The moon cast a ghostly glow upon the empty football field as Zack stood in the center, shivering from the chill of the late October night. The wind whistled ominously through the goalposts, and he wished he hadn''t agreed to this late-night training. As he waited, his breath formed puffs of white mist in the cold air.


    "Hey," Rob''s voice cut through the silence as he approached Zack, his hands buried deep in the pockets of his hoodie. "I''ve been thinking about this whole Gluttony situation, and I believe we should focus on your control when you have to think quickly."


    "Really?" Zack asked, eyebrows raised in surprise. He was grateful for Rob''s support but he also felt like Rob hadn''t totally forgiven him.


    "Yeah," Rob nodded, his expression serious. "I don''t trust Ethel completely. She''s hiding something—important information about the exorcists or Gluttony or both."


    Zack sighed, staring at the ground, torn between wanting to trust Ethel and knowing that Rob was right. "I know, but we don''t have much choice. We need her knowledge to defeat Gluttony."


    "True," Rob conceded, "but that doesn''t mean we can''t be cautious. We''ll work on your powers together, and that way we can be sure you are learning everything you can about them, not just what she wants us to know."


    "Thanks, Rob," Zack said with a half-smile, touched by his friend''s unwavering loyalty.


    -----


    Meanwhile, in Deb''s dorm room, Ahmed sat on the edge of her bed, trying to focus on the colorful underwater world unfolding on the screen before them. The Little Mermaid had always been one of his favorites, but Deb''s constant interruptions were making it difficult to enjoy the film.


    "Ahmed, listen to this!" Deb exclaimed, holding up a thick, leather-bound book titled Shoku Nihongi. It had finally arrived, and she couldn''t contain her excitement. "It talks about cleansing evil spirits from the palace using Shinto purifications."


    "Uh-huh," Ahmed mumbled, his eyes still glued to the screen as Ariel''s melodious voice filled the room.


    "Did you know my ancestors were the first to perform these Shinto purifications?" Deb continued, oblivious to Ahmed''s disinterest as she flipped through the ancient pages.


    "Wow, really?" he replied half-heartedly, praying that Sebastian would soon burst into song and drown out Deb''s enthusiastic ramblings.


    As Deb dove deeper into the world of ancient rituals and evil spirits, Ahmed found himself longing for the simplicity of a fairy tale where love conquered all, and happy endings were guaranteed.


    ----


    Under the light of the moon, Zack and Rob stood on the empty football field. The eerie silence was only broken by the distant howls of the wind as it whipped through the trees. Rob tapped away at Zack''s phone, installing a heart rate monitor app that he claimed would help them track when Zack began to lose control over his powers.


    "Alright, Zack," Rob handed the phone back to him. "Now we can keep an eye on your heart rate and work on your reflexes and control."


    Rob pulled off his backpack and began digging around inside it. He pulled out a folding golf club and a handful of balls, placing them on the ground in front of him.


    "Here''s the plan: I''m going to hit these golf balls at you, and you''re going to dodge them without losing control. Think of it as multitasking under pressure, without the risk of being chased through a park or torn apart by a sin."


    Zack gulped at the thought but nodded, steeling himself for the challenge ahead. Rob swung the club, sending the first ball whizzing toward Zack, who narrowly managed to dodge it. The next few balls followed suit, with Zack demonstrating impressive agility as they zipped past him.


    "Good job, Zack!" Rob shouted, his voice full of encouragement. But as the exercise continued, Zack''s luck began to wane, it was nearly impossible to follow the small projectiles'' routes in the dark. A stray ball struck him in the shoulder, and then another hit him in the leg. His frustration mounted, causing his heart rate to spike as his claws began to emerge from his fingertips.


    "Stop!" Rob called out, halting the exercise just as Zack teetered on the edge of losing control entirely. "You did well for your first time, Zack. We''ll keep working on this, I promise."


    As they caught their breath, neither young man noticed the figure lurking in the shadows. Boon, overcome with jealousy and suspicion, had been secretly watching their training session from the sidelines. He didn''t fully understand what they were doing but it only added to his frustration, how does this make you better at basketball?


    The next morning Boon followed Zack around the locker room, trying to listen in on his conversation with Rob. He needed to know what they were doing and why, recently this whole city had stopped making sense to him. As Boon inched closer, Zack''s expression grew uneasy, and he glanced around as if sensing something off.


