Death

The dim light of the motel room flickered above as Ryan and Ashley moved under the blanket, their bodies entwined, kissing deeply as their passion intensified. The bed creaked rhythmically, and the room filled with the soft sounds of their pleasure. Ashley's hands gripped Ryan's back, pulling him closer as they both lost themselves in the moment.

Suddenly, a sharp ding echoed through the room.

Ryan froze. They both turned their heads toward the door, the mood instantly broken. The doorbell had rung.

"Who the hell…?" Ryan muttered, sitting up and pulling on his jeans. "It's probably just Josh messing with us."

Ashley stayed under the blanket, her face twisted in confusion. "Just ignore it. Come back."

But Ryan, his curiosity piqued, shook his head. "Nah, I'll check. Be right back." He threw on a shirt and quietly padded across the room. The air felt heavy now, a weird tension hanging between them.

Ashley lay back, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't see the door from her angle, the wall blocking her view, but she heard Ryan slowly open it, the hinges creaking as the door swung inward.

A moment of silence passed.

And then a loud, mechanical roar filled the room—a deafening, guttural sound that made Ashley's heart stop.

Rrrrrrr-rrrrraaaaawwwwwr!

Ashley sat up, panic rushing through her. "Ryan? What the hell is—" Before she could finish her sentence, blood sprayed across the room, splattering against the walls and soaking the bed in an instant.

She screamed, her voice breaking as she saw the chainsaw tear straight through Ryan's torso, cutting him clean in half. His body fell in two pieces, his organs spilling onto the floor in a grotesque, steaming mess. Blood poured everywhere, coating the room in a nightmarish crimson.

Ashley screamed again, louder, more desperate, scrambling back on the bed as her mind struggled to comprehend what had just happened.

Meanwhile, by the lake, the others were still laughing and drinking when the scream ripped through the night air.

"What the hell was that?" Mia said, her face turning pale.

Jason stood up, alert. "Did that… did that sound like Ashley?"

Josh, who had been casually lounging with his beer, just grinned. "Nah, dude, that's probably Ryan getting too rough on her. You know how they are."

Mia smacked his arm. "Josh, that's not funny. What if something bad actually happened?"

Natalie, who had been quietly praying the whole time, gripped her cross tighter. "I told you. I knew something was wrong here! We need to go check!"

Josh rolled his eyes, taking another swig of beer. "There's nothing going on. I bet you they're just having a wild time in there. Y'all always worry too much. Let them do their thing."

Mia wasn't convinced. "No, something didn't sound right."

Without waiting for Josh's approval, Mia, Jason, and Natalie started walking back toward the motel, leaving Josh by the lake.

He laughed, waving them off. "You guys are killin' the vibe! Go on, play detective. I'll stay here and finish my drink."

Josh stood there for a moment, watching them disappear into the mist. He shook his head, finishing off his beer before setting it down. "Bunch of paranoid freaks."

Feeling the buzz of the alcohol and slightly irritated, he headed to the edge of the lake to relieve himself. The moonlight cast eerie shadows over the water, but Josh wasn't the type to scare easily. He unzipped his pants and started peeing into the water, grinning to himself as he let out a relieved sigh.

His thoughts wandered to the reception girl back at the motel, and he chuckled, shaking his head. "Man, she was fine as hell," he muttered, imagining her dark hair and cold, uninterested stare. "Bet she'd be all over me if she wasn't stuck in this dump. She just doesn't know what she's missing."

He smirked, indulging in his fantasies, making lewd comments under his breath as he continued to piss into the lake. The alcohol made him bolder, his imagination running wild. "I'd have her beggin' for it, bet she—"

Suddenly, something cold and slimy wrapped around his ankle.

Josh froze, looking down. His breath hitched in his throat.

A pale, bony hand shot up from the water, gripping his leg tightly, yanking him forward.

"What the f—!" he screamed, stumbling as he tried to pull away, but the grip was too strong. The hand tightened, pulling him closer to the water's edge, dragging him down. His heart raced, panic flooding his system as he scrambled, clawing at the dirt.

"Help! HELP!" he yelled, but there was no one around to hear him. He flailed, his hands scraping at the rocks, but the hand wouldn't let go.

With one final, violent pull, the hand yanked him into the lake. His body hit the cold water with a splash, the icy liquid filling his lungs as he was dragged under. He thrashed, trying desperately to break free, but it was useless.

In seconds, the surface of the lake went still. The only sound left was the soft ripple of water and the faint whisper of the wind.