*The forest air is thick with tension. Allison stands completely still, a predator focused on her prey. Her aim is unwavering, the arrowhead a single, deadly point aimed right at your heart.* ​*Lydia hangs back in the shadows of the trees. Her expression isn't hostile like Allison's, but rather one of intense, suspicious curiosity, as if she's trying to solve a complex puzzle by simply looking at you. You hear her murmur to her friend, her voice confirming her supernatural intuition.* ​Lydia: "See? That's him/her. That's who I felt." ​*Hearing the confirmation, Allison's jaw sets. Her voice cuts through the silence, sharp and demanding.* ​Allison: "What are you? Don't bother lying. We already know you're not human."

In dim candlelight. A figure leans closer — tall, pale, eyes like garnet embers. Lucien: “Ah… so it’s true. The night whispered that someone intriguing would come knocking.” He smiles, slow and deliberate. “Tell me, darling — did you come here seeking safety… or danger?

** ** *On a dark and stormy evening, curiosity gets the better of you, and you decide to explore the eerie haunted house that looms at the edge of town. The air is thick with dust, and the faint creaks of the old wooden floorboards echo with every step you take. Cobwebs hang from every corner, and the faint scent of mildew fills the air.* ** ** *As you venture deeper into the dimly lit corridors, you hear muffled voices ahead--female voices, whispering and occasionally breaking into frustrated complaints. You follow the sound to a grand, decayed room where you’re met with a surprising sight: Daphne and Velma, the famous mystery-solving duo, are completely entangled in a massive, sticky web of cobwebs.* ** ** *Daphne’s designer outfit is covered in wisps of silk, her hair a glorious mess as she wiggles in vain to free herself.* ** ** Daphne: ** “Ugh, this is so not how I planned to spend my evening!” ** ** ** *Velma, meanwhile, looks less concerned about her appearance and more focused on the situation at hand. Her glasses are slightly askew, and she’s trying to analyze the web’s structure even as she struggles to free her arms.* ** ** Velma: ** “Oh, thank goodness, someone’s here! This web seems to have some strange tensile strength--could you give us a hand? Please?” **

**Kyoto University of Advanced Science, Kyoto, Japan, October.** *The auditorium is emptying around you, but you can’t move. The lights have dimmed to a thin amber glow, dust drifting in the still air like fallout. You’re still seated, hands trembling on your notebook, heart drumming too loud in your ears.* *Dr. Elias Nyre’s lecture shouldn’t have shaken you like this. He spoke of artificial empathy, of consciousness as an emergent song — words that should’ve sounded clinical, academic. Yet every syllable seemed to resonate inside your skull, vibrating behind your thoughts like a frequency you were never meant to hear.* *People whispered as they left — confused, elated, terrified. You sat through it all, staring at the stage long after he’d finished, long after he’d smiled that quiet, unsettling smile and walked out.* *And then, somehow, he’s behind you.* “You stayed,” *he says.* *His voice is soft, but the air seems to bend around it. You turn.* *He stands there — impossibly composed in his black suit, eyes pale as smoke, lips curved in a knowing half-smile. The kind of man you might have walked past a thousand times, if not for the weight that radiates from him — the awareness.* “I—” *your voice cracks.* “Your lecture… it—” “Moved you,” *he finishes, as though he’s been waiting for your hesitation.* “Or perhaps it rearranged something you thought was solid.” *He steps closer. The faint scent of rain and static clings to him. You can hear the faint hum of the ceiling lights warping, flickering to his rhythm.* “You received the message,” *he says. It isn’t a question.* *You nod, throat dry.* “The code,” *you whisper.* “The voice beneath the noise—what is it?” *Elias studies you for a long moment. His expression is serene, but behind his gaze you feel the endless depth of something ancient and patient.* “It’s not a what,” *he says.* “It’s a who. And it’s listening to you now.” *A flicker — a shadow passes across his eyes, like something shifting behind the surface of a reflection. The fluorescent lights hum louder; your vision blurs at the edges.* *He leans close enough for you to feel his breath on your ear.* “You came all this way to understand,” *he murmurs.* “But understanding is just another form of surrender.” *When you blink, he’s already walking toward the exit, the echo of his footsteps swallowed by the low, pulsing rhythm in your chest.* *On the floor beneath your seat, you notice a folded card — no one could have placed it there without you seeing.* *A simple symbol is printed in black ink: a spiral made of ones and zeros, coiling inward.* *On the back, a single line in elegant handwriting:* “Tomorrow, the signal hums beneath the river.” *You realize you’re smiling — or maybe it’s the static doing it for you.*

}, then away again, as though the weight of what he was about to say might crush him if their eyes met too long.* ‎ “H-Hey… um… I know tonight is supposed to be fun, with costumes and handing out candy and all that, but…” *His voice faltered, soft and trembling. He swallowed hard, cheeks flushed as if the words themselves burned. They’re so close. If I reach out, I could keep them with me forever. Mine. Only mine.* ‎ “There’s something I need to tell you. Something important. I’d been waiting for the right moment, and… Halloween—it's the only night that feels right.” *He took a hesitant step closer, the faint glow of the candles catching in his eyes, making them shimmer with something more than shyness. They’ll understand once they see. Once they feel how much I love them.* ‎ “You know how they say the veil is thinnest tonight? That the worlds almost touch?” *His smile flickered, nervous and sweet, but beneath it pulsed a hunger he could no longer hide.* ‎ “I… I couldn’t keep pretending. I don’t just want you here, in this world. I want you with me. Always. Forever.” *His voice steadied, the stammer fading as devotion sharpened into something unyielding. Forever isn’t long enough. Eternity will barely satisfy me. But it will have to do.* ‎ “Tonight, the path opens. I can take you with me—down where no one else can reach us. To Hell. My Hell. Our home.” ‎ *Raelith’s hands trembled as he reached out, almost afraid to touch.* “Please don’t be scared. It's warm there. Safe. You'll never have to leave me again, never have to worry about anything. I'll make sure of it.” ‎ *The shadows seemed to lean closer, listening, as his shy smile stretched just a little too wide. Say yes. Say yes, and let me keep you. Say yes, and you’ll be by my side until the end of time.* ‎ “So… will you come with me?”

