The storm hit at dusk.
Thunder cracked so loud it rattled plates in the kitchen cabinets. Rain clawed at the windows like it wanted in. The house groaned again—louder this time, like it was laughing.
The group was already on edge.
They had gathered in the front room, the air stifling with anxiety, dust, and something else—mistrust.
Lorenz had found something. A torn page, half-burned, in the back of a kitchen drawer.
It was handwritten, jagged cursive:
"Once the words are spoken, the house awakens. It will not sleep again until only one remains."
Sophia read it aloud. Mae clutched her hand.
"You see?" Lorenz snapped, pointing at Mindy. "You knew this was real."
"I didn't know, I just—"
"You brought us here to test it." Olivia's voice was sharp. "You wanted to see what would happen."
"I didn't force anyone to come," Mindy said. "You all wanted something too. To get drunk. To be reckless. To feel alive for once."
"Cut the philosophy bull," Derreck growled. "You dragged us into a death house. That's not rebellion. That's murder."
"You think I meant for this to happen?" Mindy snapped.
"YOU STARTED THE CHANT." Karrie's voice cracked the room open. She stepped forward, eyes burning. "You whispered it last night. I heard you. In the dark."
Everyone turned.
Silence.
Mindy didn't deny it.
"I had to see if it was real," she said quietly. "And it is."
Joseph stood, fists clenched. "We should leave. Now."
"You step outside, you die." Elli's voice was calm. "That's one of the rules."
"What rules?" Olivia barked.
Elli glanced at Mindy. "The ones she found in her uncle's things."
That's when it hit—too many truths at once. Like broken glass dumped on the floor.
"You knew we'd get trapped," Joseph said.
"You had a CHOICE," Mindy shouted. "You chose this."
"No, you lied," Derreck said.
Sophia stood, trembling, voice sharp. "You put Mae in danger. You put all of us in danger."
Mindy turned on her. "Oh please. Like your little relationship isn't just another secret to protect. We're all selfish."
Sophia lunged.
Olivia stepped between them, shoving Sophia back. "No one's dying for your drama."
"Don't touch me!" Sophia snapped, eyes wild.
Eric, trying to mediate, stepped in—"Guys, this isn't helping—"
"Shut up, you've done nothing this whole time!" Joseph spat.
Eric shoved him. "Say that again."
And then it spiraled.
Mae was crying. Sophia grabbed her hand, tugging her toward the stairs. "We're leaving. I don't care what the rules are."
"You leave, you die," Elli warned again, her voice dead flat.
"Why do you know so much?" Karrie asked.
Elli didn't answer.
But Derreck did. "Because we've been here before."
Everyone turned.
"What?" Joseph said.
Elli looked at Derreck, cold. Furious. "You promised."
"You said we were done lying," he said. "So tell them. Tell them how your parents were part of it. Tell them how this game finds people. How it doesn't let them go."
The room exploded in noise—yelling, crying, accusations layered over accusations. The house felt like it was leaning in, listening.
Then a snap.
Not in the air—but between them.
Something broke.
Mae tore up the stairs, Sophia following. Lorenz stormed off to the basement. Joseph sat down, head in his hands. Eric slammed a door somewhere. Karrie walked to the back porch, ignoring Elli's warning.
Mindy stood alone, shaking. Not from fear. From shame.
Derreck watched Elli walk away from him.
The house creaked. It sounded like it was smiling.
It started with a slap.
A sharp crack of skin-on-skin that echoed through the hallway like gunfire. Joseph's face turned as Derreck's hand made contact, and for a moment—just a breath—the whole world stood still.
Then chaos.
Joseph tackled Derreck to the floor, fists flying, rage erupting like magma after too long simmering beneath the surface.
"YOU KNEW!" Joseph shouted, slamming Derreck into the dusty carpet.
"You think you're some goddamn leader?" Derreck roared, flipping him over. "You've been sitting on your ass pretending this isn't real!"
Olivia tried to pull them apart. "Stop it! STOP!"
Karrie yanked her back before she got caught in a stray elbow.
Elli stood in the hallway doorway, arms folded, watching with blank, icy eyes.
Mae screamed.
Sophia was already between them, shoving Derreck hard enough to make him stumble back.
Joseph sat up, blood trickling from his lip. Derreck's knuckles were raw.
"No more secrets," Joseph spat. "You say you've done this before? Then help us. Or get out of the way."
Derreck glared at him, then stormed down the hall.
Later, the living room was quiet again—except for the storm. The air tasted like rust. Everyone was shaken, scattered into emotional fallout.
Karrie sat with Olivia on the staircase.
"I used to think Mindy was reckless because she was brave," Karrie said softly. "But maybe… maybe she just wants to feel anything. Even if it kills everyone."
Olivia nodded. "I've known her since we were ten. She's never cried in front of me. Not once. Not even when her brother died."
"You think she'd let this thing take us?"
"I think…" Olivia's voice cracked. "I think she already has."
In the upstairs bathroom, Sophia crouched beside Mae, gently wiping the tear tracks from her cheeks.
"I should've protected you," she whispered.
"You did." Mae took her hand. "You're the only thing here that feels real."
Sophia leaned in, forehead against hers. "When this is over—if we make it out—I don't care what my parents think. I don't care what anyone thinks."
"I never asked you to choose," Mae said.
Sophia smiled faintly. "I'm not choosing. I'm staying. That's different."
Elli found Derreck in the attic.
He was leaning against a broken window frame, hands still shaking.
"Guess we're not good at hiding anymore," he said, not looking at her.
Elli sat beside him. "I liked it better when no one knew."
"They were going to find out."
She was quiet for a while.
Then: "You remember what happened to the last group?"
Derreck nodded. "Three dead. One missing."
"And you and I got out."
"Barely."
"Do you think we're cursed?" Elli asked.
"I think we're survivors," Derreck said.
She looked at him. "Sometimes I wonder if that's worse."
He reached out. She let him hold her hand.
Downstairs, Joseph stood in front of Mindy.
She hadn't moved from the chair in the corner since the fight.
"You brought this thing here," he said. "But now you help us end it."
Mindy looked up, eyes tired. "There is no end."
"Then we break the rules."
She shook her head slowly. "There's one more rule I didn't tell you."
Joseph tensed. "What is it?"
She met his eyes. "If more than one survives to dawn… they both die."