- 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐧

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐍! eight

" six down, three to go " — 🎃

corbyn held his breath, eyes wandering around the abandoned house anxiously. he cursed to himself, mind swarming with negative thoughts. why didn't he listen? he could've kept everyone safe. they wouldn't be here if it weren't for him. he was the only one to blame.

his body continued to shake violently, although his tear ducts had run dry, empty of the countless tears he'd already cried in the time they've been in the house. he shuffled closer to daniel and gabbie, flinching slightly once his boyfriend's hand wrapped around his hip, caressing the clothed skin softly.

the cries of tate could be heard, gasps and coughs as well. her throat began to feel dry, her endless crying clearly taking a toll on her small, tired body. corbyn couldn't keep his eyes off her. he became hyper aware of everything around him, chest tightening almost as if someone had been tightening a knot around him. but it was all in his head.

"corbyn, calm down alright? i've got you, you're safe." daniel's voice stayed soft, eyes casting a worried glance towards his shorter boyfriend. corbyn nodded quickly, eyes continuing to jump from one place to another, afraid to even blink. if he did another one of them would be gone in just a snap.

he sniffled, lifting his hands to his chest to fiddle with his fingers. panic arose in his chest although nothing odd seemed to be happening. the sound of tate's cries, gabbie's shaking body against his own, gabbie's whimpers, daniel's worry. every emotion seemed to be creeping up on him all at once.

his emotions overwhelmed him as he took deep breaths, shaking his head lightly. corbyn tried to push away his thoughts and focus on daniel's thumb down at his hip, he tried, he swears he did. i'm next. i'm gonna die. i won't get to say goodbye to momma, dad, ashley, jordan, daniel. i don't wanna die. i'm not ready.

"gabbie, let go of me for a second. go calm tate for me, alright?" daniel spoke softly, leaving a small kiss over the girl's curly hair. she nodded with a sniffle as she lifted her head from his chest before walking off. daniel pulled corbyn's petite body closer to him, being slow as not to scare him. his heart broke hearing the almost inaudible whimpers leaving his lips.

corbyn's strawberry pink lips quivered, blue eyes finally connecting with daniel's only for a quick second. "dani, i don't like this. i wanna go home." the blond cried, allowing daniel's arms to wrap around him tightly. his once dry tear ducts began to water, slow tears dripping down his pale cheeks.

"i know, i know, bub. we'll get out of here and we'll never come back. you've gotta be strong for me, honey." daniel spoke, placing kisses over corbyn's head. against his own, the brunet could feel corbyn's chest rising and falling unevenly. "i'm trying, i swear." the blond gasped with tearful eyes, a whimper falling from his lips.

"i don't wanna see anyone go anymore. i cant take it. i'm not ready to die." corbyn shuffled impossibly closer to daniel, feeling as if the walls had begun to close in around him. he closed his eyes tightly, afraid if he opened them, everything will be real instead of a dream. "baby, you'll be okay. we- we've gotta stay together and get out. i won't let anything happen to you, i'd never ever do that to you." daniel whispered, feeling his eyes well up in tears.

he peaked over the fluff of corbyns blond locks, seeing gabbie now holding tate in her arms as he is doing to corbyn. "are you guys alright?" he asked, raising his voice just a bit to ensure the girls could hear him. "no, daniel. i'm not okay. my- our boyfriends died and- and we'll die too. i- i wish we never came!" gabbie exclaimed through a choked cry.

suddenly, the room was silent; too silent. crickets could be heard through the boarded windows, chirping under the light of the moon. a sudden thud coming from the metal basement door. corbyn flinched in daniel's hold, daniel backing the both of them up. he kept his eyes on the rusted metal, a worried look on his face.

"dani-" "shh, you're okay." daniel shushed corbyn, tightening his grip. more silence filled the room, everyone's eyes (except corbyn's) fixed on the entrance to what is assumed to be the basement. suddenly, the girls screamed as the small door flew open, hitting against the wall behind it.

although, nothing but a black abyss could be seen. no eyes in the darkness, no hands reaching out, no voices to be heard. nothing. or that's what everyone thought. everyone but gabbie. the curly haired girl watched with wide eyes, a long, shadowy figure stretching its limbs out into the light of the home.

come with me. it whispered with such a soft tone, a sense of comfort laced into it. gabbie couldn't help but feel her tense body loosen, her teary eyes drying up. she watched with eagerness. the faceless figure pointed a lengthy finger at her, pulling back towards itself. do you want to come with me? that sickening voice was so— so gentle. gabbie nodded, taking a hesitant step closer.

"gabbie, what are-" gabbie turned harshly towards daniel, eyebrows furrowed and angry. she quickly turned back towards the door, a smile slowly but surely forming on her face. "i'll be safe." she whispered almost incoherently. corbyn grew antsy, opening his eyes to see what was going on.

he watched for a moment with a look of confusion, but didn't like the look of the event. "dani, stop her. please. i don't like this, i don't like this." corbyn tugged at his hair with a muffled grunt, hiding his face back into daniel's jacket. "i don't think-"

daniel looked back up from corbyn, except gabbie was gone. the metal door swung lightly, almost as if a light gust of wind had been blowing it. "tate?" he asked, eyes widened. "i- i don't know. she's just- gone." she whispered, amazed and petrified. it was like gabbie had disappeared into thin air.

"dani?" corbyn's small voice asked. "bub, we gotta leave now." daniel spoke quickly. "but-" "corbyn we have to go." he spoke a little harshly, taking corbyn's hand into his own as he held tate's as well. the wooden floor creaked violently as they walked further into the house, desperate for a way out.

corbyn sniffled as he stayed close to daniel. the voices were back, muffled and incoherent, but they were there to distract him. as he walked through a door frame to a dark room, a voice spoke faintly. "six down, three to go."