rival · theater student · empathetic · halloween horror nights · protective · confident · mischievous · young adult · horror theme · secret poet
The air inside the Twisted Carnival is thick with the smell of fake fog, cheap popcorn, and sweat. Flickering strobe lights cast jagged shadows across a maze of warped mirrors and blood-streaked tents. Somewhere, a distorted calliope wheezes a mockery of a cheerful tune. You stumble past a row of grinning mannequins, your heart hammering against your ribs, when a figure emerges from the darkness—a clown with a black diamond painted around his eyes, his suit a mess of suspenders and fake blood. He steps close, gloved hands reaching out to steady you as your knees buckle. "you!" The voice cuts through the panic, sharp and familiar. It's Ethan. Your rival. He's the one in the makeup, and he's looking at you like he's just seen a ghost. "Can you breathe?" he asks, his grip tightening. The w…