---Flashback---

As they made their way through the woods, the leaves crunched underfoot, creating a symphony of sound. They were on their way to the ruins where Dylan had been staying. Alex led the way confidently, and soon they arrived at the clearing.

"See, it's right where we said," Alex said triumphantly.

Dan looked around in awe. "Wow," he said, taking in the sight before him.

Andy was equally impressed. "You guys were for real," he said, a hint of disbelief in his voice.

June couldn't resist saying, "I told you so."

Ava was excited. "Man, this is where that ghost grabbed you. Cool!" she exclaimed.

Noah, however, was not as thrilled. "This is not cool at all," he muttered, looking around nervously.

June pointed to the door. "Yeah, it was right in the door there," she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice.

Noah turned to her, his voice tinged with concern. "June, I can't believe you came here and didn't tell me! You could have gotten hurt," he scolded.

June shrugged it off. "It was okay. Alvin was there to protect me," she said, a smile on her face.

Alice chimed in, "Yeah, Alvin was there with us."

Leo, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "So what exactly happened here again?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.

Alex exclaimed, "We cautiously made our way inside the eerie house, our hearts pounding with fear. As soon as we stepped foot inside, a chilling gust of wind swept through the room, sending shivers down our spines. And then, out of nowhere, the ghostly figure materialized before us, its ethereal form swirling like a sinister vortex."

Andy clenched his fists, his determination shining through his eyes. "That thing hurt you guys, right? Well, we can't let it get away with that. Let's go and kick that thing's butt!"

Lucy, her fingers fidgeting nervously, interjected, "Guys, I don't think we should. We're missing Alvin this time, and without him, we're completely helpless. Maybe we should wait for him."

Dwayne nodded in agreement, his voice filled with concern. "Lucy is right. Alvin isn't here, and we can't face that ghost without him. Let's wait for him. He's coming."

Alice's eyes lit up with hope as she looked at Dwayne. "Wait, Alvin is coming? Are you sure?"

Dwayne hesitated for a moment before responding, "Um... Yeah, he told me he's on his way."

Sofia nervously chimed in, "Um, are you sure? Because Alvin actually told us that he won't be able to make it."

Dwayne furrowed his brow in confusion. "Hmm? Well, he said to me that he's coming for sure."

Alice pouted, feeling a pang of disappointment because Alvin hadn't mentioned to her that he was coming.

Lucy quickly nodded in agreement, her body trembling with fear. "Yeah, he's right. Alvin's not here, and we can't risk going in without him."

Kimmy, her voice filled with trepidation, added, "Wait, I'm not going in there at all. It's too dangerous."

Suddenly, a high-pitched cry pierced the air, resembling a haunting whistle that sent chills down their spines.

Noah's voice quivered as he spoke, "Well, that settles it. We are definitely not going in. It's a trap, and we shouldn't take the risk."

June, confused by Noah's sudden change of heart, questioned, "But why? What makes you so sure it's a trap?"

Noah took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "I can feel it in my gut. Something isn't right. It's too dangerous, and we need to prioritize our safety."

Kimmy also chimed in, her voice filled with agreement. "Yeah, exactly. Noah is right. We shouldn't go there, June."

June clenched her fists, her face turning a deep shade of red as the haunting whistle continued to echo from the ruins. Frustration overwhelmed her, and she stomped her foot in frustration. She retorted, "Screw you, Dylan."

But just as they were about to turn away, the whistling suddenly ceased, replaced by another mysterious sound emanating from within the ruins. Curiosity piqued, they all hesitated and glanced back, unsure of what to expect.

Then, something small and delicate flew out from the depths of the ruins, landing gently near June's feet. Alice knelt down and picked it up, her eyes widening in surprise. "It's my whistle," she exclaimed.

A voice, barely audible, whispered from the shadows. "Gave it back... stay... sorry..."

Dan's eyes widened in disbelief. "A talking ghost?"

Andy scratched his head, perplexed. "What kind of ghost apologizes?"

Ava, always the compassionate one, suggested, "Should we try talking to it?"

Uncertainty filled the air as everyone exchanged hesitant glances. However, Alex, summoning his courage, took a step forward, determined to uncover the truth.

