The Circle [+10]

Word count: 9619

Images of the main characters at the end of the text.

TWENTY THREE DAYS BEFORE

The city entrance sign creaked as it was shaken by the wind. The sound was almost rhythmic, constant, slowly coming and going when least expected. But no one was there to listen, because no one entered that city. It wasn't even a way to another city, so you couldn't even see passing cars.

Like a forgotten village, Hayfell sometimes seemed like it didn't exist. Its small, old sign didn't have the privilege of being renovated, so it said goodbye to its paint as it peeled off, especially the letters in the middle. Daring teenagers helped remove the "a", so from a distance it simply looked like "Hell".

However, unfortunately for them, the picturesque little town of less than two thousand inhabitants was anything but hellish. Practically everyone knew each other and helped each other however they could. The fights didn't last long, but everyone knew everyone's business, so talking behind eachother's backs was common.

"A city of snakes", some ladies used to hiss.

— I hate october. — Oliver spat, along with her gum, straight to the dried grass. The cloudy weather seemed to be taunting her. Emily swayed as she leaned back against the hood of Oliver's father's old truck, squinting her eyes to stare at the sky.

— It would be nice if it wasn't in Hayfell. — partially agreed. Vivian shrugged.

— I like it.

— Besides Halloween being shit, it also rains all the time. And it gives me allergies. — Oliver seemed excited to continue her list of reasons to hate October.

— I like it, my birthday is in October. — replied Vivian.

— I already said we should start a Halloween party with the kids at school. It might be cool. — Yara spoke for the first time. All the other three looked at her.

— Seriously? We already had some kind of dance in the gym once and it was horrible. Remember? — Oliver remained pessimistic.

— The burnt caramel tasting punch — Emily and Vivian recalled, in unison.

— But we were kids — tried — Now we can plan the party. And not add so much sugar to the punch.

— Nah — she opened another strawberry-flavored gum. — It would be shit. — Yara took a deep breath, defeated. She didn't have the energy to argue.

— At least my party will be cool — Vivian said. — I'm thinking about having a costume party, and since it's on the thirtieth... It's practically a Halloween party. Only with cake.

— There's not even a costume store here. — Oliver protested once again. — Actually, the one they have only sells boring clown masks or those animal masks that you fit over your head. I don't want to be a dog for Halloween.

— You're already a bitch in everyday life. — Emily teased, with a small smile on her face. Oliver threw the gum wrapper on her face.

— It won't be for Halloween. It's going to be for my birthday. — Vivian said. — My cousins ​​are coming. They're cool.

— Well, I really don't have a choice. I'm going as a dead person and kill myself in the middle of your party. — Oliver chewed audibly.

— Why are you like this?

— I was born like this — she replied, but she didn't seem to be very serious. She was just saying that.

— Well — and took a deep breath — You really don't have a choice.

◇◇◇

ELEVEN DAYS BEFORE

Emily looked like she had never been so focused. With her dominant hand, her left, she held a pair of scissors with her fingers, and slowly made her way along the pumpkin-shaped lines marked on the orange paper. The rigid muscles and the brown eyes locked without blinking, she didn't want any inch to be crooked. But she was already getting cramps.

— How many left? — Her voice sounded tired.

— Hm... Two. — Yara replied, to her relief. It was a team effort: Yara took the orange paper and made an outline on the paper with the help of a pumpkin-shaped confectionery mold, in addition to the lines to write on. Emily then cut out the invitations, where Vivian wrote the exact same thing on each one. Finally, Oliver would draw a carved pumpkin pattern on the back with black pencil.

— Thank God. — Vivian was also relieved — My finger is gonna have a callus from writing so much.

— At least there are only a few people. — Yara consoled her. Only sixteen people would go to the birthday girl's party, which, in fact, isn't that few people. But it wouldn't be a huge party.

— Do you think they'll come? — Oliver pondered.

— At least six people are coming besides me. You three and my three cousins.

— And your family.

— They don't count.

— Are you hearing this? — Yara asked, suddenly.

— No — Oliver said instinctively.

— Sh! — Yara shushed. She looked at a random spot in Vivian's room, trying to listen.

It was night. Some crickets sang restlessly in the distance, and it was possible to hear the faint deep sound of Vivian's father snoring in the other room. Seconds that seemed like long minutes passed, filled with almost palpable anticipation. All of them were barely breathing, afraid that the sound of their lungs would interrupt something very important. And, if one were to notice, very faintly...

Frrr...

The sound of Emily's scissors on paper filled everyone's ears, breaking their concentration. Yara looked at her angrily.

— I told you to stay quiet!

— I wasn't hearing anything... I didn't even make a sound!

— Damn, but if you paid attention just a little more-

— What were you hearing? — Vivian tried to sympathize.

— It sounded like a muffled scream. I can't tell. Or, like, someone scratching the walls. — She replied, disturbed. They all looked at her with concern. Maybe it was another one of the episodes. — Stop looking at me like that, I know what I heard, if it weren't for Emily-

— I just cut the paper! — She defended herself, getting irritated too.

— Guys, okay — Vivian interrupted them. — Let's take a break, okay? Do you guys want to go to bed and we'll finish tomorrow?

— Wait, Vivian, seriously. — Yara returned to the subject. — Did you really not hear anything? — this time she seemed disappointed.

— No, but maybe it stopped when you pointed it out. This always happens, when we want to show something to someone, it just disappears. — She consoled. She was always good at comforting her. — Let's eat something and go to bed, my eyes are already getting blurred from writing so much.

— Okay — she conceded. — I've been hearing it for a long time. — she wanted to explain herself.

— Yes, but now it stopped, right?

Yara paused for a moment, trying to get those screams drawn into her senses. Not just one, but several, with several different voices, shouting in the background. Maybe there was a party going on somewhere. There had to be some explanation. She hadn't had an episode in five years.

— Yeah — She said, finally.

— Guys, you can go, I'm just going to finish cutting out these last two, because my hand's gonna be dead tomorrow. — Emily joked.

— Okay... Are you coming, Oliver?

