Chapter 1: Night of Fire.

Myeong Park looked at herself in her bedroom mirror with a mixture of pride and anxiety. She had spent weeks perfecting her costume, and now, with the final touches, it was finally ready. She leaned slightly to ensure the cape fell elegantly over her shoulders. Made of black velvet, the cape had a blood-red satin interior that reflected the dim light from her desk lamp. The dress was a black corset with lace detailing on the top, cinched at the waist, with a long skirt ripped at the edges, as if it had been worn for centuries. Her lace stockings gave her a gothic feel, and dark heels completed the look.

With a sigh, she took out her eyeliner and added a touch more to her almond-shaped eyes, giving them an even sharper and more seductive shape. Her lips, tinted a deep red, stood out against her fair skin. For the final touch, she attached the fake fangs she had purchased from a specialty store and smiled slightly.

The sound of a horn blared outside, shattering the calm in her room. Myeong immediately turned and walked to the window. She parted the curtain with a finger and looked out at the street. There was Ethan Carter, leaning against the door of his Jeep, a half-smile on his lips.

He was dressed as a ghostbuster, wearing a beige jumpsuit with embroidered patches on the arms, a thick belt around his waist, and a fake proton pack on his back. He looked ridiculously good in that jacket, half open, revealing the black T-shirt underneath, and with his dark hair almost intentionally disheveled.

He raised a hand and beckoned her to come downstairs. Myeong stared at him for a moment longer before turning and grabbing her bag. She hurried down the stairs, but before she could walk out the door, her mother's voice stopped her.

"Don't be late, Myeong."

Myeong rolled her eyes and sighed with a smile.

"I won't, Mom."

"I mean it," her mother insisted, crossing her arms. "I don't want you walking around alone. You know there are always strange people around Halloween."

"I'm going with Ethan. I'll be fine."

The woman looked at her for a moment, then nodded.

"Have fun."

Myeong walked out the door with a smile. Ethan was waiting for her by her car, his arms crossed and one eyebrow raised.

"Let me guess, warnings about not talking to strangers and not selling my soul to any dark entity."

"Almost," she replied with a mocking smile. "More like a 'don't be late again.'"

Ethan burst out laughing and looked her up and down.

"I have to admit, your costume is impressive. Where did you get that cape?"

Myeong twirled, letting the fabric billow dramatically.

"Vampire secrets."

"Well, my respects, Countess Dracula. Though you're missing bats coming out of your cape."

She laughed and then gestured to her outfit.

"You did a good job too. Though I was hoping for something scarier."

"Ghostbusters don't need to be scary. We just need to catch ghosts and save the day."

"With a plastic backpack?"

"Exactly," Ethan replied, feigning offense. "This baby has the latest in ghost-hunting technology."

Myeong rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Just open the door."

Ethan gave an exaggerated bow and then opened the passenger door for her. Myeong got in, and he circled the car to take her place behind the wheel.

The engine roared to life, and soon, the Jeep was moving through the decorated streets of Salem. The trees were lit with orange and purple lights, and the houses were adorned with cobwebs, pumpkins, and witch figurines.

"So, ready for the best Halloween party ever?" Ethan asked as he turned the wheel.

"Ever? Don't exaggerate."

"Come on! Black Hollow High doesn't do things by halves. I heard they decorated the entire gymnasium like a haunted castle."

Myeong settled back in her seat and smiled.

"We'll see if it's true."

But her smile faded as she felt a chill run down her spine.

"Can you turn up the heat? It's freezing in here."

Ethan frowned and looked at the dashboard screen.

"The heat's already on."

Myeong looked at him, confused.

"Really? Because I can't feel it."

"I swear. It's 72 degrees."

An awkward silence filled the car. Ethan shrugged and tried to ignore it, but Myeong rubbed her arms, feeling a chill that seemed to come from everywhere.

The car stopped at a traffic light, and a bus was lined up next to it. Myeong glanced distractedly out the window and noticed a poster taped to the side of the vehicle.

It was an advertisement for a rerun of Carrie.

The image showed Sissy Spacek in her blood-soaked prom dress, her eyes wide open, and a terrifying expression on her face.

A chill ran down Myeong's spine.

"You know, I always hated that movie," she said quietly.

Ethan turned his head toward her.

"Why? It's a classic."

"That scene... the one at the prom, when everything burns down. It gives me the creeps."

Ethan nodded.

"Yeah, it's brutal. But it's just a movie."

The light changed and the bus moved forward.

Myeong tried to shake off the feeling of unease, but as they passed a Halloween festival, something else made her tense up.

A person dressed as Death, wearing a black robe and a skull mask, pressed himself against her side window and stared at her.

Myeong let out a small scream and stepped back.

"God!"

Ethan turned quickly.

"What's wrong?"

"There was someone... there..."

Ethan looked out the window.

"Someone where?"

Myeong looked again.

There was no one.

The streets were full of people in costumes, but none dressed like Death.

Ethan looked at her worriedly.

"Are you sure you didn't imagine it?"

Myeong swallowed.

"I don't know."

Ethan placed a reassuring hand on her knee.

"Just relax. It's Halloween."

