Failed experience

"Not a chance," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt and scrambling out of the car behind him.

Grandpa didn't even try to argue, though I could tell by the way his shoulders tensed that he wasn't thrilled with my decision.

Together, we sprinted toward the grand villa, its tall windows flickering faintly from the inside, casting strange shadows. A faint haze of smoke was visible above the roof, curling lazily into the moonlit sky.

"What in the world…" Grandpa muttered under his breath, already picking up speed.

The front door was slightly ajar, swinging on its hinges as if it had been flung open hastily. A faint smell of burnt... something—plastic? Metal? Maybe hair?—wafted out to greet us.

As we pushed through the door and into the grand foyer, the scene before us was a blend of chaos and absurdity.