✔️The funhouse of murder • Stray Kids X reader✔️

26 ☠️

"It does look like he's the only one there right?" Jeongin observed. "So far yes, especially since there are no hills around him, but it could still be an ambush," Changbin observed as we all caught up, standing about a hundred meters away from both the guy, and the stone stand he was standing behind. "Still, we're going to have to go there somehow. If we don't even try it we're never getting anywhere," I argued. We were so close to what seemed like the first part of solving the puzzle, and with the storm already coming up, it was no secret we wouldn't last days in here. The stupid illusion of having all the time, yet still you'll die if you don't finish it in a certain amount of it.

"What do you suggest?" Changbin asked me, but my eyes automatically went to Chan, who met mine. After hearing him so suspicious about me I was going to take a step back, maybe that was the best for now. "I'm not too sure either" I muttered out, breaking the eye contact. I heard him hum, but from the corner of my eye saw him with a certain expression that I couldn't quite make out. For now all I could do was hope it was the right move. I seemed to be earning the trust of quite some of them, but around others like Chan or Hyunjin it still felt tense.

I could see Felix sneakily walk up to me, patting Chan, who was originally standing next to me, on the back, sneaking his arm around the back of my waist for the viewers to see, yet acting casual enough for the others not to notice. I still could feel the goosebumps form on my arm, a shiver running down my spine, but it wasn't as bad as the first time. Maybe because he now did it so lightly that I could barely feel it, instead of the heavy weight of his arm resting over my waist like last night. I looked up once more, seeing the comments already going wild, luckily without any specifics about us. The donations were coming slightly faster as well, yet definitely not as fast as they first did. Felix was probably right about the rate of how fast donations were coming in declining soon after the first night.

Still though, if something so relatively small could already make the donation rate incline again, this probably really was the way to earn gifts the fastest in this place. If only I could just get over my stupid fear of someone touching me, I could probably find ways to make it incline even more again. You'd say I'd be over it by now, especially seeing how much I was used to doing to get through life, but maybe because I was finally starting to feel a slight sense of comfort in these guys that I was scared of experiencing it all over again. Because no matter how comfortable I'd feel, it would take ages for me to actually feel completely safe again under someone's touch.

"Do we just... go for it?" Seungmin asked, but this time it was Jeongin who seemed quite uncomfortable, though he didn't say a word. Judging from how he was the one to almost die after using that technique, it was only logical for him to dislike it. Still, even if it wasn't too rational, I couldn't help but agree with Seungmin. What other choice did we have? "We don't have anything else to work with... If there for example is quicksand, we don't have anything to continuesly throw besides our life supports we packed, and I definitely don't want to lose those," I supported Seungmin, even though it made me feel somewhat bad for Jeongin.

"If it's quicksand, I don't think that would be much of a problem..." Jisung muttered quietly, making all eyes shift to him. You could see easily he was already getting more nervous because of it, but upon Minho grabbing his hand he still spoke. "I used to watch a lot of documentaries on nature, and one of them was on quicksand... it's quite easy to recognize actually," he continued, looking down to the ground. "Then if we do go for it, hypothetically, I want you up front with me to spot," Chan already stated.

"Then what about landmines? What if we suddenly cross one of those?" Jeongin asked, definitely still bothered. "In sand, most of the shockwave goes downwards, so if there is a blast, we'll only have minor injuries from it," Jisung answered again quite fast, still leaving some of us confused. "Another documentary?" Changbin asked grinning, making Jisung quiet again. "Still, I get Jeongin's point. It seems too easy for this place to just walk right up to it," Minho agreed. I had to agree with him, it definitely would be out of place to just give it to us so easily, but I still couldn't help but feel like we had another choice. "Chan?" I asked, looking for someone to make the final decision.

"F*ck it, let's just go for it," he answered, still sounding hesitant however. "Guys, make a line behind each other, hold onto a piece of clothing or onto each other, we're going in. I'm up front, Jisung, I want you right behind me." We formed a line, still a bit clumsy for a first time, but we eventually got there. Felix used the grip he already had, now placing both hands on my hips, however exchanging a certain look with Changbin behind him, while I held onto Jeongin's shirt, giving him a small nod of encouragement to calm his nerves.

"Don't you think this is going too well?" Minho asked after a minute or five. We were only moving slowly since we didn't want to take any risks, but he was definitely right. The person was getting closer, allowing us to get a better view of him, though all he did was stand completely still, with no change in expression or whatsoever. Did he even breathe? I couldn't even make that out. "Come on, don't jinx it," Hyunjin whined, looking past Seungmin to burn a hole in Minho's head with his annoyed gaze. "Guys...," Chan called out, stopping abruptly. "I think it's too late for that," he finished.

And only five meters away from the man, we all realized where the click we vagualy heard came from.

"Sandstorm. Upgraded."