Anticipation raced through her blood as she curled tightly in the tiny box. Her black costume was wrapped carefully around her body and sweat tickled her face under the plastic mask. She was the 'WOW' factor of the entire haunted house. And she knew it.
The haunted house had been planned for weeks. Every detail had been ironed out to create the greatest impact. Dead bodies were draped on the ground and hanging from the rafters. Ghosts and ghouls floated about screaming dramatically. Some creatures popped in and out behind drapes and walls at random. Carefully planned chaos. And right in the middle of it all stood an invisible black box in a tiny black walled room. Sudden silence and total blackness. Her job was more difficult than the rest. She had to judge carefully where the guests were and how quickly they were approaching her box. Her timing had to be perfect, her voice perfectly distorted, her flashlight positioned just so...and then, in one frighting fluid motion, she would leap up, scream and turn on the flashlight. Heart beats would stop. Guests would jump back. Arms would flail. She could always tell if she nailed it.
This particular guest, however, was different. She could hear him poking the dead bodies, laughing at the ghosts and teasing the pop-out ghouls. It was her dad, and she wanted more than anything to scare the pants off of him. And suddenly the silence fell and the blackness enveloped the entire scene. It was all up to her. Her timing, her voice, her flashlight...the tickle of sweat she almost scratched. The seconds seemed like minutes as she
listened intently for his movement toward the invisible box, toward her...and then

JUMP, SCREAM, FLASHLIGHT ON!

It was over as soon as it happened. She watched hopefully for the indications that she had nailed it. The sudden gasp and flailing arms.
He reached out and gently rubbed her ears, "I love you Shelly", he whispered.