On one gloomy day, Marcel rushed home late from playing too many games from the Net Café with his friends, by the time he realized how further in the evening it was, all his friends were gone and he was left with some regulars and strangers. He wasn’t really much of a gamer, in fact, he was only playing longer than he usually did to celebrate finishing the last day of his exams, whether he did well to pass or failed that was for later.
Immediately, I went home fearing my parents scolding while cursing himself for his negligence in keeping track of time. After taking a few rides and a stop at a convenience store for some sweets, despite being pressed for time, finally reaching my neighborhood.
Even though it was where I lived for the past five years, whenever night came he couldn’t help but still shiver from the ambience it made him feel. After moving for his father’s work, they came to this place were many of the houses were built at the time of the Spanish occupation, his home, or the house was one of such relics from the past. Although renovations were done it still heavily retained it’s outward look, it also didn’t help that he had heard ghost stories about it, but then again so did his neighbors houses had their fair share of similar stories yet everyone was living fine, it still creeped him though.
Arriving at his home that looked potentially like a haunted house in the dark evening, he unlocked the gate and went in, only realizing when he came to the door that there wasn’t a single light on. Nonetheless he still went in after a little hesitation.
“I’m home!” Marcel called out with his usual loud greeting.
No response and everything was still dark.
“Mom? Dad?” He called out to his mother and father, again unsure. “Bro? Sis?”
Even his older siblings weren’t answering, strange, unless they had plans before that would mean them staying out later or sleeping somewhere else with a friend, but he didn’t hear about this from his parents who always informed them. He suddenly felt goosebumps on his skin, when he flicked the light switch, it didn’t turn on. He took out his phone and turned the torchlight on, then cautiously walked up the staircase.
It was quiet, but I had the uncanny sense that I was not alone and that something was waiting for me. As I went towards the living room, I kept stopping every few steps, internally debating to take another.
What am I doing? No, why shouldn’t I be doing?! This is my home! It’s not haunted or anything, but why the heck is it dark?! And where are family? But I feel scared!? Wait, I’ve lived here for a long time, nothing happened before why now?!
Giggle! Giggle!
Just as I came near the room, the wind lightly fluttered, at least I wished it was. He definitely heard a voice or voices laughing and whispering, I felt my heartbeat going faster and my breathing quicker.
Yet, just like all the protagonist in horror movies that I berated for being stupid to go in scary places, I was doing the same while thinking of the irony of the situation.
He waved his phones light around the room, the sensation that many eyes were watching him growing stronger than before, the gazes felt like they were poking him. That’s when something caught his attention at the corner of his sight.
After his light briefly passed the curtain on the large window, he saw a white hand with claws. He stood still and blinked, the hand was gone. Now he was sweating cold, and just hoping that it was only in his imagination.
When the curtain moved, I felt a creeping sensation and gasped.
The clawed white hands were attached to a hideously deformed face in a white gown, but it wasn’t alone. At that moment I opened my mouth.
“That’s lame.” I plainly said.
That’s when everything turned bright and the lights were on, along with a group of voices yelling.
“Happy Birthday Marcel!”
Around other beings, people in costumes of various supernatural creatures came out, many people who I recognized. My parents, best friend, relatives, my brother dressed as a zombie and some of the neighbors kids.
“Hey what’s with that reaction!” My voice of my older sister complained, she was the one behind the curtain before.
“It was scary at first, but your costume was just ugly, not scary.” I said flatly after getting a hug and congratulations from the people around me.
“Rude.” She says but gives me a tight hug nonetheless.
“How’d you like that Halloween themed birthday surprise,” My mother dresses as a typical witch with a pointed hat asked.
“It’s okay, but mom, October already passed, this is out of season.” I replied dully but my smile gave away my happiness.
As I was ushered to the kitchen where we gathered to eat a Halloween styled buffet, I couldn’t help but shake my head at their attempt to scare and surprise me, they succeeded in the latter, but definitely not the former.
I was thankful, but a theme was not in season to my liking.