I didn't stop running, even though I had already reached the bottom of the stairs. I don't even know how long it has been. What I knew was that I didn't end up on the second floor anymore. I slowed down my pace. Occasionally looking back to make sure nobody following me. But..., am I still in my house?


“Carol,”


I heard someone calling my name. The voice was faint, almost like a whisper. “Who are you?” I screamed. My voice turned into an echo. Of course, there was no answer. I don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe I should ask where I am instead of who they are.


The voice kept repeating my name, but I ignored it. I can't afford to waste my time wondering about it, but I have to stay vigilant. I kept walking while assessing my surroundings. This place was very dark. The only thing I could see was the wall next to me and the floor where I was standing.


“Carol,” I still can hear the voice calling my name. Sometimes it sounded so close, as if it came out from the wall. But then, somehow, I could hear another noise. It was weirder than the whispering wall, but it was so faint that I almost couldn't hear anything. I needed to stop walking and hold my breath to stay quiet to listen to it. When I tried to make it, this second noise sounded like someone limping while dragging something heavy.


I glanced over at my back. There was nothing but darkness. Suddenly those noises turned up louder. My memory instantly flashed to the door on the second floor. “Shit! That thing got escaped!”


I started running again. Whenever I saw a door in front of me, I stopped and tried to open it. But I wouldn't waste my time either on the locked door - I moved as soon as I knew they wouldn't budge. I kept glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one was following me. I needed to find a place to hide myself.


I don’t know how many doors I tried already. Some of them are just locked and the rest of it has nothing but a brick wall on the other side. I was running out of breath when I found this room. I quickly locked the door and scanned the room carefully before stepping in further.


The room was very dark, and I couldn't find the switch light. The only source of light came from outside through a big window, but still couldn't illuminate the entire room. I saw an antique sofa near the window, with a small table placed between them. Maybe I could use the table to break the window and run away from this place.


I rushed to the table, ready to chuck it through the window, but suddenly, a phone appeared on top. “What the heck. Has it been here before?” I tried to shove the phone aside, but it wouldn't budge. When I tried to pick it up, it felt like lifting a freaking brick. So, I thought, screw it, I'll just lift the whole damn table instead, but the short cable yanked me back. I gave up, realizing this house was doing everything it could to keep me trapped.


Fuck! I think this house can read my mind. "Damn it!" I hit the table with my fist. I should stop thinking at all and make unexpected moves instead. But what should I do?


I glanced at the cable and immediately grabbed it. I followed the cable into the darker side of this room. I thought it was a short one, but why I haven't reached the end at all? And this room…, it was almost infinite.


Suddenly, the phone rang. It made a loud noise and quickly filled the room. It startled me. I looked back to where I came from, debating if I should go back to answer the phone or not. If I answer it, maybe I can ask for help. But what if I was too late or what if it’s not a human? “Ugh! Fuck it! If it’s not human, I can just hang up and call the police”. I ran back to answer the phone while holding the cable so I wouldn’t get lost. I won't let this house play with my mind again.


My hand was shaking, and I had a second thought before answering the phone. There were so many what-if scenarios running in my head. Oh, for God's sake! I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and swiftly put the phone to my ears. “H…hello?” my voice got shaky. I kept my eyes closed, just in case.


There was no answer from the other side. Should I just say something again? As soon as I was about to open my mouth, a sudden scream came through the phone. “Don’t answer it!” it felt as if the voice was coming from my mouth.


My body startled, and I snapped my eyes open. Nobody was here. Of course, it came from the phone. The voice sounds familiar. It sounds like the voice of my daughter, but that’s impossible. There was a short silence before it changed into a long beep noise. She hung up the phone.


My hand was still holding the phone when someone bragged inside the room. It was a man wearing dirty white clothes and ripped jeans, with disheveled hair. Somehow, I knew he wasn’t wearing a mask. But I couldn’t see his face - not because it was dark, but he didn’t have a face at all.


The man lunged at me with a big knife in his left hand. Panic surged through my head. Before I could run, he grabbed my mouth and shoved me hard against the window. A mouth suddenly appeared on his plain face. My eyes widened with fright as he grinned, revealing his dirty teeth. I screamed at the top of my lungs while he laughed at my reaction. Then he covered my mouth before slitting my throat and sucking on my blood.