PRIOR TO AND DAY ONE

The time is set at may 20th 2024, in a school cafeteria, a medium sized group of senior high schoolers sit discussing plans for after school ends.

Tod, a tall man with a stride unlike anyone else's in the room, his presence silences classrooms, the embodiment of order, stands up with a slam of his fists on the table declaring "schools end tomorrow, we should make plans for finally finishing school."

Kelly, a small framed girl with a cloud of temper hangin around her in the air, when she's around a fight is likely to happen, in an unwelcoming attitude rooted in a disdain for tod retorts "do we have to do something? Like it's just school ending, nothing exciting."

tod refuted "look kelly, you don't have to come if you don't want to, god your the most annoying step-sister one could have."

Kelly now replies with a shout "well if you're going to be like that i hope your trip ends in disaster!" Kelly storms off in a cloud of anger.

Marcus, a short and lean kid, with fair hair and complexion turns to toe with a snide remark "well that was something, i totally ship it."

Kyle, a redhead from the deep south, average height with a beefy build and freckles EVERYWHERE chuckles to himself "yea, go catch up and make out."

Daryl, a slender boy, often mistaken for an adult with his grizzled face states in a serious tone "guys, shut up. They obviously are going to make out later, then they have privacy"

tod, now done with everyones shit "ok, ok that's enough. I'm going to puke if I think about doing something like that to kelly."

Jonny, a man of confusing nationality and the deepest black hair you've ever seen with a quick exclamation "GUYS, GUYS SHUT UP FOR A SEC. I found a castle that we could rent out for a ten day period. The best part is, it's only 100 bucks a day. That's a killer price!"

tod replies skeptically "thats a low price, you sure there's no catches?"

jonny excitedly "who the fuck cares, its a god damn castle its worth any gouging they can do"

tod cautiously "well then we might as well rent it out, lets just hope its a nice place, we should do a vote first '' to conduct a vote, shockingly everyone agrees to go, all ten of them.

Tod states in a joke judicial voice "well then, the vote succeeds"

The group goes on their day mostly not speaking of the trip much, after school charlie whom is a cute average built boy with a black skin tone and fine black hair, walks around to the back of the school building to meet liam, liam is a pudgy boy with a light caucasion skin tone and greasy brown hair.

Charlie nervously "you weren't followed were you?"

liam replies confidently "nope, not a soul."

Charlie now relieved "good, we can't have people knowing about our relationship, I had a question, should we stay in the same room while at the castle?"

Liam Gentry grabs Charlie's hand. "As much as I would love to stay in a room with you, we probably shouldn't as to not arouse suspicion, if there aren't enough rooms for everyone, then of course."

Charlie hugs Liam in a warm embrace. They exchange kisses and part their separate ways. They had some packing to do after all.

Perched on the tree branch of a sycamore tree sits a figure of a dashingly mischievous shape. The shape almost seems to be detached from reality, like a cosmic force beckoned by the will of the universe. The figure disappears into the air and like a wisp of air slithers into the ear of liam.

Liam, noticing something hitting his ear, looks around confused, "Charlie, did you feel that gust of wind?"

Charlie looks back with a confused look "what gust of wind? I didnt feel anything.`` Liam thought it was just an odd gust going on with his day not noticing anything.

The day and night pass eventless. Come morning the group gathers tod does a roll call

"Marcus, is Marcus here?"

"Yep, I'm here!" replies marcus

"Kyle, is Kyle here?"

"prEsent" kyle says with a sarcastic underlying tone

"Daryl is Daryl here?"

"Dude, we're all here, you don't have to do roll calls, every one of us. Marcus, kyle, me, jonny, charlie, liam, carter, evan, and rodger"

"You say that but I actually don't see Charlie, where is he?"

Charlie ran to catch up, one finger in his ear rubbing it "sorry im so late!! I felt something in my ear. I thought a bug crawled in. I dont think itll be a problem though, let's have some fun!"

Tod looking at Daryl smugly "now, if i hadn't done the roll call we wouldn't have realized he was missing, roll call for the win!"

