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Laurent had two fair reasons to like Halloween.
One of them was that he really, really liked sweets. From chocolates to gummy bears to sour candies and marshmallows. Although his sweet tooth lead Auguste to hide a good part of his Halloween candy, almost like a mother, each year. The second reason, however, was probably the most important one. And it was that he enjoyed dressing up.
The art of disguising was something his mom had taught him as a child. She loved to make costumes for him and his brother. At the time, Laurent thought his mom was like Auguste. They could do a lot of things and be good at them. Auguste could play a lot of instruments, and their mother could bake, compose songs, write stories, design and sew clothes, sing. She could do anything. Laurent felt like he was more like his father in that aspect, as he wasn’t as creative as her of his older brother.
Ever since they were very little, their mother would tell them that in another life she was a fairy called Morgana, but that had been, of course, before being a red tulip. Laurent loved her stories, and as a child, he didn’t care that they probably weren’t true. He spent the first years of his life believing his mother was a fairy, and a flower, and a mermaid, a princess during the Kingdom of Henry VIII, and a lot more things. It started off as a game. Countless times she would disguise herself as a fairy god-mother, or a princess, with a plastic tiara. And Laurent would have a paper crown on his head and a vest proper of a princeling. She had taught him to enjoy acting, and disguising. Pretending to be other people, letting his imagination go wild.
And so, Halloween was of his favorite times of the year, because she never saw any costume as an impossible task. One day in September she’d ask him, “What do you want to be for Halloween this year, Laurent?”
Sometimes, he’d reply with the first thing he had in mind. Other times, she’d help him decide. But now that she was gone, it was a bit harder for him to do everything on his own. The years they spent with his uncle they rarely ever celebrated Halloween –or anything—but now that they were alone, Laurent was excited for it to come. Auguste had asked him for help with his costume, although he had bought a few things from Amazon already.
And just as he finished, he turned off the sewing machine and stared at his creation. He’d need Auguste to try it on, to see if it fit correctly, but that could wait.
Now that that was done, he could focus on his costume. This year, he didn’t have much time to prepare things. Classes had started in Charcy in September and his new schedule didn’t allow him much free time. With only a week left, he was afraid he wouldn’t find anything of his liking. Or that he wouldn’t be able to make it himself. He hadn’t yet decided what to be.
He thought that, if his mother was alive, she’d probably have the perfect costume ready for him. The perfect disguise.
“Lo!” Auguste said as he wrapped his arms around Laurent’s shoulders from behind. Laurent didn’t react, as he was still deep in thought. “Lo?”
“I don’t know what to be for Halloween this year,” Laurent sighed. “Nothing comes to mind.”
“Oh? You’re usually very creative in Halloween. Everyone loved your snake from last year. Oh, and your Alice from Alice in Wonderland was really good too. They believed you were a girl.” Auguste said and chuckled.
“Yes, but when I did those costumes I had more than just a week to prepare everything.” Laurent scratched his head in frustration.
“Mmm…why don’t you search for something old you can use? If you need inspiration, maybe you could find something useful in the attic.”
***
Following his older brother’s advice, Laurent found himself climbing upstairs to the attic. He hadn’t been there in a long time. Usually, when they needed something from the attic, like Christmas lights and the tools for the fireplace, Auguste was the one to get them. He never really bothered, since he hated dust.
There was some light coming in from the window, and he walked towards it and opened it. It smelled of humid, and he was only glad he had decided to bring a face mask with him. The attic was big enough for a person to walk around without any inconvenience, and in reality, they didn’t storage much up there. As he looked around, he could remember how it was before their parents had died; there was only a christmas tree and Auguste’s old bike, along with a few boxes filled with random stuff no one used anymore.
But now, it kept all of his parents’ belongings. At least most of the stuff they couldn’t get rid off. It hadn’t been a pleasant process, with only Auguste and him putting everything in boxes and taking them upstairs, while trying to get used to the solitude.
