Chapter Text
If you asked some of the few things Neil hated most, he’d probably say his father or maybe broccoli. But if you asked him to narrow it down to things he hated about college age living , he’d definitely say Brussels sprouts, Halloween parties, and house sitting. Oh, and probably masked killers that were on the loose.
So, like every other person in their right mind, he did everything to avoid those topics. Whether that be faking an upcoming exam he had to study for, faking a “date” with Allison, not walking late at night, or taking care of Matt because he had a world-ending flu, he always had an excuse for these things. However, as it turns out, Neil’s luck and creativeness for excuses became much worse than he originally thought.
Because today, not only was it Halloween, and not only was he house sitting his uncle’s estate, but he was having a party. Oh, and don’t forget about the masked killer.
But yeah. You heard that right. Neil was throwing a party.
Okay, well, actually Allison was the mastermind behind this plan. But the address drop had his name on it.
So here he was, sitting in his (Correction: Stuart’s) ginormous kitchen with marble counters and glass chandeliers with a red solo cup in his hand as busybodies buzzed (not metaphorically speaking) around him. Neil didn’t even know half of these people, but according to Allison, that was the whole point.
The party had been going for hours at this point and somehow everyone around him kept getting drunker and drunker. He’d made sure to lock any doors leading to the upstairs before to avoid any unwanted sex happening in his bed, so everyone was crammed in what he called the basement. The bottom floor to the house was half underground, half revealed to the world.
Despite the basement being huge, with the said kitchen, a large living room now turned club dancefloor, a small parlor, and three closets and four bathrooms, it was filled. He was being pushed every other second and could hear every conversation around him. It was hell.
Who knew Allison throwing a party would end up like this?
“Neil!” Well, speak of the devil.
Neil turned to see Allison dressed as some slutty variation of Jigsaw practically decking people to get through the crowd. She shoved a poor guy into the counter before squeezing past him and his group, her red lip lined smile beaming at Neil. “What are you doing in here? Come out and dance with me.”
Neil glanced at the open archway leading to the living room where the dance floor was. It looked like a war trench. He very quickly decided he preferred to not try to brave that. “I’m good. Thanks.”
Allison sighed dramatically. “The first party you ever throw and you won’t even dance at it? Lighten up!”
“That isn’t dancing, Allison. I don’t even want to know what that is.” Neil swirled the half drank punch in his cup, wishing he could drown himself in it. “Also, you’re the one who threw this party. Not me. Don’t drag me in with you.”
Allison carefully leaned onto the counter to avoid all the abandoned drinks, “you were the one to bring it up last weekend.”
“Yeah,” Neil agreed. “I brought it up to tell you why I didn’t want to throw a party. There’s literally some monster running around. Maybe he’s here.”
“Okay, whatever. Blah blah, killer killer, slasher slasher. You didn’t want a party but you got one. Now, woman up and come dance with me. If you dance with the killer tonight, maybe they’ll spare you because you’re pretty.”
Neil shot her a harsh look, which she easily held. They were standing, glaring at each other for what seemed like ages before someone behind Neil knocked into him so harshly that he practically shoved Allison to the floor.
That was an exaggeration. She only stumbled a little, a look of shock upon her face before it turned to anger, and soon, cuss words were flying out of her mouth a mile a minute.
“Watch it you fucking dumbass!” She yelled at the girl who pushed him. “If you can’t walk in heels then don’t wear them!”
The terrified girl scurried away within seconds. Neil just sighed before he watched Allison roll her shoulders, take a deep breath, and then smile down at him.
“Anyway,” she said with a cheery voice. “Come out and dance. Matt’s here.”
Neil went out and danced. Correction: Neil went out to the dancefloor, stood there for about five point two seconds before a girl started grinding on him, and then he left. To his own defense against Allison’s threat of ‘don’t go back to the kitchen,’ he ended up in the parlor.
It was a mistake the second he sat down on the couch. In his panic and disgust of the dancefloor, he failed to notice that this room was filled with little conversation and lots of making out. There were about six couples in there that were keeping their hands to themselves and three sat by him on the couch. However, everyone else on every other chair or couch was down each other’s throats.
You had to be kidding. This was not what he had in mind.
Deciding to brave it out, Neil pulled out his phone quickly and started scrolling through his Twitter feed. He’d lost his drink at some point, so he had nothing else to worry about as he read the latest news of celebrities he didn’t give a shit about.
Fifteen minutes passed and Neil had been through almost every app on his phone by then. Just as he was about to get up and go find somewhere else to hide away, someone sat down right next to him.
Two prior couples had left to go god knows where, so there was an open spot next to him. Was. He promptly ignored whoever had sat there in favor of opening old messages to read through.
