Sparrow Lane

Before

Thunder rumbled overhead as we drove.

"Shit," Elena said, as she checked her phone. "The weather is going to get worse. We might as well turn around. We're late to the concert, anyway."

Silence filled the car.

"Actually, we're not going there," Max said from the backseat.

"Excuse me?" Elena whipped her head around, her brown eyes narrowed. "What do you mean we're not going? Where the hell are we going?"

"To the old farmhouse," I told her, keeping my eyes on the road.

"You're kidding me. It's Halloween. Are you out of your minds? You know what's happened there. You've heard the stories. We all have. Damnit, Max."

"What did I do?" he asked.

"You talked him into this. I'm not going with you."

I glanced at her. "You don't have a choice, El. You're in the car, and I'm not turning back now. We'll be there soon."

"But—" she began.

"Please?" Max pleaded. "It will be fun. Spooky."

"Dangerous," Elena countered. "Stupid."

"Stop," I said. "What's done is done. It'll be fine, El. I promise."

There was a sign up ahead, hanging off its metal pole. As lightning struck and we got closer, I could see the name clearly.

SPARROW LANE.

"Well, that's ominous," Max murmured.