— I'm coming, I'm starving. — she already put down her pencil and stood up, taking a nice stretch. Her more masculine and sloppy style disappeared completely when she was in pajamas: they were always pink with some flowery print. As she was bigger, it was funny to see her in tight shorts.

— Don't take too long, yeah? — Vivian said to Emily.

— I won't. — She replied, turning to smile.

◇◇◇

TEN DAYS BEFORE

It was already past midnight. Oliver ate ready-made cupcakes filled with strawberry jam. Yara and Vivian ate very sugary cereal with milk, and talked in whispers in the kitchen. Looking out the window at this time and seeing strangely shaped trees slowly shedding their leaves was a little chilling. Especially after what happened the other day.

— Are you really going to invite Raul? — Oliver asked, her cheeks full.

— I will, he's the one most likely to make the party interesting. — agreed. Raul was the complicated boy at school. The worst thing he did was be annoying.

— I think I'll go as a skeleton — Yara pondered aloud, with no relation to the subject. — I can do that face paint.

— Oh, I remember, you did it a lot with your sister on Halloween.

— We got a lot of candy. — she boasted. Yara was really good at artistic makeup, but her favorite was skeleton makeup, so she only used it on special occasions, or when she was bored at home.

Vivian watched as Oliver unceremoniously opened her fridge and grabbed some more cupcakes.

— What are you going as, Oliver?

— Dunno — She placed the cupcakes on her plate. — I'll buy a clown mask, I think.

— I'll go as Chucky. My hair is a bit red, if I mess it up and make some marker scars on my face... It'll look just like him. — Vivian shared.

— I can make some with latex and fake blood. — Yara said. — Piece of cake.

— I hope they have these things in the store. — she was referring to the only costume shop in Hayfell. And it's name was, literally, "Fantasy" which wasn't very encouraging. — Whenever I go there there's almost nothing.

— My mother is coming from the capital next week, I'll ask her to buy some. — Yara was already feeling much calmer, with the chat. Her friends, especially Vivian, always made her feel better.

But of course it didn't last long.

This time, a sound that they all heard: the sound of Emily screaming upstairs, loud and fast, like when someone gets jumpscared. Oliver was the first to drop the cupcakes and run upstairs to help her. Yara and Vivian followed closely behind.

No one else seemed to have woken up, and probably if they did, they thought it was just the girls making a mess.

As they climbed the stairs, Vivian in the lead, they were in such a hurry that Yara missed a step in the darkness and tripped. Her head went straight for the nearest step, hitting her forehead right on the corner. The thump was so loud that even Oliver, who was already at the bedroom door, heard it.

Vivian, who was in the middle, was torn between seeing if Emily was okay and helping Yara, and as one of her friends was already with Emily, she chose the most obvious option.

— Yara — she called, helping her carefully.

— Oh, fuck — Oliver growled, but not at them. She was reacting to something in the room, and it caught Vivian's attention, who turned to look. Unfortunately, in the pitch black, all that was visible were the silhouettes of her friends and Emily holding her own hand tightly. She deduced that she had cut herself with the scissors, so she turned to Yara, who was already looking at Vivian, head high.

In the center of her forehead, a short, deep cut expelled a considerable amount of dark blood, the drops turning into small rivers running down her eyebrows, the inner corners of her eyes, and then her cheeks, through her mouth, until finally dripping from her chin to the floor.

Vivian had never seen such an ugly wound in her life. And that stopped her. She stared at the injury with her mouth open, not knowing what to do.

— Vi — Oliver called — I think we have to go to the hospital.

Emily cried silently, her body going into shock to process the pain she felt. The tip of her right index finger, just below the nail, was cut horizontally, a cut so bad that the tip of her finger was hanging down. If it weren't for the bone there, it would have fallen out.

— Yeah... — she agreed, revealing Yara's entranced face when she turned around. — Good idea.

◇◇◇

FOUR DAYS BEFORE

Vivian's cousins ​​were actually nice guys. There were three boys, Theo, seventeen, Dylan, fifteen and the youngest, just twelve, Mark. They came from the state capital, for them Hayfell was like grandma's ranch, a slightly more modern farm.

The girls especially knew Theo, a first-class geek who hated the terrible signal that the small town offered. He complained about it constantly, but he really liked Vivian, so it wasn't so bad. Dylan liked to play bad boy. Last year he was even wearing sunglasses indoors, but this time just a leather jacket.

Lastly, Mark loved his grandmother, his uncles, and the horses. He could live in Hayfell if his parents let him. The only problem was that he was nosy, stubborn and reckless, like any other twelve-year-old boy without much attention from his parents. So Vivian was the babysitter, as she was the oldest, but at this moment she had the excuse of constantly visiting her friend in the hospital.

It wasn't what she wanted to be doing, especially not so close to her birthday. She didn't like being selfish, but she didn't want to have to cancel her eighteenth birthday party.

Yara was unconscious for a whole day after the accident. From the house until halfway to the hospital, she was hallucinating and saying several nonsense things, probably the result of a concussion. Her parents feared that the trauma had been too strong, but now she was talking normally and doing things alone around the hospital room, without any after-effects. She just needed to keep a bandage on her head until the cut closed and rest.

Emily's finger was fine too. Since it wasn't ripped out, and didn't cut into the bone, doctors were able to perform procedures and bandage it, which would bring it back into place. It would just take a considerable amount of time for it to heal and deswell.

The day after everything, Oliver got a food poisoning because of the cupcakes. And she was also very close to getting one hundred percent better. Everything seemed to have gone wrong at once, like a series of misfortunes that came to try and end Vivian's week. But she would never let that happen.

— Are you still going as a skeleton? — She asked, leaning over Yara's stretcher, who was lying down eating chopped bananas. Yara took a deep breath.

— I don't know.

She wasn't very enthusiastic.

— We were talking, I'll go as Chucky, Oliver as a clown and Emily as a ghost. Maybe you can change the costume to a mummy, to hide the bandage on your head — she suggested, smiling.

— Viv, I don't know if it's going to happen... — she didn't have much enthusiasm. However, something deep inside Vivian told her that this wasn't just about the fact that she had gotten hurt. The expression she made was enough for Yara to continue. — I'm having constant headaches, I can't risk making things worse.

