They saw a house that looked like it had been abandoned long ago. The front gate was covered in dust, the windows were shattered, and on the top floor, a candle flickered faintly.
They all stared in confusion. Why would there be a candle in an abandoned house? Who lit it if no one lived here?
Louis was the first to speak.
"This house looks so old… but how the hell is there a candle burning in the window?"
"I think we should go back to the van," Luna said in a scared voice.
"I agree with her," Max added nervously. "We should return immediately."
"You guys are right," Lisa said with a frightened tone. "We don't know what might happen if we stay here longer."
But John, confident as always, shook his head.
"Guys, I think we should look inside. There might be someone living here, and that's why the candle is burning."
Luna frowned. "John, are you really sure someone lives here—in a place like this that's been abandoned for God knows how long?"
"Maybe," John replied. "Perhaps someone poor is living here, and they have no other home."
Lisa disagreed. "Even if they're poor, no one would choose to live in a broken house surrounded by a dark forest."
Louis nodded. "She's right. Nobody would be stupid enough to live here, not with wild animals around that could eat you alive."
Surprisingly, Max sided with John. "I say we should at least check inside. Maybe we'll find someone."
"You too, Max?" Luna whispered in frustration. "This is dangerous. That candle is suspicious. We don't even know who lit it."
The group argued for almost five minutes, debating whether to enter or leave. Suddenly, the front door creaked open.
Startled, they all stepped back a little as the figure of an old man slowly emerged. He looked to be in his 80s, leaning on a wooden stick for support.
The old man squinted at them and asked, "Are you young ones lost? Do you need help?"
The group froze, uneasy. But John immediately stepped forward.
"Yes, sir. We need help."
Luna hissed at him in a whisper. "Slow down, John! You don't even know who he is—we can't just trust anyone we meet."
John shot back quietly, "We're in this mess because we need help. Now help is here, and you want to ignore it?"
Louis added cautiously, "I get what you're saying, John… but isn't it suspicious? An old man living all alone in a house, surrounded by a jungle?"
John shrugged. "Maybe he had no place else to go. That's why he lives here."
The old man, noticing their whispers, chuckled softly.
"Don't worry, young ones. If you need my help, just say so. I'll gladly give it."
Max leaned in to the group and whispered, "I think John's right. We came here to find help. This is it. We should accept it."
The group hesitated, then finally agreed. John explained their situation to the old man.
The old man listened carefully. After a pause, he said calmly,
"I see… so your van stopped working after you returned from a party."
"Yes, sir. That's why we need help," John replied.
The old man shook his head. "I don't have the tools to fix your van, nor do I have a vehicle to lend you. But I do have a house. If you wish, you can stay here tonight. In the morning, you can find a mechanic and head back home."
"Thank you for your kindness, sir," John said gratefully.
Louis quickly added, "But can we first bring our friends here? They're still in the van, waiting for us."
The old man's face tightened. "I think your friends will be fine. They're in the van, safe from the rain. You're the ones in danger out here."
Lisa shook her head. "But we can't just leave them. They'll be worried sick, and what if wild animals attack them?"
The old man's eyes gleamed strangely as he replied, almost sarcastically, "And if you go back for them, will you even be able to find this house again? If you lose your way in the forest, you won't survive the night."
Max whispered, "He's right. It's too dangerous to go back. Our friends are safer in the van than we are out here."
John nodded firmly. "Exactly. We only found this house because of the candle. If we try to retrace our steps, we'll get lost."
The others reluctantly agreed, hoping Anna and Luka would be fine on their own.
The old man opened the front gate with a creak and gestured for them to enter. Slowly, the group stepped forward and crossed into the house.
______________________________________
Meanwhile, back at the van, Anna was restless. She kept peering out the window, then stepping out, staring at the road where her friends had gone, praying for their return.
Even Luka, though usually grumpy, looked uneasy. Nearly three hours had passed, and they hadn't come back.
"Do you think they're okay?" Anna asked, her voice trembling.
"I don't know… but they'll probably return anytime now," Luka muttered.
Anna shook her head. "It's been three hours, Luka. What if something happened to them?"
"I told you, they'll be fine. Stop worrying so much," Luka said, trying to sound confident.
But Anna wasn't convinced. "Luka, maybe we should go look for them."
"No," Luka snapped. "We stay here. If we leave, there's no guarantee we'll find them."
Anna crossed her arms stubbornly. "Fine. If you won't go, I'll go alone."
"Then go," Luka growled.
"Good. I will. I knew you wouldn't come—you're a coward."
"I am not a coward!" Luka barked angrily.
"Yes, you are. That's why you don't want to go," Anna taunted.
"I told you—I'm not a coward! Fine, I'll come with you!" Luka shouted in frustration.
Anna gave a faint smile. "Good. Let's go, then."
Together, they left the van and headed down the dark road in search of their friends.
______________________________________
Meanwhile, inside the old man's house, the five friends stepped through the gate. But as soon as they entered, their heads began to spin.
The world around them blurred. Their vision swirled, and they struggled to stay on their feet. Slowly, the dizziness faded…
And when they opened their eyes again, the scene before them was something so terrifying—something they wished they had never seen.