When the room went dark she heard her name being hissed by a shadow figure, with glowing golden eyes. “Sophia, happy Halloween, how does it feel to have a spooky birthday? Of course Sophia couldn't see the shadow figure as she was blindfolded and tied to a pole of some kind, in her silk candy cane shorts and T pj's with pointed elf ears and a long red and white sleep hat to match. She could feel the cold ground beneath her, her bare legs turning red. Using that cold temperature she clung to it to keep her from freaking out, and questions filled her mind. Why did the Halloween party go dark and cold? Where is everyone? Sophia moved her head trying to pinpoint the voice of her captor. But the shadow figure kept moving around the room. Speaking. “It's not polite to ignore people Sophia you know better than that.” he growled and moved so fast causing wind, some of her jet black hair to go across the front of her face, and a light pick feeling fell to her check, and a sticky wet feeling trailed down her face dropping to her hip. Sophia gasped in shock and ever so slightly adjusted herself before speaking with a slight shake in her voice. “ So-rr-y… it's fine…my guest, where are they? I had over 20 people here?"she tried ignoring the stinging cut on her cheek, in hopes to distract and escape or get more answers. He responded with an evil tone. “What are you talking about Sophia? My love is just you and I. Forever.” Only hours ago jack o lanterns danced across the concrete walls off the old abandoned warehouse painting jagged shadows that looked to come alive. It’s Sophia’s 27th birthday which happens to fall on Halloween. “Honestly I thought hosting a costume party here would be edgy, iconic and memorable.” Sophia's thoughts and of course it be all three… just not in the way she hopes. Laughter and base music filled the warehouse, with the smell of pumpkin beer and other alcoholic spookier drinks, the fake cobwebs it all seemed kinda dream-like for Sophia. There were vampires, devils, pop culture icons costumes, and Sophia's night Christmas elf costume that everyone laughed and teased her Sophia's response to her friends. “ Christmas comes early” she ended with a wink. This ended up being her last words before the room went dark. Silent murmur filled the room, one of the guys jokingly said. “oooohhh, ghost!” followed by a girl screaming. “Ahh, Jake, that's not funny.” Then there was a sharp metallic pipe dropping onto the floor and another scream followed then another, and silence fell. No one ran. Then Sophia felt herself get sleepy and when she woke, there she was bound and twisted up against the pole with her legs folded next to her hip. She felt everything from the ropes biting her skin to head which felt like it had been hit. Sophia was blindfolded, but she could tell the room was still dark. She called out with a crack in voice because she heard someone. “Hello?... Is anyone there?” footsteps echoed almost slowly, deliberately measured as if they weren't in a rush, and they had all the control. “Sophia you woke up sooner than I expected.” The man said in a low distorted voice almost as if it came through an old speaker but the man in the shadows was wearing a mask. Now you all caught up to the cut on Sophia's cheek. Sophia demanded once more as the voice betrayed her. “Who are you!” her voice trembled. “Where are my friends!” and he laughs softly almost thoughtfully. “Hmm.. your friends? They were the opening act. You are the finale.” A faint click of metal against metal and something trailing my arm, the very same cold steel that trace, pricked my cheek almost moments earlier. It promised more blood. Sophia whispered. “Why me?” He came close to her ear and spoke. Because my love birthdays are special.” he paused only for a moment. “And well this one to die for.” Sophia pastes her breathing knowing panic is how they get you. Sophia started to hear her mothers calm voice as a memory in her head reminding her. “ When fear comes, focus on what's real.” So Sophia focused on the pole, the ropes and the distance between his footsteps as he walked away from her. Carefully, cautiously Sophia tested the ropes in small movements she grinded the rope against the metal. Each fiber burned against her wrist but she kept going. As the masked shadow rambled about how people were masks every day, how halloween just made it easier to show who people really are. His voice moves around Sophia like a vulture circling its prey. Something wet, sound hit the floor beside Sophia, the sounds of it dripping next to her she knew what it was. Blood. Her voice cracked as she spoke. “I don't wanna play anymore!” “oh dear sophia but it's your party, and everyone is dying to stay!” He let out a psychotic cackle. Sophia then twisted the ropes harder. Pain flaring causing ropes to go deeper into her wrists. She didn’t stop. The masked shadow man suddenly grabs Sophia's chin, his rough fingers pressing hard into her jaw. She could smell gasoline on him. It was faint but there. He whispered. “Sophia you should smile… it is your birthday.” Sophia snapped her head back catched a piece of his thumb and she bit him. He hissed, and he jerked her back. Slightly causing her blindfold to shift enough to catch that there was a dim light in the room, and the masked shadow figure, the dark mask, had glowing eyes, and red streaks across his white suite. And the glinting of his knife that dripped blood in his hand. That moment gave her everything she needed. She got clarity, adrenaline and fury. He ran back over to Sophia and grabbed her again, this time to strike her. Sophia twisted the rope around her wrists one last time, ignoring her searing pain as her skin ripped open more. The rope gave away. She ripped her blindfold off and swung wildly, hitting his shoulder. He stumbled back in surprise as he thought she was too broken to fight. Sophia stood strong and ran in the dark. The warehouse was in chaos, blood everywhere was fake and real, tables overturned, the fake cobwebs hung like nooses. All of her friends scattered motionless bodies, discarded like decorations. The air filled her nose with thick copper and rot. Shocked, she wanted to scream and cry but there was no time. His boot dragged down the hall scraping behind her and the sound of his knife scratching the wall like nails to a chock board, screeching. He taunted. “Run little elf, let's see if you're good enough to make Santa's list.” Sophia picked up a piece of broken glass, held it tight as her hand shook, she didn't care. She turned a corner and pressed herself against the cold stone wall. Shallow breath, heart pounding up her dry throat. 

As she watched his shadow stretch in between flickering lights, she waited till he was close enough for her to smell the gasoline and iron scent. Before she struck him. The glass buried itself in his side causing a grunt to leave his mouth and he dropped his knife. Sophia didn’t stop, instead she tried to push him back causing them both to trip, hit the concrete floor hard. The impact stunned Sophia, causing him to make his move. He clawed her, reaching for Sophia's throat. He taunted again on top of her he rasped. “ I told you it…your party.” Sophia quickly reached for his knife as he tightened his hand around her neck. He pulled out the buried glass in his side. Not letting go and returning the gifted to her side. Before he could speak Sophia had had a clear,clean sifted motion, as her survival instinct drove her. She slashed open his throat. His breath hitched, she saw his eyes widen. Then his body went limp and only thud sound was left. She pushed the corps off her bloody body. Then crawled away, picking herself up trembling. Her elf costume soaked, sticky, ruined. Sophia wobbled as her body was starting to drag, with her last almost unrecognizable breath Sophia half screamed, half cried. The warehouse was still. Only faint sirens began to grow, cutting through the night. As Sophia stumbles to the exit, mixed blood drips from her all over her body. Sophia's vision started to blur. Red and blue lights flashed through the broken windows. Voices shouted. “Over here! We have a survivor!" Sophia tried to respond, but she was too weak and her throat was dry. The office grabbed Sophia's arm pulling her out of darkness and Sophia knew it was real. Her vision continued to dim. She looked back once more at the lifeless body laying motionless on the floor. The mask was cracked open revealing pale skin and all too human eyes. For Sophia her world narrowed to the sounds of heartbeats. Sirens. He name being called by someone that might have known her once. Then darkness filled her eyes. And her falling body was caught by the officer who rescued her. He carried her. Some birthday’s you never forget. Others you never escape. 



The end.