Inktober but for writing! This entire thing is dedicated to Identity V and I apologise if I miss a few days!
Art I used for the book cover belongs to @Otakupup
(I drew a little something ^^ Apologies if it looks weird, but that's how the dress looks!)
~
On the night of the party, you looked at yourself in the full-length mirror. A black satin top hat sat atop your head with a thin black veil attached to it, long enough to cover your face, and paired with it is an off-shoulder dress that reached the lower half of your calf muscles. The front part of the frilly dress reached your knees and two short satin sleeves attached to the top part of the dress. Loosely tied around your waist is a ribbon bow tie, your birthstone adorning the center.
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It was a nice yet mysterious costume you ordered last minute, tailored to your fitting. "Oh well. As long as it looks nice on me, it will do." You commented on your reflection as you slipped on a pair of black gloves and made sure you were comfortable in your boots. It was going to be a long night.
The chimes of your grandfather clock echoed throughout your home, signaling to you it was about time to leave for the Dance. You and Tracy had agreed to meet at the town gates before venturing to the outskirts. With your invitation letter in hand, you dashed on out of your apartment and to the meet-up destination.
As the sun set over the town church tower, the only source of light for you was the oil-lit lamp hanging by a guard post. "Where's Tracy?" You mumbled to yourself and looked back in the town's direction. She said she would be here by this time. The only sounds that accompanied you were the chirping of crickets and the distant sound of children laughing.
You started getting second thoughts about this Dance. Maybe it was just a mistake, or a trick set up by somebody? After waiting a few minutes more, you turned heel and started heading back to your home. Screw this. You were cold and Tracy had not shown up at the designated time.
"Mew~"
A soft cat call stopped you in your tracks as you perked your ears. "A cat?" You glanced over your shoulder and saw the black cat you met days ago sitting on the dirt path. "You! Where did you come from?" You mentally slapped yourself after that question. You needed to remember that cats can't understand humans! Though, the cat seemed to respond to your question as it got up from its sitting position and walked further down the path, glancing back to see if you followed. "Or maybe they can understand..." You said out loud to yourself.
With the cat having caught your attention, you followed it. The cat stayed a reasonable distance away from you, its head turning back now and then to check on you. Following the cat got harder when it suddenly jumped off the path and into the bushes, letting out a meow to alert you of its position. Wherever this Dance was, they are not making it easy to find it.
You contemplated on whether if it was worth it to go through the brush to follow the cat. But upon closer inspection, you could see a faint glow in the distance, concealed by the greenery. The cat's loud meows called out to you as you slowly made your way towards the light, being careful not to let your dress get caught. "I'm coming. Hold your paws!"
When you got closer to the light source and the persistent meows, your eyes widened at the sight of jack-o'-lanterns lining a dirt path you've never seen before. "It really isn't a prank," this cleared your doubts, but there was still a part of you that was still wary of how this night will go. The feeling of a furry body rubbing against your leg brought you out of your thoughts as you looked down to see the black cat nudging and nuzzling its body against you. "Lead the way then."
With the invitation card held between your thumb and pointer finger, you made your way through the dense forest; Eyes cast downward to the Jack-o'-lantern lit dirt path you followed with the black cat by your side.
The further you walked, the more you noticed your environment change. Trees that were once close together were becoming sparse, revealing the bright full moon in all its glory. With the help of moonlight, you could make out a distinct silhouette of a town in the distance. You tilted your head to the side in curiosity. The closest town to yours was a day's journey away. How could there be a town this close by with no one aware of it?
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew by; Carrying with it old autumn leaves and your invitation letter, which had slipped from your fingers. A shocked gasp left your lips before you chased after it, your eyes focused on the letter until your surroundings changed once again. Trees turned into cottages and cobblestone buildings, and the crunch of leaves and dirt beneath your shoes turned into the familiar sound of running along a brick path.
The wind seemed to carry the letter further away from you as you watched it fly higher and higher. Panting, you pressed a hand against a nearby wall and leaned your weight against it. There was no way you can jump that high! "Well, there goes my invitation." As you took in deep breaths, you also observed your new surroundings. Orange and Black pennant banners hung overhead, pumpkin-shaped fairy lights decorated the roofs, and Halloween decorations were at every storefront. But there was one thing that disturbed you. The town was eerily quiet save for your breathing.
Where was everyone?
Staying calm, you made your way through the quiet town. You came to a stop when you felt someone's eyes on you. You turned around, ready to confront the person head-on, but only saw a large building just further down the brick path. Tilting your head up to examine it, you concluded that maybe someone there can help you.
When you got closer to the building, it had a large sign over its front doors that read, "Otis' Doll Shop"; The storefront decorated with two scarecrows with Jack-o'-lanterns as heads, and instead of simple farmer clothing, they had on dapper tuxedos. "My town's toy store isn't even this big," You mused to yourself before knocking on the door. "Hello? Is anyone there?" No response.
You've probably ventured halfway through this town already, yet there was still no one. Hands on your hips, you walked away from the door. "That black cat disappeared too. I wonder where it-" You cut yourself off when you heard a creaking sound coming from behind you. Your feet got ready to carry your body out of there as you turned your head around, wanting to see what made the sound. It was just the Doll Store's wooden door, which you had knocked on. It was slightly ajar. Was that what made the sound?!
A sigh of relief escaped your lips, your tense muscles relaxing once again. You eyed the door and pondered your next step carefully. Do you venture into the store or do you leave the ghost town?
Curiosity seemed to have you in its grasp this Halloween night as you steeled yourself and made your way back to the store. You made it this far already, why not you keep going?
