The Devil's Spawn

ACT V: TRACES OF LIFE

Familiar yellow tapes, one that the police force used to keep people at bay in a scene of the crime, can be found littered all over the estate. Its lettering and color had long since faded, but it gave the group enough goosebumps. It made Rose wonder what made Amber react the way she did when she was the first one to introduce the idea of coming into this place.

Rose stayed by Amber's side, concern swimming in her green irises. None seemed to have noticed the brunette female's uncharacteristic silence. While Prism raved about the remains of the Hellstine estate, Amber feared moving one step forward.

I know your secret, it whispered near her ear. And the brunette wanted to ask it back: Is it really my secret, or theirs?

"Hey, isn't this weird?" Prism asked, her voice loudly echoing in the vast space and snapping Amber out of her own little word. The dark-haired girl messed with the lock and found it as good as new.

"What is?" Kou chimed, already standing beside her with a curious gaze. The rest followed suit and it did not take long for all of them to crowd together.

"Everything is in ruins outside, old and rusty, just as what you would expect from an abandoned place. So why is this lock brand new?" Prism pointed to the said lock that prevented them from entering the massive mansion.

"Is it that weird?" Nana queried, though most of them could not catch what he said due to the lollipop and a couple more candies he happily popped in his mouth.

Leon ignored him and instead, looked at the said lock with scrutinizing eyes. When he moved to touch it, the silver tool clicked and surprised every single one of them as it hit the ground with a loud thud.

"I did not touch it," Leon swore with both of his hands raised in surrender.

"That's the second time it happened today!" Hiro exclaimed, finally feeling the creeps. Even Princess who is a skeptic could feel the hairs on her body rising.

"Yeah, we really are going to die here. Rip," King muttered under his breath which earned him a smack on the head from the short vocalist of Wintry Winds.

"Come on now, it might just be a coincidence! That lock must have been really old and just looked brand new!" Nana cheered, a bright smile adorning his baby face. His optimism immediately dispersed the tense atmosphere.

"I can't believe I am saying this but Nana is right, there is no use in getting freaked out over every little thing. This might have been once a murder house but that was all in the past," Princess said with a nod, the rational part of her brain scolding her for getting easily scared.

"Yes, Princess and Nana are right. Let us think rationally or else we run out before we could even achieve what we came here for." Yue nodded his head before landing a warm hand on both of Prism's shoulders. "Do not do anything reckless and stay close to me."

"Alright~" Prism agreed in a sing-song tone before opening the door without waiting for anyone's permission. Yue sighed, not even one second passed and his little sister was already running inside, not waiting for him.

The group held their breath as the massive double doors slowly creaked open. They anticipated plenty of things, from a rotten stench to an entirely messy household, but what they did not expect was the bright light that greeted them.

"Okay, I know I said it might just be a coincidence, but this is just getting weirder!" Nana exclaimed as he gawked at the well-lit hall, massive enough to hold ballroom parties.

"This is the correct place, right?" Amber questioned, speaking for the first time since she got off the van. She turned to Leon to confirm, and when the red-head nodded, the group stared at one another.

"Could it be that someone had already bought this place and we are trespassing?" Sora thought, his teal eyes glinting mischievously as he watched his friends tense up.

"We would have to answer to the police, my reputation! That would be a disaster!" Onyx exclaimed worriedly, although Sora raised a brow at him since his expression — one that was filled with amusement — did not match his tone.

"None of us are getting arrested!" Princess growled while stomping one foot on the marble flooring.

"No one said that though, I am merely sharing a possibility that might happen." Sora shrugged.

"Hey King," Kou called, already halfway up the stairs leading to the second floor without anyone noticing except Prism. "You said you've read in an article that this has been long abandoned right? And none wanted to buy a home with a dark background."

"Yeah, so what?" King answered, and when Kou gestured for them to follow him, they all scrambled up the stairs and towards the second floor, afraid to be left behind.

Once upstairs, the group is immediately greeted by rows and rows of doors on both sides of the hall, each door ajar with a golden cart with food perched on top stationed outside each door.

With her sensitive nose, Sky scrunched up her face at the strong smell of pepper and spices. "Aren't these freshly made?" The said girl questioned as her keen eye caught the steam that rose into the air.

"And it smells good too, this is fascinating, I'm glad I tagged along," Sora said with a satisfied smile, his attention already on the rooms that were left ajar.

"What a strange boy," Yue muttered. Nonetheless, he followed suit and picked one room to examine. But the tall brunette made sure he was still close enough that he could see his sister.

It did not take long for the group to scatter, gaze curiously drinking everything their eyes could see. Only Prism remained planted on the ground. And like a loyal guard-dog, King stayed by her side.

"Is something wrong?"

"Yeah," the girl immediately answered. "Everything is wrong."

King nodded in understanding and hummed his agreement. Everything really is wrong. The outside that is in ruins is a far cry to the perfect state of the mansion's interior.

"Not only that, listen King." As the rest seemed to be in a daze that attracted them to each room, Prism held out a finger to her mouth, encouraging the ravinette male to listen.

It was faint at first, as if someone was knocking on wood, and then a loud bang resonated, making everyone jump in surprise.

Glancing at one another briefly, King and Prism raced towards the ground floor in search of the noise. Someone is here.

But the only thing they found was the main entrance shut tight.