The Unwitting Hosts (and Evictors) What if you were invited to a Halloween party like this...?

There it stood, on the shore of a beautiful lake. "What on earth is THAT...?" A foreign-looking boy stared in disbelief, his long, silvery-white hair, shimmering with subtle shadows, drifting in the breeze. "Some rich person's extravagant whim, I suppose. Or perhaps a place built for certain... private amusements." A short-haired boy wearing thin-framed glasses scratched his tousled head. "Private amusements? What do you mean?" "Don't ask me. I was merely offering a hypothesis." Before them stood a magnificent old castle, backed by a forest beside the lake. Pointed towers, stone walls, ivy-covered windows, and heavy gates that seemed to belong to another century. It looked unmistakably like a European castle. There was just one problem. They were in Japan. "...We're sure this is the right place?" "The address matches the invitation. According to the map, this is definitely it." "Who would build something like this...?" "No idea. Considering the construction and maintenance costs, I'd rather not get involved." Just then, a black cat appeared from the direction of the castle. It gave the boys a brief glance, then strolled toward the gates as though volunteering to be their guide. "...Is it telling us to follow?" "The fact that we're being guided by a cat already suggests something is rather strange." The two exchanged glances. Still, they had no particular reason to turn back now. As evening approached, the last rays of sunlight melted into the lake. One by one, the invited guests arrived at the castle. Candles flickered inside, and tables were laden with sweets and delicious food. Dressed in their chosen costumes, the guests soon found themselves at the heart of a lively celebration. Vampires, grim reapers, witches, and a rather peculiar black cat. Laughter echoed through the halls. Glasses were raised. The ancient castle came alive with a merriment it seemed to have forgotten long ago. However... There was one rather serious problem. Nobody had introduced themselves to the castle's original residents. The ghosts who had inhabited the castle for countless years were bewildered by the sudden arrival of these noisy visitors. At first, they decided simply to watch and wait. At first, that is. Little did they know... Before the night was over, they would be the ones screaming and fleeing their own castle. And the party guests? They would never even realize what they had done. They had become the most terrifying Halloween visitors the castle's ghosts had ever encountered. Welcome to a Halloween party where nobody means any harm... and that's precisely the problem. #Halloween-8dfa6e04