[ WP ] In the spirit of Halloween , write just an old fashioned , tense horror story .

“ The Bonemaker sold his soul fifty years ago in these very woods, ” Jacob whispered, holding the flashlight against his chin. His aquiline features looked even more hawk-like under the incandescent glow. I took a swig from our stolen bottle of tequila and tried not to shudder as the vile liquid slid down my throat. “ And every year from then on, on Halloween night, he sacrifices a virgin to appease the Devil and keep his soul on Earth. ” 
 
 “ Which is why we screw on October 30th, ” my boyfriend of three weeks shouted, grabbing the bottle from my hand. Uneasy laughter sounded around the campsite. Our tents pitched, my head spinning with drink, I didn ’ t know how much longer I could stay awake. There were six of us tonight. My mom thought I was at a Halloween party. My dad, who lived a thousand miles away, didn ’ t know enough to care. 
 
 “ That ’ s the dumbest story I ’ ve ever heard, ” I said, my eyes closing against my will. “ I mean, come on. Why ’ d he sell his soul if all he got out of it was to be trapped in the woods? Sounds like a stupid deal. ” 
 
 “ That wasn ’ t what he wanted, ” Jacob said, shinning the flashlight in my face. I grimaced and shielded my eyes. *Dick*. “ His mother had cancer. He sold his soul to save her. ” 
 
 “ I heard it was his sister, ” my boyfriend Nick said, leaning back on his arm. He looked good tonight, his blonde hair a curly mess on top of his head, his biceps bulging through his paper-thin t-shirt. 
 
 “ Whatever, ” Jacob said, waving his arm and the flashlight. He yawned, and over-exaggerated hugging his date ’ s shoulder. “ Welp. I ’ m beat. Ready to call it a night? ” 
 
 In seconds, Nick and I were alone by the fire. Giggles and moans erupted from two of the three tents, and I shifted awkwardly, rubbing a hand over my neck. Nick smiled at me, his blue eyes lost to the firelight. 
 
 “ Want to take a walk? ” 
 
 My gaze shifted to the darkness beyond the firelight. “ Out there? ” 
 
 “ What, you believe that idiotic story? ” 
 
 “ Of course not. ” 
 
 Nick stood and offered his hand. “ Then come on. ” He smiled when I hesitated. “ Or do you want to go to bed? ” 
 
 My face flushed with heat and I slid my fingers into his hand. Nick pulled me to my feet and hooked his arm through mine. 
 
 “ Look, Sarah, ” he said as soon as we stepped into the trees. “ I understand if you ’ re not ready. ” 
 
 “ No, I am, ” I said, probably too quickly. “ I mean, if you are too. ” 
 
 He laughed, lifting my chin with his index finger. “ You know I am. ” 
 
 My heart fluttering, I turned to lead him back to the camp. “ Well then… ” 
 
 Sharp pressure struck the back of my head. Not pain, not exactly, just pressure and weakness. Instead of night, the forest flashed brilliant white, and then the ground reached up to swallow me whole. 
 
 I felt myself slide across the ground. Twigs and pebbles, beetles crawled over my aching flesh. I was moving but not through my own power. My arms stretched out, my head flopped down, distorted images fired in my mind. I heard a scream, realized it was my own, and kept screaming. A sharp pain slashed across my cheek, waking me from my stupor. My eyes fluttered and opened to find Nick, his t-shirt bloody and covered in filth, standing over me. 
 
 I felt dizzy, light-headed and exposed. My dress was ripped, my legs scratched and bloody. Nick had propped me against the base of a large tree, and stepped back without a word. 
 
 “ Nick, what is this? What… ” 
 
 “ Shut up, ” he said, lighting a candle. 
 
 My hands were bound. I twisted them, feeling panic grow in my chest. “ This isn ’ t funny, Nick. ” 
 
 Five more candles lit, he reached for a seventh. “ Shut up, Sarah, or I ’ ll knock you unconscious again. ” 
 
 “ But what are you… ” 
 
 He turned, a butcher knife in his right hand. “ I ’ d say I ’ m sorry, but it wouldn ’ t make a bit of difference. ” 
 
 I stared at him, at the knife, my head spinning, and somehow stumbled to my feet, the bark of the tree preventing a fall. “ You… ” 
 
 “ I have to take you apart in pieces, ” he said, stepping closer. “ Finishing with your eyes and heart. I ’ ll give you pain killers if you be a good girl, and don ’ t fight. ” 
 
 “ This isn ’ t funny, ” I whispered, backing up. 
 
