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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpKgfMmKJmC
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"Alright," Hendrick said, his voice dripping with mockery. "Truth or Dare. No backing out."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTY4FcS5Av7
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"Seriously?" I said, raising an eyebrow. "We're not twelve."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUfZu0EP13g
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"Come on," Hendrick shot back, his grin widening. "Don't tell me you're scared."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ6Aa83Vgly
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"I'm not scared," I snapped. "I just think it's stupid."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5E3d2XsZVB
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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?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQO35bXFwZt
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Maya hesitated, glancing at me before answering. "Truth," she said, her voice quiet.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Bc98n04xH
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Hendrick leaned forward, his smirk stretching across his face. "Do you really think your sister's been clean since rehab?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlMSU0DUcDb
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqt1FVk6qgP
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"Maya," I said, my voice sharp. "You know I haven't relapsed."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcIebTvAJG3
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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?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxwkmULSVj
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"Because I'm your sister," I said, my voice rising. "You're supposed to trust me."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7gzZdGfWRI
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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?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06dbV3DZ3S
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR8tx2Q9YKJ
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"Shut up, Hendrick," I snapped, my hands clenched into fists. "This is your fault."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAx0WFY4ty
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1C3OHil3di
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"I haven't been lying!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt3xxaXebge
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruoFqHkscz
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlzflhLDTfQ
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"Why not?" Maya said, her voice trembling. "If you've got nothing to hide, why won't you let me?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEahS9Ldkh7
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I stared at her, my heart sinking. "You're really going to side with him?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGatXJ3w7A
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Maya hesitated, her eyes flicking between me and Hendrick. "I just… I need to know."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡELtTOZ8rq3
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"Fine," I said, my voice cold. "Do it."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSoISgHdQD
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKqKW67Bw6l
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"That's not an addiction," I said defensively.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKfajGjVRwa
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEKLimVzGFA
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX5mPmeCgvO
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"What is that sound?" Masha said, her voice low but filled with terror.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLy2q4FbFs1
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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?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJcqVeWEfe
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMyAENGQPT
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"Martin!" Sasha called out, her tone growing more frantic with each passing second.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNVx2UDkR6
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuz3qUMXjvB
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz5NHek6H2S
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfA9TmEQnum
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Footsteps.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVZ249iOmE6
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Footsteps.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7YUoMqU13
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Footsteps.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPc4CQy4e2
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYphU1HPRLN
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"Oh my god!" Masha yelped, her voice barely above a whisper.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiImpHGiV99
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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?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgxslCR2xq
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1r8U9YjFDv
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Sasha's eyes darted toward the study, her voice trembling as she asked, "Where's Martin?"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeXqG94jny8
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Hendrick hesitated, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I… I couldn't stop it," he said, his voice barely audible.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwAW7fILtc
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"Couldn't stop what?" Sasha demanded, her voice rising.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOOHdeHeKb
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"Martin is… dead," Hendrick said, the words hanging heavy in the air.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXFhm8UwDQu
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7XotlbWN8p
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1xmIlrBpKR
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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?!"105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh0jJ1Sx4wy
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡasXT3CvM12
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwS1dmMoBu
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Finally, Hendrick broke the silence, his voice low and urgent. "We need to get out of here."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFlNT6L7dfO
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK5DJvPXxrh
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I nodded, my heart pounding. "Let's go. Now."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjubpuI5Eq8
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6KgmOJooT
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI8GosoXgcl
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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."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uBcf8X8zn
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"Evelyn has the keys," Masha said, her voice trembling. "She's not back yet."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpTGuhpqfPB
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PO4MYHYMK
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"Stop!" Maya said, her voice sharp. "You're going to attract whatever's that is."105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmxKGLJzwE
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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.105Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtEMNrGF6NE
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Penana
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