“Nice party, isn’t it?” The person next to him spoke. Neil looked up to a tanned skin, dark haired man dressed as a zombie looking back. He had a friendly smile on his face and two drinks in his hands. Suspicious.
“Uh,” Neil replied. “Yeah. I guess. It’s okay.”
“I’m Jackson.”
Neil didn’t know why Jackson felt the need to introduce himself. “Neil.”
Jackson’s eyes widened in recognition. Great.
“Oh!” He exclaimed, angling his body more towards Neil as he brought one leg up to rest on the couch. “This is your party, right? Dude, your house is awesome.”
Neil wished he’d leave. “Thanks. It’s not mine.”
Jackson’s eyebrows rose. “Whose is it?”
That was none of Jackson’s business.
“Do you need something?” It came out harsher than intended, but he really didn’t feel like making friends right now. Jackson seemed ataken back for a second, almost recoiling from Neil as he leaned further back on the couch, his mouth falling open slightly.
“I just thought I’d come say hi,” Jackson said, his tone even. “You were sitting over here by yourself and whoever wants to be alone at a party? Especially when it’s theirs.”
Neil very much wanted to be alone at this party. Especially since it’s his. “I’m okay, thanks.”
Jackson seemed to be recovering from Neil’s rejections far too well as he just laughed. “Come on, you can’t be serious. Are you not having any fun? Have you even drank anything yet?”
“Punch.” Why was that important?
“Oh, that’s got nothin’ in it. Try this.” Jackson extended one hand with one of the cups in it. “It’ll help you loosen up. I know exams have been the last month, so this for sure will help you forget all about it.”
Neil just stared at him.
Jackson very slowly took the cup. “Alright, that’s a no.”
“It is.”
“Do you not like parties?”
“No.”
“Then why throw one?”
“Allison.”
“Reynolds? Isn’t she your girlfriend?”
Neil sighed far too loud. “No, yes, I don’t know. Whatever you want to believe.” Everyone thought they were dating since Allison’s late boyfriend Seth had passed last year. It was like men and women couldn’t be close friends.
Jackson nudged his shoulder and Neil wanted to become violent. “Man, that sucks. I know what it’s like to be in an on and off thing. It really does something to your pride.”
Neil wanted to do a lot to Jackson’s pride right about now.
“It’s like,” the man continued. “It’s like you know you have someone there, but it sucks because you don’t feel attached to them. Like, it’s not official. Which, I guess is good because that means you can fuck around with other people too, but then she gets all mad and in her feelings but it’s like, ‘dude, you won’t make it official, what am I supposed to do?’ Ya know?”
Neil didn’t know. “Sure.” He looked back to his phone, scrolling back through Instagram. Maybe if he started ignoring Jackson he’d go away.
“You really don’t want to talk to me, do you?”
Bingo, sir Jackson. Neil didn’t answer and just glanced at him before returning to his phone.
Jackson’s pride didn’t seem to take a hit whatsoever. He chuckled and leaned back a bit more as if to see Neil better. “So you really are what they say.”
Neil didn’t just glance this time. He met Jackson’s gaze fully. Sue him for being curious to what Jackson meant.
“You play hard to get,” Jackson said it like he’d just discovered the revolutionary solution to global warming. The smile on his face made Neil want to bash his head into a wall.
“I’m not playing hard to get ,” Neil scowled. “I just don’t want to talk to you.”
“Yeah, right.” Jackson pushed. “No one throws a party like this to just sit at it alone and not want someone to come up to them. You were waiting just to lead someone on.”
What the fuck was this dude talking about? “Okay. Yeah. Bye, Jackson.”
Neil got up from the couch and shoved through some of the people on the way to leave the room. Unfortunately, Jackson seemed to follow.
“Oh, come on!” He called after Neil through the thrum of people, annoyance riddling his tone. “You know I’m right!”
Neil ignored him and pushed through more people toward the living room. He’d lose him in the crowd while heading towards the kitchen.
He heard Jackson calling after him some more, but as he entered the dancefloor, the sounds of the songs eventually drowned out the son of a bitch yelling. Neil weaved through the crowd and as he reached the arch to the kitchen, he cast a long look behind him. Jackson was gone.
He sighed in relief while he walked back into the much calmer kitchen. It had cleared out for some reason, he guessed it was because of the No Hands playing over the booming speakers in the next room. Maybe Jackson would get distracted as well.
Neil made his way to the fridge, completely hating his life when he opened it and found that all of the coke was gone. Who the fuck in their right mind got into someone’s fridge at a party?
He groaned, slamming the fridge shut, and sulked to the door leading to the downstairs garage. The entrance of the garage lead out to the back of the house that was above ground. Stuart kept all of his old cars in there, as well as most of the frozen food and drinks he would get for Neil. It would most definitely be filled with everything he could dream of.
Neil pulled out his keys to the door but faltered when he heard someone call his name from behind him.
