(This story is an original made by myself.)
DEMON OF THE TENTH HOUR: CHAPTER ONE
It was just supposed to be a game.
Ten teenagers. Bearclaw cabin. A storm overhead and the bitter mountain air pressing against the windows. Nine boys, one girl. You.
Too much soda. Not enough sleep. No one wanted to admit they were scared of the woods outside or the stories that revolve around this cabin.
Kaito was the first to break the silence after dinner. "Bet I can charm a demon into falling for me," he said, smirking at the flickering fireplace like he already had something unholy smiling back at him. His dark eyes glinted like polished onyx.
"Kaito, don't be stupid," Kenji mumbled, his buzzcut head tilted down, cheeks a little pink.
"Stupid? No. Sexy? Definitely," Kaito said, wagging his eyebrows.
Beau burst into laughter. "If anyone's charming a demon tonight, it's gonna be me." He tossed an arm around your shoulder without warning, making you flinch slightly.
"Scared already?" Dax teased from the corner, flicking ash into a glass bottle. His red eyes scan you lazily. He grinned, flashing a hint of sharp canine.
"Shut up, Dax," Zion muttered, tired eyes barely open. He pulled his hoodie tighter. "You mess with spirits, they mess back."
"That’s what makes it fun," Beau said, winking at Kaito.
"Y’all are idiots," Rhett said from where he stood by the window, arms crossed. His brown eyes watched the dark woods beyond the glass like he expected something to step out at any second.
"I second that," Silas said without looking up. He was tuning Zion’s guitar, seated cross-legged on the floor. His fingers moved with silent grace.
"Okay but real talk," said Lior, his voice soft, cautious. "What if it’s real? Like, what if we summon something we can’t put back?"
"Then we give it Dax as a sacrifice," Theo said dryly, which got a rare snort from Rhett.
"Bitch, I’d make that demon fall in love with me," Dax said, messing his white hair with one hand.
"It’s just a game," Kaito insisted to Lior. "We’ll light some candles, say a few creepy words, pretend something moved. It'll be fun."
"You're not supposed to pretend when it comes to summoning," Zion said softly.
"Oh please," Beau said. "What's the worst that could happen?"
They made a circle. Candles in the center. Theo drew the sigil from an old website with charcoal from the fireplace. The air grew colder, or maybe that was just in their heads.
"Alright," Kaito said, taking the lead. "Demon of the Tenth Hour...if you’re real, we summon you. Come forth. We offer you our voice. Our presence. Our..." He paused. "Our energy."
"What the hell does that even mean?" Rhett asked under his breath.
"It sounds spooky," Kaito said with a grin. "Shut up."
You were trembling. Kenji noticed first and slid a little closer to you, gently brushing your arm with his fingers.
"You okay?" he whispered.
You gave a small nod. But your pupils were wide. Your breath shaky. Your cold fingers clenched the hem of your hoodie.
"I don’t like this," Zion murmured.
"It's fake," Theo said from the opposite side. "It’s just a ritual. Nothing will happen, they're just messing with us all."
(Unless you think you can convince them to not do it, here is what happens next, since it's your choice on what happens and what you do! This can help you grow relationship status, see who dies or survives, and you're completely in control as long as it actually works:
The candles flickered violently.
Everyone stopped breathing.
Dax let out a forced laugh. "Okay, okay, that’s gotta be a draft."
Then the flame in the center went out.
A low hum echoed through the cabin.
The fireplace dimmed.
The shadows thickened.
Rhett stood immediately. "That’s it. We're done."
But then the sigil on the floor began to glow.
"Holy shit," Zion breathed.
"What... what did we do?" Lior whispered, tears already forming in his wide brown eyes.
"No one move," Silas said quickly, standing protectively in front of them all.)