The charismatic blue sky was now swallowed up by the darkness. The only remnants of its life residing in the stars that were scattered across the sky. It reminded me of Astraya. The dark red hues that draped over us all. It was comforting, like I could just hide under the blanket of darkness. I think I liked this even more than the sky back home. It was easier to hide myself in.

I looked into the trees around me. Memories of the house flashed into my mind as I looked into the darkness around me. I felt goosebumps form along my arm. I reached up and grabbed my hat gently. Slowly lowering it over my eyes, blocking my vision of the forest around me. Don’t be stupid he’s gone. They're all gone. However, this reality didn’t stop my arm from shaking.

‘I should’ve let you die like your mom’

My father's words lulled in my mind. I gripped my hat harder and looked up at the woods again. No! I won’t be scared! I won’t give in to this! I’m the Pumpkin King! I am the terror that laid waste to villages, the Kur that strikes fear into people's hearts! I felt my heart's beginning to race more and more. I-I needed to clear my head. I quickened my pace and looked straight ahead. I thought about all the old cheesy horror movies me and Lucile used to watch together. The fake and cliche costumes, the ridiculous acting. It didn’t take long before I was out and back onto the streets.

“Candy corn, I need some candy corn.” I sighed.

I looked around and grunted. I need to find one of those goose stations. I recall Lucile getting candy from one of those. Ha! and Casper thought I needed to go to that business class. I remember stuff. I swear, humans come up with some strange ideas. Filling a car with birds. Well we don’t have cars in Astraya, so I can’t judge. As if most of us needed cars anyways. I walked down the sidewalk and waited for some sign to appear. I felt my shoulders relax as I got more into the town. My mind slowly grew quiet as well. The bustling noise of the crowds lulled me back to my senses. So I took my time just enjoying the night, the town and surprisingly enough the people. It felt nice to pretend I wasn’t alone. Like I was when I was younger, before crowds of people made my heart’s race. I thought I beat that fear already. I reached up and grabbed my hat gently. Guess that’s still a work in progress...

I soon stopped as I spotted just what I was looking for. The goose pumps were aligned outside of the dark purple goose station. The lights were on, and not a single human or car in sight. I smirked and happily jogged down.

….

I ripped open my third bag of candy corn and poured it all into my mouth. I moaned in delight of the sweet delicacy. I licked my lips foundly. It was like I could just float into the sky. I looked over to the cashier. He was huddled up against the wall. Staring at the zombified squirrel mascot. This guy, I liked this guy. I tossed the wrapper to the floor and grabbed all ten bags and shoved them into my pockets. I looked around for anything else, and then I saw it out the corner of my eye. In the fridge across from me, was the coffee drinks. A warm sensation rose into my chest. Lucile used to love these drinks. I quickly jogged over to the fridge. I snapped my fingers three times and the glass shattered from it. I slowly walked over and stepped on the glass and looked over the bottles. Caramel...where is caramel..

I leaned into the fridge and my eyes grew wide once I found it.

“Ah! There you are!”.

I reached in and grabbed the cool glass bottle. I looked it over and smiled. It was like, like I felt okay again. Like she was right here with me. Like this was proof she existed, that she was still here. I turned it over in my hand and sighed. I looked over to the cashier, who was still cowering in the corner.

“You know, you run a fine place here.” I chimed as I stepped toward the counter. “I know how hard it is to keep a good product safe. So I’m gonna pay you handsomely for this hospitality.”

The man was shivering still. He was an overweight guy with a black trucker hat on. His eyes slowly turned to me, still frozen in place.

“Oh right!”

I snapped my fingers and the illusion vanished. His eyes went wide and he sighed in relief. However he still didn’t move. Which just after my recent experience I can’t really blame him. I held out my hand and smirked. A light orange glow shimmered from my palms. I closed my eyes and focused. I felt the cool and refreshing air of Astraya washing over my hands. Then I felt the bumpy, yet soft texture of the pumpkin forming in my palms. I opened my eyes and smirked. I looked over the plump teal pumpkin in my hand. I brought it closer to my face and turned it over in my hand. Pleased by the beautiful quality of my pumpkin. Back home I could trade this for a year's worth of food. This human better be grateful to me. I set it down on the counter and smirked at the man.

I blinked a few times as I noticed the computer screen. It was me, from three different angles. Didn’t Reaper say something about these? I hummed a bit as I thought to myself.

“W-what is t-that?” The man stammered out.

“Hhhmm?”

I looked at him, then the pumpkin.

“Ah, I see you're too surprised by the Pumpkin King’s grace. No need to thank me for such a payment.” I snapped my fingers three times.

The computer screen sparked, then turned to static. The man jumped back as the computer began to pop and sizzle. After a few moments, it abruptly stopped and smoke rose from the top of it. Turning the screen black. I looked to the man whose mouth was wide open, but not a word came out. He was speechless. Huh, I forgot humans call this stuff I do magic. Magic isn’t normal like back home…

Welp, I killed the film, got the food. I guess I can leave now.

“Till next time.” I chimed.

I looked back to the man and flared my eyes at him. He just stared deeply into my eyes. I could see the horror that stained his iris, and his stench filled the goose station. I snickered to myself.

Ah, humans..

I opened the door to the house as I popped a candy corn in my mouth. The lights were out and all the cars were here. Here’s hoping they were all asleep. I tossed another in my mouth and walked toward the basement. Then I jumped when I heard someone running down the steps.

