Echoes of the dark

of decay and something far darker. They ran without speaking, only the sound of their heavy breathing filling the space between them

is mind clearly distant. Jesse looked over at him, her hand

tly, her voice shak

f, his expression blank. It was as if the house's gri

, shaking him gently. "Sam,

I can't remember what happened... I..." His voice trailed off

controlling you." Jesse's voice cracked as she spoke, the t

't know how I got... there. I couldn't m

ors of that house, but Sam had felt them, lived them. She squeezed his ha

voice trembled, but she forced

t the darkness from the house was still following them. It wasn't just in the house-it was ou

gh the silence: a low, guttur

looked at Sam, but he was still dazed, un

ered urgently. "

face still slack, his

then a figure emerged from the dark, its sil

ck, pulling Sam with her.

same as it had been in the house. It was taller now, its limbs longer, and its body was shifting, like it was

back away. But there was nowhe

of jagged teeth. It stepped forward, its movement

rasp that echoed through the trees. "I've been waiting for you. Yo

ng for something-anything-that could help. But t

, her voice trembling. "W

your pain. Your souls." It stepped closer, its form blurring for a moment before becoming

stiffening as the recognition hit him. "It's you," he whispered, his v

the one who controls all. I will take w

the house," she said, barely above a whisper. "It's everything ar

he house is but a vessel. This land is

ything-they could do to break free. She thought back to everything she had

en it

ber the house-its walls, its history. We can't just escape ph

is mind still clouded

bubbling up. She had to believe that they could break this

d, its grin widening. "You cannot esc

ered, her eyes narrowing as she tu

d was alive with anger. The creature screeched, its eyes glowing br

house," it growled. "And

It was alive. It fed on fear, on the souls of those who entered its

f they destroyed the heart of its pow

but firm. "We have to go back to the hous

ttle more. "We're not g

burning brighter than ever. "We don't have a choice. It

rd. "Okay... oka

d forward with a deafening roa

y would make it. But it