The Shadow Of The Lunar Curse

Chapter 1 - The Party Invitation

Jerry was lying on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

He had just finished a grueling lacrosse practice and a few push-ups here and there. Although he wasn't a good player, he was still trying his best to get better at it.

After the exercise and practice, he was a bit tired. He had weakly flopped onto the bed to rest for a bit. His legs dangled off the edge, his sneakers still on, and his arms splayed out like he had been dropped there.

His eyes were getting heavier, and he felt a bit sleepy. His breathing slowed, and he let out a long sigh, shifting slightly to get more comfortable. Just as he was about to drift off, he was jolted back to reality by the sound of something hitting his window with a "clank!"

His brow furrowed as he turned his head toward the window.

"Jerry, you in there?" a voice called out. It sounded more like a whisper, as if the person was trying not to draw too much attention since it was already dark and quiet everywhere.

Jerry groaned softly, pressing his palms against his eyes. The familiar voice told him it was Tim. "Couldn't he just text me like a normal person?" he muttered, pushing himself up with sluggish movements.

"Luckily my window is made of fiberglass," he grumbled under his breath as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His muscles protested the sudden movement, and he winced, rubbing his shoulder absently.

Dragging his feet, he shuffled toward the window, his hand trailing along the wall for balance. "How come I didn't hear his vehicle when he drove in?" he wondered, puzzled.

Sliding the window open, he poked his head out and saw Tim standing in front of his Jeep, a mischievous grin barely visible in the dim porch light.

Jerry's room was upstairs, so his window was quite high, that's why Tim had to throw stones at it.

Jerry groaned again, his head thumping lightly against the window frame before he slid it closed. He turned and walked to his door, his steps heavy and unsteady. He rubbed the back of his neck as he headed downstairs, one hand brushing against the staircase railing while the other hung limply at his side.

In the living room, he zigzagged around the couch, his foot catching the edge of the rug. He stumbled slightly but caught himself, muttering something inaudible. Reaching the door, he took a deep breath before opening it.

Standing on the front porch was Tim Vik, a wide grin plastered on his face. Jerry could tell from the look on his face that he was up to something weird again.

"Hey, man, what's up? What have you been up to?" Tim asked, still smiling as he stretched out his fist for their special fist bump.

Jerry raised his arm slowly, his movements deliberate, and their fists bumped in the air. They drew their hands back slowly, opening their fists and wiggling their fingers.

"Phhewww," they both made a strange sound with their mouths, though Jerry's lacked enthusiasm.

After the fist bump, Tim pushed past Jerry, bounding into the living room with far too much energy for Jerry's liking.

"Of course," Jerry muttered under his breath, stepping aside as Tim leaped over the couch to the other side. With a burst of excitement, Tim rushed upstairs to Jerry's room.

Jerry sighed, his shoulders slumping as he rubbed his face. "Why do I even put up with this guy?" he whispered to himself, dragging his feet around the couch and following Tim upstairs.

When he reached his room, Tim was already sitting at Jerry's work desk, spinning a pen between his fingers.

"So, man, what's up?" Tim asked again, still smiling.

"Not much, bro. Just trying to chill a bit," Jerry replied, flopping back onto his bed with his hands spread apart. The mattress creaked under his weight. He stared at the ceiling for a moment before groaning and sitting upright again.

Tim grabbed a pen from the desk, twirled it in his fingers, and threw it at Jerry.

Jerry's hand shot up instinctively, but his tired reflexes betrayed him. The pen bounced off his palm and rolled onto the floor.

"Dude, I heard there's a night party going on tonight. We should totally check it out," Tim said, smiling as he watched the pen fall.

Jerry leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He rubbed his temples before looking at Tim. "A party? What's the occasion?"

Tim shrugged, leaning back in the chair. "I don't know, but it's supposed to be cool. It's happening in the woods. Remember Erin Moore? The hottest girl from our school? She'll be there. I heard there'll be live music, alcohol, pizza... Plus, the party is at the yard of the old cursed haunted house! It's going to be a blast."

Jerry stretched his legs, flexing his ankles as he pondered. "That actually sounds pretty cool. But I've heard rumors of people going missing around that house. There've been reports filed with the Roomba police department about it. Isn't that area restricted? And what about the alcohol? We could get in serious trouble."

Tim, a bit frustrated, leaned forward. "Whoa, chill, bro. Are you scared of getting in trouble? He-he. Don't worry, it's a secret party. They're using silent disco headphones."

Jerry tilted his head, confused. "Huh? Silent disco headphones? What's that?"

Tim grinned, leaning back with a smug look. "Of course you don't know what a silent disco headphone is. Do you even know anything at all?" he teased.

He leaned forward again, resting his elbows on the desk. "A silent disco headphone is a special headset that lets everyone listen to the same music through individual headsets. It's like having your own personal DJ, but everyone's hearing the same thing."

Jerry nodded slowly, his tired mind processing the information. "Oh! So that's what it is. I guess the party can stay quiet since it's in the haunted house's yard. The cops won't find out."

Tim lowered his voice. "So, where's your dad?"

Jerry let out a soft sigh, his shoulders slumping. "He's got another shift tonight. He's not coming home."

Tim's grin widened. "Perfect! That means we can party all night. Wipe that look off your face, man."

Jerry sighed again and slowly stood up. His back cracked as he stretched, and he walked to his wardrobe, opening the doors and staring blankly at his clothes. "Just wait. Let me get changed."

Tim, looking annoyed, suddenly stood up, grabbed Jerry by the wrist, and dragged him out of the room. "Let's go! You already look good, and the party might have started."

On the front porch, Tim let go of Jerry's wrist and headed to his Jeep. Jerry shut the main door, setting the security alarm with slow, deliberate movements. He paused for a moment, his finger hovering over the keypad before typing in the code.

Tim was already inside, starting the engine. Jerry opened the door, climbed into the passenger seat, and fastened his seatbelt. Tim reversed the Jeep, turned it around, and drove off.