I looked over and there was the Blair girl, trotting down. She had a book in her hand with a bag of candy corn.

“A-allister wait up!” She called out to me.

I watched her movements carefully. I could see she was wobbling a bit as she made her way down the steps. I recalled her leg coming off earlier. They did say the Blairs had a history with our kind. Maybe she was half Astrayan too. She quickly hopped over to me and held out a Stephan King book, and the candy to me.

“I wanted to thank you for earlier today!” She chirped happily.

I skeptically looked over the candy, then her. How did she..

“I asked Beast and Casper what kind of stuff you liked.” She said, as if she was reading my mind.

I immediately looked her in the eyes and searched her mind for her fears. There was bright light for a moment, and then nothing. The sky was painted black with aggressive looking clouds. Red lightning flashed and rumbled from it. The ground below was dried up and cracked. Like it could crumble if I took one step forward. I looked around and I was stunned. The Blair girl was here, but she was faceless. She was in a white dress that looked like it had been through war. Her short curly locks looked nappy and batted together, hanging slightly in her face. Next to her was this gigantic door. It was pure black and made of metal. Old worn looking chains were constricted around it. As I got closer I noticed something. The Blair girl’s face, it was missing. Nothing was there but her clear caramel skin. For once I wasn’t aware what it was. Nor could I access the gate. I had no control, no knowledge. I felt the cold breeze of the empty void wash over my skin. I blinked, and suddenly the girl was gone. My eyes were wide and I turned around and there she was. Standing inches from my face. I blinked a few times. D-did this thing see me? I glared at it. Just what was going on.

I broke the ability and came back to reality.

“Just what the hell are you..” I muttered.

“I’m Calypso.” She replied with a peppy smile.

However, it didn’t seem real. Almost forced.. I stepped back and summoned the faceless version of her between us. I watched her carefully, seeing how she reacted. I could see the smile slowly begin to fade, leaving her wide eyed.

“So this must be your fear illusions.” Then she creepily smiled at it. “I guess this makes sense.”

I held my hand out, red sparks erupted from the sky above my hand. I glared at her and stepped to the side of the faceless creature. I flaired my eyes at her as I summoned three fiery skulls. All the skulls shook, grinding their ember teeth together. They were about the size of basketballs, all floating around my hand.

“Cut the crap and start talking. Just what the hell are you?”

She smiled and chuckled.

“Well, I’m just like you. I’m a monster”

“So that means you’re Astrayan?”

She chuckled as she stepped closer to me. Her eyes glittering at the sight of my skulls. She didn’t even look at me as she replied.

“Well no. My cousin was an Astrayan, but they were married into the family. So I don’t have black blood.” She hummed.

I stepped back from her.

“Then what?” I growled.

“Most people just call me monster. But the technical term for it is Antisocial personality disorder. Or you might be more attuned with the phrase sociopath.” She chimed.

“What the hell is that?”

“Hhhmm?” She stepped back and tapped her chin.“ Somebody with a personality disorder that has extreme antisocial behavior and a lack of a conscience.” She replied.

I was silent for a moment. This must have been in a class I skipped. But still, what the hell did that have to do with her fears? If anything that sounds like she described me. And as of a few hours ago I know I for sure have my fears. She must’ve been lying.

“Bull crap.” I snapped my fingers three times and she stumbled forward.

She fell into her right leg and crashed onto the floor, dropping the candy and the book. I saw her right leg rolling from under her and over to me. I sent her faceless clone after it and had it pick it up.

“Humans don’t have detachable legs.” I smirked as I flared my eyes at her.

She chuckled a bit.

“They do when their legs are torn off” She lifted her right leg up.

Well she lifted up her thigh to me. I never even considered that. I guess that could happen.

“Explain what this is then.” I demanded as I pointed toward her fear.

“Well to be honest I have no idea.” She leaned against the wall and slowly lifted herself up. “As far as I was concerned I have no fears.”

I glared at her and then back to the clone. I would call bull, but she’s barely even reacted to this thing. She even stepped closer to it while looking at my skulls. There was no doubt, this was her fear. But just what the hell did that even mean? This chick was freaking me out. Legless, fearless, and that smile. It was fake.

“I don’t like you.” I muttered.

“What! No! Please I really want to be friends!” She panicked.

Friends?

“Friends?” I asked.

“Yeah, I was really excited to meet all you Astrayns. Ever since my accident, I’ve been alone. But you're a monster just like me.”

I growled as the word monster came out of her mouth. I unintentionally flared my eyes at her again. This human. She reminded me of the president, and it made me uneasy.

“I can see you're not too into the idea..So I have a deal!”

“A deal?”

“Mmmhhmm, I heard you like making short stories!”

“How did you..?”

“I went through your stuff.”

“You wha-!”

“If you agree to be my friend, I can help edit your writing! Plus, I own all the original Friday the Thirteenth movies. I heard you like horror too! We can totally binge it together.”

I slowly dissipated my skulls and looked this girl over. On one hand I wanted to kill her and erase her presence from existence. On the other hand, it was alluring. I wasn’t good at english. My writing could use it. Plus I haven’t seen Jason in years. That was the last thing me and Lucile watched together. I looked over the many bags of candy and coffee drinks I had stashed on my body. It’s not like I’m allowed to kill her anyways...

I sighed.

“Fine, It’s a deal. Friend.”