“No, June, come on! Let’s get this over with!” Noah urged, his voice tight with desperation.

June, ignored him, continuing her unsettling circling before finally coming to a halt and then disappeared.

Ava’s eyes darted around frantically. “Wait, where did she go?”

Lucy’s panic rose. “She’s right behind you!”

Without warning, Ava began to rise from her chair, her movements unnatural and horrifying. Her spine arched violently, as if an invisible force was puppeteering her body, bending and twisting her in grotesque ways. Her knees snapped inward with a sickening crack, and her arms jerked at impossible angles, the joints bulging grotesquely beneath her skin.

Her fingers curled into claws, knuckles white with tension, as her limbs swayed back and forth in a macabre dance, as though each bone in her body was being wrenched from its socket. A low, guttural groan escaped her lips, a sound that seemed to emanate from the deepest, darkest parts of her being, sending chills down the spines of anyone unfortunate enough to witness the terrifying spectacle.

June smiled, a sinister glint in her eyes.

“So helpless… You can’t do anything. Are you scared?”

Ava’s hips twisted unnaturally, her face a mask of fury and pain. Through clenched teeth, she snarled, “Is... that the best you can do?”

June swooped in front of Ava, her head cocking with a cruel grin. Ava collapsed to the ground, her knees crashing into the cold stone.

“You’re just a hocus pocus, whiny little brat throwing tantrums. Go ahead—snap me in half like a pretzel. I’m not scared.”

With a menacing hiss, June sent Ava flying backward, disappearing into the darkness. June’s laughter filled the air, chilling and triumphant.

Alex’s face twisted with fury. “YOU ARE A MONSTER!”

June resumed her sinister pacing around the circle, her presence a constant, unnerving threat. Leo began to dry heave, his body convulsing with the effort, while Lucy shook uncontrollably, her entire frame wracked with sobs.

“Who... will be next?” June’s words slithered through the air, laden with malice.

Kimmy, her face twisted with anguish, shot a pained look at Noah. “Well, Noah! Are you happy now?”

Noah shook his head, his jaw clenched in frustration. “It’s all part of the game! Ava is fine.”

Andy cut in sharply, his voice edged with disbelief. “We all have very different definitions of fine!”

June suddenly swooped in front of Andy, her menacing form looming as he thrashed in his chair, desperately trying to free himself. Horror filled Andy’s eyes as he glanced down and saw a monstrous spider crawling up to his chest. Dozens more emerged from the shadows, converging on him with a nightmarish hunger.

June’s giggle echoed ominously as some of the spiders began making their way up Andy’s exposed throat.

“I know you were the one who hurt Korban,” Andy said, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and resolve.

“And because of you, I got to play in the basketball game. Maybe I pretended not to know... because I wanted that chance more than anything. But...”

His eyes flared with intense anger. “I am not scared. I am pissed off. You hurt my best friend, and you will pay for it.”

June’s expression twisted into a vicious snarl. With a guttural howl, she seized Andy by the throat. He struggled, gasping in pain as her touch seared his skin. Then, with a savage throw, she hurled him into the encroaching darkness, his screams fading into the abyss.

Dan began to hyperventilate, his eyes wide and frantic, chest heaving with each labored breath. June approached him, her presence a looming, oppressive force. She leaned in close and whispered, “Are you scared?”

Dan’s panic erupted into defiance as he shouted, “Get off! I am not scared!”

June pulled back, her eyes flashing with a dangerous fury. The air crackled with her unspoken rage.

Without warning, June lunged forward, seizing Dan by the shoulders with a grip of iron. He screamed in terror as she yanked him out of his chair, dragging him across the floor and back into the darkness. His cries echoed in the cold, empty void, swallowed by the encroaching shadows.

As Dan’s screams faded into the darkness, June turned her malevolent gaze toward Claire, Sofia, and Alice, who were huddled together in a mix of fear and defiance.

Claire’s courage stood out amidst the terror. She glared at June with unyielding resolve, her posture defiant despite the palpable fear.

“You won’t get away with this,” she spat, her voice steady even as her hands trembled.

“You’re nothing but a coward hiding behind your illusions.” Her eyes blazed with a fierce determination, refusing to succumb to the fear that gripped the others.

June’s lips curled into a mocking smile as she approached Claire and taunted. “Oh, how brave. Let’s see how long your bravery lasts.”