— But... There are still three days until my party. I thought there were no side effects.

— It was very close to brain damage. Just talking makes my head throb. — She mumbled, in a low, drawling tone. Vivian straightened up. — You can still have the party. I just won't be able to go.

— Are you sure it's just because of that? — she decided to ask. Yara shifted, uncomfortable in her position.

— Just because of that?

— You know what I meant. — She countered. The other pulled her mouth back, chewing her banana.

— Yeah, it's just because I hit my head and almost went into a coma.

— Stop, Yara. You know it wasn't that...

— You are so selfish. — She spoke suddenly, and Vivian didn't have time to respond, firstly because she didn't know how to react and secondly because the bedroom door opened slowly. She thought it was a nurse, but the beautiful curly hair and dark skin were unmistakable. It was Yara's mother, returning from her trip.

She smiled tenderly at both of them, but her eyes were worried. Vivian stood up as she walked closer to the gurney, and Yara was relieved to see her mother.

— Girls... I came as fast as I could. — which was true. She had arrived a day early. — Yara, my love... — she was full of care, and brought her hand to her daughter's face as if she were made of crystal.

— I'll... Leave you two. — Vivian murmured, already on the way to the exit. Yara's mother called her, but she was already at the door and pretended not to hear. She was really being selfish. But it was fair for her to be upset about unforeseen events. And that was what she tried to convince herself of the entire time she walked home from the hospital, and then to the fantasy store, with her three cousins.

She didn't want to think about what happened, or how Yara looked so dark when she said that. Her swollen eyes and deep dark circles, her pale dry mouth, her strangely thinner neck. She sounded like a different person, with a scratchy voice and so sincere. As if she carried a deep sorrow for Vivian. Or maybe she was just thinking too much.

— Okay, this isn't so bad — Theo came out from behind the curtain of the tiny cubicle that served as a fitting room. He wouldn't even need to use it, because all he did was tie an allegorical vampire cape around his neck. He gave them a turn. — So?

— It's nice — Vivian replied. She didn't want to be the one to ask Thomas-The-Weirdo, the salesman, the rent price. He had a tired look, a scraggly beard, and the posture of a shrimp, but he was surprisingly intimidating.

He hardly said anything, however, he always seemed interested in what Vivian said, and drummed his fingers on the counter as if trying to contain something within himself.

Theo hadn't even noticed the salesman's attitude:

— How much is the rent?

— Four dollars a day.

— Okay... I'll take it. — he really had no other option.

While he was at the counter, and Thomas was running the mask through the system, there was a sudden awkward silence. That's how they noticed the cold wind that ran through the windows of the establishment, whistling, and the screams of some children outside. It lasted a moment, and Vivian thought she heard someone calling her from a corner of the store.

The direction it was in revealed a door with restricted access to employees, ajar. The inside was dark, filled with a vacuum, pulling her towards it. In a feeling of dizziness that probably left her pale, Vivian snapped out of her strange trance and held onto her cousin, who helped her immediately.

— Vi?

— Nhh... — she moaned, weak.

— What happened? — Mark came right away, dropping the toy gun he was checking out. Dylan still seemed a little oblivious to everything.

— I don't know, I think her blood pressure dropped. She's pale. — Theo explained, taking her outside, leaving his purchases on the counter.

She didn't even notice when she left the store. When she returned to normal, she was sitting, her head leaning against Fantasy's outer walls, the wind ruffling her short copper hair.

— Hi — Mark smiled at her. Theo and Dylan were also there, looking down at her, like giants.

— Are you okay? Can you get up? — Theo asked.

— Ah... I can... I got dizzy... — she explained.

— Yeah, your blood pressure must have dropped.

— I had heard someone calling me — Vivian ignored, getting up. — Then when I looked... I got sick.

— It must have been a kid out here, or something. — Dylan tried, opening his mouth for the first time. She wished her friends were there.

— No... It was different. — She whispered, to no one who could hear her. Immediately in her thoughts came the day when everything happened. Yara said she heard something, maybe it was the same type of hallucination?

I mean, Yara already had a history of psychotic episodes, but she had no diagnosis: there was no pattern of symptoms that fit any disorder of this type. Vivian had never experienced anything of this magnitude. Everyone has heard their name called when they weren't there, but that... There seemed to be someone really lurking in that dark room. She wanted to go and check it out. Was this how Yara felt when she had an episode? Was it possible to develop psychosis?

— Vi? — Theo called, once again.

— Yeah. — Her throat was dry.

— Let's go home now. — He said, and shook the shopping bag in his hand. He had gone out to get it and she didn't even notice.

— Theo — she called, confused.

— Hm?

— Last week, when the girls slept over at my place and everything happened...

— What about it?

— Did you hear someone screaming?

— Just Emily, right?

— No — she cut him off. — Before that. Did you hear someone screaming or scratching the walls?

— ...No... Is everything okay?

— Yara said she had heard, but no one else did. — She explained, without looking at him. She couldn't stand being looked at like she was going crazy.

— Oh, I was watching a movie. — Dylan said. — There was a woman screaming in one scene and a guy sawing off her leg.

Mark looked troubled.

— It was a horror movie. — he explained.

— Oh. — she was slightly more relieved. They didn't listen because the movie scene ended. — So I guess that was it. — But she seemed to be trying to convince herself more than anything else.

— Relax — said Theo — There's an explanation for everything. — And he smiled crookedly, giving his cousin a side hug.

Maybe there was one for everything to seem like it was going wrong.

◇◇◇

TWO DAYS BEFORE

Emily removed the bandage carefully, as instructed by the doctors. Only the top one, never the bottom one. As she did it with her non-dominant hand, it was even more difficult to have precision in her movements, and any heavier touch to her finger made her want to vomit and then pass out.

It was always easier when someone helped her, even though she didn't like asking her father. So Oliver being there was a huge relief. As clumsy as she was, her hands were very steady.

— Am I hurting you?

