(TW; Body horror, description of gore, zombies, blood, bruises)

Raegan laughed and lightly shoved the other's shoulder, "No- Wilbur-" he interrupted himself with a loud wheeze. "You believe in ghosts!?" The man groaned and rolled his eyes, "Of course I do, don't you?" Raegan wiped a stray tear from his eyes.

"No, I don't. I never would've thought YOU, of all people, would believe in things like that!" Wilbur huffed and sped up. "They literally ARE real, though?" Raegan rolled his eyes, pulling back a low hanging branch and letting it wack Wilbur squarely in the face, earning himself an unamused look and a rude hand gesture.

"... Why are we in this creepy forest again?" Wilbur looked back at them and shrugged. "It's eerie. And Halloween is the best holiday. So we're here to get spooky in the woods." Raegan blinked. "It's Halloween?" Wilbur wheeled around, mouth agape. "How could you forget that it's Halloween!? I've been raving about it for like a week minimum!" Raegan shrugged and ducked under pine laden branch.

The two noticed the thick woodlet dispersing. Wilbur and Raegan looked at each other, quickening their pace. The duo's eyes met a grand mansion, intricate designs imbedded into dark-tinged Cobblestone, vines and moss snuggled within the curved and dips of the patio. A stone-still figure stood in the web coated windows, smashed and boarded up in some areas.

Wilbur grinned, and Raegan grimaced, "This is mad creepy. Let's go back." Wilbur spun towards them. "What? No! creepy is what we're looking for!" Raegan squinted at him. "Tommy wasn't kidding when they said you had some screws loose." He stammered before sighing. "I mean... Bell's not wrong. But words hurt, you know."

Raegan rolled his eyes and stopped. "If you like scary things so much," Wilbur stopped and turned around. "Then I dare you to explore the mansion with me!" Wilbur smirked and stuck his hand out. "Deal!" Raegan took it and shook it. Raegan locked arms with Wilbur purely to annoy the man.

.

Sure, Raegan had suggested this, and MAYBE he had encouraged a bit of horror, and PERHAPS he might have pissed off some supernatural creature by touching their stuff. Which Wilbur was mocking them for whilst the duo ducked, as chairs soared over their heads and landed with an ugly crash.

"All this because I poked a bottle of booze!?" Wilbur's eyebrows furrowed. "Do you remember what kind of booze?" Raegan shrieked and pulled Wilbur down to avoid a flying table. "How is that relevant!?" Wilbur stared at them. "Would you like to die by the hands of a ghost? or do you want to tell me what kind of alcohol it was?" Raegan relented and thought for a moment.

"Uhhh, Big Q's fire-whiskey, if I recall?" Wilbur's expression darkened for a moment before switching to a playful grin. "You and your freakishly good memory for little details!" Oddly specific. "And as for YOU, my pretty princess!" Raegan cringed and covered their eyes, not wanting to witness such a ridiculous death.

Much to their surprise, the furniture-throwing had ceased. Instead replaced by an exasperated groan. "God fucking- Of course it's you." He moved his hands away from his face. Wilbur was grinning at a horned man, who looked especially displeased.

"Look, tell your buddy over there to apologise and then fuck off." Wilbur put on his signature fake pout. "Awww, but Schlaaaattt, don't you want to spend time with lil ol' me?" 'Schlatt' frowned at him. "Last time I saw 'lil ol' you,' you called me a no-balls prick who 'has to stay dead'." Wilbur nervously smiled. "Mayhaps?"

Schlatt sighed and turned to Raegan. "Look, apologise, and I'll leave you two alone." Raegan blinked. "Ah, sorry about touching your drink! and how do you and Wil know each other?" Schlatt grinned, and Wilbur looked mortified. "Long story! Let's get back to anywhere else!"

Raegan gave him a look and then shrugged. "We should probably get going anyways, so it was nice me-" a crash and a loud cry interrupted them. Wilbur jumped into Raegan's arms, both of them silent for fear of whatever had made that noise. Schlatt froze, eyes fixed on the door to the kitchen.

