In Celebration

The new apartment building in town had been built over a month ago, but from what I’ve heard, not a lot of people had moved in. Perhaps people had a natural aversion to it--while the building was glamorous and sparkling, if you looked at it for longer than five seconds, it only seemed still and lifeless. As I walked through its glass doors, I gave a head nod in greeting to the doorman. Curiously enough, he didn’t respond. In fact, he was staring into space again, just like he was a few seconds before I walked in. Well, someone needs more coffee. 

I made my way to the seventh floor and stopped in front of the apartment on the address I was given. Working up my nerve to knock, I braced myself. Loud, jubilant music bled through the door, and I could see flashes of disco lights through the crack at the bottom. Just as my knuckles touched the wood, the door swung open to reveal Zina, the one who had invited me over. She was already tipsy, giggling at a guy next to her, wild, curly hair was swept to the side as her lips grazed his cheek.

She grinned, then turned to me. “Hey! I was wondering when you would get here!” Before I could protest, she grabbed my arm and pulled me into the apartment, which was like a whole new world, in contrast to the dark, silent and empty hallway.The living room seemed bigger inside--it easily held thirty people or so, dancing and grinding against each other with red plastic cups in their hands. The music was even louder in here, and I briefly wondered how they didn’t wake up the whole building.

When I asked, Zina just shrugged and winked at me. “You can’t wake the dead now, can you?”

With that, she  pushed me into the sea of sweaty bodies, ignoring my cry as I crashed into several dancing couples at once. When I could gain my bearings again, I found myself suddenly standing in front of another girl, who was perched on the sofa, sipping slowly from her cup and studying the party around her with detached interest. 

“This is Dabria, the birthday girl. I’ll see you later!” Abruptly, Zina turned back to the party with such zeal that I couldn’t find it in me to blame her for leaving me alone with Dabria, who was now [icking my bones apart with her accessing gaze. I fidgeted awkwardly. She had pale skin, which gave her a rather unhealthy look, but the brusque way she carried herself told me this was her norm. Her head tilted sideways, luscious black hair falling past her shoulders and hanging silkily in the air. Dark eyes scrutinizing but not unfriendly, her lips twitched into a slight smirk at my awkwardness.

“Happy birthday,” I offered, along with my name. Anything to break the tension. “Sorry for crashing your party.”

“It’s alright,” her voice was soft and velvety, but it was heard above the music all the same. “You were invited by Zina, weren’t you? A friend of hers is a friend of mine.”

“Still,” the situation was getting more awkward by the minute. “I’m sure you would rather spend time with your close friends. The ones you actually invited.”

Dabria just smirked. With a flick of her hair, she stood and turned to leave. “Sorry, I can’t chat for long. Duty calls. Enjoy the party.”

Feeling much like I was thrown to the wolves, I found myself standing alone in a stranger’s birthday party. I should never have agreed to this.

Slowly, I made my way to the kitchen island-made-bar, doing my best to side-step the grinding couples. In actuality, I mused, I didn’t know Zina all that well. We met briefly at the town Halloween festival, where her friendly soul immediately pegged me as someone who didn’t go out much. I couldn’t even disagree, because I was standing off to the side waiting for my brother, not really participating in the festivities. She had immediately invited me to her friend’s birthday party, insisting that she wouldn’t be able to enjoy herself if I didn’t go and claiming I needed social stimulation. 

Now, I wonder if I made the right choice. What had compelled me to come here anyway? I grabbed a cup and took a tiny sip, letting the bitter taste of beer wash my tongue. Quickly downing the rest of it, I shook my thoughts away. It didn’t matter how--all that mattered was that I was here and I should enjoy myself.

As I drained a few more cups, a laugh resonated from my left. Startled, I jumped, only to find myself staring at Zina, who was grinning. She shoved my side playfully. “Drinking alone is not social stimulation, my friend.”

“You left,” I pointed out unnecessarily.

“So you can mingle,” she replied easily. “Now you’re going to be too drunk to hold a decent conversation.”

I glanced pointedly at the drunk partygoers in front of me. “I don’t think that’s going to be an issue. Besides, I can hold my liquor.”

“Really?” She seemed impressed. “You don’t look like it.”

I just shrugged. “So...what happens now?”

