It was October the 31st and after the "wing dilemma" the five members of SHINee had decided to watch a horror movie because "that's what you should do on Halloween", as Jonghyun had simply stated.

They had decided on watching "SAW 6" - or rather Key had - and Minho who had lost a round of paper-rock-scissors, which was a hard blow for the competitive boy, shuffled to the kitchen while the movie previews were shown.

Taemin was already giggling with anticipation. He may not seem like it but among the five of them he was by far the biggest fan of splatter movies.

As if on cue Minho returned with the popcorn as the movie was about to start.

When the opening credits were shown Onew started to feel rather antsy. He had never been much of a fan of horror movies. When he had seen "Nightmare on Elm Street" for the first time he had found himself unable to sleep for four days and he would rather forget about the nightmares that had haunted him the following five months.

But as the leader and oldest among them he felt like was the one who had to stay calm about this and off course his pride wouldn't allow him to tell anyone about his secret fear as well.

As soon as the soundtrack had started to play Onew's noble thoughts about pride were erased immediately."Guys, I think I will go to sleep. I feel so tired all of a sudden."

"You have got to be kidding! It barely started" Key indignantly said. Taemin looked at Onew irritatedly.

"But I can barely keep my eyes open. You can tell me tomorrow what happened, okay?" And before any further remarks could have been made Onew had left the living room and shut the bedroom door.

-

The clock next to Onew's bed stated that it was 3:19am when he woke up. Neither had he had a nightmare, nor had he been interrupted by any noise. There was just something that had woken him up. Something was definitely off. And it wouldn't let him fall asleep again until he knew.

He started listening intensely.

There it was.

Again.

Like a leaking water tap.

A continuous drop of water would fall down somewhere in this room.

3:28am and his eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness.

Slowly he inched out of the warmth of his bed and moved towards Minho's bed next to him. The usually slightly snoring model athlete was completely still today sheets almost covering his entire face and body.

An uneasy feeling grew in Onew's stomach.

Gently he drew away the covers laying open Minho's face. Everything seemed fine. Relieved Onew exhaled and casually wiped one of Minho's rather long locks out of his face.

"Ugh."

In blank horror he withdrew his hand at the speed of light. He had touched something mushy, something wet, something that definitely didn't have the texture of mere sweat. Eyes opened widely he brought his hand close to his face.

"Please don't let it be blood!" His mind yelled so loudly he thought his ear drum would burst any minute.

That was when his nose started confirming what his eyes and mind had guessed but hoped to find untrue.

The stench of blood was without doubt coming from his fingers.

His eyes started to water, stomach to hurl, breath hitched, heart pounding as if it wanted to break out of his chest. For some seconds he was unable to move. He was still staring at his hand. The world had started to loose all color except red.

"KIBUM!" he thought eyes shooting towards the bed above Minho's. When his fingers tried to grab the edge to pull himself up he slipped crashing down on his own bed. He had slipped on something. "Don't let this be" his thoughts were racing.

Panic- fuelled he stood up seeking for the origin of the fluid. His face inched closer and closer to where he had tried to get up on the bed.

He saw it clearly now: a dark liquid trickled down the side board producing a sound like a leaky water faucet. The noise that had accompanied him ever since he had woken up.

Yet again, he examined his palms.

The same substance, no doubt.

The same darn colour, no doubt.

He wanted to scream but wasn't able to produce more than inaudible whimpers.

He stood on his bed gulping and shivering he lifted the bedsheet close to the fine stream of blood. Key's mutilated hand surfaced.

Onew could barely make our anything: the wrist seemed to be smashed completely making the white of the bones come to light, skin had been ripped off the fingers leaving the glossy wet flesh, the forearm was slit in crisscross fashion. Only the ringfinger had been left unharmed. The ringfinger that had let him know the second he saw the destroyed flesh, that it was Kibum's arm: grinning up to Onew sure was the troll ring Key had just made the other day and refused to slip it off ever since.

He quickly dropped the sheet. No, he did not even want to see Kibum's face. If his hand was in such condition...

How much he had wanted to throw up, but his body had started moving towards Jonghyuns bed on its own accord.

A foot was dangling from the bunkbed. If this had been a normal day Onew wouldn't even haven taken notice of this. But now... This was something different.

Still he first approached the foot and examined it: except for unruly growing leg hairs nothing special could be seen. Onew carefully climped up to sit on the bed. If his heart was to go on pumping at this rate he would die of a heartattack sooner or later.

Since the unharmed foot had risen his hopes in finding the rest of Jonghyun without damage as well he slowly started lifting the covers over the other (intact) foot. Now he proceeded to his thighs, upper body. Everything seemed perfectly fine. For the first time since he had woken up Onew's heart seemed to slow down a bit.

With one swift motion he threw away the rest of the covers and abruptly backed away.

Jonghyuns throat had been slit open. The gushing blood had almost completely been absorbed by the mattress. This was just to much for him!!

He still hadn't checked on the youngest and right now he was deliberating if he should let it be. He didn't want to see Taemin killed like his other three friends. Tears were now flowing without a halt. His body shook violently.

-

The uncountable alarmclocks on Jonghyun's bed read 4:42am.

How long had he sat on the bed crying?

Finally he picked up the courage to climb down do check on Taemin's bed.

Reluctantly he gripped the sheets above the pillow. He inhaled and exhaled six times before pulling the sheets (blood stained from the bed above) revealing what lay underneath. Which was...nothing.

Relieved Onew sat down on Taemin's bed. Where was he, what had happened here while he was asleep? Why hadn't he heard anything? The question of "who did this" never really crossed his mind. After a minute of consideration he only knew that he had to make sure at least Taemin was safe.

He walked over to the door slowly opening it but not without a last glance at his friends. His eyes immediately had started to water again and so he quickly made his exit.

The living room was not as dark as their bedroom had been, so he could make out the shapes of tables, chairs and shelves easily. Nothing suspicious was to be seen. And so he started tiptoeing towards the kitchen. Halfway there he noticed the bathroom door was slightly ajar and light poured out into the hallway from the small opening.

Steadily he walked towards it. At this point he felt no fear, his continuously rapidly pounding heart had made him numb, his hands were cold with sweat, constant pressure had made his ears deaf.

"I have to find Taemin" were the only thoughts occupying his head.

His fingertips touched the bathroom door lightly and as he was about so push it open he felt a sharp pain in his back.

That shock was enough to push his body over the edge.

Mumbling ("have to find Taemin") he slipped to the ground.

The last thing he saw was a shadow over him.

Then the world turned entirely black.

(8.3.2010)