He went through old books and board games, Christmas decorations and baby toys, like a red carousel he used to love when he was a kid and Auguste’s first toy piano. He found a polaroid camera that still worked, and also photo albums he had forgotten that existed, like that one of his parents wedding day or when Auguste was born, or when he was born. He wished he hadn’t seen those embarrassing pictures of himself naked in the bathtub.
There was a picture of his mom and him together, sitting on the garden and smiling with flower crowns on their heads. He stopped himself from thinking or feeling anything as he slipped the picture inside his pocket and closed the album shut.
He spent so much time wandering around that he forgot what he was looking for in the first place, until he found his old Halloween costumes. But none of them could be re-used. So he searched for his father’s clothes, and then went through his mom’s. It was when he opened an old coffer that looked more like a treasure chest from a fairytale, that he got an idea for his costume. Inside, there were many of his mom’s best clothes. Dresses and coats and furs. He took one out and examined it. He’d needed to get it cleaned first, since it smelled of old and humid, but it could work.
***
Halloween night came in the blink of an eye. As soon as he was out of school, Laurent went to buy some drugstore makeup he could use and pick up the rest of his costume from Charls’ studio. Charls was a fashion designer who had been friend of his mother, and he had taught him to sew after her mother had passed.
He started to get ready around six, since he had agreed to go with Auguste and his friends somewhere in town. Having no experience with make up whatsoever, it took him around an hour—and a few youtube tutorials-- to do his full face. He was wearing grey eye shadow and had used black eye liner to draw a black cat nose and whiskers. At last, he changed his clothes into his mother’s white fur vest and pants Charls had made for him that even had a long tail attached to them. He messed up his own hair before putting the cat ears on.
He was a cat for Halloween.
It wasn’t his best, but at least he was pleased. He wasn’t sure exactly what they’d do this year. Usually, they liked to go to parties and Laurent avoided them. Sometimes they’d also go to a haunted house where Damen and Nikandros would piss their pants. But Auguste had told him he had different plans for them this year, since they were seniors and would soon separate.
“Oh my god, you look amazing, Lo! A cat, huh? I like it. You even drew the whiskers!” Auguste said and was going to touch his face before Laurent slapped him hard on the hand.
“It took me an hour to get that done, do not even breathe near me.”
“Sorry—didn’t need to be rude, though.” Auguste said but smiled, “How do I look?” he asked and turned in circles slowly for Laurent to see.
Auguste was going as a pirate, and Laurent had sewed the jacket himself. To his eyes, it looked really professional.
“I give my approval.” Laurent said and gave him a small thumbs up.
“Perfect! Then we’re ready. Or should I talk like a pirate? Aye? Argh?”
Laurent rolled his eyes and sighed, “Please, Auguste, for once in your life, don’t embarrass me tonight.”
“Me? When have I ever embarrassed you?”
“You made me hold your hand while crossing the street.”
“But you were little when that happened!”
“Auguste, it was last week.”
***
Laurent was very pleased when Damen showed up without Jokaste.
He arrived to the meeting place along with Nikandros and Jord, and Laurent couldn’t help but let out a breath of satisfaction. It was often the times when she invited herself to their activities together. Which left little time for Laurent to actually interact with Damen.
Not that he did want that, of course.
Or maybe he did.
“What are you supposed to be?” Nikandros asked Laurent as a greeting.
“A cat, what else?” Laurent replied, eyeing him up and down, “And you?”
“A frat boy, isn’t it obvious?” Nikandros asked. He was wearing shorts with the national flag and he was shirtless, only a jacket covering him along with a red bow tie.
“Won’t you get cold?” Jord asked.
“If I do, I can just grab the blanket you’re wearing.” Nikandros grinned.
“A blanket ghost? Really?” Laurent raised an eyebrow at Jord.
“It’s not a blanket ghost! It’s Napstablook from Undertale .”
“Napstablook is technically a blanket ghost.” Auguste said.
“What is Undertale ?” Laurent whispered quietly to his brother.
“It’s a videogame.” He replied.
He made a mental note to google that later, when Damen stepped towards him. Before he realized, Laurent was laughing quietly. Covering his mouth and watching Damen.
