The air was thick with tension as the group huddled in the walk-in closet, the faint hum of the mansion's ancient air conditioning drowned out by the guttural moans echoing through the halls. Hendrick stood by the door, his bloodied hands gripping the clothes hanger like a weapon. His face was pale, but his eyes were sharp, focused.309Please respect copyright.PENANAwqyfFg5S7S
309Please respect copyright.PENANAhkkghL8E3S
"We need to move," I said, my voice low but firm. "Now."309Please respect copyright.PENANAYmeCFKNP1a
309Please respect copyright.PENANApNCNI7bb6i
Evelyn nodded, her usual confidence replaced by a quiet determination. "My mom's room is down the hall. There's a back door that leads to the garden. We can get out that way."309Please respect copyright.PENANAcxAoe7fZqs
309Please respect copyright.PENANATXBkxcUD4e
"And if it's locked?" Maya asked, her voice trembling.309Please respect copyright.PENANAKwExOZyM60
309Please respect copyright.PENANAOcplvHvG2W
"It's not," Evelyn said, "Mom is always forgetful, so she leaves the key in the keyhole."309Please respect copyright.PENANAII5aKEaHMc
309Please respect copyright.PENANAdCgxKUAzYz
We exchanged uneasy glances. Evelyn seemed genuinely confused about what was going on in her own house. Hopefully, she was right about this.309Please respect copyright.PENANAcgMSFlWLx5
309Please respect copyright.PENANALVogm1awSD
"Stay close," I said, stepping toward the door. "And don't stop for anything."309Please respect copyright.PENANADK1vEZ5rfz
309Please respect copyright.PENANA7QChLew3yy
I opened the door slowly, peering into the hallway. The shadows seemed to shift and twist, the faint sound of footsteps echoing in the distance. The creature was close—too close.309Please respect copyright.PENANAmOCsKEQQEm
309Please respect copyright.PENANAerDsyF29iN
We moved as one, our footsteps soft but hurried. Evelyn led the way, her familiarity with the mansion guiding us through the labyrinth of hallways. Hendrick brought up the rear, his eyes darting nervously behind us.309Please respect copyright.PENANAI7pf9oAvkw
309Please respect copyright.PENANAzzOwGuleM0
The moans grew louder, and the air grew colder. The creature was following us.309Please respect copyright.PENANAQ8OZBHKfwA
309Please respect copyright.PENANA6Nesb4zRzI
"Faster," I whispered, my heart pounding in my chest.309Please respect copyright.PENANAxbjEZ4ya2Y
309Please respect copyright.PENANAnfMxr0HFhQ
We turned a corner, and the hallway seemed to stretch on forever. The sound of the creature's footsteps grew louder, closer. I glanced over my shoulder and saw it—a hunched, humanoid figure with glowing eyes and a grotesque snarl. It was gaining on us.309Please respect copyright.PENANAD5GqaaFOn8
309Please respect copyright.PENANAJCHuTvAPZZ
"Run!" I shouted, pulling the others forward to get ahead of me, starting with Sasha, Masha, Maya, then Evelyn.309Please respect copyright.PENANAsXXL48got1
309Please respect copyright.PENANA0LtnRpcPDJ
But Evelyn froze, her eyes wide with terror as she stared at the creature. "No," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "It's… it's Grandpa."309Please respect copyright.PENANAc67y8L9o00
309Please respect copyright.PENANA3k3CMqXgUg
Hendrick didn't hesitate. He stepped in front of Evelyn, his clothes hanger raised like a weapon. "Go!" he shouted, his voice firm. "I'll hold it off!"309Please respect copyright.PENANAGvMxhjLZCg
309Please respect copyright.PENANAywYTcOjJ22
"Hendrick, no!" Maya screamed, her voice breaking.309Please respect copyright.PENANAvFb8un40cB
309Please respect copyright.PENANAvcaYOwrZOD
"Just go!" Hendrick snapped, his eyes never leaving the creature. "I'll buy you time!"309Please respect copyright.PENANAfAKVtjFAg0
309Please respect copyright.PENANA7qoff04rSj
The creature lunged, its claws slashing through the air. Hendrick swung the hanger, the metal clanging against the creature's arm. It roared, a sound that sent shivers down my spine, but Hendrick stood his ground, his face pale but determined.309Please respect copyright.PENANAglREOBlzQJ
309Please respect copyright.PENANA3Ysfo4RGza
"Go!" he shouted again, his voice strained.309Please respect copyright.PENANApemIlyFbYd
309Please respect copyright.PENANA8EEI2o2GRd
