Act IV

The silence didn't last long. A low, guttural moan echoed through the mansion, sending a chill down my spine. It was coming from the direction of the study.

"We need to find another way out," I said, my voice low but firm.

"Where?" Sasha asked, her voice trembling. "We don't even know this place."

"There has to be another exit," Masha said, her tone calm but urgent. "A back door, a window, something."

"Windows are barred," Hendrick said, his voice hollow. "I just checked."

My heart sank. "Then we're stuck here."

The moan came again, louder this time, and the sound of footsteps followed—slow, deliberate, and growing closer.

"Whatever that thing is, it's coming," Maya said, her voice shaking.

"We can't just stand here," Sasha said, her voice rising with panic. "We have to do something!"

"Stay calm," I said, though my own heart was racing. "We'll figure this out."

The footsteps grew louder, and the air seemed to grow colder. The shadows in the hallway shifted, and a figure emerged—a hunched, humanoid shape with glowing eyes and a grotesque snarl.

"Run!" I shouted, grabbing Sasha's arm and pulling her toward one of the other rooms.

The others didn't need to be told twice. We scattered, the others disappearing into one room while I pulled Sasha into another. I slammed the door shut and bolted it, the creature's moans echoing behind us.

"Are you alright?" I asked Sasha, who shot me a weak smile in response.

I wiped the tears still on her face, but from the corner of my eye, I caught sight of someone else in the room.

Evelyn.

She stood with her back to us, air pods in her ears, completely oblivious to our presence.

"Evelyn!" I tapped her shoulder, and she jumped, startled. Her expression shifted from fear to surprise as she pulled out her air pods.

"You guys are still here?" she asked, her tone casual, as if nothing were wrong.

"Yes," I said, my voice tight. "I thought you went out to get groceries?"

"I did," Evelyn said, shrugging. "I got back a while ago. I didn't want to disturb you guys, so I came up here. I thought you'd left already. Do you know what time it is?"

"I thought you didn't have your key or something and were waiting for you to get back—"

The creature's moan came again, louder this time, and Sasha gripped my hand tighter, her nails digging into my skin. A cold chill ran down my spine.

"What the hell was that?" Evelyn asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"I was hoping you'd tell us," I said, my voice sharp. "Why is there a ghost in your house?"

Evelyn frowned, her expression a mix of confusion and irritation. "What are you talking about? There's no ghost in this house."

"Then what the hell is that?" I snapped, pointing toward the door.

Evelyn started for the door, but I moved quickly to block her. "Don't," I said, my voice firm. "It's not safe."

"Why not?" Evelyn demanded, her tone defiant.

"I'll explain later," I said. "Is there another way out of here?"

Evelyn eyed me for a moment before sighing. "Yeah, there's another door behind the curtains over there."

Evelyn walked toward the curtains and pulled them apart, revealing a hidden door. It was small and unassuming, but the sight of it sent a chill down my spine. What else was hidden in this mansion?

She pushed the door open, and we stepped into a walk-in closet. Hendrick, Maya, and Masha were already there, huddled together in the corner. Hendrick stood with a clothes hanger in his hands, pointed at the door like a weapon. His face was pale, and his clothes were stained with dark, drying blood.

"I thought you were someone else," he said, lowering the hanger.

"Evelyn? I thought you weren't home?" Maya asked, her voice trembling.

But Evelyn wasn't listening. Her eyes were fixed on Hendrick's bloodied appearance. "What the hell happened to you?" she demanded, her voice rising with panic. "And why is there blood all over your body?"

"I didn't see this coming," Hendrick said, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What?" Maya asked, her tone sharp.

Hendrick staggered back before sitting on the floor, his face pale and his hands trembling. "Earlier at school today, when I heard you talking with Evelyn about coming here, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity. A chance to grab some valuables without anyone noticing."

"You wanted to rob me?" Evelyn said, her voice rising with anger. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

"I'm sorry," Hendrick said, his gaze fixed on the ground. "I thought you wouldn't notice if a few things were missing…"

"So that was a lie when you told me my sister and Evelyn were talking about doing drugs after school?" Maya asked, her voice trembling with betrayal.

"I'm sorry," Hendrick said again, his voice hollow. "I never thought this would happen. I wouldn't have done it if I knew…"

"We went down there thinking there'd be some valuables," Hendrick continued, his voice shaking. "But Martin… he must've touched something…"

"Down where?" Evelyn asked, her brow furrowing in confusion.

"The secret room behind the bookshelf in the study," Hendrick said.

"What secret room?" Evelyn asked, her voice rising with panic. "What are you talking about?"

Hendrick paused for a beat, then reached into his pocket and pulled out an ornate box. He placed it on the floor next to me, his hands trembling. "I managed to grab this," he said, his voice barely audible. "But Martin… he didn't make it."

I grabbed the box and opened it, finding a strange-looking stone inside. Underneath it was a folded piece of paper. My hands trembled as I unfolded it, the ink faded but still legible. My heart sank as I read the words: "Preservation Ritual—Day 147. The connection grows stronger. Everything's going as planned so far."

"Guys," I said, turning to the others, but their attention was still fixed on Hendrick.

"So you led Martin into your stupidity and got him killed?" Sasha said, her voice trembling with rage.

Evelyn's eyes widened at the word "killed," but before she could say anything, Sasha lunged at Hendrick. "YOU WORTHLESS PIECE OF SHIT!" she screamed, punching him across the face.

I dropped the note and grabbed Sasha, pulling her back as she struggled against me, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "Let me go!" she shouted, her voice breaking. "He got Martin killed!"

"I'm sorry," Hendrick said again, his gaze fixed on the ground. Maya didn't say anything; she just looked at him, with an expression of disappointment.

Masha turned to Evelyn, her usual quiet demeanor replaced by a rare intensity. "Is there another way out of the mansion?" she asked, her voice firm.

"Yes," Evelyn replied, her voice trembling. "There's a back door in my mom's room that leads to the garden."

Masha turned to me, and I could see the determination in her eyes. We shared the same thought: that was our way out of this forsaken mansion.

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