The lights are flickering...like in every horror film.

But I need to do my laundry.

"Hello?" I call out at the top of the stairs. What in god's name is that sound coming from the basement?

"Hey, asshole! Stop jostling the lights!" I turn to yell at my neighbor down the hall. He's on a ladder hanging bright orange streamers, subsequently causing the hanging lights to sway, the old light bulbs flickering.

"Sorry, Amy. Hey, you coming to the party tonight?"

"If I get my laundry done asshole."

"Ouch. Ok, well...see you later?" He grins good-naturedly, dimples on display.

"Whatever."

The rattling from below grows louder as I lug my laundry down the stairs. Probably the maintenance guy fixing the dryer again. "Hey! Steve you down here?" I call out.

No response.

Where are the fucking lights? My hand searches along the wall for the switch at the bottom of the stairs.

It's then I see it...

A bright glowing light coming from under the basement door.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" No way. This is some Stephen King shit.

I turn to look back up the stairs, the light from the hallway above seems to say "come back". But that strange glowing light in the basement is beckoning as well.

Come to think of it...that glow...it's so warm...and inviting.

Hey! Snap out of it! You wanna be some Friday the 13th weird ass casualty?

With a groan, I lug my laundry back upstairs.

"See you at the party later, Amy?" My neighbor says when I return.

What is he on some fucking loop? He just asked me that!

"I said if I get my laundry done. Clearly, that's not happening."

"Fuse out again?"

I glance at him but hesitate to answer. A laugh bubbles up in my throat as I think about telling him about the strange glow in the basement.

"I'll see you later Todd."

He seems pleased at this, and I can't help but think how cute he is.

~*~

Well, this will have to do. I survey myself in the mirror - the only thing clean to wear was a black lace-up leather dress I wore for Halloween last year - a bit over the top to be honest.

"Amy, you're too hungry to care," I say to the reflection staring back at me.

The laughter bubbles up again, and I clamp a hand over my mouth. Smoothing my hair down, I swipe a layer of bright red lip gloss across my lips.

Making my way one floor down, I follow the orange streamers until they stop at Todd's door. Music booms from inside his apartment, and I take a deep breath before entering.

"Amy!" Todd spots me immediately and makes his way over. "Glad you made it!" He glances at my ensemble, pink tinging his cheeks.

Ah, how cute is he?

A young couple enters the apartment, bumping me from behind. How many people is Todd going to pack into his tiny apartment?

"You ok?" he asks with concern.

Well, actually Todd... "A bit cramped in here, yeah?"

He smiles, dimples on display again. "Yeah. Hey, let's grab a drink and go to the roof."

I nod, looking him over. "Cool."

He swipes two beers and grabs my hand.

Outside on the roof, it's cool and the night air feels good on my skin. Todd hands me a beer.

"I'm glad you came tonight."

I smile and take a swig.

He leans in. "I uh...well that is...I've always wanted to say...I dig you, Amy." He rubs the back of his neck sheepishly.

Well fuck me, I dig you too Todd. So much so that I can't help myself...

"Oh god!" He reels back out of reach. "What the fuck?!"

Dammit! I'm rusty. Completely out of practice. That was sloppy.

Todd's eyes are wide as saucers. "Did you just try to bite my neck?!"

Great. Now what?

"Umm yeah...I sure did." I laugh nervously and turn away to run my tongue over my teeth, making sure they've retracted. "I uh...have a thing. A vampire fetish." I turn back around and smile, hoping he'll buy it.

"Oh." His face relaxes. "So your...your uh...teeth...you don't have them sharpened? They're not real?"

"Totally fake. I just took them out." I smile wider, showing I have normal teeth again, and nervously take a swig of my beer. "Sorry, figured it was Halloween, why not go for it?"

He looks less nervous and more amused. "Well hey, I'm not one to kink shame. If that's your thing." He shrugs but doesn't come any closer. "So, you part of one of those groups? That pretend they're vampires and drink blood and all that shit?"

I can't believe he's buying this. "No..." I hesitate, searching for the most believable answer. "I did... I mean I was back in London. I uh...haven't found one here in the states."

He nods and awkwardly shifts on his feet. "Well, I should get back down there, it's my party after all." He turns on his heels and saunters off not waiting for me to follow.

Real cool, Amy. What were you thinking? My stomach rumbles, reminding me I haven't eaten in a while.

Well, if Todd isn't going to be obliging tonight, I need to find someone who will. The supply in my fridge ran out two days ago. With a sigh, I head back downstairs as well. Maybe Todd has a good looking friend that won't be so skittish.

Clunking down the stairs I realize something is wrong when I can't hear any blasting music coming from Todd's apartment anymore. Pushing the door open carefully I find the place deserted. Orange Christmas lights flicker amongst discarded glow sticks. A macabre scene of discarded plastic cups and scattered Doritos.

There's not a soul. Not a body in sight. But there's...

What is that all over the walls? Ketchup? My stomach rumbles as my nose picks up the smell of the sticky substance. Nope, not ketchup. God, I'm fucking starving. I turn to the nearest wall and run a finger along the dripping red blood splattered there. Bringing it to my lips, my mouth salivates, anticipating my first meal in days.

Wait.

My brain usurps my hunger. Yeah, annoyingly I'm one of those vampires - I'm fucking evolved or enlightened or whatever shit they're categorizing us these days. So, my fucking annoying brain says, "Amy, why the fuck is no one here but there is blood decorating the drywall of this apartment?"

Ah, fuck me but how should I know? I bring the blood closer to my lips, my tongue darting out with a groan.

A siren blares, or a horn, or some sort of strange atmospheric noise that can't be placed. It makes me jump ten feet, and the flickering lights of the apartment are giving me the creeps. Against my better judgment, I leave my potential free meal and go back out into the hallway.

The door clicks shut and that god-awful sound blares again - coming from down the hallway. Todd isn't hanging streamers this time but yet the lights are bobbing as before - casting their swaying glow this way and that, making shadows dance to and fro. That sound - that sound is absolutely jarring.

And that's when I see it...a familiar glow. An invisible welcome sign. Coming from the basement stairs.

Ah, hell no. This is definitely some Friday the 13th shit. I ain't playing.

The jarring sound rings out in the silence once more - but farther away - beckoning - and actually, it doesn't sound that jarring this time.

I gingerly take one step down the flight of stairs, mainly because I'm curious. Another few steps and I can see that warm glow pulsating under the basement door again.

As if under a magnetic pull I grab hold of the doorknob, turning it slowly. But upon entering the basement there's no light. All is still. A laugh bubbles up in my throat nervously. If I wasn't so hungry I could probably sense more, but all seems normal. My night vision adjusts and there are the washer and dryer to my right...

What the hell?!

The pulsating light appears out of nowhere again as a tall figure advances from the shadows straight ahead.

"Amy."

The voice is somewhat familiar but gargled as if the person's jaw is unhinged.

"Todd!?" I gasp, the semblance of my neighbor is barely recognizable in this creature before me.

"Hey, Amy." He takes a lumbering step towards me as I hold in a shriek. "Are you coming to the party tonight?"