Maybe I should have taken it more seriously. Ghost stories and horrors were never really my thing. Pranks were always my answer to everything. Not that I didn't believe in that stuff, I just figured I had already lived the worst of it. That was the main reason I moved. Why I made myself adapt to a new way of life all those years ago.

My phone flashed, notifying me of a new message. I sighed as I unlocked it. I really didn't like being reminded that it was almost New Years day. Having spent most of my holidays either at school or at home I was still always alone. It wasn't welcoming to say hello to a new year when I was reliving my nightmares every day.

Are you going to be at the party? I mean I'm just curious because I'm organising the whole thing.

My phone flashed again bringing me out of my thoughts. I went into the messages and sighed. I really hated these chained messages. It was like spam that you couldn't get away from. My phone flashed a third time.

Sam! Mom + dad are looking 4 u again.

I shrugged and instead went back to the second message. The attached link seemed to flicker in and out of view. I paused for a moment before clicking into it. This thing was supposed to give me a personalized message for my new year after all. I never thought any harm could come from it.

You are invited to join us for a special New Year's Eve celebration. Dress up and show up.
250 West Avenue Street
From 2:30 PM (New Year's Eve) till 4:00 AM (New Year's Day)

I rolled my eyes. Of course that chain thing was a load of crap - they usually were. I had a choice now that I really didn't think would matter. I either went to the reunion slash new year party at school or I went to the address to meet some random people.

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So this will be a little unorthodox. I'm submitting this chapter/part in the competition according to WattpadCreepypasta 's prompt "2022| New Year's Fiesta'22" with a twist that includes antiheroesgalore 's prompt. It's really just a two-in-one, two part special because I liked 4 of the different prompts from the different profiles.

Okay let me explain. The above opening scene remains the same. As the reader and main character (Sammy; aka Sam) you get to choose either option A or option B. The links to both stories are below. I guess you'll just have to choose.

Option A: https://www.wattpad.com/1173499489?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_published&wp_page=create_on_publish&wp_uname=LexiBell_King&wp_originator=xzrnsd5coHh%2F3TFrwKosJdfecOhZ6yqhHQOzjhSlEBwTe9piYu0MyEoIe2jHZAmQJG2f0WsmSAuX01%2BUJMM3rvne0hUoOUIOW%2BV%2FgCWRSUV0vNtEKXnpse2WgWqIerOs

Option B: https://www.wattpad.com/story/256100695?utm_source=android&utm_medium=link&utm_content=share_writing&wp_page=create_preview&wp_uname=LexiBell_King&wp_originator=u322wRCfUL7Zx%2F7RpdVS%2FRnG%2FC5BkS%2FFLgGe8miUZhJHec83UavuyH2jew8Xf%2F279%2B08WfnOI%2BChDIxk4a0WyloPqEXW7KTDRfqU67dL6SuFyLgFby2crHnkGK9cLnRw

P.S I had to change this around because I didn't think to ask before writing it. So apparently I can't really combine two different prompts. Basically this is what I changed (because I'm really not in the mood to rewrite everything again). The main character is the bad guy in the story, not the victim.

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I decided that I was going to skip the New Year's Eve celebration at school. I never really wanted to go back there and if I could help it I wasn't going to. It didn't matter that I had practically grown up there. My phone flashed again, a message from my brother. I sighed and decided to call him.

"Sam! Where are you?"

"I'm okay. What is the big idea? Why are mom and dad suddenly so worried?"

"It's about the New Year's Eve celebration party..."

"I'm not going. I was invited out with some friends. I'll be going with them." I smiled at myself a bit.

"That's a load of bullshit. Your friends are my friends and we're all going back for the celebration."

"Of course it's bullshit you idiot. But I'm still not going. I do have other plans for New Year's Eve."

"Okay fine. I'll tell mom and dad that you're on a special mission and I couldn't get a hold of you." My brother sighed. "Just stay safe okay. Can't loose my baby sister on New Year's Eve. See you next year."

"Bye drama queen." I hung up.

I had told my mom and dad that I wprked for a secret government agency. The best possible reason I could think of that allowed me to freely ignore their calls. My brother was the only one who really knew that I worked as a freelance investigative journalist. Sort of like a PI except all my "cases" were documented, transcribed and published for everyone to read. Of course I always changed the names of anyone involved to keep from causing too many legal issues.

I looked up the address from the message. Honestly dress up and show up could have meant anything and I needed to know what I was dressing up for. The address lead me too what looked like an abandoned house. I frowned at my screen for a moment. A little more digging told me some really bad things about the place. I didn't really put much stock into the stories, but it did give me the perfect opportunity to play a prank on some unsuspecting people.

"Sounds like baldy voldy visited this place. And I'm going to deck it out in special effects." I mumbled and grinned as I walked over to my closet.

*~*~*~*~*

I arrived at the house really early. It didn't seem at all menacing from the outside. I smirked as I made my way inside. The unappealing outside would serve as a perfect cover for my awaiting traps. If going to school where legends such as the Weasley twins went taught me anything. Simple and efficient pranks out weighed elaborate and out done pranks.

"Hello?"

The sudden voice almost made me set off my own trap. I let out a soft breath as I climbed down from the beam I was on. I hung for a bit before dropping down in front of the couple with a loud bang. The girl shrieked and tried to hide behind the guy. I smirked and let out a chuckle as the guy looked about ready to run away without her.

