We put our candles into our pumpkins. “They look so good!” I say, stepping back to study the flickering orange faces. Fina’s is a unicorn with an only slightly crooked horn, and mine is a scary scream face.

Then both of our phones ding at the same time. I pull mine out from Gram’s sweater pocket to see a text from Ruby. A quick glance at Fina’s phone shows that she’s gotten the exact same one.

Can’t make it tonight.

Another message appears after the first, this one just for me.

I’m really sorry, Emma.

We go inside after that and decorate our sugar skulls with glitter Fina brought and brightly colored icing that Mom helps us mix up. I can tell both of us are trying not to pretend like it’s any big deal that Ruby isn’t coming.

But once we’re done with our skulls and the trick-or-treaters stop coming, we eat pizza and watch a scary movie. And instead of paying attention, I keep thinking about that second message and getting a funny feeling in my stomach. Why apologize just to me? Because the sleepover is at my house? And why not answer Fina, who texted Ruby back to ask if she was okay?

I don’t know. It seems weird.

“So, what’s next on the agenda?” Fina asks once the movie is over and we’ve eaten all the pizza and most of the leftover candy.

I shrug. “What do you want to do?”

Fina looks out the living room window. Orange lights flicker up and down the street. “Is there anywhere creepy in the village?” she asks in a low voice. “You know, that we can explore?”

“Well, there’s the graveyard,” I say.

Fina grins. “I like the sound of that.”

We go to my room and wait until I’ve heard everyone else come up. Then I bribe Boomer with a bone to stay quiet and creep onto the landing to make sure everyone’s lights are out. It’s eleven thirty when we sneak down the stairs. I lead the way, pointing to the creakiest steps so Fina will know to skip them.

The lock on the front door is really loud, so we slip out the back instead.

“Brrrr,” Fina chatters. “It’s cold!”

We link arms to keep warm as we walk swiftly toward the church. In the dark, with candlelight flickering from all the porches, it’s easy to pretend that we really are in a fairy-tale village from a long, long time ago. That goblins and trolls might be hiding in every shadow.

“Do you think we’ll see any ghosts?” Fina asks, her words making little white clouds. “There have to be ghosts in a place this old.”

“Have you ever seen one?” I ask, pushing open the gate to the churchyard. “You said some people believe that spirits can come back on Halloween, right?”