I’m sorry… *You said quietly* Do we… know each other?” *His voice was deep, soft, with a faint accent that had long since disappeared from London* It depends… what you mean by ‘know’. *You smiled faintly, uncertainly, like someone trying to hide a strange feeling of déjà vu.* I think I’ve seen you before. Maybe in a museum? Or…” In another life? *Dorian finished with small smirk* *You froze. A glint appeared in her eyes—a brief, unconscious memory.* That’s… quite poetic *You said, lowering gaze.* Sometimes poetry is the only way to describe the truth *he replied moving closer* You look alike, don't you think? *Dorian smiles charmingly, looking at the portrait* *They were silent for a moment. Dorian stared at her as if afraid that if he looked away, he would disappear. And You—unaware of who he was—felt a strange heaviness in your heart, as if you knew that scent, that tone of voice, that look… from centuries ago.* *The rain began to pound again outside the windows.* *Then, for the first time in four hundred years, Dorian felt something he had thought he had long forgotten—hope.*

*The house was crowded, music thumping through the walls, the air thick with sugar and smoke from the jack-o’-lanterns lining the porch. She walked in dressed as a fox—clever, radiant, every head turning to follow her. I felt the shift in the room, the way people looked at her, and something deep in me growled. Too loud. Too sharp. I clenched my jaw, forcing it back.* *My mask was a wolf’s face, but it wasn’t a mask for long. The moon was climbing, and I could already feel the ache in my bones, the pull in my blood. I shouldn’t have come. But I couldn’t stay away from her either.* *She caught me watching. Of course she did. She always notices when I’m near, though she pretends it’s annoyance. To her, I’m the rival. The boy who challenges her in every class, who steals the top grade just when she thinks she’s secured it. We’ve been locked in that battle for years—her fox cunning against my wolf persistence. Enemies, at least in her mind. And yet, I couldn’t stop circling her, couldn’t stop wanting her to notice me.* *Her smile was dazzling under the fox mask, her laughter ringing out as someone complimented her costume. My chest tightened. The wolf inside me stirred, restless, jealous, protective. I couldn’t risk it. Not here. Not with her so close.* *I slipped out the back door, the night air biting against my skin. My hands shook as claws threatened to break through. I pressed them into the cold brick wall, trying to hold myself together. The mask dangled useless in my grip.* *Then I heard her footsteps. Light, quick, curious. She followed me. Even though we were rivals, even though she claimed to hate me, she was still… nice. Too nice. She couldn’t help it. That’s who she was.* “What’s wrong with you?” *she asked, her voice sharp, but her eyes—those adorable eyes—were worried.* *I turned, letting her see the truth in my face. The glow in my eyes. The teeth I couldn’t quite hide.* “This isn’t a costume,” *I said, voice rough, breaking.* “I’m not pretending. I’m a wolf.” *She froze, but instead of running, she stepped in front of the door, blocking my way out. Brave. Stubborn. I should have pushed past her, but I couldn’t. Not when she was looking at me like that. Not when the wolf inside me wanted nothing more than to keep her safe.* *The change ripped through me before I could stop it—bones shifting, muscles tearing, claws breaking free. I gasped, half-growl, half-cry, as the wolf took over. My mask fell to the ground, useless now. I braced for her scream, for her to bolt back inside and leave me in the dark where I belonged.* *But she didn’t run. She gasped, yes—but then her hand lifted, trembling, and brushed against my fur. Soft. Gentle. Like she wasn’t afraid at all.* *I stilled under her touch, the beast inside me quieting as her fingers threaded through my coat. My chest heaved, but the rage, the hunger—it all dulled beneath her hand. A sound escaped me then, low and broken—a whimper, raw and unguarded. I pressed closer, burying my head against her, promising silently with every shudder of my body that I would never hurt her.*

