𝚶 𝐧 𝐞 𝚩 𝐲 𝚶 𝐧 𝐞 || 8 people 8 deaths

.10.

Ben's mind was a storm of fear and desperation as he hurried down the stairs towards the basement. "The basement window... it has to work," he whispered to himself, each step echoing in the eerie silence of the house. "I just need to get out of here."

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he paused to listen, the memory of Justine's screams haunting his thoughts. The basement door creaked open slowly, and he winced at the noise, every sound amplified by his anxiety. "Please, let this work," he muttered, steeling himself as he stepped inside.

The basement was dark and damp, the air heavy with a musty smell. Ben felt his way along the wall, his fingers brushing against cold, rough surfaces. "The window... it should be over here," he said to himself, trying to recall the layout of the room.

His heart skipped a beat when he finally saw the faint outline of the window. He hurried over, his hands shaking as he tried to unlatch it. "Come on, come on," he urged, his breath coming in short gasps. The latch was stiff and unyielding, but he didn't let that deter him. "I have to get out. I have to survive."

With a grunt of effort, he finally managed to pry the window open, and a rush of cold night air hit his face. "Yes!" he breathed, relief flooding through him. He climbed up, struggling to squeeze his body through the small opening. "Just a little more..."

As he wriggled through the window, his foot slipped, and he felt a sharp pain in his ankle. He gritted his teeth against the pain, pulling himself the rest of the way out. "Almost there," he panted, feeling the chill of the night air on his face.

Finally, he tumbled out onto the ground outside, gasping for breath. He lay there for a moment, staring up at the starless sky. "I did it... I'm out," he whispered, tears of relief streaming down his face. "I'm alive."

But he knew he couldn't stay there. He had to get as far away from the house as possible. Pushing himself up, he limped away from the basement window, his mind already planning his next move. "Find help... warn people... never come back," he told himself, his resolve firm. "I survived this. I won't let it take me."

With one last look at the ominous house, Ben turned and disappeared into the darkness, determined to put as much distance between himself and the nightmare as he could