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Scarlett's Play House
Step right up, but be warned: this carnival takes more than just your money.

Scarlett, a red-haired wisp with eyes like storm clouds, craved the macabre. Abandoned long ago by her parents, the thrill of fear was a twisted comfort. The Carnival Hook Up, a twisted celebration of horror and desire, was her stage. But her performance soon became a terrifying reality.

Blue roses, an unsettling calling card, began appearing. Her mentor and childhood friend, James, the charismatic king of the after-hours exotic stage, claimed innocence. Grayson, the carnival's enigmatic CEO, observed her from the shadows, his silence more menacing than any scream. Her protective older brothers, Everest, the hotel magnate, and Nevada, the soccer star turned streamer, sensed the danger lurking. Even Savannah, her twin, a doctor accustomed to life and death, was unnerved.

Two years of unease culminated in a terrifying home invasion. No longer the naive actress, Scarlett was ready. She lunged, tearing away the Ghostface mask, the reveal plunging her into a nightmare far more intimate and twisted than any carnival act. The horror she sought had finally found her and its name was Grayson.

Scarlett's Play House

It had been three days since I opened the envelope. Three days of silence from Grayson.

No roses. No messages. No eyes watching me through dark glass.

The quiet should've been comforting. It wasn't. It was eerie, like the carnival when the lights cut out but the music keeps playing somewhere far off.

Wilson said Grayson was backing off to "reassess." That meant he was planning something.

So I did the only thing that made sense in the void.

Savannah's townhouse was in the quiet part of the city, tucked behind trees and floral hedges. It looked too normal for any of this. Too soft for someone like me. But the moment the front door opened, I exhaled for the first time in what felt like years.

"Scarlett?" Savannah blinked, still in her scrubs, a coffee mug in one hand and exhaustion hanging in her eyes.

She dropped the mug. Didn't even flinch when it shattered. She threw her arms around me.

"You're really here," she whispered. "You're safe."

"I missed you," I mumbled into her shoulder, trying not to cry. "I missed all of you."

She pulled back, brushing tears away from my cheeks like she used to when we were kids. "Everest and Nevada are already here. They got worried when I told them you called."

I followed her into the living room, heart pounding.

Everest was leaning against the fireplace, arms crossed, black curls falling over his brow. Nevada was on the couch, pacing in place with a game controller still in his hand, his screen paused mid-match.

"Scar," Everest said. Not a question. Not a lecture. Just my name, solid and warm.

Nevada got to me first, nearly tackling me into the couch. "You idiot. You absolute idiot. I thought you were dead."

"Nice to see you too," I laughed, but it broke halfway through.

Everest walked over and pulled me into a tight hug that said everything he didn't.

"You okay?" Savannah asked once we were all seated. "Really?"

"No," I said honestly. "But I'm better now."

We sat for hours. No secrets. I told them everything—well, almost. I left out the darker details about Elias, the envelope, and what might be coming next. I just… needed to be their little sister again for a moment.

Nevada brought snacks. Savannah made tea. Everest said nothing but stayed close, always the quiet shield.

"I don't know what your endgame is, Scar," Savannah finally said, her hand covering mine, "but we're in this now. All of us."

Because no matter how twisted the carnival got… blood always found a way to survive the storm.

Chapter 48