling that I was summoning a demon from hell, so I stopped. Not because I’m religious or anything--because I didn’t want to bother Satan and his minions right then, and I’d already sold my soul to the devil last week to get him to do my math homework for me.

But when I turn around, the Maestro guy is standing behind me.

“What are you, some kind of stalker?” I ask annoyedly.

He grinned at me. “Only in my spare time.” He said.

“Your voice is different.” I say--Great, now you’ve changed the past tense to present tense as well. I applaud you. Tool.

“Is it?” He had his hands on his hips.

“You sound British. Are you high? Can I have some?”

He looks at me funny, then shrugs. “Children your age should not be bothering with such vices.”

“I agree completely.” I say. He looks faintly irritated. “You’re not the same guy, are you?”

He looks surprised. “How did you guess?”

“I’m special.” I explain. “My mom died when I was little. She was probably a witch from another dimension, and I have secret magic powers I haven’t discovered yet. Anyway, who are you really?”

“I am Maestro’s darkness. They call me…” He raises an eyebrow suggestively. “...Doctor Maestro.”

“Cool beans.” I nod. “Do you know where I can sleep?”

“That depends on who you want to sleep with.” He grins. It makes him look unhinged. Sexy. “Every room in this house is occupied by a ghost or a ghoul. So, who would you like to be your bedmate?”

“Can’t I just make Maestro give up his room?”

“Maestro is not exempt from the rule. He shares a room with a ghost girl.”

For some reason, I am instantly jealous. “Oh, yeah? Are they, like, together or something?”

“Sort of.”

“Is she prettier than me?”

“She’s quite plain, actually. Has a huge overbite and a weak chin. I don’t know what he sees in her.” He shudders. “I’m sure she’d be no match for you. Especially since she is, you know, dead.”

I put my fingers together in an evil pyramid as I calculate, a dastardly plan to steal a man forming in my head. Hey, that rhymed. “Excellent. I can begin preparations at once…”