— No — Emily assured, laughing because it was probably the tenth time she had asked that. She watched her friend as she bandaged her fingertip. Oliver had freckles that sprinkled from her face down her torso, creating brown constellations across her shoulders. Her very short, chopped hair highlighted her blue eyes, and she had strong arms. A shame she was dumber than a door when it came to flirting.

It was natural for Emily to feel attracted to her, due to her already known, but hidden sexual orientation. After all, she was the last to join the group. Vivian and Oliver had known each other since childhood, and Yara completed the trio five years ago, when she joined the girls' school. She had only been there for a year, after she moved. But they all got along as if they had known each other for a long, long time.

— Okay, that's it, right? — Oliver looked around.

— Yes. — she took her hand back, tired. She made sure to think of a quick topic to fill the silence.

— Did Yara tell you about Viv?

— She did. What did you think?

— I dunno. I understand that she was upset because the party won't be as cool anymore. I don't even know if it's going to happen still. But I also understand Yara's side, she was all fucked up and still having to think about a costume, it was very insensitive.

Oliver settled down on the bed, thoughtful. As always, she was chewing gum.

— Yeah I agree. But Yara is fine, right? As best as possible. She could just go and stay sat, at least. — for Emily, the most wrong one was Vivian, but she knew that Oliver was biased.

— It's just that she already had those problems, and after what happened... I think she became more disturbed. You saw, right, that day she was hearing things. — Oliver was clearly uncomfortable when the subject came up.

— What's your point?

— That maybe she's not quite ready to go to a party yet. Even if there aren't that many people. I couldn't sleep after that.

— Were you that scared of the voices in Yara's head?

— Not that. After the other day. In the forest.

— Stop — she ordered, a little irritated. — We promised we wouldn't talk about it. Ever.

— But it's just-

— Never again, Emily. — She repeated, her eyes hard and her voice inflexible. Emily swallowed hard, but nodded.

— Anyway... Talk to Viv, and I'll talk to Yara. So we can reach an agreement.

— Right — she agreed, already picking up her cell phone, which still had a broken screen, a palpable memory of the day that would not be talked about, ever again.

◇◇◇

Vivian didn't want to admit that anything was wrong. She was never skeptical, but she also wasn't very proud to believe in the paranormal. As much as it was impossible not to believe it after that fateful day, she still liked to think that it had just been a bad dream. Just a mysterious episode that no one else would talk about. Dead and buried.

Therefore, to distract her mind, she started thinking about the party, also avoiding the fight with Yara.

All the costumes were already decided. Theo would go as a vampire, wearing those fake plastic dentures that hurt the gums and his most recent acquisition, the cape. Dylan was going as Clyde without Bonnie. His father had a beret that he would borrow. Mark would go as a zombie.

The adults in the family would not dress up, but would stay in the house, upstairs, while the party took place downstairs and in the backyard. There would be snacks, soda, non-alcoholic punch and activities such as card games and the like.

The rest of the other nine people who confirmed their presence would be Little Red Riding Hood, a mime, a fairy, a nun, a devil, a little Angel, a witch, a thief and Jason. Everyone had come up with an idea, and best of all, none of them were repeated, which was already a great sign.

It had everything to be a good party, Vivian wanted it to be memorable. She just wished she had all her friends with her. If Yara didn't forgive her, she wouldn't have her makeup, so even that wouldn't be good. Maybe she could postpone? October 30th would be a Sunday, who knows, maybe she could do it the following weekend. But everyone had already received the invitations... Why, why did Emily have to cut herself? If it weren't for that, Yara wouldn't have gone up the stairs, she wouldn't have hit her head, and Vivian wouldn't be going through this.

And if she hadn't suggested going to the forest...

Beep beep.

Her cell phone beeped with the notification. She checked it rather quickly.

> Hi, Viv, how are you?

It was Oliver.

Hi >

I'm fine >

Planning party stuff >

Her friend was typing for some time.

< Yara told me what happened

Vivian started biting her nails. She didn't like fights, she started to feel nervous and this went for her intestines. But she didn't say anything, leaving Oliver to elaborate.

< Emily's gonna talk to her

< I understand that ur upset

< But the party can still happen

< She probably just won't dress up

< And will stay still

< And we'll keep an eye on her

She smiled, satisfied. She probably couldn't play music too loud, and Yara wouldn't really participate in any games, but that was okay. That wasn't a high price to pay for her friend's presence.

That's really good! >

I was worried >

I didn't mean to be selfish >

But I understand that it seemed that way >

< You should tell her that

I will >

Vivian stopped for a while on the tracks to collect information.

Are you with Emily? >

She deduced.

< I'm at her house

< No comment

😏 >

< Bye

She laughed at her cell phone screen. Messages took a while to come and go because of the bad signal, but she was used to it. Sometimes it would fail for hours.

Let me know when Yara responds >

< Yes ma'am

And then she remembered.

Oh, something happened today >

At the costume store >

Vivian sent several more messages explaining what had happened, and Oliver received them all, but never saw them again. She was probably paying attention to Emily. As she had nothing else to do, she took the opportunity to send messages to Yara, apologizing and discussing her intentions. However, she didn't see it either.

And even without anyone with her, Vivian didn't feel alone.

Like a presence right behind her, a shiver hidden in her core ready to make her hair stand on end, an image always in her peripheral vision, she could feel it. The weight on her shoulders that had been haunting her for almost an entire month. Every day, when the sun went down, and the feeling increased, she just tried to calm down, no matter how much she felt like she was fooling herself.

It would pass.

◇◇◇

A FEW HOURS BEFORE

The windows of Vivian's house emanated orange lighting, the two at the front like glowing eyes against the dark landscape. With the strong wind, the trees were bent to one side, almost avoiding the thick layer of dark clouds bringing heavy rain.

Emily as a ghost, wearing just a sheet with holes for her eyes, didn't have much more creativity than that. Oliver had bought the clown mask, but she was having an allergic episode and couldn't stop sneezing, so she couldn't wear it. Yara, who decided to go, wrapped in gauze without much effort, like a fake mummy. And Vivian, perfectly dressed as the killer toy, was happy that everyone was there.

