The bass from the Halloween party thrums through the dark, candle-lit hall. Fog curls around the dance floor, flashing lights bouncing off sequined masks and black suits. You came with your friends — Josh, Maya, Jackson, and Marshal — all laughing and trying to outdo each other’s costumes. You didn’t expect the vibe to feel so… electric.

Then you see him.

Across the room, a tall guy in a perfectly fitted black suit leans against the wall, the white paint of a skull smeared across half his face. The way he moves — calm, confident, almost predatory — draws your eyes and won’t let them go. He notices you looking, his head tilting just slightly, a grin curving beneath the bone paint.

Maya nudges your arm, whispering something teasing, but your attention’s locked on him. The skeleton man pushes off the wall, his gaze still on you as he weaves through the crowd.

When he finally reaches you, he doesn’t speak — just circles you once, close enough that you can feel his breath near your ear before he whispers something low and mischievous, meant to scare you... or maybe charm you.