The summer of 2008 felt like it would never end.
The heat clung to everything—the roads, the houses, even their skin. The asphalt shimmered under the sun, and the air felt thick enough to breathe in.
But none of that mattered.
Because for ten kids growing up in a quiet subdivision in Laguna, this was the best time of their lives.
At the center of an empty grassy lot stood an old mango tree. Its branches stretched wide, casting just enough shade for them to gather beneath it.
This was their place.
And they had a name for themselves.
"Decagon."
"Okay, listen up!"
Anton stood on top of a large rock, trying his best to look like a leader. Chin up. Chest out. Serious face.
"You're so dramatic," Nikki whispered, biting her lip to stop herself from laughing.
"Shhh," Sarah said, raising her toy camera. Click. "Let him. This is gold. Future blackmail material."
"Hey!" Anton shot them a glare. "I'm serious. Behave!"
That only made them grin wider.
He took a breath, trying to steady himself. Then he pulled something out of his pocket.
A small lancet.
That got their attention.
"We're doing this," Anton said, his voice firmer now, "so that no matter what happens… no matter where we go… even when we grow up and have our own lives…"
He looked at each of them.
"…we won't forget each other."
This time, no one laughed.
The air shifted.
"Do we really need blood?" Jace asked quietly, already looking like he might cry.
"Same," Paolo added, gripping his shirt. "Can't we just… shake hands or something?"
"You guys are weak," Dex said with a smirk. "I could handle ten cuts if I had to."
Nikki crossed her arms. "Then go first."
"Game."
Dex stepped forward without hesitation and held out his hand.
For a second, Anton froze.
Then he noticed everyone watching.
So he did it.
A quick slice.
"Ow—!" Dex pulled back, wincing. "Okay… that actually hurts."
The tension snapped.
Everyone laughed.
"You were so confident earlier," Mara said as she grabbed some alcohol. "Come here before that gets infected."
"Wow, nurse vibes already?" Kevin teased.
"Practice," Mara replied, smiling faintly.
Ria, who had been quietly reading nearby, finally spoke. "My grandpa said a blood oath can't be broken."
Everyone turned to her.
"Once our blood mixes," she continued, "we're bound. Like family."
Lianne shifted uneasily. "That sounds… intense."
"It's romantic," Nikki said, grinning. "We stay together. No one gets left behind. Ever."
"Ew."
They all said it at the same time.
Nikki laughed. "Wow. Defensive much?"
One by one, they stepped forward.
Mara—careful and steady.
Lianne—nervous, but she didn't back out.
Kevin—cracking jokes even while shaking.
Sarah—documenting everything like it was history.
Ria—serious, like she truly believed in it.
Jace and Paolo—both pale, both regretting everything.
And Nikki—smiling… though her fingers trembled slightly.
Soon, a small cup held drops of blood from all ten of them.
Anton lifted it.
"No one gets left behind?" he asked.
"No one gets left behind!" they answered together.
He poured it onto the ground.
The blood sank into the dry soil—
too fast.
Anton frowned. "…That was quick."
No one responded.
Something felt… wrong.
The laughter faded.
The air stilled.
Even the birds went silent.
For a brief moment, the heat disappeared.
A cold chill crept down Anton's back.
"Guys…" Paolo whispered. "Do you feel that?"
No one answered.
At the far edge of the lot—
something moved.
Just a flicker.
Like a shadow shifting where nothing should be.
They all turned to look.
Nothing.
"It's just your imagination," Jace said quickly, forcing a laugh that didn't convince anyone.
No one argued.
But no one felt okay either.
And beneath the mango tree—
where the blood had disappeared into the ground—
the soil shifted.
Slowly.
As if something underneath had just… breathed.
The promise they made that day was never meant to be heard.
But something did.
And somewhere far beyond their understanding—
something woke up.
18 Years Later
"If I don't get rich from this job, I swear I'm going to haunt this office."
Anton leaned back in his chair, rubbing his eyes as he stared at his laptop.
Deadlines. Revisions. Complaints.
Being a licensed architect wasn't as glamorous as he once imagined.
His wooden sword from childhood…
had long been replaced by a stylus and blueprints.
Ding.
He glanced at his phone.
GROUP CHAT: DECAGON (10)
Sarah: Guys, I'm stressed. I need a break.
Jace: Same. My clients are killing me.
Mara: Just got off a 16-hour shift. I feel dead.
Nikki: You are dead. You just don't know it yet 😂
Mara: Not funny.
Paolo: Anywhere is fine. Just far from work.
Jace: Beach. I need a beach.
Lianne: I'm game… if I get permission 😅
Kevin: As long as there's signal. That's non-negotiable.
Ria: Somewhere peaceful. Please.
Dex: I'll drive. I'll prepare the van.
Anton smiled.
It had been a while since they were all together.
Anton: Let's do it. Beach trip.
Nikki: As long as there are cute guys 😏
Jace: There she goes again…
Sarah: Same 😂
Paolo: As long as there are no ghosts. You know me.
Nikki: You never changed 😂
The chat paused for a moment.
Then—
Dex: I know a place.
Anton: Where?
Dex: Alona Beach.
"Alona Beach…" Anton murmured. "I heard that place is nice."
