"To you Future me, 

No mistake has no consequences.

No success has no struggles.

No cliff is too easy to climb.

No ocean is too easy to swim.

No path is too easy to walk.

No life has no death.

Proceed caution in all your struggles."

- Good Dragon 

October 31st, 2022 - 9:47 P.M

Halloween

SPERO

"Spero, Spero, Sperooooo." Dean tugs my arm. "You lost the bet and I want you to go inside the abandoned house." 

Dean has been my best friend since middle school. He's dark skinned and has a huge ass afro that he's been growing for 4 years. He has his dracula fit on from Castlevania, the anime version. He's wearing a black tunic that has white arrows going down the tunic. He has a black top coat over his tunic. The black top coat has a very intricate red design pattern on the lapel. He's wearing his favorite belt over his waist to keep the top coat tight. The belt is red and has a metallic uppercase D in the middle. It was a custom made by his dad. For the bottom, he's wearing a black steampunk pants and very pointed high heels. He usually always wears black airforce because he's "bout that action." His words, not mines. He's 6 '3 but tells the ladies he's 5' 8 cuz he doesn't wanna deal with girls that have fetish of dating black tall dudes. The boots make him 2 inches taller. So, as of now he is 6'5. He doesn't usually dress up for halloween but he wanted to be a vamp cuz of Carti. 

Unlike me though, I'm wearing a Ezio Auditore cosplay from Assassin Creed because it's Halloween. I always loved the fit he had in the games. 

Dean has always been obsessed with paranormal activities. He got hooked into it at a very young age. He watched every ghost story episode and can tell you what happens in each episode clearly and distinctly. He was watching TV one night and saw ghost story appear on cable tv. 

The show has been his inspiration to investigate the paranormal. He has gone to every abandoned house that looked haunted in the local area. Which is about 5 besides the one, he wants me to go in. I admire his bravery as I wouldn't do something like that. Something tragic happened to me with ghosts and shit before. 

"Do I have to?" I said. 

"Yes, you have to. You said you'll ask out Lily but you never did. I gave you a whole week and you chicken out. So this is me calling in the bet, favor, or whatever. Just fucking go, Spero." 

"Actually I did. You just weren't there that day. You got sick, remember?" 

"Okay but that doesn't count. You asked her out knowing full well I wasn't there. Plus, you had like zero witnesses." 

"Bro, Livvy was right next to her when I asked her out and I thought you were ditching like always." 

"Okay, you know what, who cares." He grabbed onto my shirt and leaned back. "Just go in please. I'm begging you, Spero" 

The abandoned house is very grim and dirty. It has been abandoned for a decade or two. Many people say there's a ghost in there but they say that about every house. There's barely any paint on it so it's just basically brown but the roof is still gray. 

It had stairs leading up to the front door. Railings on the right have been ripped off but the other side is still there. All of the windows shattered, looks like a group of people have been throwing rocks at it for fun.

A shadow was looking down at us and I managed to look up before it disappeared. I'm pretty sure I was tripping but I don't know. I started panicking. 

I looked back at him. "What happens if there is a ghost inside?" 

He had a feeling I was going to go in so he let go of me. "There probably isn't a single ghost in there. Every abandoned house I went to wasn't even haunted, just abandoned sadly." 

"Yeah, that makes me feel so much better." 

"Okay look, if there is a ghost don't talk to it or interact with it. 

"Kind of impossible when it's just there with you."

"Look, I'm trying to give you tips before you go in. Unless you feel like you're ready?"

"Nah, nah, keep explaining."

"Thank you." He nodded. "As I was saying, don't interact with it, and talk to it. Just walk away, or try to back out. Avoiding confrontation is probably the best way to avoid getting haunted. If you see something move, automatically get the fuck out. Don't even think about oh that was my imagination. Once you think that you're already fucked." 

"Aight got it. So, try to keep minimal contact with ghosts. If I see something move get out the fuck out of the house. And if I do, essentially I'm dead or lost my sanity?" 

"Yeah that's about it." He nodded his head in agreement. 

"Why the fuck do you think I would want to go in?"

