Once Upon a Nightmare

- Thirteen -

- Thirteen -

A surprise? Half of me didn't want to know what these people had in store, but the other half was curious. The curious half won me over. I sighed deeply and cracker the door open, slipping out into the hallway, Smile following.

I kept my head low, but snuck a look at Jeff. He had a smug expression on his face and his already massive grin was even bigger. He knew that I would come out.

"Shut up." I grumbled before he could make a smart ass comment, pushing against his chest.

"Close your eyes." He ordered.

"Why can't you just tell me?" I asked.

"What does the word surprise mean to you?" Jeff asked, "Now shut your eyes before I shut them for you."

"Oh I'm so scared." I said sarcastically.

Jeff didn't reply, but instead smacked his hand over my eyes and grabbed my hand, leading me down the steps. I threw my hands forward, trying to avoid walls.

"You're terrible eyes, you know that?" I said to Jeff after I bumped into the third wall.

"Shush. We're almost to the stairs." He replied. I felt the floor fall under me and my foot landed on the first step.

"You smell really bad." Jeff commented bluntly. He kind of caught me off guard.

"Dude, what the hell?!" I yelled, stopping on the third step.

"I'm just saying." He chuckled, "Your hair is kind of a mess too."

"I've been in solitary confinement for a week. Try it and we'll see how you look, Smiley." I said back.

"Do not call me Smiley." Jeff whispered in my ear.

"I'll do what I want, Smiley." I chuckled. I think I'll stick with that nickname for a while.

"That's a brave comment coming from someone I could kill in an instant." Jeff growled smugly.

"You won't hurt me." I said.

"How can you be so sure?" He whispered.

"Just a hunch." I replied, mimicking his tone.

"You're betting your life on a hunch?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess so." I said with a chuckle. I seemed to be putting my life on the line quite often lately.

We walked the rest of the way down the stairs slowly and in silence. Finally I felt the stairs end and my feet were flat on the wood floor.

"Alright, we're here. Now move you hands." I said, pulling at Jeff's hand which was held hard in place over my eyes.

"In a minute. They're making the finishing touches!" Jeff replied, not moving his hand an inch.

For some reason I could feel myself becoming nervous. My heart was racing and a million thoughts shot through my head on what was beyond Jeff's hand.

Was it another dead body? I've seen enough of those to last a lifetime. Was it my family, mangled and burned hanging from the ceiling?

I couldn't take it anymore. "Alright, it's been like five minutes, move, Jeff!"

Jeff listened and pulled his hand away. Everything was bright at first, but when my vision cleared I saw the last thing that I had expected.

I was facing the living room, where everyone that I had met in the past week was gathered. They didn't seem to realize that I was there. And there, in the corner of the living room, next to a fire place stood a massive pine tree.