Haunted Desires — short read

It was October 19, 2020, and the late-night air was thick with the excitement of Halloween approaching.

Five friends; Gem, Light, Mike, Reed, and Red were crammed into a Range Rover, their bodies buzzing with delight.

The streets were lined with jack-o'-lanterns gleaming in the darkness, and there were no houses around. This caused doubt to grow in Gem’s heart.

“Are we even near?” She asked Light, glancing nervously at Red and Reed, who shared the same uneasiness. The excitement that had filled the car moments ago was now tinged with a hint of dread.

Light shrugged, his grip tightening on the overhead handle as the headlights brightened nothing but the winding road ahead.

“Just a bit further,” he replied, trying to sound confident, but even he felt anxious.

They were on their way to meet strangers.

A family of three they had discovered on the dark web.

The anticipation was killing Light.

His body was swirling with adrenaline, and the spooky vibes of the season made him feel like things could really take an unexpected turn from here.

Mike was the designated driver for the night, but as he drove further into the northern side of Hamlet town, fear began to creep into his mind.

A crisp chill filled the air the deeper he drove along the windy, desolate road, where gnarled trees ominously dominated the surroundings. The atmosphere felt eerie and strange. You know— the kind that sent shivers down your spine and made you conjure images of ghosts lurking at every shadowy figure that moved.

Mike cast a glance at Light, who was sitting beside him in the passenger seat.

He was smoking. Blowing it into the night chill air without a hint of concern on his face. In fact, he had a little smirk tugging his lips as he stared forward.

“Can you plug me in on your thoughts?”

“Just drive, Mike. The earlier we get to where we are going, the better.” Light snapped as Mike’s cranky voice interrupted his daydreaming about Lexi Blackwood.

“It’s getting really late and creepy,” Gem grumbled, feeling a little frightened because all she had been seeing in the past 2 hours were trees and jack-o'-lanterns.

“No kidding.” Red agreed before tapping Light’s shoulder. “Hey freak, do you know why the Blackwood live so far from reality?”

Light shrugged. “How do you expect me to know they are strangers!” He burst out, but a subtle glance at Reed made him lower his tone. “They probably like their privacy. No man will have a wife as hot as Lexi and won't want to isolate himself with her.”

“I can't believe he’s this eager to fuck another man’s wife,” Mike muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

But then, he was also heading there to fuck Lexi's husbands. Either, or both of the twins could ruin him and he would say thank you.

Suddenly, a deer leaped out from the shadows, its dark eyes reflecting the vehicle’s light causing Mike to lose his grip on the wheel.

“Watch out!” Gem screamed, her heart racing. In a split second, Mike swerved to avoid hitting the animal, but the sudden movement sent them careening off the road.

The Range Rover hit a tree with a jarring thud and the loud echoed through the stillness of the night.

Dazed but aware, the friends glanced around in utter disbelief. They couldn't believe what just happened.

“Is everyone okay?” Red asked, her voice trembling with concern as she instinctively cradled her stomach.

Earlier that morning, she had taken a pregnancy test after vomiting consistently the past week and discovered she was expecting. She hadn’t shared the news with Reed yet because she was scared that he would insist on keeping their baby.

They all checked on one another, relieved to find that aside from a few bumps and bruises, they were mostly fine. The Range Rover, however, was a different story.

It was crumpled and stuck.

“Can’t believe the only good stuff you inherited from your deadbeat father is gone like that,” Reed joked, tapping his best friend, Light. “Guess it’s time to start saving for a new ride, huh?”

His attempt at humor lightened the mood. Even though it was just a little. They surveyed the wreckage around them with heavy hearts.

It was clear they wouldn't be going anywhere with the vehicle anytime soon. As the reality of their situation set in, Mike began to feel more terrified of the eerie atmosphere.

“I think we should just go back,” he said, glancing at the dark woods surrounding them. “What if the Blackwood don't even live around here?”

“Is that you or your fear speaking?”

Mike didn’t bother to respond to Light’s taunting question. He pulled out his phone to book a ride but the signal was weak.

“Fucking hell,” he cursed in frustration.

His friends attempted to use their phones too, but the signal kept fluctuating.