I woke up, just like any day. I rolled over in bed, but something was wrong: My phone wasn’t under my pillow. I tore apart my bed, throwing everything on the floor. I heard something—Buzz! Buzz! I threw myself on the floor and saw my phone on the floor. Omg, finally! What a way to start my day. 

I looked at the date: October 21, 2024. I jumped up and down. It’s finally one week away from Halloween! I texted the group chat: Guys, guys!

What, Ethan, is something wrong?

Guys, I just woke up—

What’s wrong?”

Guess what!?

What?

It’s officially one week away from Halloween, and we are meeting up later, so get ready!

Oh yeah, we know your obsession with Halloween.

Ok, well, where are we gonna meet up?

Meet at the diner in town, and I’m also inviting T’ziah and Cloe.

I started cleaning up my room after that mini-disaster. I decided to go take a shower and get ready. When I was in the shower, my phone buzzed. I thought it was just my friends again, so I ignored it for a while. As I was walking out the door, my phone vibrated in my pocket. It was another text, but from a strange number. It was a link to Instagram. I clicked on it, weirded out, but there was a picture of an abandoned room. Under the post, me, Neveah, T’ziah, Olivia, and Cloe were tagged. What was that about? I thought.

I rushed to the town diner; all my friends were waiting for me. I screamed out, “Did y’all get this text too?”

“Yes, I got it when I was walking here.”

“Yes, I did too.”

“Yup, I did, but I didn’t click on it, though. I was too scared.”

“Yes, but what is this picture about?”

“Yeah, I know. That’s what I’m confused about—why did they tag us and us only?”

“I don’t know, but I’m just gonna ignore it.”

“Yeah, it’s probably just some little kids trying to scare us before Halloween.”

“Well, anyway, I have to start heading out. I got work in a little bit.”

“I’m gonna head out too.”

Everyone said bye and went their own separate ways. I was walking down the street that was only a couple blocks away from my house. I heard a rattle coming from the dimly-lit alleyway. I shouted out, “Is anyone there? Hello?” I hesitantly walked closer and closer. “Hello, is anyone there?” I said again in a trembling voice. 

Something jumped out at me. It was a black cat. I sighed in relief.

I got home shortly after and sat in bed scrolling on TikTok until I fell asleep. I got woken up by my phone lighting up my room, and countless rings and chimes followed after that. I quickly picked it up. It said, *Breaking news! Killer on the loose.* 

I turned on the news to see that someone got killed at the local gas station where my friend was working. I instantly went to the group chat: Did y’all see what happened? Is Cloe okay?

I don’t know; she won’t answer her texts.

What are we gonna do? We have to go and see, right?

Uhh, don’t you think that’s kinda dangerous?

Yeah, especially with the killer on the loose.

Yeah, no. I ain’t going out there. I ain’t risking my life.

In the background, all I could see were the multiple ambulances and countless police cars driving past the town gas station. They then pronounced the person who got killed—it was Cloe. I knew it when I heard the reporter mention the friendship bracelet on her right arm. My eyes started to fill with tears. I curled up on the floor, bawling my eyes out, not able to get up. I felt like I was going to throw up. My friends found out about Cloe and started calling and texting the group chat.

Ethan, are you okay? We all know you were the closest to her.

No, I’m not okay. Why would I be? One of your best friends just died; how do you expect me to act?

Yeah, that’s true, but you know you’re not the only one that is hurt by her passing.

Well, obviously, other people are sad and mad this happened to her. She was only 16-years-old, and I’ve known her basically all my life. I’m sorry if you think I’m making this about me, but I’m not.

I’m sorry, Ethan. I wasn’t trying to be mean.

No, it’s fine. I took it too far.

I spent the rest of the night on the floor crying about what just happened. I lost a friend, a friend I loved dearly. I would have never thought something like this would happen to her. All she wanted to do was get a job and make some money to buy a car because she just got her license. I finally went to sleep, but I woke up to a blazing headache. I felt my pulse going through my head. I stumbled to the kitchen to grab some water and Advil for my head, then started heading back to my bed.

Suddenly, I got a text from the same number and again, and there was an Instagram link. I clicked on it, unaware of what I was going to see…it was Cloe’s head on the floor with a big puddle of blood surrounding it. But something felt familiar. It was the same abandoned room that this staring, sick person had sent to us before. I instantly got freaked out, but something hadn’t changed: All of us were still tagged underneath it. Soon, our group chat started going crazy.

Who would do something like this?

This person is crazy.

I’m scared; what if we’re next?

We need to go tell the police right now.

Yes, I agree. Everyone come meet outside the police station right now.

Ok, I’ll see y’all there.

I had no time to get ready; all I could do was look at the picture and remember all the good times I had had with Cloe. I walked out the door, tripping on my shoelaces and face-planting onto the hard concrete. I got up, leaving a trace of blood. I shrugged it off, thinking it was just a scratch. I finally reached the police station, soon realizing I was the last one to show up. Everyone instantly ran up to me.

“Ethan, what happened?”

“Omg, are you okay?”

“What are y’all talking about?”