    "Hey, is everything alright?" Rob asked, concerned by Zack''s sudden change in demeanor.


    "Something just feels wrong," Zack murmured, unable to shake the feeling that time wasn''t flowing right somewhere in the locker room. "I can''t put my finger on it."


    "Let''s get out of here," Rob suggested, leading Zack away from the unsettling atmosphere. Left behind, Boon''s curiosity only intensified, did Zack somehow know he was there? He went to follow the pair but the locker room seemed to warp around him, the metal lockers bending inward like sinister claws. Glowing eyes appeared in the shadows, accompanied by an ominous growl that echoed through the space. Boon shook his head, attempting to dispel the hallucination but the darkness continued to creep inward.


    When the vision finally faded, Boon was lying on the locker room floor with Kristian standing over him. Before Kristian could say a word Boon shot up and fled the room, his mind racing with the visions he had been experiencing ever since the attack at Cineplex. Ethel, Rob, and Zack had all been so interested in what had happened to him, he had to figure out what they knew but how could he get closer to Zack without suspicion? And that is when it dawned on him, Deb, she was clearly unaware of what was really going on and close to Zack. Pulling out his phone, Boon texted Deb asking if she wanted to hang out. To his relief, she agreed.


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    -----


    The cold, damp air of London Asylum clung to Ethel as she walked down the dimly lit hallway. The faint sound of distant wailing echoed through the stone walls, a reminder of the many lost souls that resided within. She hesitated for a moment before opening the heavy door to Kyle''s room, a small part of her hoping for some change in his condition.


    "Kyle," she said softly, stepping into the darkened chamber. The sunlight filtered in through the barred window and danced on the wall. Kyle lay motionless on the bed, seemingly unaware of her presence. Ethel approached cautiously, her heart heavy with concern for the young man who had become entangled in this dark web of supernatural danger.


    "Kyle," she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. "I think I''ve figured out who Gluttony is. I plan on confronting them tonight." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "I promise I''ll do everything I can to make sure Gluttony doesn''t stain our families'' reputations."


    As Ethel turned to leave, she cast one last glance at Kyle''s seemingly lifeless form. The door creaked shut behind her, leaving the room to become a crypt once more.


    Unbeknownst to Ethel, the moment she left, Kyle''s hand clenched tightly into a fist, his nails digging into his palm hard enough to draw blood. A flicker of emotion crossed his face, gone as quickly as it appeared.


    -----


    Meanwhile, back at the University of Waterloo, Zack sat nervously in his Biology 101 lecture, trying to focus on the professor''s words. Rob and Deb flanked him on either side, lending a sense of comfort amid the chaos that had become his life.


    "Mr. Dawson," called the professor, pointing to Zack. "Can you please explain to the class what an innate immune response is?"


    Zack stammered, caught off guard by the sudden attention. His mind raced, unable to recall the information he needed. He could feel his heart rate starting to increase, the familiar sensation of his powers threatening to surge out of control.


    "Come on, Mr. Dawson. Give it a try," the professor urged, oblivious to Zack''s inner turmoil.


    As panic began to set in, Zack felt a gentle touch on his hand. He looked down to find Deb''s slender fingers intertwined with his own, offering support and reassurance. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the warmth of her touch, allowing it to anchor him in the present moment.


    With newfound clarity, Zack found the answer he had been searching for "It is your body''s first line of defense against invading pathogens." As he sat back down, relief washed over him like a tidal wave.


    "You did great," Deb whispered, her eyes shining with pride. Zack smiled at her, grateful for the connection they shared.


    As the lecture came to an end, Deb excused herself from the group, mentioning her plans to study at the library. Rob glanced at Zack with a knowing smile and offered to walk him to work at Night School, the local nightclub. The sun was setting as they made their way through the crisp autumn evening, highlighting the elaborately decorated houses lining the streets.


    "Look at all these decorations, man," Rob commented, admiring the creativity that went into each haunted display. "I love Halloween!"


    Zack chuckled, nodding in agreement. As they walked, Rob seemed deep in thought before he finally spoke up. "You know, I think Deb might be the answer to your problem."


    Zack raised an eyebrow, curious about Rob''s sudden insight. "What do you mean?"


    "Well," Rob continued, "she has this calming effect on you. When you''re around her, or even just thinking about her, it seems to help you keep control of your powers. Maybe focusing on her is what you need, maybe it is a focus and not the anger that gives you control."


