Ajay and Sammy were now trapped inside the house, and both of them were terrified. Regret filled their minds as they stood there in fear. Suddenly, they heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming from the basement—as if someone, or something, was moving toward them.
The footsteps grew louder… clearer… closer.
Panic took over. They quickly hid inside a cupboard. There was a small hole in it, just enough for them to see outside. Holding their breath, they tried to stay as quiet as possible.
What they saw next froze them with fear.
A strange creature stood there. It was enormous—so tall that they couldn't even see its head. Its shape was unnatural, its presence horrifying. Neither of them could understand what it was, but one thing was certain—it was not human.
The creature began climbing the stairs and slowly moved toward the top floor.
Only after it disappeared did they dare to breathe again. They stepped out of the cupboard, shaken but relieved.
Sammy turned to Ajay angrily.
"I told you not to come here! Look what has happened now!"
He rushed to the door and tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge.
Ajay tried to calm him down.
"Don't worry. We'll figure out a plan and get out of here."
Then he paused, thinking deeply.
"But I noticed something strange… When we came upstairs, the torch suddenly switched on. And when that creature came near, it turned off automatically. I didn't touch it—I'm sure of that."
Sammy looked at him, confused.
Ajay continued,
"This means the torch reacts to the creature. Whenever it's close, the torch switches off. And when it goes away, it turns on again. It's like a warning signal."
He gave a faint smile.
"We just have to play smart—like in video games. Hide from the creature and find a way out."
Sammy stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious? You think this is fun? You dragged me here, and now we're stuck in this nightmare—and you're calling it a game?"
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"If that creature catches us, it will kill us! I don't even know what it is—but I saw skeletons in the basement. That means it has already killed others."
Ajay's expression turned serious.
"Then we should go back to the basement," he said. "We might find something useful there."
Reluctantly, Sammy agreed.
They went down into the basement. The sight there was horrifying.
Skeletons were scattered everywhere. Bloodstains covered the floor and walls. The air felt heavy and suffocating.
Suddenly—
The torch switched off.
Darkness surrounded them instantly.
Ajay whispered urgently,
"Hide! I think the creature is coming!"
Before he could react, something hit him hard. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
After some time, Ajay slowly opened his eyes.
He was lying on the floor, bleeding. His head was spinning. But worse than the pain was the realization—
Sammy was gone.
Tears filled his eyes.
"This is all my fault…" he whispered. "I brought him here…"
He looked around and spotted a crowbar lying nearby. Grabbing it tightly, he stood up, his fear now replaced with anger.
"I'll kill that creature," he said under his breath. "I'll take revenge."
He ran toward the top floor.
Hearing a sound from inside a room, he raised the crowbar, ready to strike—
But when he looked inside…
It wasn't the creature.
It was Sammy.
Alive.
Both of them froze for a moment, then rushed toward each other and hugged tightly. Relief washed over them—they had survived.
Ajay asked breathlessly,
"What happened to you?"
Sammy replied,
"When the torch switched off, I couldn't see anything. While moving backward, I found a door that suddenly opened. Inside, there was a ladder leading to the top floor. I climbed it quickly and managed to escape."
Then he pulled out something from his pocket.
"And look at this—I found a diary."
Ajay took it carefully.
"It looks like someone else was trapped here before us," Sammy continued. "They were trying to escape by solving clues and puzzles."
He sighed in frustration.
"But seriously—why puzzles? Why not just write the way out? Was that person crazy?"
Ajay thought for a moment.
"I don't think so," he said. "Maybe that person was also trying to escape, just like us. And I think… that person might still be alive."
Sammy looked shocked.
"How can you be so sure?"
Ajay pointed around the room.
"Look—these snack packets. They're fresh. If that person had died, we would have found more remains in the basement. This means someone is still here… hiding… just like us."
He clenched his fist.
"And if we find that person, they might help us escape. I'm sure they know more about this house than we do."
In the next chapter:
Will Ajay and Sammy find the mysterious person?
Will they finally escape the house… or fall deeper into danger?
A shocking twist awaits. Stay tuned.