As June drew closer, Claire’s expression hardened. She stood tall, meeting June’s gaze with unwavering defiance. But June’s dark power twisted around her, causing Claire’s strong façade to waver. The shadows around her writhed and coiled like living things, and Claire’s bravado began to crack under the pressure. With a sudden, savage motion, June lashed out, her forceful grip ensnaring Claire’s arms.

Claire struggled fiercely, but the shadows held her in a vice-like grip, dragging her backward into the darkness. Her defiant shouts were quickly silenced as she disappeared from view, leaving only echoes of her bravery lingering in the oppressive gloom.

Sofia, next in line, was visibly trembling. Her whole body shook uncontrollably, her face pale and eyes wide with a mix of terror and helplessness.

“Please, just let us go,” she begged, her voice barely more than a whisper. “We haven’t done anything to you.”

June approached Sofia with a slow, deliberate stride, her dark presence looming over the frightened girl.

“Begging now, are we?” June mocked, her tone cold and unfeeling.

“You’re so pathetic, cowering like this. How utterly predictable.”

Sofia’s pleas grew more frantic as June loomed closer. The shadows seemed to close in around her, their cold, creeping fingers tightening like chains. As June reached out, Sofia’s sobs grew louder, her attempts to escape rendered futile by the overwhelming force. With a cruel flick of her wrist, June sent Sofia spiraling backward, her screams of terror swallowed by the encroaching darkness as she was dragged away, leaving only the echoes of her desperation behind.

Alice, though weak and trembling, tried to muster whatever strength she had left. Her eyes were filled with a mix of fear and determination, a flicker of resolve shining through her tears.

“I won’t let you do this,” she said, her voice quivering but resolute. “I’ll fight back.”

June’s mocking laughter filled the air as she approached Alice, her eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure.

“Fight back? How adorable,” she sneered.

"Let’s see how long you last before you break.”

June’s dark, suffocating presence surrounded Alice, the shadows wrapping around her like a noose. Alice’s attempts to resist were met with overwhelming force. Her strength was fleeting, her struggles growing weaker as the darkness pressed in. June’s grip tightened with a cruel efficiency, and Alice’s defiance began to falter, her resolve melting under the pressure.

In a final, brutal twist, June yanked Alice from her chair, dragging her across the floor. Alice’s cries were muffled by the encroaching shadows, her attempts to hold on slipping away as June’s mocking laughter echoed around her. With a final, savage pull, June hurled Alice into the abyss, her screams dissolving into the darkness as she was swallowed by the void.

June then approached Kevin, her dark presence looming like a shadow of impending doom. The air grew thick with dread as she drew nearer, her eyes void of any warmth, her gaze fixed on him with a terrifying intensity. Kevin, paralysed by fear, could only watch as countless spiders began to crawl across his body, their tiny legs prickling his skin in a maddening wave of horror.

Unexpectedly, a strained giggle escaped Kevin’s lips. Then, he burst into uncontrollable laughter, his voice echoing unnervingly through the chamber.

“Haha! Oh no, not the armpits!” he gasped, his body shaking as the spiders swarmed over him. “This is—haha!—this is torture by tickles!”

He clutched at his sides, his laughter bordering on hysteria. “Please—haha!—I can’t take it anymore!” Tears streamed down his face, not from fear, but from the sheer absurdity of his situation.

As he laughed, Kevin glanced at Alex, his face twisted with mirth. “Alex... tell me how I can stop this!”

Alex, caught off guard by Kevin’s bizarre reaction, managed to offer a strained suggestion. “Tell her you’re not scared.”

Through his raucous laughter, Kevin replied, “I am not scared, but please stop this!”

June’s patience snapped. With a swift, unfeeling motion, she grabbed Kevin by the shoulders, her grip like iron. The laughter abruptly ceased as Kevin’s eyes locked onto hers, realization dawning.

“Oh, looks like I screwed up,” he murmured, his humor replaced by stark fear.

With a disdainful flick, June hurled him into the abyss, his screams swallowed by the encroaching darkness.

June’s attention shifted to Shoyo, her dark, malevolent form looming over him like a storm cloud ready to strike. As she drew closer, her icy fingers trailed down his arm, leaving a trail of numbing cold that seeped into his bones. Shoyo flinched, his bravado faltering under the weight of her touch, yet he tried to maintain his composure, refusing to let her see his fear.

