The Returning Guest

The problem with Halloween parties is that nobody really knows who is supposed to be there.

That was especially true at the old Miller house on Oak Ridge Road, just outside of Salem.

Every October 31st, the house became the neighborhood’s unofficial Halloween headquarters. The house itself just looked the part. Spooky, haunted.

Pumpkins sat on the porch, fake spiderwebs stretched between the trees, skeletons hung from the gutters, and enough plastic gravestones littered the front yard to make the local cemetery look understocked.

Inside, things were even worse.

The living room had been transformed into a haunted ballroom. Black lights illuminated the walls. A disco ball was suspended from the ceiling with purple and black light reflecting off of the tiny mirrored surfaces.

A fog machine periodically filled the floor with several inches of eerily backlit artificial mist, providing the perfect ambiance for the event. Skeletons sat in chairs, reading books, smoking cigars, and watching the room mingle and make small talk. A pair of witches hung from the ceiling. One floated, and the other rode a broom. Someone had placed a plastic severed hand in the snack bowl.

Nobody knew who had done that. Nobody wanted to know. By nine o’clock, the party was in full swing.

The guests were dressed as vampires, ghosts, zombies, pirates, space heroes, witches, werewolves, superheroes, and one extremely convincing inflatable dinosaur.

Then there was Frank. Frank had come dressed as a dead man.

Not a zombie. Not a vampire. A dead man.

He wore an old gray suit, a white shirt, and a loosened tie. His face was covered in pale makeup, with dark circles around his eyes making them appear to be sunken into his skull. He had even added a little fake blood under his collar.

Frank announced, “I look dead.”

Mike observed, “You look like you’re waiting for a funeral.”

“That’s the idea,” Frank replied.

Mike asked, “Whose funeral?”

Frank smiled. “Mine.”

Mike stared at him. “You know, sometimes you make things unnecessarily complicated.”

Frank laughed and walked toward the kitchen. Mike followed.

The kitchen was crowded with people and food. Someone brought chili, and someone else brought wings. A platter of sub sandwiches, bowls of chips, cookies shaped like tombstones with names in icing, and a bowl of something that was the oddest green people had ever seen sat out.

Mike pointed at it. “What is that?”

Linda explained, “Punch.”

Mike wondered, “It has chunks in it?”

Linda countered, “That’s because it’s Halloween.”

Mike protested, “That doesn’t answer my question.”

Linda winked. “The chunks are harmless. Mostly.”

Before Mike could investigate further, the music stopped. Everyone looked toward the living room. The lights went out. There was a collective gasp. Then someone screamed.

A second later, the lights came back on.

The music resumed. Everyone laughed.

Mike muttered, “Okay. Very funny.”

The host, Linda Miller, appeared from behind the kitchen doorway.

Linda insisted, “I didn’t do that.”

Mike looked at her.

Mike asked, “Then who did?”

Linda shrugged. “I don’t know.”

The room became noticeably quieter. Then somebody laughed.

Someone suggested, “Probably the fog machine, you know, a brownout or something.”

Mike shook his head. “Great. Haunted electrical equipment.”

Frank walked back into the room. “What did I miss?”

Mike explained, “The lights went out.”

Frank looked around. “That’s it?”

Mike confirmed, “Yup, that’s it.”

Frank lamented, “Too bad. I was hoping for something interesting.”

Mike snapped, “I hate when you say crap like that!”

Frank asked, “Why?”

Mike shot back, “Because you always say that right before something goes horribly wrong.”

Frank smiled. “That’s because something usually does.”

The party continued.

At 10:30 pm, the front door opened. Nobody noticed at first. The music was loud, people were talking, and someone had started a competition to throw plastic eyeballs into a pumpkin. Then Mike noticed the stranger standing in the doorway.

He was wearing a long black coat. His face was pale. His hair was wet. And he wasn’t wearing a costume. At least, not one Mike recognized.

Mike walked toward him. “Can I help you?”

The stranger looked at Mike.

The stranger replied, “No.”

Mike answered, “Okay.” Mike waited.

The stranger walked past him.

Mike asked, “Do I know you?”

The stranger stopped. Slowly, he turned around. “Not anymore.”

Mike stared at him. “That’s an odd thing to say.”

The stranger smiled. Then he walked into the party. Mike watched him disappear into the crowd.

Linda asked, “Who was that?”

Mike admitted, “I have no idea.”

Linda pressed, “Was he invited?”

Mike replied, “Apparently.”

Linda frowned.

Linda explained, “I’ve been standing by that door all night.”

Mike looked at her. “Then how did he get in?”

Linda looked toward the doorway.

