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It’s a clear Halloween night and the festivities in the vibrant neighborhood of Monster Hill are in full swing. Each neighbor has decorated their home in the most awesome way, and now they are happily receiving the hordes of trick-or-tricksters and guests from all over town. Everyone knows Monster Hill’s homes are the best place to visit on Halloween night.
There is a small home that sits quietly on a corner lot. It’s barely decorated with only a few pumpkins along the fence and some blinking orange lights around the front door’s frame. A crooked sign hastily staked on the front lawn, says, “Welcome! Please come to the backyard!”
Many glimpse at it, but very few actually take the invite unless a Monster Hill regular grabs their hand and, with a grin, drags them in. They know the necromancer’s show is worth a watch.
Out back, Jongin stands barefoot on the grass, toes flexing on the grass and hands clasped behind his back to hide the slight tremble of nervousness. He’s never been good with crowds, at least until he gets the ball rolling and forgets all about overthinking and doing things perfectly. For now he fidgets, and tries to remember that his Boney Friends show is one the younger kids and teens love, and there’s nothing more rewarding than to seeing other people enjoy his craft.
The backyard is a wide, flat space. Jongin has spread out some old quilts and bean bags over the grass so his audience can take a seat, relax, and be comfortable. There’s even some mismatched chairs further back, closer to his tiny house, for the few adults and elderly that drop by accompanying their kids. There’s only one quilt left empty.
Jongin thinks about waiting a few more minutes before starting his show, but the longer he stands there the more his anxiety acts up. As he deliberates a single figure walks into his backyard, scans the place, and moves to take the free quilt. Thank goodness.
Relief at being able to start the show is quickly overcome by the dizzying realization that he knows the newcomer. Jongin’s heart pounds in his chest as the guy looks at him and smiles. The face is one he’s seen before—high cheekbones, sharp eyes, and a wide mouth that curls at the corners.
It’s the newest neighbor on Monster Hill, Jongdae.
Jongdae lives one street over from Jongin, near the lake, but for some reason he always manages to walk down Jongin’s street every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. He strolls leisurely, at an easy pace, and often stops to smile and wave at Jongin specifically. On rare occasions when Jongin has felt brave enough to speak, they’ve even exchanged polite good evenings or how do you dos. It’s become a routine, and Jongin has come to expect that burst of unexpected brightness when Jongdae smiles and waves at him as he passes by.
It’s a nice change from the quiet and muted life of a necromancer.
Jongin blinks rapidly, realizing he’s got an audience waiting. Time to get the show started. “H-Happy Halloween, everyone! I’m glad you’re all visiting our exciting Monster Hill neighborhood. Are you having a good t-time so far?”
There are choruses of yeses and sís and nes.
Jongin grins at how enthusiastic the little ones are being. It bolsters him. In knowing he is doing alright, his anxiety recedes a bit. “Great! Are many of you here for the first time?”
Another chorused affirmative.
“Then let me welcome you to my show, Boney Friends,” Jongin paces as he talks, and starts to roll up the sleeves of his purple cardigan. “For those of you who’ve seen it, please don’t spoil it for the newblings. It’s better if they get a surprise, right?”
A round of giggles goes through the audience.
“So, you’ve probably seen a few of the other houses already. A bit scary, right?” Jongin makes eye contact with a few of the kids, giving a soft smile to each. “For most people, that is what makes Halloween fun—the scary, the thrilling, the monsters. But for me, Halloween has always been about wonder and humor.”
Jongin spreads his fingers, and lets the purple smoke that is his necromantic power flow out of them. “My favorite part of Halloween are the pumpkins lit up from within with flickering candles, the witches flying across the sky on their brooms, and…the bones of our departed pet friends being playful once again.”
The audience is rapt, hanging off his every word, their eyes going wide at what he is saying.
“Halloween can be scary, but it can also be magical and fun, too.” Jongin directs the smoke to sink into the ground, to envelop the thousands of bones resting inside the rich soil of his backyard. A small tremor shakes the ground, making a few children yelp and scream, but Jongin keeps smiling, showing them it’s okay and they are safe.
The tremor eases off.
The soil begins to move in small areas near the quilts, as if things underneath are trying to crawl out. They are. Some kids crawl forward to take a closer look, while others hang back, still unsure on what’s going on. Fortunately, no one is crying.
Bleached white pieces keep popping out of the small graves and start to assemble. Jongin laughs as his magic starts imbuing artificial life onto the skeletons. The kids start to giggle and watch in awe as Jongin slowly pulls skeleton after skeleton of puppies, kittens, and chickens from the earth.
