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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzfPkLEzKn
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4E0ywItP3K
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSq989svi88
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSTdCrR6SOq
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMskOTHD8l1
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jGuFVV0wg
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Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwUjZxchWP
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwapq0Xg5Lp
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHHbB1vZ5Cb
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKYwBMWw2RA
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdVyYaE2yf6
201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVpwebPFPi0
"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0qFRNEW04s
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVowPdus5x
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNF067sLtf9
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMBb0r8SsT
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK20ss0hFny
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"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroSLpTVKRJ
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uECeiW5ta
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNgnhp64zc
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"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGZD5UnrTZ
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I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkFRsc6nHeC
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Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEGqyZz2b96
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"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡphy4n91rdX
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOAyPIdIUdx
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"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7WhNYr8l3X
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvPNWoHt0h
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tA1IkVfok
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"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhgRKarxnjM
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkC398rXCo
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gwRjkiPjO
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"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHrqIKAAuv9
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmQTq62B3XC
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKnOOY8Utx
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAXtztejWNU
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Footsteps.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVWSAWjZdyI
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Footsteps.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNo4JGi1qHN
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Footsteps.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ94ksexfjmW
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm2HHbfAd6p
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQb66enKcWw
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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?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuS0oPEHWb7
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEctRohdr3
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Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB6vHfA4rLz
201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBS9ujdySY
Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8PxU93kMx
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuALv2KMTOz
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"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsgF2l89rAE
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNBWcJkZT9C
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsDEqG3elfH
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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?!"201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdjOmeijPp
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E09ejFDmw
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbk1zEYqp4
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjWJOBHRbcQ
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhY92EHesCI
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazSEd5qO2H
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmoVjkrhCd6
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj1RH9wkpB6
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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."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3YOCT2txG0
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"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8UwTQAo12E
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYAmh00pSIr
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"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRYwrCm4fk
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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.201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡctkB6FGJ79
201Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbpKbJiTE5l
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Penana
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