"Oh, crap! I forgot," Ava exclaimed.
"Just get over here quickly," Lily sighed before hanging up.
Ava turned to Noah. "We should get going. Lily's waiting for us."
"Alright, let's go," Noah said with a small smile, though the weight of everything that had happened still lingered in the air.
As they left Ava's house, their hearts felt lighter—if only for a moment. But the shadow of death loomed over them all, and no one knew who would be next.
Who will be the last one standing?
...
Noah and Ava finally reached the bus stop, where Ethan and Lily were already waiting. The whole vibe was tense like everyone was carrying a dark cloud over their heads after everything they'd been through.
Ava looked around, almost hoping for a distraction. "Where's Jake? He's supposed to be here, right?"
Lily sighed, a little annoyed. "Yeah, about that... He can't come because of his knee injury. Poor guy's stuck at home."
Noah nodded, but he wasn't sold on the idea. "And we're just gonna leave him behind? What if something happens to him?"
Lily rolled her eyes but then softened a bit. "Relax, dude. His parents are with him. He's safer than us right now."
"Fine, but still…" Noah mumbled, looking unconvinced.
Ethan, probably fed up with the back-and-forth, signaled for everyone to get on the bus. "Guys, let's just go already. We can't waste any more time."
They all boarded the bus for what felt like the longest hour of their lives. When they finally got to their destination, an old house, they stood in front of a mansion that looked both creepy and kinda fancy.
Ava squinted at the place, not sure what to think. "This is the place?"
Lily nodded. "Yup, pretty sure. Looks...lovely, doesn't it?"
Noah laughed nervously. "Yeah, real welcoming."
They headed to the door and rang the bell.
*Ding dong.*
Nothing. No movement, no sound from inside.
Ethan pressed it again, getting impatient. *Ding dong.*
Still nothing. After a few more tries, Lily started to get frustrated. "Why isn't anyone answering? This is ridiculous."
Noah shrugged. "Maybe she's just not home? Or, you know, maybe she's avoiding us... I would."
Ava, trying to be the peacemaker, stepped forward. "Let me try." She knocked on the door, her voice shaking. "Please, open the door! We played the game, the one you played with your friends, and now our friends are dying. We don't know what to do… You have to help us!"
Lily huffed, losing hope. "Ava, let it go. She's probably not here."
Ethan sighed in agreement. "Yeah, let's just leave. We'll come back later or something."
Just as they were about to turn around, the door slowly creaked open. A middle-aged woman stood there, staring at them with a look that said, "Who the hell are you?"
"Who are you, and why are you here?" the woman demanded, her voice carrying a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
Ava's heart was pounding. "Please, we need your help. We... we don't know what's happening."
...
Meanwhile, Jake stepped into the shower, feeling like the water might be the only thing that could ground him. The cold tiles sent a shiver through him as he stood under the warm spray, trying to wash away the terror clinging to his skin
But no matter how hot the water got, it couldn't drown out the nightmare that was now his life.
After what felt like hours, Jake stepped out, drying himself off. He headed over to his wardrobe to grab some clothes. But the moment he opened it, his breath hitched. His eyes locked onto something he couldn't believe. His whole body froze.
Tears blurred his vision, fear clawing at him. What the hell was going on?
...
The group sat awkwardly in an old, worn-out living room, facing the woman who finally let them in. She introduced herself as Melanie.
Lily couldn't help but notice something off about her. "Uh, your face…"
Melanie smirked bitterly. "Yeah, it's pretty bad, huh? But losing my looks was nothing compared to watching my best friends and little sister die. I stood there, helpless."
The room went cold. Everyone was silent, unsure of what to say. A single tear slid down Melanie's cheek, but she wiped it away like it was nothing.
"It's not your fault," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Melanie led them into the kitchen, where they all sat around an old wooden table. She began to explain. "It started as a simple Christmas game. You know, dares and questions. Seemed fun at first. But if you didn't do the dare or answer the question... the price was steep."
Noah frowned. "But what does that have to do with us?"
Melanie chuckled, though there was no humor in it. "Oh, you guys. You remind me so much of my friends. It's like a sick joke."
She handed Ava an old, tattered diary. "It was just a game... until it wasn't."
Ava flipped through the pages, her face turning pale. "Wait, this is the same house we played in."
"Exactly," Melanie confirmed. "This house holds the key."
Ethan leaned forward, confused. "But why did I get a challenge when I wasn't even in the house?"
Lily's eyes widened. "Wait, you've already had your turn? Why didn't you say anything?!"
"I didn't know!" Ethan exclaimed. "I just found out today. I'll explain everything later."
Melanie sighed, sounding exhausted. "The game follows you wherever you go. You can't escape it."
Ava's voice cracked with desperation. "How do we stop it?"
"You can't. Not until you finish all three rounds. Only then will it end," Melanie replied.
Noah, still skeptical, asked, "Are you sure?"
Melanie looked him dead in the eyes. "Yes. But don't think it'll be easy. My sister and I were the last two standing... and she didn't make it through her final round. What round are you on now?"
Ava swallowed hard. "The second."
Melanie nodded, her face grim. "Then you know the questions are nothing. The real danger lies in the dares. The game will prey on your deepest fears, your sins... and it gets deadlier with every turn."