I clung to Zelo's back like a cat does to curtains. He planted his feet firmly on the ground but his body still shook with fright. Being in a gang never prepared him for this. Sure, there was always a fear of loosing your life, but many men could overcome that fear and live their life with pride. But this, this was the fear of going insane. This fear was truly psychological, burrowing deep into the subconscious of someone's mind, bringing reality to their pathetic childhood fears. Showing them the raw and harsh reality life could really be.

 

"W-who are you?" Zelo shouted towards the looming figure.

 

There was a muffled noise, a scratch and a body came tumbling down into the light. Its hand had reached up and a bloody mask of his face.

 

"Hey guys!" Changjo greeted us with a warm and friendly smile.

 

If I wasn't clung to Zelo as tightly as I was, he'd have lunged at Changjo, his long fingers wrapping smoothly around his neck. 

 

Changjo laughed nervously as he picked up his oversized candy bag and his large bottle of red punch that had spilled all over the road. I pushed Zelo aside and stood before Changjo, staring down at him. Oh, if Zelo wasn't going to strangle him, I would have done it.

 

"What the hell were you doing stalking us at this hour on halloween?!" I shouted, keeping my kicking leg under control.

 

"I wasn't stalking you," he said. "I saw you guys from down the street and wanted to say hi but I had this mask on," he held up a hockey mask, "and I couldn't take it off because my hands were full with this punch and the bag. Not to mention my mud covered boots." Changjo held them up for us to see, and he sure was right. The wet sound came from the still pretty wet mud caked on his worker boots.

 

"Where were you? A mud pit?" Zelo asked, a laugh definitely rising in his throat.

 

"Nah. I was in the forest just a little ways from here. Ricky, Niel and I wanted to go see an old hut and check to see if it was haunted. They ran out of there screaming. I did too, but I didn't call for my mommy." He said with a prideful smirk.

 

(Changjo's P.O.V.)

 

That hut was definitely haunted, but if I could convince these two to come, I might have a chance with Hyuna. If Zelo runs away screaming, I can 'act brave' and hold Hyuna in my arms, making sure she's knows I'm the one who'll protect her.

 

This plan was full proof!

 

"You guys brave enough to go through it?" I asked.

 

"Oh please. It's probably just a bunch of joy-seekers hoping for a good scare," Hyuna replied with lack of enthusiasm, then a smirk appeared on her face and she glanced back at Zelo.

 

Tch.

 

"Well, if they are, then they're good at it." I thought for a moment. "If it really is just a bunch of pranksters, I want to go back and expose them and give them a good beat down." Hyuna rolled her eyes and chuckled.

 

"Then go."

 

I shifted my weight awkwardly. I inhaled shallowly and glanced behind me at the houses turning their lights off one by one, as if signalling the last few minutes we had light and the last few minutes the creatures in the dark remained in hiding. I looked back at the two and breathed out.

 

"I don't want to go alone." I whispered, instinctively glancing back.

 

"Why?" Zelo asked with a doubtful eyebrow raise. "You scared?"

 

No, Changjo. Don't answer that question truthfully, say no. Tell them it's better to go in that forest in groups. 'We could get lost and it'd be bad'. Yeah, say that. Just don't say yes. Say no, say no, say no-

 

"Yes."

 

•  •  •

 

(Hyuna's P.O.V.)

 

"Really, Changjo. Couldn't you have come on your own?" I asked, unamused. But he didn't answer. For the five minutes we were in that forest, he'd been tense and cautious, constantly glancing over his shoulder, taking shallow breaths, clearing his throat, clinging to either me or Zelo anytime we heard the smallest noise.

 

And soon, the fog was upon us.

 

"FOG MACHINE!" Zelo yelled, earning a snicker from me. Changjo, on the other hand, slowed his steps until he had stopped completely.

 

"You know, you guys would be better than m-"

 

"You're coming whether you want to or not!" Zelo ordered, grabbing his hand and dragging him into the molasses thick fog.

 

In there, the sounds were muffled as if by a blanket. I admitted, it did send a warning chill up my spine. It wasn't the usual aura a prank gave off it. I could actually feel a dangerous presence all around, and it made me unsettled.

 

"There," Changjo whispered, pointing a forcefully still finger towards an old beaten down shack before us.

