Two little cougar cubs pushed open the gate. The rotting wood slowly swung inward as long-rusted hinges creaked with an eerie fade into the evening.

The first cub buried her nose into her companion's shoulder. "Let's go back, Angie. I don't wanna get eaten by a ghost!"

Angie, the older of the two, but not by much, shook her head and tried to peel her friend off of her shoulder. "Come on, Louisa, there's nothing to fear. Just... ghosts..." she swallowed a breath loudly. "And spiders... vampires, maybe." She shook her head again, to ward off the fear that was creeping slowly up her spine.

They walked another few paces to the door of the house, Louisa clinging to Angie's shoulder, Angie determined to drag her companion onward.

Finally, they reached the door of the house. The windows were boarded and the knocker was covered in tarnish.

Louisa made one last attempt to get her friend to reconsider. "Please, can we just go now?"

Angie shook her head, and poked the door tentatively. The door's creak was quieter than the gate's, but somehow, that only made it creepier.

Then, out of nowhere, a shadow covered them both. Two eerie, yellow eyes peered down at them. They screamed and ran as fast as they could, down the path, and out the gate.

The figure, an elderly bat, turned on a light, and blinked. She looked at the tray of cookies in her paws, sighed, and returned to her house, lonely again.