“Ben’s?”

“I’m not driving to Ben’s.”

“Ben’s!?”

“I wanna go to Ben’s!”

“Ben’s?!?”

“Shut up Tina, we are not going to Ben’s”

“Megan, please we never go.”

“Don’t you remember, I told you the last time I went to Ben’s something weird happened-”

“Oh Megan, come on, you don’t actually think it was-”

“Gabe! Do you really think that comment is going to get you there?!”

“Okay, okay. My bad, may we please go to Ben’s?” Gabe holds his hands up in a ‘so sue me’ gesture. Megan shakes her head at Gabe in amusement, not saying anything.

“How about I pay for you,” he suggests. Megan rolls her eyes, the three of them know she’d pick eating off of their plates rather than her own meal any day.

Tina clicks around on her phone, “it’s only fifty-three minutes actually, and the entire route is green.”

“Three, two, one,” Gabe motions to Tina.

“Fine! But this is the last time.” Megan states.

The other two cheer in victory as they load themselves into Megan’s car. Their favourite burgers may be eaten once again.

“I’m telling you guys last time there was something weird on my way there, I swear I saw something.”

“I’m sure it was nothing Meg. It never hurt any one to chill out a little.”

“Tell that to my anxiety.”

Tina stares out the window as the two bicker back and forth. Megan pulls onto the highway and the carpool karaoke comes out. Gabe and Tina begin fighting over the mic while the car consistently makes its way to the middle of nowhere.

Ben’s is relatively empty, given it is 11 o’clock in the evening.

Megan as predicted refuses to order a dish and opts for a peanut butter milkshake. But once the food arrives she’s gobbling up the fries and half of Tina’s burger. Not that Tina and Gabe mind, they did order extra chicken nuggets.

“So guys tell me. Do you think ghosts are real?”

“One hundred percent.”

“No fricken way!”

“Okay, but can you be convinced?”

“I’m not a pussy Tina, I’m not scared of that shit.”

“I didn’t say you have to be scared, I’m asking if I can convince you that they’re real!”

“Oh.”

Gabe doesn’t answer any further, the table goes into a comfortable silence as the three finish their meals.

Tina goes to pay the bill, contrary to Gabe’s statement that he’d pay. Megan takes this opportunity to poke at him a little.

“I bet I could convince you they’re real,” she states with a sly grin.

“Shut up! You’re not even brave enough to watch ‘The Conjuring’ without your trusty pillow!”

Megan just smiles, she knows Gabe is more scared than he’ll let on.

She rolls the car out of the parking lot and the three start on their trek home. A couple minutes later, Megan turns into an unfamiliar road. A confused look appears on her face as the road ahead begins clouding over with a fog. The car slows, catching the attention of the other two.

“Uh Guys?”

Everyone exchanges nervous glances. As Megan continues down the road, it begins to wind before entering a wooded area.

“Meg, slow down,” Gabe grabs her forearm, looking at something in the distance. “Is that a little girl?”

The car scoots a little closer. Her face is extremely pale and she appears zoned out, standing in the middle of the road. The car lights reach her face breaking her out of her trance, she sees the approaching car and runs off into the woods.

Suddenly, a white animation comes through the trees. Except it isn’t an animation. They’re flashes of deceased people dressed in ratty clothing, similar to those you would see in a movie. More people start to appear from all directions. No longer flashing, these illuminated people start walking in the direction of their car.

“Megan, is that what you saw last time?”

Her eyes cloud over in fear, unable to move she continues forward at a constant pace. The animation grows clearer and instead there are flashes of a person.

“Megan go!”

Megan drives as fast as the speed limit allows when a sign comes into view in the distance. Everyone squints their eyes at the small illuminated white sign. Gradually it grows and a little man is seen doing an elf dance in the bottom half of the board.

“What the fuck?” Gabe asks looking quite puzzled.

Megan gets a little closer. The words “Happy Halloween!” are illuminated and easy to read.

“What the fuck?!” Gabe asks a little louder.

Megan drives past the sign and stops at a little lemonade stand down the road. She rolls down the passenger window and a woman dressed as the little girl from earlier pops up holding a sign with a QR code on it.

“Hey there! We hope you enjoyed the experience, if you would please fill out a feedback form-”

“Wait,” Gabe holds his hand up, cutting off the nice lady. He turns towards Megan, “this was a all just a little prank?”

Megan smiles at Gabe, teeth and all, it’s the biggest smile she’s had the entire evening.

“Would you like to fill out a survey on how we can improve this event for next year?”

“I would love to.” Megan takes out her phone and leans across Gabe to take a photo of the QR link.

“Thank you! Happy Halloween!”

“Happy Halloween!” Megan and Tina sing back. Gabe says nothing and opts to sink further into his seat, rolling the window all the way up.

“I hate you guys.”

“I didn’t drive all the way to Ben’s for a mid burger,” Megan states driving back onto the main roads.

“Not funny,” Gabe responds slightly pale while Tina gives a half smile back.

Megan reaches behind her seat to give Tina a high five who quietly returns it. The car speeds past an old house which goes unnoticed by the group. Out steps an usually tall and lanky figure from the shadows, who watches as they disappear into the distance.