The living room was dimly lit, the only sound the faint hum of the mansion's ancient air conditioning. We sat in a loose circle on the floor, the tension in the room so thick it felt like it could suffocate us. Hendrick had suggested a game to pass the time while we waited for Evelyn to return with groceries. It was supposed to be fun, but the way he smirked as he shuffled the deck told me this was anything but.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrkdYJ6n3Gd
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6UzO8zMOF
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPH17EkjcID
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg57CaAcmQR
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNgEsmjs6P6
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"Then it shouldn't be a problem," Hendrick said, dealing the cards with a flick of his wrist. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he turned to Maya. "You're up first. Truth or Dare?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIG6lcR8Vb7
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Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXHafEpYV0E
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuveLS7nm5o
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdTqgAYytv
The room fell silent. Maya's eyes widened, and she glanced at me, her expression torn. "I… I don't know," she said finally.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6LNWdN8FR
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlWyio5J7JZ
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqyBVqPvRSx
"Do I?" Maya shot back, her tone defensive. "You've been so distant lately. How am I supposed to know what you're doing?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOraWHNAJSG
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0eN1BKOlHa
"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ72vXAv1gsq
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsxsgtCl71
"Trust you?" Maya said, her voice shaking. "You're the one who pushed me away. You're the one who stopped coming to the clubhouse. How am I supposed to trust you when you won't even talk to me?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkxnzNAEmwc
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcLUoJxPFS
The room was silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Hendrick leaned back, a satisfied smirk on his face. "Looks like we hit a nerve."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF827ELFtIl
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiw7l8gtOs
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaTcogYFF0g
"My fault?" Hendrick said, his tone mocking. "I'm not the one who's been avoiding everyone. I'm not the one who's been lying."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0wjTE7JLRI
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWZLP1EVrdI
"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV0XwRDmWKl
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpYQWu8js2P
"Prove it," Hendrick said, his eyes narrowing. "It's Maya's turn now. How about you let her pat you down as a dare? If you've got nothing to hide, it shouldn't be a problem."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ10RsOcSxoA
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiku6kd0veG
"You're unbelievable," I said, my voice low with anger. "I never agreed to a dare, and I'm not doing this regardless."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2wVmXOXbb
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxE6qA15mZ
"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxL6HcywH7w
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKeFsjsq20
I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvXlCpv6m90
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0S86BACcah
Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlGqfXDJhCA
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCPqL0VRyX
"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChMb0MKqZy
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Maya stepped forward, her hands shaking as she patted me down. The room was silent, the tension unbearable. She pulled a cigarette from the front pocket of my overalls and eyed me suspiciously.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlbshX8AoHe
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4KdxZoXZlb
"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZb37zLKuu
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"Isn't it?" Maya argued, her voice rising. "Because this is how it begins. First it's cigarettes, then it's alcohol, and then it's hard drugs. I've seen it before."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyHNgpQWD2K
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0YfJ2PqqZc
"Maya," I started, but before I could say anything else, a sound cut through the silence—a low, guttural moan coming from somewhere deep in the mansion.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4ALbGAuabY
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgSDuFo1Wm
"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNGJlGZgF8c
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The moan came again, louder this time, and the air seemed to grow colder. I glanced around the room, my heart pounding. "Guys," I said, my voice tight. "Where are Martin and Hendrick?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrX70pGYah8
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhMCmksXGO
We got up and looked around the living room, the eerie silence amplifying our unease. "Babe?!" Maya shouted, her voice trembling as she searched for Hendrick.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTVyz9lx2Z
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"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9rOy3owjtm
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But instead of a response, we were met with a loud, piercing scream that echoed from the direction of the study. My stomach dropped, and I glanced at Masha, who shared the same wide-eyed expression of dread.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNCK2MiXMcS
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Sasha started toward the study, but I quickly grabbed her arm, shaking my head. My eyes pleaded with her not to follow the sound. She hesitated, her face pale, but before she could argue, a heavy thud reverberated through the mansion, followed by footsteps—slow, deliberate, and growing louder with each step.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2cLz1vwt1Z
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Sasha's hand found mine, our fingers interlocking as we braced ourselves for whatever was coming. The footsteps grew closer, echoing through the hallway like a countdown to disaster.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3F6Z9z6yP
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Footsteps.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLaD7WWzH2
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Footsteps.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVTuYToy69
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Footsteps.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvyVosNz0r
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The door swung open, and my heart froze for a beat. But it wasn't a monster that emerged—it was Hendrick, his face pale and his clothes splattered with dark, drying blood. His hands trembled as he clutched the doorframe, his breathing ragged.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqgIGFCbdBW
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuj5Xp2aPv
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Maya rushed to his side, her hands trembling as she reached for him. "Babe…" she started, her voice breaking. "What the hell happened?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcLsXGdHc4
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"That's not my blood," Hendrick said, his tone low and hollow, as if he were speaking from somewhere far away.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIEPBC1zhQs
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE2PE75GF4h
Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NoBn1EU4w
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspJGZaoaLd
Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8kUgRdtRV
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKgI3i3UZe
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBasBJu2Iqe
"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PbIMGdHga
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItifPpZp9J
Sasha let out a shaky laugh, her voice trembling as she shook her head. "No," she said, her tone desperate. "You two are just pulling a prank on us. This isn't funny."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPB23Zal76
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuElCzRFGmE
She started for the study, her voice cracking as she called out, "Martin?" But I grabbed her arm, holding her back. Something in Hendrick's expression told me this wasn't a joke.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBL1dH4lpyH
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNg25HokRXg
"Let me go," Sasha said, her voice firm but trembling. I shook my head, my grip tightening. "Let me go!" she shouted, her voice breaking as she began hitting my chest. "Why won't you let me go?!"240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBExECJmFk
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIBCaRijl7H
Her fists pounded against me, each blow weaker than the last until she finally broke down, collapsing into sobs. I pulled her close, holding her tightly as she cried into my shoulder, her body shaking with grief.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSLj8CyGGxh
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffPToHS5Tt
The room was silent except for Sasha's muffled sobs. Hendrick stood frozen, his face pale and his hands trembling. Maya stared at him, her expression a mix of fear and disbelief. Masha hovered nearby, her eyes wide with terror.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡalYkYU7urz
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡulmyzdWh2e
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The words hung in the air, sharp and final. Sasha's sobs quieted, and she pulled away from me, her face streaked with tears. Maya stared at Hendrick, her expression a mix of fear and something else.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfhikEunHR
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9tpU0LuAJ4
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We moved as one, rushing toward the front door. The mansion seemed to close in around us, the shadows stretching and twisting as if alive. The air grew colder with each step, and the faint hum of the air conditioning was replaced by an eerie silence.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vCVsYVQqE
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Hendrick reached the door first, his bloodied hands grabbed the handle then twisted and pulled, but the door didn't budge. He yanked harder, his face pale. "It's stuck."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvhqw4yKdd6
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmMOiUHYWXH
"Move," I said, pushing past him. I grabbed the handle and pulled with all my strength, but the door didn't budge. My stomach dropped. "It's locked."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe33h8h75hw
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8F2bycCsC9
"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUUiIpP0Q7
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA09AleurjH
"Then we break it down," Hendrick said, his tone desperate. He stepped back and kicked the door, the sound echoing through the mansion. The door didn't move.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2MP6uO5PFO
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHCeZmBDuAZ
"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRM2LiaTi4z
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Hendrick froze, his face pale. The room fell silent, the weight of our situation pressing down on us. We were trapped.240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozNmrNOdIC
240Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSLor4PcyA
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Penana
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