"Snacks?'

"Check."

"Music?"

"Check."

"Kleenex?"

"Che- why do you need that?" Humna stared up at her older sister Rayyana who was pacing around trying to see if anything was missing. "Because Humna, Rumaisa just went through a breakup and knowing her she's going to need a lot of kleenex."  Rayyana looked around at all the snacks and drinks she had laid out counting to see if there was enough. 

Rumaisa Khan, Rayyana's best friend of 5 years had just gone through a rough patch with her boyfriend Mouhib. Apparently he had cheated on her with some girl and Rumaisa needed help in getting over him.

Hence the sleepover.

Rayyana had invited her other friends, Rida, Marium, and Fatima along despite Rumaisa not really liking them. Humna scoffed and muttered "Tell her to grow a pair, going through a breakup can't be that." Rayyana glared at her sister "Thanks for the advice, leave now." 

The doorbell rang downstairs echoing the house. Rayyana quickly checked everything one last time before rushing downstairs. 

"LET ME IN IT'S FREEZING!"

Rayyana was shoved by Rida as they quickly ushered Marium and Fatima inside. Once they were all in they shut the door and blew out a breath.

"It's not that cold." Marium said taking off her shoes, Fatima followed insuit while Rayyana shook her head at her neighbours. 

They had been friends for...well Rayyana couldn't recall but they had been friends for a while and everyday with them was something new. 

Rayyana followed them into the living room where her mom was sitting boredly scrolling through her phone. She perked up when she saw the girls and said "Hi girls." In a really cheery voice.

The girls all said hello and then excused themselves to go up to Rayyana's room which was still teal coloured. Rayyana grimaced at the colour every time she saw it, reminding herself to change it soon.

"Alright guys Rumaisa should be here soon, when she arrives we all have to be nice okay?" She said looking at Marium especially. Marium fake gasped and said "I am nice!" The girls all said "uh huh" knowing full well when Marium didn't like someone, she didn't hold back. 

Before anyone else could say anything, Rayyana's door opened and Rumiasa walked in looking...not good. Usually Rumaisa wouldn't step out of her house unless she looked like she walked out of a magazine as she liked to say but right now she looked anything but. She had on a loose oversized T-shirt, some sweatpants, and her hair was in a very messy bun.

Her nose and mascara equally runny.  "Rumaisa! You look..." Rayyana trailed off trying to say "ugly" in a Polite way. Rumaisa ignores her and instead flopped on her bed, going through the snacks she had put in a small basket.

The girls all watched her open 3 Dairy Milk packets and take a bite out of each one. Yikes, it was worse than Rayyana thought. "Okayy maybe we should put those snacks down?" Rayyana said gently slowly putting Rumaisa's hand down.

Rumaisa looked up at her and stopped chewing. Her eyes growing into slits "Why? Because I'm fat? Because if I eat more I'll blow up like a balloon?!"

Marium shrugged and nonchalantly said "You might who knows." Fatima smacked her sister on the arm while Rumaisa just rolled her eyes and took another 3 bites of all her Dairy Milk. "Plus, we also want some." Rida said grabbing for the basket.

Rayyana sat down next to Rumaisa and asked her "What happened?"

Rumaisa was quiet for a minute before she got up and started yelling "I GOT CHEATED ON! THAT'S WHAT FUCKING HAPPENED RAYYANA! 3 YEARS I WASTED ON THAT GUY, 3 MOTHERFUCKING YEARS!" Rumaisa continued to babble on as the girls continued to eat.

When Rumaisa was finished she huffed and hugged Rayyana "Hey it's okay." Rayyana said not really knowing what to do, especially now that Rumaisa was crying.

Rumaisa didn't like to show emotions, but when she did it was..hard to control. "Hey you guys hear about that haunted house?" Fatima said biting into some chips. Rayyana shook her head at her not seeming like the time to talk about the very famous haunted house. But Rumaisa seemed to grow eager to hear the rest.

"No?" Rida said "come on guys 22 shelly lane?" Shelly lane was the street next to there's, the house Fatima was talking about was a house that was on sale every year but when the house owners realised no one was buying it, they left it abandoned. No seller had been interested in trying to sell the house, and even if someone did something would happen to them eventually. 

"It's haunted?" Marium asked raising an eyebrow "Yeah my friend Ash told me." Marium hummed, she didn't like Ash for some reason. In fact Rayyana didn't think Marium liked any of Fatima's friends.

"No wonder it's never been sold." Rida said sipping on some coke. Rayyana believed in ghosts only because of her mom who wouldn't shut up about them.

Suddenly, Rumaisa jumped up "Hey! we should go check it out!" she said happily. "What?" The girls all said in unison. "Yeah! it will be so cool won't it?" Now even though Rayyana believed in ghosts, she wasn't sure if she wanted to meet one.

"No thanks."

"No."

"Nah."

"Sure!"

Everyone stared at Rida who cleared her throat and said "What? I for one think we should go." of course Rida out of everyone wanted to go. "No way guys." Rayyana said staring between Rida and Rumaisa who were eagerly chatting about the house. 

