With Mia and Evelyn, we reach the entrance's far side. I grab herbs, staying alert. The scaffolding's just boards—holes underneath? We spot a crow-stuffed door, a square-holed crank device, and a floor gap.
"No crow key or crank. Can't proceed."
"This place… maybe…"
"From your video's end?"
"Where Mia wet herself."
"Ethan, keep watch. I'll check."
"She doesn't want you knowing?"
"Got it. No one's taking her again."
"I'll be back."
"…Evelyn."
"Such a worrywart. Off I go!"
Mia crawls into the floor gap. I send Evelyn, who hates bugs, along. Time to handle whoever's lurking.
"Thought you'd ambush us? Too predictable!"
I spin, blasting a shotgun at the source of killing intent. A scream—"Migyaa!"—and a monster recoils. It's Margaret, limbs stretched, spider-like.
"Ethan, Ethan, Ethan! Planning to sneak into my second-floor altar, huh? Zoe's behind this! Thought I wouldn't notice!?"
"Altar?"
Clinging to the wall, she snarls, swinging her lantern, summoning winged bugs like missiles.
"No one touches my sacred altar!"
"Straight-flying bugs? Not scary!"
I slash with my knife, blocking their path, and shoot Margaret with my handgun. She hops to the ceiling, dodging, leaping erratically, ranting.
"Zoe! Zoe! You're listening, right!? You mock me and Jack, you failure! What a terrible kid! Shouldn't have birthed you! Always looking down on us, planning to ditch this house, failure, failure, failure, failure, FAILURE!"
"Have you ever considered Zoe's feelings, you crazed hag!?"
I recall the family photo in the trailer, scrawled with "It's too late for them." I don't know Zoe's pain, but she doesn't deserve this!
"Crazed hag!? Don't call me that, you lunatic! I don't care about Zoe's feelings! Touch my altar, and I'll tear you apart and make steaks!"
Margaret lunges. I slam the burner's fuel tank into her face. Mia and Evelyn pop out of the hole.
"I'm back—GYA!?"
"Found the crank, Ethan. What's—!?"
"Bugs! NO! Sorry, Margaret!"
"Why're you apologizing, Evelyn? Mia, there's a crank spot deeper in! I'll hold her off, go!"
"No escape!"
"That's my line, idiot!"
"Goal shot! Super exciting!"
As Mia heads for the crank device, I kick Margaret lunging at her. She spins, crashing into the crow door, collapsing.
"Now!"
"Got it!"
"Teamwork, huh? Couple goals."
Mia uses the crank, creating a passage, then runs off with it. I keep eyes on Margaret.
"Ouch… Fine, you stupid runt! Let's get serious!"
Margaret rises, swinging her lantern. I shoot her hand, making her drop it.
"Not again!"
"You control bugs with that, huh? Gross."
"Totally."
"Gross!? My precious bugs, gross!?"
"Whoa!?"
"Too passionate!?"
Roaring, Margaret leaps at me. I shoot, but her rage ignores it. She tackles me, crashing through the cracked board floor. I hit the ground, back slammed, her hands choking me.
"Gaaah!?"
"Ethan!? This is bad…"
"I'll strangle you here! Mia's next, bug food! Go first!"
"No way…!"
"Ethan, her side!"
"Nice, Evelyn!"
Choking, back aching, I stab Margaret's side as Evelyn directs. She groans—"Gueh!"—loosening her grip. I break free, smashing her with the handgun's butt.
"Evelyn!? Why side with her!? You abandoned me!?"
"What're you talking about!?"
"She can't see or hear me, but I'm Ethan's ally. Always."
I kick Margaret off as she clings. Evelyn's face is solemn, angry, sad. Her reaction to Margaret… not like one for a kid from this house.
"Now, Ethan, hurry!"
"Back to the surface…"
I climb the ladder-like wall, but Margaret leaps ahead, crouching, swinging her lantern, sending a bug swarm. Trapped on the ladder—unfair!
"Damn it!"
"Ethan's hand's in trouble!?"
Bugs sting my hand, pain forcing me to let go, falling. As she peers down, I torch her and the swarm with the burner.
"GYAAAH!? Bad kid! No more mercy! Got it!?"
"She forgave you before? Kind."
"Exactly!"
I climb back up, keeping distance. Handgun's useless, burner's low on fuel. Then…!
"No freeloaders in my house!"
"Thanks for letting us run wild!"
"You really ran wild…"
Margaret clings between wall and ceiling, lantern swirling bugs into a vortex. I blast with the shotgun, then throw the spinning blackjack.
"UAAAAH!?"
"Ouch."
"This ends it!"
As Margaret falls, I rush in, driving my knife into her chest.
"GAAAAH!?"
Screaming, she clutches her lantern, falling through the board hole, silent, motionless.
"Haa… mentally exhausting."
"Pretty brutal win."
"Sorry to keep you, Ethan!"
Mia runs up with the crow key and burner fuel. We unlock the door and move on. What lies ahead…