She didn’t have an answer.

A few minutes later, Frank noticed the stranger.

He was standing near the fireplace. A wonderful blaze inside made the room feel like a proper spooky asset to the party. Not to mention, it was welcome on a chilly New England Halloween night.

Frank’s smile disappeared.

Mike saw it. “What?”

Frank didn’t answer.

Mike called, “Frank?”

Frank pointed. “That man.”

Mike asked, “Yeah?”

Frank confirmed, “I know him.”

Mike pressed, “Who is he?”

Frank swallowed. “His name is Daniel.”

Mike waited. “And?”

Frank looked at him. “Daniel died three years ago.”

Mike laughed. “Very funny.”

Frank insisted, “I’m not joking.”

Mike looked toward the stranger.

Mike blurted, “You’re telling me that guy is dead?”

Frank answered, “Yes.”

Mike followed up, “How dead?”

Frank stared at him. “Buried. Does door nail ring a bell”

Mike’s smile disappeared. Mike managed, “Okay.”

Frank added, “Very buried.”

Mike cut him off, “That’s enough.”

Frank grabbed Mike’s arm and pulled him aside. “Listen to me.”

Mike assured him, “I’m listening.”

Frank reminded him, “I went to his funeral.”

Mike looked at Daniel. “Maybe you made a mistake.”

Frank stressed, “Mike, I carried the casket.”

Mike speculated, “Maybe he wasn’t actually dead.”

Frank explained, “His casket was closed, but it was heavy.”

Mike conceded, “That helps.”

Frank insisted, “I watched them lower it.”

Mike stared at him. “You’re serious?”

Frank nodded.

Then Daniel turned and looked directly at them. And smiled. It was not a normal smile.

Frank went pale.

Daniel raised his glass. Then he walked toward them. Frank backed away a few steps.

Mike asked, “What are you going to do?”

Frank admitted, “I don’t know.”

Mike replied dryly, “That’s reassuring.”

Daniel stopped in front of Frank. For several seconds, neither man spoke.

Then Daniel smiled. “Frank.” Frank’s mouth opened. Nothing came out.

Daniel tilted his head. “You look surprised.”

Frank finally found his voice.

Frank managed, “I thought you were dead.”

Mike stared at his friend. Not exactly the thing to say to what, a ghost, the undead!

Daniel replied, “So did everybody else. That was the plan.”

Mike stepped forward.

Mike asked, “Daniel, is that really you?”

Daniel looked at him.

Daniel answered, “Last time I checked.”

Mike stared at Frank. “Did you know about this?”

Frank shook his head. “No.”

Daniel laughed. “You two haven’t changed.”

Mike pointed toward Daniel. “You were in the casket.”

Daniel answered, “Yes.”

Mike reminded him, “We buried you.”

Daniel replied, “Yes.”

Mike demanded, “How are you standing here?”

Daniel looked around the room.

Daniel replied, “It’s Halloween. Do you believe in the dark arts?”

Neither moved or spoke.

Mike stared at him. “That’s not an answer.”

Daniel explained, “It’s the only one I have.”

Daniel took a drink.

Frank continued staring. “Where have you been?”

Daniel shrugged. “Florida.”

Mike echoed, “Florida?”

Daniel answered, “Yes.”

Mike reminded him, “You’ve been missing for three years.”

Daniel explained, “I needed some time to myself.”

Mike repeated, “Three years?”

Daniel insisted, “I really needed some time.”

Frank looked at Mike.

Frank asked, “Do you believe him?”

Mike shook his head. “No.”

Daniel smiled. “Good.”

Then the music stopped again.

This time, every light in the house went out. Nobody laughed. The fog machine started running on its own, without power. A cold wind moved through the room. A very cold wind in a closed room with a burning fireplace. Candles flickered.

Then a voice was heard, as if it came from everywhere in the darkness. The voice bellowed, “DANIEL!”

Daniel stopped smiling. Everyone heard it.

The voice repeated, “Daniel.”

Mike whispered, “Who’s that?”

Daniel looked up the stairs. “I don’t know.”

The voice boomed again, reverberating throughout the house, “DANIEL! YOU SHOULD NOT BE AMONG THE LIVING. WHERE ARE YOU?”

The lights came back on. Everyone stared at the staircase. A figure stood at the top. He was dressed in an old-fashioned black suit. Its face was pale. Its eyes were dark. And it was holding a shovel.

Mike slowly turned toward Daniel.

Mike asked, “Friend of yours?”

Daniel shook his head. “Definitely not.”

The figure began walking down the stairs.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Nobody moved. The figure reached the bottom. It looked directly at Daniel.

The figure accused, “You left.”

