Chapter: Festival Night Shift – Chaos After Dark
(Jay's POV)
Festival Day One – Night Shift.
Which genius decided Section E should handle night duty?
Oh right.
Us.
The main building lights were dimmed except for decorative bulbs and booth spotlights. Our separate Section E building looked ten times creepier at night.
The wind kept making the banner flap dramatically.
Blaster regretted putting fake warning signs.
Mayo regretted adding flickering fairy lights.
And I regretted agreeing to stay.
"Why does it feel like a horror movie?" I muttered.
"Because you watch too many," Ci n replied.
Keifer leaned against the counter casually. "Relax. We're literally surrounded by people."
"People leave," I whispered dramatically. "Ghosts stay."
Denzel threw a rolled paper at me. "Stop."
It was around 8:30 PM when the crowd started thinning.
Only a few students were walking around.
Section E was handling the game booth, snack counter, and ticket table.
And then—
Guess who walked in.
Aries.
From Section A.
Hands in pockets.
Looking calm.
"Why are you here?" I asked immediately.
"Student council night inspection," he replied smoothly.
Blaster snorted. "Liar."
Aries ignored him and walked around checking decorations. "You people didn't burn the building yet. Impressive."
"Why are you insulting us in our own territory?" Mayo protested.
Aries glanced at me. "I'm helping."
Keifer smirked. "No one asked."
Aries raised a brow. "You need supervision."
"Ohhh," Section E reacted instantly.
"SUPERVISION."
"JEALOUS."
I rolled my eyes. "He's just bored."
Aries shot me a look. "You're very loud at night."
"That's my personality."
The lights flickered suddenly.
Everyone froze.
Blaster whispered, "Why did it flicker?"
"No reason," Yuri replied quickly.
It flickered again.
I immediately grabbed the nearest person.
Which happened to be Keifer.
I hugged him tightly.
"I saw something."
The entire building went quiet.
Keifer stiffened slightly. "Saw what?"
"A shadow," I whispered.
Ci n groaned. "Not again."
"I'm serious!"
Aries stepped forward. "Where?"
I pointed toward the back hallway of our building. The part that wasn't fully lit.
"I saw someone standing there."
"Probably a student," Aries said calmly.
"At 9 PM? Alone? In the dark corner?" I shot back.
The lights flickered again.
Everyone screamed at the same time.
Denzel nearly knocked over a chair.
Blaster grabbed Mayo's shirt.
Keifer tightened his arms around me slightly.
"Stay here," he said.
"NO," I snapped, still holding him. "Don't leave me."
Aries rolled his eyes but walked toward the hallway anyway. "You're all dramatic."
"Don't go alone!" I hissed.
"I'm not scared."
"That's because ghosts don't like boring people," I replied.
Section E burst out laughing nervously.
Aries disappeared into the hallway.
The lights flickered again.
We all moved closer together like penguins.
"Okay," I said quickly, trying to distract myself. "Let's sing something."
"What?" Ci n blinked.
"My favorite song."
Keifer looked down at me. "Now?"
"Yes. If I'm going to die, at least let me sing."
"You're not dying," he sighed.
I cleared my throat dramatically.
"Miss Universe… Miss Universe…"
"WHY are you singing that now?" Mayo panicked.
"It's comforting!"
"It's not comforting!"
Keifer laughed softly. "You're unbelievable."
I was mid-singing when—
A loud metallic sound echoed from the hallway.
CLANG.
We all screamed again.
Aries' voice echoed from the dark.
"…Guys?"
That tone.
That was not confident Aries tone.
That was suspicious Aries tone.
"What?!" I shouted.
"…You should probably come here."
"NO THANK YOU," I yelled immediately.
Keifer exhaled slowly. "Okay. We go together."
Section E formed a chaotic moving cluster.
Blaster grabbed a broom like a weapon.
Ci n held a flashlight with shaking hands.
Denzel pushed Rory forward.
"Why me?!"
"Because you're tall!"
I was still clutching Keifer's arm.
"Let go," he whispered softly.
"No."
He didn't argue further.
We slowly approached the hallway.
The lights there were dim.
Aries was standing a few steps ahead.
Looking at something.
"Stop building suspense!" Mayo shouted.
"What is it?" I asked nervously.
Aries moved aside slightly.
And we saw it.
At the very end of the hallway.
Standing near the storage room door.
A figure.
Tall.
Still.
Wearing something white.
Face unclear in the shadows.
For three full seconds—
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Then Blaster screamed.
"GHOST."
The figure moved slightly.
That was enough.
Total chaos.
Mayo tripped over a chair.
Ci n dropped the flashlight.
Denzel grabbed Yuri.
Rory ran into the wall.
I buried my face in Keifer's chest. "I TOLD YOU."
Even Aries took a step back.
The figure tilted its head slowly.
WHY WOULD IT TILT ITS HEAD.
Keifer stepped slightly in front of me protectively.
"Who's there?" he shouted.
No response.
The lights flickered again.
The figure took one slow step forward.
That was it.
Everyone ran.
Absolute mayhem.
Blaster ran the wrong direction.
Mayo ran into him.
Ci n yelled, "LOCK THE DOOR."
Denzel screamed, "I'M TOO YOUNG."
I tried to run but my ankle protested slightly.
Keifer lifted me halfway again.
"RUN PROPERLY," I shrieked.
Aries grabbed a chair like he was ready to fight.
"STAY BEHIND ME," he shouted.
The figure moved again.
Then—
"STOP."
A familiar voice echoed.
The lights fully turned on.
The "ghost" blinked.
And we all froze.
It was…
Erdix.
Holding a white decoration cloth.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Blaster dropped the broom.
"…You idiot," Ci n whispered.
Erdix frowned. "Why are you all screaming?"
"WHY ARE YOU DRESSED LIKE THAT?!" Mayo yelled.
"I was fixing the backdrop."
"IN THE DARK?"
"The switch glitched!"
I slowly pulled away from Keifer's chest.
Aries lowered the chair.
Denzel sat on the floor dramatically. "I saw my ancestors."
Keifer looked down at me.
"You saw a ghost?"
"…Maybe."
Aries started laughing.
Actually laughing.
Hard.
"Oh my god," he said between breaths. "Section E night shift. Legendary."
I glared at Erdix. "You traumatized us."
He looked offended. "You traumatized yourselves."
Blaster pointed at him. "Never stand silently in white again."
I turned to Keifer, still embarrassed.
"…I wasn't scared."
He raised a brow.
"You were shaking."
"That was the wind."
"There's no wind inside."
Aries smirked. "You hugged him so tight."
"SHUT UP."
Section E started teasing instantly.
"PROTECTIVE HUG."
"NIGHT SHIFT ROMANCE."
"MISS UNIVERSE GHOST EDITION."
I covered my face.
Aries walked toward the exit, still smiling.
"Next time," he said lightly, "call me before you start singing at ghosts."
"You were scared too!" I accused.
"I was evaluating."
"With a chair?"
He didn't answer.
Keifer leaned closer to me quietly.
"You okay?"
I nodded slowly.
"Still scared?"
I hesitated.
"…A little."
He smiled softly.
"I'm here."
My heart did that annoying thing again.
Behind us, Section E was still arguing with Erdix.
Festival Night Shift.
We survived.
Barely.
But one thing was certain—
Section E plus darkness equals disaster.
And somehow…
It was the most fun we'd had all week.