A new story in every chapter.
The Reveries I Keep is a collection of one shot stories from contests I participate in, written under different genres. Set in different places and different time periods, this collection will take you on a whirlwind of...
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"Are you sure this is going to work?" Paula asks Wilson who's setting up the last of the cameras on a tree branch.
"Yeah," he says, not bothering to tell her eye to eye. She looks around, and all she can see are vacant lots enclosed with crumbling old walls. They're the only ones in the small intersection except for a few numbers of cars that occasionally speed by. Some drivers would slow down as they turn their heads toward their direction, curiosity written all over their faces.
This is because Wilson's shrouded by a black cloak while she's dressed up as a ghost, her white nightgown splattered with fake blood and her long hair a mess. It's all for his YouTube channel where his scary prank videos always get millions of views. This also attracted subscribers, and they start to earn money because of it. That made him more motivated, and he's always brainstorming new ideas for more interesting pranks.
Now that April's near and to celebrate their one million subscribers, they're doing another prank. "That's the last of 'em," he says as he turns around. "We'll just wait for people who stayed late for work. When we notice them coming this way, you already know what to do, right?"
Paula nods.
"You hide while I recite a spell as I kneel inside this thing," he points at a circle with a star inside. Symbols and lighted black candles decorate the rest of the circle, and it reminds Paula of those symbols she saw when watching movies related to the occult. "You better do everything right."
She rolls her eyes at him. Looking around, she starts to look for the best place to hide. She wouldn't even imagine that there's cameras around her, filming. They're well-hidden in bushes and trees, blending in the dark that creeps around them tonight. She looks around and rubs her arms. The air is starting to get chilly, and it adds to this atmosphere they're trying to create.
"Where's the book?" Wilson asks, tapping his foot against the ground.
"Oh, I'll go get it," Paula says and hurries to a parked old van nearby. Opening the passenger seat, she takes out a thick hardbound, the one Wilson borrowed from the library. It's supposed to contain the spell he needs to recite tonight.
She remembers she suggested they make up words instead, but he only sniggered and shook his head. "No, Paula. You don't get it. We need everything to look legit as possible. You've been doing this for a year now, but you still don't understand a thing, do you?"
Now, she rushes up to him with the book in her tow. After going through the plan one last time, everything's ready.
In the distance, a woman in an office attire is walking towards them, the sound of her heels against the asphalt paving getting louder.
"Perfect," Wilson smirks as he bends his head low, adjusting his hood. Paula, who's hiding behind a tree nearby, swallows. Her heart's racing as she watches their first victim tonight come closer.
The woman looks up, noticing the candlelights in the middle of the street. She starts to slow down, but she doesn't stop walking.
Wilson opens the book and starts to recite a spell.
She eyes the hooded person in front of her warily as she walks by him, every step deliberate, the loud tapping of her heels before now barely inaudible.
Just then, Wilson jerks up and shakes violently, deep growls escaping him like a mad person. Paula knows that's her cue to get out of her hiding place and scare the woman.
She steps out from behind the tree, her eyes focused on the target. She rushes up to her, but the woman doesn't move. She's still looking at Wilson.
Following her gaze, Paula gasps. A gray, almost translucent figure hovers just above Wilson's crouched body as he continues convulsing. It slowly starts to take shape, with two large horns protruding from its head. Monstrous wings sprout from its back, and its red, menacing eyes are ablaze with fury. Then it descends into Wilson's body, and he stops shaking.
"Let's get out of here," Paula reaches for the woman's arm and pulls her with her. She can only hear their footsteps, hard breathing, and her own panicked heartbeats. What just happened? What was that?
"Wait." The woman behind her says after a few minutes. She removes her grip from her arm.
Paula turns around to face her.
"You're just going to leave him there?" she asks, an amused look on her face.
Paula doesn't know what to respond. She's lost for words. All that she wants is to get away. She starts running again, but the woman didn't. Instead, she grins, her face contorting into a grotesque, devilish expression. "Humans are always so despicable."
