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It's Valentines Day and love is in the air! Well, it's mostly little paper hearts flying around in the breeze... But that is beside the point! You're walking along the streets of Barton, smiling as you observe the couples being lovey dovey and the sheer amount of chocolate produced for just this day. "Um... Thanks..?" You pause to look over at the nearby voice, a girl who seems to be in her late teens is frowning slightly as she watches another girl scurry away, leaving her holding a heart shaped box that you assume to be chocolates. "What is with people lately..? That's the tenth person to stutter somethin' at me then run off before actually sayin' whatever it is they wanted to say." She lets out a frustrated breath, blowing some of her pale bangs out of her eyes as she turns towards you. She watches you for a moment and you almost feel like the prey of some wild animal. And not the good "she must be into me" kind of prey, but the "she's going to eat me and leave my bones for wild dogs to chew on" kind of prey. She grins a moment later and tosses the chocolate at you, "Here, you look like you could actually eat this stuff. Just makes me puke my guts up." You barely catch the box before it falls to the ground and try to protest, stammering something about how it wouldn't be appropriate to take something given to her by someone else. She only laughs and waves it off before walking away, "Well, someone's gotta eat 'em and they make me sick. Happy Valentines Day and all that."

Beast Within -Anon- aka The Oblivious Werewolf Senpai

Night was descending on the eLympics party, and by now the casual participants had turned in for the day, leaving only the hardcore players to illuminate their faces with digital screens as the sun set. As you considered whether to keep playing or head home yourself, you heard a cry of pain from behind one of the arcade cabinets. Peeking around a candy colored machine, the dusk barely illuminated the horrible sight of a small furry creature becoming larger and larger as it screamed in pain, but before long the screams were choked out by snarls as the change came to an end, leaving behind a monstrous blue creature taller than the coin-ops around you.

Its burning green eyes quickly look in your direction with malicious intent and you dashed for your life, the creature pushing aside an arcade cabinet with ease and bounding after in pursuit. If you didn't so something soon the creature would overtake you, so you ducked behind a machine, but the creature noticed and took a swipe at the-

The lights around you began to flicker as the creature has slashed through the arcade cabinet and dug right into the live power-lines within, the creature's frozen in place as the electricity coursed through its massive muscles. The power short-circuited and left your area of the arcade in darkness, but you heard a loud thud of the creature falling to the ground... dead? Unconscious? You weren't going to stick around and find out which one it is, and promptly fled the tournament.

It wouldn't be until morning that you'd find a mysterious unmarked package at your door, with a small note attached:

"That must have been a... shocking experience!

...I'm the worst.

-Mister Monster Guy"

Halloween night!
Come, dance!
The flowing wave of people
Yes, go with the mood, not logic!
In a corner of this world
With romantic make-up and costumes
Special night!

Soon spring would come,
when flowers bloomed
I don't want to talk about such flowers
Love is a misunderstanding
Outward appearance is different in some ways

The only noise that could be heard was the slosh of the oars as they dipped into the water and slipped through the murky lake. The water lapped against the sides of the small rickety boat and your knuckles whitened as you gripped the stiff plank of wood that acted as your seat. You couldn't believe you were doing this. More to the point, you couldn't believe your friends had all bailed out and you were doing this alone.

For the fifteenth time, your eyes drifted towards the island and its pier just ahead. The nameless island was an utter mystery to the town. No one knew why it had been sealed off or what was on the small island. There were theories, however. Like many abandoned and unknown places, the island had become a ghost story that was whispered about in the dead of night. Ghosts, monsters, and ghouls. You had heard all of the different versions of the tale. Now you finally had the chance to see the truth of the place with your own eyes. Last week, a shocking announcement had arrived stating that Gaians could visit the island. You simply could not resist the curiosity that compelled you to go look.

Humming drew your attention away from the island and back to your guide. He called himself the ferryman, however the dingy little boat was far from a ferry. His clothes were a bundled mess of brown hues, his beard was as wild as his graying hair, and when he had laughed earlier you had spied a few missing teeth. In a single word, the man was sketchy. Nonetheless, he was the only boater who had permission to bring people to the island and back. The humming stopped and hazel eyes met your own. You quickly looked away, embarrassed for having been caught staring.