The party started at seven. At first, the girl's parents stayed in the room greeting people until the last guest arrived, and then left the room. They would come back with Vivian's aunt and uncle when it was time to sing happy birthday, but until then they would stay peacefully chatting and drinking a few beers upstairs.

Everyone seemed to think the party was promising: the house was decorated with fake spider webs, pumpkin and bat decals on the walls, themed sweets and orange LED lighting strips. On the TV, a playlist created by Vivian herself with alternative and pop rock songs played without interruption at a volume just above the ambient level.

She had really planned a lot. She would even have hot dogs in the backyard if it weren't for the threatening rain. But they were satisfied with high-calorie snacks, mostly cheese flavored.

Yara hadn't gotten up from the corner of the couch since the moment she arrived. Her mother didn't want her to go, and only let her because there would be adults and because they reached an agreement that she would leave at ten o'clock. She would only have to survive for three hours.

— My God — Emily commented, standing next to the table where the sweets were. As Vivian's mother was Brazilian, it was common at her parties for her to make brigadeiro and sweets made from powdered milk and sugar. The darker ones were decorated with four paws on each side, made of chocolate shavings. The white ones had a pupil design in the center. — Vivian's mom really doesn't play around.

Oliver, with her sullen scowl occasioned by her pus-filled sinuses, seemed even more to hate everyone and everything.

— That's because you didn't see the cake. — Her voice was nasal, and she pulled away a little to sneeze for the thousandth time into her arm.

— Have you already taken your allergy meds?

— Yes, but it doesn't take effect immediately — she grumbled.

— Just today you had to have this episode.

— I told you — she said, her eyebrows furrowed. — I hate October, and it hates me back.

— At least there's food.

— As if that changes anything. I can't even eat properly without feeling like I'm drowning. — She complained, irritated.

— Stop it, you'll get better soon.

— Yeah, when the party is over.

— Oliver, try not to be the most pessimistic person in the world just today. — Emily asked. Oliver couldn't even snort.

— Tough. Think about it, the day of this party landed on a Sunday. Sunday is already a bad day. Second-

— Oh, it's a list?

— A week before practically everyone got fucked. You with your finger, Yara hitting her head on the step, me with food poisoning. Only she was fine. Third, everyone seems to be hearing things apparently. Fourth, today, on the day of the party, I have allergies.

Emily looked at her friend, her eyebrows raised, impressed by her frustration.

— Everything is going wrong, everything is happening to not let this party happen and it is happening.

— I didn't know you were the spiritual type.

— I'm not, I just don't fuck with the universe.

— So... The spiritual type. I thought you were skeptical.

Oliver didn't respond, because she had to let out five short sneezes in a row.

— But yeah. — Emily looked at Yara, quiet in her corner, with an apathetic look. — I also think this party could wait.

◇◇◇

Theo followed Vivian everywhere like a shadow. He stood embarrassingly behind her when she stopped to talk to a colleague and never struck up a conversation with anyone. But at one point she left to be in a corner with Yara, Oliver and Emily, so he didn't want to get in the way. His second choice was his cousin Dylan, who looked after his brother, Mark.

— Hi — he said, his plastic dentures making his voice muffled. Dylan looked at him.

— Hi. Tired of wandering around with Vivian?

— Yeah. I'm kinda bored. — He confessed. Parties weren't really his thing.

— There are people playing cards, you can play with them. — and pointed to an area on the floor of the room, with four people sitting. The rest were eating and dancing to the songs.

— Why can he play? — Mark asked. He wasn't a little kid anymore, so false answers wouldn't work on him. But he was still a child.

— Because adults get angry when children play cards. You don't want to get scolded, do you?

— Ah, but this party is very boring. I can't do anything! — He complained. Dylan looked at Theo in despair. He didn't want to have to babysit his little brother all night, and he had no idea what would be appropriate for him to do there. The problem was that Theo wasn't very creative either and much less good with children.

— I have an idea, why don't we go to the stable and give the horses a treat? — He suggested. He knew his cousin liked horses, and wanted to go out for some air. The smile on his face was a big yes.

— Sure!

— Okay, then let's go. — and called him with his hand.

Dylan thanked his cousin with his eyes as he walked away with his brother. Theo smiled back, and headed towards the back door.

The cold wind that rushed past them as soon as they opened the door was chilling. So strong that the door almost came back in their faces, if it weren't for Theo's good reflexes. He laughed nervously, but Mark didn't seem to mind, he ran to the small stable at the back of the house. The two horses that were there were Quarter Horses, one with a toasted chestnut coat and the other with a bay pampas coat. They were Rock and Vanny.

Mark already knew where the treats were and grabbed them without difficulty. Just listening to the sounds of the cookies in the jar made the horses peer over the door, making sounds similar to snoring. Theo watched them take the treats from the boy's hand with their lips, showing their big teeth. He was having fun, and Theo was de-stressing, so it was a great deal.

Meanwhile, inside, the party continued. Vivian was talking to Sophia, the girl who was dressed as a fairy, about some random school topic. She looked around and felt fulfilled seeing everyone having so much fun. Even Dylan was joining in, talking to Samuel, a boy dressed as a mime.

Everything was going well, until Raul suggested the game that everyone was already waiting for: truth or dare.

— Oh, I don't know if I'm gonna play. — Yara grumbled.

— It's okay, you don't have to — Vivian replied immediately. She didn't want her friend to force herself so much. — You can just sit down, are you eating?

— Yeah, yeah — she agreed, with a weak smile. Her dark circles looked bigger than ever.

— Sweet. Just call me if you need me.

— I'll stay here with her — Oliver said. — I think the medicine will take effect faster if I stay still.

— Okay — Vivian tried not to look too upset. She hated herself for feeling the things she was feeling. It seemed bigger than herself. Stronger.

— Let's go! — Raul shouted, lowering the volume of the music.

The people playing cards finished the game halfway, and everyone gathered on the floor of the living room, between the two sofas, where, on one of them, Yara and Oliver were sitting. In the center of the circle formed, an empty Coke bottle was placed.

As everyone gathered there in the same place, Vivian was able to look around and count the people.

— Where are Theo and Mark?

— They went outside to see the horses — Dylan replied. And something inside her shuddered.