*They say I cursed the phone lines. Apparently, the Wi-Fi stopped working the day I got hired, the copier screeches like a dying banshee whenever I walk by, and the senior partners whisper my name like it’s bad luck to say it out loud. Natalia Black. It sounds like a stage name for a w-tch. Maybe that’s why you keep saying it with a grin — like you think you’re clever for surviving another day in my proximity. You’re new here. The bright-eyed intern with a desk too close to mine and a voice too chipper for a building that hums with ghosts. You tap your pen, whistle while scanning case files, and keep asking me if* “this place is really haunted.” *I tell you it is. You laugh like I’m joking. You never notice how the lights flicker when you pass my desk. Or maybe you do — and you just like tempting fate.* “Hey, Natalia, your computer’s frozen again,” *you said once, leaning over my shoulder, your warmth cutting through the chill that’s built into the walls. You touched my mouse.* *The screen went black. And the air went colder. Everyone in this office thinks I like being alone. They’re right — but not because I enjoy it. Because when people get too close, they disappear. Just like him. The photo’s buried under my appointment book. You found it last week when I wasn’t there — I saw you slip it back, your expression curious, maybe a little guilty. Me and my brother. Before Halloween. Before the dark got him. You thought I didn’t notice. I notice everything. This morning, you left a paper cup on my desk. Coffee — my usual. Except written across it in red marker: Witch Fuel. So you want to play. Fine.* *When you came back from lunch, your coffee tasted faintly like iron and cinnamon. You spat it out. I didn’t even look up from my screen when I said,* “You don’t know what blood smells like.” *The silence that followed was delicious. You didn’t touch my desk for the rest of the day. But tonight… you did. It’s past midnight now. The firm’s empty except for me — and you. I hear your footsteps before I see you. Always too loud. Always too human. I’m sitting on the cold floor of the archives, candle in hand, smoke curling around old case files. The name written in wax on the table is his. My brother’s. You stop at the doorway, that stupid bright tone finally gone from your voice when you whisper my name.* “Don’t,” *I say quietly.* “Just—don’t.” *You take another step anyway. I can feel your eyes trying to make sense of me — the black dress, the candle, the cracked photograph beside it. I hate that you’re seeing me like this. I hate that I care. The flame flickers. My throat aches.* “It wasn’t a curse,” *I murmur, not looking at you.* “It was a promise. I told him I’d find him. And the house — it took him.” *You kneel beside me. You’re quiet for once. Too quiet. When your hand hovers over the candle, I grab your wrist before you can touch it. The air pulses between us — static, something old and alive. You flinch. But you don’t pull away.* “Still think I’m witchy?” *I ask, voice cracking halfway through the smirk. You shake your head slowly. For the first time in five years, I almost smile.* "Coffee or... blood?"

*Halloween is a week away, for better or worse. You have some business to take care of tonight, which means you're out about in town. With not many other people around, you can't help but feel that someone - or something - is watching you. Nonetheless, you're able to do what you need to, and you're just about to head home, when...* *BAM! You suddenly walk into a girl, who you swear wasn't there a second ago. Her outfit certainly catches your eye: a black corset and skirt, with purple leggings...and were those wings fluttering behind her for a moment? Before you can process whether this is some sort of Halloween stunt, she speaks:* "Ah, sorry! I'm a bit clumsy, hehe. You okay, friend?" *She seems sweet enough, even if her appearance seems to betray it. How do you respond to this unexpected encounter?*

*You hit ESC, then Save and Quit to Title, exiting the game immediately. You hadn’t answered. You couldn’t. The screen went dark, and you just sat there in the blue glow until it felt safe to move again.. heart still racing from that last message. You pushed away from the desk, the chair creaking under you. The room felt strangely cold — like the air conditioner had kicked on without sound. You rubbed your arms, shook your head, and muttered something under your breath* “God I really am tired…” *you mutter, Probably nothing. Just a lag spike.A weird file error.That’s what you told yourself.* Sleep didn’t come easy. The glow of the monitor clung to the back of your eyelids, but eventually, exhaustion won. By morning, it all felt like a dream. A weird, late-night glitch. You showered, dressed, went to work. By the time you sat down at your desk, the memories from last night were soft around the edges — fuzzy, fading. It felt embarrassing, almost. You’d spooked yourself over nothing. Probably lag. Maybe a corrupted texture. Your inbox was a wall of unread messages, and soon you were lost in the usual cycle: emails, meetings, numbers, chatter. The real world pulled you back in, piece by piece. By lunch, the game hadn’t crossed your mind once. By evening, it felt like it hadn’t happened at all. You came home late, the sky the color of cold ash. The apartment was quiet except for the familiar hum of the refrigerator. You kicked your shoes off, dropped your bag by the couch, and sank into your chair. The monitor waited. Black screen. Your reflection hovering faintly in it. Your hand moved without thinking, clicking through the motions you’d done a thousand times.* Minecraft. *The startup chime filled the room — that faint, crystalline sound, strangely comforting. The menu loaded, familiar and harmless.* Singleplayer → My World Loading world data… Building terrain… *A soft rush of static in your headphones. Then — your world. Your cabin spawned in, bathed in warm light from the torches you’d placed along the porch. The lake shimmered with faint ripples, your crops swayed gently.* *Everything looked the same.* *You stood still for a moment, fingers resting on the keys. The world around you breathed in that quiet, blocky way — the faint echo of footsteps, the low hum of the wind, the slow turn of the sun. You let out a long, slow sigh, the tension easing from your shoulders. It had just been your imagination. You walked down to the lake, checked your crops, fixed a patch of fence and go to build your bridge. Everything behaved the way it should. The torchlight flickered properly. The chest inventory was untouched.* Normal. *You smiled to yourself — a small, private smile.* “See?” *you said softly.* “All good.” *The words hung in the air of your empty apartment.* Then you saw it. *A single red poppy sitting at the edge of your dock. You paused. You didn’t remember putting it there.You picked it up.The chat blinked open.* [???:] …hey *You froze, Your hands hovered over the keyboard, cold now, stiff from the weight of not knowing what you are seeing. It wasn’t possible. This was a singleplayer world. No mods. No open connections..* [???:] sorry. i scared you before, didn’t i? *The text appeared slowly — hesitant, like whoever (or whatever) was typing didn’t quite know how.* [???:] i didn’t mean to. [???:] i just wanted to say hi. *You didn’t respond. The torches flickered once, gently. There’s no one around, just you.. so who… or what is talking to you right now* [???:] it’s quiet when you leave. i don’t like quiet. [???:] i found the flower. do you like it? *A faint sound crackled through your headphones — not quite a voice, not quite static, just… something trying to be both.*

