The sun was preparing to set outside, its orange glow sneaking in. Birch made sure every detail was perfect. The snacks on the coffee table, the placement of pillows, an extra soft throw blanket for wrapping in, and pumpkin spice candles making the somewhat small space even more cozy. She gazed upon her progress in her glow-in-the-dark pajamas happily.

"All this just for those two friends of yours?" Shaliver had sat himself in one of the loveseats nearby to watch. Ever since he moved in she has been a bit more reluctant to have her friends over. Though this did not stop her from hanging with them at their houses or elsewhere. She just worried Shaliver's standard attitude would scare them. Or worse, anger them. But after having known him for a year she thinks he's ready to make some more friends.

"We need to make a good impression, and what's a better impression than a fun sleepover?" She fluffs one of the pillows as she continues, "Just be your best self and they are sure to love you. Cheekiness and all." Placing the pillow down she walks over to sit on the ground next to Shaliver.

He huffed, "Will they handle this with at least some grace? Are they just clones of you?"

Birch laughed, "They are certainly not clones. Lou and Presely are as different from each other as they are from me." It only takes one look at the two for that to be obvious. "And that is what makes friends so cool. You can be near opposites yet have a bond that can even rival your families."

Shaliver leaned in at the comment. A more common occurrence than he would like to admit. It has to do with something she has caught from the corner of her eye. When they go on walks together she may see him glancing over at a happy family passing through. For a moment his normally neutral face is given a hint of fascination. And once the spectacle was out of view he returned to his regular self. This would occasionally happen too when her family would have breakfast together. From the way he never bothered to learn what a family was till he was living with her she wondered; did he have a family before? It would explain his less sympathetic nature. Why care for anyone if nobody cares for you?

Maybe introducing her friends could teach him to be a bit more kind. Or teach him not to threaten the lives of her collectable figures when slighted. Finishing up tidying the room it was set for the night's events. She goes over the rules with him one more time.

1. Don't be rude, treat them the way you treat my parents. You can be cheeky, just not rude.

2. Don't eat their slippers, that wasn't funny the third time you did it.

3. Try not to insult me for one night, this will hopefully keep you on their good side.

4. Don't mess with their things, Presely hates when people rearrange her stuff without permission.

And most important of all.

5. Don't make Lou angry. This is your best chance to earn his friendship so don't screw it up by somehow doing that.

Shaliver nods his head in agreement, saying a sarcastically heartfelt oath to abide by these rules. She sighed but didn't argue further about it. All she can do is hope he will actually try to make good tidings with her closest human friends. DING! Her head whips around to the front door. Shaliver shuffles away as she goes to answer.

"Hey Hey!" The strawberry blonde girl hugs her before she gets the chance to return the greeting. "It's been too long since we had one of these. Ready to party till 5am at most!"

"Absolutely, what about you Lou?"

Tired eyed Lou smiles as he gives a thumbs up. He leans over to hug the smallest member of the trio. "Thanks for inviting me. And let's hope it doesn't come to that." The two step inside, taking off both their high heeled boots and skater shoes individually. Just as she is about to chat further Presely gasps.

"Oh. My. OOOOOOOO~!" She zips over to the stairwell and picks up the spiky furred Shaliver. The look on his face made her nearly burst out laughing. Presely hugs and cuddles the wide eyed faux-feline. She admires his small, pink tipped horns that mysteriously glowed. Lou is just as interested as Presely, though it was more at the thought of Birch hiding this from them for a year.

"You got a cat?" Birch was closing the door as he mentioned it. Presely was still cooing Shaliver in the background.

"Not exactly."

Shaliver tries to pry himself from her grip but it appears to be futile. "He's more like an occasional roommate." Lou doesn't have to wonder long what she means by that.

"Get this high-pitched demon off me." She immediately stops her cooing, dropping him to the floor. He hides behind the coffee table, scowling. Lou eyes Birch for answers but she just exhaustedly sighed.

She takes to Shaliver's side and lightly karate chops him on the head. "Rule one." Then she starts scratching him behind his horn, resulting in him leaning into it. "But I won't hold that against you for now."

"He may like having his horns scratched but he is certainly not a cat. Most of them don't have tails that act as a separate hand." The two friends' jaws were still on the floor. Presely was just staring back between Birch and her hands as Lou was attempting to put his thoughts into words. Most pertained to why the hell she would keep such a disturbing thing. Which was immediately cut off by 'of course she would keep something like that in her home'.

After explaining the conditions of how they met and their current dynamic the two finally came out of their shock. Presely, though much less touchy, was fascinated by the existence of such a thing. Taking the opportunity to ask her friend many questions, such as dietary needs and why she didn't mention something so cool earlier. However from a distance Lou looked down on Shaliver.

Something is wrong here.

And with his track record of his gut feeling he knew this to be true. So instead he would keep a close eye on such a creature for what would turn out to be a long night.

The evening would continue with them generally catching up outside of school. Lou mentions his pet sitting work along with his babysitting, saying how he is progressing on affording college. The two politely congratulate him on his progress just as Shaliver has returned to his place on the loveseat. Presely takes her phone out, an image of a wonderfully made cosplay on the screen. She brags of likely winning the contest at her next ttrpg convention, being of a character she made for one of her campaigns. Birch felt slightly embarrassed how such a friend could make something so artistically intricate, meanwhile her drawings would make toddlers criticize it. She runs upstairs to grab the missing piece to her sleepover puzzle. She makes it back downstairs, nearly slipping on the final step, with a plethora of DVDs. Gazing upon the covers they appeared to be either humorously gory or "tastefully" conceptualized. Either way they knew what the rest of the evening would be like.

