Chapter 1October 31
Dan eyed the kitchen table approvingly. Platters of appetizers from the Italian deli down the street and his sister’s Pinterest board were attractively arranged on a tablecloth printed with bats and pumpkins. A cauldron-shaped slow cooker filled with mulled wine sat on the counter, and the refrigerator was stocked with beer and soda.
His inspection continued into the living room, where strings of lights crisscrossed the walls, and candy dishes adorned the coffee table and television stand. A YouTube playlist of Halloween themed music videos played on the screen, but it was muted. The sound system was queued up with a five-hour loop of pop and hip-hop songs that people would enjoy.
The final stop was the downstairs bathroom, to both confirm that there was plenty of to
