I'm Not a Ghost for Halloween

Blood drips from the jagged cut across my forehead over my black and blue eye. Bloody abrasions cover my cheek. I glance down at the multiple cuts and bruises covering my arms and legs. My beautiful dress is a thing of the past. It is now torn and covered in blood.

I can't believe how good this costume turned out. "I should have been a make up artist instead of a boring accountant." At least this party won't be boring. I absolutely love Halloween costume parties and Annie has yet to have a boring one. Its cool its actually on Halloween this year. It seems forever ago that Halloween was on a weekend. I sure hope there's more single people this time. Last year it was almost all couples. I check the time on my phone to see if I can add more gore and maybe some stitches. "Oh poop, where did the time go? I better make like a tree and leave."

Since Annie said that Perry and Len would be a designated drivers for anyone who drinks too much I decided to walk. I can get a little tipsy and not have to worry about driving. It's a brilliant move on my part. It only takes about fifteen minutes to get to their house and I won't have to walk in the bright sun with a hangover to get my car tomorrow.

I pass a few families with their adorable little munchkins out trick or treating. Man I miss those days. I used to look forward to it all year, all that yummy candy. Halloween as always been my favorite day of the year. I laugh at the silly jokes I would tell before getting the candy. I wonder why they don't have kids do that anymore.

I turn onto the barely used road that connects our neighborhoods. "Man its dark out. Maybe I'm not as brilliant as I thought and this isn't such a good idea after all." I really need to stop talking to myself. People are going to think I'm crazy. Maybe I am. I'm walking alone on a deserted tree lined street at night by myself. I hear a car approaching from behind me. Crap, now I'm scared I'll be kidnapped, raped and murdered. My bloody bruised body will be buried somewhere in these creepy looking woods. No-one will ever see again. What the H double hockey sticks was I thinking? "Brilliant my ass." Now I hear breaks screeching. "God, I am being kidnapped."

I open my eyes to see a man looking down at me. I'm lying on the ground by the side of the road. He lifts his foot and pushes at my side with it. "What the". He turns around, stumbling to his car, he gets in the drivers seat and peels off down the road. He's obviously drunk and must have hit me with his car. Why else would I be lying on the ground. I'm still fully clothed and feel no pain down below so I wasn't raped thank God. I try to make out the license plate but he took off so fast I can't. I find my purse and stand up. I take it out to call 911 to report the hit and run. Realizing I feel perfectly fine I decide to forget about it. What good will it do? I didn't get the plate number. I don't even know what color the car was and it will only make me late for the party. I start walking again. Being hit by the car gives me an idea. I add a limp to my walk to give my look more authenticity. I should have it down pat by the time I get there.

"Wow, Annie really out did herself this year." There's several ghost hanging from the trees. Over the lights on the lampost lining the driveway are are various mask with capes on posts. It's very scary looking. There's a grave yard and scattered bones lying around on the lawn. As I get to the porch I spot about ten jack-o-lanterns. Their really carved good. Some of them are scary, some are funny and some are just completely awesome. While I'm looking at them Debbie and Tom arrive. I say hi, but they don't reply. Did I do something to piss them off? Debbie opens the door to go in not even looking at the amazing pumpkins. I follow them in exaggerating my limp.

I make my way over to Annie and Perry to thank them for inviting me and to tell them how great everything looks. "Annie, the place looks fantastic. Oh my stars, look at your costumes. You really look like Morticia and Gomez!" She turns her head and starts talking to pale skinned, blood red lipped ,black velvet caped vampires Laurie and Rick. When there's a lull in the conversation I try to join in only to find I am again ignored. I walk towards the kitchen to get a drink trying to figure out what is going on.

I say hi to a few people along the way, again with no response. I can't think of anything I could have done to piss so many people off. They're obviously playing a practical joke on me. It would be funny if I were dressed like a ghost. I could see the humor in ignoring a ghost, but I'm in an awesome costume that is befitting of what had occurred on my walk over. I spot Terrie and Lou dressed as mummies. Their costumes are fantastic. They must have spent hours wrapping each other not to mention the time it must have took to tear all that fabric. I bet anything they win the costume contest.

"Hey Terrie and Lou." I go to give them hugs and they turn and walk away. "Jiminy Crickets!" Whoops, I just talk to myself in public. Not like it matters. Everyone's ignoring me anyway. I really need to get that drink. Forget the wine. I'm going for the hard stuff. Then I'm gong to get someone to tell me what's going on. I'll just have to force someone to talk to me. Ah, I spot someone alone. Mary is sitting in the corner. She's in her usual gypsy costume. I wonder if Rusty is here or if he stayed home again. Maybe since she's alone she'll talk to me.

I decide not to talk to anyone until I get that drink. I make a beeline for the kitchen and the booze. I'm sidetracked again by all the food. Annie decorated a sheet cake to look like a witch. She must have used two cakes. The enormous hat is covered in little black stars. The green face is complete eith a wary on the nose. I think I'll eat part of the face when I have some. That black hat will probably turn my lips black. There's one cauldron full of candy and another full of chips. Every inch of the island is covered in food. I spot the drinks in the dining room. So I'm off again.

There are skeletons dressed in fancy clothing with wine glass in there hands seated at one end of the table. A few chairs are pushed near the walls to leave the other end to be a make shift bar. I reach for a glass and my hand go right through it. "Cool!" Just then Cookie comes in for a beer. "Cookie you got to see this." She grabs her beer and leaves. "This just plain sucks." Why is everyone igmoring me? I hope they're not mad and its a joke even though its not funny! I try the trick glass again. That is so neat. I reach for another glass and the same thing happens. I look up at the ceiling to see the light making the special effects but I don't spot anything. I try another glass, then another, and another. My hand goes through them all. "What the Hell!" Darn I just cursed and I'm talking to myself in public again.

Cursing is the least of my problems. Something's going on. I'm not really thirsty. I walked past all that candy without eating any of it. No-one is talking to Mr. Come to think of it, no-one has even looked at me and I'm in an awesome costume. I walk over to sit on one of the chairs to calm myself down.

I let out a blood curdling scream. I'm sitting on the floor with a chair through my body. No, no, no no, no! This can not be happening. I think back to the hit and run. "It can't be! It just can't be! I'm not a ghost for Halloween! I'm a bloody girl with a limp!"