The twelve chimes ended… and when they stopped echoing, the man was gone. The lights were back in place, the window frame repaired, the candles re-lit, and I was on the floor sweating cold...
I exhaled deeply, and with a smile I looked for Leo and Luis, who were already helping the girl who had prayed and the ones who had fainted.
Everyone was more or less fine, except for the boy who had lent us the house. He simply stood, staring at the window where the figure had appeared. His gaze was empty, his skin pale. We took him by the shoulders and felt his icy skin. Without warning, he began to scream in pure terror.
The three of us stepped back, and Luis carried him away to help. We couldn't continue the party and simply went to sleep."
Lucas lifted his gaze and, with arrogance, looked straight at the reporter, challenging him. But the man was only writing in his notebook, eyes fixed on his notes.
This time, the first to speak was an older man: "The lie is the date, October 31st."
Luis laughed and said "The date was indeed October 31, did you think we would do a lie, the same as last week? Remember that November 1st is "Day of the Dead" and the people in México celebrate the date with a huge party! That made me remember when we met those ghosts at Mictlan's door"
Leo said "Hey Luis!!! No Spoilers"
Luis blocked his mouth, "Ops sorry, that's a tale for another day"
The second was a woman in her thirties: "I think Leonardo's lie was that you had music after the power went out."
Leonardo took his phone, put the music on a loudspeaker, and told her that the battery would last 3 to 5 hours. Many youngsters confirmed this.
The third to speak was the young man who always tried to uncover the three lies. He began: "Luis, your lie was that you decorated the house yourselves. Leonardo, your lie was that you told everyone you had moved the planchette, when you really told them it did move. And Lucas, your lie was that the ghost attacked you."
Luis shook his head while smiling. Leonardo smiled and said that it's not always good to tell everything that happens to the people. And Lucas told him that he was the one closest to the door and the first the ghost saw when it entered.
Then it was the reporter's turn. The crowd fell silent, holding their breath as he spoke:
"Luis, I think your lie was about the lights. I want to believe you did plan to cut the electricity, which is why the speaker had charge, it had been connected beforehand to keep its battery full. But Leonardo didn't shut off the power. When the clock struck eleven, the electricity cut out on its own.
Leonardo, your lie was a bit more obvious. You would never tell urban legends. From the way you come here every Friday, I'm sure you would only ever tell your own stories.
Lucas, your lie was trickier, since I don't know your friends' reactions. But I'll risk saying your lie was that you all gave up so quickly and went to sleep. Maybe you did, but I think you tried to revive the party before being crushed by the pressure."
Luis's jaw dropped. He thought no one would ever uncover his lie, as he had hidden it among other truths that seemed like lies.
Leonardo simply lowered his head. He knew the reporter would notice something that simple, but he hadn't expected him to consider their passion for telling stories.
And Lucas admitted that he had indeed omitted that detail. He had tried to revive the party, but before that they went to look for their friend to help him, not just Luis. Still, technically, what the reporter said was right as a justification for his "lie."
The reporter wrote more notes in his notebook and, bidding farewell to the trio, who this time stayed standing on the stage, announced: "Next week I expect my third victory. It will be a pleasure to defeat you again, little liars."
As the reporter left, something awoke inside Luis... his pride being trampled by a stranger.
He turned to Leonardo and Lucas with an angry expression and said: "Next week we must tell our best story. We must defeat him. This cannot stay like this."
The three friends placed their hands together and, shouting a promise to defeat him, went home.
Through clenched teeth, Luis muttered: "Third time's the charm."
They turned their backs and started to walk.
Lucas said "Ahmm… that was cool but you know we all live next to each other, right?"
Leo and Luis blushed "SHUT UP LUCAS!!"
.....
Author's note.
I'm rewriting this, Chapters 6 to the last are not good... a lot of mistakes, they feel like a Draft, I'll take care of it all today!