Chapter Text
The Phantom World greeted them with its usual blood-red sky and that sickening wave of nausea. An eerie silence stretched to the horizon, broken only by the distant shrieks and groans of phantoms. The dark forest surrounding the cemetery, thick with emptiness and dread, held the secrets of these lands and the phantoms lurking behind its trees. Clouds drifted sluggishly across the sky, and in their midst shone an unnaturally bright gray moon, casting its soft, pale light over everything.
Ashlyn woke up in the place she’d been spending most of her time lately—on the wall beside the floodlights. During her last watch, without even realizing it, she’d fallen asleep right there. Maybe it was the countless sleepless nights or the unending stress, but right now, the reason didn’t matter.
Getting to her feet and shaking off the grogginess, Ashlyn began a series of light stretches. Sleeping on the cold, hard stone of the wall had left her stiff and aching—it was far from the best idea.
As she stretched, she noticed something odd. Tonight, the moon was unusually bright, and because of it, the phantoms were hiding deep within the trees, refusing to venture into the light. This was… surprising. The first time anything like this had happened. A soft, silvery light lay like a gentle sheet across the ground. The faint rustle of growing grass and leaves carried on the air. The cool night air burned her lungs from the inside, but it wasn't painful. It seemed tonight might actually be… quiet.
Finishing her stretches, Ashlyn listened carefully to the sounds around the cemetery. Straining her ears, she heard no phantoms nearby. Only the far-off cries and grumbles of the night's creatures.
Realizing the walls were safe for the night, Ashlyn let out a quiet huff to herself. She pondered what to do now that the walls didn't need defending. Maybe go down and join the others? Or check all the floodlights for signs of damage? Though taking inventory of their supplies to see what they were running low on would be more practical.
Lost in her thoughts, she heard careless footsteps ascending the wall below. Their energetic, slightly chaotic rhythm gave away exactly who was approaching. So, Ashlyn wasn't the least bit surprised to hear Aiden's cheerful voice.
"Ashhhhh! You awake?" he said with his usual exuberance, popping his head up over the top of the ladder.
"No. Need something?" she replied, hiding a smile.
"We-ell, everyone downstairs is missing you. Wanna come down? We could all hang out," he said in a playful, cajoling tone.
"Hm. Why? Wouldn't it be better to check the walls and floodlights, or do an inventory…"
"Aaahhh… That's boring!" Aiden waved a dismissive hand. "Come on! Let's have some fun. I brought new board games earlier, we could play!"
Ashlyn pretended to think it over. Jumping at his offer wasn't her style. And they really did need to take care of those tasks before relaxing. For the first time in months of endless shifts into the Phantom World, the night was safe. Logically, they should use this fact to quickly get all necessary work done outside the cemetery walls.
But the pleasant, warm feeling that had been spreading in her chest since the fair tugged at her, urging her to agree to Aiden's proposal. To the offer from this chaotic, unpredictable guy whose presence was like sunlight, brightening everything around him.
"Well? You in?" Aiden pressed, seeing her hesitation.
"…Fine… But! No arguments. I don't want a repeat of last time, where you and Tyler's fight meant we had to search the entire bus for all the game pieces," Ginger warned.
"Hooray! Let's go!" the blond cheered and quickly started descending.
Ashlyn just snorted. Aiden's behavior, his energy and emotions, made that warm feeling in her chest spread even further.
---
The cemetery remained as familiar and dull by night as it was by day. Dozens of old, rusting buses were scattered evenly across the territory. Some stood stacked on top of each other or formed pyramids of several, giving the place the feel of a forgotten junkyard city. Many buses were lined up along the wall, creating a rough circle and leaving the center of the territory empty. Wind whistled and moaned through the gaps and holes between the buses. Metal groaned and creaked under its own weight, creating a symphony of eerie sounds.
Paint had long since peeled off the sides of the former transports, exposing bare metal that was beginning to corrode and rust. Windows, cracked or completely shattered, were cloudy and dull, collecting thick layers of dust. They reflected the soft moonlight, illuminating the ground beneath them.
In some spots, piles of junk accumulated: old tires, dry planks or wooden beams, bits of metal wire sticking out here and there. There were many such piles—some small, some large. Next to them usually stood a few metal barrels, some dented or full of holes.
Unlike during the day, the Phantom World at night held some changes. Crudely built wooden target boards for shooting practice had appeared between the buses. Poorly made scarecrows stood crookedly, their "heads" lolling to one side as if assembled in a hurry for combat drills. Slightly further off was a sparring area, and beyond that, a resting zone piled with old mattresses whose dead springs squeaked with every movement.
