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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtV4ReW4kp
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd0w0qvumph
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUul7SYfsde
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPOeB9COZS4
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1N3nJP4RZ
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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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfbIeCfJMD
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Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuElGN4Y87c
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8QKaihcED
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVLSdRsupLQ
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDhPMdGMl7
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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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF9njXj10db
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"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5nd9xdcBXW
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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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjE6grawuqI
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgct8kR7mxh
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ7azjDjQ9u
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZGt7GH5PPt
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"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfQel2zK83y
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ER5yabySS
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ySdIFpVhY
270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrIDGgk67Na
"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJbCnsWeKCm
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I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrMGJr5Qg5
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Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoMz75FVss
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"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswvq7KDeY7
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUDaoVrTxyN
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"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGZYUdE4I85
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQE0ZQb2t92
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUbThQjGJc
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"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1OTH5VfV42
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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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4tKUpXUt46
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ZZV3DYoIo
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"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnj1UnfKL8K
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKxtpbK5us
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfmen4EAC7
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf6AWb1MWej
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Footsteps.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRB4gMqYpH9
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Footsteps.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmhoHwns2rU
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Footsteps.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyhvwf92uM5
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMJ1fLmOa8j
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wWZz9AAtT
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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?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ74lstMMQM7
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ1giwDwQFC
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Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1soBiRWUhl
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Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvf8o6s3KT6
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxkMIE0uMg
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"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemNLOuLfPv
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2UZnZC7SlT
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfIxLzj7iCc
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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?!"270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfxkDHEieBO
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLBNUo0U9PM
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuKc7gzbpU
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡidgIkBW7rU
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuUTZBq6m2c
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAxDsuAaXX
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPub4CZQrn
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcrHRaIdeT
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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."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO8U8lccbhM
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"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjx5xEdKNY
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbKGaP6rrE
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"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiMIkuW1FIy
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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.270Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIho8BBtKA3
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-------
Penana
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