It seemed they agreed on something as they both talked in hushed whispers before smirking to each other. "What are you guys smirking about?" Rayyana asked. "Nothing." both Rida and Rumaisa said at the same time. 

oh boy.

"Rayyana.."

"Is she dead?"

"Rayyana..."

"No she's breathing."

"RAYYANA ARSHARD!"

Rayyana woke up with a start and looked around in her dark room until she caught sight of movement. "W-what?" She said trying to figure out who the person was. "Come on!" The figure said trying to grab at her. Rayyana squinted trying to make out who it was.

"Marium?"The figure nodded "Come on." Rayyana absentmindedly realised Marium was taking her outside off her room. "Hold up, let me change my clothes." Rayyana went through her closet and took out a full black outfit, she quickly made her hair leaving it wavy and put on her glasses, she grabbed her phone and followed Marium.

Rayyana and Marium made it to her front door when Marium pulled out the spare key they had hidden "What are you-" Marium shushed her and told Rayyana to put on her shoes. Marium closed Rayyana's front door and they made it to the end of the driveway where Rida, Rumaisa, and Fatima were standing.

Suddenly, It all clicked to Rayyana who stopped and shook her head "No." The girls all grew silent "No way!" Rayyana turned around "I'm not going to that stupid house!" She stomped all the way to her front door but remembered she didn't have a key.

Damn it, she couldn't ring the doorbell since her mom would wake up. Maybe she could go through the garage?  Rumaisa grabbed onto her arm and said  "Rayyana come on, for me?" Rumaisa gave her what appeared to be puppy dog eyes, but was actually the weirdest face Rayyana had ever seen before.

She sighed and checked out the time "It's 1 in the morning." Rumaisa nodded "We'll be back by 2." Rayyana sighed admitting defeat and said "fine!" Making Rumaisa smile wider

She grabbed Rayyana's arm and together the 5 girls walked to the haunted house.

"OW!" Rida said clutching onto her arm as Rumaisa shut the window behind her. Rayyana grumbled, clutching onto her leg "Great, now I'm a fucking thief." They had made it to the house but were quick to notice the huge lock on the front door. Rayyana had told them they should go back but luckily (que eye roll) Rumaisa had opened a slightly opened window. 

So naturally, the girls broke in using said open window.  "You do realise one of us could have snuck in and then opened the door?" Marium said clutching onto her shoulder. The window was a tight squeeze and everyone had broken something getting in.

"Whatever, we're inside aren't we? let's go!" Rumaisa hissed already making her way into the house. Marium got close to Rayyana and whispered "one day, I'm killing her."

Rayyana just shook her head and followed the others. The girls walked all through the lower area of the house but there wasn't anything unusual, in fact it was very much dusty. Furniture was all over the place, knocked over and placed in a way that it shouldn't be. 

Fatima had brought her IPad along somehow and was now recording the whole experience making noises every time she captures something completely normal like the chandelier moving. "I told you guys this place was haunted!"  

Rumaisa went deeper into the house and yelled out "IF THERE IS SOMEONE HERE, PICK RAYYANA UP!" But nothing happened much to Rayyana's relief. The house was eerily quiet sending a chill up Rayyana's spine. "There's nothing here, let's go." She spun around to leave but was grabbed my Rida "there's an upstairs." 

Rayyana groaned and followed them upstairs with the same thing happening. Something slightly moved and Fatima recorded it for experience. Rumaisa yelled out random shit and absolutely no one got possessed. 

 "I told you guys this was a waste of time." Rayyana said brushing a cobweb off of her sleeve. She checked the time and saw that it was 1:30. "We have to be home in half an hour, are we done here?"  The rest nodded following Rayyana down the stairs when Fatima suddenly said "You guys forgetting something?' Rayyana checked her pocket... yup still had her phone... and her head. 

Fatima opened a door, the hinges creaking as she recorded the room. Rayyana walked to the girls and gulped when she saw a basement. "No way! Haven't you ever seen horror movies?" Rayyana said backing away from the door. She turned to Marium for support but she was walking towards the basement "Maybe I can see my basement kids." She mumbled walking down the steps. 

"What?!" Rayyana asked concerned as she followed the girls downstairs, too scared to be left upstairs alone.  The basement was as expected more dusty then the upstairs as well as normal.  it wasn't a finished basement , the dry wall showing making it even more scarier.

"See, there's nothing here either now let's go." Rayyana turned around to walk back upstairs but was stopped when Fatima noticed something.

They followed her into a room and stopped once they saw what it was.

It was a button.

A big red shiny button.

Rayyana looked around the room slowly at the girls who wouldn't take their eyes off the button.  "Okay, so we all understand that we aren't pushing that button right?" The girls all nodded although they were still transfixed onto the button. "right so that's our que to leave." Rayyana tried pushing the girls the other way but they wouldn't budge.

"I mean...damn I kind of want to try it out." Marium said. 

"Are you crazy!"

"Not as crazy as you."

Rayyana grumbled, tired and hungry "No one is pushing the damn button, now each and every one of you march your asses upstairs." Rayyana spun around towards the stairs

"Remember do NOT push the-"

BEEP

"Damn button."