"Are you scared?" June whispered, her voice dripping with malice.

Shoyo met her gaze, his eyes betraying a flicker of uncertainty, but he forced a smirk onto his lips.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he taunted, his voice edged with false bravado.

He then scoffed, shaking his head as if unimpressed. “Honestly, I’ve seen scarier things in a funhouse. You’re like a discount horror villain.”

June’s eyes darkened with fury at his insults, her patience fraying. Shoyo pushed further, his fear now masked by his biting words.

“What’s next? Are you going to send in the clowns? Because you’re really not cutting it.”

June’s wrath exploded. In a sudden, violent motion, she yanked Shoyo towards her, her unnatural strength dragging him backward into the suffocating darkness. His defiance crumbled as he was pulled into the abyss, his bravado dissolving into a choked gasp. The shadows swallowed him whole, and the last thing he heard was the echo of June’s mocking laughter, resonating through the void like a cruel, twisted melody.

June slowly advanced toward Alvin, who sat calmly in his chair, too weak to move but showing no signs of fear. Her presence loomed over him like a dark storm, her shadowy, clawed hand reaching out to grip his hair tightly, forcing his gaze upward. Alvin winced as her icy fingers tangled in his hair, but he kept his composure, his eyes meeting her piercing amber ones with unwavering defiance.

“There you are I want to hear your screams,” June hissed, her voice laced with venom. “Tell me, are you scared?”

Alvin, despite the pain coursing through his body, managed to give her a bloodied smile. With a deliberate slowness, he spat the blood that had pooled in his mouth right onto her shadowy face.

“Did you like the answer?” he taunted, his voice hoarse but dripping with defiance.

June’s expression twisted with rage. In one swift, brutal motion, she grabbed Alvin by the shoulders and hurled him across the room. He collided with the cold, unforgiving stones, his body tumbling painfully over them until he finally came to a stop. He lay there for a moment, the pain radiating through every nerve in his body, before he managed a faint whisper.

“Ouch. That really hurts,” he muttered, his voice a mixture of dry humour and lingering pain, refusing to give June the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.

June's gaze then shifted to Dwayne, who stared back at her with a fierce intensity, his eyes locked on hers as if daring her to make a move. Without a word, she closed the distance between them, her movements swift and menacing. Her shadowy figure loomed over him, and before Dwayne could react, her clawed hands shot out, gripping his shoulders with a vice-like grip.

With a surge of unnatural strength, June effortlessly lifted him off the ground and hurled him into the void. The darkness swallowed him instantly, his figure vanishing into the endless abyss as if he had never been there at all. The silence that followed was deafening, the oppressive void echoing with the finality of her action.

Noah trembled uncontrollably, his gaze fixed on the void as if searching for answers in the darkness. His body shook with mounting dread, each shiver amplifying his growing panic.

Alex, desperation thick in his voice, implored, “Noah, we have to stop her! Please, we have to make this stop!”

June turned her attention toward Lucy, gliding toward her with a chilling grace. An unsettling fluttering sound filled the air as a dead bird descended from above, landing with a soft thud on Lucy’s shoulder. It pecked sharply at her collarbone, drawing blood. Lucy’s scream pierced the silence, raw with pain and terror.

“Are you scared?” June asked, her presence a looming shadow of menace.

Another bird flitted down from the darkness, landing on Lucy’s other shoulder. Its beak jabbed at her skin with a relentless, mechanical rhythm. Lucy, her face contorted with both agony and defiance, shouted through gritted teeth, “I am not scared!”

One of the birds tilted its head, its beak hovering threateningly close to Lucy’s eyes. She glared at it with fierce determination, her pain momentarily eclipsed by her resolve.

June, with a flicker of cruel satisfaction, sent Lucy’s chair shooting backward into the darkness. The sudden motion flung Lucy into the abyss, her screams trailing off into the void.

Leo, his breaths coming in ragged wheezes, shook his head in disbelief. “This can’t be happening. It’s not real. It’s not real.”

Alex turned to June, his eyes locked with hers. “What do you want, June?” he demanded, his frustration boiling over.

June’s eyes glinted ominously from the darkness, their cold gaze fixed on Alex.

Alex glanced back at Noah, who was whispering frantically to himself. “It’s the only way.”

Alex’s urgency surged. “Noah, listen to me. I need you to snap out of it. I know you’re not okay with just sitting here and watching June do this. You have to talk to her! You have to stop this!”

