Three soft knocks echoed in the dark.

Averting his gaze from the screen, Evan scoffed at the interruption, a cold beer bottle in hand and his TV remote in the other.

Without a glance, Evan paused the screen as the scene shifted: the fluorescent light in the room ceased.  He placed his bottle on the coffee table beside the stray stack of pizza boxes—leftover pieces exposed to the bare air. 

The young man rose to his feet, tossing the remote along the cushioned sofa.

Approaching the front door, the white light overhead flashed briefly, illuminating the hallway momentarily before plunging into a dark abyss.

An audible sigh escaped the young man's throat. He was annoyed that Davis, his temperamental roommate, had not yet repaired the flickering lightbulb in the hallway.

Evan opened the door, narrowing his eyes as he inspected the darkness.

"What the?" He paused, spotting a movement around the bushes opposite the dorm. Evan froze; a haunting curiosity reigned across every fibre of his body. Against his better judgment, the young man stepped one foot outside his apartment, rising onto his toes to peer into the dark campus grounds. 

"Who's out there?" Evan demanded, yet no answer came.

A ray of moonlight pierced the clouds.

Something glistened in the dark.

Evan's face turned pale as he glimpsed the transient light bounce off a pair of eyes.

It was watching him.

His heart throbbed against his chest.

Without a second to spare, Evan rushed back into his dorm and slammed the door shut - immediately locking the door, his eyes glued onto the peephole. 

His hand sank into his pocket, retrieving his phone, ready to call the emergency service.

His gaze immediately fell upon the date.

October 31st.

A dry laugh escaped his throat.

Davis had pulled pranks on his roommate year after year - Hallows Eve had always marked the occasion. 

Evan reclined against the wall, slowly sliding down on the ground as he cupped a hand over his face. His soft laugh exploded into a booming frenzy. Tears poured across his cheeks as a great sense of relief washed over his body, easing the anxiety that had begun gnawing at his heart.

Ever so ticked off, Evan frowned, opening his phone and preparing the voice message of the ages: "Goddamn you, Davis," mumbled Evan. "Fuck you, man."

Exhausted, Evan shambled over to the couch - never noticing a hushed ping from the attic.

Time passed.

A crunch came from the darkness.

Dazed and confused, Evan opened his eyes - the lids still weighed with heavy exhaustion.

A palpable scent of decay hung in the room, irritating Evan's nostrils.

He received for the lamp beside the couch - only for a bestial growl to emerge.

With his chest tight and short breaths, Evan switched on the light.

Instant regret struck him like a lightning bolt from a clear blue sky.

A pale creature, easily over two metres tall, sat on all fours - a sinister smile revealing rows of teeth.

Startled, Evan tried to run.

He tried.

Oh, he tried.

Those cursed claws tore through flesh and bone akin.