Wednesday the 31st

They looked at the old house, standing in the corner of the street, and smiled at each other.

“It’s perfect,” Dana said as she grabbed Chris’ arm and held it tightly. “And you’re sure it’s empty?”

“Has been for three months, since old Mr Johnson died,” Chris said as he kissed his girlfriend’s blonde hair, “It doesn’t even go on the market until next week, so we can have our party right here.”

“You are a frigging genius, Chris,” Dana said again as she hugged him even more. The six of them had wanted to append their last Halloween at college somewhere special, so when Chris had told them about the Johnson place it had seemed perfect.

“Tell the others to be here at seven,” Chris said as he looked at Dana, “and bring the food and drink with them.”

As Dana walked up to the house at ten to seven that night, she was really looking forward to the fun. She was wearing a blue denim waistcoat over a brown sweater dress, with knee length leather boots the same shade of chocolate brown, and a white scarf tied round her neck.

As she walked up the stairs, the door opened and she saw Chris standing there. He was wearing a blue and red lumberjack shirt over a white long sleeved top, jeans and sneakers.

“Come on in,” he said to Dana as he held the door open, “the others will be here soon.”

As Dana walked in, a curtain flicked in an upstairs bedroom, and then settled down again...

“Wow,” Dana said as they walked into the front room of the house, “I like the decor.” Chris had placed candles around the room, the soft light reflecting on the white dust sheets that covered most of the furniture. “Very spooky.”

“Glad you like it,” Chris said as he put his arms round Dana’s neck, caressing her long blonde hair as he kissed her. His plan was interrupted, however, by a knock on the door. “That will be the others,” he whispered quietly before kissing Dana and walking to the door.

“Hey Chris - where’s the party,” Dana heard a loud male voice say, and she groaned as Bill walked in - all six foot two of him, in his Rugby shirt and chinos, his cropped hair and carrying two boxes of cans of lager. “Hay Dana - nice dress,” he said as he put the boxed down and took a can out, popping it and drinking it down his broad neck. “So who else is coming?”

“Well, I’m here,” was the response, and the trio turned to see Emma, standing by the doorway, her deep blue eyes looking at them from under her fringe. She was wearing a white vest top over a short sleeved undershirt, very short and very tight denim shorts over a pair of black leggings, and a pair of brown Ugg boots. Her long black hair glistened in the candlelight as she looked at them.

“Very spooky,” she said as she walked in and kissed Bill, “Perfect for tonight. Give me one of those, Bill - I need a drink.”

“Starting early, aren’t we sis?”

Emma looked over to see Bobby, her twin brother, standing in the doorway in his polo top and trousers. With him, looking at the group over her horn rimmed spectacles was Valerie his girlfriend. She was wearing a white cotton blouse and knee length skirt, white socks and a pair of Mary Jane shoes, with her brown hair arranged in pigtails that hung wither side of her head.

“My brother the nerd,” Emma said as she drained the can. “Come on, let’s get some music on.” She produced an iPod stand, plugged it into the wall and then plugged in her own device, the music blaring out as the group started to talk to each other.

In the attic, the three looked at each other, then at their own guest. Nodding, they settled to wait to see what would happen...

“Oh come on, Bobby, there are no such things as ghosts!”

Dana sat back on the white sheet, drinking from the can as she looked at the young man. She liked Bobby, but he had some belief she found hard to accept.

“Well, I think there are - and I think this house is full of them. Can’t you hear that moaning?”

“It’s just the wind through the old windows,” Chris said with a laugh.

“Or the after effects of those burritos they served in the canteen at lunchtime,” Emma said as she stood up. “I need to find the bog in here - any idea Chris?”

“None whatsoever,” he said as he threw a roll of toilet paper at her. “But when you find it, let us know all right?”

“Sure,” Emma said as she left the other five drinking and eating the pizzas that had just been delivered. A look downstairs revealed nothing, so she made her way up the old wooden staircase, wishing there was some light up here as she eventually found the toilet.

Locking the door, she sat herself down, but as she finished she heard a different sort of moaning. It sounded lees like the wind, and more as if someone was trying to say something, or in some sort of trouble.

