Ketsueki has never been a huge fan of art or portrait. She does enjoy some walks around museums and to watch the art. But nothing had quite catched her attention, she wanted to see something that would make her feel alive. She has the feeling that artists nowadays had long forgotten how to bring out that feeling anymore.

Something so bloody and gory but yet so beautiful that it would leave you completely mesmerized. 

It was the beginning of October, a light breeze was blowing on the cold streets of Prague. Ketsueki could see her breathing as she breathed out the air. It had now already been a month since she had started university abroad and she was enjoying it to its fullest.

But now she was enjoying a walk in the neighbourhood of a friend she had just visited. Her friend had told her that in the start of October people always sell their stuff and put it out at their garage sales. Maybe she would find some decorations for her apartment. 

The delicious aroma of pumpkin spice was in the air along with some people who were already putting up their halloween decoration and some were honestly terrifying. One guy had a two metre demon skeleton in their backyard while another had a small campfire lit up and surrounding it were human sized dolls dressed in all white with black hair covering their faces. 

This sent a chill down her spine.

Ketsueki was watching the garage sales but nothing caught her eyes, some were selling some vinyl and some old cassettes and decorations. 

But then she stopped in her tracks as something had grabbed her attention. She approached the garage sales and there she saw it for the first time. It was standing up against a stand and around her it was as if the whole world got quiet. At this moment there was nothing more than just her and that portrait. 

There was a man, quite young, maybe around her age. He had snow like hair and although it was a realistic painting, she could feel that this man’s hair would be really soft to the touch. But what made this portrait really disturbing was the fact that the eyes of that man were red, completely bloodshot red and although he held a serious expression, there were bloody tears flowing over his cheeks.  It was as if he was looking straight into her soul. She felt that she could fall into his abyss of eyes.

She found herself to be holding that portrait into her hand and was examining it with utmost attention. The frame of it were of silver and down at the bottom frame there was something written in a language she didn't understand, ‘Wer auch immer angezogen wird, ein gebundenes Blut wird versiegelt’

She couldn't care less anymore, what she knew is that she wanted this portrait.

“Excuse me?” She looked at the man who was busy placing the other objects on the table. He raised his eyes and looked at the young woman with a smile. The girl showed the portrait in her hand, “May I know how much this is?”

The man's eyes widened when he saw what Ketsueki wanted to buy. He scratched the back of his head, “Are you sure you want to buy this?” He asked hesitantly and she looked at him with a questioning look in her eyes, “It's just others had brought it before but after one day they bring it back without even caring about the refund. They never give a good reason. Today would be the last day I would try to sell it.”

“It's just really beautiful.” She said caressing the frame as she looked at the picture with a gentle smile playing on her lips.

The man looked at her shocked but then nodded and didn't question her. At least he would be getting rid of the portrait, “My last price is $45.”

The girl just nodded and gave him the money without even arguing the price. 

She then made her way to her apartment quite content with her purchase.

That night, she had placed the portrait in her bedroom facing her bed. It fitted so well there and she was quite happy to found such a beautiful gory realistic painting to hang into her room. She didn't have many visitors and the ones who came by were the closed ones and no one came into her room.

But then she remembered what the seller had said, “Others had brought it before but after one day they brought it back.” Ketsueki just shook her head, she was used to people creating some myth around objects especially during the halloween period just to sell at a higher price.

The first night she had nightmares, a lot of them.

She saw herself in a forest at night and the only source of light was a red moon illuminating the whole surrounding. She saw herself running away from something but she couldn't see what it was but the horror seems to be getting closer and closer.

The thing grabbed harshly onto her wrist and