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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8wRwU95MZ
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5T5XegJJu
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5IzVAaPey
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vistMUjwB
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtV3BRRDL4
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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?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvK7OvJPANi
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSQsbXGAC9V
Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjRFjx8rl7
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fAc3Ydg7k
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1cxCp1m16L
The room fell silent. Maya's eyes widened, and she glanced at me, her expression torn. "I… I don't know," she said finally.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWYuF28tva
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEClnoDjjUb
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8VLq91WCx
"Do I?" Maya shot back, her tone defensive. "You've been so distant lately. How am I supposed to know what you're doing?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQ3EbTwRRz
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfMZQO7BOZ
"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDs3UwD954G
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbp3KzVmFdz
"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?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ79zfZAh7DU
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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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwzCPHiz6n7
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86Ky3j55tI
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFZpqw9HbS
"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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfdaYeK7Y0J
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqRwkXAqJmv
"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGGNXjR1FNu
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ71ZtQgLMSe
"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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEM55c8sY4L
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHmGnWESx9
"You're unbelievable," I said, my voice low with anger. "I never agreed to a dare, and I'm not doing this regardless."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcATGC0YuF
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYljvsmTFBk
"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZfcJ9ZafKw
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cotZxo0YD
I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZNIeE9Oaec
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Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqYWRPrjVoi
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"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7FTPoxJgOZ
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHORInaIZa
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"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnk9YNQVBuc
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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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZXds2R7i9
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoxgeLH0btA
"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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjrlUwaxJ16
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"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVIydVeVK8H
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK6dryyH041
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?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcNqNmwMS6
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDBJiWPD4i1
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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMtW5xIxdG
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡffCAAKbANm
"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj0Q5mhsie
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK8fJ1gZmL2
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDiYxXizFX
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjgXBckXKU
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Footsteps.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQvRZiyEfO
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Footsteps.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy4oXP2DUc
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Footsteps.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dxyq0RjEG
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc9fo0FOOCW
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqr778if1PG
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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?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOMV5HNAJSw
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuNO9eWaIS
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhk69AmfXFW
Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutsU2s3r0p
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZERemFKxb
Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv54alTZeb
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSdPzhnhZXM
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"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWvzGs8YJK
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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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuW2vO11Jyj
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvN1wlKKXKX
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"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?!"287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnR8UQ1Z7SF
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwdjPSBNJdM
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLaDUt7CXQL
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgIGAer5tf
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6MTsBR7x1y
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkVLpTYvufi
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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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0b28WwEeV3
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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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPbOklYBKt9
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"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."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpNUFkZkDz8
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"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2lqwEPxWa
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"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.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9hneWdf2Y
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK9lHsycISw
"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZpLZrPHxvh
287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1lFM7EvEUU
Hendrick froze, his face pale. The room fell silent, the weight of our situation pressing down on us. We were trapped.287Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EYRUU0bq2
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-------
Penana
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