Jack Hawthorne was in his room, comfortably sleeping in his bed, head resting on his pillow, with a line of drool going down his face.
Suddenly, he heard something—his alarm went off, his phone playing his favorite anime opening theme from Monster Slayer Academia. Barely coming out of his hazy sleep, Jack lazily turned to the table at his side and reached for the phone, struggling to open one eye to check the time.
He saw that it was 6 a.m. Knowing he had more than enough time before school, he pressed the snooze button to get a few extra minutes of sleep.
Unknown to him, the door to his room quietly opened. The silhouette of a person peeked through, seeing the usual sight of a messy dark room with Jack fast asleep. They tiptoed across the cluttered floor, trying not to wake him, and finally stood beside his bed.
They grabbed the top of his blanket and yanked it off him, yelling, "GOOD MORNING, JACK!!!"
Alarmed, Jack woke up, eyes fully open, to see a girl wearing a big smile. It took him a few seconds to realize it was his best friend, partner in crime, and fellow weirdo since the 2nd grade—Luz Noceda.
Jack half-closed his eyes and groaned, "Luzy, why are you in my room?"
Still groggy, Jack blinked as he got a better look at her. "And why are you dressed like you're going trick or treating?" he asked, confused, still half asleep. He stared at Luz, who was dressed as a witch—black dress, crescent moon necklace, and, of course, a black pointy hat to complete the ensemble.
"What are you talking about?" Luz asked, confused. After a moment, she grabbed her phone and showed him the date on the calendar. Then, with stars in her eyes, she exclaimed, "It's Halloween! The most wonderful time of the year, where you're actually encouraged to dress up, and people give you free candy!"
Jack rubbed his temples, annoyed. "Okay, that answers the second part. But why are you in my room?" He was trying his best not to throw his pillow at her.
"Your mom let me in to wake you up. She had an early shift with my mom at the vet clinic," Luz explained like it was the most normal thing in the world. "The sooner you wake up, the sooner we can go to school and show off our awesome costumes!" she said, joy beaming from her face.
Jack lay back down and covered his head with a pillow. "Please come back later. You know I prefer sleeping in and getting to school in the last five minutes."
Luz moved closer to him and whispered mischievously in his ear, "If you don't get up right now, I'll tell your mom about your secret fireworks stash."
Jack shot up, fully awake. "Okay, okay! You win. Just give me a minute, and I'll be ready," he muttered, slightly annoyed that she would resort to blackmail but proud of how quickly she got what she wanted.
After brushing his teeth and getting dressed, Jack met Luz by the front door.
"Where's your costume?" Luz asked, disappointment creeping into her voice.
Jack replied with heavy sarcasm, "Can't you tell? I'm going as everyday boy—trademark jeans and T-shirt."
Luz pouted. "I thought you'd love Halloween, especially since you're a witch."
Exhausted from having this conversation for the thousandth time, Jack sighed, "Luzy, I'M. NOT. A. WITCH. Just because my last name sounds similar to one from a kid's story a hundred years ago doesn't mean I'm a witch."
Luz looked shocked. "But everything about you screams witch!" she said, waving her arms dramatically.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Name anything about me that does that, Luzy."
Luz thought for a second, resting her hand on her chin. "What about the time you predicted the weather?"
"I just felt hot and said I wished it would rain. It was a coincidence."
Luz wasn't backing down. "Okay, how about the time you tamed that wolf?"
"That wasn't a wolf, that was our neighbor's Siberian Husky, and he's friendly because he sees me every day."
Luz threw out one more, "Alright! Then how do you explain your witch's staff, just like The Good Witch Azura?" She pointed dramatically at the staff hanging on the wall.
Jack, too tired for this conversation, sighed. "That's just a long walking stick, Luzy."
"But it has a crystal on top, and everyone knows only witches have crystals on their staves!" Luz grinned smugly, certain of her victory.
Having had enough, Jack walked out the front door, ignoring Luz's yell behind him, "THIS DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT RIGHT!"
He smirked as he walked, knowing how much it annoyed her when he just walked away without saying anything.
On the way to school, Jack thought about his friendship with Luz. They had been friends for two years now, ever since their mothers arranged a playdate for them to "make real friends" — ones that weren't imaginary, drawn, or reptilian. They hit it off immediately, liking a lot of the same things like manga, anime, and role-playing. Luz brought the fun, positive energy, while Jack kept her from going overboard and terrorizing the other kids.
