Four figures walked along a rough, deserted road on the southern edge of town, near the old industrial area. The sky was growing darker, and the sparse branches of the tall trees cast long, fragmented shadows on the uneven road. The last rays of sunlight filtered through the thin branches, reflecting on the pockmarked ground.

  The three figures in front moved quickly, occasionally whispering to each other, but Emily, trailing behind, had slowed her pace and was gradually falling behind.

  The road, long abandoned, had an air of neglect, with sprigs of new grass stubbornly pushing through the cracks in the stone. The damp scent of earth mixed with the freshness of new growth lingered in the air, carried by the gentle breeze. The bare branches swayed lightly, producing a soft rustling sound.

  Emily felt increasingly uneasy. The road under her feet seemed to grow harder to navigate, and her phone had long since lost signal, furthering her anxiety. What she had thought would be an ordinary night out with friends had turned into an adventure at the infamous haunted house—a fact she hadn’t mentioned to Samuel. Her eyes lingered on the backs of her friends ahead, her emotions conflicted.

  “Emily, hurry up!” Olivia called from the front, glancing over her shoulder. “It’s rare for you to come out with us for the night. The road’s rough, but we’re almost there. The haunted house is a bit far, so we should explore quickly before it gets too late.”

  Reluctantly, Emily quickened her pace, though her anxiety surged with each step. The others remained excited, chattering about their destination—a place simply known as "the haunted house."

  “Do you really believe in the stories about that place?” Lena’s voice was low and uneasy. Her gaze darted toward the shadows at the roadside, as if expecting something to leap out at any moment. “I heard people who go in never come out again. The last one to disappear was a kid, right near the house.”

  Ben scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, Lena. A haunted house? It’s just a few old, abandoned buildings. Jack and his friends were there the other day and found nothing.”

  At that moment, a sudden cold wind swept through, kicking up the dust and making the trees shiver. Everyone instinctively tightened their jackets against the chill.

  “Did you feel that? It suddenly got so cold,” Lena asked in a trembling voice.

  Olivia turned, smirking dismissively. “Come on, it’s just April, and the wind’s a little stronger. Stop scaring yourself.” Despite her casual tone, there was an undeniable shift in the air, as if something unseen was watching.

  Lena remained tense, muttering, “But that child... It’s not just a story, is it? Something doesn’t feel right.”

  Emily stayed silent, her unease growing. Glancing at her phone’s ‘no signal’ message, her heart raced. A nameless fear gnawed at her insides, making her wonder if she should have come at all.

  Finally, unable to keep quiet any longer, she stopped and asked, “Why didn’t you tell me earlier we were going to the haunted house?”

  Olivia chuckled, stepping closer. “If we had, you would’ve told Samuel. And then he’d never let you come. We just wanted you to have some fun with us.”

  Emily frowned at Olivia, but her anxiety remained. Olivia wasn’t wrong—Samuel wouldn’t have allowed her to join an adventure like this. But her current worry wasn’t just about the haunted house; it was about how to face Samuel if he found out.

  Emily had never been a perfect child. She’d rebelled before. But as time went on, Samuel’s control over her grew stronger, forcing her to submit. This time, though, she had done something reckless behind his back, and the thought of his possible anger gripped her heart with fear. Samuel’s rage, she realized, might be more terrifying than any haunted house.

  She could already picture his cold gaze and harsh scolding. The silent pressure of his disappointment was something she had never been able to resist, and it was the last thing she wanted to face.

  She glanced down at her phone again. Still no signal. There was no way to reach him now, but the guilt weighed on her heavily, making each step feel heavier than the last. She wanted to turn back, yet feared letting her friends down. She was stuck between two terrible options—both paths leading only to suffocation.

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  Meanwhile, Ethan and Samuel had arrived at Emily’s school. The campus was eerily quiet as they hurried through the empty hallways, searching for any sign of her.

  “We need to find her fast,” Samuel muttered, scanning the area with sharp eyes.

  When they reached Emily’s classroom, they found only a few students lounging inside, speaking in hushed tones. The classroom was dim, with the slanting rays of the setting sun casting long shadows on the floor. A heavy, oppressive silence hung in the air, as if hinting at the danger lurking ahead.

  “You heard Olivia and the others went to the haunted house, right?” one of the students whispered, both nervous and excited.

  Samuel’s expression turned icy. He stormed into the room. “What are you talking about? Where did they go? Who’s with them?”

  Startled by his sudden presence, the students exchanged glances before one spoke up. “They… they went to the haunted house to explore. Emily, Lena, and Ben went too.”

  “Where is it?” Samuel’s voice was cold, teetering on the edge of fury.