Daniel swallowed. “I had to.”

The figure warned, “You were supposed to stay.”

Daniel protested, “I changed my mind. My time was over; I left!”

The figure looked around the room. Then it smiled.

In a spooky voice, the figure announced, “Happy Halloween.”

The room exploded into laughter. The figure pulled off its mask.

It was Linda’s brother, Steve.

Linda exclaimed, “Steve!”

Steve laughed. “You should have seen your faces.”

Mike put his hand over his chest. “I think my heart just stopped.”

Frank pointed at Daniel. “Wait.”

Daniel started laughing. “You two actually believed all of that?”

Mike stared at him. “But you’re alive?”

Daniel replied, “Obviously.”

Mike asked, “Then where have you been?”

Daniel looked embarrassed. “I was moved to Florida. Protection before the trial. The trial happened a few months ago, and the three who tried to kill me died in prison. So, they said I could resume my life.”

Frank stared. “You let us think you were dead?”

Daniel shrugged. “It seemed easier than explaining. Besides, I was essentially in hiding, remember?”

Frank asked, “What have you been doing the last three years?”

Daniel pointed toward the kitchen. “Not much, working at a convenience store, and oh, I got married.”

Mike stared. “You disappeared for three years… Wait? You got married?”

Daniel nodded. “Sorta. Her family doesn’t like visitors.”

Frank rubbed his forehead. “We buried you.”

Daniel smiled. “Technically, you buried an empty casket.”

Mike stared at him. “Why was there an empty casket?”

Daniel shrugged. “I needed to disappear, in plain sight, as they say.”

Frank looked around the room. “I need a drink.”

Mike nodded. “Make it two.”

Daniel followed them toward the kitchen. As they walked, Mike stopped. “Wait.”

Daniel asked, “What?”

Mike looked toward the fireplace. The stranger in the black coat was gone.

Mike asked, “Where did the guy in the doorway go?”

Daniel looked at him. “What guy?”

Mike explained, “The guy who came in.”

Daniel frowned. “There wasn’t anybody at the door.”

Mike looked at Frank.

Frank shook his head. “I saw him.”

Daniel looked toward the front door. The room felt colder. Slowly, the front door opened.

Nobody was standing there.

A gust of cold air swept through the house.

The music stopped. The lights flickered. Mike looked at Frank. “Please tell me that’s part of the party.”

Frank shook his head. “No.”

From outside came a quiet voice. You felt it more than you heard it. A low thrum in your bones: “Happy Halloween.”

Everyone froze. Then the lights came back on. The music started. The party erupted in nervous laughter.

Linda looked around. “Okay. Who did that?”

Nobody answered. Mike grabbed a cup of punch. Frank grabbed another. Daniel looked at both of them.

Daniel observed, “You know, this is actually a pretty good party.”

Mike took a drink. “Yeah.”

Frank nodded. “Except for the dead guy.”

Daniel looked offended. “I’m not dead.”

Mike pointed toward the front door. “Not you.”

Daniel turned.

Nobody was there.

A very large plastic skeleton hung from the porch railing. But beside it, barely visible in the darkness, stood a man in a long black coat.

He smiled. Then he disappeared. Not vanished, evaporated into the fog that was rolling in.

Mike slowly lowered his cup. “Frank.”

Frank replied, “Yeah?”

Mike urged, “I think we should leave.”

Frank nodded. “Good idea.”

Daniel looked at them. “Why?”

Mike pointed toward the door. “Because we’ve already unburied one guy tonight.”

Frank nodded. “And I don’t want to make it two.”

Daniel laughed. “You’re both idiots, you know.”

Mike opened the door. “Maybe.”

Frank stepped outside. “Happy Halloween.”

Daniel followed. Then the three men stopped.

There were footprints in the fresh dew in the grass. They led from the street to the front porch. They just ended, stopped. No footprints were walking away.

None of them said anything. Finally, Daniel looked at the others.

Daniel asked, “Anybody want to go back inside?”

Mike shook his head. “No.”

Frank nodded. “Absolutely not.”

A voice came from inside the house, quiet, haunting, peaceful: “DANIEL!”

The three men stood there on the steps. They heard voices in the fog, and from the open door of the house came a voice calling, “Daniel.”

Daniel looked at the other two. “Maybe we should go.”

Mike nodded. “Now.”

They ran.

Behind them, the front door slowly closed. And somewhere inside the house, beneath the laughter, music, and Halloween decorations, something laughed with them. Only it wasn’t laughing because it was having fun. It was laughing because it knew they would be back next Halloween.

After all, somebody had to throw the party.

And somebody had to invite the dead.