Nothing special happened before Halloween night. They kept working on their theses, Hal managed to not buy more books and Jane trained with her beloved motorbike. They finished the second season of Stranger Things together on the 28th at 3 am, and if Hal didn’t wholly share Jane’s opinion about Dr Frankenstein, he had to admit that he was especially not-that-bright.

It was the beginning of Halloween night, and Hal and Jane were very busy preparing themselves.

Hal had used his natural paleness for a zombie costume, with black holed trousers and old ripped shirts bought at the closest charity shop. He had finished his makeup and was finalising Jane’s. Despite all her talents, she couldn’t measure up to him when it came to brushes and eyeshadows.

- Here you are, he said applying the final touch of fake blood. You’re going to break some hearts tonight.

She had opted for a malevolent doll’s costume, with a frilled black dress, lace in her hair and ripped tights. It was astonishing.

- You will too, she answered gently.

They rode Jane’s motorbike and departed.

As usual, Jane could not help herself making a little controlled sideslip before parking the motorbike. Hal complained and claimed very loudly that he would never in his life ride this damned machine again, as he always did, but stopped when he saw the house.

Far from the city centre, in a dead end, stood this old red bricked house with gothic aspects. It was a town house, nothing like a haunted manor, but it still had three aisles and small arched windows. Besides, the facade was partly covered with ivy.

- Do you think it was built in Victorian era? cried Hal, as excited as a child.

Jane grumbled, grabbed his arm and pushed him inside.

It was the beginning of the party, but you could feel in the air encouraging conditions for an exceptional night.

A white and blue haired DJ was focused on her turntable. Groups of students were coming back and forth, talking, eating and drinking, and the first dancers made their way on the dancefloor.

Jane and Hal took some time to greet Myriam and the students they knew, then Jane headed to the dancefloor and Hal to the food and drinks tables.

He took a beer and watched Jane dance – no one danced like Jane. Afterwards he discussed with people he knew and others he didn’t for a while.

He finally decided to go to the dancefloor, and stayed cautiously away from Jane. After a couple of minutes, he noticed a strange young woman.

A long fluid black dress fitted her closely. She had a very pale skin and black hair all along her back. Her spike heels seemed covered with dried blood.

Nothing that weird for a Halloween night, but he could not help a diffused feeling of strangeness.

She winked, dancers came between them and when he looked for her again, she was gone.

He kept dancing without caring more about it.

A few hours later, while he was drinking a beer with some new people he had just met, Jane caught his arm.

- Do you mind getting the metro to come back home? I would like to drive someone back with me.

He smiled and gave the ritual answer:

- I hope he doesn’t let his hair in the shower.

- I don’t care at all as long as he’s a good lay, Jane replied, as always to say thank you.

He watched his flatmate go with her one night friend, finished his beer and went out in the garden for a breath. He walked a bit and sat on the stairs of the patio.

- Halloween, said a feminine voice, and he knew exactly to whom it could belong.

He shifted to let some space to the strange woman whose heels were covered with dried blood.

- How do you know my name?

- We all know it. Cigarette?

He declined.

- Halloween celebrates Halloween, magic of the names and magic of the nights. Big things will happen tonight.