brothers.

39~ Trick or Trap

10.31.23

Dear Diary, today is Halloween. Every Halloween is, naturally, the scariest day of the year, what with all the other families doing horrible things to me every year.

But I'm with the Fields now. The boys and I have gotten along better. It should be fine. Still, I won't trust them fully today.

The Fields don't celebrate Halloween, but Harry told me they usually would prank each other— kind of like April Fools'. I haven't pranked the boys, though. Every idea I had seemed too exaggerated or horrible to me. I guess I haven't had a good influence.

One good thing came out of this; Ms. Howells is coming late today, so she won't be by until noon. And I'll be free from her earlier than usual! She should be leaving soon.

Thelma's coming by tonight so we can go trick-or-treating. I haven't done it in years, so Susan let me, but I have a curfew. I'm very excited to get some candy!

Sincerely,

Diana.

I put down my pen and took a deep breath. I knew the brothers wouldn't do anything too horrible, but still...

Susan and Davis did plenty of fun, fall-themed things instead of Halloween. We'd picked and carved pumpkins so she could bake pumpkin pie for us, and put up fall decorations around the house. Small things, but fun things.

Cautiously, I turned my doorknob and peeked out of my room. The hall was empty and the boys' bedrooms were closed. I tiptoed out, keeping my eyes open for anything suspicious. So far, everything seemed normal.

I went to the bathroom as usual. When I opened the door...

... a large, fake tarantula fell down, hanging in front of me.

I stepped back in surprise, but snickered. This was the prank? Really?

When I turned on the light and looked in the mirror, I saw Jack jump out behind me in a makeshift clown suit. I burst out laughing. His evil smile vanished and he took off his clown wig. "Wha- ugh, this was for Harry, Diana!" He sighed in annoyance.

"Not gonna lie, that's pretty pathetic," I said, arching a brow.

"He hates spiders and clowns," he said. "I know this looks stupid, but trust me, he's a wimp."

"That's a little cruel," I commented.

"It's a thing with us. For example, two years ago, Kyle blindfolded me in my sleep, and I woke up thinking I went blind."

"You're afraid of going blind?"

He blushed. "No... I'm..." He scratched his head. "I don't like... the dark."

My brow raised. "You're afraid of the dark? That explains your nightlight". I glanced behind him as Kyle snuck up to him. He put his finger to his lips as he took out what looked like a fake syringe.

Jack noticed my gaze, though, and followed it. He yelped at the sight of the needle and ran away. Kyle laughed. "You are a serious wuss," he said, going to the bathroom and smacking the fake spider out of the way.

"Hey, wait, I was going in there." I tried to step inside.

He held me back by the shoulder. "Too slow." He closed the door.

I scoffed. Rude. I went downstairs instead. While relieving myself, I heard more screams and laughter, feet running across the hall above.

These guys were so weird...

I came out of the bathroom, only to see Jack's clown face barreling towards me. I flattened myself against the wall, startled, as he ran outside. Harry came after, holding an umbrella as he chased him.

Wait... that was my umbrella.

"Harry!" I ran after them, going out to the backyard.

They ran in circles, Harry holding my umbrella like a hammer. "I'm gonna pound your rainbow wig into your skull!" he shouted. Jack was laughing hysterically as he avoided him.

"Harry, that's my umbrella! Give it-" My foot slipped. I yelped as I wheeled my arms and fell backwards, awaiting the impact of the floor.

Instead, I felt the impact of the pool water.

I instantly seized up, unable to move as I drifted underwater. I couldn't do anything. I couldn't swim up. I could only hold my breath and wait.

It took me back 10 years, in the worst way possible. I could hear their laughter, feel their hands around me. Maybe that was why I couldn't move. They were holding me down.

They were right there with me, pressing my head into that bucket. I waited for them to pull me out, but they didn't.

I looked down into the never-ending depths. I could see... a person? A girl. A little girl, sinking deeper and deeper. Her sea green eyes stared up at me, pleading, begging for help. I found myself swimming down, reaching out to grab her small hands.

Her hands then gripped my arms and she pulled me close, staring into my eyes. "You should've fought harder," she whispered to me. She then tugged me and kicked me into the depths below, floating above me as she watched me sink.

As my vision darkened, I heard a splash above. Hands gripped my wrists and pulled me up. I was limp, so I didn't fight back. I couldn't. I wasn't sure what I wanted to do.

Cold air hit me as I gasped, coughing. My body trembled violently as I crawled onto the floor. A hand patted my back. Instinctively, I jumped away, crawling backwards.

"Diana, it's okay! It's me, it's okay." My vision focusing, I saw Harry crouched at my eye level, his shirt taken off and his body covered in water. "Can you breathe? Are you okay?" He cautiously approached me.

I looked around, recollecting the backyard. Jack stood a few feet away, also worried. He held his wig and Harry's shirt. Looking behind me, I saw Susan and Davis running out, Kyle and Tommy following. "What happened?" Susan asked.

"Diana fell into the pool," said Jack.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" She crouched and took my hands, which still trembled. She gently pulled me to my feet, though my jelly-like legs made it hard to stand.

"Diana." Davis cupped my face, focusing me. "Are you okay?" he asked clearly.

I swallowed and nodded. "I, uh... I need to... change." I shivered at the cold Fall air.

"Do you need anything?"

"No, I just need... new clothes." I walked inside. Remembering Harry, I looked back at him. "Th-thank you, Harry. Thank you."

He nodded, but he didn't look convinced that I was okay. I wasn't. But I didn't know what else to do.

"Wait." Harry went and picked up my umbrella from the floor. "I'll go upstairs, too. I need to change." He grabbed his shirt from Jack. I nodded and continued walking. It was almost like nothing around me was real. It was weird.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked me.

"I don't know. I never know."

He took my arm and led me upstairs. I blankly took my umbrella when he gave it to me. "I'm sorry, Diana," he started, still standing at his door.

"It's not your fault, it was an accident." I smiled at him to reassure him and closed the door. I'd be okay soon. I just had to focus on something else...

The trick-or-treating. Yeah. That would be fun. That was something positive and good.

Thoughts on this chapter? Genuine question, are you guys clear on what kind of traumatic experience Diana is reliving right now? Am I too showy or tell-y?