Shel and Niko stood on the sidewalk outside Creekside apartments with their eyes half closed. Niko was holding both of their bags while Shel clung drowsily to his other arm. The hypnotizing sound of moths zapping themselves on the flickering streetlight fused with the distance hum of light traffic. The city never slept, even at four in the morning.

Morgan pulled up to the curb in their sleek black car. They popped the trunk for Niko to store the bags. Shel opened the back door and slid into the middle seat next to an already sleeping Sierra. Niko closed the trunk delicately and took his seat next to Shel.

"Thanks for driving," Niko whispered to Morgan.

"No problem, Amethyst and I are going to take turns," they whispered back.

"Sleep is for the weak," Amethyst joked, eyeing Sierra from her place in the front passenger seat.

"Then consider me weak," Shel rested his head on Niko's sturdy shoulder. "Good night, guys."

"And we're off," Morgan announced quietly.

Amethyst played an acoustic playlist quietly from the aux cord. Shel fell asleep almost immediately. The smooth rumbling of the car ride relaxed him to his core. Niko closed his eyes, but kept himself awake to maintain his job as Shel's pillow.

Hours passed and the sky began to brighten as they crossed the Connecticut border into Massachusetts. Shel stirred awake and lifted his head from Niko's shoulder.

"How close are we?" he grumbled.

"Shel's Massachusetts senses are tingling," Amethyst turned around to smirk at him.

"About an hour left," Morgan confirmed. "Sierra still asleep?"

Shel turned to check on the sleeping beauty. She had an eye mask pulled over her eyes.

"Looks like a deep slumber," Shel noted. "So we're in Mass already..." Shel peeked out the window past Niko.

"How does it feel to be home?" Niko asked.

Shel shrugged. "Wake me when we're in Salem," he rested his head back on Niko, who patted it gently.

The morning sun was bright by the time Morgan pulled into the rental's driveway. Niko prodded Shel gently to awaken him. They both exited the car and stretched their legs. Amethyst ran to the window Sierra was resting on and pressed her face into the glass. She tapped it loudly, startling Sierra awake. She tore off her eye mask and screamed when she saw Amethyst's distorted face.

"First scare of the weekend!" Amethyst announced while opening the door for Sierra.

"We have to keep track of who gets scared the most," Shel suggested.

"And the loser gets punished," Morgan cackled wickedly while opening the trunk.

"I'm on board with that," Niko said as he helped Morgan carry the luggage.

"Of course you are," Shel rolled his eyes. "You're not even a contender."

Amethyst unlocked the front door and welcomed the friends inside with a sinister laugh. Morgan and Niko dropped all the bags on the floor by the foyer.

"This house was built in 1910," she lowered her voice. "The owner has reported hundreds unexplainable sounds and visions since she acquired the property 27 years ago."

"Wait, is this house seriously haunted?" Sierra stopped at the threshold.

"Do we count that as the second scare?" Morgan asked. "Look at how pale she is."

"Come inside," Amethyst beckoned. "You'll be safe with me at night."

"Show us our bedrooms!" Shel bounced, excited for Amethyst to continue her ominous tour.

Amethyst led the way and curled her fingers behind her menacingly. Shel grabbed Niko by the wrist and pulled him along. Sierra followed hesitantly behind, with Morgan chuckling at the rear.

"Bedroom one, with a beautiful view of the courtyard," Amethyst stopped in front of the first room. "This one belongs to Morgan."

The friends peeked inside the unassuming bedroom. The queen bed was dressed with clean, modern linen that contrasted with the antique vibes of the room.

"I've seen worse," Morgan shrugged.

"Next bedroom is right across the hall," Amethyst and the group shuffled forward through the narrow hallway. "This one is my personal favorite, so Sierra and I will sleep here."

This room was similar to the last one, but it had purple wallpaper and a vintage broomstick hung on the wall.

"The final bedroom is further down the hall," she led them deeper into the house. The floorboards creaked with every step. "This bedroom has a frightening view of the forest."

Shel and Niko stepped inside the room they would spend the next two nights sleeping. The window looked into the untamed forest behind the cottage.

"Let's all unwind, then regroup in two hours," Amethyst announced. "I have a lot planned for us." Amethyst, Sierra, and Morgan scattered to their respective bedrooms.

"I'll grab our bags," Niko called as he left the room.

Shel bounced backward onto the bed. The mattress was higher than he was used to. He stared up at the water stained ceiling and tried to find sense in the random shapes.

"What do you think?" Niko placed their bags down and closed the bedroom door.

"I think I see, uh..." Shel cocked his head. "A cow rolling on its side."

Niko flopped onto the bed on the opposite side, placing his head right next to Shel's.

