━━ 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄!
( no footage allowed )

⋆        [ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗦 onto the streets of Church St., where we can see some students piling onto the sidewalks. There are various cuts in━between shots to showcase the street at sunset (street signs, close━ups of students' costumes, and the slow zoom of the sunset). A zoom━in from the camera shows that some students are dressed in various costumes, seemingly going in the same direction. Some students were excited, while others talked amongst their groups, and as the camera pans across the street, the footage stops recording. ]

The sun sunk amongst the horizon of Pennsylvania, with Roscoe's eyes catching a glimpse of the orange rays. If the sky could say words, it would claim beauty with a beating heart, brushed upon an artist's canvas. Yet, no matter how many times Roscoe filmed the sunset, he could never get over it with its originality.

Roscoe hurried towards the sidewalk, avoiding being run over by the cars on the road before he flattened down his costume, smoothing the creases. He had tried to find a good last━minute costume for the end━of━semester party for Lakemoor students, but all he could suffice with was a dark blue tracksuit that looked similar to Michael Myers and spiked his hair up.

Clutching the film camera to his sides, he wanted to make sure that he filmed everything, maintaining the memories of his college years. Following one of the groups wearing matching Cupid outfits, he smiled as he held pride in his chest. Something about being invited to a party was huge, especially for someone like him.

Appearing around the corner was the abandoned house that sat on the end of South Street. It had been abandoned for years, with the rafters falling apart and the gutter full of autumn leaves forgotten. No one had ever thought of moving in, and Roscoe sometimes wondered if the house would ever see life again. But, for now, it was the place where the parties were held during the Halloween week of Lakemoor.

Reaching the steps of the house, Roscoe clutched his camera tightly, hearing the cheers and the loud music coming from the open doorway to the house. Two students were by the doors, wearing mock costumes of police officers━playing the gimmick of being bodyguards for the party.

"No invitation, no entry, simple."

"Oh, come on, man, you know me!" Someone said in front of the line. The two teenagers weren't budging and told him to piss off. Wow, it seems strict this year... Roscoe thought to himself as he watched the kicked━out student grumble to himself before giving the middle finger to the guards. An attempt to kick the mailbox was made, but the crowding near the fences made it difficult, making him trip over his feet.

The rest of the line started moving smoothly, to Roscoe at the front. He held out a slip of paper, which had a skeleton drawn on the top, and the address of the house scribbled on the bottom. One of the teenagers looked at it and nodded to the entry.

Roscoe gave a small smile before he skipped inside, staring at the decorations around the house in awe. The decorating committee had outdone themselves this year, with the windows all covered in black sheets to block out the Pennyslavia sun, making it dark inside the home. But, regardless of the sheets, the outside light was replaced with soft orange light strings hanging around the railings and stuck to the ceiling. There were tables decorated with skeletons from the drama department and red Solo cups left everywhere with liquids inside. Roscoe saw the fruit punch bowl as green rather than the standard red, which was creative. He carefully pulled out his camera as Roscoe approached the stairs and turned it back on.

[ A panning shot is recording the view of the party from the stairs, showcasing students dancing to Thriller by Michael Jackson, played by one of the students DJing. Shouts are heard from the corner, where the football team━dressed in their football attire━has started a beer pong game. It is unsure to see who is winning from the camera's position. The footage picks up someone clearing their throat, and the recording is abruptly cut━off. ]

"Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to be in your way━" Roscoe quickly stammered as he turned around, meeting a football player's eyes.

"It's alright, I suppose. I was just curious to see what you were doing," the stranger responded as he pointed to the camera with his hand that was holding a cup.

"Uh, it's a personal project. I'm recording the college years, memories, keepsakes, you know━I mean, of course, you know, you're not stupid━I mean, that's not a stereotype; I'm not trying to make fun of you━ god, I'm going to stop speaking right now," Roscoe said as he stuttered, smacking his forehead as he tried to avoid eye contact. The stranger chuckled as he sipped his drink before taking another step to share a stair with Roscoe.