One by one, they filed their leave requests.
One Month Later
"Are you guys ready? This isn't a field trip!" Dex called from the driver's seat.
"Relax," Nikki said, fixing her hair using the side mirror. "We'll get there."
One by one, he picked them up.
Ria. Jace. Mara. Nikki. Paolo. Sarah. Lianne. Kevin.
The van quickly filled with noise—laughter, teasing, stories.
It felt like old times.
But at the back—
Paolo sat quietly.
Why do I feel like this…?
He stared out the window.
There are no ghosts. I'm just overthinking.
Still…
it felt like something was following them.
He closed his eyes.
And then—
he was somewhere else.
A forest.
Dark. Endless.
Something was chasing him.
Fast.
Heavy.
He couldn't see its face—
but he could feel it.
Angry.
Hungry.
Each step it took made the ground tremble.
Then—
a laugh.
Deep.
Wrong.
Like it came from beneath the earth.
Something grabbed him.
Hard.
Dragging him away from the others—
"AH—!"
Paolo jolted awake, gasping.
"Are you okay?" Nikki asked.
"Y-yeah…" he said quickly.
But his body was cold.
And his hands wouldn't stop shaking.
He didn't know it yet—
but it wasn't just a dream.
The night grew deeper.
Then—
the van stopped.
"What happened?" Sarah asked.
"I think… we're lost," Dex said.
"Don't joke like that," Paolo muttered.
"You're still scared?" Nikki teased.
"N-no…"
But his voice gave him away.
No signal.
No sound.
Too quiet.
Dex tried the engine again.
Ahead—two roads.
One blocked by a fallen tree.
So they took the other.
The road grew narrower.
Darker.
Colder.
Then—
KRRRRRK…
Something scraped across the roof.
Everyone froze.
"What was that?" they asked.
"Probably a branch," Dex said.
But there was no wind.
Nothing was moving.
"Dex…" Mara whispered. "We've passed this tree before."
He looked around.
She was right.
They were going in circles.
He stopped the van.
They stepped out.
Moonlight barely lit the road.
And yet—
it felt like something was watching.
"S-someone's looking at us…" Paolo whispered.
They rushed back inside.
The moment the doors shut—
UGGGHHHH—
The van shook violently.
As if something had grabbed it.
"WHAT IS THAT?!" Sarah screamed.
"HELP!"
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
Nikki was crying now.
Then—
it stopped.
Silence.
Heavy. Suffocating silence.
Far away—
someone heard them.
"Looks like we have visitors…" an old woman whispered.
"Grandma… can we go now?" a little girl asked.
"Not yet," the old woman replied softly. "We're not enough."
"Go back to sleep."
And the child obeyed.
Back inside the van—
"I'm not getting out," Paolo said, hugging himself. "Not ever."
"Same," Jace added. "Ghosts, aliens—whatever that was—I'm done."
"You're all so dramatic," Nikki said, though her voice shook. "Maybe this is just Dex messing with us."
"Me?!" Dex snapped. "I'm scared too!"
"Not convincing," Kevin said.
"Depends," Dex muttered. "If the ghost is cute—"
"Seriously?" Sarah cut in.
Then—
KRRRRRK…
Again.
Slower.
Heavier.
Like something crawling above them.
"Dex…" Mara whispered. "That's not a branch."
No one spoke.
A shadow slid across the window.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Then—
claws.
Scraping.
"I'm not looking," Paolo whispered, eyes shut tight. "I'm not looking…"
But Nikki did.
And she saw it.
A hand.
Too long.
Too thin.
Not human.
"G-guys…"
"What?"
"I—"
BOOM!
Something slammed onto the roof.
"DRIVE!" Sarah screamed.
Dex turned the key.
Nothing.
"It won't start!"
Panic exploded inside the van.
Outside—
footsteps.
More than one.
Getting closer.
"They're coming…" Ria whispered, gripping her book.
Shapes gathered around them.
Then—
one figure stepped forward.
Under the moonlight—
an old woman.
Head lowered.
Hair covering her face.
Slowly—
she lifted it.
And smiled.
Sharp teeth glinted in the dark.
"What… is that…" Jace whispered.
More figures appeared behind her.
Too many.
"We didn't get lost…" Anton said quietly.
"They brought us here."
Tok… tok… tok…
She knocked on the window.
"Open it…"
Dex's hand moved.
Slowly.
Like it wasn't his anymore.
"Dex!" Mara screamed.
Anton grabbed him.
"Stop."
Something snapped.
Dex pulled back, gasping.
Outside—
the old woman's smile faded.
Her eyes darkened.
"They're different…" she whispered.
"This will be fun."
A strong wind blew.
And just like that—
they were gone.
Silence.
Then—
VRROOOOM!
The engine roared to life.
"I didn't even—" Dex started.
"GO!" Sarah shouted.
He didn't hesitate.
They drove.
No one spoke.
Until—
"Guys…" Nikki said softly.
"What?" Anton asked.
"…next time, mall na lang."
For a second—
silence.
Then—
they laughed.
Weak. Shaky. But real.
They thought it was over.
But in the rearview mirror—
something was still there.
Watching.
Smiling.