Halloween Date

“I already regret this. I can't believe I’ve let you convince me to do that!”

“What? Spend Halloween night at the cemetery? Would you rather spend the night knocking on strangers' doors and picking up candies? We are too old for that…”

“Wow, how old do you think you are? We are only 16 years old. And I like candies…”

“Candies are for little children, Nat. We can't do little kid things anymore. We need to do something more appropriate for our age.”

“And what is appropriate about spending the night in the cemetery, Ryan?”

“Are you afraid of the dead, Natalie? You’re too old to believe in such nonsense.”

“It’s not it. I just don't understand what's so interesting about a cemetery. And there must be a lot of disgusting insects there…”

“Oh, okay. I see it now. You are afraid of insects. Don't worry about them. You are with me and I will protect you from the evil insects, rest assured. I won't let them come near you.”

Ryan finished speaking with a smirk and winked at Natalie. She realized he was making fun of her and decided to end the conversation.

It wasn't the first time that Ryan had these crazy ideas. But for some reason, Natalie always accepted his ideas and they were never as fun as he promised they would be.

Like that time, on July 4th, when Ryan thought it would be much better to see the fireworks on top of the mountain that is in the park where they set off the fireworks. They started to climb when there was still sunlight. They reached the top of the mountain, had a picnic, and waited for the fireworks.

Natalie didn't like going up the mountain. Many insects, stones, and spiders. She got up there all sweaty and with messy hair. However, the picnic was very tasty and the view was really beautiful. The fireworks started and, honestly, Ryan was right, it was a privileged sight.

The show ended and darkness enveloped them. Ryan had taken flashlights, but they couldn't find their way back. They had to be rescued by rangers.

Natalie knew that her boyfriend had good intentions and the beginning of the adventure is always fun. Ryan just fails to plan his way home.

They arrive at the cemetery, which is closed. Ryan helps Natalie to jump over the wall and jumps right after her. The sky is starry. The full moon shines in the sky. They don't even need flashlights to see the way. Finally, they reach the center of the cemetery, where there is a small bandstand composed of a roof supported by wooden columns. There are no insects in sight.

Ryan and Natalie put their backpacks on the floor and start arranging dinner. Natalie made some sandwiches and Ryan took the drinks, apple cider with cinnamon, and caramel. The hot cider helps to ward off the cold and brings some comfort. To make it more romantic, Ryan takes two long thin candles out of his backpack and lights them.

Natalie still thinks everything is beautiful and secretly wonders when things are going to start going wrong. Ryan must have noticed something in her features, as he asked,

"Is there a problem, Nat?"

“None, everything is beautiful. You were right …”

Before Natalie finished her sentence she saw a small cloud of flying insects gathering around the candlelight. Natalie begins to regret coming to a cemetery.

“Ryan, it's getting late and I'm cold. Shall we eat and go?”

“But the night is just beginning, we still have a lot to do here.”

“Like what, Ryan? What do we still have to do in the middle of this cemetery?”

“Make out…”

Ryan came closer to Natalie and put his arm around her while she watched, out of the corner of her eye, a spider approaching the candles and the flies dancing around the light.

Natalie froze, all her senses attentive to the spider's slow, precise movements, getting closer and closer. Ryan didn't notice the spider's approach, he was more concerned with Natalie's body. He had his right arm around Natalie's shoulders and his left hand came close to her left leg. When the soft-touch finally happened, Natalie jumped up and shouted,

"Oh my God, there's a huge spider coming up on me!"

And she jumped and hit and screamed.

Ryan thought Natalie was dirty and also shouted:

- There is no spider! I put my hand on your leg. This is not funny at all, Natalie.

- Yes, there is a spider. I saw her near the candles. She wants to eat flies. Blow those out, please.

Ryan blew out the candles and the bandstand went dark. The moon was now covered with large clouds and there was little light. In the dark, Natalie had another start when Ryan took her hand. She couldn't see where the spider had gone and that worried her.

“Ryan, I want to go now!”

“But, Nat, we're just getting started. We are alone and we have the whole night to ourselves. Let's enjoy it a little.”

“Enjoy what? You have nothing to enjoy here, Ryan. Only tombs, insects, darkness, and cold. The clouds covering the moon worry me, it could also rain.”

“There are no insects here and if it rains, we are sheltered. You are very tense, you need to relax a little…”

“I will only relax when I am at home, warm and safe in my bed.”

Natalie grabbed her backpack and flashlight and started walking towards the cemetery wall with the flashlight in her hand. The light attracted more flies and even a beetle. She was waving her hands away.

Soon bats appeared hunting for insects. One of them flew very fast through the flashlight. Natalie got scared and knocked over the flashlight, which was left lit on the floor, and started running in the dark.

Startled and disoriented, Natalie ran through the graves and tombstones of the cemetery until she passed through a huge spider web. The web covered his face and hair and the feeling was horrible. The worst was to imagine hundreds of spiders covering her body. Natalie tried to get the web out of her face as she ran through the cemetery and screamed at the top of her lungs.

Meanwhile, Ryan was at the bandstand, upset that he failed again. He just wanted to be alone with Natalie and have a romantic evening. He no longer knew what to do when he heard a shout. He turned quickly and saw the lantern, lit on the floor. He started looking for the source of the screams that moved through the cemetery. He started running after the screams and they got closer and closer.

He ran even faster to reach the screams. Then something hit him and knocked him over. He was hit by Natalie. They were both on the floor, sore and tired. Natalie was still struggling with spiders. Ryan turned on his flashlight and helped Natalie. There were no spiders, just strands of the web in his hair.

“Natalie, there's no spider, just web. Let me help you, please.”

Natalie heard her boyfriend's soft voice and sat down.

“There is no spider?”

“No, I just see the web, that's all.”

Ryan approached Natalie and started removing the last strands of the web that were still in her hair.

“That’s it! Now there is no more web. Come on, let's go.”

They got up, walked over to the gazebo, put everything in their backpacks, and left.

Walking hand in hand under the moonlight.