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𝐆𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐀

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"What happened to you?" Vivien called through the door, her voice tense as she took in the sight of the woman on the other side, disheveled and clearly injured.

"Mom?" Sunshine stood up from the couch and moving to her mother's side, curiosity turning to concern. 

The woman outside spoke, her voice strained and desperate. "I'm hurt and need help. Open the door."

Vivien glanced at Sunshine, a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. Sunshine, however, shook her head firmly, instinctively sensing that something was wrong. There was something off about this whole situation, a feeling that tugged at her gut.

Vivien turned back to the peephole, hesitating. "You said you're hurt," she called out cautiously. "Can you tell me what happened? How did you get injured?"

"Can't you see the blood on my face? He's out here! Let me in, please!"

Vivien's hand wavered above the door handle. Sunshine's unease was palpable now, a tight knot of dread building in her chest. Vivien, sensing the same disquiet, reached up and quietly slid the lock into place.

The sound of the lock must have reached the woman outside, because her voice shifted, becoming more urgent, almost accusing. "What kind of woman are you? He's coming! He's gonna stab me!"

The woman's voice erupted into a desperate frenzy, her fists pounding against the door with increasing intensity. The thud of each hit reverberated through the house, filling the space with a menacing rhythm.

 "II'm going to get help. I'm calling 911." Vivien motioned quickly toward her daughter, urging her to go call the police.

Sunshine nodded before she bolted up the stairs. Her mind spun as she reached her room, frantically searching for her phone. But it wasn't there. Panic swelled in her chest—she must have left it in her locker at school.

She dashed down the hall, bursting into Violet's room, where her sister sat engrossed in homework. "Where's your phone?" Sunshine demanded, her voice tinged with urgency.

Violet looked up, confused by her sister's panicked tone. "What?"

"Your phone!" Sunshine repeated, her voice rising in desperation.

"Jeez, give me a second!" Violet huffed, climbing off the bed and grabbing her backpack. She dumped its contents onto the bed, rummaging through books and papers. Sunshine's impatience grew with every passing second.

Suddenly, Violet froze, her face draining of color as her gaze lifted, staring in terror over Sunshine's shoulder. Sunshine turned just in time to see a masked man lunging at her.

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"I have money. Please, take anything you want," Vivien pleaded, her voice shaky but steady, hoping to appeal to their greed. 

"We're not here to rob you," the woman from outside replied coldly. "Masks off."

With a swift gesture, the three intruders pulled off their masks, revealing their faces—two women and the man who had forced them down here. 

The leader, the same woman who had begged for help at the door, now stood in full control, her eyes gleaming with twisted anticipation. "The transcript was very clear. The nurses saw R. Franklin; he had nothing to hide," she said, glancing down at her watch with chilling precision. "Twelve minutes."

"And then the fun begins," the blonde woman chimed in, a wide grin spreading across her face, her excitement barely contained.

"I have a surprise for you all," the ringleader announced, moving to a nearby table. She picked up an object draped in a white cloth, slowly peeling it away to reveal a battered, broken bowl.

"No way," the man whispered in awe, leaning over her shoulder. 

"I got it on eBay. Authenticated," the ringleader said, her voice filled with genuine admiration. "It's the one he used to bash Maria." The admiration in her tone for a brutal murderer made Sunshine and Violet share a horrified glance.

"Let me see that," the man said, snatching the bowl from her. He turned it over in his hands, his face lighting up. "Holy shit. You can feel the energy in this. This is bitchin'!"

The blonde woman scanned the room. "So, who goes first?" she asked, her gaze predatory. "Which one is Gladys?"

The ringleader's knife swung toward Violet, pointing directly at her, marking her as their chosen victim. With a twisted grin, the blonde tossed a worn, vintage nurse's uniform toward Violet.

"Screw you, psycho!" Violet spat, shoving the uniform back at her. "I'm not putting that on."

"You have to," the blonde replied flatly, her voice void of emotion. "Everything has to be perfect."

"Take your clothes off!" the man yelled suddenly, his hand darting forward to grab at Violet's shirt. Chaos erupted as both Vivien and Sunshine screamed, their voices rising in panic.

"Mom!" Violet's voice cracked as she backed away, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"No! Put it on me!" Vivien cried, desperation in her eyes as she tried to shield her daughter.

The ringleader sneered, her knife glinting in the light. "The roles have already been cast, Mama bear." Her grin widened as she took a step closer. "R. Franklin hated nurses. A broken thermometer, mercury poisoning—that's what made him snap. That's why he took Gladys upstairs and drowned her in the tub." 

Then she turned toward Sunshine. Standing just inches from her, the ringleader used the tip of her knife to gently brush a stray hair from Sunshine's face. "And you, Maria—he saved you for last. R. Franklin was the first. Before Manson. He changed the culture. We're paying tribute to him tonight."

Vivien's voice trembled with defiance. "My daughter's aren't going to be a part of your sick reenactment."

The ringleader glanced at her, a smirk playing at the edges of her lips. With a lazy flick of her wrist, she tossed two nurse uniforms at the sisters. "Put these on. You won't like it if I have to make you ."

Violet and Sunshine hesitated but they stood, fear and defiance battling within them. 