Aiden and Ashlyn walked, heading straight for the main bus. Their eyes automatically scanned between the buses out of habit, noting small details in their surroundings. This cemetery had become almost a second home for their group, and every corner, every shadow here was familiar and not frightening.
The short walk from the outer walls to the main bus took only a few minutes, but the time was filled with Aiden's typical energetic chatter. He bounced along as usual, brimming with energy and filling the silence between them. But his chatter didn't feel irritating or unnecessary anymore. It had become familiar, almost comforting, in just a couple of months, so much so that Ashlyn barely noticed it.
The bus where the group spent most of their time was called the main bus. Located closer to the center, it was surrounded by several other buses, forming a kind of large, protective blanket. On the outside, fresh paint covered exposed metal. Garland lights hung, glowing in various colors from red to blue. Several surprisingly cute drawings adorned its sides—the group's handprint, inside jokes now permanently etched onto the bus walls.
So engrossed in this chatter, they didn't even notice they'd already reached the main bus. Sharing an awkward smile, they quickly stepped inside.
Inside, this bus was radically different from the others. Most buses looked almost identical inside: old, battered seats, the upholstery leather torn, revealing yellowed foam underneath. In some, seats were missing entirely. But that didn't change the fact that practically all the buses looked alike inside.
Inside the main bus, garlands glowed with a soft, warm yellow light. On one side, the seats had been removed. In the open space that resulted, various knick-knacks had accumulated, and a large white tarp was hung on the wall. Next to it on the floor sat an old tire and a simple marker board. Opposite the tarp, a small projector was mounted above some seats. Nearby was a folding table and a thermal container filled with ice. The seats were covered with cushions of various shapes and colorful blankets. At the back of the bus, a simple hammock was strung between seats. Under one seat sat a square water reservoir.
In short, everything for a comfortable stay.
The rest of the group was scattered about. Ben and Taylor sat near the exit, sharing a sketchbook they were currently using. Logan sat curled up inside his tire, hugging his knees—seemingly asleep. And Tyler, sitting at the very back of the bus, was reading a book.
"Hey, guys! Look who I managed to drag down!" Aiden announced cheerfully as soon as they stepped inside.
"Oh! Hey, Ash! What did you do at the fair after we split up?" Taylor asked brightly, looking up from her drawing.
"Nothing much…" Ginger mumbled.
She felt… awkward here. It seemed like a hundred years had passed since they'd all spent time together in the Phantom World. Ashlyn had grown unaccustomed to seeing her friends in their black Phantom World gear. Unaccustomed to seeing their tired faces in this world. It all… pressed down on her, tightening her chest from the inside. She half-expected the others to say, "What are you doing here? Finally got bored sitting on the wall?" The words echoed in her head, though she'd never actually heard her friends say anything like that.
But the others didn't seem to notice. They didn't barrage her with questions about why she constantly patrolled the walls. They simply welcomed her back with open arms, as if she hadn't been avoiding them for weeks. They joked, talked, including her in their conversation. Aiden pulled new board games and card decks out from under several seats.
"Guys, who's up for poker?" Aiden asked with a grin, pulling a deck of cards from his treasure trove.
"For what stakes? Not money. Can't play that with you. You cheat," Tyler said, settling in for the game.
"Aw, come on, Ty-lee~" Aiden almost sang, shuffling the deck.
"What did you call me?!" Tyler bristled.
"Ty, chill," Taylor said in her usual calm voice.
"How about candy?" Ashlyn suggested.
"We have candy here?" Logan perked up.
"Yeah. Mom often hides it here from Dad," Ashlyn said.
"Then what are we waiting for?!" Taylor said joyfully.
---
After Ashlyn brought a small bag of candy, the game took on new life. They divided the available candy equally among themselves. This candy became the currency for their various games.
First was poker. Aiden dealt the cards, promising a fair game. But somehow, he won every single round, and each time he seemed to have the luckiest combinations. With every loss, Tyler grew angrier, accusing Aiden of cheating. He finally exploded when the blond pulled a royal flush and didn't even bat an eye, as if he got them every day. It was then that Tyler finally caught Aiden red-handed, discovering extra cards up his sleeve. The group fined Aiden, taking back all the candy he'd won, plus two pieces from him for each of them.
After poker came Monopoly. That game was just as loud. Shouting, arguments, a flipped table—it had it all. But despite the chaos, everyone was calm and having fun.
After finishing another round, the group moved on to other games. There was "Bunker," "Who Am I?," "Charades," "Uno," and many other less popular games Aiden had found on eBay.
