It was a chilling autumn evening, and a group of six friends had set out for their long-awaited trip to the Rocky Mountains National Park, anticipating the beauty of the fall colors. They had landed at Denver International Airport and picked up a rental car. Barry, known for his confidence, took the wheel for the uphill drive, while Nimisha, who had secretly admired him since high school, was assigned the front seat. However, an unspoken pact among the group forbade dating until after college, leaving Nimisha's feelings trapped in a cold, shadowy silence. The others were aware of her infatuation, so they allowed her to sit beside Barry.

In the backseat, there were Archie, Jodie, Arman, and Gina. Archie defied the jock stereotype, being known for his kindness rather than aggression. Jodie was a gifted performer; her voice capable of charming even the darkest souls. Arman, a film school student in LA, was the designated photographer, and Gina was a budding entrepreneur with her own cake business.

As they embarked on their journey through the Rocky Mountains National Park, the day's light began to wane, and foreboding clouds gathered in the sky. By 4 PM, they hadn't reached their Airbnb, still 25 miles away, and the weather had taken a sinister turn. Raindrops pelted the car's windows, and suddenly, it turned into a fierce hailstorm, with ice rain striking the car like shards of glass. The narrow, winding road offered no refuge, forcing them to push on through the storm, their visibility dwindling as darkness consumed the landscape. The world outside grew eerily obscure, and the rain intensified, making it feel as though they were blindly navigating a haunted realm.

As the storm raged on, the friends clung to their hopes of reaching their destination, but it was a losing battle. The car skidded off the road and tumbled into a shallow ditch on the right. Fortunately, there were no major injuries, except for minor scratches on Nimisha. They clambered out of the car, drenched and stranded in the wilderness, with no immediate shelter in sight. They huddled under a nearby tree, searching the desolate road for any sign of help, but the storm had driven all traffic away.

"I see some lights!" Nimisha suddenly pointed towards a distant house, her voice filled with hope. The group heaved a collective sigh of relief, realizing that the eerie mansion was their only option for shelter. They began to trek through the rain towards the source of light.

As they neared the mansion, they were struck by its eerie, decaying appearance. The ancient paint on its walls was peeling away, revealing a grimy, disheveled interior. Sinister tendrils of vines crawled up the walls, encroaching upon the windows and doors. Despite the mansion's unsettling exterior, the warm light emanating from within was an irresistible beacon. The tantalizing scent of something delicious wafted on the damp air, further enticing their curiosity.

Arman, his thoughts still on the journey's disruption, couldn't help but ask, "You think we can find some food here?"

Gina retorted sharply, "Shut up, Arman. Is that all you can think about?"

"Seriously, Gina, after all this, you're not hungry?" Arman shot back, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

Barry, the unofficial leader of the group, approached the mansion's door and knocked. A few moments later, the door creaked open, revealing an old woman peering outside. Her initial curiosity gave way to a wide, unsettling grin that set their nerves on edge.

"Good evening, kids! How can I help you?" she inquired politely, her smile radiating warmth that clashed with the eerie surroundings.

"Good evening, ma'am! Sorry for the trouble. Our car skidded in the rain and ended up in a ditch. We were on our way to our Airbnb uphill, and now we're stuck in this storm. We were hoping you might be able to help," Barry explained.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Please, come in and have a seat." The old woman's hospitality appeared welcoming, and they felt a glimmer of hope amidst the storm's turmoil.

The old woman led them into the mansion, a place that was startlingly different from its foreboding exterior. The interior was impeccably maintained but curiously bare. Apart from the old woman, they saw no other occupants. She handed them warm towels to dry off, and they gathered around a crackling fire in the living room. The woman soon returned with a steaming kettle of tea, serving it in delicate china that exuded a sense of luxury. The tea offered respite from the rain, but little did they know, it was a treacherous path to their impending horror.

A few minutes after sipping the tea, they all succumbed to a deep slumber, their senses slowly consumed by the eerie atmosphere that surrounded them.

An hour later, Arman was the first to stir, slowly awakening to the horrifying realization that his hands were bound to the back of a chair. Panic surged through him as he struggled desperately to free himself, his heart racing. His screams pierced the eerie silence, rousing the others from their deep slumber.

Barry shouted, "What have you done, you old hag?"

"Leave us alone!" Nimisha added, her voice trembling with fear.

The group screamed for their release, their desperation growing, until an unexpected, authoritative voice emerged from a decrepit man in a wheelchair.

"Quiet! One word, and I will shoot you down without hesitation," he declared, brandishing a hunting gun and aiming it at Barry.

Silenced by the menacing threat, the friends watched as the old woman stepped forward to speak. "Burberry Manor hasn't received visitors in quite some time. Please forgive our peculiarities," she said with an unsettling smile. "You see, we have certain rules in this house."

"Let me elucidate these rules," the old man interjected. "Once you become our guests, you cannot leave without our permission. Our house has faced numerous intruders, and we must exercise caution. You must prove your worth to earn our trust."

"Are you both psychos? What are you talking about?" Archie demanded.

The man let out a chilling, hearty laugh. "We've been called many names, but 'psycho' is a first. Call us what you will, but listen carefully. Do you see that door over there?" He pointed to a door in the far corner of the room. "That door is your path to freedom, your only means of escape from us 'psychos.' But..."

"Of course, there's a catch," Gina mumbled.

"Yes, indeed. You all can attempt to walk through that door, but only one of you will exit this house alive."

"We're going to die in this cursed place." Jodie trembled, her prayers to her god echoing in the ominous atmosphere.

"You sick bastards, let us out of here!" Archie yelled as he wrestled with his restraints, to no avail.

The old lady, moved by the outburst, looked yearningly at the old man.

"Fine, release them. Let them choose", he commanded.

On his orders, the old woman released Archie, who then assisted in untying the others. "Let's get out of here," he urged, making a dash for the front door.

"You can't use that door anymore, kid," the old man warned.

"Oh, yea? Stop me if you can," he said as he ran for the door. As his hand touched the knob, a powerful electric shock surged through him, causing his body to convulse and tremble for several agonizing seconds. The gruesome sight left the remaining five friends in shock.

"That fool!" the man howled. "Now our lord is going to be very upset," he said with anger burning in his eyes. He lifted his gun and aimed it at the friends, commanding them, "Walk through the door. Don't try anything."

With hearts pounding and a deep sense of foreboding, the friends began to move closer to the door.

"Remember, only one will survive," he warned as they finally entered the door. He ensured that all five of them entered and then closed the door behind them.

From that day forward, no one ever saw or heard from the friends again, except for the one who managed to escape. Did some malevolent force take their lives, or was it their own greed that led to their nightmarish fate?  The truth of what occurred within that mansion remained shrouded in mystery, casting a long, eerie shadow on the memories of the lost friends.

But what if their story did not end that fateful night, trapped within the gloomy mansion's walls? What if, an unseen presence still lurked, waiting to reveal the sinister secrets it held? The chilling question lingers, leaving a trail of dread that stretches far beyond that night, whispering of horrors yet to be unveiled.

That night, the old man gained another few years to his lifetime, one year for every life he had served to his master. There was one survivor, but nobody believed his story because nobody could find the mansion again. Their car was found perfectly parked on the road a few days later, and there was no rain that day. So, what really happened? Was it all a mirage or a trap? Were they all chosen to be sacrificed? Nobody could know, and the chilling enigma continued to haunt the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.

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Olivia_Benedetti Prompt 15 from Halloween Bash Contest

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