No matter what, they always had each other's backs, ready to save the other at a moment's notice.
Luz was in the middle of one of her favorite retellings. "And so the great witch Azura came upon a magical sphere home to the mighty Prismorpheus the wish granter!" Her face was beaming with excitement. "With a determination of steel, she—"
"Oh, would you look at that, we're already at school." Jack interrupted, not wanting to spend the next hour listening to witches and magic.
Luz pouted. "Okay, to be continued." Jack rolled his eyes at her attempts to hook him on The Good Witch Azura series.
After what felt like an eternity, the final school bell rang, signaling the end of another 'fun' day of learning. Jack headed outside, noticing the other kids in their costumes. A girl was dressed head to toe in pink, another was wearing a rainbow unicorn onesie, and a boy sported a blue wizard robe complete with a white beard.
"They don't make normal costumes anymore, do they?" Jack thought as he walked past them.
Luz stood by the main door, practically bouncing with excitement. "So, are you ready to go?"
Jack raised an eyebrow. "Ready to go where?"
Luz squealed. "To the Halloween festival, of course! There's going to be music, games, and Halloween-themed food!"
Too tired to argue, Jack decided to go along with her, knowing full well he would eventually cave.
When they arrived, the festival was in full swing. Food and game stands were scattered everywhere, and a live band performed on stage, the lead singer dressed as a vampire rock queen, shredding on a bass guitar shaped like a battle axe. Everyone was in costume, including Jack, though he was only wearing one because Luz pestered him about embracing the magic of Halloween. After some raiding of his closet, they settled on a simple white beanie with bear ears, a blue shirt, shorts, and a green backpack. It would've been an original costume if he hadn't spotted a blonde girl wearing a similar outfit.
After enjoying a few games and more food than they could handle, they sat down to rest at a historical play explaining the town's founding. The play took place in front of the town square statues, which depicted four individuals. The first was a woman with long, mane-like hair and sharp eyes holding a broom. The second and third figures were of two similar-looking men, one holding a book and the other a scroll. Finally, the last figure was a large, skeleton-like creature with twisted horns atop its head.
Jack read the plaque below the statues: "Gravesfield will forever honor our saviors, who banished evil at the cost of their lives."
The story of the play wasn't exactly original. It was about two brothers teaming up with a witch to save the town from a giant magical skeleton called The Lich. A bit too simple for Jack, but Luz was hanging onto every word, probably imagining herself as the witch in the story, casting spells, saving people, and flying around on a broom.
The play ended with the saviors defeating The Lich, sealing him in a tomb guarded by enchanted statues. They all lived happily ever after, with the older brother of the two men falling in love with the witch, marrying her, and having kids. Everyone applauded, especially Luz, who jumped up on her seat.
Jack checked his phone for the time. "It's getting pretty late, Luzy. Let's head home." His eyes half-closed.
"Okay," Luz agreed, only to then get an idea. "But first, do you want to see if we can find the tomb from the story and see if it's real? They said it can only be found on a full moon every 100 years on Halloween. And guess what today is?"
Jack sighed. He knew he couldn't stop her even if he tried. "Fine, let's check it out. But I'm only going to make sure you don't get lost."
The woods were dark, with only the light of their phones illuminating their way. After what felt like hours, Jack stopped. "Hey Luzy, let's call it quits for tonight. It's getting late, and we can just look for it tomorrow."
Luz frowned. "We can't do that! The story said the tomb only appears on Halloween. If we stop now, we'll have to wait another year!" She was determined to continue, but she knew both of their moms would ground them if they stayed out too late.
Jack sighed again but then spotted something. "Hey, Luzy, do you think this could be it?" He pointed to a large boulder with an indentation, half-hoping it would be good enough for her to call it a night.
Luz's eyes widened. "I think it is! It's shaped just like it was in the play!"
Jack groaned. "Great, let's just take a picture and call it a day." He grabbed Luz for a quick selfie. "Say, creepy rock in the woods." The flash almost blinded him.
"Wait!" Luz stopped him. "We need to check inside first, to make sure it's the right one."
Just as they were about to step inside, a tremor shook the ground. The surrounding rocks rolled together, forming a massive stone monster.