 “ I ’ m not laughing, Sarah. ” 
 
 I stared at him, at the dimly glowing altar, seven candles positioned around the base. At the butcher knife. My heart pounded in my throat, adrenaline filling my legs. I turned and ran, screaming for help. Before I fled six paces, a sharp hand closed in my scalp, ripping me back. I felt my spine nearly snap, pain slashing through my body as my flesh tore in his grasp. My feet flew upwards and I landed hard, the wind knocked from my lungs. Nick stood over me, the butcher knife in his hands, his eyes glowing like a demon. I tried to speak, tried to beg, tried to move, but my body failed me. My arm felt wet- I had cut myself on a rock that had jammed itself into my wrist. My fingers reached for it, but before I could grab it, Nick jerked me to my feet. I tried to kick him, aiming for his knee as I was taught, but he pivoted, laughing as he threw me to the ground. 
 
 “ Nice try, little girl. But I ’ ve been doing this a long time. There ’ s nothing you can do that hasn ’ t been done before. ” 
 
 The rock- my fingers closed around it, grasping it tight. The bonds had loosened with my fall. Even before Nick pulled me to my feet, I started sawing at the twine. Tears filled my eyes as he pushed me. I fell over and over, purposefully trying to delay. 
 
 “ So you ’ re the Bonemaker, ” I finally whispered. 
 
 “ What gave it away? ” he asked with a sneer. “ Walk, Sarah. There ’ s no use delaying this. ” 
 
 “ And if you don ’ t get your girl, then what? Satan takes you instead? ” 
 
 He pushed me again. “ Something like that. ” 
 
 “ All this so you could save your sister? ” 
 
 He laughed. “ I never had a sister. I ’ m sure I had a mother, but I never met her. Eternal youth. That ’ s what I sold my soul for. Since I asked for immortality, I thought Satan would never get my soul. Pretty smart right? ” He snorted, pushing me again. “ Seventeen years old, and I thought I could outsmart the Devil. But Satan loves his loopholes. And they ’ re a bitch. ” 
 
 We reached the altar too quickly. My heart pounding, my fingers sawing at the twine, I twisted and tugged trying to free my hands. Nick pushed me and I fell, scraping my knees at the foot of the altar. Candles glowed around the base, and I rolled, kicking against the altar, my wrists falling over the flame. It took all my will not to cry out in agony as I twisted and burned the already weakened rope. Nick approached me, the butcher knife gleaming in his hand, his hair dancing with the light. 
 
 “ Don ’ t do this, ” I whispered. 
 
 A half-smile creased his lips. “ I ’ ve heard that line fifty times already. It didn ’ t save them, and it won ’ t save you. ” 
 
 “ I guess I know that, ” I said, bowing my face. I heard his footsteps, saw his boot, caked in mud, at my knee. 
 
 He reached down to grab me. “ Then let ’ s get started. ” 
 
 I wrapped my hand around the burning candle, and jammed it into his right eye. Nick screamed in agony as the wax and flame burned his flesh, stumbling back as he clawed at his face. The butcher knife fell from his hand and I lunged for it, burying the blade deep in his chest. Nick fell without a sound, his right eye melting in its socket. He didn ’ t move. Blood dripped down the handle. Nick was dead. 
 
 I started shaking, gasping as I sank to my knees, standing almost instantly. My eyes fell on the black altar, the decades of blood and horror it had witnessed. I wanted to tear down the stones, burn whatever was left, and leave this place to the darkness where it belonged. 
 
 Nick groaned at my feet. I stumbled back, screaming as he stood and drew a deep breath, the butcher knife stuck in his chest. He wrapped his fingers around the handle and ripped the blade from his heart. A cruel grin split his lips and he growled at me. 
 
 “ Weren ’ t you listening, Sarah? I ’ m immortal. ” 

