The DARE.

It was my sophomore year in Tels university, and what other good way to enjoy it than to go completely rebellious. Late night parties were banned from my school but of what use is law if it cannot be broken.

“Hey Aria.” Jenna, the school mean girl, stopped me on my way. Accompanied with her girls—servants, who she takes everywhere.

“Hi Jenna, any problem?” I snapped, stepping aside to continue my journey over to the bar.

She blocked my path.“Oh look who's got an attitude” they laughed hard at what seemed not to be a joke. Her fingers dug into my skin as she held my hand.

Pulling free from her grip, I stepped closer to her with my first right finger pointed to her. “Who you see here is not the Aria of freshman year, it's a different one. Misbehave and this year will be hell for you.”

“Ohhh… I'm scared Aria will make school hell.” she let out a short, humorless laugh. Her voice was laced with deceit.

She walked off. The music was loud, people cheered upon their voices and of course people were making out. I walked across to the bar to grab a drink. I hated alcohol therefore water was my only option.

Sipping my water as I watched people have fun. “Hey what's up?” Ethan slipped from behind, cutting the silence. Fear slammed into me, as I almost spilled my water.

“God Ethan!”

“I overheard your banter with Jenna and I came searching.”

“Don't worry it's fine, she can't step on my toes anymore.”

“So what are you doing here, let's go play truth or dare. Something fun.”

“I'm game, I came out to have fun by the way.”

Everyone was sitted, with a bottle centered ready for the game to begin.

The bottle spinned around landing on Jenna, murmurs grew from the circle.

I wish it was me that got her, she would definitely begin to see hell as I promised.

“I dare you Jenna to kiss Ethan”

The silence was loud. Ethan and Jenna had quite a history with each other and things ended up badly between them that the whole school found out.

“I don’t mind, it's left for Ethan” Jenna snapped, staring at Ethan. No words. No replies. His silence was very much his response. She crawled forward and paused as she got close to his face. They stared at each other with hunger in their eyes then she pressed her lips against his. Everybody cheered, Ethan's friends fist bumping and shaking him.

“Your turn Jenna.” There was silence and prayers as Jenna spinned her bottle, she was merciless and brutal during the truth or dare game and most times she was referred to as the DARE QUEEN.

Eyes closed. Fingers crossed. The bottle still pointed to me. Everyone looked at me with pitiful eyes because even them could not save me.

“Hi Aria, we meet again” smile curling up to her face as she plays with a strand of her hair. There was nothing to be afraid of and besides what is the worst that could happen.

“I dare you to go to the crypt under the library, stay alive for thirty minutes and come back alive.” The whole crowd gasped, murmurs arose. Ethan stood up immediately objecting to her dare. “Rumors says it's haunted and no human has entered there for years and neither will Aria”

“Awwn protector Ethan.” She said, clapping one by one as if it was counted. “I don't care if it's haunted or not. A dare is a dare and Aria must carry it out.”

I could feel their eyes drilling into me, heavy with suspense. My chest tightened—everyone waiting to see if I would step forward or fall back.

“Fine, I’ll do it,” I said, my voice steady though my hands trembled. Shock spread across their faces, whispers hissing in the air. “Has she lost her mind?” Even Jenna who had dared me looked rattled, as though she hadn’t expected me to actually say yes.

“Well let's cut to the chase.” She chuckled, smiling like she has always wanted to do this—who knows? She is capable of doing worse. I walked to the crypt with the crowd ten steps behind me.

I got to the entrance deciding to rethink my decision and maybe just go back but I wanted to prove to Jenna that she was nothing and I do not fear her. So I braced myself, exhaling hard. Dusting off the spider webs and dust the door has accumulated over the eyes. I pushed it open.

About to make my way in, Ethan stopped me. “Aria, please rethink your decision. You should not die because you want to prove her wrong, you can back off now it's not late.” I stood there processing what Ethan said despite his words being true. I am not backing down now.

I pulled out my phone from my pocket, turning on the flash light. I could feel the weight of their stares on me but regardless I made my way in. The crypt was ancient, everywhere stenched with rust and decay, cobwebs stretched across corners.

Fear gnawed at me as I moved into the crypt. Every flicker of darkness, every whisper of air, felt like a ghost reaching for me. The air changed. The scar that I had from childhood on my palm started burning.

How? What's happening? The story behind my cut was not clearly told, every time I tried, it was always avoided. My scar burned hotter. Itchy. Painful. I endured, and continued to go in farther. I stopped at something that caught my eyes, it was an engraved writing in Latin. Latin was not difficult for me to read I won the award of best student in Latin as a freshman.

The writing was weird, it talked about the need for blood and the return of the ONE. It never made sense to me. While I read other carvings, I heard a creak. I turned immediately pointing my light to where the sound came from.

My scar burn lessened a bit, but it was still painful and I whispered to myself “It's time to go Aria”. The sound grew heavier and I decided to check it out. “Who is there? Anyone? Come out I won't harm you” there was no response. I walked to the corner and pointing my light I saw a coffin mounted on a heightened concrete floor.

I promised myself that after checking this one out, I was done. I walked over there to check it. The stones had cravings and drawings on them, drawings matching with the writings on other walls. I caressed the coffin, its rustiness and dust coming off, thinking of what could possibly be inside of it. I heard the creak again and I as I directed my flashlight to where the sound came from.

A swarm of bats came flying, surrounding the coffin like it called them. Standing right before the coffin with fear and anxiety about running. I tripped falling over to the coffin and its sharp edges cutting fresh my scar and my blood dripping onto the coffin.

“Ahhhhhh” I cried out, wailing in pain as I withdrew from the coffin using my left hand to support my right hand trying to reach for my phone. The coffin creaked open and something moved.

A hand shot out, pale and cold grabbing my wrist.