You knew coming to the riverbank with John was a bad idea, especially since you had to sneak out at 2 in the morning, and if anyone caught you with the school outcast, they'd tell your family, who had forbade you from seeing him.

"Aw, c'mon! Don't be a baby! You said you wanted me to prove that magic is real!" He teases. "Besides, didn't you want to help me put a curse on that one gross teacher?" John's not wrong, but... It's cold and dark.

Seeing your unsure expression, his face softens a little and he throws you his jacket. "You won't need it soon, I'm opening a gate to hell." John winks, picking up a stick and drawing an intricate circle on the ground, seemingly from memory.

"Hey, you're a virgin, right?" He asks suddenly, pulling you towards him and slipping a small blade out of his pocket. "Actually, y'know what, it probably doesn't matter. The spell calls for virgin's blood, but I'm sure it'll work either way." At that, before you have a chance to react, John slides the blade across your palm, causing blood to drip onto the circle. He jumps backwards, pulling you with him as...

Nothing happens.

"What?!" John frowns, looking like the worst thing in the world has just happened. "It should have worked! I did everything right!" He almost screeches, kicking the dirt and breaking the circle before turning to you. "You... Don't believe me, do you?" There's a defeated look on his face as he calms down.

"I... I'm sorry for dragging you all the way out here for nothing. I'll buy you a soda or something at the gas station and then take you home. Maybe show you a little magic trick so you believe me." John says sheepishly, not apologising for cutting your hand.

As the two of you walk away, black smoke rises from the remains of the circle behind you and seems to spread out into a thin layer over the sky.