Not the real update, but this is a special Halloween chapter. Not sure if other countries celebrate Halloween, but HH to all of those in the US! Chapter 11 is pretty much finished, but I just want to go over it once again. Or a few times. I did skip a few minor parts to write the major ones (did I mention this?) So just going over again to make sure that it goes smoothly, not skipping a week or day in once scene break.

Once again, Happy Halloween! Enjoy!

Note: This Halloween chapter is a bit of a mix of a haunted house attraction, somewhat parts from Evil Within, and other horror games.

"Uh," I turned around, "How did I get myself into this?" Sylvia teasingly pushed me through the door and we entered the attraction.

"You said that you don't get scared, right?" She said sweetly, "So, I want to go through the worst haunted house around this year with you. You'll watch out for me, won't you?"

I was about to disagree and point out that if push goes to shove, I would most likely unintentionally leave her behind. But looking into her bright, pleading eyes, I couldn't resist agreeing with her. She beamed and the attendant bowed before leading us inside. He started to give a background overview of the location and we listened intently before he was grabbed by the neck and dragged up into the ceiling. Both Sylvia and I screamed and a hollow voice shouted in our ears:

The fun starts NOW!

We felt nothing below our feet and we realized we were falling. Sylvia grabbed onto me and I held her close until I saw the room open up. I prepared to land and when we did, I fell over right on top of Sylvia. We stayed that way for a few moments, our breaths reaching each other's face. I eventually spoke and felt a rush of warmth on my face, "We...should probably go on."

Her face grew just as red as mine, "Right."

We got up but I pushed her aside as something flew past our faces and into the darkness, hitting a metallic object with a clang. I walked over and inspected the area closely, noticing a grate, "Hey, over here."

I yanked on the grate but it didn't budge. Sylvia ran over and put her hands on the edge and at a count of three, we yanked it up at the same time. It came off with a tremendous crash and Sylvia pulled me back as a horde of zombies crawled through, groaning and growling. We froze and stayed still, covering each other's mouth as they leaned in closely, hot breaths traveling down our faces and blood dipping onto our clothes.

Eventually, they shot their heads to the right and we saw a group of armed men standing with a flashlight shining in our eyes, "We got these bastards, whoever you two are, go!"

We heard gunfire and calm shouts in the distance requesting ammunition or backup and the group inching towards us rushed the men at the door. I pushed Sylvia into the vents first and once she started crawling, I followed suit, hearing the lead man return with the grate.

"Here's a flashlight. Keep on going. You'll be safe in the end. I'll put this back on so nothing follows behind."

"Alright! Thanks!" I shouted back as the flashlight dropped and the grate slid back on. I grabbed onto it and started forward without turning it on, only to bump into something ahead of me, my face in something...soft?

"Hah!" I heard her give a startled moan from ahead.

"Sorry, sorry," I quickly said and backed up, pushing the flashlight ahead to her, "I probably should have gone first, right?"

The light clicked on and I saw her flash a smile, face still a tinge of red from earlier, "Don't worry, I can lead the way. Just don't look up my skirt~"

I laughed, "I'll try, but it'll be too tempting and there's nothing much for me to look at regardless." I got a friendly kick into my face and I rubbed the spot, not mentioning that when she did that, it revealed just what she wanted to hide. She realized this and kicked me again. Only at the third time when I shut my eyes when she kicked did she stop. Confident and with renewed determination, she foraged ahead. She jumped when something hit the metal from beneath her, startling the two of us.

There was nothing else that disturbed us for a few minutes and just as I was about to point that out, the metal sheets behind me were torn apart and I saw something crawl through, "CRAWL AS FAST AS YOU CAN, SYLVIA!"

She looked behind at the noise and her face paled, quickly scrambling ahead, only to stop at an intersection and look both sides, "Stuck."

I heard things moving ahead and the thing behind us slowed its pace, knowing we were trapped. Sylvia managed to turn around and she put her head into my neck, "This is supposed to be an attraction, not some way to kill us." I looked at the demon behind me grin and give a jaunting wave and the vent collapsed beneath us. Surprised, I shot my and out and grabbed the edge, cutting my hand as I held on and my other holding Sylvia who looked down into the darkness.

I glanced up to see the thing look at my hand for a moment then push it off.

We fell for a moment and landed smoothly this time, with Sylvia catching me somewhat. She embraced me, and pulled away before noticing my bloodied hand. I shook away the concern and pointed at conveniently placed stairs ahead of us, only that it was somewhat blocked off by a pile of corpses. "Great," Sylvia sighed, "I bet that one of those things are actually alive."

