Jill’s apartment was packed with warmth, chatter, and the artificial flicker of pumpkin string lights. The living room smelled of cider, plastic costume wigs, and whatever strange cocktail Claire had poured into the cauldron punch bowl.

Rebecca had brought a tray of pumpkin cookies, and Chris, dressed as a vampire with fake blood on his mouth, was already stealing them with an unapologetic grin. Jill, ever the composed hostess, swatted at him with a dishtowel.

Chris ignored her, of course, facing her with a joke. “Who invited Wesker?” Chris grumbled, holding up a jack-o-lantern shaped cookie with an eye-patch drawn on it.

“That’s a pirate,” Rebecca corrected gently, taking a sip from her mug.

Leon had gone to get you more cider while you were sunk deep into Jill’s couch. But you get up in a jump when someone knocks on the door, loudly, several times.

“Trick or treat,” the stranger calls.

You looked towards the front door, halfway smiling. “Aww, trick-or-treaters? Jill! Where’s the candy?”

Claire perked up. “I told you, Jill! You said no one would come up here.”

Jill frowned but didn’t say anything yet.

“Where’s the candy, Jill?” You ask her again.

Jill didn’t move at first. Her mouth twitched like she was trying to decide something. Then she finally says “I’ll get it” as she quietly gets to the door and looks through the peephole.

“What?” Leon asks, now standing behind you handing you a glass of cider.

You don’t answer, too focused on Jill when she opens the door quickly, sharply, like she was trying to catch someone in the act.

She looked left. Right. Down towards the stairwell. But there’s no one there, and no sound anymore.

You feel chills when she finally steps back inside, closes the door and locks the bolt.

Everyone is now there watching the scene. Jill looks at you all and your confused faces. “Guys… there aren’t any children in the building so nobody’s handing out candy. Also, this is the third floor so you’d have to have a key or be buzzed in because the downstairs buzzer is broken. And… I didn’t buzz anyone.“