Halloween Head

“Garrett?” I asked walking slowly through the dark house. “Cut it out Garrett, this is scary.” I shouted to him.

It was 7 o’clock and the lights had gone out, it was pitch black and me and Garrett where the only two in the house, rain was pounding on the roof of my house and thunder was clapping above me. I used my had as a guide on the wall to try and find Garrett who ran once the light flickered off shouting something about hide and go seek.

I sighed as I reached the couch sitting down and closing my eyes to escape the dark. The house smelled like Christmas and it was warm. I felt something crawling up my leg and instantly kick upward hitting something hard.

“Fuck!” Garrett growled. I could now make out his form on the floor his hand clutching his face.

“Shit Garrett, you scared me!” I shouted at him kneeling next to him and reaching for a lighter next to the ashtray on the coffee table. I flicked it and held it between us.

“You kicked me in the eye.” He stated removing his hand to what would surely be a black eye.

“You deserve it.” I laughed just as the door opened and my dad and Mandy walked in.

“Hey kids.” My dad smiled holding a flashlight to our faces.

“Dad, we’re not kids.” I stated tossing the lighter back on the table. “We’ll be in my room.” I said pulling Garrett off the floor and up the stairs.

I lit all the candles around my room and made my way to where Garrett was lying on my bed. I didn’t look at him or touch him when I crawled into bed. I let Tears For Fears play on vinyl and waited for Garrett to make a move. I looked over at him after a good half hour to see that he was sleeping. I looked outside to see the rain had stopped and I immediately pulled my boots on my feet and grabbed my jacket.

Walking outside at night was something I always did when I was in New York, feeling lonely. I’d walk to familiar places and see things that I knew were real, things that couldn’t be replaced if broken and couldn’t be taken from their spot.

I some how found myself in front of Joel’s house. He didn’t live too far from me but he did live far enough I looked up at his house, it was dark just like every other one in the city. I walked through the white picket fence and up the familiar steps.

I held my hand up to the door ready to knock when my phone started vibrating. I opened it quickly with-out looking at the caller i.d. “Hello.” I whispered quickly walking down from the steps and out the gate.

“No, don’t leave.” He spoke into the other line.

“No, I shouldn’t have come, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I really need to get back home.” I said turning around to face his house. He was sitting in the window of his room on the second story.

“I miss you.” He said looking down at the window-pain.

“What about Kim?” I asked still watching him.

“She cheated on me.” He stated as a smiled amused.

“Oh really?” I laughed slightly catching on the irony in that statement.

“You know Garrett will go back to Rachel.” He quickly retorted. I didn’t really know what to say because honestly, I was terrified of this happening. “He always does. No matter how perfect the girl is. What makes you think you’re different?”

“Joel stop it.” I hissed turning quickly walking away from his house.

“Merry Christmas Amberlyn.”