Darkness Retribution

Infamous Ding Dong

As the day progressed, the laughter from the morning slowly gave way to a more peaceful and reflective mood. Everyone was sprawled across various pieces of furniture, still too lazy to go anywhere, but the energy had shifted. The house, now quiet except for the occasional creak or rustle, felt calm—almost too calm.

Felix was lying beside you on the couch, his fingers intertwined with yours. The two of you had stayed quiet for a while, content in the closeness, but you couldn't help but feel like something was brewing. The stillness wasn't sitting right with you, and a strange feeling began to settle in your chest.

"I feel like something's gonna happen," you muttered to Felix, who turned his head to look at you with a sleepy smile.

"Like what? Freddy's going to challenge us to karaoke again?" he teased lightly.

You chuckled but couldn't shake the feeling. Neuvillette, sitting by the window and sipping his water, looked out into the slowly darkening sky. He hadn't said much since the morning, seemingly content in his thoughts. Emo Jesus, still nursing his bruised pride from earlier, had taken a seat far away from Toe Pedeos, who hadn't dared to make eye contact since the bathroom incident.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang.

The sound echoed throughout the quiet house, and everyone froze. Freddy was the first to break the silence. "Was anyone expecting company?"

Everyone shook their heads. Felix sat up, alert now, and you felt that uneasy feeling deepen. Neuvillette's brows furrowed as he set down his glass of water, his eyes sharp and focused on the door.

Emo Jesus was the first to move, standing up with an exasperated sigh. "I'll get it. It's probably some kid selling cookies or whatever."

He swung open the door, but no one was there.

"Well, that's just great," he muttered, slamming the door shut. "Thanks for wasting my time."

Toe Pedeos, cautiously curious, tiptoed to the entrance, peeking through the window. "But... there was no one there?"

The tension in the air became thick. Felix, now fully alert, glanced at you with concern. "That's... weird, right?"

"Yeah," you replied, trying to make sense of it. But before you could say anything else, Freddy let out a loud gasp.

"Wait a minute," he said, his voice rising with panic. "Guys, where's the chair?"

Everyone turned to look. One of the dining chairs, which had been there earlier, was gone.

"What the...?" Duolingo asked, puzzled as he scanned the room. "Who steals chairs?"

"Not again," Neuvillette muttered under his breath, looking like he already knew where this was heading.

Before anyone could react further, the doorbell rang again. This time, it was followed by an unsettling silence. You all turned to each other, eyes wide with disbelief. Who—or what—was messing with you?

Toe Pedeos was trembling slightly. "I don't like this. Something's not right."

Felix stood up, taking your hand as if to reassure you. "Should we check outside?"

Freddy shook his head. "No way, man. I saw this in a movie once. You check the door, then the next thing you know, you're being dragged into the void."

Neuvillette rolled his eyes but still stood up, heading toward the door with a grim expression. "It's probably just some prankster."

But as he reached for the door, the doorbell rang again—this time more rapidly, in an almost frantic pattern. And as before, when Neuvillette opened the door, no one was there. However, now, two chairs were missing.