Author's Note: Hello all! I decided this story was in dire need of updating so... here we are! This chapter will be more about introducing their lives now, the set up for the story, and just... the beginning works. This is going to be the lightest chapter throughout the story, so be warned. The story will be graphic and violent, so if you don't like, don't read or read on with caution. There is more dialogue in this chapter, too.

Hope you enjoy,

-Angie

I had them in my sights. I had them marked properly; all those years of watching over them, I knew what would make them come to me, what would awaken their every fear and emotion. I knew what would make them scream and I couldn't wait to hear the deafening shrieks that suffocated the air that they fought to breathe. I didn't have to convince them, I didn't even show my face. It was the blissfully ignorant fool who had taken the geeks comments too far...

When Eric had said he wanted to do something adventurous and risky he meant to vandalize property or trench a yard. He didn't think Kelso would want to do anything scary- after all he was the biggest chicken of the group. But when he came racing down the basement stairs with a look of pure genius spread on his face he knew the ending result wouldn't turn out well.

"Guys, guys! I have the best idea ever!" Kelso cried excitedly, eyes shining with revisited adventure.

"Last time you said that, Schotzie ended up in a coma," Eric grumbled, Fez nodded glumly as he nibbled on a licorice rope.

"No, I really mean it this time. I was driving from work and I saw this awesome house!" Kelso tried to explain. Yet as he saw the annoyed looks on his friends' faces his smile faltered. "I just thought it would be fun, like Eric had wanted... one last blowout."

"See, when I said blowout I really meant blow out," Eric chimed in, Hyde smirked and set down the newspaper he had been reading. Eric watched as Kelso walked to the deep freeze and grabbed a grape Popsicle.

"Yeah, well I thought this would be cool; we'd all camp out there for a night, we could be like... ghost hunters... dude that would be an awesome movie!" Eric and Hyde glanced at each other and sighed.

"Kelso, see that would be cool when we were seventeen. But now we're twenty-two and-"

"Exactly my point! We gotta live like we were seventeen! What excitement do we have now? A raise? We have to liiiive again!" Fez grinned and nodded vigorously.

"I agree." The two turned to the skeptical men and finally Eric sighed once more.

"Fine..." he mumbled, leaning back on the couch.

Kelso was slightly right; they never did the same things they had as their teenage selves. Bob was right when he said those were the best years of their lives... and now they were gone. They needed to live again, go back in time... or at least act like they had. Besides, the house was probably just scary looking, not haunted.

And so I watched them from afar; waiting patiently for them to fall into my trap. Waiting, crouched like a cat as they fell into my web of horrors and then I would sink my teeth into their terrified flesh. I would make them pay for what they had done; and yet they didn't even know of their actions to begin with. It made their fate so much sweeter; they were mine.

"This is my last adventure before I'm a married man!" Eric cried a half an hour later as he downed his third beer in his apartment's living room. The three other men continued to feed him alcohol as if he were dehydrating; like always.

"And you're actually going through with it," Fez warned him as he gulped down the last of his beer. Eric nodded and took a deep breath.

"We have to do this tonight, guys! I mean, this is it; this is the final moment of our lives that we can have fun. The next time we do anything like this we'll be cruising the nursing homes in wheelchairs!" he cried, Hyde chuckled and shook his head.

"Maybe you," he mumbled, taking a draw from his cigarette as he finally made a comment in the conversation. Each of his friends looked at him curiously.

"Yeah I'm with Hyde, I'm not going to a nursing home I'm gonna be the coolest old guy on the block!" Kelso cried, Hyde sighed and chuckled as he shook his head once more.

"No, I'm not gonna go old," he replied, making Eric feel uncomfortable.

"Wait like, you don't want to get old?" Hyde shook his head. "But what about Jackie?" he shrugged his shoulders and sighed heavily.

"I don't picture myself being old, man, I picture me going out for doing-"

"I wanna die while having sex, that's the way to go!" Kelso cried, Fez grinned and nodded as he laughed.

"No, that's disgusting," a new voice was heard through the doorway. A set of keys clunked on the counter in the kitchen and the young men watched as four pairs of shoes flung from the kitchen all the way to the living room. "You should want to die in the arms of the one you love-"

"Why are we talking about this?" Fez asked suddenly, "it's deeply disturbing!" he glared at his friends who nodded in agreement. Jackie and Donna walked into the living room and found their seats next to Hyde and Eric.

"Do you two want to go to a haunted house with us?" Kelso asked, the two women glanced at each other warily.

"It's not haunted, just abandoned. We wanted to go because it's like... our last laugh, our last moment of fun-"

"What, getting married won't be fun for you?" Donna barked in offense. Eric shook his head and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"No, I didn't mean that; fun in general. We're all getting older, the last adventurous thing we did was stay out til midnight last night," he commented sarcastically to Donna who slowly nodded. "It could be fun!" The twenty-two year old woman sighed and finally smiled softly at her soon to be husband.