Daryl sighs with defeat. Charlie goes up to Liam and high fives him " hey man! How's it going? Hope you slept well!" as charlie says this the figure wisps into liam's ear. Liam was concerned if anyone saw that, but no one did.

Charlies in a reassuring tone tells liam that "it was probably just a bug don't worry about it!'' Charlie gives Liam a quick peck hoping no one saw it.

Liam smiles to himself as he turns to the sound of Tod clearing his throat "we all have cars but we don't all need to take them. So Liam, Kyle, and I will drive, everyone else gets on one of those cars.`` Evan, Rodger, and Jonny get into Kyle's car. Daryl, rodger, and marcus tod ride together. Charlie and liam left together to ride alone. They looked at eachother with a smirk, like that car ride bouta be the bomb, and it was buuut ill spare the mushy details, this isnt a romance story its a horror story.

Arriving to the castle tod and marcus step out first to greet the guide, tod waves to the guide with a stern look and the greeter smiles nervously back "hi there, you must be Tod, im sure youre probably wondering if we're going to trick you, well im sure youll be glad to know that you won't be gouged, or scammed, we bought this castle a couple years ago because the owner was tired of paying for it, so we decided to share this wonderful place with people for a cheap price! I'm sure you know that your time period is 10 days, please, enjoy your stay"

Before Tod can get a word in, the guide opens the door to reveal a vast entrance area; two large stairwells ascend into the second floor, glimpses of candle lights can be seen throughout, it's a marvelous scene, unlike any dreams or fantasies you could ever have. The group now gathered around the door stare in with awe, after a couple moments their attention breaks and they all rush to get their stuff and claim a room.

"I call the master bed!" hollered Tod, everyone nods in agreement, he is the leader, it's only right he gets the master bed, everyone else picks their respective rooms, marcus notice that in his room is a doorway that leads to johnny's room, and jonny has a door that leads to daryls room, daryl's to liams, liams to charlies, charlies to- i think you get it, each room excluding the master is connected via doorway. Everyone thinks nothing of it, except rodger, he inspects his room closer, the painting he has is of a lamb being lead, he looks in each room all have the same painting, including the master room, as well as the interesting painting he founds that each room has a grandfather clock a night table with a candlestick in a holder. The beds all have the same red and white cross stitched pattern, and a singular window overlooking an overgrown garden and hedge maze with an almost immaculately pristine fountain dispersing the clearest water ever scene, an odd sight compared to the overgrown garden and the unkempt hedge maze.

After everyone got settled the sky started to settle when the mysterious figure that once resided in charlie and liams ear is scene swooping over a 10 candle menorah esque installation with candles lines up in order of height as it resurfaces to the ceiling where it perched on the rafters all 10 candles suddenly light up, each flicker naturally. No one witnesses this event happen, as everyone is outside around a fire pit having a bonfire, liam and charlie aren't present at this bonfire, no one seems to notice.

They aren't at the fire for they are walking together in the unkept hedge maze talking. Charlie ina serious tone looks at liam and says "what if i'm an alien''

Liam with a small sigh, "You're so silly, of course you're not an alien, those aren't real, atleast i dont think they're real."

charlie with a slight disappointed look hugs onto liam's arm "yea i guess, if i was an alien i probably would've tried to eat you or somethings"

he gives a small wink and liam smiles in return "well i'm glad you aren't gonna eat me",

Charlie replies jokingly "wellllllll, imma still eat you" charlie gently bites down on liam's shoulder as to not actually hurt him.

A few hours later charlie notices the semi distant light of the bonfire the other are having go dim the two assume everyone else has gone to bed, so charlie pounces onto liam and start to kiss- ok lets just skip this, just so you know this is supposed to be a sex scene but i dont want to write one, so lets just skip to after- the two finish up their… act… they get up from the ground and head inside to get some rest during the night, unknown to them. The figure has been watching them perched atop the fountain, it slowly follows them back inside as everyone slips into rest the figure floats up to the candle installment and knocks the flame out of the smallest candle, it flickers with a horrific grace as it dies out.