The horses didn't seem as interested in the treats once they had them in their mouths. And Mark knew why.

— Vivian has some special cookies in her room. — He commented, trying to sound unpretentious. Theo, who was distracted looking at the dark landscape, barely heard him, so the little boy had to repeat himself.

— Ah... Don't you think these are good?

— I don't think anything, the horses do. — and shrugged. — Can you go get it? I want to stay here with them.

Theo knew his cousin would ask for this, but he couldn't escape. He looked at the house, suddenly silent. Mark stroked Vanny and Mark's noses at the same time, his hands stretched out, showing that he was very busy.

— I think they liked it, actually. — He tried, softening his voice.

— Please, it'll be quick! I want them to like me. — He insisted.

— Fine, alright. — he took a deep breath. The backyard of Vivian's house had a high fence around the perimeter, especially so that the horses wouldn't get out if for some reason they escaped from the stable. Therefore, it wouldn't hurt to leave the cousin there alone for a minute, while he went inside to get the oh so blessed snacks. He even thought about saying something like "stay there", but it seemed silly. — I'll be back in a second.

Mark smiled in satisfaction as he saw Theo walk back inside. He, on the other hand, didn't seem very excited. Maybe Vivian would ask him why he left, and he'd have to think of a less depressing answer to "I wasn't having fun". That was what occupied his mind as he made his way to the house.

However, as soon as he entered, he noticed that everything seemed quieter, and, as he approached the stairs, he saw everyone sitting in a circle around a bottle. Phew. He had escaped truth or dare. And he wanted to keep it that way.

He tiptoed up the steps, briefly listening to the conversation.

— I dare you to show your texts with Dina. — an unknown voice spoke, followed by a sigh of surprise and anticipation from the rest.

Theo reached the second floor. It was dark here, the small hall lit only by a lamp in the corner. Strange. Where were the adults? Had they left and no one noticed? Had they gone to sleep? They still had to sing happy birthday.

Maybe he was thinking too much. He went more calmly to the door that led to Vivian's room, and he opened it. The same. Single bed in the center of one of the walls, a desk that was also used as a vanity, full of things, a puff in the corner, a built-in wardrobe on the wall, full of random stickers glued to the doors. It wasn't the most organized, but it was big. She even had her own bathroom.

— Okay... — he whispered to himself, looking around to find the snacks. He should have asked what the packaging was like, but now he was already there. So with all politeness, he started to search the shelves in the room, even the drawers.

He found makeup, a random bra, random notes, school books, uninteresting things, and finally the snacks. They were in a little blue box with a horse on it, right in the back corner of the desk, behind her cousin's one-liter bottle of water.

— Finally. — He murmured. He took the box and was about to leave, until he heard something buzz. It was Vivian's cell phone, connected to the charger, left on the bedside table. Theo would ignore it, but it vibrated twice more before he even left the room. Then it was too much.

He walked towards the cell phone, glancing at the closed door a few times, worried that he would be caught snooping. Curiosity killed the cat. Good thing he wasn't one.

As he approached closer, slowly, ensuring that he could still hear the people downstairs, and that there were no footsteps heading towards the room, he was startled by yet another buzz. Someone really wanted to talk to her.

The screen illuminated his face, and he adjusted his glasses on his face to read the latest message in the notification bar.

"I'm coming over right now".

There were fifteen messages, all from the same contact. "Aunt Silvia". She had no aunt named Silvia.

Theo looked at the door once more. Hesitant. But he couldn't resist. He took out his cell phone and swiped it up so that the password entry tab appeared. It was a pin one, which made it easier. He thought for a while. As the cell phone had a biometric entry, Vivian probably rarely used the digit password. So it would have to be something easy to remember.

1030, he tried. No. 3010? No. 301004. 103004. Last attempt before blocking the device. The day first or the month first? Day. Her mother was Brazilian, they used the day first. 30102004.

— No fucking way.

Unlocked.

— Really, Vi? — He sneered at the obvious password. He was smiling, feeling like a hacker. But he had no time to waste. He went to the messages app and opened the conversation. Only then did he realize that maybe it hadn't been a good idea, because it would appear that the messages had been read. Well, that was that now.

Aunt Silvia's photo was of a woman next to Yara and another girl. Was it Yara's mother?

Theo scrolled the conversations up. He realized that the fifteen messages responded to one from Vivian.

Hi auntie, we decided to go to Gary's pizzeria, Yara is going too. You can pick her up there later. >

< Hey, honey, what do you mean?

< Didn't your mom make the food?

< Why don't you order the pizza instead?

< Yara is not 100% recovered, I only let her go because it was going to be at your house, and it's close to mine

< She didn't tell me anything either

< Are you sure she wouldn't prefer to come home?

< You've already had a lot of fun together

< I'll send a message to your mom

< Vivian, doesn't your mother have her cell phone?

< Tell Yara to answer me

< Vivian, I'm going to pick her up then

< Where are you?

< The pizzeria has already closed

< Did you lie to me?

< I'm coming over right now

Theo's smile had changed to a confused expression. Gary's Pizzeria? But that was on the other side of town. Why did Vivian say they would go there? Why did Vivian's mother not answer? And why didn't Yara either?

At that moment, a wave of strange sensations overwhelmed his body. That feeling of anxiety, that something horrible was about to happen, that gave you palpitations, made it seem like you had adrenaline levels equivalent to the one's from someone running away from a murderer, even though you were standing still. Theo didn't know what any of that meant, but he knew something wasn't right.

He locked the cell phone, took the treats and left the room, now more suspicious of where his parents and uncles were. But perhaps too much time had already passed. Maybe Mark would come after him and ruin his stealth. Then he went down the stairs, as slowly as he went up. His heart was beating so hard he feared it would be audible.

— Oliver, is it true that you're a shitty fucking friend? — He suddenly heard his cousin's voice in the room. But he didn't want to turn around to see. The silence was suddenly palpable.

— Very funny, but I'm not playing. — Oliver replied, without taking it seriously.

— When were you going to tell me you were leaving town?

— What? — Her voice sounded affected now.

