**Chapter 1: The Sleepover Scream**

The sleepover was supposed to be a fun night for Charlie and his friends, Alex and Ben. They had spent the evening playing video games, eating pizza, and watching a scary movie. Charlie's parents had set up a cozy sleeping area in the living room, complete with sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets. As the night wore on, the boys began to wind down, chatting and laughing quietly as they settled in for the night. Everything was going great until the middle of the night. Charlie had dozed off, only to be jolted awake by a loud scream. "Aaaaaaa!" he cried out, his eyes wide with fear. Nick, who was lying next to him, quickly sat up and ran over to his side. "Baby, what's the matter?" he asked, concern etched on his face. Charlie tried to shake it off, but his voice was shaking. "N-nothing, nothing," he stammered. Nick wasn't convinced. He gently took Charlie's face in his hands, his eyes locked on Charlie's. "Don't lie to me, sugarplum," he said softly. "What's wrong?" Charlie tried to hold back tears, but they began to well up in his eyes. Nick could see the fear and distress written all over his face. "I had a bad dream," Charlie said, his voice cracking. "Oh, you poor thing, come here," Nick said, opening his arms wide. He pulled Charlie into a tight hug, holding him close as Charlie wrapped his legs around Nick's waist and his arms around Nick's shoulders. As they hugged, Charlie's friends, Alex and Ben, stirred from their own sleeping bags, rubbing the sleep from their eyes. "Dude, what's going on?" Alex asked, his voice groggy with sleep. "Charlie had a bad dream," Nick explained, his voice low and soothing. The two friends looked at each other and then back at Charlie, who was still clinging to Nick. They smiled sympathetically, but didn't say anything, letting Nick comfort Charlie. As Charlie cried, Nick stroked his hair and back, trying to calm him down. "It's okay, I'm here. You're safe," he said softly. But as the minutes ticked by, Charlie's tears began to subside, and he looked up at Nick with a curious expression. "Guys, I think I heard something," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Nick looked at him quizzically. "Heard what?" Charlie's eyes darted around the room, his gaze lingering on the shadows cast by the moonlight streaming through the window. "I don't know... but it sounded like someone was outside." Nick and the other boys exchanged a skeptical look, but Charlie's expression was serious. Suddenly, the sleepover didn't seem so fun anymore...