My First Halloween

“The last globally visibly full moon on Halloween was in 1944 during world war 2 and now after 76 years my first Halloween is on the full moon.” – I read in the news article on the web and couldn’t have been more excited.

What should I dress up like?

Dracula’s partner? But I have no Dracula to accompany me.

Perhaps A witch? Nah.

Oh gosh! It is my first Halloween, and I want to be my best! Thought Danni to herself.

Danni was super excited about her costume and first Halloween. Having grown up in Istanbul and moving to Brasov only last year, and although always excited to see Halloween party pictures, she never had the chance of attending or being a part of one.

She wanted to dress up like Harley Quinn after her recent breakup but later gave up the idea as many of her friends already had that on their minds as well.

Tada! Suddenly an awesome yet cost-effective idea struck her, she could use her nurse’s uniform and make use of some creepy makeup; YouTube videos being her make up tutorial guide for free.

She was all set and even told her best friend Ema about it and bother were looking forward to the awesome time.

It is now early hours of Saturday morning and Danni’s Friday night shift has come to an end. She would usually take the nurses bus drop from the hospital to her place, but today she was not planning to go home, rather crash at her friends for the upcoming big night, her 1^st ever Halloween party that too at Bran’s castle.

She ditched the bus and rather started walking towards the pay & ride cycle stand a couple of hundred meters away from the hospital.

“Let’s take a short cut through the forest. This opens up right in front of the bike stand on the other side of the road”, she told herself before disappearing into the thick forest.

“Why are you so late”? I have been calling you all morning! Weren’t you supposed to be hereafter your shift, and we get ready soon? infuriated Ema at the sight of Danni at her doorstep.

“I took the short cut through the forest behind the hospital and”, replied Danni, only to be cut short by Ema again, “But why did you not call or answer my phone.”

“I lost my phone, “answered Danni.

“Oh gosh!” its too late now to get a new one for you, lets order one tomorrow, don’t worry about the pictures, my new iPhone is awesome for night pictures”

“C’mon. Look at yourself, you have all dressed up already! Ain't fair, anyways let me get dressed up quick. Meanwhile, could you also help me with the treats for the kids?”

“I am making these bloody candies for the neighbourhood kids. Found the recipe on Pinterest”, proudly explained Ema.

“Sure, I can help.”, came a soulless reply, and Danni went to the kitchen to package the candies on the spooky wrappers.

In an hour, Ema comes out dressed as a runaway lady from the asylum, soaked in blood.

Danni freaked out at her sight, she looked pale as snow.

Ema burst into laughter, “Do I really look so scary! WOW, I am proud of myself! I was so unsure of what to dress like, and then I saw this news last evening of this person run away from the asylum, and thought it was absolutely a great idea”

Danni only looked at her with widened eyes but didn’t utter a single word.

Ema then started to put out the candies outside the door in a big pumpkin cut out with some fake silicon spiders on top of it and left a note for the little kids. “Take them if you dare”

And they left in her car to Bran’s castle where the grand party was underway.

As they approached nearer to the venue, they noticed a huge crowd, dressed up in all sorts of creepy as well as some funny costumes walking towards the different party zones nearby.

It was undoubtedly a treat to the eye.

Danni was somewhat relieved to see so many people around. The drinks were pouring, the music was spooky, rock and loud.

It was the time of the year, which was looked forward too by many seen more than the new year.

People flaunting their costumes and makeups.

Some spent a fortune to get the right costume, hair-do, props and many of them even flying or driving from different parts of the country to be there at Bran’s castle, which was now nothing short of a legend.

In fact, this year due to the rapid social media presence, there were many reporters walking around, taking footages and interviewing people.

Amongst them was Mina, who was a writer for a lifestyle magazine herself and she was there to capture an article on this year’s Halloween.

She had her office provided Sony camera for taking pictures for the magazine.

“Only the close ones of the ghost and the weak and troubled mind see ghosts”, explained Mina, “my granny told me”.

Mina was Ema’s friend from college and now one of Danni’s closest friend as well. She was dressed up as Medusa, one of her fav characters.

It was nothing short of a crazy atmosphere out there.

The night seemed shorter than expected just like any of the good times ever before you realize, it just fades away.

Danni, the less drunk of the trio, drove Mina and Ema back to their residence where they planned to call it a night and all were off to bed.

When Ema woke up the next morning, she saw Mina was getting dressed up and Danni had already left perhaps. She was having a bad hangover, so she went to the kitchen to make herself some lemonade.

Mina apologized, “Hey Ema, sorry, I am a bit in a rush, need to headway to the office,”

“But it’s only Sunday, “exclaimed Ema.

“I know I know; my editor wants me to submit the pictures and the draft for the article from yesterday, it needs to go for publishing in the Sunday evening today. I need to get the prints developed and drop it at the office, so will catch up a post that, “informed Mina.

“Sure, do grab some coffee and breakfast on the way,” advised Ema.

“Sure!”, rushed Mina out the door, the uber was already waiting!

Ema slowly finished sipping her lemonade and was making some more back coffee to get over the hangover.

She started browsing through pictures from last night on her iPhone and couldn’t stop laughing at the fun time they had.

After browsing through some pictures, she suddenly realized that Danni wasn’t in any of them, “How strange! She was with me all night, she should have been in all the selfies and pictures I clicked on my phone”, she thought to herself.

She slowly started to get spooked. “Did Danni edit her out of the pictures before she left? No not possible, “she explained herself.

As she finished watching all the photos, she realized something was extremely strange. Either someone was trying to joke with her, or it was something spooky.

She tried dialling Danni again, the phone was ringing but no one picked up, and she realized Danni told her had lost her phone yesterday.

She quickly got dressed and drove her car to Danni’s apartment.

The room was locked and didn’t seem like anyone was home,

She had the spare keys so sneaked in. The house was speck clean, without a trace of anyone been there this morning, “Perhaps Danni came back home, cleaned the house, and left for the hospital? But she had a day off, maybe an emergency case?”, Ema wondered.

She headed her way to the hospital and while almost near it she saw a huge gathering and a police barricade.

She stopped and parked the car to ask the standby people as to what was happening.

“Yesterday, a nurse was brutally murdered early morning by the man who had run away from the asylum and later committed suicide. Their bodies were found in the forest by a wood cutter this morning”, responded a bystander.