“Hello,” Emma said as she slowly opened the door. It appeared to be empty, but there it was again, the low, keening sound of some calling out but unable to say anything.

“Bill, if this is your idea of a joke it’s in very poor taste,” she said as she came out and closed the door behind her. There was no reply, but as she listened the moans seemed to be coming from the end of the corridor.

“Bill?” Emma said as she slowly walked towards the door she could see there. The door looked ordinary, unimportant, but as she placed her hand on the handle she could definitely tell the moans were coming from the other side.

“Who’s there,” she suddenly said as she sensed rather than saw someone moving behind her. Before she had a chance to turn round, however, a sheet was thrown over her head and she felt a pair of strong arms grabbing her from behind.

“Bill, you absolute ba...” Emma started to say as she felt something pulling the sheet around her, forcing her arms into her side as it did so. Any further talk, however, was cut off when she saw something pass in front of her shrouded eyes, and felt the sheet been pulled into her mouth by something that was been passed around her head.

“Wjhtffkkk,” was all she could see as she was physically picked up and carried, her boots falling off as she kicked out at whatever had got her...

“She’s been gone a long time - was the food really that bad at lunchtime?”

“How would you knowm Bill - you were too busy throwing the funny ball round,”

Bill threw the empty beer can at Bobby, who just swatted it to the side as he sat with his arm round Valerie. “You’re right, though - she should have been back by now. Want me to go and look for her?”

“Nah - I’ll go,” Bill said as he stood up and stretched, “I need to do something up there anyway. Save that last slice of Pepperoni for me.”

As he walked out of the room, Chris looked at Bobby. “One of these days he is going to knock your block off if you keep teasing him like that.” Bobby just shook his head, before saying “Emma won’t let him - and besides, he is a lunkhead.” Both Valerie and Dana had to laugh at that, as they heard his footfall on the old stairs.

Finding the toilet, Bill spent a few moments in quiet contemplation, before coming back at. As he did so, he glanced to his right and saw a pair of brown Ugg boots on the floor, lying on their side.

“Funny,” he said as he bent down and picked them up, “why would Emma kick them off?” He looked up and down the corridor, and noticed that one of the room doors was slightly ajar.

“Oh you foxy little thing,” Bill said as he walked towards the door, “I bet you’re just waiting there for me to come and take you, aren’t you?” He pushed the door open and walked in, expecting to see his girlfriend lying on the bed.

Emma was indeed lying on the bed - but not as he expected to see her. She was staring at him, her eyes wide over the large cloth that had been stuffed into her mouth and secured in place with a length of rope. Her arms and legs were tied to the four corners of the bed, the ropes digging into the bare skin of her wrist and ankles as she tried to twist out of the way.

“Gtttfhrrr” she screamed as she looked at the football player, but instead of turning and getting help he did what he thought he had to do - try to rescue her. As a result, he did not see the heavy bat until it connected with the back of his head, and he feel senseless to the floor, Emma screaming as he crumpled like a sack of potatoes. The two people behind him looked at Emma, then silently picked the limp body up and carried it towards the bed, Emma staring at them as they approached...

“Did you hear that,” Dana said as the thump reverberated through the ceiling and down to the room below.

“Probably Emma and bill having some fun,” Valerie said as she took another can and opened it, “They’re worse than a bull in heat at times.”

“Hmmm,” Bobby said as he looked up at the ceiling. “Still that was an awfully big thud. Let’s give them a little while and...”

This time they all heard it - someone was moaning, and the sound was coming from somewhere else in the house. The four looked at each other, before Valerie said “There... There really is no such thing as ghosts, right?”

“Of course there are not,” Chris said, but Dana had noticed how his arm had gripped her shoulder more tightly as he said this - and she liked that. She rested her head on his shoulder and stroked his chest as she said “It’s just the wind outside rattling the old timbers - that’s all.”

“Still,” Bobby said as he stood up, “I need a drink of water. Do you think the taps will work in the kitchen, Chris?”

“They should do - but what will you use for a glass?” Bobby just waved away the question as he headed out of the room and towards the rear of the house, a candle in his hand.