  One of the students hesitated before answering, “It’s south of town, near the old industrial area past Oak Street. It’s close to Ridgewood Forest, and the road’s rough, covered in rocks and weeds. No one really goes there.”

  Another chimed in, “Yeah, Jack said the path’s full of stones and overgrown weeds. It’s easy to trip. The trees are still budding, but they grow thick, so it feels like the sunlight can’t reach through. It’s creepy even in daylight, let alone at night.”

  Ethan’s stomach tightened as he imagined the desolate, dangerous area.

  Samuel clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles made a faint cracking sound. His breathing grew heavier, as if he was moments away from an explosive outburst.

  Samuel’s anger was barely contained as he turned and stormed out, with Ethan hurrying after him. Ethan could feel the volcanic fury radiating from Samuel, quickening his own pace and sparking a surge of anxiety.

  “She didn’t tell me where she was going! How could she hide this from me?” Samuel’s voice was a low, furious growl, and Ethan had never seen him so out of control.

  Ethan quickened his pace as well, feeling uneasy. "Did you never tell Emily about... them?" he asked, his tone urgent and confused. "How could she think it’s safe to go somewhere so isolated?"

  Samuel suddenly halted, his hand pressing against his nose bridge, his face showing a rare expression of exhaustion and regret. "No, I haven’t told her," he answered quietly, his voice heavy with remorse. "She’s still so young… I thought I could protect her a bit longer. I didn’t want her to bear the weight of it all."

  Ethan felt a sinking feeling in his chest. He hadn’t expected Samuel to admit this. He quickly pulled out his phone, checking the time, his anxiety growing by the second. "If we hurry, we’ll still need at least half an hour to reach them."

  “Are we really going after her without anything to defend ourselves?” Ethan finally broke the tense silence, trying to get Samuel to think rationally. "If we actually come across those things, being empty-handed won’t help much. Do you have any way to fight them?"

  Samuel ran his hands through his hair in frustration, his voice low and filled with desperation. "I don’t know... I really don’t know what could hurt them. I’ve never had to face them directly. And we’re too weak—nothing we have would make a difference."

  Ethan was caught off guard by Samuel’s helplessness. He’d never seen him like this—so vulnerable. Closing his eyes for a moment, Ethan tried to calm his own nerves. When he opened them, he spoke with forced confidence. "It’ll be fine. Emily will be fine." But in his mind, Ethan was already questioning whether the Death Reset would still work, and he wasn’t sure. He hadn’t intended to rely on it again so soon. Yet if something went wrong, and he was forced to reset, he needed to make this encounter count. He needed to learn these creatures’ weaknesses.

  After a moment, Ethan suggested, "How about I go grab something useful while you go find Emily? I’ll meet you there after I’ve got what we need."

  Samuel froze at those words, his face suddenly darkening. He stopped in his tracks, glaring at Ethan with cold, barely concealed fury. Ethan, startled by the sudden shift in Samuel’s demeanor, couldn’t understand why he was being looked at this way.

  At that moment, a familiar voice called from the distance, “Ethan! Weren’t you feeling unwell? What are you doing wandering around?”

  Ethan turned stiffly, seeing Henry walking toward them. His heart skipped a beat—it was as though he’d been caught in the act of something forbidden. Hastily, he replied, "I was on my way home, just bumped into Samuel and chatted for a bit."

  He gave Samuel a quick glance, hoping he’d play along, but Samuel didn’t even look in their direction. Instead, still bristling with barely controlled anger, he turned and stormed off.

  Henry, puzzled, raised an eyebrow. "What’s up with Samuel? No wonder he’s always by himself in class. That attitude drives people away."

  Ethan forced a smile, deflecting. "Yeah, he’s always been like that. Anyway, I need to head home too. What about you?"

  Henry shrugged. "Same here. How’re you feeling, by the way? Need me to walk you home?"

  Ethan knew he had more important things to do, so he quickly shook his head. "No, I’m fine now. You go on ahead, I’ll be okay." With that, he hurried in the direction of his house, his thoughts racing.

  As he reached the street corner and paused to catch his breath, a sudden thought struck him—Henry’s house wasn’t even in this direction. Why was he here? Ethan shook his head, trying to refocus on the task at hand. He didn’t have time to get distracted.

  He made his way to a nearby store, hoping to find tools—anything that could help him fight the creatures. The familiar scent of snacks and drinks hit him as he entered, but he was too focused to pay it much attention.

  Reaching into his pocket, he counted his change—barely ten dollars. He frowned, realizing this wouldn’t be enough for much. Standing in front of the shelves, Ethan paused, deep in thought. Would this even be enough to buy something useful against those creatures?