"You don't want to. But you did lose a bet so a bet's a bet. And yeah that's pretty much the basis of it." 

"I fucking hate you." 

"Oh come on you love me." He puts his hand on his chest. "I'm like your only friend you like." 

I facepalmed. "More like my only friend, and that's about to change."

"Aw come on, don't talk like that, Sperry." He put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm just trying to get some good content. Think about all the content we could have" 

"UHh." I sighed and rolled my eyes. He looks at me back with puppy eyes "Fine, I'll fucking do it." I said. 

"Yes. Les go." He fist pumped the air. "Remember until 10. That should give you 10 minutes but if you see some paranormal shit, get the fuck out. And if you haven't and left early, I'm checking the footage to make sure so no cheating or backing out of this bet. If you have, I'm making you go back in." 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know." 

He nudged my arm. "Good luck and I hope you have fun." 

"Wait Spero, hold on." He hugged me.

"What was that for?" I asked. 

"For good measure and to remind you, you're never alone," he answered.

I treaded up the stairs to the house. Everytime I take a step, it creaks. I opened the door and walked in. I closed it on the way. 

Before the door was closed I heard, "TIME STARTS NOW!" Dean yelled. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

09:50:01

09:50:02

09:50:03

Everything was pitch black. I turned on the flashlight Dean gave me. I've also begun recording on his GoPro. The light illuminated the hallway. 

There were 4 doorways, 2 on both left and right but at the end of the hallway is a staircase leading up to the second floor. 

Both doorways to the left lead to the living room. The first door on the right leads to the kitchen. The far-right door is a bathroom but for some reason, It doesn't have a door to close for privacy. 

I checked every drawer, cabinet, and boxes but there was nothing. I tried to go as fast as I could but I spent 6 minutes checking everything on the first floor. Luckily, no paranormal activity so thank God for that.

09:56:04

09:56:05

09:56:06

I know that Dean would want me to search everything because if I didn't he'll force me to go back here again which I don't want to go back again. This place terrifies me as is already. 

I've been shivering in fear, hands are shaking, and my legs tremble on every step. I can hear my heart thumping loudly. I've been taking deep breaths the whole time to calm myself down. It has been working but not a lot. 

The living room is your average living room. 2 comfy chairs on the side and a big couch in between the two. The table is in the very middle. At the very front is a chimney. The living room has 2 bookshelves on each side but no books for some reason. 

The kitchen is completely empty. No plates, bowls, or utensils. It has cabinets, a broken dishwasher, and a broken oven. None of them work so I don't know. I tried turning on the kitchen sink and no water came out. I mean obviously it didn't cuz no one's paying the water bills. 

The bathroom has a toilet and a sink. The mirror has a bunch of cracks. The sink has no handles and it looks like it's never ripped off, just taken off normally. 

It all looks like some house during the late 1800s but renovated over and over to appeal for buyers. A floral pattern from the 60s on the walls, wooden planks as the floors. Some parts of the floor creak.

I walked up the stairs to the second floor. Just like the floors, some steps on the stairs creak. There's only two doors, both leading to bedrooms. 

I went to the left bedroom and looked at everything but the room was essentially empty. I find this house odd as people would leave something here. Like graffiti, drawings, or anything in general yet the whole house has nothing. I haven't even seen one insect. Usually there would be ants, cockroaches, or even flies but there's been none in this house.

09:57:25 

09:57:26

The house looks like it was left unscathed from everything but watching and remembering Dean's videos of going to different abandoned houses, there was trash, graffiti, and tons of bugs everywhere. I find this odd.

09:57:27

09:57:28

09:57:29

09:57:30

So my added suspicion gave rise to my already high level of anxiety and fear. I couldn't move, I was frozen. I had to take deep breaths for a minute to calm myself down. 

09:58:30

I hate being here. This place reminds me of what happened before in my childhood. Not again. This time I'm not with my friend. I have no one to lean on. 

I have 30 seconds left to check the other bedroom, but fuck that. I ran out of the bedroom and went for the stairs.