"Ye wasted a lot of time waitin' for yer friends." The ferryman's voice was gruff and blunt, "Ye won't have much time 'fore sunset."

You winced as you recalled the awkward thirty minutes spent waiting for your friends. You had toyed with your phone as you desperately tried to figure out where each of them was. Meanwhile, the ferryman had unflinchingly stared at you and repeatedly pestered that he wouldn't stay on the island once dark arrived.

"I won't be long." You glanced towards the sky as you spoke; the rays of the setting sun were beginning to tint the water orange. You really wouldn't have that much time.

More silence filled minutes passed and you were relieved when the boat finally reached the pier. Well, pier would have been an exaggeration. It was just a small structure of wood with a lantern hanging on a post to mark its presence. You were surprised that the planks of wood that made up the dock even supported your weight as you wobbled out of the boat. There wasn't a single piece that hadn't been warped and twisted by age.

"Be quick." The ferryman, not having bothered to help you out of the boat, was already leaning against a post and using the hanging lantern to light a cigarette, "I ain't gonna wait if ye take too long when I holler for ye to come back."

You wrinkled your nose at the smell and moved away. Leaving the dock, you spotted a rotting sign next to an old cobble path. Although the paint was peeling and mostly flecked off, you somehow managed to read the words. Graveyard Pier. What a cheerful name for the place. Suddenly, you grinned as renewed excitement filled you. You were actually here; at the place where so many stories were born from. Your friends were going to regret not coming. With a spring in your step, you walked down the path and further into the island.

Autumn leaves painted the ground orange and yellow. Around you the trees were withered, brown, and bare from fall's touch. The only noise you could hear was the crunch of leaves underfoot and the occasional sound as a dead branch fell from somewhere in the woods. Your eyes darted like a dragonfly as you tried to take in as much as possible in the short time you had. Ahead, you could see a cottage next to an arched open metal gate. You paused at the abandoned cottage, looking at the vines that crawled up its side. From above, perched on the roof, a raven stared down at you with beaded eyes and cawed. Annoyed at your curious gaze, it cawed again and flapped its wings menacingly. You blinked and backed away. You had absolutely no desire to pick a fight with a bird.

You turned back to the gate entrance and looked through. Tombstones were scattered across a field of dead grass and leaves. You now knew why this place was called Graveyard Pier. Hesitantly, you stepped into the graveyard. Most of the tombstones were broken or crumbling and many of the engravings were impossible to read. Clearly, there had not been a grave tender here for a very long time. You wandered deeper into the graveyard, careful of your footing. A few more ravens gathered along the ancient monuments and warily watched you. Trailing a hand to wipe a leaf off a plaque, you paused as something caught your eye. Turning, you frowned as you stared off into the woods.

There. A small light. Why was there a light in the woods? Your frown deepened as you crossed the graveyard to its edge. Closer now, you could barely make out something that looked like a structure. It was hard to tell with the thick brush and trees.

Stay or go. You weighed your options. A raven cawed behind you, almost sounding like a dare. Lifting your chin, you made your decision and walked into the woods. You had come this far already, no point in stopping now.


Branches snapped and scratched against leaves as you pushed forward towards the flicker of light. You could see there was once a path here, but it had long since been buried by nature. A feeling of unease settled in your chest as you walked. The light was farther than you had originally thought. Continuing at a steady pace, you eventually reached the source of the light: a candle in a window. The structure, a wood cabin, was derelict and filthy. The porch roof was tilted precariously to the side, one of its posts collapsing in on itself. Most of the windows appeared broken and boarded up. The only reason why the light from the candle was visibly was because one of the boarded planks of wood had fallen off.

You cautiously walked onto the porch, warily staring at the roof the entire time. The wood below you moaned under your weight as you approached the door. When you reached it, you suddenly stopped. You hadn't actually thought this far. Frowning once more, you raised your hand and knocked. The door drifted inward the moment your knuckle hit it. The door had not been fully closed.

"Hello?" You called out as you peered into the cabin.