But Myeong couldn't relax.

Because, for some reason, she felt like someone, or something, was watching her.

When Ethan and Myeong arrived at the Black Hollow High School gym, the party was in full swing. The building's facade was decorated with orange and purple lights, fake cobwebs hung from the corners, and a pair of animatronic zombie figures moved slowly by the entrance.

Ethan parked his Jeep in the school lot and turned to Myeong with a smile.

"Ready for the best Halloween party ever?"

Myeong let out a soft laugh and nodded.

"Only if there aren't any more freaky scares along the way."

"I promise the only scary thing here will be Jason's impromptu choreography."

They both got out of the car and walked toward the gym entrance. A few boys from the football team, dressed as classic monsters, greeted them with glow-in-the-dark wristbands before letting them in.

The gymnasium was unrecognizable. The main lights were off, replaced by colored lamps that flickered to the beat of the music. Large cobwebs covered the ceiling, and skeletons hung from the rafters as if trapped in a dungeon. The band, dressed as serial killers from classic horror films, was on stage, playing while the crowd of students danced and laughed.

Amid the crowd, Myeong spotted her friends.

Maddie Lewis wore a pirate outfit with a dark red corset, an asymmetrical skirt, and knee-high black boots. Her black and gold bandana was tied around her curly hair, and she had a plastic sword hanging from her belt.

Jason O'Connor, the tallest of the group, wore a werewolf costume, with a ripped jacket and latex clawed gloves.

Chloe Rivera wore a fairy costume, with a green chiffon dress and transparent wings that flickered with tiny lights.

Ryan McKinley was dressed as a Terminator, with a leather jacket and a fake scar painted on his face.

Sasha Brooks, on the other hand, stood out from the crowd, wearing an elegant angel costume, complete with a white dress, feathered wings, and a glittering halo.

Maddie was the first to notice Myeong and Ethan.

"Wow, wow! Where have you been, huh?" she asked with a smirk, crossing her arms.

Ethan laughed as Myeong blushed.

"Relax, Captain Sparrow, we just took our time getting here."

Maddie rolled her eyes and looked at Myeong with a sly grin.

"I bet you did."

Myeong looked away, pretending to fix her cape, while Jason howled playfully.

"Ohhh, Countess Dracula and the Ghostbuster are arriving together! Who would have thought?"

"Oh, shut up, Jason," Myeong snorted, gently pushing him away.

The guys exchanged more comments about their costumes, throwing friendly jibes at each other and laughing.

Finally, Chloe changed the subject.

"Okay, seriously. Has anyone thought about what they'll do after graduation?"

There was a moment of silence before Ryan shrugged.

"I'm going to apply to college in California. I can't handle this winter cold."

"I want to go to New York," Sasha said excitedly. "I've always wanted to live in the big city."

Ethan sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"Honestly... I don't know. I guess I'll figure it out along the way."

Myeong took a deep breath before speaking.

"I'm going to Seoul next semester."

There was a moment of surprise before her friends congratulated her.

"That's amazing!" Chloe exclaimed.

"I'm so proud of you, Myeong," Maddie added, hugging her.

Ethan smiled, but couldn't hide a certain disappointment in his eyes.

"Wow... that's... great."

Maddie, not noticing Ethan's expression, waved her hand.

"Enough with the future talk. Let's dance!"

Myeong and Ethan followed the group to the dance floor.

The dance progressed with strobe lights illuminating the floor. The band was playing a classic rock set. Zack Holloway, a punk rocker in a studded leather jacket, was leaning against one of the gym walls with his arms crossed, staring at the stage with an annoyed expression.

"This music is crap. Who the hell is still listening to this?"

Meanwhile, Mrs. Wilkes, the gym teacher, stood in the corner of the gym, hands on her hips and a furious glare as she scolded two girls.

"Lily, Violet, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Her voice was harsh and authoritarian.

The Spencer twins shrugged with feigned innocence.

"It was just a little fun, teacher," Lily replied with a nervous smile.

"Fun? Bringing alcohol to a school party sounds fun to you?" Wilkes snapped. "This isn't an open bar. Put that away right now before I expel you."

Ethan, distracted by the scene, accidentally spilled his punch on Myeong.

"Fuck, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed, rushing to clean her dress with napkins. "Are you okay?"

Myeong sighed and shook out her cape.

"It's okay, it's just punch."

Ethan hurriedly offered her napkins, but she smiled reassuringly.

She tried to relax, but something felt strange about her.

At one point, she saw a shadow move over them.

"Did you see that?" she whispered, staring up at the ceiling.

Ethan frowned at her.

"See what?"

Myeong blinked. The shadow was gone.

Then she noticed the emergency exit signs flickering, as if they were malfunctioning.

Later, she saw a boy dressed as the Human Torch pretending to be on fire.

Finally, she recognized the song the band was playing.

"Desert Moon" by Great White.

A chill ran down his spine.

The clock struck 23:40 p.m.

The band finished their song to the sound of a roar of applause inside the gym.

But something went wrong.

And then, the fire started.

Notes:

I invite all readers to subscribe, leave kudos, leave reviews and guess what Desert Moon by the band Great White has to do with all this.