Happy Halloween, everyone. Hope yâall stay safe and enjoy this one-shot!
The wind blew through the open window, causing the white curtains to dance eerily in the darkened room. Beams of moonlight seeped through the ethereal fabric.
In a luxurious bed adjacent to the window, Arnold Shortman slept soundly. Itâs been a while since he returned to Hillwood after living with his parents during his high school years. It was hard saying goodbye to his friends, and most importantly, to Helga G. Pataki.Â
Their parting wasnât ideal, and the pair wasnât sure theyâd ever see each other again. For a couple of years, Arnold believed Helga moved on after she stopped talking to him. He desperately wanted to write to her, but his noble character didnât want to impose. Little did he know, she missed him just as much as he missed her. Itâs different now.
Arnold Shortman wasnât sleeping soundly because of the bedsheetsâ quality, the pillowsâ density, or the gentle breeze that ebbed through the room. No, he peacefully slept because he reunited with Helga, who slept peacefully by his side. It wasnât easy to rekindle their relationship, but sometimes love is about the journey and not the destination.
As the couple slept, they were ignorant of soft steps echoing softly through the halls outside. The steps were slow and steady as if the action of walking was a laborious process.Â
The steps continued through the halls, growing louder and louder until they suddenly stopped - outside the coupleâs door.
The handle gently turned, and the door made a silent creak as it opened slowly, allowing the hallwayâs darkness through.
A mysterious shadow stalked through the room, approaching the sleeping couple. Each step it made struggled to maintain balance, and the occasional bone-cracking echoed through the room. The shadow gazed at the pair with silent rage and cold, dead eyes.
Sensing its malicious intent, Arnold turned to face the creature as it revealed itself to be the rotting, crooked carcass of La Sombra, who was about to strike Arnold with the very poisoned dart that killed him long ago.
Paralyzed in shock and fear, Arnold shut his eyes as he was about to meet his end.
âNO!â, Arnold sprang up, covered in sweat. His heart was beating a hundred beats per minute as he frantically looked around for any sign of an intruder.
To his surprise and shock, there was nothing out of the ordinary.Â
However, his sudden outburst didnât go unnoticed as Helga stirred in her sleep and unconsciously placed an arm around him. Calming himself down, he let out a sigh of relief as he pulled Helga closer to his warm embrace and kissed the top of her head. Helga was always protective of Arnold and she provided a great deal of comfort to him. After a short while, he drifted back to a peaceful sleep, holding the love of his life close. She was his rock, after all.
Little did he know that on the floor, just below the side of the bed, was a bloodied, rusted dart coated in dried poison.
