Lia had been searching for months. A vintage camera, the one she’d seen in a photography blog ages ago. It was a classic, something rare, and she’d almost lost hope of finding one. Then, out of nowhere it appeared on eBay. The description seemed perfect: “In excellent condition, includes original box and accessories.” And the price? Way too good to ignore.
She contacted the seller who responded quickly, telling her that the camera was in great shape. After some chatting, they agreed to meet in person. The seller gave her an address, way out in a quiet, almost deserted part of town. The listing said they had to pick up the camera in person "no shipping" and it sounded odd, but she didn't mind. She just wanted the camera.
Lia plugged the address into her GPS and started driving. The further she went the more she felt like she was leaving the world she knew behind. The road got narrower, the houses fewer. The GPS lost signal as she reached a spot on the map that didn’t look like it should be there; a stretch of road with only overgrown fields and old houses.
Finally, she arrived at the location: an old, rundown house on the edge of nowhere. The driveway was cracked and the windows were dusty, giving off a creepy, abandoned vibe. Lia hesitated, feeling the first bit of doubt. She’d been so sure before, but now? The house seemed wrong.
She checked her phone. No messages from the seller. She texted them: “I’m here, outside.”
Minutes passed. Still no reply. Maybe the seller was just running late. Or maybe this was a sign to leave. But no, she couldn’t turn back. Not after coming all this way for something she wanted so badly.
Lia knocked on the front door. No answer.
She knocked again, harder. After a few seconds, the door creaked open just a little. A man not much older than her stood in the doorway, looking disheveled, as though he hadn’t expected anyone.
“You the buyer?” he asked, his voice shaky.
“Yeah, I came for the camera,” Lia said, trying to sound confident, though she felt a strange unease creeping up her spine.
“Yeah... yeah, come in. It’s just inside,” he replied, stepping aside. His movements were jerky, almost too quick as if he was trying to get rid of her as fast as possible.
Lia glanced over her shoulder. The air outside felt thick, like something was off but she shook it off. She’d driven here. She was getting that camera.
She stepped into the dimly lit house. The first thing she noticed was how quiet it was. No music, no sound of a TV or radio. Just silence. It felt... wrong. She could see piles of old boxes and furniture stacked haphazardly in the living room.
The man led her down a hallway. As she followed, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong here. The house was too quiet. Too empty.
He stopped in front of a closed door, hesitated, and then opened it slowly. Inside there was a small table with a cardboard box on it. The man reached for the box, still not looking at her.
“This is it,” he said, his voice barely audible.
Lia felt a knot in her stomach. He handed her the box, but when she glanced inside, her heart sank. It wasn’t a camera. There were old, broken electronics: wires, empty cases, random junk. No camera.
Confused and angry, Lia looked at him. “What’s this? Where’s the camera?”
The man didn’t answer. Instead he took a step back, his eyes darting toward the door, like he was waiting for something. Or someone.
“Hey!” Lia snapped, starting to feel a sense of panic rise. “Where’s the camera? This is a scam!”
The man didn’t say a word. He just backed up slowly, his hands trembling.
Before she could react, a sound from behind startled her. A heavy thud. then the creak of a door opening. Lia spun around, her breath catching in her throat.
From the dark hallway emerged two other figures. Tall, broad-shouldered men with hard, emotionless faces.
She felt her heart race as her instincts screamed at her to run.
One of the men spoke. “I think you’ve been scammed, sweetheart.”
Lia’s mind was racing. She hadn’t thought she’d be in danger, not like this. She’d thought she was just meeting a strange seller, but now… now she was surrounded by strangers in a house that didn’t feel right.
Before she could react, the man with the box quickly shut the door behind him, trapping her in the room.
Her phone. She fumbled for it in her bag, but the man noticed and made a quick motion to block her.
“No calls,” he said, voice low and steady. “You don’t want to get involved in something you don’t understand.”
Panic gripped her. She had to think fast. She couldn’t let them take her phone or anything else. Without thinking, she bolted for the door, pushing past the man who had tried to block her. She shoved it open, running as fast as she could.
Her heart pounded as she darted through the yard, glancing over her shoulder to see the men chasing her. She reached her car, breathless, and jammed the key in the ignition, barely getting the car into reverse before slamming the gas.
Her hands were shaking so badly she almost missed the turn onto the main road. She glanced back once, seeing no one behind her, but she still couldn’t shake the feeling that they were following. Something was wrong. something was off. The trees lining the road had grown still.
She tried to turn onto a new road, her mind racing, but suddenly the car stopped.
She turned the key in the ignition again. Nothing. Her heart skipped a beat. No engine. Just silence.
And then, the sound of footsteps loud and too close. She turned her head sharply to see the figures from the house. They were standing at the edge of the driveway, watching her.
Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn’t alone.
The man from the house, the one who had handed her the box, now approached her car slowly. The same men stood in the background, arms crossed and their eyes cold and unblinking.
The man reached the driver’s side, tapping on the window. “You’re not going anywhere sweetheart.”
Lia tried to turn the key again, but it was no use. The car was dead, the battery drained in seconds. She had no way to escape.
He smiled, his teeth sharp and unsettling. “You should’ve never come out here.”
And just like that, the world she thought she knew faded away. There was no escape. No one was coming for her.
Lia was trapped.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
