Halloween Night, He Mistook My Death for a Prank Chapter 04

The last bell echoed, and every light went out at once.

Dry ice fog rolled slowly from the stage edges, crawling past rows of skull candelabras and fake tombstones. A thousand students in vampire fangs, ghost masks, and witch hats raised their jack-o’-lanterns.

The Campus Media livestream blew past a hundred thousand viewers.

Only the crystal casket remained at center stage.

I was inside it.

The veil covered my neck. Black roses hid the blood slowly seeping through.

According to the script, after Sienna’s opening speech, Nolan would walk onstage as the Grim Reaper.

He’d tap the casket three times with his scythe.

After the third tap, I’d “resurrect,” take the mic, and declare the night’s festivities open.

Nolan walked slowly to the casket, his black cloak trailing through the white fog.

Tap one.

The room went silent.

Tap two.

The lights swept over my pale face.

Tap three.

I didn’t get up.

“Holy crap, this is so real!”

“Avery! Get up!”

“Resurrect! Resurrect!”

More and more people started chanting my name.

“Avery!”

“Avery!”

“Avery!”

The moment I’d once looked forward to most—it was finally here.

Only I could never stand up again.

Nolan stood by the casket, his smile fading bit by bit.

He looked at me through the glass, his lips moving soundlessly.

Cut it out.

I knew those two words too well.

For the past four years, every time I clashed with Sienna, he looked at me like that.

Cut it out.

Don’t ruin the mood.

Don’t make things awkward for everyone.

If I just acted reasonable, everyone could be happy.

The in-ear comms crackled. “Nolan, what’s going on? The whole lineup’s stuck.”

Sienna ran to the side of the stage, lifting her skirt, and gestured at him.

Panic was finally showing in her eyes too.

“Maybe we skip the resurrection part?”

Nolan ignored her.

He lifted the casket lid and bent down to take my hand.

Cold. Stiff.

This time, he visibly froze.

Nolan leaned close to my ear, lowering his voice.

“You’ve given me the cold-shoulder for half an hour. It’s time to drop this.”

“Get up and finish the opening. I’ll make it up to you at home. Okay?”

How I wanted to answer him.

Nolan, I don’t want you to make anything up to me.

I just wanted you to look at me when I was begging for help.

Really look.

Sienna rushed over. “She’s not actually passed out from fear, is she?”

Nolan looked up at her.

“Didn’t you say the blade was completely safe?”

“Of course!” Sienna pulled out her phone. “The Drama Troupe people told me themselves. The label’s still on it.”

“Maybe Avery’s just messing with us on purpose. She hates it when people touch her event plans.”

Nolan’s jaw tightened. The flicker of worry from a moment ago hardened into anger.

The crowd started counting down.

“Nine!”

“Eight!”

“Seven!”

The energy hit its peak.

The livestream camera was locked on the crystal casket.

College administration officials sat in the front row. A dozen clubs were waiting for the next act.

Every student was waiting for the final resurrection moment.

“Six!”

“Five!”

The last bit of patience drained from Nolan’s face.

“Avery. You really want me to beg you in front of the whole school?”

The countdown hit zero.

The auditorium lights blazed on.

Nolan grabbed my wrist and yanked me up from the casket.

“Fine. You win.”

My stiff body was pulled off the black roses.

The lace veil wrapped around my neck pulled taut.

The already-broken rigid collar let out a sharp crack.

SNAP—

Nolan froze.

He looked down.

The next second, my head slid off my shoulders and slammed against the edge of the crystal casket.

It rolled across the stage, past the rows of jack-o’-lanterns.

And stopped at his feet.

……