"Looks more like a mushroom to me," Niko observed.

"That's because you're upside down," he turned his head toward Niko, who did the same.

"You look tired," Shel pointed out. "Did you sleep?"

"Not a wink," Niko admitted. He sat up and straightened his position on the bed.

"Why? What were you doing for three hours?" Shel rested his head on the pillow next to Niko.

"Thinking, I guess. Daydreaming," he mumbled.

"About what?" Shel pressed.

"You, mostly," Niko admitted casually.

"Gay," Shel snickered and wrinkled his nose.

"Please," Niko propped one arm behind his head. "I can get gayer if you want."

Shel sat up and leaned over Niko. He touched their noses together. "Gayer than this?" he whispered before pressing his lips into Niko's.

They broke apart and Niko grinned. "I promise I can get gayer than that."

Shel bit his lip and almost dove in for another kiss, but a scratching at the window interrupted him. He turned around slowly, unsure what to expect. He crept off the bed and tiptoed to the window.

"What is it?" Niko asked, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Hush," Shel waved his hand without breaking his focus.

He looked out the window, almost relieved to see nothing.

"Boo!" Sierra popped out from under the window.

Shel stumbled backwards onto the bed and shrieked.

"Sierra! Us scaredy cats are supposed to stick together," he complained.

"That's a scare for Shel," Sierra shouted before running away.

Shel turned his glare to Niko, who was laughing uncontrollably on the bed.

"Don't tell me you had a hand in that," Shel growled.

"I swear," Niko lifted a shaky hand. "I did not. Last thing I want is for my makeout time with you to be interrupted."

"Uh huh," Shel returned to his spot on the bed. "You seem to be enjoying the interruption a lot."

"I was enjoying your lips way more," Niko tried helplessly to rectify the situation.

"Maybe you'll get them again later," Shel closed his eyes. "If you're nice to me."

Niko accepted those terms and closed his eyes as well. They napped for the remainder of their wind down time until Amethyst summoned the group to the living room.

"Welcome back to the living room" she purred. "Or should I say, the dead room."

Shel clapped and hollered at her attempt at humor.

Morgan booed, "Get on with it, witch!"

"Ahem," she adjusted her black sweater. "I'd like to outline the plan for today. There is none. As long as the sun is in the sky, we can do whatever you guys want."

Sierra shot her hand up as if in a classroom. "What happens when the sun goes down?"

"Old Burying Point Cemetery," Amethyst answered chillingly.

Sierra lowered her hand, regretting her choice to ask.

"If we have no plans until then," Shel spoke up. "We should visit all the typical tourist traps. Museums, shows, memorials."

"Great idea, Shel," Amethyst agreed. "It's important to understand the history of this town before we go poking around a burial ground."

The friends ventured into the streets of Salem. Every inch of the city was adorned with witch-themed embellishments. There was no doubt that the residents embraced the dark history wholeheartedly. Amethyst looked to be in heaven, pointing out spots for Morgan to photograph and gushing over the spooky town.

Even though Shel had already visited Salem several times before, he still relished in the aesthetic. To Shel, the best part about Salem was sharing it with someone who had never visited before. Shel glanced at Niko, hoping to see a glimmer of joy or interest on his face. Instead, he appeared to be lost in troubling thought.

"Niko?" Shel elbowed him gently.

"Huh?" Niko snapped out of his own mind. "Oh. You ever wonder what the victims would think of this town turning into," he gestured vaguely. "This?"

"I've thought about it a lot," Shel admitted. "It's gimmicky for sure, but it's also an eternal reminder of their undue suffering."

Niko hummed thoughtfully. "I see," his eyebrows furrowed. "Sorry for being a downer, I might be a bit starving."

"Aww," Shel cooed patronizingly. "You're a grumpy baby."

Niko pushed Shel's head to the side playfully. "Guys, Shel is being mean to me," he announced loudly.

The friends laughed and teased each other as they searched for a place to eat. After they finished their late lunch, they spent the rest of the daylight hours completing the tour of Salem.

Shel suggested the Salem Witch Museum as the basis for their education on the witch trials. Morgan brought the group to the House of the Seven Gables tour, which proved difficult for someone as tall as Niko to navigate. Niko proposed a visit to Count Orlok's Nightmare Gallery for a look at the most iconic horror monsters. Sierra's visit to a local fudge shop was the most popular with the entire group.

Finally, with the sun's departure, it was Amethyst's time to shine. She led the group to Old Burying Point Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in Salem and the final resting place of the iconic members of the witch trials. Shel's stomach turned with excitement and nerves as they navigated through the legendary town. Niko kept his hand tightly intertwined with Shel's as he noticed a wave of nerves pass over his previously enthusiastic face.