Noah’s whisper grew more frantic, but his eyes, though wide with fear, flickered with a hint of comprehension. Alex’s words seemed to pierce through the haze of Noah’s panic, stirring a glimmer of resolve within him.

Noah’s face was etched with horror as he trembled uncontrollably. “I just... I just wanted to save her,” he whispered, his words choked with despair.

“She said if we played, we could save her.”

June’s laughter echoed ominously as she circled behind Leo, who was huddled in his chair, eyes tightly shut. The darkness around him seemed to pulse with malevolent energy. June’s hands rested on his shoulders, the fabric of his vest beginning to smoke.

“Are you scared?” she taunted, her words a cold caress against the burning sensation on his skin.

A sudden surge of clarity jolted Leo from his daze. His eyes snapped open, and with a guttural scream, he shouted directly into June’s face, “Get away from me, you freak! I am not scared!”

June’s face twisted into a mask of fury. With a roar, she hurled Leo backward into the abyss, his cries fading into the consuming darkness.

Noah’s sobs wracked his body, his voice trembling with guilt. “I am... so sorry.”

Kimmy’s anguish erupted in a fierce cry.

“No! You don’t get to just apologize, Noah! Not after this. You better hope our friends are still alive, or you’re a murderer like that thing you call your so-called cousin.”

“No, don’t talk about my cousin like that!” Noah shouted, his face flushed with a mix of anger and desperation.

Kimmy’s words only fueled June’s rage. Suddenly, June’s clawed hand reached out, gripping Kimmy’s shoulder with a searing touch. Kimmy shrieked in agony, her body arching away from the unbearable heat. Her skin began to smoke under June’s relentless grip, the pain piercing through her resolve.

Despite the torment, Kimmy managed to shout defiantly, “Shut up! I am not scared!”

June’s fury erupted into a visceral scream. With a violent thrust, she sent Kimmy hurtling into the darkness, her screams echoing in the void.

Alex’s body shook with the weight of his rage and sorrow, the anguish twisting within him as he watched the chaos unfold. His breaths came in ragged sobs, his heart heavy with the burden of witnessing the horrors inflicted on his friends.

Alex's voice cut through the thick tension, trembling with a mixture of anger and despair.

"Is this what you wanted, June? All of this? Just to get back at us? At me? Well, congratulations, you did it. You got rid of everyone who cared about you, who would have helped you."

June hovered in the air, her form a shadowy blur, eyes burning with an unnatural fire.

"Not yet... not finished," she murmured, her words like a venomous promise.

She descended slowly, her presence suffocating as she approached Noah. His body trembled uncontrollably, his mind unraveling under the weight of everything he had witnessed.

"I can't take this anymore. I can't," he whispered, his voice cracking under the pressure.

June’s tone shifted to something almost tender, a cruel mockery of affection.

"Noah, don't be sad."

Tears welled in Noah's eyes as he looked up at her, desperate and broken.

"Please... just tell me how to save you or finish it. I can't take this anymore."

June’s hand, deceptively soft, settled gently on Noah’s shoulder. The moment her fingers made contact, a creeping darkness began to unfurl across his skin. Tendrils of shadow slithered from her touch, seeping into him with a malevolent intent. It felt as though the very light was being siphoned from his soul, leaving him with a chilling emptiness and a profound cold.

With a slow, deliberate motion, June then produced a dark red knife and placed it in his hand. The blade glinted ominously in the dim light, its sinister hue reflecting the encroaching darkness that had begun to consume him.

Alex’s heart raced with fear as he saw the darkness engulf his friend. "Wait! What are you doing to him?"

June’s gaze remained locked on Noah, her voice soothing yet filled with malice.

"Noah, I need you to do something."

Noah’s eyes, now dull and clouded, searched hers. "Do what? Tell me what?"

"Hurt Alex," June commanded, her words slithering into his mind like a parasite.

Alex’s blood ran cold. "Noah! Don’t listen to her! She’s using you, just like before. She’s twisting your grief to hurt both of us! You have to fight it!"

Noah's hands trembled as his grip tightened around the knife.

"I can't," he whispered, his voice barely audible, broken by his own helplessness.

"You can!" Alex’s voice rose in desperation.

"You’re stronger than this. You’re stronger than her."

