The deranged lunatic came over to me and gave me an awkward embrace. Becky shook while Matt and Alexander cracked up.
We went into the next area, which was dark except for a few glowing candles.
Just then I was grabbed around the waist.
"Alexander," I said, but then noticed Alexander was on the other side of Matt.
This time I screamed. I turned around. It was Trevor, dressed as Nosferatu.
Alexander and Matt laughed, but I continued to scream.
"Get off of me!"
"I've come to suck your blood!" he said with a ghoulish laugh.
"Help!" I cried. "Get him off."
When he came for my throat, no one seemed concerned.
"Alexander - Becky!"
It was evident to me that Trevor was about to kiss me. But I wasn't sure anyone else was aware of that.
Finally Alexander noticed. He pushed Trevor away from me and glared at him. "The actors aren't supposed to touch the patrons," he said, his fists clenched.
Finally Alexander noticed. He pushed Trevor away from me and glared at him. "The actors aren't supposed to touch the patrons," he said, his fists clenched.
"I'm not an actor," Trevor said, and disappeared behind the scenes.
We made our way into the next room, which was pitch black. We held hands and reached out to find our way through the maze. Alexander wasn't any help, letting Becky, Matt, and me flounder in the darkness.
"Gross!" I said as I felt something soft on the walls.
"It feels like ... people!" Becky screamed.
"I think it's brains," Matt said.
"I feel a door handle," I said.
"Open it and get me out of here!" Becky was almost crying.
I turned the handle and threw open the door. We found ourselves in the Crypt - just a few yards away from the main dance floor. Jagger was a genius.
Everything he did was one hundred and ten percent spooky.
I spotted two goths by the dance floor and did a double take. I was surprised to realize they were Heather and Courtney, two of the Prada-bees.
"I like your 'costume,'" I said sincerely as I approached them.
"Yours, too," they said nicely.
"I love that skirt," I said, gesturing to Courtney's ripped indigo-colored mini.
"Yours is very pretty, too," she replied, referring to my pleated plaid one.
For a moment we pleasantly eyed each other's outfits, not knowing what else to say. We were still different people deep down inside, but for one night, we both got to see how the other half lived.
I caught up to my friends and we headed straight over to Romeo, who was coolly dressed as Frankenstein's monster, to get some drinks and ref {rinienuel.
Matt, Becky, and I ordered sodas, but Alexander was particularly thirsty.
"I'd like a Dracula's Curse," he said to Romeo.
"That's not on the menu," Becky said.
"It is for some people," Jagger said from behind us. "Would you like to try one?" We turned around. Jagger was creepy in a skeleton costume. His white hair with blood-red tips flopped over his bony face.
"How do you like the Haunted Happening?" he asked.
"I love it!" I exclaimed.
Becky quaked in his presence as Romeo slid the blood-filled drink to Alexander.
She and Matt watched, stupefied, as Alexander drank the dark red drink.
As soon as my friends regained their composure, we headed over to the dance floor, where we found a soccer-uniform-clad Scarlet and Onyx as Cleopatra already bopping to the killer music, along with Sebastian, who was dressed as a cowboy in a ten-gallon hat and cowboy boots.
"Having fun?" I asked.
"Yes - just us girls," Scarlet shouted. "Trevor is working the crowd in his costume."
"Yes, I bumped into him," I said.
"And Jagger is overseeing everything," she continued.
"Where's Stormy?" Scarlet asked, hot and sweaty from dancing.
"She's out trick-or-treating with Billy."
"Well, there is someone here who wants to see her," Scarlet said as if it was a warning.
"Who?" Alexander asked.
Just then pink hair popped out from the crowd. Luna was fabulously amazing as the Bride of Frankenstein with a pink monster-do. And following close behind was a familiar boy with white hair, dressed as Beetlejuice. It was Valentine Maxwell - the Maxwell twins' younger vampire sibling.
"Where's Stormy?" Luna asked, pulling at her long white gown.
"Trick-or-treating with Billy."
"Who's Billy?" Luna asked.
"He's my brother," I said emphatically.
"Well, we thought she'd be with you," she said in a huff. "Valentine would love to see her."
"Hey, Valentine," Alexander said. "I haven't seen you in a while."
"Hi, Alexander." Valentine smiled, his green eyes shining brightly. "Do you like my brother's club?"
"Yes, it's awesome," Alexander raved. "And so was the haunted house. It seems to be doing pretty well, too. I didn't know you were coming to town."
"I came in for Halloween. I was hoping I could see Stormy - and Billy and Henry."
"They aren't coming here tonight. They are out trick-or-treating," Alexander said.
Valentine's disappointment was palpable. "They are all hanging out together?"
"We didn't know you'd be here," Alexander said. "Otherwise - "
"I know. But Stormy loves Beetlejuice. I wore it for her."
I felt sorry for the youngest Maxwell. He was bummed out not to be among his peers. I couldn't blame him, but I wasn't so sure that I wanted him hanging out with my brother. Last time Valentine met Billy, he took him to a cave where he tried to bite him. I wasn't so sure my brother should be in his company again. In fact, I knew it wasn't a good idea.
"He's been really busy," I said. "Tons of science fairs coming up."
"Well, we'll still have to get together soon. And at least I'll get to see Stormy now that she's in town, too," he said. "We can hang out here at the Crypt."
"Yes, we'll see what we have planned," Alexander said. He didn't seem so eager for his sibling to be hanging around the younger Maxwell, either.
When Alexander and I arrived at my house, we found the sugared-up space invaders in the family room watching Friday the 13th.
"You'll never guess who we saw tonight," I said.
"Frankenstein?" Stormy asked.
"No."
"Freddy Krueger?" Henry asked.
"No, Valentine Maxwell," I replied.