The kitchen was dark, but he could see through the moonlight that shone through the window the sink, and an old glass sitting by the side. Turning the cold tap on, he let it run for a few minutes before rinsing the glass out, then filling it and turning the tap off. As he raised it to his lips and drank the water, he caught a glimpse of something in the glass in the window.

Bobby stood there, the glass raised to his lips as he stared at the image. Over his right shoulder was someone with a white sheet over their head, looking at him with their head evidently cocked to one side.

Whoever it was, they were too small to be Bill, so Bobby smiled and said “Nice try, sis, but I know you’re not a ghost.” The figure said nothing, but instead slowly raised its hand, looking at Bobby the whole time.

Bobby stared at the hand now pointing at him, and whispered “Oh shit” as he slowly put his glass on the work surface, the figure gliding silently across the floor towards him...

“This is getting boring,” Valerie said as she stood up, “why don’t we explore this old place. It’s obvious Emma and Bill are having fun somewhere else, and Bobby has probably gone walkabout as well.”

“All right,” Dana said as she stood up, “just so long as you’re not scared of walking round a big, spooky house by yourself.”

“Oh come on - those old films don’t scare me,” Valerie said as the three of them walked to the door to the hallway. “We’ll meet up back here in half an hour and tell each other what we have found, all right?”

“Agreed,” Chris said, “I’m going to head upstairs. What about you two?”

“I’m going to look in the other rooms,” Dana said, while Valerie said nothing, heading as she was for the kitchen. As she walked in, she was surprised to see Chris sitting in an old wooden chair, his back to her.

“Well, there you are,” she said in a sultry voice as she walked towards him, “What kept...” She stopped as she walked in front of him, and saw his heavily taped mouth, his wide open eyes full of panic, and the rope around his wrists and ankles as he sat there.

“Oh my god,” she whispered softly as she looked at him. “You... You look so ravishing sitting there. I had no idea you were into this.” She took off her glasses and leaned over, kissing bobby on his gagged mouth as she sat across his lap, her bottom grinding against him as she did so.

For his part, Bobby said “Mggggghlpppp”, but as his bound hands rubbed against Valerie he started to moan as well, feeling her as will as himself react. He did not even have time to warn his girlfriend when her arms were grabbed and pulled behind her back by the shrouded stranger.

“Oh that feels good,” she said as she felt the rope binding her wrists, then watched as Bobby’s arms were passed over her body, forcing her against him as their wrists were secured to each other. He saw Valerie smile, and despite himself his lips broke into a smile under the tape covering, as he rubbed against her while her legs were taken round his waist.

Chris slowly walked down the corridor, looking from room to room as he did so, but there was no sign of anyone. As he stopped by the toilet, he saw Emma’s boots placed on the floor, with Bill’s sneakers next to them.

“Well, at least you two are having fun,” he said, only to nearly jump out of his skin when he felt a hand lightly touching his shoulder.

“DON’T DO THAT!” he screamed as he turned and grabbed Dana, who had somehow managed to sneak up behind him. She giggled and smiled before starting to kiss him, their lips locked together for a few minutes before Chris said 2Do you think the others are having fun as well?”

“Could be,” Dana whispered as they walked down the corridor. Stopping outside one Dorr, they put their ears to the door and heard the moaning.

“They are having fun,” Chirrs said as they left the door closed. Had they opened it, however, they would have seen Bill lying face down on top of Emma, his wrist secured together behind his back and his legs lashed to each other as he lay between Emma’s legs. He was also gagged with a cloth that was held in place with rope wrapped round his head, and was moaning as the two tried to stop moving against each other...

Walking towards the end of the corridor, they stopped and listened. “Hey,” Dana said as she looked at Chris, “It does sound as if there is something up there.” The soft thud that they heard seemed to confirm that.

“It doesn’t sound like the wind,” Chris said as he listened at the door. “Where’s your phone?”

“In my handbag, why?”

“Come on - I want to call Dad and see if he has heard any stories about this place.” They turned and walked down the corridor, not noticing the two figures that crept silently out of the room and followed them down...

“Want to see what Valerie and Bobby are up to,” Chris said as they reached the bottom of the staircase.

