Natalie's Death...

Natalie's hands shook uncontrollably as she backed away from the rope, her face pale as a ghost. "No! I am NOT doing that! Get the hell away from me!" Her voice trembled, barely holding it together.

Without even thinking, she turned and bolted for the door. Her heart pounded in her chest so hard it felt like it was going to explode. Every instinct screamed at her to run, get out, save herself.

She grabbed the doorknob and twisted with all her might, but it wouldn't budge. It was like the door had been sealed shut by some invisible force.

Panic surged through her, crawling up her spine and gripping her chest like a vice. She yanked at the handle over and over.

"OPEN THE DOOR! SOMEONE, PLEASE!" she screamed, pounding her fists on the door with wild desperation. But there was no one. Her parents were out. The house was empty, and she was all alone.

Chloe leaned against the wall, watching it all unfold like she was bored at a dull movie. "You've got two minutes, babe," she said with a lazy yawn. "After that… well, I think you can guess what happens."

Natalie's mind raced a million miles a minute. There had to be some way out of this nightmare. She pounded on the door again, harder this time, her fists aching from the impact.

"HELP! SOMEBODY, PLEASE! AH!" Her screams echoed around the room, bouncing off the soundproof walls. Of course, it was soundproof.

She'd practically begged her parents for it when she first started playing the drums. Now, the irony of it hit her like a punch to the gut—it was trapping her in her hell.

Chloe rolled her eyes dramatically like she was dealing with a child. "Come on, Nat. Don't you remember? This room's soundproof. No one's coming to save you. But don't worry—I'll let your friends know. Let's see if they can make it in time. Should be fun, right?"

...

Across town, Ava was chilling in her bathroom, fixing her hair, when out of nowhere, something caught her eye—a drawing in blood. She froze, staring at the bathroom mirror.

In the bloodied image, she saw Natalie, hanging by a rope in her room. And next to her? Chloe, with a twisted grin. The image was too real, like it wasn't just a picture, but a window into something happening right now. Ava felt a chill creep down her spine. It was like Chloe was WATCHING HER through the bloody artwork. Creepy didn't even begin to describe it.

...

Noah and Ethan were minding their own business, goofing off at the park, when this scruffy dog suddenly darted toward them. They both stepped back, surprised. The dog stopped right in front of them, wagged its tail, and then...it TALKED.

"You've got two minutes to save your friend, Natalie," it barked, then took off running like nothing had happened, leaving Noah and Ethan in complete shock, their jaws practically on the floor.

...

Lily, on the other hand, was peacefully napping. She had a vivid dream, though—not the good kind. In her dream, she saw everything happening to Natalie, from the start to the brutal, bitter end.

By the time she woke up, her heart was racing, and the image of Natalie hanging burned into her mind. She sat up, drenched in cold sweat.

...

Meanwhile, Jake was chowing down on his breakfast, totally unaware, when something scrawled in blood on the dining table caught his attention. His fork dropped as he read the words:

NATALIE IS DYING… GO SAVE HER.

His appetite vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold dread. He didn't waste another second, sprinting out the door and heading straight to Natalie's house.

...

Back in her room, Natalie's legs gave out, and she crumpled to the floor, her back against the door. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at the rope swaying above her. "You... you monster..." she sobbed, her voice barely a whisper.

Chloe's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing as she checked an imaginary watch on her wrist. "Time's up."

The rope, like it had a life of its own, began to snake down toward her. Natalie's breath hitched in her throat as she scrambled to her feet, clawing at the air. She tried to grab the rope, shove it away, DO SOMETHING, but it was too fast.

It wrapped around her neck, tightening instantly. Her hands flew to her throat, desperately trying to loosen the grip, but the more she struggled, the tighter it became.

Slowly, the rope began to lift her off the ground. Natalie's feet kicked, searching for something solid, but all she found was air. Her vision started to blur as her lungs screamed for air.

...

Meanwhile, Ava, Noah, Lily, Jake, and Ethan were all receiving the same gut-wrenching message. Their phones buzzed at the same time, and when they opened the video, they were met with the horrifying sight of their friend, Natalie, hanging by her neck. She was struggling, her face pale, eyes wide with terror, her legs thrashing as she fought to stay alive.

Then, there was a message at the bottom.

YOU ARE ALWAYS WELCOME TO WATCH THE LIVE STREAM. WHAT IF YOU AREN'T PHYSICAL PRESENT? WATCH LIVE!!!

Panic hit them like a brick wall. Every one of them was sprinting, pushing their bodies to the limit. The image of Natalie's pale face was seared into their minds. And that message at the bottom? It was as if a company was advertising... Fuck!!!!

When they finally reached Natalie's house, the door was locked tight. Ava was the first to reach it, slamming her entire body against the wood and screaming her lungs out.

"Natalie! Please, open the door!" Her voice was thick with tears, full of raw fear.

Noah and Ethan were right behind her, throwing their shoulders against the door, their faces drained of color. "We've gotta get in! Come on!" Noah shouted, his voice shaking with desperation.

...

Inside, Natalie's vision was fading fast. Her throat burned as she gasped for breath, her fingers weakly trying to pry the rope from her neck, but she knew it was hopeless. "Help... please..." she whispered, barely able to form the words.

And then, at last, the door burst open with a crash. Ava, Noah, and Ethan rushed into the room, but they froze as soon as they saw her.

Natalia's lifeless body hung there, swaying gently in the air. Her face was pale, her eyes closed, her struggle over.

Ava collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. "No… no, please…" she whimpered, her heart breaking.

Noah and Ethan stood in stunned silence, their faces white as the grim reality of it all hit them. They had been too late.