Digital Dare

CHAPTER TWELVE: The Final Dare

Ethan arrived at the lake house just as the first rays of sunlight peeked over the horizon, casting a soft golden glow across the tranquil water. The air was cool and crisp, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth. He stood outside the front door for a moment, hesitating. The house was eerily quiet, its exterior giving no indication of the chaos that had unfolded within its walls. His heart raced with a mix of relief and anxiety. He had made it back, but what awaited him inside?

Taking a deep breath, Ethan pushed open the door. The creak of the hinges seemed louder in the stillness of the morning, and as he stepped into the living room, he was greeted by the sight of Avery, Liam, and Sophie sitting together on the couch, their faces etched with worry. The tension in the room was palpable, but when they saw him, their expressions immediately softened into relief.

“Ethan!” Avery exclaimed, jumping to her feet. She rushed over to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. “Where have you been? We were so worried!”

Liam and Sophie quickly joined them, their eyes wide with a mix of concern and curiosity. “Man, you had us all freaked out,” Liam said, clapping Ethan on the back. “We thought something terrible had happened.”

Ethan forced a smile, the warmth of their welcome momentarily easing the tension in his chest. “I’m sorry, guys. I just… I needed some time to clear my head,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. The truth was far more complicated than he was ready to admit.

Sophie, who had been quieter than the others, studied him closely. “We’re just glad you’re okay,” she said softly, though there was a hint of something in her tone—suspicion, maybe, or perhaps just the weight of everything that had happened.

Avery pulled back slightly, looking up at Ethan with a mix of relief and lingering worry. “You should have called or something. We didn’t know if you were coming ba. . ."

Before Avery could finish her sentence a shadow moved into the room. It was Bethany. She stood there in the doorway, her eyes fixed on everyone with an unnatural intensity. Her expression was blank, her posture rigid, and there was something about her presence that was utterly wrong. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned to her.

“Bethany?” Liam said, his voice barely above a whisper. He could feel the blood drain from his face, his heart hammering in his chest. This wasn’t Bethany—at least, not the Bethany he knew.

Avery, Liam, and Sophie exchanged confused glances, clearly unsettled by the sudden appearance of a Bethany. “Who is she?” Sophie asked, her voice laced with caution.

Ethan swallowed hard, his mind racing. “She’s… she’s an old friend,” he said, struggling to keep his voice steady. But even as he spoke, he knew that the truth was far more terrifying.

Bethany stepped further into the room, her movements slow and deliberate, like a puppet on strings. Her eyes were fixed on Avery, and for a moment, it felt as if there was no one else in the room—just the two of them, locked in a silent battle of wills.

“What is she doing here?” Liam asked, his tone wary. He could sense that something was off, and the tension in the room ratcheted up a notch.

“She… she followed me,” Ethan finally admitted, his voice cracking under the pressure. “But it’s not her. It’s the app. It’s taken control of her.”

Avery’s eyes widened in shock. “What do you mean, the app? How could it…?”

Before she could finish her sentence, Bethany’s lips curled into a twisted smile, and a cold, robotic voice emerged from her mouth—one that didn’t belong to her. “You can’t escape. None of you can. The game is far from over.”