Her hand clasped around my wrist. “The bathroom lock is busted. You’re going to guard the door while I use it. After that, we have fun.”

She dragged me to the hallway, where there were significantly less people. Stopping short in front of a wooden door, she stationed me right next to it. “I’ll be quick, I promise.”

Within a blink of an eye, she was gone, and I was left alone in the hallway. Shrugging, I leaned against the wall, taking in the scene before me. Then, I frowned. Where had the other minglers gone? They were there just a second ago, weren’t they? Or was I so out of it I didn’t notice them leave?

“Ha,” I muttered to myself. “Maybe I am drunk.”

Something about the empty hallway sent chills down my spine. Yet, I couldn’t tell whether they were good chills or bad chills. It felt like something was wrong, but at the same time, it had never felt so right. I wanted to leave, but at the same time, I wanted to stay. There was something sinister about the scene, but at the same time, it felt weirdly fitting.

Out of the corner of my eye, something shifted in the shadows down the hall. Heart beating fast, adrenaline pumped through my veins, and my muscles tensed, ready to bolt if need be. The shadows seemed to move as one, but my rational mind told me that wasn’t possible. No matter how I squinted, I couldn’t make out what it was. Imagination running wild, I took a step back. It could be an axe murderer. It could be a person, made entirely of shadows, with glowing red eyes and hand holding a bloody knife. I got ready run, away from whatever it was--that is, until my senses came back. Why would something be there, in someone’s apartment no less? It was probably someone drunk.

I looked again. Nothing was moving.

Shaking my head at myself for being so silly, but keeping an eye out just in case, I called out to Zina. “Hey! Are you done yet?”

There was no reply.

“Zina?”

Silence.

Voice quivering slightly, and hating myself for it, I called out again. “Zina, you’re starting to scare me.”

“Zina, if you don’t answer in five seconds I’m opening the door.”

“Okay, that’s it!” I raised my hand to push the door open, until something caught my eye. The shadows were moving again, I realized. And this time, they weren’t stopping.

They crept closer and closer to where I was standing, stopping at the wall opposite mine. I pushed myself into the wall as far as I could. Holding my breath, I watched as the shadows took one step towards me. No, I thought. Shadows couldn’t come into the light. And I was right--it was a foot--a human foot, thank goodness--and as my eyes traveled from the perfect pedicure to the eyes of the owner, I found myself looking at a somewhat familiar face.

“Dabria?” Relief evident in my voice, I stared at her, and tried to laugh it off. “Oh, thank God. You scared me a bit there!”

Dabria smiled then, but it was chilling in a way that made my brain freeze. When she spoke, her voice, a soft, velvet blanket, threatened to suffocate me. “Like the way Zina scared you?”

Wide eyes not leaving her face, my hands made their way to the door handle. With a push, the bathroom door opened. Dabria, who was watching me, gestured for me to turn around.

Slowly, and only half-believing, I turned around and stared.

It was empty.

“Where is she?” My voice came out high-pitched, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. “She was just--I was--what’s going on?”

Dabria smirked as though this was an inside joke between her and me, amused at something only she understood. “She’s home,” her smirk turned predatory. “And soon, so will you.”

When I didn’t speak, she took the opportunity to step closer to me. In an effort to get away from her, I stepped back, only to find myself in the bathroom. Realizing my mistake, I tried to go back out, but it was too late. The door shut with an ominous thud, and Dabria and I were cramped in the same bathroom, with barely a feet between us. “Why do you think you’re here?” She purred. “Do you really think I told Zina to invite you by accident, Kathlyn?”

“What--Zina--you--”

Dabria chuckled. “She was never your friend. Realize that now, don’t you? In fact, she’s currently getting ready to have fun. Let’s not keep her waiting, shall we?”

Her hand reached out. Before she could grab me, I finally unfroze and ran for the bathroom door. Grasping the doorknob, I desperately turned, only to find that I couldn’t. In fact, when I tried to touch the brass knob, my hand went right through it.

“How--” I gasped, knocking into the sink. Only my whole body went through that too.

Dabria grabbed my wrist, pulling me upright, nails digging into my skin. “I am 800 years dead, darling. What did you take me for, an amateur?” She tsked. “Besides, you should know the rules of the Underworld.”

Her victorious smile was the last thing I saw.