— Yeah. Did you think I wouldn't find out?

— Vivian, stop. I can't believe you're doing this in front of everyone.

— No... They need to be here.

— Huh?

— In the forest... — she said, more quietly. — You don't know what happened to me... But they showed me.

— Vivian, what the fuck are you talking about? Stop, we'll talk about this later, okay?

— No! — She shouted, only this time her voice didn't sound like hers. It wasn't distorted, or in a different timbre, it just... sounded like another person. Now Theo turned to look. The girls' classmates either stood up or walked away slowly, confused.

— Fine, alright. I was going to tell you after your birthday, so I wouldn't ruin things. I'm not going to disappear forever. — She assured.

— You can't leave me.

— Vivian, what's happening to you?

— I wanna go home. — Yara said, suddenly.

— Stay there! — Vivian ordered, in the same voice as before. Theo turned to the back door, and looked through the small glass window in it. He had no idea what was going on, but he didn't want to stay there to find out. Suddenly he was no longer curious. Then he opened the door. Or at least he tried.

It was locked.

And something was growing inside the house. Like an energy, a weight. A bang sounded throughout the rooms. It was someone knocking on the front door. From the screams, it sounded like a worried and furious mother. Theo continued to force the handle, taking advantage of the screams to muffle his attempts.

— You're not going to leave me. — Vivian said, barely caring about Silvia outside. The colleagues had already understood that it was not a Halloween prank, and went to the ends of the room, as far away from Vivian as possible. Theo still didn't have a vision of his cousin, and he didn't intend to. It was clearly some kind of psychotic episode. It could only be.

— Vivian, calm down. — asked Emily. But that only seemed to make things worse.

— Even she knew! — Vivian shouted. — She!

— She wouldn't freak out like you would. — She defended herself.

— Freak out? Freak out?!

— We need to get out of here — Yara seemed more alert now. Theo started knocking on the glass of the back door, not caring if Vivian heard or not. He was scared of her. Everybody was. Maybe she was even armed, there was no way to know.

And on the other side of the yard, Mark continued playing with the horses, peacefully. He heard the woman screaming and banging on the door, but he didn't care enough. The adults would take care of that. She must have just been an angry neighbor. But when he saw Theo screaming and banging on the glass, he knew something was very, very wrong.

— Open the door! — he shouted.

Mark was infected by his cousin's fear. It felt like his insides were shaking. His eyes watered in an instant, bulging with despair and indecision.

— Enough. I don't wanna talk anymore. — Vivian let her head fall forward, as if she no longer had strength in her neck, and then lifted it back up. The same person, the same furious eyes. But something different. — I will not be left alone.

◇◇◇

THIRTY DAYS BEFORE

It was easy to get bored in Hayfell.

The only things there were to do were walk around the main square, go to the only good ice cream shop in town and go bowling. There was nothing else. No tourist attractions, no macabre stories about an old house, no interesting parks. Because of this, the quartet was always trying to find something different to do.

It was the first of October, the start of the spooky month, and there was nothing better than heading to the forest on the edge of town to explore. They were all too scared to mess with spirit boards or to try to summon bloody Mary in the mirror, so this was the scariest alternative they found. And they were going during the day, with their cell phones and pepper spray. At least it wasn't common to have bears there.

They walked along the main trail, where most people went hiking. Not even Hayfell Forest was scary. No history of death, no people getting lost, no kidnappings or murders. Perhaps the worst thing to happen in Hayfell's history was its existence.

— Did we bring anything to do here? — Oliver asked, a sheen of sweat on her forehead.

— What do you mean? Coming here is what we're doing. — replied Vivian.

— Like Uno, I don't know... Are we just going to walk until something happens? — they hadn't planned very well. Emily stopped to take generous sips of water from her bottle, like a person lost in the desert. If they looked from there, they could still see the houses.

— I think that's the plan. — Yara said. She was wearing earphones, as always.

— At least I'm gonna get some exercise... — Emily continued walking.

— Maybe you'd have more energy if you didn't smoke. — Oliver teased.

— I'm quitting! — Emily countered. She had actually been cigarette-free for some time, and she was happy with the progress. Oliver had been her biggest motivation, as she was so athletic. But her lungs wouldn't heal that quickly.

— Come on, guys, I want to at least not have a view of the city — Vivian encouraged them. Her plan was to go deep into the thin forest. There weren't even that many trees. It was impossible for them to get lost.

— And then? — Oliver urged.

— Then we climb a tree, I don't know. And we go back home. — She suggested. It wasn't very exciting, but it was better than nothing.

— Is it going to be this boring in California? — Emily said, more to Oliver, who was next to her. Vivian and Yara didn't understand the comment, so they just continued in silence, but looked at each other. Maybe Emily would move out? — At least there's the beach there, right? — She thought out loud. Oliver pretended not to hear, worried that her friends would question her.

— Hey, look — she said, and pointed to a circle that was close to one of the trees. She felt like she had escaped. She just wanted to divert her attention to something else, but the little circle was really interesting.

Made from small sticks, leaves, and mushrooms, it didn't exactly look natural. It must have had a diameter of only thirty centimeters. One person could fit inside, if they kept their feet close together. The four girls approached delicately, analyzing what they were seeing.

— What is it? — asked Emily.

— Don't touch it, no — Yara said quickly, seeing that her friend was moving her hand towards the circle.

— Why?

— I don't know. Just don't mess around in a weird circle in the middle of the forest. — She answered. Yara was the most mystical of them all, and she was interested in witchcraft especially because of her psychiatric condition. She liked to feel at peace with nature, she felt that it helped her. And that looked like something not to be touched.

— It's Hayfell. — Vivian replied. — It's not like it's a kidnapping boobie trap or something.

— I don't mess with those things either. — Oliver crossed her arms. — I don't believe in these things, but I'm not going to provoke them either, right?

— What things?

— I dunno. To me it looks like a witch thing. With all due respect — she said to Yara, who rolled her eyes.

— I'm not a Witch. I just like reading about it. But there is a whole process to be consider one, for example-

— Guys, it's just a mushroom circle. It's natural, no one put this here. — Vivian interrupted her.