“Nah - you go and see if they’re still in the kitchen and I’ll get my phone,” Dana said as she walked to the room they had been using. Chris smiled as he walked towards the kitchen, saying “What are you two up to?” as he walked in.

Valerie looked at Chris as he stood there, then returned to nuzzling Bobby’s neck with her tape covered mouth. “What the...” Chris said as he walked round and saw the ropes that were holding the two tightly together, and the way Valerie’s ankles were tied to the back legs of the chair.

“Who did this to you,” Chris eventually said as he looked at Bobby, whose eyes were glazed over as he moaned softly into his own gag. Before he got an answer, however, he heard Dana scream, and ran out of the room, leaving the two bound lovers to their own devices.

“Dana!” Chris shouted as he ran into the room, only to see her standing in hr centre of the room, her hands on her head as she looked at him. As he stared back at her, he felt a small cold circle pressing against his back, and saw a grey figure standing behind her.

“What’s going on,” Chris said as he looked at the frightened girl. “I don’t know,” Dana said, her voice trembling, “I came in and saw the two figures standing there. I screamed, then they made me wait here for you. What’s going on Chris?”

Before he could react, he felt a firm hand gripping his shoulder and pushing him down. As he dropped to his knees, he saw the same thing been done to Dana, and then felt his hands been pulled behind his back.

“What do you think you’re doing,” he shouted out as he felt his wrist been crossed, and then rope been tied tightly round them. “I’m sacred Chris,” he heard Dana say, and as he looked over he could se the same thing was been done to her, the figure securing her arms together behind her back.

For her part, Dana was frightened, too frightened to move as she felt more rope been passed around her arms and body, and felt the material of her dress been stretched over her breasts as her arms were pulled tightly into her sides. She could see the way this new binding was forcing her chest up and out, but as she looked over at her boyfriend her eyes grew wider as she saw the way the rope made his body seemed larger, more inviting then it usually was to her.

“She wondered if Chris was thinking the same thing as she was, and one look at the way his eyes were fixed not on her face, but on her rapidly more visible chest told her the answer she wanted to hear. “Kinky,” she thought to herself as she heard Chris say “Don’t worry Dana - I’ll find a way to get us out of OOFffff.”

His gasp came as he felt himself been pushed forward onto the floor, and he looked up to see Dana in a similar position, looking at him as she heard a squeaking sound from behind her. The source of the sound soon became clear as she felt her ankles been crossed and pulled tightly together, and Chris could see the grey rope as it pulled against the dark brown leather in the rapidly dimming candle light.

“Did you find Valerie and Bobby,” Dana grunted as she felt her legs been pulled together below her knees. “Yeah,” Chris gasped as his own legs were bound in place, “They must have got them earlier, and I think Emma and Bobby may be in the same pickle.”

“Who are they, though - they’re not ghosts?”

“No idea - but I mmmdsmmmsmsd.” Chris could not answer as a cloth was stuffed into his mouth, and then a scarf pulled between his lips to hold it in place. He watched as Dana was gagged in the same way , and then felt his heels touching his bottom as he was placed in a tight hogtie, Dana’s boots squeaking even more as the same was done to her.

“Rullrrtt,” Chris said as he looked at his girlfriend, who nodded despite the look of fear in her eyes. He wriggled closer to her and pressed his head against her, in an attempt to comfort her. They lay there, trying to comfort each other as the figures seemed to melt into the fading and rapidly guttering candle light....

“We had no choice - we left the three couple together, then moved Mrs Carr and her daughter to a different safe house. I would respectfully ask that further checks are made before such an operation is executed.”

The three men looked at the three young people seated at the other side of the table. They were professionally dressed, the men in dark suits with crisp white shirts and dark ties, while the woman was wearing a light blue jacket and skirt with a cream silk camisole under the jacket.

“So noted,” the man in the centre of the other trio said, “but you showed great initiative in dealing with unexpected additional guests. The fact you made use of the fact it was Halloween further shows your quick thinking. I am pleased to say that you have all passed your final examination.”

The man stood up and extended his hand. “Welcome,” he said with a broad smile on his face, “Welcome to the Burglar’s Association...”

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