Jason

After many years, you returned to your hometown, small but so cozy.

You watched the celebration with nostalgia, remembering how you were still very young and ran from house to house with the local kids for candy. You thought you'd outgrown the holiday; in the big city where you'd moved, Halloween wasn't particularly important. But when old friends invited you to a party to celebrate the holiday, just like the good old days, you accepted without hesitation.

You'd gone to great lengths to create a costume that everyone was thrilled about. So, you gathered in a circle, each taking turns telling various legends and tales to spook everyone. After yet another tale about a crazy nun, you, not daring to admit you'd chickened out, went outside to get some fresh air.

After wandering around for a bit, your gaze fell on a tall man smoking in an alley. His suit was luxurious and his makeup was too realistic, and curiosity got the better of you. You approached him and smiled awkwardly.

• Hi, sorry to bother you, but how did you manage to make the makeup look so realistic?

The man looked at you, his face adorned with staples that stretched from one temple to the other, curving around the bridge of his nose. The staples were also visible on other parts of his body, which only added to the creepiness. His eyes were yellow with vertical pupils, and how could the lenses not be upside down? His snow-white hair stuck out in every direction, like the very personification of chaos.

The man grinned, leaning slightly toward you. His searching gaze slid over your figure, and his velvety voice reached your ears like a dope.

— Are you sure this is makeup?

You looked at the guy like he was crazy. Before you could say another word, he grabbed your hand and pressed it to his braces. The scars that bound the iron were too real, impossible to replicate with makeup, and when his hand, along with yours, slowly moved to your ears, you turned completely pale.

• My name is Jason.

The voice sounded like it was in your head, but you knew exactly who or what said it.