The road was quiet, washed in pale moonlight. A lone car sped through the cool night air. Four friends sat inside, returning home after the party.
"That horror movie was crazy, right? I've never seen something that terrifying before," Charlie said.
Luna glanced sideways at him with a smirk. "Come on, it was scary, sure. But you screamed louder than anyone else. Don't act like it was some legendary horror."
"I didn't think it was *that* bad either," Sam replied calmly from the driver's seat, his eyes on the road.
"Ahhh… mmm… yum yum…" Christopher mumbled nonsense in his sleep from the back.
"This guy falls asleep anywhere," Luna muttered.
"Anyway, let's just get home quickly. It's already too late," Charlie said, yawning.
"Yeah, I'm getting sleepy too. Sam, take a shortcut if there's one. I'm exhausted," Luna said.
Sam shook his head. "No way. If I take some random road and we get lost, it'll be worse. You two just sleep. I'll drive."
"But I can't sleep in the car, Sam. Please, just find *some* short route," Luna insisted.
Sam hesitated, then gave in. He opened Google Maps, found a side road, and turned into the forest.
The car slipped into the thick woods, the only light coming from the full moon above. The silence pressed down on them.
Bored, Luna decided to tease Charlie. "What if the movie we just watched… happened to us? Think about it. Doesn't this feel the same?"
Sam looked at her in the rear-view mirror but stayed silent.
"Don't say that! I'll die from fear if anything like that happens," Charlie muttered nervously. "I didn't even want to come to that movie but you all forced me ."
Luna hid her laugh.
Suddenly, Christopher jerked awake. "Ahhh! Stop the car! Don't go inside this forest! Just turn around and leave!"
Startled, Luna's hand flew up and accidentally smacked Charlie's nose. "Ow!" he groaned. "Sorry! Sorry!" she said quickly.
Christopher laughed, clutching his stomach. "Look at you! You weren't scared in the theater, but now you're panicking already?"
Sam sighed quietly, glancing at the mirror. Why do I even hang out with these lunatics?
Charlie glared at Christopher. "When did I say I wasn't scared, huh?"
"I was talking to Luna," Christopher teased.
"Shut up. Stop fooling around," Luna snapped.
"Fine, fine. It was just a prank," Christopher chuckled.
Then with a sly grin, he leaned closer to Luna. "Didn't you just say… what if the movie really happened to us? Heh… maybe you cursed us already."
Before anyone could respond, the car suddenly jolted. A loud BANG ripped through the silence. The steering wheel shook violently in Sam's hands— the tire had burst.