"With your hand on my lower back, we deviate from the prepared route, leave the group and navigate through the crashed shelves. Here in the darkness you stop, just as we get out of the flickering light from the lamps hanging off the roof at odd angles. I stop next to you. I don't know what to expect might happen next."

In line for the haunted house, Stella sees her. She is the only one person not in costume, in a button shirt, vest and deep red lips. And a tie. Stella feels drawn to her, the things she might do with that tie... Stella wants to follow her every move with her gaze, but she doesn't dare, she is afraid that the woman will be able to read her mind... A zombie apocalypse awaits inside the haunted house, and once inside they are made to stand in line, and Stella feels the woman's body behind her. Soon the doors are opened and anything might happen...

Marie Metso has a Masters in Literary Composition from the School of Authors at Lund University, and teaches creative writing at the Open University.

Marie Metso has contributed short stories and poems to a number of anthologies and periodicals.