"Spooky" I said making an elaborate gesture with my hands.

"That wasn't very nice." The girl huffed.

"Not my fault you're dumb enough to walk into a place you're clearly scared by." I shrugged.

I guy frowned at me and was about to say something when he got cut off. Another person had joined us and beat the guy to speaking first.

"I have to say that I wasn't scared walking in here. That drop down even had me on edge for a second."

I held my head high. "The name's Sam."

I dramatically bowed in front of them and stepped to the side. I was pretty sure the couple was still very much on edge. That didn't stop me from wanting to see them jump again.

I let them walk over to the middle of the room before my first trap was triggered. The sound of a bear trap closing around someone's leg and their yell afterwards really made the girl start to cry. That was only the audio effects. She had already instinctively covered her eyes so she had missed the visual.

The guy was not one to disappoint either. He got the full visual. The fake blood spraying from the floor like a fountain. The severed "foot" falling from the roof with a thud. He swiftly lost the contents of his stomach, mixing the fake blood with his own vomit. I smirked and patted them both on the shoulders.

"That was brilliant!" I grinned. "Didn't think it would go off so swiftly. Hell you guys almost made me mess it up."

"What is wrong with you?!?" The girl yelled.

"Absolutely nothing." I grinned. "Smile for the camera."

I climbed the wall opposite them to reveal that I had a camera stashed there. It had recorded pretty much everything from the time I started setting up. The girl huffed and tried to grab it from me. The guy glared at me and I just smiled.

"Care to tell everyone your names? You are going to be famous after all." I laughed.

"Damn, Sam. I must say I'm rather impressed." The other person said from behind the couple. "My name is Greg."

"Greg! The strong willed man. The man who doesn't fear. What comments do you have?" I moved closer to him.

"Honestly. For such a simple and not really scary prank. You pulled it off at the perfect time. While everyone was still tense and on edge. I'm a little upset she didn't get vomited on though." Greg laughed.

I moved back over to the couple. "Names for the record?"

"Fuck you." The guy hissed.

I smiled and shrugged. This was by far the best new year's eve for me. I ended the video and moved to the back of the bunch where Greg was. He seemed like a chilled guy and my type of person. The couple in front of us kept staring back at me.

Things seemed to have settled down when suddenly we heard a scream. We all jumped and turned in the direction. The couple didn't move but Greg and I started running towards the sound.

Whether I was here by random selection or through careful planning. I was not expecting to see what was in front of me. A woman was screaming bloody murder. I couldn't describe it any other way. She was covered from head to toe in blood. A body lay beside her on the floor.

I shared a worried glance with Greg before we both stepped forward. The couple had come and joined us at some point. The girl glared at me and crossed her arms. The guy shook his head in a disapproving way and also crossed his arms.

"Sam. Your jokes are not even funny anymore." The girl huffed.

"This isn't a joke you idiot." I said as I went to help the woman.

"Guess the stories about this place are true." Greg sighed.

"What stories?"

"There's a legend that states no more than 5 people can enter the building at the same time. Maybe he tired and was killed because of it." Greg shrugged.

"That's just stupid." I rolled my eyes.

The woman was still screaming although I had blocked it out by now. I walked over to her and patted her shoulder. Her screaming died down a bit and she looked up at me. Her eyes were red and desperate.

"H... Help h... Him." She pleaded.

"He's dead. Can't do anything about that." I shrugged. "Why don't we just go inside."

I smirked as the woman took my hand and let me lead her inside. Her trust in me was misplaced. I had two other pranks to trigger still. Despite her recent trauma I figured now would be the perfect time for trap number 2.

Maybe I should have taken it more seriously. Maybe if I did I wouldn't be covered in blood.

Greg was probably the only person there who understood my dark humour. A new friend that was, in my opinion, super cool. Except now we were both in trouble. The couple had grabbed something sharp. They were moving in on us with angry eyes. The woman had died because my trap had failed. I was covered in her blood and the couple decided to do something about it.

"You are sick!" The girl yelled at me.

"Calm down would you." Greg defended me.

"Oh shut up! You're just as bad. Encouraging this lunatic." The guy yelled and stepped forward.

"We share a special bond." I shrugged and grinned at Greg.

"You deserve to die."

"But first." I held up a finger. "You might not want to step there. Just saying you know."

The guy didn't listen. He stepped right where I had lead them. Maybe I should have taken it more seriously. Since my life was now on the line. A good prank was always worth it though. I could see Greg's excitement out of the corner of my eye.

My trap went off showering the couple in syrup. Next they were covered in feathers that stuck in the syrup. I tried not to laugh at the couple who now looked like giant chickens.

*~*~*~*~*

"What a way to start the new year." Greg chuckled.

"I agree." I smiled. "Best new year celebration ever. I'm glad that I met you when I did. Even if I almost died."

"Same here. I thought it was going to be some kind of lame haunted house party with ghost stories. You made it way more interesting." Greg smile.

"Pranking is my speciality. Even if it isn't my job." Greg frowned and I shrugged. "I'm actually an investigative journalist."

"So you came here for a new story?" Greg questioned.

"Nope, I came for a different type of excitement." I admitted.

(2000 Words)