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“I don't know you, why are you following me?”
“I don't know you either,” Schlatt scorned, holding off the taller man’s arm like he’d get left behind without the support.
It was a rough part of town, and on Halloween night there were bound to be people out and about causing trouble. Schlatt wasn't one to admit fear (more so the opposite - bravado could get you quite far in high school if you knew what you were doing) but even he had to admit that on the autumnal night the trees and dark corners looked a lot more sinister. Even if he wasn't dressed up as a goat, he still wouldn't be interested in getting jumped. Naturally he followed his instinct and tagged along with someone dressed as Wario for maximum safety.
“It’s just creepy out here at night, and Carson said you live near me.”
The guy just raised his eyebrows. “I come this way a lot. I guess I just got used to it. Where about do you live?”
Schlatt spared him a glance, noticing his two-toned hair and easy stride. It wasn't at all difficult to be taller than Schlatt, but Connor (or at least Cooper said his name was Connor) wasn't insultingly taller like Carson and Ted were, but instead probably averaged around five foot six inches. Not that Schlatt cared about that.
“Waverly Close.”
“Oh, near the school?”
“Yeah.”
“No way! I live on Coin Crescent, where that old spooky house is.”
“Where Mr Pete lived?”
“Yeah, just next to there.”
“Huh,” Schlatt said, “If you live so close to that old spooky house then I’m surprised that I haven't seen you around…”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, when I was a kid, me and Carson and Travis and all that used to explore it, after Mr Pete moved out but before it was all boarded up.”
“Oh, really? What was it like?”
“Well,” Schlatt continued, glad to have something to distract him from the dark corners and the calls of the crows from the trees around them, “I’m sure before it got cut off from electricity and that it was alright - lots of wood finishes and ornate carpets, you know - but when we went there, there must have been something in the place, like racoons or something. The floorboards were a bit ripped up, and some of the rooms still had their doors open so you could kinda see through, but not really.”
“One of the places we went to was on the second floor, where me and Josh went alone. Ted and Carson were in the kitchen, I think, and Cooper and Travis were downstairs too, but when we went up there, I just got this… awful feeling. It was like something was watching me. I didn't actually go into any of the rooms, but just looking down that long hallway on the top floor was enough to get my hair on end. I think Josh agreed, because he was already halfway down the stairs when I took off after him.”
“Did you see anything?” Connor asked, looking down at Schlatt with curiosity. They took a corner down an alley way - thankfully one Schlatt recognised, so he at least knew where they were going from here.
“No, I don't think so. There was a curtain and an open window that made it look like something was at the end of the hallway, but I don't think it was anything more than the wind.”
“Huh,” Connor said, looking ahead of them again.
Briefly, Schlatt went behind Connor to sneak around a blackberry bush which blocked some of the path, but after that, they stood at the cul de sac at the end of Coin Crescent. There were a few houses, some with cars outside or with their windows lit up from the inside, bar from two - a bungalow which Connor started walking towards, and Mr Pete’s old house, which stood as tall and daunting as a weathered oak tree, hidden mostly from the street by overgrown bushes and a few trees which had their leaves falling off. There was only a little light cast down on them from the two street lights, and as the sky finally reached its rich blue state of twilight, a cold and bitter wind picked up, scuffling the leaves around their legs.
“Thanks for walking me back here,” Schlatt said, turning back to Connor.
“Yeah, no problem. Do you know how to get back to your place from here?”
“I do, it’s just up the-”
“What the fuck is that?!” Connor went wide eyed, looking behind Schlatt.
Spinning around, Schlatt followed where Connor’s eyes obviously sat, and he gasped. There, in the top window of Mr Pete’s old house was a light on, and in the window stood a tall, dark shape, with obvious arms and head. Just as Schlatt also opened his mouth - to say what he didn't know - the light in the house popped off, and instead of seeing someone’s face lit up from the street light they could only see the faint lines of the ceiling.
Connor gaped, Schlatt did too, but in a sudden moment of bravery he grabbed Connor’s hand and dragged him up to the bungalow. He didn't need to be told twice, so with Schlatt keeping watch of the house across the road, Connor unlocked the door and then dragged him inside, slamming the door behind him and locking it.
Schlatt stumbled through the threshold, turning to watch Connor as he slid down the door. He could still hear the wind wuthering against the window and the rain beginning to fall against it, and in the dark stillness of Connor’s house it was somehow eerie and comforting at once.
“You can, uh. You can stay over, if you want to.” Connor hesitated to say. Schlatt looked at him.
“‘If I want to’? Connor I just survived near certain death, of course I'm not going out there. Now get me something that isn't this goat costume to wear and I’ll forgive your neighbour for giving me a heart attack.”