Rules of the Game

The museum was colder than expected, the dim lighting casting long shadows over the grotesque exhibits. Ancient masks, rusted weapons, and faded movie posters lined the walls, each artifact a piece of horror history. Dr. Marlow, the curator, stood at the front, his face lit with excitement as he explained the significance of each item.

"This is a celebration of fear," he proclaimed, gesturing toward a display of knives. "Tomorrow, Stonebrook will become a living exhibit. But don't worry—Halloween is a shield. Too many people in masks, and too much chaos for any real danger to occur. You'll all blend right in."

Alex exchanged uneasy glances with Mara and Eli. Dr. Marlow's confidence did little to calm their nerves.

"Classic hubris," Mara muttered under her breath.

"Relax," Riley said. "He's not wrong. Strength in numbers."

They lingered for another hour before deciding to head out. Night had fallen, the town bathed in the eerie glow of streetlights. The group stuck together, walking in tense silence toward their respective homes.

Holly Jacobs, ever the skeptic, rolled her eyes at their paranoia. "You guys are ridiculous. It's just a costume and a phone call. If anyone comes at me, I'll deck them before they can even say 'boo.'"

"Holly, seriously—" Alex started, but she waved him off.

"I'll be fine. See you tomorrow." She turned down a side street, her confident stride fading into the darkness.

The night was quiet, save for the occasional rustling of leaves. Holly walked briskly, her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets. She was halfway home when the roar of an engine shattered the silence.

A police car sped down the narrow street, its headlights slicing through the dark. Holly barely had time to jump aside as it screeched to a halt inches from her.

"What the hell?!" she shouted, slapping the hood.

The driver's side door opened, and a figure stepped out wearing a Ghostface mask. Holly's heart skipped a beat, but the figure immediately pulled it off, revealing a young cop with a sheepish grin.

"Sorry about that," he said, laughing. "Couldn't resist. It's Halloween, right?"

Holly glared at him, her pulse slowly returning to normal. "You're an idiot."

Before she could walk away, the passenger door opened. Another figure in a Ghostface mask emerged. Holly froze, her eyes darting between them.

"Real funny," she said, her voice trembling slightly.

The cop chuckled, but his laughter was cut short by a sickening thud. The second Ghostface drove a knife into his temple, the blade sinking deep. The cop's grin remained, even as his body crumpled to the ground.

Holly stumbled back, her breath hitching. The second Ghostface turned toward her, the knife gleaming in the streetlight.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She fumbled to answer it, her shaking fingers barely managing to swipe the screen.

"H-Hello?"

A distorted voice crackled through the line. "Let's play a game, Holly. Three questions. Answer them all correctly, and you live. Get one wrong..."

The voice trailed off, but Holly knew the implication. Her mind raced. She could do this.

"First question," the voice continued. "What's the weapon of choice on Friday the 13th?"

"Easy. A machete," Holly said, trying to steady her voice.

"Correct. Next question: In Halloween, what's Michael Myers' middle name?"

Holly hesitated, her confidence wavering. "Uhh... Audrey?"

Final question: "Who was the killer in the original Ghostface murders?"

Holly smirked. "Billy Loomis."

There was a long pause, followed by a faint, chilling laugh.

"Wrong, Holly."

"What? No, that's—"

The line went dead.

Before she could react, a voice whispered behind her. "Wrong."

She spun around, but it was too late. The second Ghostface drove a knife into her back. Pain exploded through her, paralyzing her legs. She gasped, her vision blurring as her body sagged.

The first Ghostface appeared in front of her, knife in hand. Without a word, they plunged the blade into her skull, splitting her face into a grotesque grin.

Holly's body crumpled to the ground, her lifeless eyes staring up at the darkened sky.

Ghostface stood over her, silent and triumphant.