Gravewood High: The Prom King

The gym at Gravewood High had never looked so alive and so wrong. Chandeliers swayed gently, though no breeze touched them, and the polished floors reflected light like liquid silver. Streamers hung in perfect arcs from the ceiling, but something about the way they twisted in the flickering lights made Evie Hart’s skin crawl. Evie tugged her jacket tighter around her shoulders. Her backpack, small but heavy with the essentials flashlight, notebook, and a camera felt heavier than usual. She didn’t really need the flashlight tonight, of course. This was prom. Glittering dresses, corsages, the crown for Prom King. Nothing supernatural… or at least, that’s what she told herself. Marcus Trent stood at the center of the stage, grinning like he owned the world. Star quarterback, most popular guy in school, and tonight’s crowned Prom King. The crown gleamed unnaturally bright, catching the light in a way that made Evie’s stomach twist. There was something about it… wrong. As the applause thundered around the gym, a whisper drifted through the crowd. She froze. The voice was faint, carried under the cheers, but unmistakable. A syllable she couldn’t place, yet somehow it called to her. Evie’s eyes flicked toward Marcus. His shadow stretched long across the polished floor. At first glance, it matched him perfectly but then it moved, ever so slightly, on its own. A flicker of green light danced around his crown. The cheers of his classmates sounded hollow, distant, like the echo of a memory rather than the present. He’s not alone. Evie’s pulse raced. Her friends laughed at the stage antics, oblivious to the tremor in her voice as she whispered, “Something’s wrong.” And she was right.