"Fine, we'll go."

Perfect. This was going to be so much easier than I had imagined. Their vulnerability and ignorance was too much for me. They were walking right into their deaths, right into the very demons they feared the most. And it was all on them.

The six quickly ran to Eric's Vista Cruiser; he had another car now but used the old boat whenever he and his friends wanted to all go out together. Like now. Before they left, they made sure they had their stock of "fun" in the back- a twenty-four pack and a replenished plastic bag of hemp.

As Eric drove, Kelso gave him directions. Soon they found themselves north bound of Point Place on the open road. Already each of them could feel the freedom and slight itch of rebellion that hadn't been scratched for awhile. But most of all, they felt like they were teens again.

"Man, I've missed this!" Kelso chirped, taking the pipe from Fez and pulled out his lighter. Hyde nodded and squeezed his hand against Jackie's waist softly. She glanced up and smiled at him and then nuzzled into his chest.

"It's like... we're nomads wandering throughout time and space to find what we lost long ago... we're like..." Donna trailed off as she leaned back in her seat, staring at the hood of the car.

"We're like jedis..." Eric finished for her which earned a chorus of groans from his friends.

"Yup, just like old times," Hyde mumbled playing with his lighter. He turned to look at Jackie who hadn't been quite her bubbly self- she hadn't gone and on about how she hated her coworkers and that "Stacy's hair was still as greasy as ever." In fact, she had been unusually quiet since she had arrived at Donna and Eric's apartment. "Hey," he whispered as his index finger tucked a lock of her dark straightened hair behind her ear. She glanced up and smiled softly at him. "You okay?" She nodded and looped her fingers with his.

"Just scared," she whispered back and then laughed quietly.

"Hey, don't be scared, we're just going to a stupid abandoned house. Besides, I've got a real treat for you when we get there." Her eyes lit up as he spoke gently into her ear so only the two of them could hear.

"But it's not about that..." she trailed off, and averted her gaze to Donna who was in the midst of a steamy conversation with her fiancee. She hadn't even looked or talked to her since she told her, and it scared her.

"Eric," Donna whispered as her fingers lightly grazed over his leg. His heart pounded loudly and his mouth dried quickly as he nearly lost all focus on the road. "Remember what we talked about last night?" Eric nodded. How could he forget? After round after round of sex that nearly blew his mind, they had a talk about spicing up their romance. He didn't think it needed any spicing- he liked how it was; slightly spicy but lots of sweet.

"Yeah...?" He asked, locking eyes with her, she grinned and held his hand as she scooted closer to him.

"Why don't we... try when we get to that house?" His eyes widened as he heard her whisper huskily in his ear.

"In a haunted house?" He knew it wasn't haunted, but just the thought of it being "haunted" made the whole situation so much kinkier. Donna nodded and started to laugh quietly. Eric grinned and started to chuckle as well. With the combination of the two laughs, the entire car soon grew into a fit of hysterics as they sped along the highway.

Like a group of friends they were heading off for a night of fun, only to be tortured until they finally gave in to the strong pull tugging them closer and closer to me- to death. They were unaware and unaware of many things. Were there reasons in which the independent red head felt things needed to be heated? Why was the raven haired beauty so scared... and what was she afraid of? It wasn't me, yet it was up to me, up to my plan; to rip apart their secrets and spread them like their shed blood across the floor; for all to see.

As the distance from the house lessened, the nerves of the six friends began to grow. Maybe it was because of the "circle" they had just had not too long ago, and were still having. Maybe it was because they felt they were too old for this. Or maybe it was because they believed the house was truly haunted.

"Y'know, it's sort of dark," Kelso mumbled weakly, "we could go bowling or something?" Eric snorted as he drove through the town of Somers.

"Or we could go to a movie?" Fez also suggested, fidgeting with the cuff of his sleeve as his nerves grew passed the point that he could stand.

"What, are you scared?" Eric asked darkly, turning to face Fez with a wicked grin that made the hairdresser whimper in fear.

"N-no..." he stammered, hand clenching the car handle tightly.

"Come on guys, this'll be fun! It's not like anyone is gonna find us... what have we got to lose?" Everyone was silent as the Vista Cruiser crept up the old brick driveway. The sound of erratic breathing could be heard from the six, including Eric who was only trying to seem like he wasn't scared. Truth be told, he was absolutely terrified as his eyes stared at the house.

Overgrown weeds and vines climbed up the sides of the dark grey painted house. There were broken windows and shingles that had fallen from the black roof. The porch had practically fallen through and dark colored plants that almost appeared like hands gripping the wood from under the porch slithered towards them.

