It was the night before Halloween Eve, and the atmosphere in Brooklyn was electric. Everywhere Clara looked, she was greeted by an impressive array of decorations that transformed the neighborhood into a veritable autumn wonderland. The usual orange and black colors adorned doorways, with spider webs stretching from porch railings to tree branches, and glowing jack-o’-lanterns flickering on every stoop. Children roamed the streets, their laughter mingling with the crisp fall air as they dashed from door to door, clad in costumes ranging from adorable to downright terrifying.

The nearby vendors filled with the scent of cinnamon and sugary treats , tempting Clara as she passed a family carving pumpkins in their front yard. She paused for a moment, a smile creeping onto her face, as she watched the little ones eagerly scoop out seeds, their hands smeared with orange guts. Halloween had always been one of her favorite times of year, a magical blend of excitement and nostalgia that brought out the kid in everyone.

However, tonight, her focus was elsewhere. Clara was on duty as a security intern at the local amusement park, a lively hub of thrills and chills. The park was buzzing with energy, filled with visitors eager to celebrate the spooky season. The attractions had been specially decorated for Halloween, with haunted houses, eerie music echoing through the air, and costumed characters roaming the grounds. Every corner of the park seemed to pulse with anticipation and excitement, and Clara felt a mix of exhilaration and responsibility as she moved through the throngs of guests.

Her role as an intern meant she had to stay vigilant, ensuring that everyone was safe and having fun. She kept an eye on the haunted houses, where shrieks of delight and fright intertwined as visitors ventured inside, confronting ghosts and ghouls designed to scare. It was her job to ensure the actors stayed in character and that the guests behaved appropriately, not crossing the line between playful fun and reckless antics. Clara scanned the crowd, taking note of any potential troublemakers, but the majority of the guests were too busy reveling in the festivities to cause any issues.

As she walked, Clara spotted a group of teenagers trying to sneak into the haunted house through the exit. She approached them with a firm but friendly demeanor. “Hey there! The line’s over there, and it’s much more fun to enter through the front,” she said, gesturing to the long queue forming outside.

The teens exchanged sheepish glances before nodding, reluctantly heading back to join the line. Clara felt a small sense of satisfaction as she continued her rounds, grateful for her ability to maintain a sense of order amidst the excitement.

The chatter and screams echoed in the park as masked actors were roaming around, trying to spook everyone coming too close, creating a thrilling soundtrack for the night. Clara couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride. She loved being part of something so vibrant and lively, even if her role was more about maintaining safety than enjoying the rides herself. As the night wore on, the park transformed under the glow of fairy lights and jack-o’-lanterns, creating a magical scene that brought joy to every guest.

But amidst the festivities, Clara couldn’t shake the feeling that something was just beyond the laughter—a tingle of something unexplainable, lurking just out of sight. As she made her rounds, she felt a shiver of anticipation, the kind that hinted that Halloween’s true magic was just around the corner.

When the amusement park was closing she went back to the office with other security internships, she looked through the cameras to see if every visitor has left, but in one of the camera footage the bushes ruffled, Clara looked closer and someone crawled out.

Assuming it’s a prank Clara called in the microphone to head to the exit because the park is closed now.

No respondse..

Clara squinted at the grainy footage on the monitor, her eyes following the twitching figure that had appeared out of the bushes near the carousel. It swayed slowly, its head jerking from side to side as if listening for something she couldn’t hear.

“Sir or Ma’am, you need to leave,” Clara called into the microphone, her voice echoing faintly through the park’s empty PA system. She waited, expecting the figure to start shuffling toward the exit.

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But it didn’t move. Instead, the figure tilted its head, eyes glittering likeblackbeads fixed right on the camera. Clara’s skin prickled. It was as if it could see her, sense her watching. With a dry swallow, she forced her gaze back to the monitor, only to see the figure lower itself to all fours and begin crawling—its limbs twisting and contorting with sharp, jerky motions.

Clara’s heart thudded harder, her fingers hovering over the microphone button. “You… you need to leave,” she said again, but her voice cracked. A chill crept over her, a strange, oppressive feeling like ice pressing on her skin.

“Security, there’s still someone in the park,” she called into the intercom, trying to keep her voice steady. “Can someone come with me? This gives me the creeps.”

Silence crackled back at her, broken only by static. The figure was nowhere to be seen now, having crawled out of frame. Clara flipped through the camera feeds, her Exhale quickening as she scanned every dark corner of the park, hoping the figure had disappeared.

