Shrieks and sounds of broken mirrors resonated throughout the corridor, sending shivers crawling down Annabelle’s spine. She did not know what Jules was currently doing, and maybe it was better this way. Some things were better left unknown—that, she had learned it the hard way not even a few hours ago.

Still, she could not help but be curious. Deep down, she wanted to learn more about her brother. He had vaguely told her about his real job earlier, but it wasn’t like she understood everything it implied. 

Her brother was a hunter and fought with things like ghosts on the daily. She understood this part; however, she did not know how Jules, a mere human, could fight against supernatural beings on an equal footing. Of course, she had seen how he beheaded the ghost feasting on Bastien’s back a few hours ago, but where the hell had the sword come from? It was hard to comprehend. 

Was that aloof brother of hers really able to subdue ghosts and the likes? She found it difficult to believe, even if the proof were laid bare before her eyes. It didn’t align with the image she had of her brother. Yet, from the shrill screams echoing throughout the corridor, it did seem like Jules was giving the ghost a taste of hell. Its pitiful cries were even tugging at her heartstrings, leaving her at a loss for words. 

Just what was going on?

Her mind was in turmoil, and the anxiety rose. Annabelle tried not to think about their current predicament, but it was easier said than done. At the moment, the only one who could somewhat soothe her was Bastien, this man that wasn’t quite one. So, she not-so-discreetly peered at him, searching for comfort in his presence. 

The demon was standing next to the three teenage girls, his back resting against the wall and his eyes staring straight ahead. Now that he had digested the life force Jules had practically shoved down his throat, his complexion looked a lot better than before. 

“Will my brother really be alright..?” Annabelle asked after a while, clenching her small fists.

Who knew what Bastien was thinking, but he did not seem to hear Annabelle. It took a few seconds for the demon to realize she spoke and another to process the words. With a smile, he then winked:

“Don’t worry, your brother is probably one of the strongest beings in this haunted house, and not many can hurt him. Even I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side, and I’m a demon, not some weak ghost. That says a lot.”

“Does it?”

“Of course it does!”

“Hm.”

Obviously, the words didn’t comfort her. No matter what others said, Annabelle wasn’t at ease with her brother being far away, and her stomach was in knots. In this hell of a haunted house, she would feel secure only when her brother was by her side. 

“How is Melody?” Bastien not-so-subtly changed the topic, diverting Annabelle’s attention to her friend. “Did she regain her senses?”

“No, she’s still the same,” Annabelle sighed, refocusing on Melody. “No matter what I do, she does not respond.” 

She and Iris had changed Melody’s clothes, got rid of the bloody jeans and shirt, and wiped off her body from head to toes. Iris also braided her hair, trying to tame the messy strands a bit. Now, Melody looked overall neat, save for the oversized sweater and pants. 

“Do you think Melody could be possessed?” Iris wondered aloud, staring at her ancestor with fear lingering in the depths of her eyes. “Otherwise, why is she so unresponsive?”

“She’s not possessed, don’t worry. She’s in shock,” Bastien shook his head, stretching a hand to ruffle his offsprings’ hair. “She just needs a bit of time.”

Iris pinched her lips but eventually nodded. 

They all fell quiet, and all that could be heard were shrieks and loud thuds. In the beginning, it was a nerve-wracking atmosphere. However, the girls gradually got used to it and became numb to the howls and wails. As long as it wasn’t Jules screaming, everything was fine. 

Waiting was an arduous task, and there was nothing to do but think, allowing fears and whatnot to creep on Annabelle. She tried to distract her mind however she could, and slowly, she got lost in thought. Glancing at Melody, she could not help but remember the day she met her, and a faint smile tugged at her lips. 

‘Has it already been three years since we’ve known each other?’ she thought, images of their meeting flashing before her eyes. 

At the time, little Melody was being bullied by a group of boys and was reduced to snorts and tears. Annabelle’s and Iris’s blood boiled at the sight, and they might or might not have kicked the bullies’ asses until they bawled their eyes out for their mommies. Neither Annabelle nor Iris were the sort to mince their words; after beating the bullies to a pulp, they trash-talked the boys with a chilling smile on their lips, tearing down their self-esteem to shreds. Strangely enough, the bullies never again bothered Melody, running away whenever they crossed paths in school. 

Since then, Melody followed Annabelle and Iris everywhere, smiling and laughing timidly by their side. The two girls naturally welcomed her, and the three became close friends at one point. They were always together at school, almost glued to each other like a second skin.

