"The Uninvited Guest"

The music pulsed through the apartment, a lively beat that set the perfect tone for the Halloween party. Jenna and Mark, a young couple who had just moved into their new place, had decided to throw a party to celebrate. Their living room was filled with costumed guests—witches, vampires, superheroes—all laughing, drinking, and enjoying the night.

Jenna, dressed as a fairy with glittering wings, flitted between conversations, making sure everyone was having a good time. Mark, in a classic pirate costume, was at the makeshift bar, mixing drinks and joking with friends. The party was in full swing, and everything seemed perfect.

But then Jenna noticed something odd. A guest she didn’t recognize stood alone in the corner, their face obscured by a mask—an intricately detailed, expressionless white mask that covered their entire face.

Jenna frowned. She didn’t remember inviting anyone who fit that description. She nudged Mark, who was in the middle of handing a drink to a friend. "Hey, do you know who that is?" she asked, nodding toward the masked figure.

Mark glanced over and shrugged. "No idea. Maybe one of Sarah’s friends? Or someone from work?"

Jenna shook her head, feeling a strange unease settle in her stomach. "I don’t like it. They’re just standing there, not talking to anyone."

Mark laughed, trying to brush off her concern. "It’s probably just someone shy, or maybe they’re playing a character. It is Halloween, after all."

Jenna nodded but couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. As the night wore on, she kept glancing over at the figure in the corner. They hadn’t moved, hadn’t spoken, just watched.

Finally, unable to ignore it any longer, Jenna decided to approach. She walked over, trying to keep her tone light. "Hey there, enjoying the party?" she asked, though her voice wavered slightly.

The figure tilted their head slightly, the mask staring blankly back at her. Jenna felt a chill run down her spine, but she forced a smile. "I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Jenna. Who are you?"

"Everything okay here?" he asked, his tone more serious now.

The figure suddenly moved, stepping forward in a fluid, almost unnatural motion. Jenna instinctively stepped back, and Mark put a protective arm around her. "Who are you?" Mark demanded, his voice firm.

The figure tilted its head the other way, as if considering the question. Then, in a voice that seemed to echo with an unnatural resonance, they finally spoke. "You invited me."

Jenna’s heart pounded in her chest. "No, we didn’t."

The figure laughed, a low, hollow sound that sent shivers through the room. "Oh, but you did. When you moved here. When you disturbed the ground beneath your home. I’ve been waiting."

Jenna and Mark exchanged a panicked glance. They had dug up part of the backyard to plant a garden shortly after moving in. They hadn’t thought much of it at the time, but now...

"What do you want?" Mark asked, his voice tight.

The figure’s laughter grew louder, more sinister. "I want what was disturbed. What was taken. I want peace."

Before they could react, the lights flickered, and the music cut out, plunging the room into an eerie silence. When the lights came back on, the figure was gone, vanished without a trace.

They never saw the figure again, but from that night on, their home never felt the same. Strange noises, cold drafts, and the unsettling feeling of being watched became a regular part of their lives.