The night every kid had been waiting for had finally arrived—Halloween! Oak High School was throwing a Halloween party, and the excitement was through the roof.
One of the highlights of the night was the vote for the best-dressed Halloween King, something the students were especially eager about. Needy and Jennifer were no exception.
The two girls, along with Roy, had planned to make a big impression at the party together.
The only problem? They had spent ages debating their costumes.
Needy, a traditionalist at heart, wanted to stick with classic Halloween figures—witches, werewolves, vampires, and the like.
But Jennifer thought that was way too outdated. She insisted they should go for something trendier, like modern-day superheroes.
Roy, on the other hand, suggested they should coordinate as a team—it would make a bigger impact.
Eventually, they settled on a theme: Roy would go as Batman, Needy as Poison Ivy, and Jennifer as Catwoman.
Team spirit? You might be wondering how that works.
Easy—Batman versus two villains!
As evening fell, Roy slipped into his Batman costume and admired himself in the mirror. Unlike many cosplayers who padded their suits to look more muscular, Roy didn't need any extra help—his costume fit like a glove, showing off his naturally athletic build.
The only problem? The suit was a bit too snug in certain areas, making some… features more noticeable than he would've liked. He spent a good while trying to adjust it, but eventually just gave up.
"Perfect!" he muttered to himself.
After a quick farewell to his parents, Roy hopped into his second-hand yellow Chevy Camaro and hit the road.
While waiting at an intersection, he spotted a familiar figure and pulled over.
"Hey, Sheriff Hughes!"
Sure enough, it was the same Sheriff Hughes who had taken multiple gunshots during the Ghostface Killer incident.
"Well, if it isn't Roy! Wow, that's one hell of a costume!"
"Thanks! I think it looks pretty great too. How's your recovery going, Sheriff?"
Hughes sighed and shook his head. "Still not fully healed, but we've got a problem—an escaped patient from the Evangel Psychiatric Hospital. The town council freaked out and called me back early. You know how short-staffed we are at the station."
In small-town America, local governments usually handle police hiring, making recruitment tricky. Halloween was already a busy night for law enforcement, and now with an escaped mental patient on the loose, it was no surprise they had dragged Hughes back into duty despite his injuries.
"Tough break, Sheriff. Wishing you luck!"
Hughes chuckled. "Thanks, kid. You have fun tonight!"
Roy arrived at the school and leaned against his car, waiting for Needy and Jennifer. They had agreed to make a grand entrance together.
But as time passed and the party officially kicked off, they were nowhere to be seen.
What the hell?
Sure, girls took longer to get ready, but this was ridiculous.
"Hey, Mr. Black, what are you doing standing out here?"
Roy turned to see Ms. Elizabeth Hale, one of his teachers, smiling at him. She was dressed in a stunning red gown with high slits and deep-V cuts in the front and back, exuding an air of a devilish queen.
"Wow, Ms. Hale, you look amazing!" he said with genuine admiration. "I'm actually waiting for someone."
Elizabeth stepped closer, leaning against the car beside him. She carried a unique, intoxicating fragrance.
**[Special Character Detected: Belial. You can absorb Fate Energy for a reward!]**
Wait, what?
Wasn't her name Elizabeth Hale? Why was she showing up as Belial? And why didn't she have a last name in the system?
A chill ran down Roy's spine. It suddenly dawned on him—his beautiful teacher might be a character from a movie. She did look familiar, but he couldn't immediately recall which one.
One thing was for sure, though—if she was a movie character, she could be dangerous. After all, this was a horror universe, and caution was key.
Roy instantly became more alert.
Elizabeth, however, didn't seem to notice the shift in his demeanor.
"Are you waiting for Laskinicki and Morgan?"
"Yeah, that's right."
It wasn't exactly a secret at school that Roy, Needy, and Jennifer were close.
Elizabeth's gaze suddenly dropped lower, lingering for a moment.
"Damn, kid, I didn't expect you to be so… well-equipped."
Wait… was that sexual harassment?
"Ms. Hale, please watch your words. I'm still a kid!" Roy declared righteously, standing tall like a true superhero.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on! You spend plenty of time staring at me in class."
"I'm a growing boy. Boys drink milk. It's natural. It's not like I'm obsessed with explosions or anything!"
His joke caught Elizabeth off guard. She burst into laughter, shaking uncontrollably. Her ample curves bounced with every chuckle, and she had to lean on Roy for support.
Roy found it odd. Sure, his joke was clever, but was it really that funny?
It took Elizabeth a long moment to catch her breath. "That… that was the funniest joke I've heard in years! I'm making this my go-to punchline from now on."
She shot him a sultry look, pressing more of her body against him. Soft, warm, and undeniably tempting.
Roy, however, held his ground like a true Sigma male.
"Uh, Ms. Hale, please be a little more mindful of your actions."
His words were firm, but he didn't actually move away.
Elizabeth playfully smacked his chest. "Oh, relax! It's just a little leaning, no big deal."
She then strutted toward the school but suddenly paused, turning back with an enigmatic smile.
"Mr. Black, since you made me laugh tonight, I'll give you a little tip—your 'little girlfriend' is in danger. You might want to go find her."
Roy's eyes narrowed. "Which one?"
Elizabeth smirked. "Take a guess."
Seriously? Was she playing the Riddler now? Or was this just because he was wearing a Batman costume?
But judging by her tone, she wasn't joking. She genuinely knew something.
Before he could ask more, his phone buzzed.
By 1999, cell phones were starting to become more common. Roy had saved up his reward money to buy a Nokia 3210—a true classic.
"Hello? This is Roy."
"Roy, something's wrong! I can't reach Jennifer. I even went to her house, but no one's there. What should I do?!"
It was Needy, her voice filled with panic.
Roy's expression darkened. "Hang tight, Needy. I'm on my way right now!"
**(End of Chapter)**