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What Haunts Anvil House? Written by Sophie Newman. Are you ready? Sit back. Turn down the lights.

And now, on with the show.

I dodge the show.

I dodge the gatherings of teenagers, avoiding their slashing drinks as they dance to my hometown.

More concerned about Anvil House than celebrating the end of classes.

The party is loud, a combination of cheers for shots, egging people on to go upstairs,

and our class ringleader Sean shoving people good-naturedly

and asking, how they like partying in the most haunted house

in Bluegill.

Some towns have a boogeyman.

We have Anvil House.

I should leave.

Sean won't notice he's too busy doing a kegstand.

I'll slip out.

Weren't you at Sean's last week?

A girl says.

I find her to my left. Even under the uneven tile of the

flashlights along the floor, I notice she's pretty as my mouth goes dry. I cough to clear my throat

and try to choke out an answer that sounds cool. Yeah, is all I say.

And she smiles.

I feel like no one else had seen this smile.

...