★ＨＡＵＮＴＥＤ ＭＡＮＳＩＯＮ★

★62

The camera panned back to the darkened mansion, its windows like empty eyes staring out into the night. Inside, the basement lay cloaked in shadows, where dust motes danced in the stale air. The camera zoomed in on an ornate portrait hanging crookedly on the wall.

It depicted the Pittsburgh family, their ghostly faces twisted in eternal sorrow. But now, two more figures had joined the ranks of the damned—Amber and Tayla, their heads missing and skin grotesquely peeling away, trapped in an agonizing expression of despair. They had become a part of the haunted legacy, their spirits forever entwined with the house.

But where was Jaxon?

Just then, a loud crash echoed through the mansion as Jaxon burst into the frame, adrenaline fueling his movements. He kicked the demon—a grotesque, shadowy figure with glowing eyes and an unnerving grin—squarely in the chest. It recoiled, momentarily disoriented, and Jaxon seized the opportunity. Grabbing a lamp from a nearby table, he hurled it with all his might. The lamp shattered against the demon, a shower of glass exploding outward as it shrieked in rage.

the glass of the window, shards raining down around him as he tumbled onto the front lawn. Pain shot through him as he hit the ground, but there was no time to think about it. He pushed himself up and sprinted away from the house, his heart racing and breath coming in frantic gasps.Behind him, the house loomed ominously, the windows reflecting a sinister glow. The air was thick with an unsettling silence, broken only by the sound of his pounding footsteps on the gravel. He could feel the demon's presence lurking just out of sight, a chilling reminder of what he had narrowly escaped.**"I can't stop!"** Jaxon thought, urging his legs to move faster. He didn't dare look back. The haunting images of Amber and Tayla filled his mind, but he forced them aside. **Survival was his only focus now.**As he ran down the dirt road, the forest closed in on either side, shadows creeping closer with every step. A part of him wondered if he would ever find a way to escape this nightmare, or if he would join his friends in that cursed portrait, their faces forever twisted in terror.**Suddenly, a loud roar echoed through the air**, shaking him to his core. Jaxon stumbled but regained his balance, adrenaline surging. He pushed himself harder, darting between the trees, praying for some semblance of safety.But the road seemed endless, and the darkness was swallowing him whole. Just when he thought he might reach the town, a familiar feeling of dread washed