“Neil!” It was Allison. “Babe, where ya goin’?”
He could hear the alcohol in her voice. “Just to grab more drinks!” He threw the words over his shoulder. Luckily, that answer seemed good enough and he heard her return to whoever she was talking to.
The door unlocked smoothly and swung open, revealing the old wooden stairs leading further down into the ground. Neil stepped in, cringing at the creak beneath him, and swung the door shut behind him. He shoved the key back down deep into his pocket in order to not lose them before continuing his journey down the stairs into the darkness.
The first room down here was solely for fridges and freezers. The cars were located just past a sliding barn door on the far left wall. There were automatic lights in there, but unfortunately, the little room Neil was descending into would call for him to lighten up.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and raised his hands, standing as far on his toes as he could, and waved his hands around. Eventually, his fingers caught the hanging string attached to the only light. He yanked on it, ascending the whole room into yellow lighting.
The fridge with the drinks was in front of him now, almost glistening in the light. He wasted no time before speeding over to it. Pulling it open, Neil was faced with a heavenly amount of soda cans. Sprite, Coke, and Root Beer. Thank god for Uncle Stuart.
Neil bent down to pull open the see through drawer holding all of the coke. Upon pulling it out, he was faced with some Sprites in the way, so he began the tedious task of taking them out to reach the coke beneath.
Doing so, he didn’t notice the figure approaching him from behind.
He was just about to grab the now free coke when something grabbed his hips. Neil stood up so fast he smacked his head on the top of the open fridge. White pain flooded his head as he was yanked away from the fridge and spun around.
Ripping his eyes open while grabbing onto the hands on his hips with a vice grip, Neil was faced with that bitch Jackson.
“What the fuck- ”
“I didn’t know you’d smack your head like that,” the man laughed. He brought his hand up, bringing it to the side of Neil’s head. Neil smacked his hand away roughly.
“Fuck off, Jackson. Do you not get the point?” He tried to edge away, but Jackson simply moved to cage him in between him and the fridge door.
Jackson’s lighthearted smile changed in a flash. “Don’t play fucking stupid.” He hissed, shoving Neil back against the door harshly. A can was knocked from the fridge, falling to the floor and busting open. It sprayed all over their feet and Neil grimaced as it soaked into his socks. “You knew exactly what you were doing.”
Neil shot back just as quick and just as harsh.”Yeah? And what was I fucking doing? Coming down here to get a drink before you followed me like a damn predator-”
Jackson stepped into his space, further pushing Neil back into the crevice of the fridge. “Don’t act like you didn’t do that on purpose. Coming down here by yourself and leaving the door open for me?”
Leaving the door open? Neil shut it. “I didn’t!”
“You did. Playing hard to get before leaving and leading me away from the crowd.” Jackson’s breath smelled like harsh liquor. “Drop the act.”
Neil was too busy to respond. He was running through every possibility he had of getting out of this. Screaming would do nothing, the music was far too loud. There was no way he could squeeze past Jackson. The man was almost a whole foot taller and definitely stronger…
“Oh, so now you shut up.” Neil glared at him harshly. Jackson seemed to take this as encouragement as his face lifted back into that ugly smile. “You know, maybe I like this better.”
Neil wrapped his hand around an old fashioned glass coke in the side door as Jackson leaned in. He lifted it from the case as alcohol stained breath forced its way up his nose. Jackson’s lips were on his when in one swift movement, he slammed the glass into the man.
Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough space to get it to his head, so it shattered roughly against his shoulder, cutting into his skin through his costume stained jacket and sending coke everywhere.
Jackson jerked away, yelling as he hunched over in pain. Neil took this opportunity and slipped past the man to run towards the stairs. Something by the barn door caught his eye, but he ignored it in favor of getting out.
Just as he was getting up the first few steps, a hand caught his foot. Neil slipped and slammed down onto the steps, the breath being knocked out of him. It hurt nothing like things done to him in his past, but fuck, ow .
Jackson dragged him down the steps and onto the dirty garage floor, Neil scrambling for something to grab onto the entire way.
Finding nothing, Neil was flipped over, the cold cement biting his back. Jackson was on top of him in a second, pinning Neil's hips with his own.
“You fucking bitch. They were right, you are some psycho.”
Neil threw his hands up to hit Jackson but the man caught them easily, pinning them to the floor above his head. Neil kicked his legs in step, but he was getting nowhere.
Jackson leaned in close to his face. Neil kept his gaze as he spoke. “So you like it rough like this, huh?”
That was the most disgusting thing Neil had ever heard, yet, he let his face curve into a bloodcurdling smile.
“It took you long enough.” He slurred, dropping all struggles of getting out from under Jackson. “I was worried you weren’t going to chase me.”