“Your face—it’s all bloody.”

I wiped my face. There was blood covering my whole hand. I instantly looked down to see my shirt covered in blood.

“Well, what happened?”

“Oh yeah, I face-planted this morning as I was rushing out of my house to come here. It didn’t feel that bad. I thought it was just a little scratch.”

“Ok, ask the cop to let you use the bathroom to clean up.”

“Alright.”

We entered the police station. It was like a madhouse. The second we walked in, everyone was on the move. We walked up to the front desk and were greeted by a woman.

“Hi, welcome in. This is the police station. How can I assist you today?” Suddenly, she froze as if she’d seen something terrifying. “Uhhh, are you okay, sir?” she asked in a panic.

“Oh yes, I’m fine. I just took a little fall this morning as I was coming here. Can I actually use your bathroom for a second?”

She directed me to the bathroom as the rest of the group asked if they could talk to an available cop. I wetted some toilet paper to get the crusty, dry blood off my face. I walked back to the office where all my friends were sitting. We started discussing what had happened.

“So, you’re telling me that someone posted a picture of your friend’s decapitated head on Instagram with you guys tagged underneath it?”

“Yes, they did. We don’t know who they are or why they’re doing this.”

“Can you please show me the picture?”

I pulled out my phone and showed him the bloody, gory picture. My eyes started to get heavy like there was a weight on them. Every time I thought about it, I went back to the day Cloe and I last saw each other.

“Ethan, you good? You just zoned out.”

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. Sorry, I was just thinking about something.”

“Ok, so I have reviewed the picture, and we are pretty positive this was taken by the killer on the loose.”

“Ok, so what’s the next precaution we have to take? Cause clearly, our names are under the post for some odd reason. Like, do we stay home or just move on and live our lives?”

“I know it’s gonna be hard, but right now, until we locate this person, it’s time to move on until we get more information.”

“Ok, thank you so much, sir, for being understanding. We really appreciate it.”

We all walked out of the station into the frigid night, unaware of what was going to happen. We went our separate ways yet again. Ta’ziyah and Neveah decided to spend the night together, so I just decided to invite Olivia over because I still felt on edge. The two of us finally got to my house after practically freezing to death on the walk over. 

“Wait, Olivia—Neveah is FaceTiming me.”

“Answer her, stupid! But I’m gonna head in and try to get warm. Tell me what she says, though.”

I answered the FaceTime call. “Hey, Neveah! Oh, and Tz’yiah!” I said. The look on their faces was concerning. “Guys, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” All they did was stare in front of them.

“Guys, what’s wrong? Are you okay?” I yelled. All they did was stare in front of them.

“Ethan, don’t freak out, but tell me why we just got here and the door is open?” said Neveah. 

“No! Don’t go in there! RUN! RUN! Don’t look back! It’s the killer! I’m telling you!” I yelled. 

At that moment, the image on her phone shifted and went black as if the phone had dropped out of her hand and fallen face down on the ground. All I could do was listen to her scream and scream. The screaming echoed through my ears. I dialed 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“The killer has my friends! Help!”

“Slow down! I can’t understand anything you just said!”

“The killer has my friends! The killer that just escaped! The address is 1889 Horror Rd! Go help them, please! Please, I’m begging you!”

I started running the fastest I’d ever run. All these thoughts were going through my head…They’re okay. No, no! They’re dead! I’m going to have two more dead friends! My legs started to ache from the pressure I was putting on them. I can’t stop. I can’t! I have to save them, even if I have to risk my own life, I thought.  I got to the block where the house was located. I was finally there! But it was too late: I entered the house to see them both stabbed so many times they were unrecognizable. As with Cloe, their heads were gone. I sat on the stairs; I couldn’t even cry from the anger and disgust that one person had caused in my life. Finally, red and blue lights started flashing in my eyes. The whole town was awake now, with various alarms blaring through the streets. To my surprise, the cops pointed their guns toward me.

“Hands up, now!”

“I’m not the killer! I’m their friend!” 

The same cop I’d seen earlier recognized me. “Lower your guns! I just spoke with these kids today; he is good.” He directed me to his car as they handled the bodies. I was in that car for six hours. I sat there watching them take pictures of and move my friends’ deceased bodies.

“I’m sorry for the wait. Do you just want me to bring you home?”

“Yes.”

I got a text on my phone. The same Instagram link was there. I clicked on it; the room was different. It was my home, at my dining table, and it wasn’t just Neveah and Tz’yiah that were added—Olivia was too. 

“Drive!” I yelled. “Now the killer is at my home!”

We pulled up to the house and I stared blankly; the door was wide open. I quickly jumped out of the car, and the policeman followed. There they were—my friends’ heads…laid out on my table. I cried out loudly. There were footsteps coming from behind me.

“Well, well, well. Are you really that stupid, Ethan? You really didn’t know?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m the killer, and you’re the next one on my list.”

The cop lunged toward me. I backed up into a corner—no escape. I accepted my destiny. As he pulled out the bloody knife, the last thing I saw was the dark soul in his eyes. I’m gone now, his last touch. He took the last picture to finish his work.