    Zack nodded thoughtfully, pondering the idea. "I never really thought about that."


    "Hey," Rob added, placing a reassuring hand on Zack''s shoulder, "That''s why I am here, to solve all the mysteries you can''t." he let out a laugh.


    "Thanks, Rob," Zack replied with a half smile. "But there''s something I''ve been meaning to tell you too. I think Abby is up to something with Deb, she has a weird interest in her. And I''m worried she may be trying to recruit her or use her for information."


    "She did almost kill Ethel with that dagger," Rob muttered, considering the possibility "Nobody else knows you''re a vessel, so Abby couldn''t have figured it out, you''re safe. We can take care of Abby once we stop Gluttony, okay?"


    "Okay," Zack agreed, the weight of his worries temporarily lifted.


    Meanwhile, at Night School, Ethel arrived before the club was set to open. She scanned the dimly lit space, her eyes lingering on the jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween décor that adorned the venue. Her gaze fell upon Paulina, who was standing behind the bar, polishing glasses.


    "Paulina," Ethel called out, her voice firm but measured. "I believe you''re Gluttony."


    Paulina looked up sharply, her expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. "What? That''s ridiculous, Ethel. I''m not Gluttony."


    "Don''t lie to me, I saw the symbol on the birch trees." Ethel accused "I knew it was familiar, I had seen it before on a chart in your back room."


    "Ethel I can honestly say you are confused, I am not what you think I am," Paulina said as she took a step back.


    But something in Ethel''s eyes told Paulina that she wasn''t easily swayed. As the two women stared each other down, the tension between them thickened, and the festive atmosphere of the nightclub seemed to vanish entirely.


    Zack and Rob rounded the corner, the neon glow of Night School''s sign cutting through the darkness like a beacon. The distant laughter of trick-or-treaters filled the air as they approached the entrance, where the festive decorations seemed almost sinister in the dim light.


    "Are you sure you want to give up your Halloween night for a little extra pay?" Rob asked, a hint of concern in his voice.


    "Let''s just get this over with," Zack replied, his thoughts weighed down by the knowledge he was going to be missing out on a massive Halloween party.


    As they stepped into the nightclub, they were greeted by an unexpected sight: Ethel, her eyes glowing and claws extended, stood accusingly before Paulina behind the bar.


    "Where were you when Joanna, Greg, and Rachel were murdered?" Ethel demanded, her expression unyielding.


    "Ethel, I told you already, I had nothing to do with their deaths," Paulina insisted, her hands gripping the edge of the bar.


    "Then explain the symbol Gluttony left on the birch tree—the old wiccan symbol for death." Ethel''s voice was like ice. "I believe Gluttony''s host body must be Wiccan, and you''re the only true Wiccan in Waterloo."


    Paulina didn''t deny her beliefs, but her face bore a look of frustration. "You''ve got it all wrong, Ethel," she said firmly.


    Fearing Ethel may kill Paulina, Zack stepped between them. "Is there any way to prove that Paulina is Gluttony?" Zack interjected, feeling the weight of responsibility settle heavily upon him.


    Ethel''s gaze shifted to him, her tone softening slightly. "There is, actually. You have a connection to Gluttony. You can use your aura to call them to you, just like when they call you to them. You''ll need to concentrate and meditate, increasing your aura until it reaches out to them."


    Zack hesitated, He had been working for Paulina for over two months now and never sensed anything. He took a deep breath hoping this would cool the situation, then closed his eyes, focusing inward. He felt the familiar tingle of his powers surging through him, his aura expanding like a wave of energy out of him. When he opened his eyes, Paulina had vanished.


    "Where did she go?" Rob asked, his voice tense as he scanned the room.


    "Something''s wrong," Ethel muttered, her gaze darting around the club.


    Suddenly, the front door burst open, and Gluttony emerged, its form a twisted mockery of humanity. With a snarl, it lunged at Ethel, tossing her behind the bar with a sickening crash, as her body splintered the shelf and caused bottles to shatter on impact.


    "Run!" Zack shouted, panic seizing his chest as he and Rob fled into the night, the sound of Gluttony''s monstrous roars echoing in their ears. Halloween had officially begun, bringing with it a nightmare they couldn''t possibly imagine.