But Noah's resolve was crumbling. His body was a puppet, his strings pulled by the darkness that had taken hold. He turned towards Alex, the knife gleaming ominously in his hand.

Alex pleaded. “June, let him go.”

June turned to face him, her expression cold and unyielding. Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion as she simply replied, “No.”

"Then let ME go!" Alex’s eyes blazed with defiance as he tried a different approach.

"Make this a fair fight! Unless... you’re too scared."

June's eyes flickered, surprise washing over her ghostly features before rage contorted her face. "Not scared."

"Prove it!" Alex challenged, his voice strong and commanding. "Let me go and see what happens."

With a snarl, June lashed out, her hand slicing through the air. A force like a battering ram slammed into Alex, throwing him out of his seat. His head collided with the floor with a sickening thud, pain exploding in his skull. His vision blurred, stars dancing across his sight, but as he lifted his hand to his face, he realized something—he could move.

Blinking through the haze of pain, Alex struggled to sit up, his heart pounding in his chest. When his vision cleared, he saw Noah standing above him, the knife clutched tightly in his trembling hand.

"Noah," Alex said, his voice steady but filled with a desperate plea. "You don’t want to hurt me."

Noah’s hand shook violently as he stared down at Alex, the blade hovering between them, a symbol of the dark choice he was being forced to make. The remnants of their friendship hung in the balance, teetering on the edge of the knife’s gleaming edge, as June's dark influence loomed over them both.

Suddenly, Alex's ears picked up the sound of frantic footsteps. He turned to his right and saw Alvin charging toward him with unrestrained fury. In a moment of sheer desperation and resolve, Alvin leaped at June's shadowy form and tackled her to the ground. Their bodies crashed with a thunderous impact, and Alvin quickly straddled her, delivering a relentless barrage of punches to her face.

"I've been waiting for this so long!" Alvin roared, his voice raw with pent-up rage as his fists hammered down with brutal force.

Noah, momentarily stunned, watched in disbelief as Alvin pounded June. The sheer violence of the scene broke through his daze, and he shook his head, struggling to comprehend the chaos unfolding before him.

Amidst the commotion, Alvin's voice cut through the tumult, sharp and commanding. “Don’t just sit there! Grab the knife!”

Alex snapped out of his trance, his mind racing. In a burst of anger he leaped up and swung a powerful punch at Noah, sending him sprawling to the ground. The knife flew from Noah’s hand, clattering uselessly away.

Seizing the opportunity, Alex dashed to the knife, snatched it up, and sprinted toward June. He leaped into the air, the knife clutched tightly in his hand. Alvin, sensing Alex’s approach, quickly rolled off June, making way for him

With a fierce, determined cry, Alex drove the knife deep into June’s heart. The blade sunk in with a sickening, wet sound. June let out a piercing scream, her body convulsing as dark tendrils of shadow erupted around her. A powerful, malevolent wind roared to life, whipping through the chamber and forcefully tossing both Alvin and Alex away.

The storm of darkness and fury blasted them through the air, their bodies tumbling uncontrollably until they were flung against the walls, leaving them dazed and battered as the shadows enveloped June’s writhing form.

June then let out a mournful howl as she sank to the floor in the centre of the circle. The darkness surrounding her throbbed and rippled like living shadows, shifting ominously. Slowly, she lifted her head, her eyes filled with a haunting familiarity. Her voice emerged, distant and echoing, as if from a great distance.

"Alex? Where am I?"

Noah, struggling to his feet, gazed at her with wide-eyed awe. "June?"

June's voice trembled with anguish. "I... I don't like this. I don't like it here. I want to go home." Her words broke into sobs, her body shaking with the intensity of her emotions.

Alex, his own heart aching at her distress, stepped forward with a pained expression.

"I... I wish we could take you home, too. We miss you, June, every day. But you can’t stay here. You need to move on. You can’t stay here forever."

June's sobs grew more intense, her voice cracking with desperation.

"I want to... but I’m stuck. Alex, please tell me what to do, okay? Just like old times. Tell me what to do so I can go home." Her plea was a heart-wrenching echo of their past, filled with the raw, helpless longing of someone trapped between worlds.

Alvin, his heart aching at the sight of June's distress, stepped forward. The sight of her, so vulnerable and desperate, struck him deeply. He could barely contain his own heartbreak as he looked at her.