He was dressed up as a cowboy. With a hat, and high boots, and tight jeans that gave Laurent a hard time taking his eyes away from Damen’s body.
“What is so funny?” Damen asked, while laughing too.
“I don’t know where to start,” Laurent managed to say.
“You look cute as a cat.” Damen said, brushing the cat ears with his fingers.
You look cute as a cat.
“Thank you,” he said. And then, “You look ridiculous.”
They both laughed, and then Auguste wrapped an arma round their necks, pulling them closer. “If everyone’s ready, then we should get going. It’s kind of a long drive to where we’re going.”
“Are you sure we can’t invite Aimeric?” Jord asked, under the blanket that was his costume.
Nikandros and Laurent both said, at the same time, “No.”
Then they looked at each other and nodded. If something they had in common was the fact that they didn’t like Aimeric, much less having him around Jord.
Jord sighed, “Fine.”
“Where are we going, by the way?” Damen asked.
Auguste smiled. A playful yet evil looking smile, “I heard you like abandoned houses.”
***
Arles was close to being Halloween Town. Decorations were everywhere, and there was a lot of people wearing costumes, going to parties, playing trick or treat and eating candies.
Laurent wondered why and how they had ended up in an abandoned mansion away from the city.
Of course, the whole point of Halloween nowadays was getting scared. But Laurent wasn’t easily scared. The monster from his nightmares was often himself. So he couldn’t understand how Damen and Nikandros were almost clinging to each other every time there was a sound.
The mansion was huge. Auguste told them how people said the ghost of a girl could be seen and heard at night, and that is why even when they tried to sell the place for many years, people always refused. Apparently it was “haunted”.
They turned on their flashlights before entering, with Auguste leading the way and Laurent being last, since no one else was brave enough to have their backs uncovered. Everything was covered in dust and dead bugs, broken doors and furniture in the halls. Ripped paintings covering the walls, as well as some old, musty wall paper that must have been pretty and fancy when the house was built.
“Why exactly are we here for? We could be having fun at Makedon’s party.”
“I agree with Nik. This is pointless. We even dressed up for nothing.”
“You’re just scared.” Auguste said and chuckled, “You can think of this a bravery test. Plus, I’ve always wanted to explore an abandoned place like this. It’s fun.”
“I’m not scared,” Damen replied, “Nikandros is.”
“What? I’m not!”
“Do you like abandoned places?” Jord asked Laurent.
Neither of them seemed particularly bothered about the situation.
“I think it’s boring, actually. I’ve read books about haunted places like this one and it is primarily a misconception people have on the house. It might not be really haunted, but it is people that think it is that make it a big thing.” Laurent said and shrugged.
“To be honest, I’ve played enough RPG horror games to know haunted mansions are always a bad idea. But it’s better than Makedon’s parties.”
“I agree.”
“Hey guys, look at this,” Auguste said, while pointing his flashlight to what seemed to be a family portrait on the wall. A couple and a small girl, with long brown hair, holding a doll identical to her.
“Those must be the owners,” said Jord.
“I’m out of here,” Nikandros said, turning around.
“What? Where are you going?”
“Haven’t you people seen horror movies?!” he said, exasperated. “Finding pictures of the dead dudes is always a bad sign! Especially when there’s children included. I’m sorry, but before we get a ‘You’re going to die in seven fucking days’ call I better get my ass out of this creepy place.”
“Oh come on, have you ever seen a ghost in real life?” Auguste said.
“No, and I don’t want this to be my first night.”
“Nik…are you sure you want to go back all the way to the car on your own?” Jord asked.
“Damen’s coming with me.”
Damen bit his lip as he said, “Sorry, Nik, but uh…I rather for the group to stick together.”
“Are you betraying me? I can’t believe this.”
“Nik—“
“I’m ripping off your friendship bracelets. Yours and Auguste’s.”
“You have friendship bracelets?” Laurent raised an eyebrow and looked at his brother.
“Since third grade,” Auguste said, proudly.
In that moment, Laurent felt as if he was babysitting a bunch of kids.
