ARAHHer reflexes kicked in. She leaped from her seat, the chair clattering to the ground. Dodging to the side, she barely escaped his grasp. She stepped back, almost colliding with Madam Linlin, who had also sprung up, her eyes wide with shock. Crystals on the other table rattled against Arah’s back.“Mister, you’re scaring my client!” Madam Linlin exclaimed, then suddenly froze. “Wait, you’ve been thralled! Who’s your master?”Thralled? Master? Arah was about to ask what she meant, but the bald man snarled, animalistic, startling her. With a forceful swing, he swept the center table aside. The tent shook violently, making her fear it might collapse. The cards scattered, mingling with her toppled paper bag.“What do you want?” Arah yelled, heart pounding. Her hand fumbled behind her back, searching for the biggest crystal slab.He didn't respond. Dark eyes filled with silent rage fixed on her. His muscles tightened, veins bulging in his temple and tattooed neck. His posture was unner
GILDEONThe crabman struck first, three massive arms slashing through the air. Adrenaline surged as he threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the pincers. Compared to the creatures he'd battled thousands of Earthland years ago, this creature was low-level. Still, with his power restrained, this fight wouldn't be easy.The creature’s arms moved in a deadly rhythm, advancing with a lumbering but relentless gait. Smaller crabs formed their legs, their joints clicking with precision. Each stride sent tremors through the sand.Gildeon cracked his neck, eyes locked on the creature’s grotesque clusters of tiny crab eyes. Could it see him? Or was it just driven by pure instinct? Its gaping maw, where a mortal mouth would be, was a horrifying mass of interlocking claws and mandibles.The crabman lunged to bite, but Gildeon evaded, shifting his focus to its master. The unprotected witch stood on a rock, eyes closed, arms spread, fingers rubbing together as she channeled power to her creature. He
GILDEONHis eyes fixed on the witch, who was tossing her disheveled black hair aside. One witch down. One more to go. After dealing with this problem, he’d have to hunt down all of Arah’s Clover Wish’s clients, making sure they wouldn’t invite more witches to the island.What he’d do to them, he still had to figure out.“Hey, handsome,” the witch said, her tone playful and shaky. She sounded desperate. “How about we try this again, huh?” She crawled toward him on all fours, a coy smile playing on her lips. Spray mist splashed on her back, and he could almost taste the salt in the air as he stopped before the rock she was on.“You can be my master, and I can be your servant witch,” she added, fluttering her eyes. “With benefits if you want.”With his mortal hand, he grabbed her by the neck and said coldly, “I already have a witch, and she’s way more competent than you.”She winced, feigning hurt. “Ouch. No need to insult me like that.”He contemplated whether to snap her neck or burn h
ARAHShe bolted back into the amusement park, shoving through the chaotic crowd. Her mind spiraled, unable to fully comprehend everything happening. What had she done to these people? Was it something from her past? Panic threatened to overtake her, but she knew she couldn't succumb to it. If she were to survive the night, she had to stay focused.Screams, frantic footsteps, and racing heartbeats filled the air, merging with her own. She couldn't tune out the noise—every shadow, every sudden movement could mean danger. She even started suspecting everyone who glanced her way. Lights flickered sporadically, mirroring her confusion.She overheard a staff member mention that the police were on their way. All she needed was a safe place to hide until then. Spotting a cap on the ground, she picked it up and tucked her blue hair under it, hoping it would help her blend in. There were no signs of the bald man or the bearded man so far, thank goodness. And the hooded stranger didn’t seem to b
ARAHShe let out a shaky breath, relieved to have finally put some distance between herself and the brutish men. But she knew it wouldn't be long before they found her again—assuming they really did have some weird way to track her. She needed a good hiding spot, and fast. The Horror Maze was still surprisingly up and running, even though there was no one else around anymore. She couldn't tell if the flickering lights were from the chaos or just part of the maze's effects.She stumbled through the hallways, feeling dizzy and out of breath until she found herself in a catacomb-like chamber. Fake skulls lined the walls, and she squeezed into a small cave-like nook. It wasn't the safest spot, but her muscles were screaming for a break. If she didn't stop and rest, she was sure she'd collapse.Her flip-flops had already given out, so she tossed them aside. Dirt, blood, and something yellow—she didn’t want to know what—smeared the teal fabric of her dress. Torn in places, it was a miracle
ARAHPlumber Paul was dead.Not even a month had passed since he’d walked into her shop and picked her Clover Wish for his first tattoo. She'd pitched that design as a lucky charm to her clients—just a gimmick of sorts. So imagine her surprise when Paul’s wish to win the lottery actually came true days later.Now, he was gone. Just like that. It wasn’t because of her tattoo, of course. But with that last memory of him, how could she ever look at her Clover Wish and call it lucky again?Her eyes drifted down to Barky, who was happily munching on his dog food. She squatted next to him, stroking his back and twirling her fingers through his soft brown fur. At least she had this big guy to cheer her up.The bathroom door creaked open. She glanced up to see Gildeon strolling down the hallway in black sweatpants, rubbing his dark hair with a towel. She’d seen him naked plenty of times, but each time, his perfectly sculpted body drew her gaze like a moth to a flame. The way his muscles flexe
ARAH“Still at the coroner’s office.” She threw him a puzzled look. “Why?”“Nothing,” he said, returning to his dinner. “And no, I won’t come.”Her shoulders slumped. “It’s Plumber Paul’s funeral, Gildeon,” she said, frustration slipping into her voice. How many times had he let her attend community gatherings alone?“Will it kill you to show up just this once?” She stabbed her fish harder than necessary. “I’m sick of making excuses for you.”And sick of the gossip that she was an incompetent wife or that she was trapping Gildeon in a loveless marriage. If only they knew what was really going on within these walls…The irony made her want to bang her head on the table.“I’ve got better things to do,” he said dismissively, not even bothering to look at her.“Like what?” She scowled, feeling the air thicken. “You never tell me what you're up to when you're not at home or at school.”His face froze, his eyes darting at the space surrounding her like he was seeing something she couldn’t.
GILDEONAs soon as Arah drifted off, he slipped out and hit the road. Her Clover Wish tattoo and Plumber Paul's death might’ve been a coincidence, but he had to be sure.“Where to now, Master?” Ghulik asked in his tiny, raspy voice. “Ghulik's tired, Master.”“You wouldn’t be tired if you didn’t provoke the dog,” Gildeon shot back, glancing at the two-foot, gray-skinned creature beside him.Barky's restlessness had kept Arah awake longer than usual, so he had to wait before leaving. His destination was opposite the tourist area, but the locals were early risers. There was always the risk of being seen even before dawn.So far, the streets were deserted.“But that mutt is wicked, Master. Always angry. It wants to eat Ghulik,” the goblin snarled, scratching the air with his sharp nails. “Can Ghulik eat the stupid dog once we're back home, Master?”“No,” he said firmly, turning onto a dimly lit street.Ghulik grunted, slumping against the seat.“You’re supposed to hide when the dog's arou