Secrets in the Shadows

Noah and Ava arrived at the bus stop, where Ethan and Lily were already waiting. The tension between them was palpable, the recent horrors still fresh in their minds.

"Where's Jake?" Ava asked, glancing around.

"He can't come because of his knee injury," Lily replied.

Noah nodded. "Alright, let's go then."

Everyone hesitated for a moment, unsure if they should leave Jake behind.

"Is it okay to leave Jake alone?" Noah asked, worry evident in his voice.

"Don't worry, he's staying with his parents. He'll be fine," Lily assured him.

"Okay," Noah conceded, though he didn't seem entirely convinced.

Ethan nodded, signaling for everyone to board the bus. "Let's get going."

They embarked on the hour-long journey to the old house. Upon arrival, they stood before a dilapidated but well-maintained mansion.

"Is this the place?" Ava asked, looking up at the imposing structure.

"Yeah, pretty sure," Lily confirmed.

They approached the front door and rang the bell.

"Ding Dong."

They waited for a moment, but there was no response. Ethan rang the bell again.

"Ding Dong."

After a few more attempts, frustration started to set in.

"Why isn't anyone answering?" Lily muttered.

"Maybe she's not home," Noah suggested.

"Let me try," Ava said, stepping forward. "Miss, please open the door. We played the game that you played with your friends, and now our friends are dying one by one. Please, we beg you, only you can help us."

Lily sighed. "Forget it, Ava. Maybe she's not home right now."

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, I think she's really not at home. Let's go for now. We can come back later."

Just as they were about to leave, the door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged woman. She stood in the doorway, her expression unreadable.

"Who are you?" the woman asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.

"Please, we need your help," Ava said, her voice trembling.

.

.

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### Jake's POV

Meanwhile, Jake stepped into the shower, his toes flinching as they touched the cold ceramic floor. His mind was in shreds, the horrifying scene of his friends' deaths replaying endlessly.

He turned the dial, letting the warm water cascade over him, hoping it would wash away the memories. The sensation of the hot water somehow calmed him, if only for a moment.

After a few minutes, Jake stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around his waist. He opened his wardrobe, but as soon as he did, his eyes widened in disbelief. A chilling sight met his gaze, tears streaming down his cheeks. His body felt paralyzed, fear evident in his watery eyes.

...

### Back at the House

The group now sat on a worn-out couch, facing the middle-aged woman who had let them in. She introduced herself as Melanie.

"Your face..." Lily began, noticing the woman's disfigured appearance.

Melanie chuckled softly. "Shocked, right? Losing my beauty is the least of my worries compared to the pain I felt when I watched my best friends and my little sister die in front of me, and I could do nothing to save them."

A tear rolled down Melanie's cheek as she spoke.

"Why are you apologizing? It's not your fault," Lily said, her voice soft and empathetic.

Melanie led them to the kitchen, where they all sat around a table. "It all started as a Christmas game, with dares and questions. If someone didn't answer the questions or complete the dares, they had to pay a price."

"But what does that have to do with us?" Noah asked, his brow furrowed.

Melanie paused for a moment, then let out a small laugh. "Oh my God, you guys just look like my friends."

She took a diary from a nearby shelf and handed it to Ava. "It was just an innocent game, but it ended in tragedy."

Ava opened the diary and saw clippings of old newspaper articles. "This is the same house where we played," she said, her voice trembling.

"Yes, this house is the key," Melanie confirmed.

"What do you mean?" Ethan asked. "If this house is the key, then why did I get a challenge when I was at home?"

"Wait, you already had your turn?" Lily asked, shocked.

"Yes," Ethan replied.

"When? And why didn't you tell us?" Ava demanded.

"I just found out today. I'll explain everything," Ethan promised.

"Okay," Lily said, still looking worried.

Melanie sighed. "Once you start the game, it doesn't matter where you are. The game will follow you."

"Then what should we do? How can we stop this?" Ava asked, desperation in her voice.

"You have to play till the end. There are three rounds. Only by completing all the rounds will this game end," Melanie explained.

"Will the game really end when we complete all the rounds?" Noah asked, skepticism in his voice.

"Yes, but don't think it's easy. You know, only my sister and I were left. But still, she died completing her last round. Which round are you on right now?" Melanie asked.

"Second round," Ava replied.

"Then you know you can answer questions easily, but the main problem is the dares. Not everyone is lucky enough to get truth. The game is based on your fears, past actions, and sins. The dares will become more and more deadly. You better be careful while performing a dare," Melanie warned.

"I have a question," Ethan interjected.

"Go ahead," Melanie replied.

"When we started the game, Ava was the first one to go. But in the second round, why did our other friend get the first dare?" Ethan asked.

"If you all had the same turn order, you would be aware of whose turn is next and try to protect that person. The game shuffles the order to keep you on edge," Melanie explained.

"So now, we don't know whose turn it will be next," Lily realized.

"Exactly," Melanie confirmed. "You need to outsmart the game. You can share the dares you get."

"Share? But how?" Noah asked, confused.

"For example, when I got a dare to cut off three fingers, I did one and my other two friends did the others. Like this, we managed to survive longer. You have to outsmart the devil. Only then can you stay alive," Melanie explained.

"Okay," Ava said, determination in her voice.

"You need to go back to that house. Only there can the game be ended. Remember, you can be smarter than the game," Melanie advised.

Everyone nodded, exchanging determined looks. They knew the path ahead would be dangerous, but they had no choice. They had to finish the game to survive.....

*****