There was the sound of something hard falling above them, on the second floor. As a result, Nikandros and Damen screamed, and Jord jumped, grabbing onto Laurent for a minute.
“Maybe they’re trying to communicate with us.” Laurent said.
“They?” Nikandros asked and swallowed.
“Well the ghosts, of course. Who else?”
Nikandros paled, and he was going to say something else when Jord interrupted. “Guys? Where’s Auguste?”
They looked around the room, but Auguste was gone. Laurent called, “Auguste?”
Nothing.
Again, “Auguste?”
“We were all together a minute ago.” Damen said.
“He’s just trying to mess up with us,” Laurent said, clearly annoyed.
“Great. Now we really are inside a horror movie. Shit, fuck, shit.” Nikandros said, while passing around.
“Calm down, Nik. Laurent’s right, he’s probably just playing around.” said Jord.
“Come on,” Laurent said and started to walk towards the stairs.
“No way, no, absolutely not. I’m not going upstairs. Something made a sound up there and I don’t want to know what it was.”
Nikandros, dressed as a frat boy and also shitting his pants was something Laurent wished he could have recorded. It was so hilarious he had to fight back the laugh.
“Fine, you can wait here,” Laurent said, and then, “on your own.”
Nikandros groaned, “I hate you. I hate you and your brother.”
They walked upstairs together, trying not to fall into the many holes that made it rather a difficult task. The second floor definitely looked worse than the first, with less windows letting in the light.
Eventually, they made it to the source of the sound. Apparently, a raccoon had entered through a broken window, and had made a mess of one of the rooms. Well, at least more than it already was.
“There’s your ghost, Nikandros,” Laurent said, pointing his flashlight at him.
“Where’s Jord?” Damen asked, looking around like a lost bird.
“He--” Nikandros turned around and then screamed, “He was right behind me! Holy shit, Holy shit. Oh shit we’re going to die here. I knew it.”
For a minute there, Laurent imagined his brother --dressed as a pirate-- and Blanket Ghost Jord being abducted by some paranormal force.
“Highly unlikely.” he said.
This was probably his brother’s doing. Auguste liked to tease, especially during Halloween. It was obvious that he had probably planned this from the beginning. Taking his easily-scared best friends to an abandoned mansion in the middle of nowhere to then proceed and frighten them to death.
He had to admit that it was a good prank.
But Nikandros was getting annoying. He hoped he would be the next one to disappear, actually. He couldn’t imagine anything worse than having to go through the rest of the house with Nikandros the screamer.
“Now what?” Damen asked.
“Let’s search for them and go home.” Laurent said, “I want to get candy.”
And so that’s what they did. The rooms still had old furniture, even books and what seemed to be a collection of weird looking dolls that were mostly destroyed. They also found what was once a music room, and an old piano was being eaten by bugs.
It was creepy, and disgusting, but not actually scary.
“Laurent,” Damen said, “I think we’re alone.”
Laurent turned around to see he was indeed alone with Damen. In the dark. With only his flashlight.
“What happened to your flashlight?” Laurent asked.
“I think I left it somewhere,” he whispered.
Laurent looked at him for a minute. Damen hadn’t really said much since they entered the house. And he was always making conversation. It was odd that he seemed so serious, even when Nikandros had been clinging onto him for more than half an hour.
“You’re scared,” Laurent said.
“I--Yes, I don’t like this…” Damen said, and Laurent could see how his hands were shaking slightly.
“Don’t be scared, it’s alright,” Laurent whispered, “It’s just an old, musty house.”
“But...but where are they? Auguste, Jord and Nik? Do you really think they’re pranking us?”
“Damen, you better than anyone should know Auguste. He loves to tease.”
Damen let out a shaky breath, “I just...I want to go home. Have fun and go trick-or-treat.”
“We will. Let’s go find them,” Laurent offered his hand without thinking. By the time he realized, it was too late to pull it back, so he waited.