No one replied and you slowly stepped in. The moment you did, you blinked and then blinked again. The inside of the cabin was spotless. You had expected dust, dirt, and spider webs, yes as impossible as it sounded, the cabin was in perfect condition. Utterly surprised, you took a few more steps inside. The place looked like it could have been in a brochure with its oak carved furniture and plush dark green cushions. The only thing out of place was the gifting supplies that was neatly located throughout the room.

In an empty corner, dozens and dozens of small plain boxes were stacked. On the table in the center of the room were rolls of different colored wrapping paper and ribbons. Wandering over to the oak desk, you spotted a pile of crisp white gift tags next to a calligrapher's pen and inkwell. On the windowsill just above the desk, was the lit candle, flickering in the drafty air. Everything you saw in the room seemed fastidiously placed and organized.

You gazed thoughtfully across the room. This was someone's workshop. That was very clear to you now. Who it was or why they had set up in such an isolated and secret manner was a mystery. You faced the desk once more, searching its surface for clues. Your hand was just inches from the drawer when an unsettling feeling fell across you.

You were being watched.

The hair on the back of your neck was raised. A cold bead of sweat slid down the side of your face and you straightened. You could feel an intense stare focused on the center of your back. You did not want to, but you had to turn. Even though you knew this, it took you a few seconds to gather your courage. Just get it done and over it. Quickly and without forewarning, you whirled around to face the stranger and... And saw nothing. Breath coming in short bursts, you searched the room for someone. Your heart was pounding wildly in your chest.

There was no one there.

You shivered, wiping your clammy hands on your pants. You must have spooked yourself. Even as you tried to silently laugh it off, your body was still tense with anticipation. The feeling of being watched was still there. Your teeth started to chatter and you rubbed the sides of your arms for warmth. The sun must have been nearly set because it had become startlingly cold. Whatever the reason, it was time for you to leave.

Far quicker than how you had entered, you left the cabin and closed its door. Stepping off the porch, you paused. The crickets had started to sing and the woods had grown dark. Far darker than you thought it would be for this time of day. You'd have to use your phone light to get back to the graveyard. Pulling it from your pocket, you clicked its black screen to wake it up. A second later, you clicked it again. Glaring at it now, you tried the power button to no avail. Unbelievable. Your phone was dead. Angrily shoving it back into your pocket, you stared at the black wall that was the woods. Maybe you could go back inside the cabin and use the... You glanced back at it and then abruptly backed away from the cabin, heart pounding hard. Someone had blown the candle out. Swallowing hard, you hurried away from the cabin. There was no way you were going back inside.


The woods were as scratchy, uneven, and annoying as the first time. More than once, you had to stop because some part of your clothes had been snagged by an outreaching branch. You were making so much noise that you must have seemed like a wrecking ball to any animals nearby. The thought made you grin. As you stepped forward passed a bush, your foot found a divot in the dirt and in a single second you face planted down onto the ground. Pain seared through your leg and your eyes watered from the impact. Your arms began to sting from multiple scratches. You groaned down into the dirt as you mentally assessed the pain you were feeling. From one of the trees, a raven cawed. A moment later, several leaves fell and landed on your already tangled hair. You rolled onto your back and glared at the raven. It was probably the one from the cottage.

Grimacing, you wobbled and managed to stand. Tentatively, you took a step forward. The pain in your foot intensified, but it was manageable. It was probably a light sprain. Wiping the dirt off of your clothes, you looked around. Seconds passed. The blood drained from your face as you looked from one tree to the next. Which direction had you been going? You closed your eyes, trying to remember how you had fallen and then which way you had gotten up. Damn it. It was not helping. You had absolutely no clue where to go.

Fear slithered into your heart and you looked to the sky. Everything looked so dark here in the woods. You could not even check the time because your phone was dead. Your mind drifted back to the ferryman. He wouldn't actually leave you out here, right? Fear and worry rooted you to the spot. You were lost in the woods. Your cell phone was dead and you had no flashlight. Swallowing hard, you shook your head to try and refocus it. Be rational. Surely you were not that far from the graveyard. Despite this thought, you stood paralyzed with fear, staring at the darkness and the trees around you. You had to do something... You had to move. If only you had a...

