The Blood Staircase

Aarav inserted the cold, cursed key into the rusted lock. The heavy door creaked open, revealing a spiral staircase that descended deep into darkness. A metallic smell of iron and blood drifted up from below.

Maya covered her nose.

"Why does it smell like… blood?"

"Because this house is alive," Aarav muttered. "And it's hungry."

The moment Maya placed her foot on the first step, a deep squelching sound echoed, as if the stairs were made of flesh. Looking down, she gasped—

"Aarav! The stairs are bleeding!"

Thick red liquid oozed between the cracks of the old wood, dripping like tears.

As they descended, the walls began whispering again—louder than ever, as if hundreds of voices were trapped inside them.

"Go back… or drown in blood…"

"Your life for hers…"

Maya gripped Aarav's sleeve tightly.

"Why do they keep saying that? Why always me?"

Aarav's jaw tightened.

"Because they know you're my weakness. They want me to choose."

Halfway down, one of the steps suddenly sank like quicksand, pulling Maya's foot deep into the bloody wood. She screamed as something sharp wrapped around her ankle like bone-like tendrils.

"Aarav! It's pulling me in!"

"Hold on!" Aarav dropped to his knees, yanking her with all his strength.

With a loud crack, the wood released her, leaving her leg stained with blood.

"This staircase… it's feeding on us," Aarav growled.

As they reached the last few steps, Maya looked down and froze. The blood pooling below formed images—visions of Aarav standing alone in the mansion, his hands covered in Maya's blood.

"Aarav… I think this place wants me dead. It's showing you killing me."

Aarav looked into her terrified eyes and clenched her hand.

"Don't believe anything this house shows you. I'll never hurt you."

When they finally stepped onto the landing, the pool of blood at the bottom began to bubble violently, rising into a monstrous shape—a faceless, blood-red figure with long claws.

"Stay behind me," Aarav commanded, gripping the iron rod tightly.

The creature screeched, its voice like tearing metal:

"One soul… must stay…"

The blood guardian lunged, swinging its claws. Aarav struck its chest, but his rod sank into the creature like liquid, splashing blood everywhere.

Maya found a broken chain on the floor and swung it wildly, striking its head, buying Aarav a second to grab her and run.

At the end of the landing stood a door made entirely of intertwined human bones. The voices around them hissed:

"Turn back… or be consumed…"

Aarav pushed Maya forward.

"Whatever is behind this door… it's the only way out of this hell."