"Don't worry about it; it's nothing," the stranger said, and Roscoe couldn't help but feel the tip of his ears turn red from embarrassment. Roscoe looked into the stranger's eyes, curious to see who this person was. After all, he didn't make fun of Roscoe immediately, but a sudden yell erupted from the beer pong before he could.

"Oliver! Come on, man; we're waiting on you!"

"That's my cue; see you later, Michael Myers," the stranger, whose name was revealed, said as he gulped the rest of his solo cup before giving the empty cup to Roscoe as he hurried down the stairs. Roscoe watched him walk away, noticing that he had recognised his Halloween outfit before glancing down at the empty cup and placing it on the railing.

As Oliver approached the beer pong competition, a wave of alcohol washed over him. For some, the smell would have created a sense of discomfort, but for Oliver, it was familiar. One of the football players━Tyler━gave Oliver a beer bottle, and he accepted it, smirking. His fingers moved to open it as if it was muscle memory, a sad memory that he could not forget. Down the hatch went the liquid, and he grimaced at the taste, but it didn't matter; it was alcohol at the end of the day.

"C'mon, give Wilson the ball."

Oliver got given a ping━pong ball and positioned himself in front of the table. He looked at where the cups were stationed and chucked the ball in front. The ball lands in the front cup with a soft thunk into the vodka. His opposition groaned as he reached to take the shot while Oliver straightened his shoulders.

Oliver always finds it easy to win. However, he doesn't know the point of winning if he always loses the prize. Another swig of his beer, he knows he should be drinking on an empty stomach, but his body is used to it now. His eyes are used to the dim lights, yet he squints them to stay focused. The alcohol was starting to take effect, and he chuckled before grabbing the ball, seeing as his opponent missed his shot.

"Two times in a row, watch this," Andy, another football player said as he placed his hands on his shoulders. Oliver threw the ball, and another ball landed. Another ball landed, and another swig was taken from his beer bottle. It wasn't game night; he was free. His opposition finally lands a shot, and Oliver quickly takes the cup and drinks.

"Wilson, you land this; I owe you a drink, Lakemoor style," Tyler said as he crossed his arms. Oliver tilted his head as he bounced the ping━pong ball on the table. He was thinking about it, and he nodded and accepted the challenge. "Do it, eyes closed; you won't."

Oliver closed his eyes, becoming overwhelmed by the darkness around him. To think that it was something that scared him was phoney. Maybe he was too drunk to deal with this ━ then again, he's been drunk enough for his body to become immune to the effects. He raised his hand, twirling the ball in his hands, before he chucked the ball.

The wild screams around him scared him, but his outer layer kept it calm. He laughed, raising his beer to the ceiling as his team around him cheered for him. Life felt like slow━motion for him, and he glanced over to the doorway, seeing a ghost of a boy he used to be. Instead of feeling sorrow for the loss, he raised the glass and took a third gulp of his drink.

After all, three is his lucky number.

Minnow watched from the couch across the room.

She held her drink close, running her finger around the rim. Watching Oli from a distance, she witnessed the man destroy himself with each drink he consumed, but she couldn't do anything about it. It's his reputation on the line, but he receives praise, seen as a god by his teammates. However, Minnow knows that if they praise him more than what they've done, Oli will become the king who doesn't know what he wants.

Minnow leaned her head against the wall, resting against peeling wallpaper rotting away. It was a great party; she can't lie. The decoration around gave life to the abandoned house, and the string lights hanging across the ceiling gave the main room a soft, intense glow.

She readjusted her back, feeling uncomfortable with the fairy wings on her back, and suddenly felt small. Even when she promised to start becoming someone she likes, she still made her fit into the hierarchy of Lakemoor's finest. Her bare skin welcomed goosebumps, and she squirmed in her seat, hating the exposure of her skin. She only wore the short━sleeved shirt to keep her vulnerability in check, and she regretted it massively.

"Hello, pretty Minnie," a voice slurred as Minnow could feel the seat beside her become weighted. Minnow turned her head towards Oli, who had a smug smile plastered on his face.

"Oli, you━ Oliver. Can't say away from me for long, can you?" Minnow said as her eyes flickered towards a group of girls standing near a doorway before meeting Oliver's eyes again.

