The Scariest Night of my Life...

...Okay. That might be a bit of an exaggeration.

Or maybe not. I was pretty scared.

But in the spirit of Halloween, I thought I'd share with my Blog readers the "funny little trick" that was played on me last year around this time.

It really doesn't take much to scare me. I'm a 'fraidy cat. After seeing Paranormal Activity last year, my friends didn't find it all that scary, while I had to sleep with a light on for weeks. In fact, I sleep most nights with the hall light on now, because my over-active imagination conjures up all kinds of spooks and freaks to haunt me when I can't fall asleep.

Last year, though, I was going through an "old-school scary movie" phase, and I was re-visiting the Scream series that was so popular during my high school days. I found all three of the Scream movies on DVD and watched them leading up to Halloween. I also told my roomies, friends, and anyone else who would listen just how much I DETESTED the Scream mask, and how creeped out I was by it. Even seeing it hanging in the stores gave me the heebie-jeebies.

Anyways... after watching one of the Scream movies with Sarah, Susie and Brenda, we all got ready to go out to Gavan's. We hung out all evening, dancing, playing pool, and drinking, then I decided to go ahead home. Sarah kept telling me to stay, that they'd all be leaving in about half an hour anyways, but I insisted I was tired and wanted to go. Because we only had one key amongst the roommates, Sarah tried to "scare tactic" me into staying. "There's only one key, if you go home now, you have to go to bed and leave the front door open so we can get in! You'll get scared!!"

Nah, wouldn't be a problem. I assured her I was tired enough that it wouldn't matter, I would fall asleep no problem.

So she gave me the key, and I walked up the street to our place alone. It was dark and windy; the shadows on houses and buildings from the street lights were creeping me out, and the branches on trees were swaying, hitting rooves, while dead leaves skittered down the sidewalk, making an eerie soundtrack for my walk home.

I walked quickly, I admit it, with a few glances over my shoulder to make sure no one was following me. (Paranoia...I have it!)

When I got home, I left the front door unlocked for Sue and Sarah, and trudged upstairs to my room. There was a mess of clothes on the floor, and some more stuff on my bed. I went to pull my comforter down on my bed, and realized there was a silky black something lying there that wasn't mine.

I picked it up. Turned it over in my hand.

And the Scream face stared back at me.

Awesome.

I rolled my eyes, sure it was just a joke that Sarah or Sue had played on me, and tossed it out into the hallway, slamming the door behind me. I sat down on my bed, heart pounding, trying to rationalize. Of course it was Sarah or Sue who had left it there, right?

Of course it was.

...oh, but what if it wasn't?

The mere thought had me leaping off my bed, skirting past the mask lying on the hall carpet, racing down the stairs, and flying out the front door. I ran all the way back down to Gavan's, wind whipping the branches, dead leaves rustling everywhere, and every shadow a possible killer, lurking, waiting for me...

I was huffin' and puffin' pretty good when I walked back into the bar, and everyone looked at me, a little surprised to see me back, and to see me so red and sweaty and distressed.

"Who put the damned Scream mask on my bed?"

Sarah literally cracked up. She had put it there, hoping to scare me before we left, but I didn't find it then. She had actually forgotten she'd left it there, and hadn't intended to scare me like that.

The perfect Halloween prank. And a night I'll never forget!

Trick-Or-Treat!! :)