A ghostly surprise

"This is a joke, right?"

"No this isn’t. I’m serious.”

"Can we do this? Can we sleep in a graveyard?

I feel like we are trespassing."

"We aren't trespassing. We're visiting my

grandparents."

"In a graveyard on Halloween. This is the

beginning of my bad horror movie."

Electra laughs.

"Oh, come on. It'll be fun, we'll set up a

tent."

"We can't set up a tent. People will see

us."

"Okay, so we'll sleep in a crypt."

"The one with chains loops around the

handles."

"Oh my gosh, Sam. Stop being a killjoy.

This is for our channel. We need followers."

Sam closes her eyes and nods in agreement.

"I know but it's this excessive. I mean we

have been doing tik toks dance, YouTube makeup tutorials and Facebook live chats

on movies and books. What makes you think that sleeping in a graveyard will bring

the followers?"

Electra got up from her bed and pulled out a

notebook and opened it.

"This is what we are going to do. First,

I'm going to tell my parents that I'm coming to sleep at your house."

"What? El my mom works nights."

"Exactly. We will tell your mom that we

are going to stay up all night and wait for her to come home. We did that last

time."

"In a bed with TV and snacks."

"We'll have snacks and our phones to keep

occupied. We'll wait for your mom to leave than pack to go to the

graveyard."

Sam shook her head.

"El, I don't like this. It's too risky

and scary and just nuts."

Electra closed her notebook.

"Sam this is our only shot to hit more than

52 followers. We have to get one thousand followers. We have to get

noticed."

"I don't want to be noticed. I want to

have fun with my friend on a stupid app not get have nightmares to last a

lifetime."

"If we get one thousand followers from

this one, we wouldn't worry about nightmares. We will be able to pay them off

with the endorsement deals. Come on, Sam. I won't do this without you."

Sam felt the need to cry. Sam hated graveyards and

El knew it. They have been friends since kindergarten. El would not beg Sam near

a graveyard if it were serious and after a year on YouTube, Facebook live, and a

few months on Tik Tok. The girl was wanting more followers besides their parents

and their parent's friends.

"We'll get in trouble. We'll get in so

much trouble."

"I have a plan for that too."

Electra announced opening her notebook again, sitting next to Sam.

"We'll come back to your house to edit

before your mom gets home a 7:00."

"So, let me get this straight. We are

just sitting like ducks in a crypt live streaming our experience. Is this going

to be a modern take on the Blair Witch Project? That movie gave me a

headache."

“It was poorly done and made in the early 00s. We have smartphones. We can do better. Plus, this is live for everyone who is at home. We can do this.”

Sam wasn’t convinced by Electra’s confidence, but if she packed a good blanket, a battery-powered lantern, holy water, the bible, her childhood doll, and dressed like she was hiking in the Himalayans than maybe she’ll be okay with staying in a graveyard. Electra was on her feet with excitement. She can see it now. She will get to see her idol Addison Rae and take a picture with her. She will be able to star in a movie. She will be on her way to Hollywood if she does not scare herself silly.

After two days of planning and rehearsing Electra and Sam had convinced their parents to let them be alone on Halloween night at Sam’s house. Sam’s mom was on rotation at the hospital so she would be calling them almost every hour. Sam glanced at El when Sam’s mom announced this to them.

“No, worries Ms. Becca. We will be okay. We plan to watching all the 80’s classics and munching on hot fires and Oreos. Right, Sam?”

Sam as her mom glanced at her silent daughter. Sam gave her mother a reassuring smile.

“Alright. Lock the door. Do not answer to anyone. I will call you before I get home. I may even stop for Starbucks.”

Both girls cheered with excitement. As Sam’s mom left for 6:15, the girl began packing. El had packed a flashlight, a portable charger, a water bottle, a blanket, a pillow, a portable tv, and a heater. Sam had stuffed her bag with a blanket, a water bottle, the bible, holy water, her favorite doll, a battery-powered lantern, pepper spray, and first aid kit.

“First aid, pepper spray, holy water. See, this is why you are my friend. You remember the right things. I should have stuck my dad’s stun gun in my bag.”

“Mom has a mini stun gun, but she keeps in her purse. She would have gotten suspicious if I took that out.”

El agreed, “Well can’t say we aren’t prepared for the living and the living dead.” She laughs as Sam keeps quiet.

“I can’t see how this is funny. I’m trying not to panic about all of this.”

El throws her arm around Sam’s shoulders.

“It’s going to be okay. Nothing is going to happen just watch.”

FACEBOOK LIVE ON EL’S PROFILE

“Happy Halloween friends. My friend Sam and I decided to take you guys on a scary adventure as we stay the night in a crypt.” Sam can be seen setting herself covering with a blanket, battery-powered lantern on her left, a small flashlight in her right hand. Even bundled up with two sweaters, jeans under her jeans, and boots. Sam was shaking. El continued to smile brightly.

“Now, you’re probably thinking, how did we get into the crypt? Crazy thing… it was open and we closed the gate behind us. It was really funny and I should have gotten it on camera.”

“Yeah, me tripping over my feet was a hoot,” Sam grumbled holding her blanket over her shoulders.

“It was funny, Sam, but the plan is to sit here for the next ten hours. Will we come in contact with any ghost or any living dead. Let see.” 

El places her camera onto the ledge of the crypt. 

“This is so much fun.”

“It’s so cold. My butt is frozen and I feel like the temperature drop.”

“Maybe it’s a spirit.” 

“Or maybe the temperature dropped outside. I don’t know if we can stay ten hours. Our parents have Facebook.”

El paused. 

“Crap. I didn’t think of that.”

“About three hours, I know you want more followers but El. We will get into so much trouble.” 

El heard her phone go off. She didn’t move then Sam’s phone went off.  Sam slowly pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket. Pausing for a few seconds, she tapped the screen and the crypt was illuminated by the light. The text read: “Get your butt home now” Sam turned the phone to El who looked like the rug had been pulled out from out beneath her. 

“We should get back, but since everyone is watching us why not do something worthwhile.” 

El shook her head. 

“I thought I had a foolproof plan.”

“Almostfool proof, but our parents have social media lets do something.” 

“Like what?”

The temperature drops a few degrees and a woman appeared dressed in 1800 century clothes glared at the shock frozen girls.

“How you girls leave now so I can continue to rest in peace.” 

El and Sam looked at each other and ran out of the crypt leaving everything that they packed, screaming at the top of their lungs. The ghost woman sighed and looked at the camera behind her. 

“Happy Halloween and please stay out of my resting place.”