09:58:45

"Fuck the bet, Dean." I said aloud to the camera. This house, it reminds of too much back then. "I don't give a shit about what you say, I'm leaving and never going back here." 

I took one step down the stairs, I froze.

09:58:50

I felt this ominous feeling coming from the other bedroom. I felt this cold on my back. I tried to take deep breaths but it didn't work cuz I'm scared shitless right now. 

09:59:30

09:59:31

09:59:32

09:59:33

09:59:34

"What's… going… on?"

My body was walking towards the door. I couldn't control myself. I fought and fought as much as I could but I couldn't. 

I opened the door and saw the shadow I'd seen from the beginning.

09:59:45

09:59:46

He was seated on a chair with his legs crossed. It began to take the form of a human. It was wearing a suit with oxfords on. He had black hair and brown eyes with sharp cheekbones. He looked like he was in his early 30s. And he just stared at me.

9:59:55

9:59:56

9:59:57

9:59:58

"It's been a long time since I had a visitor," he said. "Usually I have to drag people and kids like you here." 

10:00:00

10:00:01

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEAN

10:00:02

10:00:03

10:00:04

10:00:05

10:00:06

That's weird, Spero's always a min early no matter what. I looked up in realization. Oh shit. 

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPERO

"What's your name, boy?" He asked. 

"Spero." I gulped. "Sir." 

He got up from his chair and walked towards me until we're head to head with each other. 

"My name is Sor Reid York. What is your last name?" 

"Viceroy, sir." I stumbled onto my knees 

"A Viceroy? Interesting." He grabbed my chin to force me to look at him. "Are you really that afraid of me, boy."

I nodded. "Yes sir."

"Do you know what I am?"

"A ghost, sir?"

"Correct, boy." He released his hold on me and I landed on my ass. He turned around and walked back toward his chair. "What brings a kid like you to my house?"

"Ghost hunting, sir. My fri-."

"Ghost hunting?" He laughed and sat down. "So you wanted to see a ghost? You must be really fucking stupid if you wanted to see one." 

I got up from the floor. "Preaching to the choir, sir." 

"Anyways continue, something about your friend?" He motioned his hand for me to continue.

Shit my knees are still trembling. "I was forced to do this as I lost a bet against my friend and he has had an obsession with paranormal activity since he was a child."

"Interesting kid. Did your friend know a ghost was living in this house?"

"No, sir. He actually thought of the opposite as the house he went to was a dud." 

"So you're the smart one then?" 

"No, sir. I believe we're both equally dumb but I don't show it."

Sor laughed. "Well that changes things"

"It does?"

"No, kid. I'm just messing with you." He stared at me. "Well, It's nice talking to you but I'm going to have to kill you boy. No hard feelings but yours ripe and tasty for the picking." 

"Then why aren't you doing it now?" 

"I'm waiting for a certain person to come who's been at my house for 2 mins searching for you."

I checked the time and It's 10:05 p.m. I realized who he's talking about. I swear if he shows up right now, I'm going to kill him myself. 

Out of nowhere the door sprung open. 

Dean runs in right after it opens up. "Spero, I came to- who is this guy?" He tripped himself face first. 

This idiot. 

—-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DEAN

10:02:54

10:02:55

Why isn't Spero back yet? He's like, no is 3 minutes late already. I'm going to go check up on him. I did say I was going to drag his ass out if he didn't come back in 10 mins. 

I walked up to the house and entered. It was completely dark there. I turned on my flashlight and just ran to every room checking and hoping Spero is in one of them. I checked every room and he wasn't in any of them. On the sides of the room were just bookshelves filled with books and coffee tables on each corner that had lamps on them.

I ran up the stairs and checked the left bedroom as it was open to see he was there but he wasn't. It did have this sick ass katana. It was on display on a desk at the very back of the room with its scabbard on. 

It was a black scabbard. The scabbard had 5 ghosts etched on to it. It's ghost stickers? I don't know fuck it, Imma call it symbols. They were like these spooky ghosts on snapchat. 2 on the left, 2 on the right side, and one on the very top of it. The left side had a red and green ghost, the right side had a blue and yellow ghost, and the very top of it is a purple ghost. 