But now, Melody was no better than an empty shell. There was no smile and no laugh, just lifeless eyes.

Annabelle let out a sigh. She stretched a hand to stroke Melody’s cheek and murmured, mostly for herself, “Don’t worry, this time again, we will protect you.”

Just as the words left her mouth, the walls surrounding them abruptly shattered. Pieces of reddish-brown wallpapers floated in the air for a moment, then vanished like ashes. The flames of the candlelight grew stronger and undulated as if dancing. Their orangish color gradually darkened, taking on bluish hues. The mirrors on the walls were also gone, and only old paintings were left.

Instinctively, Annabelle pulled Melody in her arms, scanning the surroundings with alert eyes. At the same time, Iris leaped to her feet and stood before her friends in a defensive stance, protecting them with her petite body.  

They were still in a corridor, but now they could see the end. It wasn’t infinitely long, and a few meters away stood Jules. Bright, whitish particles seemed to twirl around him before disappearing into smoke, just like a fleeting illusion.  

“Looks like your brother managed to exorcize the ghost,” Bastien said to Annabelle as he waved at Jules. “See? There was nothing to fear. Your big bro is super strong.”

“…” Annabelle made a deadpan face. Did Bastien have to talk to her as if she was a baby? She was not a kid! 

As for Jules, he threw the demon an exasperated glance but didn’t comment. Instead, he took a step toward the group, but as he did so, balls of bluish flames left the candlelight and floated around. They were everywhere, seemingly swayed by a nonexistent wind, and shed a pale blue light on the walls and paintings. 

Sucking in a breath, Jules quickly took a step back to dodge a flame. It almost brushed the tip of his nose, making him let out a curse that reverberated throughout the corridor. Had he been a second later and it would have been disastrous. 

“Will-o’-wisps?” the incubus muttered, a frown creasing his face. “What are they doing here?”

These cursed things were usually found near swamps, not in a manor or a forest. They should not be here. Yet, will-o’-wisps did fill the place, and that could not be denied. What was most infuriating was that they had to walk through the corridor to meet Jules, who stood in front of the only door, and thus had to make their way through the swarm of will-o’-wisps. 

What rotten bad luck. 

“Will-o’-wisps?” Iris repeated, fearfully watching the balls of flames drift in the air. 

Though the sight was beautiful, she had a hunch the will-o’-wisps weren’t such beautiful beings. Pretty things often hid traps, and she did not want to fall prey to them. Once was enough to scare her shitless; her poor heart couldn’t handle a second time.

“They’re creatures that lure you astray. They’re particularly fearful on Halloween as the boundaries between realms are blurry, and if you’re not careful, you could very well be yanked into another world.”

Iris gulped before obediently nodding. Better keep her distance, yup. 

“Make sure not to touch them and follow me closely.”

Annabelle and Iris shared a glance before standing up. Iris took their backpack while Annabelle took Melody’s hand to lead her forward. Though her friend was unresponsive, she followed her lead without complaining. Really, she was just like a puppet.  

When Bastien took a step forward, the will-o’-wisps made way for him, as if afraid of the demon. The balls of flames even seemed to tremble and grow smaller. They parted and allowed them to walk through the corridor, standing by like servants welcoming their lord. 

The teenagers could not help but heave a sigh of relief. With the incubus keeping the balls of fire at bay, meeting with Jules would be a piece of cake. 

Or so they thought. 

Though the will-o’-wisps kept their distance in the front, one was vile enough to sneak on them from behind. It hid from view using the teenagers’ bodies, and Jules did not see it from where he stood. It also lowered its presence, and Bastien did not notice it. Even if the incubus was careful, there were too many to keep track of them all—it was already hard enough to pinpoint their exact location as will-o’-wisps had weak spiritual energy. 

Annabelle was the first to notice the sneaky will-o’-wisp. She looked back at Melody to make sure everything was ok, and then saw the nasty thing approaching her friend. It was only an inch away from her waist.

Seeing it, Annabelle acted on instinct. She pulled Melody toward her but used too much strength and tumbled forward. They bypassed each other and exchanged places. Annabelle glanced back one last time as she fell, making sure Melody was out of danger. Her trembling lips then stretched into a faint smile: at least, she kept her word and her friend was safe.

A second later, the teenage girl vanished.

That was when Melody snapped out of her daze. She said with the voice of a lost child:

“Anna…?”

But only silence responded.