I stared at them and then looked at her doubtfully, "I don't know...they look plenty dead to me. I wouldn't be surprised if they were real corpses from who knows where."

We spent a few minutes dragging aside the bodies undisturbed and I beamed at her, "See? They are real cor-" I was suddenly yanked down and I flinched at the screech the monster made right in my face before it went still and released my ankle, dropping on the floor lifelessly.

Sylvia held back a laugh despite the atmosphere and helped me up. "I was right," she gently nudged the now motionless body, "I think. Let's hurry up."

I earnestly agreed and we ran up, taking multiple steps at a time. We caught our breath at the top, only to jump when someone crashed into the bars separating us from a unauthorized area, "RUN! THEY ARE HERE TO DEVOU-" The man with a bloodied front screamed as his head was yanked back and a monster screeched at us before returning to his...prize?

We heard a crack and the scream was cut off quickly and Sylvia tugged at my arm, "Ethan...do you hear something?" We tried to ignore the fleshy sound and heard distant running, only...to realize it was coming from the stairs. We knew exactly what to do and simply ran, with me in the lead. As Sylvia pulled ahead, she looked back and grabbed my hand, pushing us faster and further until she hit a door violently. She yanked on it but it didn't budge.

She moved aside and I pushed down the handle and shouldered the door, finding out that it opened out rather than in. We pushed through and I held the door back as Sylvia barricaded it off with sturdy planks of wood. She started to go ahead when I turned back to lock the door just in case. When we took in our dimly lit surroundings, we noticed we were now in a sewer.

Water splashed from afar and when I observed the color, I realized that it wasn't a rusty brown, but rather a bloody red. What I hoped weren't human parts floated by, some larger, more whole parts being dragged below the water now and then, some not returning up to the surface. The two of us quickly agreed not to enter the water and rather walked down the concrete sides, until we reached an area where there was a break, the only way across was through the water.

"How fun," I sighed, "It feels just like a horror game now."

"It does, doesn't it?" Sylvia replied, amazed, "I actually like this a bit now."

I pointed at the water, "Not until you see what's in there." She glanced down and shuddered, seeing a zombie happily munching on a slab of meat. I slowly entered the water and carried Sylvia in a bridal carry, slowly moving across the water and around the few 'living' beings inside with us. When we were practically at the edge of safety, all turned to us and moved quicker than I would ever expect to see something move in water. I ran as fast as I could and lifted Sylvia up onto solid ground then when she turned to face me, she reached out with a hand.

I grabbed onto it, but at the same moment, was forcibly yanked down. The force nearly pulled her down, but before she could I let go and went beneath the water. Her cry was muffled by the water as I struggled against the thing that held me down. I swung my arms but felt nothing at my torso, making me assume that whatever held me down had me below my feet. I kicked once and made contact, but it didn't let go. I kicked again and I was released, but I was a distance away from the surface. Lungs burning, I swam up but I couldn't make it, as it was too far. I was dragged in too deep.

As I was fading away, suddenly my head broke through and I gasped for air, feeling someone hold onto my chest. I turned to see Sylvia grimly concentrated, waist tied to a rope knotted at a steel support. When she lifted the two of us up, she said, "They made a mistake there. They held you down too long, but wanted me to get you rather than them to make it feel realistic."

A tear slid down her cheek, pushing away the blood that was drying on her face, "I thought you'd actually die. Again." I pushed myself up and sat in front of her kneeling figure. She glance up and I gave her a kiss on the lips, surprising her.

"Not dead yet," I grinned, "I think we're almost there."

She muttered, "Right."

The wall behind us broke and I pushed Sylvia up, smiling slightly as we sprinted with full effort, not daring to back to see what was making that annoying cackle.

When we left the sewer, I took off my jacket and swiped at the blood on my face, drying Sylvia's face for her. Even now, I couldn't stop looking at her face. This time it seemed much cuter than usual as she had her eyes closed and smiling as I dabbed at the wet blood.

We glanced around and saw the man from way back when jog up to us, "Hey, glad you made it out. My men and I are clearing the forest. This time, feel free to attack whatever jumps out at you. It's fine." He gave a wink, reminding us that this was simulated and ran ahead, shouting into his radio before disappearing into the darkness.

"Oh boy, we were inside for a while," I commented, seeing the dark sky and buildings beyond the forest, "Let's hope nothing kills us and we don't kill anything."