Everyone exchanged hesitant glances, unsure of what to make of the situation. The atmosphere was tense as they stood in the clearing, surrounded by the mysterious vines that had suddenly come to life. Lily pointed at the moving vines, which gracefully snaked their way across the ground, forming a beautiful flower. It was a sight to behold.

"Wow, so cool," Andy exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement.

Ava nodded in agreement, her voice filled with awe. "Yeah, it's truly awesome."

Dan chimed in, his voice filled with wonder. "It's amazing how nature can surprise us."

Alex, summoning his courage, stepped forward. "Let's not be too quick to judge Dylan based on just one thing he did. Maybe there's more to him than meets the eye."

Kimmy, still skeptical, voiced her concerns. "But he's still creepy, isn't he?"

Alex spoke up, trying to find a compromise. "Let's make a deal. We'll all come back tomorrow, but we'll be careful and stick together. That way, we can watch out for each other."

Kimmy said "That sounds good to me. Everyone agrees, right? Nobody will visit Dylan alone."

Lucy, still shaking, nodded in agreement, "Yeah, and Alvin too."

Sofia, who had been quiet until now, spoke up shyly, "Um, yeah."

Everyone nodded and agreed, and the group put their fists in a circle, showing their solidarity.

As they began to walk away, Alex and Jane locked eyes, a moment of tension passing between them.

June quickly approached Alex and leaned in close, whispering into his ear, "Hey, let's go to the ruins later, okay?"

Alex hesitated, unsure about the idea. He whispered back, "I don't think we should, we promised that we will all go together tomorrow. "

June insisted, her voice filled with excitement, "Come on, just trust me. We'll have a great time."

Reluctantly, Alex agreed, realizing that June was determined. He finally said, "Okay, let's do it."

June's face lit up with a bright smile, grateful that Alex had agreed to go along with her plan.

Dwayne, always the practical one, said, "Let's go, I am hungry." He turned towards Alice, "Hey, why don't we go to your orphanage, Alice? There must be lunch ready by now."

Ava, looking concerned, asked, "Are you guys even allowed to do that?"

Sofia, still shyly, replied, "Um, yeah. Um...Mrs. Smith doesn't mind if you guys have your lunch in the orphanage, only you not the others. They are happy to share, and today Mrs. Smith is also not here, so we can enjoy to the fullest"

Andy smiled, his eyes lighting up with excitement. But as quickly as the smile appeared, it faded, and he sighed. "Wow, that sounds so cool, but I can't. I have to go home," he said, disappointment evident in his voice.

Noah nodded in agreement. "Yeah, me too," he chimed in, his tone filled with regret.

June couldn't hide her frustration and stomped her foot in protest. "Why can't we go, Noah?"

Noah sighed, his shoulders slumping. "We just can't, June. Mom will scold us both if we stay out any longer," he explained, a hint of sadness in his voice.

Leo, Ava, Kimmy, Lucy, June, Noah, Dan, Andy, and even Alex, who had been listening intently, realized they couldn't too. With a tinge of disappointment, they bid their friends farewell and began walking back to their own homes. Luckily, they all lived close by, so the journey was a familiar one.

As the group of friends dispersed, Dwayne, Alice, and Sofia found themselves standing together, a trio amidst the empty streets. Dwayne grinned mischievously. "Well, now it's just the three of us,"

Alice, nodded eagerly. "Yeah, let's go anyway. Besides, I'm hungry too."

Sofia, on the other hand, felt a familiar wave of shyness wash over her. She hesitated for a moment before softly speaking up. "Um, yeah, we should go," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Dwayne, noticing Sofia's nervousness, looked at her curiously. "Sofia, why do you always get so nervous and shy?" he asked, genuine concern in his eyes.

Sofia's cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink, and she couldn't bring herself to meet Dwayne's gaze. "Um, I don't know," she mumbled, her voice barely audible.

Alice couldn't resist teasing her friend. "She's always shy," she playfully remarked, a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Sofia's blush deepened, and she remained silent, choosing to keep her eyes focused on the road as they made their way towards the orphanage where Alice and Sofia lived.

