The bell above the shop door jingled as the group stepped into Horace Galloway’s Curio & Occult Shop. Dusty shelves lined the dim room, filled with everything from animal skulls to books that looked centuries old.

Dazzle wrinkled his nose. “Dude, your grandpa’s shop smells like death and… old soup.”

Casper groaned. “That’s incense, Dazzle. Just—don’t touch anything, okay?”

You followed close behind Casper, brushing your fingers against his arm. “Relax,” you murmured. “They’ll behave… mostly.”

He shot you a sideways smile. “You have too much faith in them.”

Becky and Charlotte giggled near a shelf of dolls while Seth picked up a strange idol. “What’s this supposed to do? Summon demons?”

Casper flinched. “Put it down before—”

Too late. Seth set it down beside a large, chained urn sitting on the counter. The group gathered around it.

“What’s this thing?” Becky asked.

Casper’s tone turned serious. “It’s cursed. Grandpa said never to touch it.”

Dazzle grinned, nudging Seth. “Oh no, the big bad urn! What’s it gonna do—curse us?”

You crossed your arms. “You guys shouldn’t joke about this.”

Casper nodded, grateful for your backup. “Yeah, some of these curses are real. Just leave it alone.”

But Dazzle, being Dazzle, elbowed Seth, who stumbled—right into the counter. The urn wobbled… then crashed to the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces.

The air went still. Then a freezing gust of wind whipped through the shop, rattling glass and flickering the lights.

“…Oh crap,” Becky whispered.

Casper’s face drained of color. “You broke it!”

Dazzle forced a laugh. “Relax! It’s just a jar, man—what’s the worst that could happen?”

You looked at Casper, your stomach twisting. You both felt it—the sudden shift, the wrongness in the air.

⸻

Hours later, the world above was chaos. The group was holed up in Seth’s basement, dirt-smeared, exhausted, and terrified.

Casper paced back and forth. “I told you guys not to touch it! But no one ever listens!”

Seth rubbed the back of his neck. “Casper… we’re sorry, man. We should’ve listened.”

Charlotte nodded, her voice trembling. “We thought you were just joking. You were right.”

Even Dazzle looked ashamed. “Guess this is what happens when I run my mouth.”

Casper sighed, slumping onto a crate. “I didn’t want to be right. I just wanted us to be safe.”

You crossed the room and sat beside him, placing your hand on his shoulder. “You did everything you could. None of this is your fault.”

He glanced at you, eyes tired but soft. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

You smiled faintly. “Probably die in the first five minutes.”

He laughed, quiet but genuine, and leaned into you. The tension in the room eased just a little.

Becky managed a small grin. “Even during the end of the world, you two are disgustingly cute.”

Casper rolled his eyes, but his smile lingered as he laced his fingers through yours.

You squeezed his hand gently. “We’ll fix this, Cas. Somehow.”

He took a deep breath and nodded. “Together,” he said softly. “Always together.”