"You know me, Mins," Oliver said as he smirked, placing his arm across the top of the couch. Although Minnow noticed that his arm was behind her shoulders but not close enough to touch her skin ━ she knew there was still some sense in Oliver Wilson's mind. "After all, you're the prettiest girl in this house."

The prettiest girl in this house. The words repeated throughout Minnow's mind; she knows Oliver didn't mean to make those words have deeper meanings. She's just overreacting, but she can't help and avoid Oliver's eyes. She's just the siren sitting on the rocks, and Oliver's the pirate that's about to crash onto the rocks. The siren's song is too addictive for the men around her, and she wants so badly to drown herself in the sea.

Minnow's eyes flickered back to the group of girls again, seeing the whispers amongst themselves, pointing in their general direction. Oliver turned to face them, seeing their facial expressions, before turning to Minnow. Even through his drunken haze, he could see the sirens going off in her head.

Oliver leaned in, his head tilting to Minnow's ear. He whispered a few words, and Minnow exhaled, quickly running her finger around the drink's rim again. Before Oliver could sit back up, Minnow giggled, covering her mouth with her hand, causing the girls to converse again before walking to the main room.

"Thank you," Minnow said as she whispered to Oliver, who responded with a shrug of his shoulders, sipping his drink. He stood up from the couch before taking his hand out towards Minnow.

"It's time for the night's main attraction," Oliver said, and Minnow sighed as she grabbed Oliver's hand, pulling herself upwards. She pulled down her dress, immediately reaching to her naked arms, holding herself tightly. She would fall to pieces like her mother's porcelain if she let go of herself. Oliver removed his letterman jacket; the black and green jacket now rested on Minnow's shoulders. People will talk now, but Minnow was glad she didn't need to show her unwanted beauty anymore. So, let them talk.

━━━━━━

⋆        𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 meant to be a place of comfort, where dreams were made on the stage. However, for Theodora, it was a nightmare come true. She stood in the centre of the stage, looking at the empty seats in the auditorium. If the lights were on, it would blind her, overwhelming her senses with unawareness surrounding her. It was supposed to be a dream, but it held her captive.

No one is around due to the party at the corner of Church St., which Theo would have attended, but the wounds were still too fresh. So she took that opportunity to take a moment to breathe in the dust of her home ━ she hadn't been home for a while.

She tilted her head, looking around Lakemoor's auditorium with curiosity. She hadn't been allowed in the drama department since the accident, people denying her access, but when no one was around, no one was there to stop her. Standing at the centre of the stage, it was home to her, but she could feel the darkness swallowing her whole.

Theodora took a deep breath before walking towards the side of the stage, hands placed in pockets. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the familiar surroundings, despite the absence of light. Her hands roamed to the side, feeling the ropes and chairs stationed on the side, feeling the props in her hands. Her heart ached to return, but she was held down by chains of stares that jabbed at her heart like knives.

Before Theo could head back, feeling that she couldn't hold it together anymore, her eyes caught the soft glow from the stage's doors from the dressing rooms' hallways.

Theo knew she shouldn't, but her legs were already reaching the archway. She placed her hands on the door, pushing slightly as she fit through the small gap, not wanting to leave behind any evidence of her being. She walked down the hallway slowly, suddenly afraid of her home.

The hallways to the dressing rooms had changed slightly, and it felt all so new. They had changed the paint on the walls from the off━white colour that Theo knew so well to the dark grey. It enhanced the bricks, and each piece of furniture was placed in areas that felt off. She thought of the memories that she had spent her time through these hallways, but now it all seemed foreign to her.

Theo stopped, feeling tears welling in her eyes as she turned slowly around, looking at the hallway.

Her eyes stopped at the centre of the wall from where she stood.

There was a new edition to the hallways that Theo had never seen before. Over the years, there were posters of previous drama productions that Lakemoor had done. But there was one that Theo saw, a poster that was placed proudly in the centre of the poster placements. A poster with a venus fly━trap plant stared back at her, and the bold words of Lakemoor Drama department proudly presents: Little Shop of Horrors. Theo's chest heaved, she was sure she was in a nightmare right now, but as her hand touched the poster, feeling the plastic paper, it was real.

