Chad slowly turned in a circle, scanning the room. Moisture covered his arms and drops rolled down his face. Black and orange ribbons draped the walls of the living room, but the area needed so much more. A thick covering of bloody human parts, skeletons, bats, spiders and writhing witches hung from streamers just inches from his head, and they danced in the wind of the ceiling fans. He was especially proud of the gossamer ghost bouncing in the wind on a spring. It hovered high in the overhead beams with a string dangling down to be pulled to activate eerie screams.

He couldn't stop smiling. This was going to be the event that people would be talking about for years. No one could say that he threw boring parties.

Harv was in the kitchen carving pumpkins for the front steps. Tunes from his Amazon Music play-list floated throughout the house. He had spent months organizing the perfect music...funny ghost songs interspersed with eerie sounds of rattling chains and low moans. Perfect to set the Halloween mood.

Harv yelled from the kitchen.

"Do you think ten jack-o-lanterns are enough for the front yard?"

"It should be. How about the skeletal head, arm, and leg bones? And the headstones? Have you placed them out yet?"

"Thought I'd place the jack-o-lanterns out first. Then I can arrange the bones near the light so they'll glow in the dark."

Harv poked his head into the living room and spoke in a calm, thoughtful voice.

"Sir, don't get upset if not many people show up. I don't want you losing your cool..."

Like last year, Chad finished the thought Harv was unwilling to add. He felt the burn begin in his chest.

"Don't say that. Don't you even say that to me. This is going to be big. I know it. Don't you jinx it with negative karma."

"I just don't want you brooding for weeks."

"Dammit, Harv. I don't want to hear it. You're trampling on the good vibes and bringing me down."

Harv lowered his head in compliance.

"I'm sorry."

"It'll be different this time. People will come by the droves."

Chad's chest swelled as he surveyed their handiwork. It was perfect. Now this was a Halloween party to be envied. All the decorations were authentic, down to the odors of rotting meat from the human remains hanging from the rafters and half buried on the lawn.

He stretched and spread wings to loosen his built-up tension. It was hard work but worth the effort. With a hand towel, he wiped away the perspiration, and the blood saturated the cloth.

Harv joined him on the front porch.

With his beaming red eyes, he looked at his ghoul servant.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?"

"It is, master. You have surpassed the efforts of the devil himself."

"Yes. I think we should celebrate the season. Let's have ourselves a Blood of Mary."

Harv thought: She's going to hate another draw.