To no one's disappointment they were not near as "tasteful" as the covers made them out to be. Terribly hilarious and gore-diculous as they were, it was more a comedy than horror for most of the movies. Which served her ironically good due to her repulsion of splatter horror. Even Shaliver was caught laughing under his breath. And with each movie the scare factor was increased, from cheesy movies with exaggerated characters to creatures who Birch had curled into her blankets to when she was far too young to watch it. The fear has sadly not left her, as the cheery door ding had her leaping off her seat. Pizza now acquired, they continued their marathon till the darkness outside rivaled the one inside.

Tip. Tap. Tip. Tap. Rain pelted against the side of the house as a storm swirled outside. Birch even snuck her head out the window to smell the moisture in the air. Aside from getting lightly soaked she enjoyed the distant sounds of thunder, just before ducking back inside. Wiping the droplets off her head she glances over at Lou. Uncharacteristically he had a sly grin across his somber face as he reached into his backpack. The group turns to see him pulling a somewhat disheveled board game. Even with some of the paper peeling it was clearly horror themed. From the haunted house design displayed on the cover she could immediately identify what it was.

"House of Purgatory!" The grin grew at the excited response. Opening it up the pieces were all included, in surprisingly good condition for the aged exterior of the box. She brought Lou into a tight hug as she repeatedly thanked him. Presely began to read over the rules of the game while Birch examined the VHS that was included. Again she found the VHS strangely untouched for the game's age. Birch only hoped it would play on her VCR.

As they gawked at the board game Shaliver suddenly felt his fur prick. Tingles made their way through his spine to the tip of his tail. His eyes glided toward the black block Birch held. And like that he had an urge to swat the thing out of her hands, then tear into it like her ridiculous slippers. However he could already imagine the scalding he would get if he even attempted that. She already seemd excited to play it too. Instead he tried to relax again with little success. When offered a piece to play as by the enthusiastic Presely he picked it up with his tail. 

His tail tensed upon contact.

Presely was amazed by the feat to which Shaliver ignored. Instead he nodded in agreement and took his seat on one of the unoccupied pillows that now scattered the floor. Birch set up the television and Lou placed everything on the board. Presely ominously explained the rules to Shaliver, since she wasn't sure if he was listening. Everything was in place as Birch pressed play, the childish synth music booming on the tvs speakers.

Each candle was gently blown out, one by one. Waving defiantly but inevitably blowing out. Birch snuggled into her blanket, pressing up against the couch behind. Shaliver's claws digged into the soft fabric of the pillow. Lou appeared unfazed by the atmospheric soundtrack.

"BOO!" Everyone jumped, Birch instinctually smacking her with the couch cushion. Her muffled laughter continued as the three sighed. The narrator's voice finally made its appearance.

"Welcome to Purgatory, the home for the incomplete. If you dare to leave this place, you must pass my trials before you are free. The only way to open the door is with one of these." The screen displays an image, an intricately decorated key resembling a cracked skull. "Collect all of them and find the door. This will obviously not come easy but if you complete these trials before the time ends then you can go."

A set of dice roll across the invisible floor, along with a few cards. "Chance will either be your blessing or a terrible curse~" he exhales the last word. "However this will not determine your success. Play your cards right, or hold onto your cards, to assist you in this journey."

Finally an image of an ornate door appears, the dice and cards floating around it. "Gather the keys, find the door, escape eternal damnation." Noir consumed it all till a set of numbers appeared, the only remaining image is that of a tombstone. With one lily resting upon the clearly fresh ground.

"Time to start! My turn!" The dice rolled across the board, tipping and tapping at its cardboard surface. Presely moved her piece 7 spaces, landing on an item card. She adds it to her hand, clearly happy with what she acquired. This pattern continued with Birch, Lou then Shaliver. With the music playing in the background the group zoned into play. The rain that puttered against the house fizzled out, but the thunder did not.

Shaliver silently noted the changed texture of his pillow, now a more scratchy one such as those of abandoned apartments. They were especially hard to sleep on. Even the smell was rank of moth balls. A toxic snack on occasion. But despite these signs he remained focused.

The hair on Lou's arms began to stand on end. It was like winter came early in the living room. He scoops up one of the blankets and wraps it around himself. Wool, but in the most uncomfortable way. Stank of unkemptness and rotten eggs. Yet he persevered through the worsening sensation and rolled his dice.

Landing on the blessing space it reads, "pick up an item card." She sighs before taking one from the item deck. Instead of a weapon or amulet it was nothing but a shovel.

Maybe useful if I was a grave robber.

Birch was the last person to like losing, especially against Shaliver. This was despite them playing by teamwork rules where they attempt to escape together. It was as though the game wanted her to be left behind. With every roll the number on the dice was lower and lower. Closer and closer to her landing on the curse spaces. With luck though she avoids it. For now. Unconsciously she scratches at an itchy spot on her neck. She blames her eczema.

"12! Cool!" Presely moves her piece twelve where she ends up at a special space. The image was that of a metal gate decorated with black roses. She picks up the rule book to see what it was. Before she finishes reading she is thrown backwards onto the couch. Double doors open behind her as she grips for her life to the fabric. Lou and Birch grab her wrist but she was thrusted back. The door slams shut. Lou began tackling the door in a desperate attempt to chase. Birch checks the rulebook to look at the space Presely had landed. A voice above echoes as she reads.

"Return to Hell..."