"I thought I knew this place..." Theo whispered to herself as she backed away, quickly walking back to the stage's doors, not wanting to be there any longer. Her home had betrayed her by showcasing her nightmare as the centrepiece.

━━━━━━

⋆         𝗦𝗢𝗙𝗧 𝗠𝗨𝗦𝗜𝗖 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗗 through Azira's headphones as she clicked her pen multiple times. The words on the research paper she compiled together rested in front of her and were starting to merge, but with each blink, she was back to normal.

Azira groaned as she rested her head on the table, placing the pen down. She wanted to keep working on her forensic research paper that was due in two weeks, but nothing was coming to her. She sat in her chair, reaching for her phone to change the music before stopping in motion. She hesitated, but it was only nearing midnight as she glanced at the bedside table's alarm clock.

She pulled the headphones out of her ears as she got up, pushing her chair into the desk, leaving behind her research paper as she headed to bed. Azira knows that she should be focused on what matters, but she deserves a break at this point.

She took the guitar resting on her bed and placed it on her lap, running her hand over the stickers she placed on her guitar. They have collected memories throughout the years of the places she's been and the things she's done. Some were faded, the edges of the stickers eroding due to age, but it showed that it was well━loved. It was a weird metaphor, she thought. The way that stickers could easily represent the chaos that Azira thrived for instead of the perfection that was paved out for her.

Azira went to play the strings, tuning it at the same time. Soft music played as she curled her hands inwards to place her hands in the right positions. She could feel the stress that she had bundled up in her stomach start to fade away as she went into a rhythm. She quietly hummed as she continued, her fingers strumming away without paying attention to the tune.

She was in her world, free of the expectations that were expected of her, the family's first daughter in a planned career. It's the first daughter curse, the bar of striving for perfection set so high; she could barely reach it. She already chooses a career full of disapproval in the family's name of Saera, so why not add to it?

She stopped strumming, her fingers frozen on the strings as she looked out the window. It was a cold evening, seeing the trees sway against the wind with leaves falling to the sidewalks. Watching the world swirl around her was peaceful, something she hadn't felt in a long time.

Azira looked back at her guitar, holding it a little longer before placing it back on the blankets. She sighed as she got back onto her feet again, standing in the centre of her bedroom, placing her hands behind her head to stretch. Azira stayed quiet momentarily, hearing the soft creaking around her house and the wind outside the window.

She pulled her chair out of the desk again and slumped into the chair, looking at the research papers in front of her. She placed the headphones back, hearing the music resume in her ears.

She would rather be doing something else than this research paper. Azira picked up the pen and held on for a moment before she resumed clicking the pen cap again, back to where she started in the first place.

━━━━━━

⋆         𝗠𝗜𝗗𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧 𝗜𝗦 𝗨𝗦𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗬 the best time to study in Lakemoor's General Library, especially on Fridays. Most students would be off finding a club in the city to party the weekend away, ignoring the building anxiety of studying for their assignments. The library is quite big, covering each subject with books that taught better than their lecturers, but it was better used for the study area. The study area was small, but it was well━equipped with outlets on every desk and comfortable chairs that would be better suited in a diner, but no one was complaining.

Vivienne sat in the centre of the study section; books were before her. She sketched perfect lines on the graph paper full of gears and straight lines, seemingly designing something for her Mechanics of Materials class. She was in her world, trying to complete this assignment to have a relaxing weekend (which was already difficult, being a Mechanical Engineer major in a male━dominated career).

Vivienne stopped when she looked at her phone screen that lit up, drawing her attention. She reached over to the new message only to see multiple messages sent to her. She pressed the notifications bar to see the message without alerting the sender that she had seen them and sighed, seeing the contents were from her group chat.

