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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6PB7IoYblj
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3orA47bQS3
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvG1Y7Xc6Ib
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCpDqGq1Q9
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxby4FUAiE1
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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?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg2ObRiVmGw
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Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjeiCwauT9
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLooJK1jAsS
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The room fell silent. Maya's eyes widened, and she glanced at me, her expression torn. "I… I don't know," she said finally.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaPNj6tWrmb
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡah9jpKFfZd
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"Do I?" Maya shot back, her tone defensive. "You've been so distant lately. How am I supposed to know what you're doing?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDlhoK0h2ZI
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"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡel74Ge7Z1d
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"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?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDxLZQdLSW
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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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBu5eRN3Swi
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWXRMKyZBng
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"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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqdnL7B03Kn
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"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmjNdwuPY48
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"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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDCfmbDpa3r
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"You're unbelievable," I said, my voice low with anger. "I never agreed to a dare, and I'm not doing this regardless."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysO5LcrfWd
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"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc8ZgwnZmyL
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I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw0z6RR7Llw
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Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTdGADGYgmt
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"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ghFaOh42j
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv2BezxstsV
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"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOUgUxlcEt
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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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM3J9Cm7glA
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"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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CIirXzA8W
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"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvaeLN6E8Qq
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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?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oj5RXgWuG
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoizxHL8EwZ
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"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhFvsrJL9t6
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTHSpYkdQG
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5EdotEeMyh
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnbfuL3LMI
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Footsteps.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ33bf9vEGc5
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Footsteps.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWKlEBNkJtR
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Footsteps.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXdaoC4rFr
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQlF2PLsL09
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETRxvaL6fI
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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?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGZjc3T7wi
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwGChbTN6J6
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Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlsdNo7Wm6x
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Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6gzxXKRcA
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDVPyOsuFL
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"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNpWjXCvx4r
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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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhgUCaz8gQ
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0gnQbtimeu
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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?!"14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyxWTayxWae
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCvCpYCA7xv
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLa2RgQxNFY
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5zWUn40vC7
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTl53tOE3s
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOX1pHOO7X
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwoSmPrRgZc
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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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yJfsSMq1A
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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."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7QCY0kbbzT
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"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhcpYFTMGv
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL5qV7KEQdD
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"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2cpI1HIX9
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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.14Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfSlf6qEId
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Penana
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