Violet's eyes flicked between the uniform in her hands and the intruders, her jaw tightening with resolve. In a flash, she lunged forward, slamming her forehead into the ringleader's, sending her stumbling backward with a grunt of pain. Seizing the moment, Violet bolted down the hall.

The man sprang into action, rushing after her. But just as the man moved past Vivien, she stuck out her foot, tripping him. He crashed to the floor with a heavy thud, giving Sunshine a split second to act. 

As the ringleader chased after Violet, Sunshine bolted for the stairs, her legs pumping with adrenaline. She could hear the rapid thuds of footsteps behind her, the sound of the blonde woman closing in. 

Just as she reached the bottom of the staircase, she felt a sharp yank as fingers clawed into her hair, yanking her back violently. She let out a gasp of pain as she was dragged down. In an instant, cold steel pressed against her throat , the sharp edge of the knife biting into her skin. Sunshine winced, freezing in place as a thin trickle of blood slid down her neck.

"You crazy bitch, let go of me!" she spat, her voice cracking under the weight of fear and fury. She writhed in the woman's grip, but the pressure of the blade digging into her flesh stopped her from fighting back too hard.

"I've been waiting for this for far too long for you to ruin it, sweetie," the blonde woman hissed in her ear, her voice sickeningly sweet. She tugged Sunshine back toward the room where they had been held captive, the knife never wavering from its place against her throat. "Hand me the uniform, will you?" she called out to her accomplice.

"What are you doing with her?" Vivien's panicked voice filled the room, her words trembling with desperation. She struggled against the ropes binding her to the chair, her body tipped over awkwardly on the ground. "Don't hurt her, please !"

The man, still looming near, grabbed the crumpled nurse's uniform and shoved it into the blonde's free hand. Without a word, the woman dragged Sunshine into the living room—the same room where Maria had been murdered all those years ago. 

With a forceful shove, the woman threw Sunshine down onto the couch, her body hitting the cushions with a dull thud. The knife hovered inches from her face, gleaming menacingly as the blonde tossed the uniform at her. "Now, please. Just put the clothes on."

Sunshine's chest heaved with fear. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked up at the woman towering over her, hot tears pricking at the corners of her eyes, but she fought to hold them back. 

Sunshine slowly lifted herself off the couch, just enough to tug her dress up over her head. Her skin prickled with cold air as the dress fell to the floor, leaving her standing in just her underwear.

Her hands shook as she reached for the white tights, the fabric soft between her fingers, yet each pull of the material felt heavy with dread. She stood up, sliding the tights up her legs, her movements slow and cautious, every second stretched taut with tension.

Sunshine swallowed hard as she picked up the uniform, the fabric scratchy against her skin. She slipped her arms into the sleeves, being swallowed by the role they were forcing her to play.

As she buttoned the front, her hands shook more with every second, her breath unsteady as the dress fit snugly against her body.

Sunshine's heart pounded in her chest as she finished, standing still in the stiff uniform. She could feel the eyes of the blonde on her, watching her every move like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.

"Good," the blonde woman purred. Her eyes gleamed with excitement as she reached into her back pocket, pulling out a bundle of coarse rope. The woman toyed with it for a moment, letting the rope dangle in front of her like a taunt before stepping closer.

"Let's get you tied up," 

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Sunshine lay face down on the couch, her body twisted painfully in the tight confines of the hogtie. Her wrists and ankles were cruelly bound together, pulling her legs back in a way that made her muscles ache with each passing second. She could feel the rough rope digging into her skin, its relentless grip a constant reminder of her helplessness.

Tears streamed silently from her eyes, falling off her cheeks and soaking into the fabric beneath her. Her breath came out in ragged gasps as she tried to calm the rising panic inside her.

Her captor had left moments ago, mentioning getting something to eat and checking on the ringleader, leaving Sunshine alone in the living room, bound and unable to move. The absence of their immediate presence was only a small relief—her mind raced with thoughts of what would happen to her when she came back.

A blurry figure stepped into view, and Sunshine's heart skipped a beat. As her vision cleared, her eyes went wide —it was Tate. Despite everything, she felt an unexpected surge of hope, something she hadn't allowed herself to feel since the nightmare began.

"Tate," she whispered, her voice shaky but laced with an unusual sense of gratitude, relief flooding through her at the sight of him.

Tate knelt beside her, bringing his face close to hers, his expression calm and reassuring. His dark eyes locked onto hers, as though trying to anchor her in the chaos. "Hey," he murmured softly, his voice a soothing balm against the terror, "everything's gonna be okay."

"Tate, th-there's p-people trying to kill us," Sunshine stammered, her voice breaking as the tears spilled freely again.

"I know," he whispered back, his tone so gentle it almost felt out of place in the horrifying reality they were in. He reached out, brushing a tear away from her cheek with his thumb. His touch was surprisingly soft, and for a fleeting moment, it made her feel less alone. "I've got it taken care of, just stay here."

Sunshine let out a breathy laugh, sarcastic despite the tears. "No problem,"

Tate gave a small smile, glancing over her tied-up form. "Right," he acknowledged, standing up straight. He gave her one last reassuring look before turning away. 

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