— You don't know that. —Oliver countered.

— Okay, I'm not gonna touch it. — Emily was convinced.

— I can't believe Hayfell is so boring that a circle made of sticks is scaring you.

— That's how people die in horror movies — Oliver pointed out. — And I don't want to be the stupid person who makes people scream in the cinema to stop being stupid.

— I'm with her. — Yara took a step away. Emily looked at Vivian, losing the battle.

Boldly, she took a step forward, closer to the circle. Yara laughed.

— If you die, don't say we didn't warn you.

— I'll come back to haunt you with my tormented spirit. I will become the representation of your guilt. — She threatened, in the same playful tone.

— On the other hand, if nothing happens, it's gonna be very upsetting — Emily looked at Yara, who raised an eyebrow. She had a point.

— Now I'm torn. — Oliver drummed her fingers on her biceps. — I don't know if I want something to happen or not to happen.

— Fuck it, I'm going to enter the evil circle! — Vivian didn't even give her friends time to stop her. She raised her knee and stepped into the small circle.

Immediately, she felt dizzy. A strange inertia hit her body, like the feeling you get when an elevator moves too fast in one direction. She couldn't believe she had such an instantaneous placebo effect. She was being dramatic.

That was until she reopened her eyes, and realized that she was alone in the forest. There was nowhere to hide and the girls couldn't have run away that quickly.

— Guys?

Her voice seemed to reverberate as if she were inside a church. She blinked a few times, starting to pant, worried for her sanity. Was this really happening or was she in a dream? She couldn't tell, although she certainly felt the strangeness of not being in reality.

— Do you have a wish?

A voice echoed from everywhere. Vivian's heart felt like it was going to explode, or jump out of her chest. She felt strange, a strong sense of depersonalization, as if she were suddenly watching her own life from behind her eyes, an immersive television. And as scared as she was, she also had a curious need to answer the question as honestly as possible.

— Yes. — She stammered.

— What is your wish?

The voice sounded androgynous. Sometimes it seemed feminine, sometimes masculine. Other times it didn't sound like either of them. It was ethereal, angelic. It wasn't loud, although it echoed. Like a sweet whisper, that came along with the wind.

— To know Oliver's secret. — She couldn't believe those words were coming out of her mouth. She couldn't control them. It was as if they were leaking out. — What's in California?

— Is this really your wish? You can only choose one.

Vivian looked around, locked in the same position and in the same place, only moving her eyes. She noticed how Oliver avoided the question. And Emily knew something. The burning sensation of jealousy burned her ribcage and almost left her breathless.

She had been acting strange for days now. Vivian could feel that she was hiding something. Would she move? And would she leave her best friend for years there, alone, to rot in Hayfell? No.

— I want Oliver to stay by my side.

— Forever?

— Forever. — She agreed, without thinking.

— Every desire has a price.

— Anything. — No! She didn't mean that!

— How old are you?

— I'll be eighteen in twenty-nine days.

— Eighteen extra souls.

— Eighteen...? Will I... have to kill people? — the idea didn't seem as horrible as it should have.

— Oliver... For eighteen souls.

— Is there no other way?

— Yes or no.

The word was stuck in her throat. Image after image of her alone in this wretched city flashed before her eyes. Oliver making other friends... But what would be the problem with that? They could still see each other, they could still...

No. Oliver would abandon her. That's what she was doing. That's why she didn't want to say anything. Best friends since childhood... All over. The promises they made... Why was she doing that?

Eighteen people didn't seem like much.

— Yes.

And when she blinked, she was back, surrounded by her three friends. Oliver was there, and all she needed was eighteen... extra souls.

— Vivian?! Fuck, thank God! — Oliver shook her. Only then did she realize she was on the floor. There was blood coming out of her nose.

— Shit, shit... — Yara paced from side to side, and Emily threw water on Vivian's face.

Vivian no longer felt like herself. How could she fall into a trap like that so easily? Without a doubt, what had happened was real. She felt it was. She could feel it in her bones. But Oliver was there.

— I'm fine — no, she wasn't.

— You just had a seizure, we have to take you to the hospital!

— I said I'm fine! I don't wanna worry my parents.

— Vivian...

— Was that a coincidence or is this circle really possessed? — Emily asked. As she frantically typed something on her cell phone, in desperation, she dropped it. It fell from her hands and collided directly with the corner of a rock, leaving the screen completely cracked.

— Shit! — She growled, still scared.

— I wanna go home. — Vivian grumbled, standing up. She didn't want to find out what would happen if she didn't hand over the eighteen souls. She had to think, she had to...

— Okay, let's go then — Oliver hugged her side, supporting her body. — Enough of the forest.

— That's not good at all. — Yara said.

— Fuck it, let's not think about that now. Let's just get out of here. — she was already walking towards the city, worried. Yara and Emily followed closely behind, in silence, but slightly in a hurry. With each step, Vivian felt less herself.

— At least I have you — she whispered.

— Of course — Oliver didn't quite understand, but she wanted to keep Vivian talking. — And you'll never be without me.

◇◇◇

NOW

The windows of Vivian's house emanate orange lighting.

All doors and windows closed, cell phones missing.

Screams, female, male, all trying to get out somewhere.

Adults induced to sleep in their rooms.

Twenty souls. It was more than enough.

The hot, black smoke interrupts the passage of air, suffocates and inhibits.

Oliver can't get anything in her blocked nose, and her throat burns.

Emily tries to break a window.

Yara knew this would happen.

The fire swallows the curtains, carpets and wood as extra energy to continue spreading.

No one knows exactly how it started. And they don't know when it will end.

Colleagues, desperate, scratch the walls, their own skin, trying to get any oxygen that is left.

The clock, already past midnight, seemed to be hammering, slowly melting. Vivian almost ran out of time.

Silvia tries to break down the door.

Mark watches the burning house, almost alive, from outside. Standing still, watching the chimney expel exorbitant amounts of dense smoke.

Theo is knocking, banging on the door, screaming for help.

And through the horses' eyes, the orange flames reflect, seeming to scream.

◇◇◇

Oliver

Vivian

Emily

Yara