GIRLS IN STEM 😘: 4 members

MOLLY DEMPESY: getting dressed!! you like?? [2 attachments]

SOPHIE COOKS: omg!! the stockings are so cute <3

SOPHIE COOKS: babes let me know when you're coming for the pre━drinks [1 attachment]

AMELIE NYX: OMG!! house is packed, might get a chance to kiss one of the football players HAHA

MOLLY DEMPESY: vivi girle you better not be hidin in yoru boobs

MOLLY DEMPESY: **books i'm a bit drunkkk sorry 😝

Vivienne sighed, hiding her smile in her hands as she placed her phone and screen on the table to avoid any more distractions. As much as she liked being in the group chat, it was only for group work in one of her classes ━ she never thought of expanding friendships beyond the work. She looked back to her design before realising that someone else was at her table, but she could not see their face.

She looked around slightly, seeing empty tables, yet someone decided to sit at her table. Vivienne sighed as she returned to designing, even if she was out of her flow state. She stopped again when she noticed a paper note at the top of her table. Vivienne reached out to grab it, skim━reading the words, trying to see if she could figure out who wrote, and she sighed as she peeked through the small gaps at the tables.

"What's this?" Vivienne said, questioning the student who sat across her.

"I've just been told to give it to you."

"Well, that doesn't help me, does it, Kasey?"

"Even if I did know what it meant, would I tell you? You're smart; you figure it out eventually," Kasey said as he got up from the chair, meeting Vivienne's eyes before walking away. He could feel Vivienne's eyes burning behind him, and he didn't care.

Knowing that the study section in the library was compromised, Kasey decided to walk back to his dorm room ━ well; it wasn't in the dorm; it was the storage room in the basement of a dorm building. He didn't place the payment down quickly enough at the beginning of the semester, so he had to go with the second plan regarding his living situation. His blood boils every time he thinks of the last time he slept in the dormitory, so he doesn't care, regardless.

Kasey didn't care about anything in the world, seeing as the world was set out to ensure everything was difficult for him. Kasey would throw a set of middle fingers to the sky, but he wasn't religious, so he settled with swearing at the mirror. With each step he took, there was a purpose for his anger. It wasn't there for show or to paint a picture of who he was as a person ━ even if there was some truth to it. It was there because he needed something to prove he was still a person.

He turned on the footpath, passing Church St., and he could see at the end of the street that the abandoned house was glowing. Kasey stopped, watching some drunk people wander the streets as they threw up their stomachs before returning to the house. Kasey grimaced before walking again, knowing he had to pass the house to head towards the dormitory.

As he neared the house, the music was loud, and he caught a glimpse of what was happening inside. There were people dressed up in what he assumed were Halloween costumes, and loud cheering told Kasey enough to know that the football team was also in attendance. Kasey stood outside; a pang of anger sunk in his stomach, and he scoffed, even if he knew he would have been inside that house in another life.

Kasey turned on his heels and started walking again, placing his hands in his pockets, his head hung low. Even the amount of wishes on a dandelion wasn't enough for Kasey to wish for his anger to be resolved. If only his head were facing forward, to face his anger head first, he would have seen the masked man sneak into the abandoned house through the overgrown bushes on the side.

━━━━━━

⋆         [ 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗔 𝗜𝗦 slightly shaking from being hand━held, as various cuts are made to the footage, showcasing dancing, students near the drinks table, and some rounds of beer━pong. The music has been changed, and it's now playing The Monster by Eminem, which plays softly in the background as the students gather together in the main room. There was a gap in━between the large gathering, where the camera zoomed in on the centre of the room. An Ouija board is seen on the ground. ]

Roscoe lowered his camera slowly, his eye not moving from the Ouija board. He didn't know what was happening but was sure this didn't happen at every college party. Then again, it was a Halloween party, so Roscoe didn't question it. He noticed one of the football players that Oliver was hanging around before had taken the centre of the stage, gaining attention from everyone.

"Welcome, Lakemoor! My name is Ross! Tonight is a special night, folks! A little birdie told us that this place, our beloved party house, is infested with spirits," the football player screamed as he looked around. A few 'oohs' went around the room as he chuckled before stepping in front of the Ouija board. "So you know what we are doing tonight! For the main event, we will communicate with the dead!"