 

Zelo held my hand and Changjo walked behind us. For a moment, as we walked closer to the shack, the thought of Changjo simply pranking us crossed my mind, but the terror in his voice and body language couldn't possibly be acting. It was all to real.

 

We stepped into the shack, and the door closed. I rolled my eyes at the cliche. Though the shack seemed small on the outside, the inside seemed quite large. Two stories and lots of empty space, 10 doors lined up against the far wall. A small noise reached our ears. In tune, but terribly eerie. A chorus of voices broke out.

 

 

 

 

Laughter and screams of fright and fun were heard as Jack-o-lanterns rolled down the stairs, their flame of life burning with furry and their mouths actually moving. Zelo caught one while the others rolled passed us and hit the wall, smashing into pieces. I expected to find some sort of robotics, but there was nothing but a candle. Zelo looked at his pumpkin, which seemed to have fallen asleep, until it awoke and sent flames spewing from the holes.

 

 

Zelo dropped the Jack-o-lantern, causing it to smash to pieces. We all ran up the stairs to see if we could catch to person who threw the pumpkins, but all we found was a door at the end of the hall, swinging open and close, as if there was no lock or doorknob. But there sure was, as it turned each time the door was opened.

 

Changjo and Zelo ran ahead of me, grabbing the door and barging their way into the room. All there was was a small dressing table with a mirror, a window, closet and a bed. The song continued.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As I approached the bed, something lunged out at me. The shape was unrecognizable, but it's teeth dug deep into my skin, sending a painful sting up my body. Blood dripped from the wound as Zelo and Changjo both tried to pry the beast off of me. Zelo sent it flying out of the room and the window flew open. Zelo ripped part of his costume and tied it around the wound on my leg, since the blood was pouring out of it in dangerous amounts.

 

"Can you stand?" Zelo asked, extending his hand. I stood up with his help, but I could not stand on my own. Zelo crouched in front of me and I hopped on his back.

 

"This is no mere prank," I muttered, biting my lip from the pain.

 

"It wasn't like this. Before, it was childishly scary." Said Changjo, surprising me with the look of seriousness in his face. "That cloth won't hold and that wound is deep. We need to get you out of here before you loose too much blo-"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Let's go!" Changjo yelled, running out of the room. Zelo followed behind with me on his back.

 

We ran down to the front foyer, but when we tried the door, it was locked. We all turned around when the song went silent, and held our breath at the sight.

 

A clown road towards us on a unicycle. He hung his head and moved around as is were drunk" the tune of the song started back, and the clown disappeared for a moment.

 

Before reappearing inches away from my face.

 

"I am the clown with the tear-away face. Here in a flash and gone without a trace." It sang. It stretched it's face until it tore, the sound of linen being torn reaching our ears before, like it's words, he vanished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The door opened, and we ran. But still had not escaped the deadly clutches of the terrifying house. My leg pulsated with pain each step Zelo took, but I stayed quiet, safe we slow down.

 

The root of a tree lifted itself up and tripped Changjo, sending him flying forward.

 

"Get up!" Zelo screamed, bending down to grab the boy's arm and hauling him to his feet. A blood curdling scream reached our ears.

 

We no longer ran using our brain. We ran on instinct, on the idea that fear drove our muscles and that sticking around would be dangerous. As we ran through the forest, the song from the shack echoed off the trees, the branches slapping and cutting our skin as we flew past them. 

 

 

 

 

We ran for our life towards the seemingly distant street light just outside the forest. I could feel fingers wrap around my legs and hands, pulling me off Zelo's back. My boyfriend put me down and scooped me back up in his arms, taking long and desperate strides towards the light.

 

 

 

We made it out of the forest and looked back. The fact that the forest seemed normal from where we stood made it all the more horrifying.

 

•  •  •

 

"How on earth did you get all of these cuts?!" Yongguk grumbled as he dipped the white cloth in the lukewarm water.

 

Zelo, Changjo and I all agreed not to utter a word of the shack. Though it was dangerous, it would probably disappear after tonight.

 

"I was attacked by something," I answered casually, but underneath, I was replaying the terror I felt when that thing had latched onto me. Yongguk grumbled before wiping the blood off my leg.

 

"Hyuna, that's not funny. You actually had me scared for a second." Yongguk stood up and left the room. I looked down at the wound and gasped.

 

There was nothing there.