Hesitance fell upon the group yet finally they climbed out of the old car and stood huddled together. Each of them stared with wide eyes at the house that could very well be seen on a horror movie.

"So... who's gonna go in first?" Kelso murmured, biting his lip nervously as he avoided staring at the home for too long. It seemed like it was watching them.

"Not me!" Jackie squeaked softly and glanced up at Hyde, "and neither are you." He turned to her and tilted his head.

"Why?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You're protecting me, if you go first I'd have to go with you and that's not going to happen," the twenty-two year old rolled his eyes at his girlfriend and shrugged his shoulders.

"Whatever," he mumbled and turned to Eric who had lost all blood in his face. Donna looked apprehensive as well yet tried to hide it more than her fiancee.

"Oh you're all a bunch of chickens!" Fez cried loudly and made his way through his friends. He haughtily walked up the rest of the driveway and attempted to climb the front porch stairs, yet fell through. After hearing a loud yelp from his friend, the other five quickly followed him. "I hurt for you, you pansies!" He hissed then tip toed his way up the five steps.

Fez's hand hovered above the doorknob and he took a deep breath. What if when he opened this door a ghost was there? Or a scary face or... a spider? Fez shuddered and shook his head- that was just his paranoia. There was nothing there, they would all be okay.

The metal knob felt hot as his hand grasped it. Slowly he turned the handle and pushed open the dark red door. When it creaked open, they all peered down the long hallway and Kelso nudged Fez to go forward. With shaking legs, Fez slowly crept into the doorway and took a deep breath.

A cold chill ran through the house as the door shut behind them. As they viewed the rooms in the house, they saw dark stains along the lighter toned walls yet figured it was just from the age and how it wasn't taken care of. The rich wood floors underneath them creaked with every step and also had dark stains like the walls. As they breathed, their lungs seemed to feel slightly suffocated from the musty and dust-filled air. There was a mixture of scents- there was the dust and the smell of old furniture as well as polished wood. Yet there was an undefinable scent that seemed to stick out more than the rest; like a copper or metal scent that was almost nauseating.

Fez and Eric shivered and tried to ignore the eerie feeling that overcame them. Hyde sighed and held Jackie close to him yet made sure she avoided his left side.

"We're okay." He breathed happily, Kelso grinned and nodded.

"See? Nothing to worry about." Dark glares were cast in his direction and he laughed quietly and backed away from his friends. Eric cleared his throat and raised his hand. Hyde slowly shifted his eyes toward his friend and stared at him incredulously.

"Put your hand down," he barked, Eric's face fell.

"But I-"

"Just talk, man." Eric sighed softly and waited until he had the attention of his closest friends.

"Okay, so we're here... and we don't really know what we're doing. So why don't we each pair up and tour the house, and then meet up here in like an hour or two?" He asked glancing over at Donna who nodded happily. Hyde shrugged and glanced over at Jackie who immediately squeezed his hand and Fez and Kelso wrapped their arms around each other. "O-kay" He nearly sang after staring awkwardly at the two men who seemed one step away from being lovers. "I think we have our pairs figured out..." Six nods ran over the group and he sighed shakily.

With the plans made, the three pairs turned and walked their separate ways. Each unaware of the darkness that had already fallen upon them, unaware that these would be their final hours of breathing. And within these hours, they would be faced with the horrors that haunted them from the past, scorned them throughout the years, formed them into who they are. They would be faced with their darkest fears, their unheard secrets, the inner demons that they battle through the day, and most of all the lies they tell themselves and every single person around them. They would be faced with truth, with the blatant reality that they were mortal; they're just as weak as me or you.

Each were unaware of the seventh person in the house who was breathing softly in the living room and soaking in their radiating fear. The reclining chair creaked softly and a blazing fire roared in the fireplace. In the hand of the silhouette was a fire poker that would have burned the flesh of any other human being. On the floor lay six sculpted wax carvings; perfectly formed into the shapes of the beauty, the fool, the geek, the foreigner, the feminist, and the misfit.

I was there and I was ready; ready to watch them squirm on the floor as they helplessly tried to defend themselves. I was ready to hear their unheard pleas rumble throughout the house. I was ready to feel the warmth of their crimson life between my fingers. I was ready to watch them die. I was ready to make them face everything they shunned, blocked away to survive the day. And I was there to shove their ignorance down their throats, make them taste what they were trying so hard to forget and deny.

I held the tallest wax sculpture in my hand and stabbed the fire poker through the back. I could almost hear the screams as I did so. Laughing softly, I stuck the poker above the tall roaring flames and watched as the grinning face of the fool began to bubble and melt all over the poker and sizzle as it dripped onto the logs.

Michael Christopher Kelso was a means to an end; he was in my way. And he was going first. No wheel chair races for him.