Trapped in an Iron Grip

This House is Just a Mix of Every Stephen King Movie Ever

The radio static finally stopped and you carefully removed your hands from your ears. You stood up straight and stared at the radio, glaring at it.

"Is everything okay?" Ethan asked you.

You shook your head and looked back at Ethan. "I think I'll be okay... eardrums were just split open from three different voices mixed together with a lot of static." You rubbed your temples with your eyes screwed shut. "What did you hear?"

"Mia was saying that she couldn't tell me something, but it sounded like she was talking to someone else or herself." Ethan rubbed the back of his neck as he watched you inspect the doll on the table. "I'm not sure if she was referring to both of us or not..."

You shrugged as you kept your eyes trained on the doll. Just two minutes ago, that doll looked like a replica of you. Now it had brown hair that laid across its right shoulder and brown eyes. The skin tone of the doll also changed. This doll was a perfect replica of Mia.

"I don't know what the illusion Mia said to you, but I can safely say that either the illusions are gone for me or they are now on your wavelength."

Ethan walked up to you and put a hand on your shoulder. "It looks exactly like her, doesn't it?"

You nodded and took a breath. "There was something that I heard through the static." You said as you and Ethan turned back to the double doors. "It was a guy's voice. He said vorsichtig and Butterblume and his voice sounded kind of familiar..."

"I don't know what those words mean," Ethan said, pausing at the door.

"Vorsichtig means 'careful' and Butterblume means 'Buttercup'," you explained quickly pushing through the doors. "I just don't know-" you stopped in your tracks and stared at the figure at the end of the hall. By the sounds of it, Ethan saw her too.

Mia was standing in the dark with Rose in her hands.

The lights flickered and Mia disappeared. You and Ethan stayed still for a minute and stared at the spot Mia was standing at. 

"I hate it here," you said quickly as you pulled Ethan forward, wanting to get out of this house as fast as possible.

Ethan agreed with you as he matched your pace. You both walked through the hall and towards the office room. You were met with a small surprise when you got in. 

"Was that note always there?"

Ethan shook his head as he checked out the note next to the projector. "I didn't see it before..." He picked up the note and read through it before looking at the strands of film hanging next to the projector.

"Hey, read these off." Ethan handed you the note and stood beside the projector film.

You held up the paper and began reading off the notes. It kind of looked like Mia's handwriting.

Our Happy Family

1. Rose's best friend in the whole wide world.

2. She really likes this fairytale.

3. The most important thing in the world to us.

4. A wedding gift from grandma.

5. Proof of Ethan's love for me.

You watched as Ethan carefully put the film in order. Once he was sure he got the order right, Ethan took the film, put it all together, and strung it through the projector. You set down the note and watched the projector screen while Ethan turned the projector on.