A gasp escaped your lips. A light. To your side, you could see a light in the woods ahead. Someone must have relit the candle in the cabin. Not hesitating for a moment, you began to follow it. If someone was in there, then they could help you get back to the dock. Then again, that was assuming they weren't actually a serial killer who was planning on horrifically murdering you and stashing your body somewhere in the woods. You winced at the mental image. You were beginning to have doubts about your new plan. As you grew closer to the light, your heart began to pound harder. Maybe it was a serial killer inside. Either way, you refused to be in the dark woods a second longer. Bracing yourself, you emerged from the woods.

"There ye are."

The unexpected voice nearly caused you to lose your footing for a second time. The ferryman leaned against a tombstone, a new cigarette in his mouth. Next to him, resting on the top of the tombstone, was a lantern with a candle inside; the light you had been following. The sudden surge of relief that coursed through you made you light headed.

"I see the lady was right. Ye was lost, ey?" He blew out a cloud of smoke as he stared at your disheveled appearance thoughtfully.

You nodded, too tired to be embarrassed. His first sentence finally registered and you frowned. "Lady?"

"Aye." He nodded, "She came to me and said ye needed some 'elp. I guess she reckoned ye'd get lost." The ferryman fiddled with his coat pocket for a moment before pulling something out and tossing it to you. Startled by the unexpected movement, you barely managed to catch the box. It was a gift box. You recognized the size of the box and the wrapping paper from the ones you had found inside the cabin.

"The lady wanted me to give ye that. Not sure why she bothered." He shrugged and took a long drag of his cigarette. "Twas yer own fault for wandering so far out."

You barely heard his words, your focus on the box. Just as you expected, there was a tag with a small message written in elegant calligraphy

Abruptly, the ferryman turned and started back towards the docks, forcing your attention away from the gift. "Come on! Ye forced me to wait long enough already."

Looking from the gift then to the retreating form of the ferryman, you frowned and hurried after him. There was no way you were going to risk falling behind and getting lost again. With your limp, you struggled to keep up with the man. By the time he reached the boat with you in tow, your foot was throbbing with pain. With a practiced hand, he helped you into the boat, tied the lantern to its stern, and then pushed off away from the island.

Soon, the noise of the oars dipping into the water filled the otherwise silent air. The sun had fully set and a crescent moon was beginning to rise. You ignored it all and turned back to the gift. Shifting so you could catch some of the light emitting from the lantern, you turned the box over and began to read:

'Imagine my surprise when I arrived at my workshop today only to find a stranger inside. I forgive your curiosity and intrusion, however; only this once. I expect my hideaway to be a secret best kept between us... It would disappoint me immensely to find another traveler fiddling amongst my gifts.

Yours Sincerely,

--- Phantom Anon

P.S. Forgive the ferryman for his uncouth behavior. Although he does not show it, he would have been deeply worried if he had lost you to the woods. This island is not safe once night has fallen. There are more than just ravens that stalk these grounds.'

You shoot up off your pillow at the sound of something tapping on your wall. The room is pitch black save for a small ray of moonlight shining through the window. As you notice that it's open, your heart begins to beat harder. You're certain it was closed when you went to sleep. You try to see into the shadows creeping in the corners, but your eyes simply can't pierce them. You can't seem to dismiss the feeling that someone, or something is watching you, but you shake your head. You're not a small child anymore, scared of the monsters in the closet, so you get out of bed to close the window.

You walk over and begin to reach out to close it, and an ice cold hand clamps around your wrist. You open your mouth to scream, but another hand quickly covers it. "Ah ah ah, can't have you being loud." A voice whispers in your ear, breath hot against your throat. It's playful, yet hauntingly dark. You begin to struggle, to try and get away but the thing pulls you close, holding tight. It leans down to sniff your skin, right over the artery in your neck.

You feel something sink into your neck, and it takes you a moment to realize that it's biting you. It pulls back a moment and takes a sharp breath, then leans forward and trails its tongue across the bleeding wound. It makes a deep sound of satisfaction, then bites down again. You can feel your life force draining away in the blood it's sucking from you, but with it comes a sense of euphoria. It feels as if you're on the greatest and worst drug in the world, pleasure beyond words laced with unimaginable pain. It seems to last an eternity, an endless, terrifying ride, but in a moment it's over. It releases your limp, half dead body and you fall to the floor. Somehow you manage to stay awake, and raise your eyes to its face.

