Jess, Melissa, and I shot each other nervous looks, thinking of the last time we toasted together. But Liz didn’t notice.

“To Amy, and to all of you guys.” Liz’s gaze fell upon each friend. “Thank you for being there for me, and my family, when everything happened this summer. I don’t know what I would do without you all. You really are lifesavers,” she said with a smile.

You have no idea, friend, I thought as we clinked our glasses together. I took a small sip, the carbonation fizzing in my mouth and slightly burning my throat.

The doorbell rang, and I set my glass down. “One sec. Must be the last of the stragglers trick-or-treating.” I grabbed the bowl of candy.

Not trick-or-treaters; in fact, it was Heather Hacker at the door. She stood, holding a stack of papers in her hand, dressed all in black with cat ears on her head. On her face, she’d painted black whiskers.

“Hi there, neighbor.” She smiled brightly, her red lips moving upward in a smile.

“I’m assuming you’re not here for candy?” I said with a laugh.

She smirked. “Not quite. I’m on keto now.” She turned to the side to show off her figure, and I nodded appreciatively, mostly out of duty.

“I’m here to hand-deliver invitations to a small soiree I’m throwing.” Her tone told me I was supposed to feel lucky to be included. She held out one of the papers in her hand.

It was a pale pink embossed invitation with her monogram on the front.

“It’s a reveal of our new four-seasons room. You have to see it to believe it,” she said.

I looked up, and my hand holding the paper froze. My body grew cold and my shoulders were at attention. Because when I saw her face, it . . . changed. Her features ran together like melted chocolate, her cheeks running down her face to reveal her cheekbones underneath as her eyes glowed. First red, then black. Her teeth fell out, one after another, bouncing on my concrete front stoop, as her lips stretched across her face to her ears.

“ ’Tis now the very witching time of night, when churchyards yawn and hell itself breathes out . . . ,” she said in a low growl.

I remained in place, not able to move or speak to call my friends to the front door.

It’s happening again.

Then, as quickly as it’d melted away, Heather’s face returned to normal.

“Shakespeare?” she said with a laugh. “I can tell you’ve never heard the quote.”

“I—what—” I sputtered out as the invitation in my hand shook.

“I’ll put you down as a yes,” she said. She turned to leave, stepping off the stoop and walking down the front path to the driveway. Before she reached the end, she turned and winked, giving me a demonic smile that showcased her incisors.