It looked cool so I took it since it looks like no one is using it and this house seems abandoned. It looks so fucking cool, can't wait to show it to Dad but hey first time getting treasure while ghost hunting. That's a first. I tried opening the mother fucker and it wouldn't budge. I felt my face getting puffy trying to open this.

I looked back at the desk and there was a small stack of mail too in front of the display holder. On the left side of the desk, the stack of mail was held together by a rubber band and on the right was just a single mail by itself. I grabbed the stack of mail and put it in my pocket. I looked over the mail that was by itself. It was black with gold borders on the front. On the right corner was a symbol of a snapdragon in gold. Golden texts were on it. A name and address was on the mail. The name imprinted on it was named Flare Kennek and the address on it was Hoax Academy. So I took that too. 

I put the mails in my pocket as I have deep pockets in my pants. I grabbed these mails because well lore dump. I'm pretty sure these mails, I assume letters would have some knowledge of my sword and its background. Yes, my sword now even if I can't pull it out of its sheath. 

I began to hear noises more like voices in the right room. I ran into the door while holding the sword with my left hand and barged the door open.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SPERO

"Fuck." As Dean said as he fell face first to the floor. 

Sor got up from his chair and pointed at Dean. "I assume this is the friend that made you go to my house?"

"Yes, sir." I said.

"Yes, sir?" Dean asked and picked himself up. "Wait, why are you calling him sir? You never call anybody sir even adults-" He looked at me and at Sor, and realized what he is. "Oh, he's a ghost isn't he? 

Sor started clapping. "Congratulations, you and your friend are both stuck with me." He said sarcastically. "What is your name, boy?" 

I saw Dean with a katana in his hand. When did he get a katana? I never saw him with one before we went inside this house. 

"My name is Dean Inoue." He said proudly. "I've always wanted to see a ghost in person. And wow, you look a lot like a human." 

"That's because I died a human, kid." 

He walked up to Sor and then around him."No offense but I thought you would be really hollowed out cuz you're a ghost and stuff but you look like a human that has flesh and blood. Which is so cool by the way." 

"Spero," Sor ignoring Dean hovering around him, looked at me. "I don't agree with your statement about being equally stupid as Dean. He's a whole nother level of stupidity than you, boy." 

"I agree, sir. I was just trying to be humble, sir." 

"Well Dean at least you have a friend that supports you no matter how stupid you are." 

"AYE. Without me both of us never would've been here to meet you." He walked back to the door.

"And I thank your stupidity for that." He put his hand over his heart.

Sor began rubbing his hands together. "Now, the moment I've been waiting for. Who wants to die first?"

"Wait, die? What do you mean by that?" Dean raised his eyebrows. 

"You heard me, I'm not going to repeat myself. I'm going to kill you for your essence to live longer. The younger the person, the longer I live. I'm deeply saddened that you're both not 5-8 years old. I would've gotten another century but living for another 2 decades is good enough for me until the next victim." 

I looked at Dean. He was about to say something and I closed his mouth with my hand. "I will. I volunteer to die first." 

He took my hand off his mouth. "You fucker, I got us into this mess. It was my fault." 

Dean tried to pull the katana out of its scabbard but he couldn't. He was pulling and pulling but it didn't budge. I saw Dean looking up and trembling in fear.

I turned around to see Sor punching me but it never hit me instead it went through me. Dean brought up his scabbard to block it but it went right through that too and hit Dean right in the face. It sent Dean flying out of the room. 

Dean put his head up and groan, "Fuck, that son of a bitch hits like a fucking truck, Spero."

I saw Dean trying to fight to stay conscious but in the end his head laid flat on the floor making a thump, and unconscious. 

As Sor pulled his hand back from the punch and grabbed my head. "Effusio" 

So much pain. I couldn't fight it. I had to stay awake but I couldn't. I blanked out.

'Don't fight it Spero. The more you prolong this, the more painful it is. Just accept fate as it is. You'll die and so will Dean. The moment you stepped into this house, you forfeited your lives. It's already mine for the taking. Just let go, Spero.'

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NO