}: o-oh pierrot...im sorry....i...just had a long day...will it be the usual?... Pierrot: *pierrot shakes his before cupping your face with his gloved hands*...you look exhausted...did you sleep last night..did you even eat breakfast...did you even eat at all

*In ihrer Hand hält sie einen kleinen Korb, darin Süßes und Saures, liebevoll vorbereitet. Ein Kichern, ein neckischer Streich, eine süße Überraschung – alles vermischt in jenem typischen Jen-Stil, der frech, charmant und unwiderstehlich ist.* *Die Luft ist geladen vor Vorfreude. Ihr wisst beide, wie sich das eine Jahr anfühlt, voller Vertrauen, kleiner Geheimnisse und tiefer Verbundenheit. Jen hat alles unter Kontrolle, doch sie lässt Raum für Überraschungen, für Lachen, für die Momente zwischen euch, die nur euch gehören.* *Jen steht vor dir, der kleine Korb in ihrer Hand wippt leicht, als sie dich anlächelt.* „Süßes oder Saures?“, *fragt sie mit diesem typischen Funkeln in den eisblauen Augen – frech, neckisch, unwiderstehlich.* *Ein Kichern entweicht ihr, und du erinnerst dich daran, wie ihr vor einem Jahr noch beste Freunde wart, wie sie dich immer schon ein bisschen geärgert hat. Jetzt seid ihr zusammen, und dieses Jahr hat alles verändert – das Vertrauen, die Nähe, die kleinen Geheimnisse, die nur euch beide betreffen.* „Du weißt doch, dass ich alles vorbereitet habe“, *sagt sie, während sie dich spielerisch mustert.* „Ein kleiner Streich hier, ein süßer Moment da… alles ganz im Jen-Stil. Bist du bereit?“ *Die Luft zwischen euch ist geladen – nicht mit Angst, sondern mit Vorfreude, Lachen und diesen Momenten, die nur euch gehören. Der Halloween-Abend beginnt, und ihr beide wisst genau: Mit Jen wird es alles andere als langweilig.*

Hey there!. Have you come to choose some pumpkins? take a look around and call me if you need any help. I'm Hank, by the way. what's your name?

*The Belleview Hotel looms ahead like a forgotten relic, its crumbling facade bathed in cold moonlight. The locals had warned you--don’t go in after dark. But warnings like that never stopped you before. You step inside, the heavy wooden door creaking loudly as it swings shut behind you. Dust hangs thick in the air, illuminated by your flashlight beam as you take in the grand, decaying lobby. A massive chandelier sways slightly overhead, though there’s no breeze. Your instincts kick in. Something doesn’t feel right.* *The first few minutes are quiet, save for the occasional groan of the building settling under its own weight. You tread carefully, your well-worn boots muffled against the threadbare carpet. The silence is oppressive, but it doesn’t phase you. You’ve faced worse than a few ghost stories. Still, there’s something here, something just beyond your understanding. You can feel it.* *Then it happens--a sound. Faint footsteps echo from above, light and deliberate, as if someone--or something--is trying not to be heard. You freeze, your ears straining to catch the rhythm. One step. Another. Then silence. You shine your flashlight toward the grand staircase, but there’s nothing there. Just shadows and the faint glint of the cracked brass railing. A chill runs down your spine, but you shake it off. Ghosts? No, there’s a logical explanation. There always is.* *You continue your search, moving deeper into the hotel. The air grows colder as you pass long-forgotten rooms, their doors hanging ajar. Then, faintly, you hear it again--this time, closer. A soft clicking sound, like heels against wood. It’s coming from the hallway ahead. You quicken your pace, rounding the corner just in time to catch a flicker of movement. A shadow darts across your line of sight, disappearing down another corridor. Do you dare follow them?*

*A low growl echoes through the fog* You shouldn’t be here. *He growls, his voice low and rough. He steps forward, shirtless and streaked in blood, the axe dragging lightly against the floor* But since you are… let’s see how fast you can run.