But when she switched to the camera by the exit, she screamed.

A face—pale, angular, and twisted—stared directly into the lens. Hollowblackeyes bored into hers, and a snarl stretched across its face, revealing sharp, needle-like teeth sicklyblack. The beings mouth widened slowly, unnaturally, as if relishing her terror. It tilted its head, and Clara felt it—a deep, malicious curiosity, as though it were inspecting its prey.

Clara scrambled back from the monitor, her chair tipping over as she hit the floor. Her colleagues rushed to her, faces pale with confusion and concern, but she couldn’t stop babbling, her words a frantic tangle of fear. “There was… there was something there! It was right there, watching me!”

They pulled up the footage the next day. Frame after frame flickered on the screen, showing nothing but an empty park.

At home with her roommates watching a movie downstairs, Clara looked at the footage again, There was indeed nothing there. But Clara wouldnt give up, she refused to believe that she was imagining things.

Clara looked closely when she saw a footage where the bushes were moving, Claras eyes were locked to the screen, could this be the moment that she needed to prove shes not going mad?

Yes ! its that creature,

Clara wanted to save the footage

Wait.. this is not the footage of the amusement park..

Clara became frightened, this is inside her yard, the creature was crawling near the shared swimming pool, Its climbing on the pipe comimg towards her window..

Clara screamed and ran downstairs her friends were just sitting and noticed Clara closing the windows frantically. securing the living room.

“Clara whats up with you?” Daisy asked.

“Dont go outside ! Something followed me here” Clara said.

Daisy looked at Clara and she was white as chalk, Daisy and the other roommates took her serious and all grabbed sticks and kitchen knives to defend themselves with, Daisy came back from her room holding her concealed gun with her.

If the stalker enters their house hell be in for a suprise. They are not easy targets. Daisy kept Clara calm holding her and the other women were keeping watch for any weird sound.

“The police will be on their way” Its going to be all right” Daisy said,

“If the stalker is gone, we need to show the footage to the police okay? ” Daisy said and Clara nodded.

With a heavy heart Clara tried to look for the being with Daisy, they looked at the camera footage, but there was nothing.

“No, No It can’t be! ive seen It, that creature it was at the amusement park and it followed me home” Clara said beginning to cry and she cried louder when a knock was heard at the door, Daisy and the others looked through the peekhole, there were two officers and Clara told them what happened.

The police scribbled the description of the being down and asked her where she saw him.

Clara mentioned she saw it in the survailence camera.. but she slowly starts to wonder if she was just seeing things.

Officer Silvermannasked Clara to sit down in the living room for a chat while his officers were talking to the roommates,

“Clara I don’t think you are just seeing things Officer Silvermann said,

“No?” Clara asked suprised.

“I believe you,” he said softly. “You’ve seen something real, something that shouldn’t exist in our world. Just remember: if you ever feel its presence, don’t engage.” Officer Silvermann said.

“H.. how do you know about these creatures.. ? ” Clara asked.

“My grand mother dealt with these entities before, and so did I”

“Why did it come after me”? Clara asked.

“I don’t know for sure Clara, but they choose their targets, and other people around you will not notice a thing. It makes it easier for these beings to single you out” Silverman said.

”So that’s why it disappeared from the camera” Clara said to herself.

”But why? What have I done ? I must have provoked it unintentionally “ Clara said.

“You must have been too close to their territory, they hate that and it’s the main reason why it leaves the forest” Silverman added.

” I haven’t been to the forest” Clara said, “ Only to the park”

“Did you drive passed the fairy rings?” He asked.

“Fairy rings..?” Clara wondered.

“These fairy rings marks their territory, It looks like white mushrooms in a large circle, If you step into those you provoke these beings” Officer Silvermann said.

Clara remembered looking at those only and touched the mushrooms but she never stepped in them,

“What can I do to stay safe?” Clara asked.

“There is nothing can do, but you can only keep them at bay long enough to escape” Silvermann spoke.

“With this.. Its Rosemary.. keep Rosemary in your house” The Officersaid handing over a bracelet.

“Stay safe.. and stay away from these rings.” Silvermann said.

Clara only nodded holding onto the Rosemary bracelet.

“Thank you, ” Clara said.

“Officer Im scared..” Clara said and both looked up when they heard a howl in the distance...

Nobody else seems to hear it but both knew they are not alone.