September 2nd, 10 Years Ago

"And I want each of you to look at the person in the desk next to you and tell them one thing about your summer."

"My name's Sydney Allen, and I went to Disneyland with my parents."

"Hi, uh, my name's (Y,N) (L,N) and uh, I watched a scary movie. It's called Noze-for-at-too."

"A scary movie? Really? What was it about?"

"It's about a vampire."

"That's awesome! Do you wanna be friends?"

October 14th, the next year

"Check it out! In art class I made us these cool bracelets to wear! Mine has a S for Sydney and a bat for Dracula, you're a has a (First Initial) and a lightning bolt for Frankenstein. I didn't really know what to put for him."

"That's so cool! Are you sure the bat isn't for Batman?"

"Oh ha ha! No, it's not. And it would be for Batgirl and not Batman! Did you see the picture of her fighting Clayface? That was awesome!"

"Hi, Sydney!"

"Oh, hi! (Y,N) let me introduce you to my new friend from class. This is Elsa."

April 1st, The Next Year

"Skip school?"

"Yeah it'll be totally fun, (Y,N)! Alan, Elliot, Robyn, and Elsa are already doing it! You wanna come?"

"I dunno, my mom will kill me."

"Cmon it'll be fun! We can even watch a horror movie~."

"...Okay sure, what the heck, why not?"

June 2nd, The Next Year

"You hate dancing as much as I do. Why would you wanna go to that?"

"Because the guys keep telling me it could be fun and maybe uh... maybe I could go with Elsa."

"Ew, gross! (Y,N) and Elsa sitting in a tree!
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!""

"Grow up, Sydney! We're going into middle school!"

"Wouldn't you rather just stay back and watch a scary movie?"

"Last time we watched a Scary Movie I got grounded for six months and had my DVD player destroyed."

"That's because Alan was there! I'm not a total wuss like him! Cmon it will be awesome! Even if it's just the two of us."

October 31st, later that year.

"Why do I have to go?"

"Because I'm not letting you stay home by yourself on Halloween. It's gonna be fun, trick or treating one last time before a big Halloween party! Our first big party!"

"It's not that big, it's just at Robyn's house. What about the giant bat they keep spotting outside?"

"You're making excuses now! The Manbat isn't gonna get us! Maybe Elsa will watch a scary movie with you~."

"Why'd you say her name like that?"

May 7th, The Next Year

"Do you think I should ask her out? There's a chance I can convince mother to even give me money for the date."

"Dude, you're getting boring. Do you talk about anything that isn't named Elsa? Give it a rest."

"Someone seems a little testy today."

"Bite me."

February 15th, The Next Year

"Really? You and Alan?"

"Why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know, I just never thought the two of you would get together. I didn't think he was your type."

"I didn't think so either, but it's better for Prince Charming to realize Cinderella's missing. Especially when he's too busy chasing Snow White."

"I know I really like horror movies but you do know the Prince in Snow White had a name, right? He wasn't Prince Charming."

"Maybe you can tell Elsa those facts and she'll finally start dating you."

"Ha ha. She'll probably be with Dante until the end of middle school and then I'll make my move."

"Sure you will."

June 6th, Later that year

"To be fair, you and Alan lasted a little longer than I thought you would."

"Shut up... but you did tell me so."

"Mother's waiting for us in the car. Let's go to my place and watch an old movie I found."

"Okay... Is it a horror movie?"

"Kind of. It's hard to explain. It's more like a comic book movie. It's called The Crimson Ghost."

April 8th, The Next Year

"Check it out! I got a new car!"

"Sydney this is so cool! Can we go for a drive?"

"Fuck yeah!"

June 1st, Later That Year

"I just don't know why we're letting that asshole back in the group after what he did to you."

"Grow up, (Y,N). What's in the past is in the past."

"I don't know it seems like no matter what we always do the opposite of what I want to do. Like for example letting Alan fuck off."

"Well if you don't wanna be in the friend group just leave. Or are you just gonna keep simping after Elsa and quit whining?"

"Why the fuck are you being such a bitch right now?"

"Get the fuck out of my car."

October 12th, Later That Year

"Hey."

"Hey."

"(Y,N) I'm sorry for being such a bitch. There's something I've wanted to tell you for a while now and-"

"Sydney it's okay. You don't need to apologize. If it wasn't for our little fight I don't know if I would have ever had the courage to ask Elsa out."

"O-oh you asked her out? H-how'd that go?"

"She said yes, we're going out on Halloween."

"H-ha! Typical (Y,N)!"

April 28th, the next year

"(Y,N) are you sure you're okay?"

"I've never been better!"

"It's just... you've changed since you started dating Elsa. Are you sure you're-"

"We're great! I'm great! Everything's great!"

"Dude, you can be real with me. I know helping Robyn and Alan egg Mrs. Ray's house isn't something you would do. You used to be vocal about what you did and didn't want to do. That's just the extremes of it. The (Y,N) I know wouldn't have gone to a football game over seeing the new horror movie he's been gushing about for months."

"Listen, Sydney, as long as everyone's happy, I'm happy. So why don't we just drop it?"

"Because forget the new one, when was the last time you even recommended we all watch a horror movie? We haven't seen anything since Hellraiser last year!"

"Yeah and Hellraiser scared the shit outta Elsa."

"Elsa is a pussy just like Alan! She got the creeps from watching fucking Carrie!"

"Sydney can you just fucking stop!? If everyone else is happy, I'm happy, okay!?"

"... Alright, fine."

September 4th, The Next Year

"Sup, dick for brains?"

"Hey, cocksucker, watch your fucking mouth."

"So, (L,N), how was your first set of college classes?"

"Dog and shit. I could barely pay any attention."

"It's the first day. What's to pay attention to besides the syllabus no one reads? I think you're just being a downer to be a downer. You do that sometimes."

"My bad sorry for being a 'downer'."

"Don't start crying now. What're you doing out here anyways?"

"Waiting for Elsa and Robyn to get outta class.  More Elsa than Robyn."

"Of course you are."

"What? You act like they're not your friends too."

"They are, it's just Elsa can be-"

"Look any problems you have with my girlfriend I don't wanna know because I'm not getting between you guys."

"Sure you're not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing! Let's just drop it. What's new with you?"

"I think I'm gonna drop out."

"What? Dude it's been two fucking classes."

"That's two more than I really ever wanted to do in college. Let's not pretend you don't know why I'm here."

"Are you really that paranoid that we're going to abandon you for a new 6th wheel? You gotta get a fucking grip, dude! I've known you all my life and I'm not going to just leave you so easily!"

April 5th, The Next Year

"Get the fuck away from me!" Sydney yells at me. I'm in her room. She's in a wheelchair because she thought a railing breaking during a field trip was an I9K hallucination about her fear of heights and tried to lean against the rail to snap her mind out of it.

"Sydney why don't you just listen to me!?" I ask her as I hold her arms she's trying to use to punch me.

"Because this is what happened the last time I listened to you!"

"Sydney I'm trying to make things better!"

"You can't make it better! You can't do anything right you asshole!"

"Sydney please! I thought out of all people you'd listen to me!"

"Get the fuck off of me! Help! Somebody help me!"

"Sydney, stop!"

"HEELLLLLLP!"

"Sydney, shut up!"

"HEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPP!"

"I SAID SHUT UP!" I say before shoving my hand into her mouth and locking her in a mandible claw. She begins to flail for a second before she grabs her pocket knife and stabs me in the arm. I let go and scream before pulling the knife out of my arm. I'm not concerned with my arm, though. I realize what I've just done and look at Sydney coughing in her wheelchair.

"Sydney I-I d-don't know what just-"

"Get. The fuck. Out of. My room."

Now

I stare at the note and then the car. Sydney was here. My oldest friend. The oldest liar. The one who assured me that she wouldn't abandon me a little over a month before she would do just that. It was diabolical. Unforgivable. She barely evaded my wrath on Halloween. With an inch of her life, the sniveling worm. Joker or no Joker, crisis or not, we can't let her get away with what she did to us, now can we Good Doctor? She got away once, but not again. Not tonight. For her mere existence is enough to send us on a horrific spiral of madness. To cause what little grasp on reality and sanity you had to crumble apart, to break. And when things break they...

"Shatter."