Alex’s heart ached too at the sight of her, at the thought of the little girl he once knew trapped in this nightmare.

"June... we will figure something out. We’ll help you, I promise. Just hang in there a little longer, okay?"

Noah, tears streaming down his face, slowly rose to his feet, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the situation. He moved toward Alex, his steps shaky but determined.

"What do we do? How do we help her?"

Noah’s voice was thick with emotion as he wiped at his tears.

"I know how. We still have to finish the game, Alex. We still have to pick a new monster. One of us has to take her place."

Alex recoiled, shaking his head vehemently. "No! Not after all this! There has to be some other way!"

But Noah’s gaze was steady, his expression resigned. He shook his head slowly, and Alex’s heart sank as he realized the truth in his friend’s eyes. Deep down, Alex knew Noah was right. The rules of the game were cruel and unyielding.

Noah took a deep, shuddering breath, his voice breaking. "Alex... I am so sorry. Please tell my mom..."

"Don’t," Alex interrupted, his voice sharp with desperation. "It doesn’t have to be you."

Noah placed a trembling hand on Alex’s shoulder, his eyes filled with a sorrow that ran deeper than words.

"Alex, please. It has to be. Let me do this. Let me fix my mistake."

The room seemed to close in around them, the weight of the decision hanging heavy in the air. Alex’s mind raced, searching for an escape, for anything that could save his friend. But as he looked into Noah’s eyes, he saw a resolve that wouldn’t be swayed.

Tears welled up in Alex’s eyes as he nodded, his heart breaking. "Noah..."

But there were no words left to say. Noah knew what he had to do, and so did Alex. As they stood there, the darkness seemed to press in on them from all sides, the game’s cruel rules demanding their due.

Alex’s breath caught in his throat as he watched Noah turn away. The weight of everything they had endured crashed over him, and he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. His sobs wracked his entire body, the pain too much to bear. He hadn’t wanted it to end like this—couldn’t let it end like this.

Noah hesitated, hearing the raw emotion in Alex’s sobs. He turned back, his own tears spilling over as he dropped to his knees beside his friend. He pulled Alex into a tight embrace, holding him as if trying to absorb some of the grief, some of the pain. They clung to each other, two boys on the edge of losing everything, desperately seeking comfort in a world that offered none.

Alvin, silent and steady, knelt beside them and wrapped his arms around them both. His presence was a balm, a quiet strength in the face of despair. Together, the three of them wept, the bond between them stronger than the darkness that sought to tear them apart.

Noah, finally pulling back, wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, forcing a smile through the tears that continued to fall. He looked at Alex, his expression filled with a bittersweet resolve.

"Tell my mom that it’s not her fault," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Alex could only nod, choking on his tears as he tried to find the words, but there were none.

His hands trembled as he took a tentative step forward, his eyes fixed on June. His resolve wavered, and he looked as if he might collapse under the weight of his emotions. But before he could move any further, Alvin’s firm grip clamped down on his arm, halting him in his tracks.

Noah smiled sadly, the weight of what he was about to do pressing heavily on his shoulders, yet there was also a strange peace in his eyes. He released Alex from the embrace and rose to his feet, his steps heavy as he made his way back to the center of the circle. June’s small, trembling form huddled there, her eyes red and swollen from crying, her hands clutching at the darkness that surrounded her.

She looked up as Noah knelt beside her, her tear-streaked face filled with fear and regret.

"Hey, kiddo," Noah said softly, his voice gentle, as if speaking to the little girl she had once been.

June’s lip quivered as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "Noah. I’m scared," she whispered, her voice trembling.

Noah nodded, his heart aching for her. "I know, kiddo. I’m scared too."

June’s shoulders shook with sobs as she tried to speak. "I... I tried so hard. Everyone was hurting so bad, and I thought I could be the one to protect them and help them. But I just made everything worse. And then you all got mad at me, and I got mad too. And..."

Her words dissolved into tears, her small frame shaking as she cried. Noah’s heart broke for her, for the little girl who had been consumed by darkness, trying so hard to protect the people she loved, only to become the very thing that hurt them.

"Shh... it’s okay," Noah whispered, wrapping his arms around her, holding her close.

"Why don’t you rest now? Your big cousin will take over for a while."