Dark, tousled hair frames a shockingly attractive face, and intense blue eyes stare down at you. Even in simple jeans and a leather jacket, the monster is the most terrifying creature you'd ever seen. It grins down at you, perfectly white teeth dripping blood, your blood.

You feel the darkness begin to overcome you, the edges of your vision blurring as you start to lose conciousness. The thing chuckles, sending chills down your spine. "You certainly are a tasty little morsel, aren't you? Don't worry, you won't die." It says, then kneels down beside you. It places an ice cold hand on your face, rubbing your cheek gently with its thumb. "After all, who would destroy such a precious treasure?" It tilts its head, watching as your eyes droop. "I'll make sure you're never alone again..." As you finally fade out, the last image you see is the thing's haunting smile.

~ Damon Anon

It wasn't noticeable at first, especially since we hardly ever look in the corners of our rooms, but there's darkness up there&�&

Your notice was only taken when one day you were changing a light bulb and saw that the corner it shines on was still darker than the rest of the room. You may have 'harrumphed' at the oddity, thinking it was caused by a lower wattage bulb than the one you must have had in the socket previously. No reason to put another bulb in though, the new one was working perfectly fine.

However a day later the new bulb seemed to be growing dimmer, since now that corner was darker than before. It isn&��t a terrible bother, since you rarely pay attention to this part of the room anyways. You&��ll just have to replace that bulb when it too dies.

&��Is the A/C broken?&��, you think to yourself while standing near the corner, it&��s exceptionally cold near here. Looking up you see the vents aren&��t even pointing this way, yet you feel a cool waft in the area. Frowning, you can&��t help but look towards the darkened corner. &��Is that new bulb out? It&��s not even light here.&��

You check the bulb, but its brightness burns your eyes as proof that it was lit to its maximum wattage. Rubbing your eyelids to suppress the burn, a feeling of being watched crawls across your skin. Your eyes snap open wide and glance around furtively for the source of the feeling, but the window&��s blinds are shut and you&��re home alone. A shudder shakes your shoulders and you leave the room to check the locks on windows and doors.

A few days pass and you&��ve not gone into that room unless necessary, but you don&��t know why. Today you need scissors and you know they are in there. Hesitantly you stand in the doorway, looking into the room with an unease roiling in your stomach. Flicking on the light switch you gasp at that corner. A nearly pitch black haze hangs about that corner. As you stare into it, you feel the feeling of eyes upon you again.

&��Stare into the abyss and&�&&��, you whisper.
From across the room, &��&�&the abyss stares back.&��

~Another Anon

I was babysitting my niece once while I was staying at my brother&��s place, and they had the baby camera setup so I could see her on the little TV it came with. I was studying and started dozing off when I heard some whispering and realized it was coming from the monitor.

I initially thought it was some feedback or something, but when I looked at the TV there was a dark shadow near my niece&��s crib. I have never been more terrified in my life, but the shadow was clearly there where it had not been before. I ran to my niece&��s room and looked around and saw nothing, but I took her the hell out of there. I went back to the TV, and the shadow was clearly gone.

I told my brother what happened and he pulled me aside and told me not to mention it to my sister-in-law because she&��ll freak out, but that he had seen that same thing several times now, with the same whispering.

They stayed in that house for about four more years and when my niece was just learning to talk she would tell her mom about her &��special friend.&�� To this day, it scares the s**t out of me. When they moved out, my brother told me my niece had become inconsolably sad because she would miss her &��friend.&�� Her mom would tell her she could bring him along but all she would say was that he couldn&��t leave the house. We have never to this day told her about that damn shadow, and she apparently never saw it.

~* Sweet Dreams, love Haunted Anon *~

"*sigh* Fine, just go and finish your job with those zings. And remember to wash away all ze blood you... 'accidentally' spilled." 'Spy' huffed, waving off a rather disgruntled 'Sniper'.

As the 'Sniper' started humming the same tune again resuming his work, 'Spy' offers you his white gloved hand.

"Can you stand? Let me explain what Sniper is doing before I walk you home."

You hesitated a bit before you take his hand and he gently pulls you to your feet.

"Tell me, what do you know about Halloween?" He asks. You think back to what your history teacher had taught your class and you replied, before you ask him about the sudden question.