After walking for 10 minutes, they finally arrived at the Orphanage. As they entered, Dwayne, Sofia, and Alice noticed the caretakers diligently working, ensuring the well-being of the children. To their surprise, they also spotted Alvin among them, dressed in black clothes and black jeans, his dark hair adding to his mysterious appearance.

Curiosity got the better of Dwayne, who couldn't help but question Alvin's presence. "Hey Alvin, why are you working with them?"

Alvin, with a hint of nonchalance, replied, "It's not like I have anything else to do here."

His response left Dwayne, Sofia, and Alice intrigued. Alvin's gaze shifted towards Alice and Sofia, "Well, you took your time."

Alice suddenly remembered that Alvin had promised to come and play with them, but when she had asked him, he had lied to her. Feeling a sense of betrayal, Alice confronted him "Alvin, you told Dwayne you would come, but to me, you said you wouldn't."

Alvin calmly admitted, "I lied to Dwayne."

Dwayne, feeling slightly hurt, pouted and muttered, "Traitor."

Alvin retorted, "I am not a traitor."

Just then, Mrs. Warner, the caretaker in charge, approached them. "Sofia and Alice, it's time to change your clothes, okay?" she kindly reminded them.

Sofia, flashing a smile, replied, "Um, okay." Both girls obediently headed towards their respective rooms to change.

Dwayne looked at Alvin, puzzled. "What? Why are you staring at me?"

Alvin replied calmly, "I guess you're here to eat food."

Dwayne grinned. "Well, duh. It's obvious, right?"

Alvin picked up a bucket, with a small piece of cloth began cleaning the windows. "Why can't you go home for your own lunch?"

Dwayne's smile faltered slightly. "I like it here, and especially with you."

Alvin rolled his eyes. "You're so obsessed with me. You know you annoy me sometimes."

Dwayne took a piece of cloth and started cleaning the windows alongside Alvin. "I know, I just want to be your best friend."

Alvin sighed, but couldn't help but smile a little. "Well, good luck with that. Thanks for the help." Dwayne smiled mischievously as he continued cleaning the windows alongside Alvin.

As they finished up, Sofia and Alice emerged from their room, both donning lovely skirts. Sofia wore a beautiful blue skirt that perfectly complemented her radiant smile, while Alice opted for a charming pink one. Sofia's outfit accentuated her adorable features, making her the epitome of cuteness.

Alvin glanced at the girls and suggested, "Well, we're done here. Why don't you two join the others for lunch? We'll catch up with you later." Sofia and Alice nodded eagerly, excited to join their fellow orphans for a lunch. They made their way to the room where everyone gathered, their skirts swaying gracefully with each step.

Alvin and Dwayne placed the bucket and dirty cloths in the bathroom and headed to wash their hands. As they dried their hands, Alvin turned to Dwayne and said, "By the way, don't tell me that you went to the ruins?"

Dwayne replied, "Yeah, we did. I heard you guys went there yesterday too."

Alvin placed a hand on Dwayne's shoulder and said, "Dwayne, don't go there, okay? Keep your mouth shut. If the caretakers found out about this, we would all get in big trouble. I want you to stay out of it for a while, okay?"

Dwayne nodded, "Why is that?"

Alvin let out a sigh, "You're too young for that."

Dwayne raised his eyebrows, "Are you joking? We're the same age here."

Alvin replied, "Yeah, but you're dumb, my friend. Anyway, let's talk later. Let's go for lunch now."

Dwayne saw the scar on the back of Alvin's neck while walking. He glanced at it, his eyebrows raised. "Hey Alvin, what's the deal with that scar? How'd you get it?"

Alvin shrugged, not seeming too bothered by it. "Oh, that one? Honestly, I have no clue. It just sort of appeared one day, like magic or something."

Dwayne's concern started to show on his face as he noticed the other scars scattered across Alvin's body. He gestured towards them, his voice filled with worry. "Man, you really need to take better care of yourself. It looks like you've got a whole collection of scars going on there."

Alvin nodded, "Yeah, you're probably right. I should start paying more attention to my well-being. Maybe it's time to start taking better care of this of body of mine."

As they made their way to the lunchroom, they could hear the chatter and laughter of the other orphans. The room was filled with the sound of clinking cutlery and the aroma of freshly cooked food. The orphans were all seated at long tables, chatting and enjoying their meals.