Damen took his hand and squeezed it. He was indeed shaking. He was terribly scared, and suddenly Laurent wanted to punch his brother. He knew he didn’t have any right to be protective over Damen, but…
“Okay, let’s go.” Damen said, nodding.
They walked hand in hand through the rest of the house, calling for the other three. He noticed how Damen’s pulse sped up every time there was a sound, like the creak of the stairs or a door closing behind them.
Reaching the end of the house, they came to a dead end. A dark hall that ended in a wall. Laurent was tired, but at the same time, he didn’t want to let go off Damen’s hand.
They’d never held hands before.
He instantly had a third fair reason to like Halloween.
They made their way back, and the sounds grew louder. Damen walked faster as they heard and saw things falling behind them.
“Oh come on, stop it already.” He said, frustrated.
Silence.
There was a whisper on their ears, giving them goosebumps as they turned around.
“BOO!”
It was Auguste, and behind them, Jord and Nikandros tickling them in surprise. The three of them were laughing, but Laurent and Damen were seeing past them.
It was so shocking that they couldn’t seem to stop looking, until Damen screamed the girliest scream he had heard in his whole life.
“What is it? Damen?” Auguste asked, looking at them in confusion. And then, he turned around.
The five of them stared at her. Or it. Or whatever it was. A spectrum, or a ghost, looking back at them. Laurent recognized her as the girl from the family portrait, clutching a doll. She looked sad, and he thought that she probably had a tragic end. For a second, he thought in talking to her.
“Hello?” Laurent said.
But Auguste was already tugging on his sleeve, and he heard the rushed steps of the others running away as the girl stepped towards him.
“Laurent! Don’t start provoking it!” Auguste said. He sounded panicked.
“Auguste, calm d--”
“No you fucking listen to me! None of us is getting our soul taken by a spirit!”
Laurent thought he had heard her whisper. And the last thing he saw was her smile before Auguste carried him down stairs and out of the house.
What happened next was rushed and messy, the five of them fighting to get in the car. Throwing themselves in and closing the doors as Auguste pulled out of that place.
Neither of them said anything until they were in the highway back to Arles, when Nikandros broke the silence.
“I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but, I fucking told you.”
“Shut up, Nik, You aren’t helping.” Jord said.
When they were back in town, they agreed on going trick-or-treat. Mostly, because they were all traumatized and needed to forget the ghost of that little girl staring at them from the other end of the dark hall.
Laurent got himself a fair amount of candies that Auguste didn’t even bother in hiding as they got home. Damen, Nikandros and Jord had agreed on staying with them tonight. And after the events of the abandoned mansion, Auguste took out sleeping bags and blankets for all of them to sleep in the living room. Even when Laurent insisted on sleeping in his own bedroom, Auguste didn’t let him.
“You tried to talk sense into a ghost, Laurent, we’re not discussing this. You sleep where I can see you.”
To be honest, Laurent didn’t think they’d be able to sleep. They were still looking pale and shaken, which didn’t really go with their costumes.
Laurent sat on his sleeping bag and opened a bag of peanuts M&M’s as his brother put Mickey’s House of Villains on and brought a bowl of popcorn.
“Can I sit next to you?” Damen asked him. Laurent nodded.
“I...wanted to thank you, actually,” Damen said, quietly enough for the rest not to hear. Although they were too busy talking about having a pillow fight.
“For what?”
“For...what happened back there. You...you were nice to me, so…” Damen explained, and then flushed.
“It’s alright,” Laurent said, “at least you are not a screamer like Nikandros. I swear I was close to pushing him down the stairs.”
Damen chuckled, “He’s like that. He couldn’t sleep after watching Nightmare before Christmas when we were kids.”
“Do you want to know a secret?” Laurent asked.
“What?”
“Auguste couldn’t either.”
Then, Damen laughed, and Laurent followed. Somehow, he always found himself laughing along with Damen. And it always, always felt nicer than the last time.
Laurent had three fair reasons to like Halloween. One of them, was that he enjoyed disguising. The other, that he really liked candy. But the third one, came to be the most important one. He had held Damen’s hand.
Not even a ghost could ruin that.