Before they could even start walking inside, the music in the background had already scared them. Rainy was particularly frightened as she trembled in her boyfriend's arms.
"Interactive 3D Audio. The haunted house is really a big deal." Aron looked at the four girls with worried eyes. "Austin and I searched about it online. It's really scary. There are all kinds of strange things in there, like Sadako, the female ghost coming out of the TV. There's blood everywhere; it's so terrifying."
"Is it really that scary?" Rainy said, her voice trembling.
"We haven't searched it online," her boyfriend said. "Rainy's too afraid. Is there a way for us to back out?"
"Yes, yes. There's a switch here we can press that would alert the management of the haunted house. They'll lead us to a safe passageway where we can exit." Aron looked around but couldn't find the switch. "Michelle, do you know where it is?"
"I do." Michelle approached the wall and pointed at the switch. "Do you want me to press it?"
"Yes, please. My boyfriend and I won't be joining you anymore. I hope you guys have fun." Rainy finally calmed down. "It's different from the haunted house that I've been to before. Just listening to the eerie music and the screams is enough to give me goose bumps."
Robin nudged Debra with his elbow. "What about you? Are you still going to join us or what?"
"Of course. I'm not a coward!" Debra straightened her back. "I'm a little scared, but I'm also curious since I've never been to a haunted house before."
Lydia was stunned. "Haven't you been to one before?"
"No." Debra shook her head and took a deep breath.
"How could you have the courage to go to such a horrible haunted house if you've never been to one before?" Aron was shocked. "Debra, you're so awesome."
The others also gave her a thumbs-up sign. Seeing her friends believe in her made Debra more courageous. "Don't worry. Michelle, press the button. Let Rainy and her boyfriend leave first."
"Okay." As soon as Michelle pressed the button, two security guards came over and led Rainy and her boyfriend towards the exit.
Now only eight of them were left.
Aron walked in front. "I'll take the lead. Follow me and don't fall behind. I heard there's a revolving door somewhere in the haunted house. If we don't stick together, we might get separated."
"That's right. The last time I came with Nini, we went in with another group. After a while, they all disappeared. They must've walked through that door and left us. If Nini hadn't been holding my hand, I probably would've been separated from her too," Michelle said.
Lydia looked at Michelle. "Michelle, do you want to hold my hand?"
"I want to hold your hand!" Debra immediately ran towards Lydia and grabbed her hand. "You go to the other side, Michelle. Lydia is brave. She's been to haunted houses before, so she's not afraid."
"You three girls walk in the middle while Aron takes the lead. Austin and Leon will stand on either side while Kane and I will be behind. We'll protect all three of you, I promise!" Robin said with a smile.
All of them nodded in agreement apart from Austin. "I'll be on the back alone. Leon, take care of Michelle. The last time we went here, she was so scared that she cried!"
"I didn't cry!" Michelle shrieked.
"Yes, of course. You didn't cry." Lydia smiled. "You almost cried."
"Exactly." Michelle pouted and snorted like a child. "I don't need Leon's protection! I'm not scared, okay?"
Leon reached out his hand and touched his nose. He hoped that he would be invisible to the ghosts in the haunted house.
He had been quite nervous all this time.
'Stop overthinking, ' he told himself.
Now that he knew that the ghosts in the haunted were only people, he wasn't that scared anymore.
Then he remembered that ghosts were once human beings!
The thought terrified him even more.
Despite his raging anxiety, Leon followed them into the house. The creepy music was playing as shrilling screams echoed across the entire haunted house. Thanks to the constant flashing of the incandescent lamps along the corridors, they saw bloody palms and scratches imprinted on the wall, as well as words like "save me" and "she is here." The terrifying atmosphere made everyone shiver.
Out of nowhere, a cell phone rang. It wasn't too loud, but it was very creepy.
"Whose phone is that?" Debra asked.
"Don't mind it. It's probably not ours." As soon as Austin finished, the phone stopped ringing. Everyone exhaled a sigh of relief.
"Debra, your phone is on the floor."
"Wow, am I really that scared to have dropped my phone?" Debra bent down to pick up her phone.
"Debra, what phone are you talking about?" Michelle looked puzzled. Suddenly, the light in the corridor turned off, and everything became pitch black.
"Debra, if I remember correctly, your phone was hanging around your neck. How could it fall?" Lydia's throat lumped.
Debra's face turned pale. "Then, who was talking to me just now? That sounded like..."
"It was me." A voice imitating Robin's voice came from the phone she was holding.
Aron hit his own forehead. "Ghost!"
"Ah!" Everyone started to scream in terror. The phone in Debra's hand lit up. A ghost's face appeared on the screen.
"That was a ghost calling us." Before Aron could even finish what he was saying, Debra had already tossed the phone away. She ran away as fast as her legs could carry her.
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