June clung to him, her sobs gradually quieting as she leaned into his embrace. Her eyes fluttered shut, a sigh of relief escaping her lips as the tension in her body eased. Slowly, her form began to fade, the shadows around her dissolving into the air. As she vanished, the darkness that had surrounded her began to seep into Noah, enveloping him like a thick, inky fog.

Alex’s heart lurched in his chest as he realized what was happening.

"No!" he shouted, lunging forward, but it was too late. A dark wind whipped through the cavern, howling with fury as it pushed Alex and Alvin back, forcing them to the ground.

The cavern shook violently, rocks tumbling from the ceiling as the darkness consumed Noah. The ground beneath them cracked and split, the air thick with the smell of earth and despair. Alex and Alvin had no choice but to flee, scrambling toward the exit as the cavern collapsed around them.

At the top of the stairs, they paused, their breath coming in ragged gasps as they looked back at the ruins below. Dust and debris swirled in the air, and the cavern trembled as if in mourning for the soul it had claimed.

Through the haze, they saw Noah’s body lying still on the cold stone floor, his face peaceful, as if he were merely sleeping.

As Alex and Alvin staggered out of the ruins, their breaths ragged, the world outside felt impossibly still. The dense woods that had once pulsed with the life of hidden dangers now lay silent, as if mourning the loss within. The pale moonlight spilled over them, casting long shadows as they took unsteady steps forward. Their eyes adjusted to the night, and then they saw them—figures emerging from the dark treeline, their friends waiting in the clearing.

A collective sigh of relief washed over the group. Alice was the first to move, her feet barely touching the ground as she sprinted toward Alvin. She threw herself into his arms, her body trembling with emotion, as if she feared he would slip away if she didn’t hold on tight enough. Alvin held her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, feeling her heartbeat hammering against his chest.

“I thought I’d lost you,” she whispered, her voice muffled against his shirt, but Alvin only tightened his grip, a silent vow that he was here, that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Leo was next, his stoic facade crumbling as he burst into sobs. He rushed forward, clutching Alex’s arm as if to reassure himself that this was real, that they had truly made it out.

“You made it!” he choked out. “We were so worried. We kept trying to get back in, but the door… it was sealed shut.”

Ava stepped forward, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I knew you would survive,” she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and hope that had carried her through the long, agonizing wait.

Dan hovered at the edge of the group, his brow furrowed with concern.

“Alex,” he said slowly, “what exactly happened down there?”

For a moment, Alex couldn’t find the words. The lump in his throat grew, choking him as memories of the cavern flashed through his mind. He glanced at Alvin, who gave a small nod, as if to say they didn’t have to carry this burden alone.

“I’m just… I’m so glad you’re all okay,” Alex finally managed, his voice thick with emotion. The words were inadequate, barely scratching the surface of everything he wanted to say, but before he could continue, the others swarmed around him, pulling him into a tight, tearful group hug. Their collective warmth was a balm against the cold emptiness that had followed him out of the ruins.

As they pulled back, Alex opened his mouth to speak again, but his words were abruptly cut off. Flashlight beams bobbed toward them through the trees, followed by the frantic shouting of approaching voices.

Kimmy’s mother emerged from the darkness, her face pale with worry. “This way! They’re over here!” she called, waving the rest of the search party over.

Alex’s breath hitched, and the words he had been about to say died in his throat. He looked at Alvin, and without a word, they both knew it wasn’t the right time.

“Never mind,” Alex said quietly, the weight of everything still heavy on his chest. “It can wait. Come on.”

The group began to move, guiding each other through the underbrush toward the safety of the search party. As they walked, Alex and Alvin couldn’t help but cast one last glance behind them, back at the ruins that had swallowed up their friend.

In one of the shattered windows of the ruins, a lone, shadowy figure stood, almost lost in the darkness. Alex’s heart twisted as he recognized the silhouette—Noah, looking back at them with a calm, distant expression. But he wasn’t alone.

Kyle with an ethereal presence, appeared beside Noah, brushing up against his wrist with a gentle, comforting touch. The scene was hauntingly peaceful, like a final farewell from a world they could no longer reach.

Alex’s breath caught as he whispered softly, his words meant only for the figure in the window, “Look after him for me, okay?”

Kyle gave a small, almost imperceptible nod as if he had heard. Then, with a slow, graceful movement, both Noah and Kyle stepped back from the window. Their forms grew fainter, dissolving into the inky blackness of the woods until they vanished completely, swallowed by the shadows that had claimed them.