It slammed open, and a short figure with a pumpkin head tumbled in. Raegan shrieked and backed away, Wilbur still in his arms, bridal style. It was almost comical. Schlatt visibly relaxed and put a hand on the kid's head. "WHOSE THERE-" Schlatt pulled the fruit off their head. "Oh, Hi, Mr Schlatt!" The man laughed and ruffled their rather fluffy hair.

"Hello, Thistle. Did you get stuck in a pumpkin again?" Schlatt asked, despite obviously knowing the answer. "I did!" Raegan dropped Wilbur (which was met by angry swears that he expertly ignored.) and moved to get a closer look at the figure.

He swallowed a scream at the sight of an eye hanging from its socket. A bright grin plastered on the kid's face. They backed away from the elder's affection and put their hands on their hips. "Guess what, Mr Schlatt?" The man in question tilted his head and hummed. "I learned a new trick!"

He smiled, "Oh yeah? want to show us?" They nodded and pulled off their head with a disgusting squelch. Schlatt shivered but watched on, and Raegan tried not to gag. They rolled their head from shoulder to shoulder, not unlike a ball, before grabbing it and putting it on their neck stump and cracking it into place. Schlatt clapped and held out his hand for a high-five.

Wilbur walked over and over-dramatically gagged. The kid looked hurt, and their grin faded. Schlatt turned to Wilbur and cracked his knuckles. Wilbur nervously laughed before bolting out the ajar door, Schlatt on his tail. Thistle grabbed their pumpkin and moved to put it back on their head before Raegan put his hand on theirs. "Let me help?" they nodded.

Raegan extended a claw and poked a hole where Thistle's eye would be. He handed it to them, and a smile returned to the kid's face. "What's your name?" Raegan ruffled their hair. "I'm Raegan." Thistle nodded before smiling. "Mr or Ms... maybe Mx?"

"Mr or Mx, please." Thistle nodded and grabbed their hand. "Well, Mx Raegan, let's go!" They led them to a wall and knocked on it, causing the wall to flip over and drag them into a dark tunnel. Raegan screamed, and Thistle cheered as a slide descended them deeper into the mansion.

He landed with a thud, sitting up and rubbing his back. "ow." Thistle shrugged apologetically before looking back at the tall door on the other side of the room. Raegan stood up and followed Thistle's gaze.

"Let's go." Raegan let themself get dragged towards the ominous opening. They entered, and Thistle was gone. He frantically looked around for them but was only met with different passageways. "Is this..?" He went through one, and he faced three more tunnels. "It is."

He groaned and took random passages, and he had no clue how much time had passed, as he didn't have a communicator like Wilbur or Tommy. A skeleton jumped out at them, causing Raegan to squeak and sprint face-first into a wall. He wiped his bleeding nose and ran through the maze, occasionally stopping to ask some moths for directions.

A tall creature grabbed his arm and tried to pull them into the walls, and he shrieked and pulled away. The thing had a shockingly mighty grip that left a black and blue reminder on his bicep.

.

Wilbur grinned and set down a +4 card, causing Thistle to lean away from a fuming Schlatt. "Where'd Raegan go?" Thistle sheepishly grinned, earning a sceptical look from Wilbur. The two dodged a flying chair thrown Wilbur's way.

.

Raegan was; bruised, bleeding, maybe even crying, and just straight up ceasing to have a good time right about now. He sniffed and turned the same roundabout he'd been circling back to for what felt like hours (It had been 20 minutes.) He squinted and nearly sobbed at the light slowly filtering in through one of the tunnels.

He tumbled out of the shaft, promptly being caught by Wilbur, who looked visibly relieved. "Jesus fucking- YOU." Raegan didn't bother to flinch, just leaning in and enjoying the touch. Their feet hurt, he had a headache, and honestly just wanted to go home and continue trying to adopt the stray cat that had taken to stalking his cottage.

Wilbur seemed to notice this and huffed, "Just don't scare me like that again, 'kay?" Raegan nodded and chuckled, booping his nose. "Softbur." Wilbur let go of them. "Nevermind." Raegan just laughed and bid goodbyes to Schlatt and Thistle.