I grabbed Maya's arm, pulling her away. "We have to go!" I said, my voice tight with urgency.309Please respect copyright.PENANAa7F6m2gfmP
309Please respect copyright.PENANA4aKZOcvmwe
Maya hesitated, her eyes filled with tears, but she nodded. We ran, a loud defiant scream from Hendrick coming from behind us. I didn't look back. I couldn't.309Please respect copyright.PENANAA5sa0dCPSx
309Please respect copyright.PENANA66YciYlUc3
...309Please respect copyright.PENANAhIe2QJaqxu
309Please respect copyright.PENANAeV9bgcTHZT
We reached Evelyn's mom's room, the door slightly ajar. Evelyn pushed it open, her hands trembling. "This way," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.309Please respect copyright.PENANAffhpCt4ySb
309Please respect copyright.PENANALEuKouTApO
The room was dark, the air heavy with the scent of dust and decay. The back door was visible at the far end, but before we could move, a low, guttural moan filled the room.309Please respect copyright.PENANAaCZJ9GKnqm
309Please respect copyright.PENANA8Jt3wBOxe0
Another creature stepped out of the shadows, its glowing eyes fixed on us. It was smaller than the first, but no less terrifying.309Please respect copyright.PENANATSORDX39hR
309Please respect copyright.PENANA5Ix7wavLJD
Masha quickly grabbed a lamp from a nearby table and hurled it at the creature, the glass shattering against its chest. The creature seemed unaffected by Masha's move, roaring instead, its attention fully on Masha.309Please respect copyright.PENANArCNFmc6gf4
309Please respect copyright.PENANATCA2hQFo3W
"What the hell are you guys doing!" Masha shouted, her voice sharp. "Run."309Please respect copyright.PENANAcSO5hLIh0M
309Please respect copyright.PENANAFEuEBXLgyu
I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. "Masha..."309Please respect copyright.PENANAJXKfH7J417
309Please respect copyright.PENANACOce6pj3ys
"Don't worry," she said, forcing a small smile. "I'm right behind you."309Please respect copyright.PENANASW0HwyWiq0
309Please respect copyright.PENANAgQ8rjGNnTB
We started for the door, but the creature grabbed Masha.309Please respect copyright.PENANAsAsRe8Sxo7
309Please respect copyright.PENANAJLcwofBExL
"No!"309Please respect copyright.PENANAwnshy9u4Ls
309Please respect copyright.PENANAyVEVilLkJm
"Keep going!" she insisted, struggling against the creature's grip.309Please respect copyright.PENANAYEQt5UcyfY
309Please respect copyright.PENANAO96DM1eXFz
And so we did. I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see the creature lunging at her, its claws slashing through the air. Masha didn't scream. She just looked at us, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve, and a small smile on her face just before the creature's claws tears into her sternum, separating her body in two.309Please respect copyright.PENANAMtFWy7Zodw
309Please respect copyright.PENANAQLVnVx13zB
...309Please respect copyright.PENANA3WQjkc31Ce
309Please respect copyright.PENANAdPnxzRRNTz
We burst through the back door, the cool night air hitting us like a slap. The garden stretched out before us, the moonlight casting long, eerie shadows across the grass. But the relief was short-lived.309Please respect copyright.PENANAYFSExkrtia
309Please respect copyright.PENANA3Qnaah29R4
The sound of the creatures' moans echoed behind us, growing louder with each passing second. They were coming.309Please respect copyright.PENANAyVdFOuQRU5
309Please respect copyright.PENANAkJpBPZhfXH
"We need to keep moving," I said, my voice tight with urgency.309Please respect copyright.PENANAVE4DgJoP0c
309Please respect copyright.PENANAgcUMnT1wBw
Maya nodded, her face pale but determined. Sasha was silent, her eyes filled with tears. Evelyn looked back at the mansion, her expression unreadable.309Please respect copyright.PENANAp4IzXWgOGn
309Please respect copyright.PENANACCEGGGmEtf
"Come on," I said, grabbing her arm. "We can't stop now."309Please respect copyright.PENANAiXflrG93jF
309Please respect copyright.PENANANfIpzMJSD5
We ran, the sound of the creatures' footsteps echoing behind us. The garden seemed to stretch on forever, the shadows twisting and shifting as if alive. But we didn't stop. We couldn't.309Please respect copyright.PENANARRXlfQtP2y
309Please respect copyright.PENANAxVVVd01unE
------