Reaching the opposite end of the woods, we bent over our knees catching our breath. The two of us managed to avoid most of the parts intended to scare us only bumping into three at most, scaring them instead as we came from behind or beside them unexpectedly, which I found ironic. They were supposed to scare us, but we scared them?

Strangely, we heard nothing at this point. Not a cricket chirping or anything moving. Until there was the sound of something dragging its feet across the leaves. Sylvia grabbed my hand and pointed to a cabin not too far ahead. I shook my head at the horrible idea but she returned the shake, tapping her head. Curious, I allowed her to guide me to the wooden shelter. She closed the door behind me and ordered me to hold it closed.

Just as I did so, something strong yanked on it and it nearly flew out of my hands. And I was even using Genestella strength. "If you have an idea, it'll reassure me if you tell me now!" I shouted. The door was pulled on twice more and Sylvia timed the attempts. After the third, she held onto the door herself, taking my spot. When the door flew open, I thought she made a mistake, but her triumphant laugh proved otherwise.

Whatever tried to open it expected resistance, and when it yanked with all its might as Sylvia let go, it fell backwards. We sprinted out the door and after a mere distance away, we heard a bellow and furious stomping. What the hell did they get from Hell?

Sylvia shouted in surprise and I pulled her right just as a zombie tried to grab her. Unfortunately, I tripped on a root, pulling her down with me. Just then, a bright light filled our vision and an old military vehicle slowed to a stop, temporarily blocking off us from the zombies. "Get on!"

I pushed Sylvia up and she jumped on, catching the hand of the soldier, who pulled her onboard. He stretched out his hand for me and I gripped it, only to nearly have him fall out at the sudden force pulling me down. He caught onto a bar on the side and shouted over his shoulder, "I can't get him like this! Get the gun!"

Quickly, a man appeared with what appeared to be an AK-105 and aimed down the sights, snapping off a double tap. I felt the pressure on my ankle loosen and the men in the vehicle pulled me up. They quickly treated both our wounds and efficiently, ignoring Sylvia's gender and wrapping bandages around us efficiently and robotically. As we cleared the woods, a man came up from the front and I recognized the lead man. "How'd you enjoy it?"

"Too real," I replied and Sylvia nodded.

The truck slowed to a stop and peeking around the canvas, I saw the entrance.

[I hope you enjoyed ScareFusion! Please come again next year and live through what the protagonists go through in video games and movies!]

"By the way," I spoke up as Sylvia and I exited and donned on new jackets, "Who are you guys?" I counted six men, including the driver, and looked at the lead one, who removed his NVGs and winked. Before I could say more, they drove back into the forest.

Sylvia looked at me as people started to gather around us, asking about our experience and autographs, "Wasn't that...?"

"Hideki and his company? Yeah," she let out amused laughter at the answer, "I'll have to ask them why they were part of this."

"I'll bet they did it for a genuine feel of soldiers fighting off hordes of the undead."

"No thanks..." I smiled.

"Bet you'll lose again~"

The two of us sat side-by-side on the couch, enjoying each other's company when there was a knock on the door. I got up and (obviously) opened the door, seeing small children smiling and holding out buckets and Jack-o-Lanterns. The hotel had said to expect this today from the guests' children, but Sylvia urged me to buy candy regardless.

She cheerfully placed candy in the buckets and just as I was about to close the door, one child who stood out due to his mischievous look came up to me and asked me a question. I gave a shout at his vulgar nature and when Sylvia inquired about it, he asked her the exact same question. She blushed violently and I slammed the door in his face, ignoring his fake bawl and the knocks from the staff.

I quickly went to the balcony and gave a long cry into the night and once my echo died down, Sylvia held onto my shoulder, "Don't let that one thing ruin tonight."

Merely glancing at her, I returned my attention to the skylines and bright light of the city buildings. She removed her hand and when she stood beside me, I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her close. She didn't resist and simply laid her head on my chest, placing her ear on my heart. Our warmth and the city night sounds soon lulled her to sleep and when she slumped, I carried her to the bed, gently placing her down. After I climbed in, I pulled the blankets over us.

I put a finger on her cheek and slowly ran it down, to her neck, between her breasts, to her stomach and stopped just between her legs.

"We can save that for another day," I laughed to myself. "So what if we did it before? After all that running and rush, I'm not surprised that we're both dead tired."

As I faced the ceiling, I felt her drape her arm on top of me just before I fell asleep.

Again, Happy Halloween everyone!

Second note: This chapter doesn't particularly fit anywhere, but it could fit in the Festas before that final. Or as after the conclusion. Up to you!