It takes a special kind of messed up to design and operate a haunted house. Of course, the Scary Shack actually could be haunted! It was the crown jewel of Appaloosa Plains' annual Fall Festival, and Rowan had always wanted to test his bravery by stepping inside.
But this year, things were different.
Halloween had arrived, and the Evergreens were headed to the festival for an evening of crisp autumn air, pumpkin carving, and warm cider. But unlike the years before, Rowan wouldn't have Oliver by his side. Thanks to his punishment from last weekend, he was stuck going solo. Well, not entirely solo - his parents would be there. But it wasn't the same.
As they pulled up to the festival grounds, the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. Children in costumes dashed between booths, the scent of caramel apples and kettle corn filled the air, and a giant corn maze loomed in the distance. Rowan took a deep breath, trying to shake the weird feeling of missing Oliver's usual sarcastic commentary.
"Try to have fun, okay?" Aria nudged him gently. "I know you'd rather be here with Oliver, but maybe it's a chance to meet someone new."
Rowan shrugged, stuffing his hands in his jacket pockets. "Yeah. Maybe."
After an hour of wandering through the festival - eating too many sugary treats and watching his dad try (and fail) to win a ring toss - Rowan found himself in line for the haunted house.
"You actually going in there?" a voice asked beside him.
Rowan turned to see a girl around his age, dressed in a sleek, all-black witch costume, complete with a pointed hat and a confident smirk. Her dark eyes sparkled with amusement, and her auburn hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders.
"Yeah, why not?" Rowan replied, raising a brow. "You don't seem like the type to be scared of a haunted house."
She chuckled. "I'm not. But most people don't go in alone."
Rowan shrugged. "My friend couldn't make it, so it's just me tonight."
She tilted her head slightly, as if assessing him. "Well, that's a shame. But hey, since you're alone, you could always go in with me. I could use someone to laugh at when they inevitably jump at the fake ghosts."
Rowan smirked. "You assume I'll be the one jumping."
She grinned, extending a hand. "I'm Ivy, by the way."
He shook it. "Rowan."
Before Rowan could think too hard about it, they were stepping into the dimly lit entrance of the Scary Shack. The walls were lined with flickering lanterns, eerie music played from hidden speakers, and a cold draft made the air feel heavy.
Ivy walked ahead confidently, her boots clicking against the wooden floor. "So, Rowan, do you think this place is actually haunted? Or just a bunch of cheap tricks?"
Rowan scanned the dark hallway ahead. "I mean, logically, I'd say it's just effects. But… there are always stories."
Ivy smirked. "Stories, huh? Now you've got my attention."
They made their way through the first floor, moving past cobweb-draped furniture, ghostly mannequins, and flickering candlelight. In one room, a rocking chair creaked on its own, sending an eerie chill up Rowan's spine.
"Alright, that was kind of creepy," Ivy admitted, eyeing the chair warily.
"Could be an automated mechanism," Rowan suggested. "Or something more sinister."
She nudged him. "Oh, you're really getting into this, aren't you?"
As they stepped into the next room, the walls suddenly slammed inward, narrowing the hallway. Hidden speakers whispered unintelligible phrases, and a figure darted across their peripheral vision.
"Okay, that was weird," Ivy said, gripping Rowan's sleeve. "Tell me you saw that."
"I saw something… probably just an effect," Rowan replied, though his heart had picked up its pace.
They climbed the narrow, creaky staircase to the second floor, where the air felt noticeably colder. The hallway was lined with portraits whose eyes followed them, and the sound of distant, phantom laughter echoed around them.
"Alright, this floor definitely has the creep factor dialed up," Rowan muttered.
They entered a bedroom where a four-poster bed was covered in tattered sheets. As soon as they stepped inside, the door behind them slammed shut.
"Nope," Ivy said, turning around immediately. "Absolutely not."
Rowan chuckled. "What happened to not getting scared?"
"I have a healthy respect for haunted architecture," she replied, pushing at the door. It creaked open again, as if allowing them to leave at its own will.
Just as they were about to move on, a figure in Victorian-era clothing glided silently across the room, vanishing through the opposite wall.
Both of them froze.
Ivy's grip on Rowan's arm tightened. "That... was not part of the setup."
Rowan swallowed hard. "Let's just… keep moving."
The last room was a long corridor lined with mirrors. At first, it seemed like a normal reflection trick - until one of the mirrors showed Rowan and Ivy standing still while their reflections moved slightly ahead of them.
"Okay, I think I'm done here," Ivy said, pulling Rowan toward the exit.
They burst through the final door and into the festival grounds, both of them taking deep breaths.
After the festival, Rowan looked noticeably quiet, his usual excitement dimmed. As they walked back to the car, Jake noticed and nudged Aria. "It's fine," he said softly. "You can let him go see Oliver."
Aria turned to Jake, a little surprised, but when she saw the way Rowan's face lit up at the words, she sighed and relented. "Alright," she said, shaking her head with a small smile. "Go ahead. But don't stay out too late."
Rowan immediately pulled out his phone, already texting Oliver.
Rowan: Where are you? Let's hang out. It's Halloween, after all.
Even though it was late, he knew Oliver would be up.
Oliver texted back almost immediately.
Oliver: Meet me at the park. I've got something fun planned.
When Rowan arrived, Oliver was waiting near the old swings, holding a bag of leftover candy and two sodas. "I figured you'd find a way to escape eventually," he teased. "Ready for some real Halloween fun?"
They spent the next hour walking through the quiet town, tossing candy at each other and daring each other to sneak into the abandoned barn at the edge of town.
As Rowan dodged a mini chocolate bar Oliver threw at him, he laughed. "You're terrible at this."
Oliver scoffed. "Excuse me? I'm strategically bad so you let your guard down. It's all part of my master plan."
Rowan shook his head. "Yeah, sure. I'm sure missing every shot is just a strategy."
When they reached the barn, the old wooden door creaked as Rowan pushed it open. Dust swirled in the moonlight as they stepped inside, the scent of old hay and wood filling the air.
"This place is straight out of a horror movie," Oliver whispered, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Think we'll get haunted?"
Rowan smirked. "Only if we're lucky."
They wandered through the barn, their voices low as they talked about everything from school to the future. Eventually, Oliver leaned against one of the beams, looking at Rowan thoughtfully. "You know… Halloween's kinda lame without you."
Rowan felt his stomach flip slightly. "Yeah?"
Oliver shrugged, tossing another candy at him. "Yeah. You make things fun. Even when we're doing dumb stuff like breaking into a barn."
Rowan caught the candy and popped it in his mouth, grinning. "Well, good thing I got my freedom back, then."
Oliver chuckled. "Yeah. And next time, we don't let anyone tell us we can't spend Halloween together. Deal?"
Rowan nodded, holding out his pinky. "Deal."
They locked pinkies, the barn creaking slightly around them as if sealing the promise.