* Friday – Weir Family Residence *

The voices in my head – more like the never-ending screams… they're starting to drive me crazy! I've been hearing them ever since I woke up this morning, and right now, I'm at the point where I think that my head's going to implode.

I knew there was a reason why I never cared too much about Halloween – I mean, don't get me wrong, the chocolates and candies are awesome, but this… these… voices… are just straight up torture. Trying my best to ignore them, I hop out of my bed for the first time since arriving home and make heed for the bathroom.

The floorboards creak something eerie – strange… our house is fairly new… the floorboards have never creaked before. But hey, maybe I'm just losing it… I didn't get much sleep last nite and I'm still, totally peeved at Ethan for signing me up for this stupid costume party… yea… that's it… I'm just tired and it's got me losing my mind a little…
–pull it together, Benny. I can't afford a mental breakdown at a time like this. I mean, yea I don't want to go to this party, but hey… Erica's my date – that's something that I'm definitely looking forward to.

I wipe the boogers from eyes and place a weary hand on the bathroom's doorknob…
"–OUCH!" as if someone was holding a torch to the other side of the door, the handle's as hot as the bottom of a steam iron! "What the—" I make up my mind to reach for it again, but this time, I'm using every precaution.

I wave my hand over the bathroom's doorknob – no heat, but I'm not as eager to place a bare hand around it, this time. My hand finds its way underneath my shirt, and with it there, I grab the handle and jerk the knob open.

screeeeeeccchhhh…

Oh boy. Enough with the climatic sound effects already, please! I step into the bathroom – so far so good, you know… wrong.
Steaming hot water fires out of the faucets of the sink and tub like the Yellowstone geysers. Steam instantaneously consumes the bathroom. I'm nearly blinded from the scorching vapors – in a failed attempt to shut off the water, I slip on the damp marble, bashing the back of my head into the nearest wall.

"–ugh…" I grumble, wearily bringing myself to a stance. I blink away the misery – literally, for as I rub the spot in which my head and the wall made contact… the steam vanishes… and the pain is no longer an issue. I stare blankly at my reflection in the mirror – no steam, no slippery floors, no headaches… just me. "What the fu—"

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

My eyes jerk in the general direction of the bathroom door – there they are again… the screams. Having been scared free of the need to use the bathroom, I push the door openr and step out into the hallway – a hallway… that's completely full… of steam.

It takes every bit of my might to prevent myself from hyperventilating, but the hysteria is starting to become a little overbearing for me.
–I collapse onto my knees, struggling to capture even the tiniest breath amongst the thick fog. The anxiety, coupled with the intense heat, has got me sweating bullets, and as I drag my gasping body across the hallway floor, the security of my consciousness slips away into a mere thing of the past.

"–argh…" I gasp at the feeling of a crumpled hand as it finds its way into my locks. Its fingers cling on and jerk my head upwards.

and now, I'm staring into the gruesome eyes… of some a ghastly scarecrow…

To Be Continued...