Rayyana whipped back around to see not Marium, not Fatima, not Rumaisa but... Rida of-fucking-course.

"RIDA!" The girls said in unison, Rida shrugged "Oops?" Rayyana opened her mouth to protest but was thrown back by the ground that was so violently shaking they were convinced the house was about to lift off. 

Everyone tumbled back quickly grabbing onto something. Rayyana had her eyes shut thinking about the time they had gone to an amusement park and Rida wanted to ride a huge swing that went up into the sky. They had been scared but nonetheless went on the ride only to regret it soon after. Rayyana felt that same feeling popping up as she closed her eyes wishing for whatever this was to go away. 

"WHAT IS HAPPENING?" Marium shouted at everyone "MAKE IT STOP!" Rida shouted back "SURE LET ME JUST FUCKING SCREAM "STOP BUTTON" FOR YOU!" Rayyana yelled out, could they even hear her? 

"GU-" and then there was brightness.

"Rayyana..."

"Is she dead?"

"Why the hell do you always ask that?"

"Rayyana..."

"Yell at her again."

"Dont." Rayyana let out and groaned. She slowly opened her eyes to see...sunlight? That made no sense, if they were outside the house then she should see the moon and stars.... unless it was a dream?

She slowly got up and blinked rapidly, her head throbbing but what really got her was the place they were in. 

What the actual fuck.

Rayyana looked around at the unfamiliar territory they were in, mountains were seen from far away, their green peaks visible. With sandy dunes on the other side of the mountains. The place looked straight out of a fairy tale. 

A cursed fairy tale. 

"Where the hell are we?" Rida asked also getting up "I'm dreaming." Rayyana muttered "I must b- OW!" Rayyana glared at Rumaisa who had just pinched her. She shrugged "Not dreaming."

"What the fuck is this place?" Marium asked the question again. Rayyana turned to glare at Rida who was checking on Fatima "This is all your fault! I said do NOT push the damn fucking button!"

Rida helped Fatima get up who pulled out her IPad and started recording  "You're telling me you saw that big juicy red button and you didn't want to press it?"

Fatima stiffled a laugh while Marium raised an eyebrow  "Juicy???"

"Quite frankly yes, we were in an unfamiliar house who knows what could have happened!" Rayyana blinked, her anger slowly dissapearing as she realised something. Why wasn't she as tired as before? It was 2am last time she checked so she should have been tired. "Why amn't I tired?" She voiced the question aloud. 

"Hey...i'm not tired either." Marium said in surprise. Marium was always tired every sleepover, aiming to sleep right after Fatima. "Maybe because it's morning?" Fatima said in "duh" tone. 

"I know that, but we should be tired right? I mean...its either we stayed up all night or its still 2am."  Rumaisa said confusingly. Everyone stood there not knowing what to do. Did they leave? did they stay here? Where was the exit? 

"Well I think we should-" MArium couldn't finish her sentance before something fell beside her. "The fuck?" She asked jumping back and expecting the item. "Is this a fucking arrow?" No one else could investigate the object however because all of a sudden, more arrows started shooting from the sky.

"OH WHAT THE HELL!" Rida started only to stop and scream when an arrow landed right next to her shoe. "FUCKING RUN." Fatima yelled pulling the girls along with her.

The girls all hid behind a log, staring uselessly at the arrows falling from the sky. All of them landing thankfully around them like again, a cursed fairy tale. "WHO THE FUCK IS SHOOTING ALL THOSE?" Marium asked narrowly missing one.

Suddenly, as if by magic the arrows stopped. The eerie silence appearing again "Is it safe?" Rumaisa asked slowly getting up. "HALT!" The girls all raised their hands up and slowly turned around to see a guard. 

And while he was scary looking, the girls had to admit he was handsome. Well...someone had to admit. Marium shamlessly checked out the hot guard with his long white hair, brown eyes, and a deep frown right now. 

Rayyana who was beside Marium gave her a side eye "Can you stop checking out the man who's holding us hostage right now?" As if hearing them the guard turned towards them and let out a devilish smirk. Marium blushed and looked away from the guard. 

"You all, who are you?" The guard asked resuming his duty. One by one the girls introduced themselves. The guards eyes squinted with uncertainty each time a name was introduced "I have never heard of such names...are you from here?" 

"Clearly not." Fatima said eying her IPad which she left on the ground. "Hmm okay...come with me single file." The guard said making the girls walk in a straight line. 

"I vote that you shoot Rida first!" Rumaisa said once the guard moved closer. "Hey!" Rida protested but the guard ignored them both, instead poking them with his spear.  "As the commander of King Alejandro the 56th, I command you all to walk forward." 

Each girl had confusing thoughts, 

King? Marium thought

Where the fuck are we? Rayyana thought

I hope this king is hot... Rumaisa thought

I need to grab my IPad Fatima thought

I wonder if they have food there Rida thought. 

"MOVE!" The girls immediately started moving, too scared of the spear that was now being jabbed into their backs.

Rayyana shouted over her shoulder "Still think we can make it back home in time?"