When the last game was played and the last piece of candy eaten, Aiden pulled "Twister" and badminton rackets from under a seat. He suggested playing outside the bus. Even tired from all the board games, the others quickly agreed.
Outside, it was cool—the temperature hovered around 62°F (17°C). The fresh air pleasantly invigorated their lungs, causing no discomfort. The friends laughed loudly, playing Twister, then badminton, and eventually devolved into a game of tag.
Loud, cheerful shouts and bright laughter echoed throughout the cemetery. In that moment, they forgot. Forgot they were in some demonic world. Forgot this world was filled with fear and hopelessness. They simply felt like teenagers—fifteen, sixteen years old—who wanted to think about parties and fun. Teenagers whose biggest problem was tomorrow's homework check or a pop quiz. Teenagers who didn't have to think about how to survive to see the next dawn. The vibrant atmosphere of the fair seemed to permeate the cemetery grounds, as if each of them had carried a piece of it back. And each of them wished this night could last forever.
A little over ten minutes remained on the timer. The group was sprawled on folding chairs left over from a barbecue, some on car hoods, enjoying the coolness of the metal. After all the running and shouting, the inside of the bus felt too stuffy and hot, so they'd all come outside, completely spent.
Ashlyn forced her heavy eyelids open and looked at the others scattered around. Tyler and Taylor were lying together on a car hood, Ben was already asleep on a chair, Logan was, as usual, curled up in his tire, and Aiden… He wasn't there.
The girl jolted awake, fatigue instantly receding. Frowning, Ashlyn quickly scanned the area, trying to spot the blond. Her gaze slid over every corner until it caught on a mop of yellow hair disappearing behind the corner of one of the buses.
Where is he going?
The single thought echoed in Ashlyn's head. Shouldn't he be lying around exhausted like everyone else? Aiden had been the most active of them all, accompanying every game with movement, noise, energy. But now he was just… walking off somewhere without telling anyone.
Ashlyn looked at the others—they were already dozing off, paying no attention. After sitting and thinking for a moment, she decided not to disturb her friends and instead follow Aiden. Ginger quietly got up from her spot and headed to where she'd last seen him.
The part of the cemetery Aiden had gone to was the least lit. It was due to the multitude of buses stacked on top of each other, forming a high wall. The passages between them were swallowed by darkness. Old, rusted sides turned these corridors into a bizarre maze full of twists and dead ends. Metal groaned and creaked under its own weight. The wind howled and whistled as it passed between the rows. It felt as if the dark corners held all the horrors of this world, ready to swallow anyone who dared venture deeper.
Ashlyn knew every inch of this place. But this particular part of the cemetery always frightened her. Everything here felt eerie, terrifying, and hopeless. With each step, darker thoughts were born in her head. As if she'd stepped into a scene from a horror movie where the hero would inevitably meet their death among the high walls of a maze.
"Aiden?" Ashlyn called out. "Aiden, where are you? Where did you go?"
Ginger nervously looked around, trying to find the guy, but to no avail. A cold sweat broke out on her skin, her clothes clung to her damp back, and a fine tremor appeared in her fingertips. The temperature around her seemed to drop several degrees. Her heart beat faster with every second spent in this place.
"Aiden, this isn't funny anymore! Come out!"
Going deeper, Ashlyn heard a scraping sound. She froze, listening to every rustle. But nothing happened. Silence filled the space to the brim—and it was even more frightening.
Just as the girl decided nothing would happen, it did. Someone jumped on her from above, knocking her to the ground and driving the air from her lungs. Cold earth struck her back, and for a moment, darkness swam before her eyes.
When Ashlin could gather her senses, she looked at the person pinning her down.
And her heart skipped a beat.
Sitting on top of her was a guy smeared with a black, tar-like substance that made his hair seem black. His face was hidden in shadow, and only his eyes—dark and impenetrable—stared right at her. The guy was grinning widely.
The shape of his face was familiar. This position was familiar. This smile was familiar.
It was the same smile that visited her in nightmares. The same smile that had haunted her in middle school. That smile, the one he wore—when cornering her, when demonstrating his superiority, when breaking her from the inside.
Ashlyn tried not to think about it, but now it was impossible to suppress the memories.
Aiden and Mason were too alike. If not for the differences in height and eye color, they could easily be mistaken for twins. The same facial features, the same nose shape, similar expressions… and the smile.
But despite this resemblance, Aiden's smile had always seemed warm, kind—almost comforting to Ashlyn. He was the complete opposite of Mason: in the emotions he evoked, in his hair and eye color. Like Yin and Yang.
