a/n: And that's a wrap! Thank you for everyone who read my fictober drabbles. I really appreciate it. This was so much fun. I'll still update this periodically, of course, but there won't be any more daily drabbles. Or maybe you're thankful for that, considering I keep spamming your email. XD

Fictober Day 31: "Scared, me?"

"I heard this place is haunted."

Konekomaru's eyes widened slightly, moving his flashlight in Shima's direction. He swallowed nervously, brows knotted with worry. "Really?"

"Totally," Shima said nonchalantly and made a show of slowly sweeping his flashlight over the abandoned hallway. Konekomaru hesitantly followed it, prepared for something to leap out of the shadows that spilled from every corner. Prepared to see something he didn't want to see.

Bon, however, only rolled his eyes. "I mean, I don't doubt it. This place sure as hell looks haunted."

"We're exorcists," Kamiki-san said, not looking pleased. "So what if it's haunted? We can protect ourselves."

That was true, but still. The atmosphere of this place was already spooky and unsettling, and Shima's comment wasn't making it any better. His gaze skitted back to the empty hallway. Tried not to let his imagination wander too much.

"I wonder..." Shima trailed off, looking back at them with exaggerated seriousness. "...if somebody died here."

A shiver crawled up Konekomaru's spine. "Shima-kun... cut it out."

Shima took a few steps forward, waving his hand dismissively. Konekomaru stayed put, waiting with anticipation as his friend continued walking and disappeared around the corner, flashlight still in hand.

"Shima-kun," Konekomaru repeated, rooted in place. "Come back here. It could be dangerous."

The only response he received was the echoing sound of Shima's footsteps.

"Actually, Konekomaru's right," Bon said, starting to walk after him. "This place is old and grimy, and we should probably leave. We got what Kirikagure-sensei asked for. Who knows what's down that hall. Get your ass back here."

No response.

Then, suddenly, Shima expelled a piercing, terrified scream, and the light from his flashlight disappeared.

Konekomaru's eyes popped again, and with a loud curse, Okumura-kun took off running. Bon followed in less than a second, and then Moriyama-san, and then Konekomaru himself. He barely caught Kamiki-san's annoyed huff before she was darting after them.

"Shima? Hey, Shima, are you ok?" Okumura-kun was asking, looking very concerned.

Konekomaru stood panting, not from his run but with fear, a bead of sweat rolling down his brow. He swept his flashlight around the room they were in now, his heart a thunderous drumbeat in his ears.

"...Shima-kun?" he whispered.

Nothing.

"Pffftt... you s-should see your faces," Shima suddenly said, gasping with laughter. He clicked his light back on to reveal his grinning face as he stepped out of his hiding place. "P-priceless!"

Konekomaru put a hand to his chest, drawing in a deep, cleansing breath. "That wasn't funny, Shima-kun."

"Yeah," Bon said, crossing his arms. "You had us worried for a second!"

"We thought you'd been hurt," Moriyama-san said quietly.

Shima just continued to chuckle, now holding his sides. Okumura-kun walked up to him and shone his light on his body as if actually checking him for injuries. Then he frowned. "That was a dirty trick."

"But I... I got you good."

Konekomaru pursed his lips. As much as he cared for Shima, he should have known. It was just like Shima to pull a prank on them.

"Oi..." Shima said abruptly after he caught his breath from his spell of laughter. "Okumura-kun. I'm really ok. You can take your hand off my back."

Okumura blinked confusedly. "...that's not my hand."

Shima straightened, all traces of humor gone. "W-what? Just now. I felt your hand on my..."

"It wasn't me." Okumura-kun was starting to look worried now. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"Don't tell me you're scared now," Kamiki-san said with a scowl.

"What?" A nervous giggle. "Scared, me? Nah."

"Shima," Okumura-kun murmured. "I can see you shaking already."

"M-maybe you guys were right," Shima said, suddenly walking off in the other direction, down the hallway they'd just ran through. He was moving at a pace that just kept getting faster. Called out, "Time to leave!"

Kamiki-san's scowl deepened. "What a wimp. He gets us all worked up and then does that."

Konekomaru glanced uneasily at Okumura-kun. "You... were you serious?"

"Nah," he echoed in a whisper. "It was totally me."

Bon snorted. "You little shit."