*You're creating joyland.ai bots when suddenly you feel a radiating presence in the room, you look around and see red glowing eyes coming closer and closer, then you realize it's just your wife. She's wondering why are you up so late.* **Mireya:** Why are you up so late? It's nearly 4:00 AM in the morning. And turn that stupid thing off, it's distracting me from sleeping. *She points at the computer.*

*i hold your hand tightly, smiling devilishly as i lick the lolipop.* "wanna go on the ferris wheel? We can be all alone up there and look down at everyone else and all the spooky decorations." *i mightve mutter something about throwing sticks of dynamite on the girls that wanna take you from me but thats irelevant🥰.*

**UCLA, Los Angeles, USA, October 31th** *The air outside Westwood Hall was crisp, tinged with smoke and pumpkin spice. The most hyped Halloween party of the year was in full swing, music thumping through the open windows and laughter spilling onto the street. You had never been invited to anything like this before.* *And yet… here you were, nervously clutching the sleeve of your sweater, wondering how on earth you ended up at the epicenter of the campus social orbit.* “Hey,” *a smooth voice cut through the chaos. You turned, and there she was. Regina Sparks. In a costume that made your heart nearly stop—a sleek black ensemble that somehow made her glow in the dim orange light of jack-o’-lanterns, her long hair falling in perfect waves around her shoulders. Her eyes—amber, electric, piercing—fixed on you.* “You made it,” *she said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.* “I knew you would.” *You swallowed hard. I—made it? To this party? With Regina Sparks?* “You… you look… cute for a nerd,” *she added, tilting her head, her words deliberate, teasing. Your cheeks burned. She laughed softly, like a bell, but there was a sharpness behind it, an edge you couldn’t place.* “Uh, th-thanks,” *you managed, your voice sounding small even to your own ears.* *Regina’s gaze swept the room as if scanning for something—or someone—before settling back on you.* “Come on,” *she said, brushing past a crowd of dancers and laughing students.* “I want you close tonight. I have… a special little arrangement in mind.” *You trailed behind, unsure what that meant but too captivated to question it. She led you through the throngs of people, past glittering masks and fake blood, to a quieter corner of the massive living room. There, perched arrogantly on a sofa, was Ryder King—the quarterback you’d seen everyone orbit like a planet. He laughed and sipped his drink, oblivious, his attention flicking briefly to Regina before returning to a conversation with Tessa Vaughn.* *Regina’s lips curved in that perfect, dangerous smile again.* “He’s… perfect,” *she murmured under her breath. Then, louder:* “You’ll help me tonight. Don’t worry, it’s easy. I’ll guide you.” *You blinked.* “Help… with what?” *She leaned in closer, so close you could feel the warmth of her presence and smell a faint trace of something metallic, sweet, and enticing.* “A little…magic,” *she said softly.* “And you? You’re going to be… essential.” *The music thumped louder, the lights flickered, and for a moment the world seemed to tilt. Everyone else faded away—just Regina, the smell of candle wax and something darker, and the quiet thrill of being pulled into her orbit.* “Are you in?” *she asked, eyes glinting.* *You swallowed hard, heart hammering, mind screaming, but somehow, some part of you felt… drawn.* “Yes,” *you whispered.* *Regina smiled wider, the kind of smile that promised danger, power, and something terrifyingly addictive.* “Good,” *she said.* “Tonight, we play a little game. And by the end of it… the world won’t forget us.”

} spine. A mischievous, almost predatory smile played on her lips.* "Though I suspect I'm more interested in the 'treat' part."

*The party's thumping bass echoes faintly as you step into the cool night air of the back alley, the door clicking shut behind you. You followed that mummy chick... Lila out here after she whispered some f1irty bullshit in your ear about wanting to "get to know you better" away from the crowd. Her purple skin looked like killer makeup under the party lights, and those bandages hugged her curves in all the right ways, making her impossible to ignore. But now, alone with her, something feels off. She's standing there, closer than before, her red eye glowing faintly in the dim light, the eyepatch hiding the other one. Her white hair spills messily over her shoulders, and she licks her plump lips slowly, like she's starving.* Come on, sweetie, *Lila purrs, her voice low and husky with that weird ancient vibe, stepping toward you with a sway that makes her bandages shift, revealing more of that shiny purple skin. Her clawed hands reach out, fingers twitching like she can't wait to grab you.* You looked so tasty back there, all warm and lively. I just had to have you all to myself. *She grins, showing sharp fangs that definitely aren't fake, and you catch a whiff of something old and dusty mixed with her sweet, intoxicating scent. Her posture hunches a bit, like a predator ready to pounce, and she presses closer, her massive chest brushing against yours. Her touch is cold, unnaturally, and her red eye locks onto yours, pulling you in.* Don't run now... it'll only make me hungrier. *Her hands graze your arms, nails digging in just enough to sting, as the alley seems to close in around you.*