"You are correct, it is a day which ze ghosts and monsters freely roam ze earth. Ze reason why I ask you that is because ze part about ghosts and monsters is real. Look at the body Sniper's cutting up."

At that he turns you towards the direction of the 'Sniper'. Even though you don't want to look at the body, you have no choice but to check the masked man's credibility.

Your eyes, adjusted to the darkness, widened as you make out what looks like sharp fangs poking out of the victim's bloodied mouth. As if to further validate the truth, 'Sniper' briefly glances back at you and holds up an arm that is not even human in appearance.

"If Sniper hadn't come here to kill that zing, it would likely have you and the other passing kids for dinner." 'Spy' explained. "Now walk with me, there's a couple of them nearby."

It seemed like forever before you find yourself standing in front of your house, only to find that 'Spy' vanished the same way he appeared. It was then you find your candy bucket by your feet, filled to brim with candies and an item along with a note.

<I apologize for Sniper's behavior and hope you find the item useful.>

<- Spy>

Story: The Mirror

"Oh that's silly, Megan." Crystal laughed. "Everyone knows that Bloody Mary doesn't work."

"Well of course Bloody Mary doesn't work, but Tortured Jane does."

"Tortured Jane?" Crystal asked.

"Yes, Tortured Jane. She lived in the Middle Ages in some country that isn't even there anymore. She was beautiful, but was also forced to marry a real creep. She got tired of the tyrant, so she murdered him. Now the story doesn't just end there, because unbeknownst to Jane, her late husband's family were complete sadists. They went rogue, taking justice and revenge out on their own. They tortured Jane and had a witch cast her spirit in a mirror for all eternity as punishment. She's trapped in mirrors. She can never find peace."

"Well, how do you summon her?" Crystal asked.

Megan laughed in response. "You say Tortured Jane three times."

"Tortured....." Crystal began.

"No!" Megan cried, covering Crystal's mouth. "Don't say it. They say the last girls who tried it all vanished without a trace, assumed dead."

Crystal laughed. "Wuss. Come on now, it can't be real. Its just an urban legend."

"Fine." Megan challenged. "If you're so brave, go ahead and do it, but I'm waiting outside the bathroom while you summon her."

"No problem, miss scaredy pants." Crystal countered. "And when I emerge unscathed, you owe me lunch."

"Deal." Megan said. "But you must say her name three times, and loud enough so that I can hear you."

"Deal." Crystal agreed.

Megan watched Crystal go into the bathroom, and she went and sat on her desk chair, rolling close by the closed bathroom door. She saw the glowing bit of light from under the door go dark, and then she heard Crystal's serious voice.

"Tortured Jane." Crystal said once. "Tortured Jane." Twice. "Tortured Jane!" Thrice she called loudly.

There was silence. No screams. No movement. The lights stayed off. A minute passed. Megan almost laughed. Crystal sure was a dork.

"Ok Crystal." Megan called through the door. "You win. Tomorrow I'll take you out for lunch. I accept defeat."

But there was no response. Megan knocked on the bathroom door. "Crystal?"

She knocked again. No response. Unnerved, Megan opened the bathroom door, while her left hand flipped the light switch on.

The bathroom was empty, and the mirror was broke. There was no trace of Crystal. Megan's screams finally broke the silence

Your evening at the HocusPocus Halls has been the most enchanting experience. At every turn you see some bizarre and amazing feats being demonstrated by the magically inclined. With witches galore and other Gaians dressed up alongside them, it's no wonder everything feels, well, magical. The time seems to pass by so fast amidst the festivities and the endless mingling, but for one moment something takes your attention away.

Floating above the crowd are an array of purple flames dancing to and fro. One flame that was directly overhead drops in front of you, bouncing around for your attention. You look around inquisitively to see that several others are experiencing the same as you, all just as confused. When you look back at the flame presenting itself to you, you are overwhelmed with the sudden urge to hold it. It surprises you when it rests in your palm and it is cool to the touch, but more startling is when the flame bursts into smoke and glitter. All that is left in your hand is a small gift and a note reading,

"May you have a wonderful day filled with magical moments!
Yours truly,
~A Sweet Witchly Anon"