A Deal For Popularity

THE DEED

                                                                                          ...

"I don't know about this, Sandy," Diamond paused, her eyes flickering with fear. "It just doesn't look welcoming."

I couldn't argue with her. The building before us was anything but inviting. It had stood for ages, long before we were born. Once a mental asylum, it had been left in ruins after a tragic fire many years ago. Rumors swirled about its history, each more unsettling than the last. Whispers of hauntings surrounded its dark, gloomy façade, and its eerie presence kept most people at a distance.

"I know, Dia. I feel uneasy being back here too," I admitted. "But I think I dropped my pendant here the other night, and I can't bear to leave without it. It means so much to me—it's a symbol of our friendship."

Diamond looked at me, hesitation etched on her face. Yet I knew she would give in; her slender fingers nervously fiddled with the gold necklace around her neck, adorned with a sun pendant.

"Okay, we'll just go in, find your necklace, and get out as quickly as we can, right?" Her voice trembled slightly, revealing her uncertainty. But her dedication to our friendship was strong enough to push her forward.

"Quicker than lightning, I hope," I grinned, amused by her fear.

With that, we stepped into the building, Diamond trailing closely behind me, her breath warm against my ear.

"Sandy... do you remember where you dropped it?" she whispered.

I could feel her trembling beside me, and the chilly wind outside sent shivers through the abandoned halls, making her jump each time it howled against the walls. I found it strangely amusing.

"I don't quite remember. All I know is that I felt something on my leg, and then the landing gave way. I fell into a hole while screaming," I shivered at the memory.

"You fell? What would you have done if you had a panic attack? You know you're claustrophobic! What were you even doing in this creepy building?" she whispered sharply. I wondered why she was whispering; it was just the two of us in this eerie place.

"No need to fuss. I left here alive and in good health after all." She shot me a glare that clearly conveyed her frustration with how lightly I was taking this. Sometimes, I swore she acted like my mother.

We soon reached the basement, and before she could say another word, I sped down the stairs, twisting through the shadows and dark hallways at a furious pace, intent on losing her.

"Sandy... don't walk too fast! You know I can't keep up. I can't see a thing!" Her shout echoed behind me just as I jumped into the black hole in the center of the room.

"I've brought her, just like you asked. Now it's time you do your part." I received no reply, no indication that it had heard me, just the same eerie silence enveloping the space.

"Don't screw me over, you hear me?"

"I would never do such a thing. After all, a gentleman abides by his words and promises," a raspy voice finally answered.

"Sandy, this isn't funny! Where the hell are you?" Diamond's voice trembled, betraying her panic. I could almost see her trying to convince herself everything was fine.

"Down here, Dia," I shouted up to her, hoping it would honor our unspoken trust—after all, mutual trust was the foundation of all relationships.

"Wh-where?" Her whispers grew louder as she inched closer to where I had fallen. I could hear the soft pattering of her footsteps echoing in the empty room.

"There should be a hole somewhere up there. I just kind of fell in."

I heard a soft sigh followed by a loud bang as Diamond jumped in, kicking up clouds of dust and soot as she landed.

"Sandy!" she called out, but I remained silent, trying to stay as still as possible to avoid giving away my location. It was a challenge as I felt a tickle in my throat intensifying with each suppressed cough. The dust disturbed by her landing was taking its toll.

She was getting closer; I could imagine her arms spread wide, trying to find me in the dark.

Then, without warning, my heart nearly burst through my ribcage as she let out a blood-curdling scream.

A creeping sensation slithered up my spine—something slimy, like fingers brushing against me. My head reeled, and nausea washed over me. My vision blurred, and no matter how hard I blinked, it persisted. Diamond's screams felt distant, muffled as if they were miles away. My eardrums throbbed painfully, and I was sure they had burst when I felt something slide out of my ear.

Blood.

I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the pain to fade. Then, suddenly, it was gone.

When I opened my eyes, I was no longer in the dark, abandoned basement. Instead, moonlight illuminated my shadow as I sat on the edge of a crumbling balcony, the only wing of the building that had survived the fire.

In my left fist, shining lustrously under the moonlight, was the silver chain of the moon-shaped pendant I had long since forgotten..