As they all stepped inside, the old man instructed them to wait in the hall while he asked his wife to offer them some food. The group settled in cautiously, taking in their surroundings: antique furniture, wooden crafts, and old guns displayed on the walls.
"Are those hunting rifles?" Blake asked, standing up.
"And bolt-action rifles…?" Theo joined him, grinning.
Blake chuckled. "Are you kidding? I've only seen these in games… no way I'd see one in real life." Damian quietly lingered nearby, watching the weapons as well, silent but attentive.
The old man cleared his throat. Theo looked at him with admiration. "Do you still use them, or are they just ornaments?"
"Why, young man… they’re for our safety," he replied. "Now, get some cookies, and tell me—what brings you here?"
Just then, his wife emerged from the kitchen. "Oh my! Guests! How long has it been since we had guests, Charles?" she beamed.
"Hi, Mrs…?" Lily stammered.
"You can call me Patricia," she smiled warmly. Lily thought the name was a little unusual but said nothing, returning the smile.
They began eating cookies, but Raven remained cautious. She shot glances at Lily and Sienna, silently signaling: Please, let’s not eat… stay alert. Sienna caught on and quietly set her cookie aside. "Sorry, my stomach isn’t very good… can I use the washroom?" she asked, heading off with Patricia.
Meanwhile, Lily smiled at Raven, trying to communicate, but the old man noticed them, so Raven kept her composure. Damian broke the silence with a question: "How long have you lived here, mister?"
Raven leaned slightly toward Lily and whispered, Don’t eat. Blake and Theo had already eaten, and Damian seemed ready to sneak a bite, but Lily shook her head firmly.
"All my life, since I got married," the old man replied. "Ah… I see," they murmured, and a heavy, awkward silence settled over the group.
Sienna walked in. “Take more cookies.” lady Patricia offered.50Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoijsISyNEj
“It’s alright, ma’am, thank you,” Raven, Lily, and Sienna replied with polite smiles.
Theo and Blake were about to grab another, but the girls’ responses made them pause, and they quickly sat back. “Yeah, thanks, mister… and ma’am.”
“Mister Charles, yes?” Raven asked, glancing at him. Everyone turned to look at her.
“Why? Yes?” he replied in a cautious tone, raising an eyebrow.
“I believe you may know what happened at the Far Way Mall,” Raven said carefully, “you mentioned it while we were at your doorstep, because I see your radio works fine.”
The words caught him off guard. “Yes… my radio works fine, but I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he said, side-eyeing his wife, making the moment feel suspicious to everyone. Why did he side eye her? She kept fidgeting her fingers.
Raven’s plan worked quietly—she wanted to make everyone doubt them, a sense that maybe not everything here was as innocent as it seemed.
“Raven!… I’m sorry, mister,” Damian interjected, trying to cover for her. “We just… had a terrible day today. She probably didn’t like hearing about the mall again.” glancing at her.
“Well, mister,” Theo added cautiously, “since you aren’t aware, we thought you should know: the Far Way Mall did play pranks on the customers… so just be careful.”
“Right… and are there usually people wandering in the forest around here, day or night? Camping or hiking?” Sienna asked, her tone neutral but her eyes sharp, scanning their reaction.
Patricia, the old woman, hesitated briefly before replying. “There are some, yes… but we haven’t seen anyone for years after that. It’s been five years since we had guests. And anyone who comes to camp or hike usually stops by our house first.”
“I see,” Lily said quietly, glancing at Raven, sensing the subtle tension in the room.
Five years. Not a single camper or hiker had come this way. Why? Had they been warned… or was something darker lurking in the shadows of these trees, waiting?
ns216.73.216.33da2
and then Add to home screen.