But now her Yang had been tainted by darkness and become indistinguishable from Yin. From that Yin who brought only pain into her life.
"Ash?.." Aiden uttered uncertainly.
He hadn't expected this reaction. He thought Ashlyn would scream, call him an idiot, get angry. Say it was stupid and unfair—especially if he was trying to win their bet this way.
But all he saw now was animalistic fear in her eyes. Ragged breathing. Tears gathering in the corners of her eyelids.
"Ashlin, you…" he began, but didn't get to finish.
SHIFT
---
The feeling of nausea passed quickly. Both Ashlyn and Aiden jerked upright into sitting positions. As if waking from a nightmare—drenched in cold sweat—they looked at each other.
Ashlyn clamped her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were wide with horror and fear. Her gaze—frightened, lost. Her fingers trembled. Her hands shook. She was shaking all over.
Something whistled into the sky, and…
BOOM!
The entire space around them lit up with red light, accompanied by dull thuds. Then—new explosions, new thumps, new colors. The traditional midnight fireworks show for the Halloween Fair.
They were still sitting under that tree. Still far from the others. A second ago—they were laughing together, playing together. Being together.
And now, a chasm had opened between them. Deep and dark, so profound it felt like an abyss lay within, ready to swallow anyone who misstepped.
"…Ash… I didn't mean to…" Aiden said in a trembling voice, reaching a hand toward her.
But then he sharply pulled it back. As if afraid to get burned…
No. Afraid to burn her.
"…It's… fine… I'm fine…" the girl said after a pause, hugging her own shoulders and quickly averting her gaze.
"But Ash!… —"
"No," Ashlyn cut him off instantly. "It's… really, fine… Thanks for tonight… I… I should go home…" she spoke quietly, still not looking at him.
"Ashlyn…" Aiden reached out again, trying to grasp her hand, but the girl was already on her feet.
"Don't… I'm going… please… don't follow me."
And she walked away quickly.
Quickly descended the hill. Quickly vanished from sight.
And then… she ran.
She ran without looking back, clutching her chest tightly. She wanted to turn around. Wanted to see him. Wanted to look into his eyes.
But she couldn't.
She was afraid.
Afraid to see not his eyes. Not his smile. Afraid to see Mason in Aiden's features.
And Aiden?..
He remained there, on the hill. Trembling, with tears in his eyes. He hadn't meant to cross that line. Hadn't meant to scare her like that.
He hadn't meant to.
He wanted to bolt after her, to run, to beg forgiveness, to get on his knees—just for her to forgive him.
But he couldn't.
He was afraid.
Afraid to hurt her. Afraid to harm her. Afraid to see that look in her eyes again—full of horror and panic.
So he just stood there. Stood and watched as his first friend ran away. As his best friend ran away. As the one who brought happiness into his life ran away. As the one he loved ran away.
Ran away from him.
Ran away in fear of him.
And under that tree, illuminated by the flashes of fireworks, a plush carrot toy and a rose-shaped amulet lay forgotten.
---
Aiden sat in his room, in the dark. Only a sliver of streetlight pierced the gloom inside. He wasn't smiling. His face was etched with sorrow and anguish. Tears had pooled in the corners of his eyes, and his nose was already red.
The blond sat clutching the plush carrot toy in his hand. The carrot Ashlyn had won for him. His heart constricted painfully looking at the toy. Constricted with the understanding that he'd ruined everything. And all because he wanted to win a stupid bet.
Why had he done it? Why had he hurt her?…
As he sat there, someone knocked on his door.
"Knock-knock, it's me," Mason said cheerfully, walking into the room.
Aiden didn't answer him.
"…Hey… you okay?" his cousin asked with concern in his voice, sitting down beside him.
"…I… I don't know…" the blond sniffled.
"What happened? Someone give you trouble?" the brunet asked, his tone turning serious.
"No… I'm the one who caused trouble…"
Mason stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
"I screwed up, Mason! I'm just an idiot! Why did I even do that?!"
"Hey, hey, stop. I'm sure it's nothing serious—"
"You don't understand! I hurt her."
"Who?"
"Ashlyn!"
Mason froze upon hearing that name.
He didn't hear what Aiden said next. He fixated only on the fact that… she had disobeyed him.
She. Had. Disobeyed him.
Spit on his mercy and was talking to his cousin again. To his brother.
And now because of her, Aiden was crying.
"So… you're in this state because of her?" Mason clarified after Aiden fell silent.
"No, because of my own stupidity."
"Hm… Don't worry, bro. It won't happen again," Mason said, baring his teeth in a smile.
A smile that promised nothing good.