The man’s smile could rival Neil’s father’s as he huffed with the effort of getting Neil down. A tired laugh filled the room. “You. You are psychotic, Neil Josten.”
“You like it, though.”
Jackson only smiled while shifting his arm, as if testing if it still worked with slashes in it. It seemed they weren’t as deep as Neil first thought. “You’re so right.”
He leaned down to kiss Neil again, and this time Neil let him. It was sloppy, borderline gross, but eh, honestly? Could be worse.
Neil let Jackson do what he wanted for the next few moments before he pulled away, putting more effort into his breathing for show.
“Can I tell you something?” He asked, licking his lips as Jackson panted above him. He was like a damn starved animal. “Just some advice?”
Jackson nodded. “Of course, baby.”
“Come closer,” Neil whispered. Jackson’s grin leered as he leaned down, tipping his head to the side so Neil could reach his ear.
Neil leaned in close, lowering his voice. “Never follow someone down into a basement when there’s a masked killer on the loose.”
Jackson was frozen for a moment, before leaning up. His face was riddled with confusion. “Wha-?”
Within a second, Neil flipped his hands on Jackson’s, gripping them tight enough to hurt as Jackson’s eyes widened and he jut forward as something struck him from behind. He gasped, trying to tear his hands away from Neil’s but Neil held tight. Jackson’s eyes drifted down to his chest where blood slowly began to drip down onto Neil’s own shirt. Neil looked down as well to see something emerging from the man’s chest.
Something sharp and shiny, now coated with blood. A knife.
Jackson’s breathing became ragged as his eyes trailed back up to Neil’s; they clouded over, no longer seeing everything in front of him. The knife was ripped out of Jackson’s back and Neil released his hands, shoving him off.
Jackson fell to the side, choking on his own blood as it splattered out of his mouth. Neil sat up quickly and scooted away watching the dark figure that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. It stood over Jackson with the bloodied knife in hand.
The figure took a step towards the man on the floor, who simply lay gasping for air while trying to move back.
“Please-” Jackson choked out. He tried to make another noise but it was cut off as the figure kneeled next to him, raising the knife into the air again. Jackson made one last panicked sound when the knife was brought down to his chest again, and then again, and again.
Neil watched the figure, a person adorned in a Ghostface costume, stab Jackson repeatedly, not caring for how blood flew in every direction. It was a gruesome sight. Something Neil would’ve seen in his father’s own basement. But, Neil made no move to leave. Instead, he watched.
By the sixth stab, the figure seemed to be over it and consider Jackson dead enough. It withdrew the dripping red knife and stood, turning towards Neil.
“God,” Neil said from where he still sat on the floor. “It took you long enough.”
“You’re the one who wanted to say your little catchphrase.” The Ghostface replied, annoyance all over his stable voice. “You didn’t have to let him be all over you.”
Neil slowly started getting up from the floor, cringing at how the pulsing pain in his head returned. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Your head.” The figure approached Neil when he finally got upright, bringing up his hand to hover over the side of Neil’s head. Neil nodded and a gloved hand prodded his head carefully.
Neil could practically hear the judgemental thoughts. “I didn’t expect him to grab me like that. I honestly thought it was you.”
He couldn’t see the eye roll, so, he brought his hand up, caught the mask by the chin, and lifted it off.
Unimpressed hazel eyes partnered with a scowl appeared in the shitty lighting. “The point of a mask is to leave it on.”
Neil grinned. “Kiss me?”
That seemed to do it. Andrew leaned forward, keeping the rest of his body away to avoid evidence contamination, and pressed his lips to Neil. It only last a few seconds before he pulled away. “You taste awful.”
“Way to woo a guy.” Neil sneered. “It’s because he chugged fucking liquor before coming down here.”
They both turned to look at Jackson’s lifeless body.
“Pathetic,” Andrew commented before looking at the knife in his hand. “Same plan?”
“Obviously.” Neil turned back to Andrew, grinning once again. He held his bloodied arms up, tilting his head. “Do I look like a victim?”
“Always, rabbit.”
“Good, get out of here. I’ll give you…” Neil turned his eyes up, thinking. “A minute? It’ll take at least two to get anyone to understand what happened. Then, ten for cops to get here.”
“Thirteen minutes to get away. Ironic.”
“It’s my lucky number.”
Andrew muttered something to himself as he turned away and started for the swinging barn door that was now propped open a foot. “Two hundred.”
“That’s how many years you’re going to be getting in prison.”
“Add thirteen and that’s your sentence, mister accomplice.”
“Too bad we aren’t getting caught.”
Neil watched Andrew slip into the car garage, pulling the barn door shut after him before he started counting.
A minute passed. He cleared his throat, checked the blood on his shirt and arms, quickened his breathing, then screamed at the top of his lungs, sprinting up the stairs.
“ Help me! ”