Roscoe raised his eyebrow, not believing what he was saying at first, but then he noticed that most of the football team was gathering to set up the tables for the ritual. Roscoe glanced around quickly, trying to see if anyone else had the same thought as him, but they were all so consumed by the alcohol that it didn't matter to them.

"Dim the lights!" One of the players said, and on cue, the lights from the strings slowly dimmed, except for the lights above the centre of the room. Roscoe tilted his camera up to record the activity as he stepped a bit to the side to get a good view of the audience and the centre.

[ A camera view is zoomed in 100% on the Ouija board, and the sound on the camera is muffled due to a high━frequency squeak from the speakers. The three football players, all standing together, start to light the candles. The camera continues to record as Ross speaks. ]

"The spirits of this house are angry," Ross said as he spoke, and on cue, the speakers boomed with rumblings, which was effective as the audience all huddled together, but their eyes were glued on Ross. "and we're gonna piss them off even more!" Ross said as he raised his beer bottle, and the room cheered. Roscoe did not.

"So spirits, oh great spirits of South Street! Show yourself!" Ross screamed as he started to spill the beer onto the Ouija board.

The lights around the main room started to flicker violently, and Roscoe started to scramble on his feet, hearing screams coming from other parts of the house. When Roscoe turned to the football team to see who was causing this, he realised they were genuinely afraid of the encounter. Then he turned to see the speakers and noticed that the speakers were never plugged in the first place. Screams erupted around the room, with people starting to run around in fear. Even one of the football players had managed to piss themselves. The howling from the house was getting louder, and Roscoe kept filming it all, unsure of what to do. His heart plummeted against his chest, fear rising through his entire body.

[ The camera is moving frantically, with various cuts recording the panic around him. It is recorded near the back end of the house, where Roscoe notices something and zooms in. A person is wearing a mask, holding a phone and a small radio. The masked stranger makes eye contact with the camera and immediately scrams from his hiding spot. Roscoe noticed that when the stranger escaped, the howling around him stopped. ]

Roscoe stood up slowly, realising that the scare was merely a prank. But, he was confused to think of who would have created it. It certainly couldn't be anyone in this room, as he could feel the genuine fear. Before he could think of anything else, someone in front of him and his camera started to shout at him.

"What the fuck are you to record this? Is this your sick plan, you freak?"

"What! No, no, I didn't do this━"

"You're a fucking freak! Do you think you can scare everyone like this? You almost gave me a seizure with the lights, you shithead!" The girl yelled as she shoved Roscoe, who stumbled to the ground. Roscoe looked up, realising that all eyes were on him.

The bodyguards who were previously set out at the front of the doors roughly picked him up from his arms. People around Roscoe started to murmur, pointing at him as if he were the circus. The camera was still recording throughout that, and the last thing spoken before a hand reached to cover the lens was 'no footage allowed' as he was shoved outside the abandoned house.

Roscoe landed on his knees as he looked up to see the bodyguards giving him the middle finger before shutting the door behind them. Roscoe was left in the dark street, with only the streetlights above him to guide him. Roscoe's body shook from the impact on the ground, running his fingers across the cracks on the camera's lens. Even if it was a recorder, the camera was special to him, and he bit his lip hard to hold back tears.

The masked stranger watched from beyond the treelines, a low chuckle rising through their chest. How unfortunate, poor little Roscoe, who knew he was the start of the domino effect of tears, revenge, and bodies?

𝐓𝐀𝐋 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐒!

well, well, well, the first chapter of edgar poe club is now out!! i was honestly so excited to get started with this chapter, as we have such a unique group of characters :) this was a chance for me to explore with different styles ━ such as the perspective from the actual camera itself, so you can see it if it was through a film script!! that is something that will occur a lot through the book, so i hope you enjoy that lil concept hehe

the question for this chapter is what do you think of the whole deal!! it's a lil fucked up, but everything has a meaning, and all lead up to a mystery :) let me know how i did with writing your characters, it is the first chapter, and i want to make sure that in future chapters, i can do your characters justice! so far, i'm just so excited, and i hope y'all are too <3

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗞𝗦 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚!