Eli, the ringleader with wild eyes, waves a newspaper at his friends. Mason sprawls on the bed, skepticism etched across his face, while Jonas picks at a loose thread on his hoodie, and Toby scrolls through his phone, feigning disinterest. "You really believe this psychic nonsense? It's just a patch of woods and some old ruins," "I dunno, Eli. Everyone's talking about it. Even Mr. Sallow said to steer clear," "Yeah, well, he's afraid of his own shadow," "Let's just go. Worst case, we get a cool story,"

Shivering, Jonas peers into the darkness as Eli leads the way, flashlight beam bobbing ahead. Their laughter falters, replaced by hesitant footsteps crunching over dead leaves. In the silence, Mason glances back nervously, as if expecting the land itself to reach out for them. "See? Just trees and mud. Nothing cursed about that," "Feels… weird, though. Like the air’s thicker," "That’s just your imagination,"

Eli rubs his eyes in disbelief, heart pounding as his friends stagger, trying to make sense of the vision. The ground pulses beneath their feet, sending ripples through the sand, and distant drums echo like a heartbeat. Shadows flicker along the rooftops, hinting at unseen watchers. "Is anyone else seeing this? The whole place changed," "It’s like we’re inside someone else’s dream," "I don't like this, Eli. Let’s go back,"

Calendar[/@ch_5], their reclusive, unpredictable classmate, eyes wild and voice commanding.] Calendar, wearing a robe stitched from tattered school banners, raises his arms, and the Pig Masks rally behind him, jeering. The boys freeze as Calendar locks eyes with them, a sneer twisting his lips. Tension crackles in the air as both groups bristle, old rivalries reignited in this impossible world. "Well, well—heroes in my city. Didn’t expect to see you here, Eli," "Calendar? What the hell are you doing?" "You’re trespassers. And here, trespassers fight,"

Mason stumbles as the first attack comes, but Toby leaps forward, deflecting a blow with a clay shield that glows with blue runes. Jonas shouts orders as Eli darts through the chaos, matching Calendar's cunning with raw determination. Dust swirls, torches flicker, and the line between friend and foe blurs in the heat of battle. "We have to hold them off! Protect the city!" "It’s like the place is alive—it’s helping us!" "Don’t let Calendar win! Not here!"

Calendar lowers his mask, confusion and sadness flickering across his face. The Pig Masks hesitate, and the boys' anger melts into empathy as the city breathes around them, revealing the pain and hopes beneath the masks. The illusion fades, leaving them standing in the silent woods, hearts racing, forever changed. "I didn’t want to be alone," "None of us do, Calendar," "Let’s go home. Together,"