From the front seat, Eric bellowed, "'Kay. We're here."

Gwynn peered out the window. They were in front of an old house. Though the windows and doors appeared intact, the oppressive darkness and stark loneliness spoke of abandonment. The old Cameron house. Gwynn had never seen it, but like every kid in town, he'd heard the stories. Urban legends always take on a life of their own. They always happen to a friend of a friend or distant relative. Unlike those far–flung stories, the Cameron house sat right outside of town. A short drive away. A Bogeyman house, haunted by the angriest of spirits. The most recent story said a group of kids went in ten years ago, and one came out. The boy's hair turned white, and he never spoke of what happened up to the day they found him dead of an overdose. The note he left behind said, "I'm sorry. Destroy the house." 

The house seemed to swallow every life associated with it. Who even owned it now? Whoever it was, they fixed the windows and doors and started to renovate inside. Something must have scared them off because now the property stood waiting for the day a Wal–Mart or grocery store would consume it. Until then, the house stood as the ultimate dare. As Gwynn understood it, no one dared lasted more than five minutes, but also no one had disappeared or been hurt. It surprised him the windows were intact and the house free of graffiti. But he could see the reverence his classmates had about the place. No one would think of desecrating this building of myth.

Sophia brushed against him. She trembled. Though he had no idea why they were here and little fear of the house, his stomach still tied itself into a nauseous knot. Something tugged at him, drawing him toward the cold stare of the house. He took one step closer and the pull increased. His right arm throbbed like he'd pulled a muscle. His forward step made it worse.

"What the hell?" Gwynn wondered aloud.

"I don't want to think about it," Sophia groaned.

He leaned close to her, his question insistent. "What's wrong?"

"I've had nightmares about this place. Now that I'm here, I'm... Scared."

"Do you want to leave?"

Her eyes made it clear she did, but she shook her head. "No... I need to be here."

"It's not a big deal. We'll ask someone else for a ride. I'm sure some other people wouldn't mind getting out of here."

"But..."

"Look, blame it on me. You're right; I don't care what anyone thinks. Let them call me a coward. I don't care."

She placed her hand gently against his chest— the spot feeling a bit warmer. "You're sweet. But I can't. Whatever happens here, I need to see it through to the end."

Gwynn meant to say more to convince her. Something in the house reached out to him, whispering a louder call every second. But Eric came tromping toward them first.

"Come on. Awesome, right? Where better to come on Halloween?"

He took a deep breath. "Sure Eric, but what are we doing here?"

"We're going to have a séance on the front lawn. Mike's got a Ouija board and a bunch of other shit in the trunk of the car."

Gwynn went to say Sophia had nothing to worry about; they would be staying outside with thirty or so people. Before he got the chance, Eric bellowed to the group.

"'Kay, before we get started with the main event, nobody comes to Cameron house without being issued The Challenge. So! Who's got the balls to go inside?"

Eric turned his gaze on Gwynn, and he understood why Eric dragged them out here and why so many people were present. The "big surprise" would be public humiliation. The back of his throat burned and he clenched his fists. He expected this from Eric, but Sophia as an accomplice blindsided him.

He would answer Eric's challenge, even if death waited for him inside.

Before he could, Sophia stepped in front of him and said in a shaky, yet firm, voice, "I'll do it."

Shock and unbridled anger filled Eric's eyes.

Gwynn reached out and put his hand on Sophia's shoulder. "You don't have to do this."

"Shut up." Her voice sounded ragged and full of tears. "I told you I had to see this through to the end."

She stormed up the lawn toward the house. She made a show of almost barreling Eric over as she went. When she reached the front door, her hand hesitated. Gwynn started moving after her. A dull ache began to accompany the throbbing in his arm, and the tugging at his insides proved impossible to ignore. If he moved forward too fast, no question he would throw up. Sophia's hand shook as she made a hesitant reach for the doorknob. Gwynn wanted to call out to her, but his throat went dry and stole his voice. He bit hard on his cheeks and tongue, trying to get any moisture possible. No one else made a move. No one else spoke. They all gawked. Gwynn made silent pleas for them to call her back, for someone to tell Eric to end this stupid prank. Instead, nothing. They were thankful someone else stepped forward. Some seemed confused. A few glanced to Gwynn and then up at Sophia, who still stood at the door. They came to see him humiliated. The easy target. He belonged to no groups— no one would stand beside him. There would be no reprisals. Everyone could tell the tale and have a good laugh at his expense without worrying about consequences. He knew he didn't fit in, but he didn't realize it made him so disposable.

But he wasn't at the door. Sophia was. If she began as willing to help in his humiliation, something changed. Gwynn fought against his body. He tried to move faster, push her aside if he had to. But his chest collapsed in on itself. The illness in his stomach seeped out to his legs. The pulsing sensation in his arm quickened, and the ache remained consistent, even getting sharper. His heart crawled up into the back of his throat, pounding, strangling. Pressure, like two arms, wrapped around him, crushing his torso.

Sophia pushed the door open. To Gwynn, it appeared the house opened a dark, horrible mouth, to devour her. He couldn't make out anything beyond the threshold.

God, Jesus, anybody, stop her! His mind screamed. The words still wouldn't come. His stomach tightened and his legs cramped.

Move. Move. Move! He howled at his body. 

If she went in the house. 

If the door shut behind her.