“Say hello to my bone friends!” Jongin says and sends the skeletons to play among the laughing audience.
The kids spend a good half-hour playing with the skeletons, making them fetch and roll, watching them click-clack their way across the lawn. But there are more houses and more shows to watch and experience in Monster Hill, so the audience eventually leaves.
Jongin doesn’t gather the quilts just yet incase more visitors drop by later and he can start a second show. He lets his magic lose again and re-buries all the pets except one. Jongin always likes to spend a few minutes alone playing with Monggu. It’s always bittersweet remembering how curly-haired he was when alive. Now he’s just magic-assembled bones, but his playfulness remains the same.
“Hi,” a cheery voice says.
Jongin looks up from where he’s seated, nervous smile spreading across his lips because he recognizes that voice. “H-Hi.”
“I loved your show.” Jongdae takes the seat beside Jongin, and wiggles his fingers at the puppy skeleton climbing over Jongin’s lap. “I wasn’t sure what to except when I saw all the kids, but it was quite amazing.”
Amazing. He’s calling you amazing. Jongin swallows. “I’m glad you enjoyed it. I know it’s not the most awesome show, but at least people have fun, right?”
Jongdae smiles, and it sends a thousand butterflies fluttering in Jongin’s belly. “I’ve got a question though. I can understand puppies and kittens, but, um, why chickens?”
Jongin laughs. “My favorite food is fried chicken.”
It takes Jongdae a moment to react, but then he lets out a loud cackle and falls into a giggle fit. Jongin is helpless to resist and simply joins him. The action tumbles down any remaining awkwardness between them. Monggu climbs all over them as they fight to control their mirth.
Eventually, Jongdae wipes the tears from his eyes and grins. “I can’t believe you just admitted to raising the chicken bones of your past diners.”
Jongin chuckles. “There are a lot of bones buried here. I didn’t even pull the best of them.”
“Oh yeah? Saving them for a special event.”
“Maybe.” The truth is, these bones don’t quite go with the theme of his show, which is happy and fun, so Jongin doesn’t use them.
There’s a challenging glint in Jongdae’s eyes as he leans closer. “What do I have to do to get this special show?”
All you have to do is exist. Jongin tries to tamp down his excitement at having Jongdae so near, so focused on him. Now that he has Jongdae’s attention, he doesn’t want to lose it. “Stay there,” Jongin says, and jumps to his feet, moving a few paces away from the quilts since he needs contact with the earth to do this.
He faces away from Jongdae. “Don’t be afraid, okay?”
What he wants to say is don’t be afraid of me.
A moment passes. It’s too quiet. Nervousness bubbles in Jongin’s stomach and he’s seconds away from backing away from the offer, but suddenly Jongdae’s body is a warm presence at his side.
“Show me,” Jongdae whispers.
Jongin doesn’t hesitate. He kneels, digs his fingers into the earth, and opens himself up for the necromantic magic. It’s been a while since he has used the full extent of his power, and the rush leaves him a bit euphoric. His senses detect all the bones deep in the earth for miles around, but he focuses and narrows his magic to his backyard, sending it deeper. Deeper into layers of millennia past until he reaches the oldest of his collection and the reason he chose this lot in Monster Hill.
Looking at Jongdae one last time, Jongin asks, “Ready?”
Jongdae gives him one sharp nod and a wink.
The tremor is bigger this time, shaking the trees and the neighboring houses. Jongin winces, knowing he will have to bake some cookies as apology or volunteer for pet sitting duties for the upcoming weeks. But the awestruck look on Jongdae’s face when the first dragon bone bursts from the earth says it’s all worth it.
Bone after bone, the dragon slowly forms, towering above them in all its majestic and skeleton-y glory. It takes a lot of power to pull bones from such a depth, and it’s even harder to animate ancient creatures. Jongin, badass and humble necromantic prodigy that he is, manages it all and barely breaks a sweat.
With one final magic push, the dragon is completely animated. It shakes its massive wings, bones clicking and popping against each other without any tendons or muscles to ease the joint movements. It opens its maw in a silent roar and, with a bounding leap, takes to the skies.
Jongdae’s hand slips into Jongin’s without any weirdness or hesitation, and Jongdae switches between looking at the dragon and smiling up at Jongin. Finally, he says, “Did you just pull out a dragon from your backyard to impress me?”
Jongin blushes, caught, but feeling courageous enough not to deny it. “Did it work?”
A laugh burst from Jongdae. “Call me fucking impressed, and say you’ll have dinner with me tomorrow.”
Jongin smiles. “Friend chicken?”
Jongdae squeezes Jongin’s hand and grins.