"Get inside the boulder!" Jack yelled, grabbing Luz and rushing into the dark entrance. Inside, it was pitch black. "Luz! Are you in here?" He called out, but only silence answered him.
Then, a voice. "Hello, child." It sounded old and weathered. "Do you need help?"
Jack froze. "Y-Yes! My friend Luz—she's in trouble. There's this big rock monster and I—"
"You don't need to explain, child. I know everything," the voice interrupted. "I can save her… but what will you offer me in return?"
Jack's heart raced. "Who… who are you?"
The voice chuckled. "I have been called many things: Conqueror, King, Scholar, Death. But most simply know me as 'The Lich.'"
Jack's blood ran cold. "If the stories are true, then… you're powerful, right? That means you can save Luz, right?" He hesitated, but fear drove him forward. "I'll do anything. Anything. Just save her!"
The voice laughed darkly. "Very well. Let's make a deal."
A cold wind swept through the cave as Jack felt a sudden shift in the air, like the very atmosphere around him had grown heavier. A faint light appeared before him, revealing the silhouette of something massive, twisted, and ancient. The outline of The Lich emerged, shrouded in darkness but unmistakably real.
"Hold out your hand, boy," The Lich commanded in a low, gravelly voice.
Jack hesitated, his instincts screaming at him to run, but fear for Luz overpowered that feeling. Slowly, he extended his hand toward the glowing light, heart pounding in his chest.
As soon as his hand met the cold glow, a searing pain shot through his body, like fire tearing through his veins. He gritted his teeth, refusing to scream as The Lich's power seemed to invade him, changing something deep within.
"You… are now bound to me, child," The Lich whispered, his voice echoing in Jack's mind. "My power flows through you. Use it wisely… and I will save her."
Jack collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. His body felt foreign, as if it no longer fully belonged to him. He looked up at the shadowed figure before him, feeling a strange surge of energy inside him.
"Now… rise," The Lich commanded.
With great effort, Jack stood, trembling slightly from the overwhelming power coursing through him. He could feel it—the darkness swirling inside, ready to be unleashed.
The moment he took a step forward, the world around him seemed to shift. The dark cave disappeared, replaced by the woods outside. The stone monster was still there, looming over Luz, who had backed herself against a tree, her eyes wide with terror.
"J-Jack!" she cried out, her voice shaking.
Jack didn't respond. Something inside him had changed. He felt a cold detachment from everything around him, as if his emotions had been dulled. With a flick of his wrist, the ground beneath the stone monster erupted, vines and roots shooting up and wrapping tightly around its massive form.
The creature roared in fury, but the more it struggled, the tighter the vines constricted until, with a final crushing force, the monster crumbled into a pile of stone and dust.
Luz stared at the scene in shock, her mouth slightly open. "How… how did you…?"
Jack felt dizzy, his vision swimming. The power was still surging inside him, but it was unstable, wild. He clenched his fists, trying to suppress it.
"We need to go," Jack said in a voice that wasn't entirely his own. His tone was calm, but there was an edge to it—a coldness that hadn't been there before.
Luz, still in shock, nodded and followed him. As they made their way back through the woods, Jack couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him, something dark and ancient. He knew this wasn't over. Whatever he had agreed to with The Lich, it was only the beginning.
As they reached the edge of the woods and the lights of the festival came back into view, Jack stopped. He turned to Luz, his expression unreadable.
"Don't tell anyone what happened," he said firmly.
Luz looked at him, confused and a little scared. "But Jack—"
"Promise me, Luz," he interrupted, his voice sharp. "No one can know."
After a moment, Luz nodded, still unsure but trusting him. "Okay, I promise."
Jack gave her a small nod, then turned and walked ahead, his mind racing with what had just transpired. The weight of the deal he had made with The Lich pressed heavily on his chest. He didn't know what he had unleashed, but one thing was clear: his life—and his friendship with Luz—would never be the same again.
The night air was cool as they finally reached the edge of town. The festival lights still flickered in the distance, but Jack felt no sense of celebration. He could feel the power of The Lich pulsing beneath his skin, a constant reminder of the price he had paid.
And somewhere, deep inside, Jack knew this was far from over.
On November 1, 2013 a missing persons report was made, the name of said person Jack Hawthorne.