FIVE

Rain clouds gathered over the quiet town of Ashcroft, turning the afternoon sky into a dull blanket of gray. The wind whispered through ancient oak trees that surrounded a lonely farmhouse on the outskirts of town, carrying with it a strange chill that no one seemed to notice. The house looked warm from the outside. White-painted walls, a wide front porch, flower boxes beneath every window, and a neat wooden fence gave the impression of a loving family living peaceful lives. But appearances often lied. Inside that house lived sixteen-year-old Ava. To the neighbors, she was the shy adopted daughter of the Harper family, a quiet girl who rarely smiled. They often assumed she was simply reserved. None of them knew the truth. Ava had been an orphan since she was six years old. She barely remembered the accident that had taken her parents' lives. What she remembered most was the loneliness that followed. She spent years moving from one foster home to another until the Harpers adopted her when she was eleven. At first, she thought she had finally found a family. She had been wrong. Mr. and Mrs. Harper provided food, clothing, and a roof over her head, but little else. They rarely showed affection, believing that Ava should be "grateful" simply to have a home. Every mistake she made earned a harsh lecture or extra chores. Every achievement was ignored. Then there was Chloe. Chloe Harper was their biological daughter. Beautiful, confident, and adored by everyone at school, Chloe enjoyed every privilege Ava never had. She wore expensive clothes, owned the newest phone, and had parents who defended her no matter what she did. She hated sharing her home with an orphan. "You're lucky my parents even took you in," Chloe often reminded Ava. "Without us, you'd still be sleeping in some shelter." Ava never argued. She had learned long ago that silence hurt less than fighting back. Every morning before school, she swept the floors, washed dishes, cleaned bathrooms, and prepared breakfast. By the time she finally left for school, she was already exhausted. At school, things weren't much better. Chloe's four closest friends—Megan, Riley, Sophie, and Brooke—treated Ava exactly as Chloe did. They laughed whenever Chloe mocked her, whispered insults as she passed, and made sure she always ate lunch alone. Still, Ava remained kind. She secretly believed that one day, if she continued treating people with kindness, someone would finally treat her the same way. She couldn't have been more wrong. --- One Friday afternoon, Mrs. Harper smiled brightly as she adjusted her necklace. "We won't be home until tomorrow evening," she announced. "Your father and I are attending your uncle's anniversary party." Chloe barely looked up from her phone. "Fine." Mrs. Harper turned toward Ava. "The house had better be spotless when we return." "Yes, ma'am." "And don't touch anything that isn't yours." "I won't." Mr. Harper tossed Chloe his car keys. "If you girls get hungry, there's money in the kitchen." Then he glanced at Ava. "You're responsible for the house." "Yes, sir." Within minutes, the Harpers drove away. The moment their car disappeared down the road, Chloe grinned. "Finally." She immediately grabbed her phone. "Girls," she said excitedly, "my parents are gone." Less than thirty minutes later, Megan, Riley, Sophie, and Brooke arrived carrying snacks, soft drinks, speakers, and board games. The house erupted with laughter. Music blasted through the living room while the girls danced across expensive rugs. Meanwhile, Ava quietly washed dishes in the kitchen. "Hey, servant!" Chloe shouted. Ava walked into the living room. "Yes?" "We're hungry." "I'll make sandwiches." "Hurry." Ava nodded. None of the girls thanked her. They simply continued laughing while she prepared food for all five of them. When she returned carrying a tray, Brooke rolled her eyes. "Took you long enough." Megan snatched a sandwich. "I've had dogs that moved faster." The others burst into laughter. Ava lowered her head. "I'm sorry." "There she goes apologizing again," Riley laughed. Chloe smirked. "You know what would make today more fun?" "What?" Sophie asked. "A game." "What kind?" Chloe's smile widened. "A scary one." --- As evening settled over the farmhouse, rain began tapping gently against the windows. The electricity flickered. Brooke squealed dramatically. "Ooooh." "This is perfect," Chloe laughed. She disappeared upstairs before returning with several candles and an old wooden box. Ava recognized it immediately. The box belonged to Mr. Harper. Inside were old family heirlooms and antique objects collected over many years. "What are you doing?" Ava asked nervously. Chloe ignored her. From inside the box, she removed a dusty wooden board covered in faded letters and strange symbols. Sophie frowned. "What is that?" "My grandfather called it a spirit board." Megan laughed. "You don't actually believe that stuff?" "No." "But it'll scare somebody." All five girls looked toward Ava. Chloe smiled. "Especially her." Ava took a step backward. "I don't want to play." "You don't have a choice." "I really don't like things like this." Brooke stood and blocked the doorway. "Sit." Ava hesitated. "I said sit." Slowly, she obeyed. The girls placed their fingertips on the small wooden pointer. Chloe dimmed the lights until only candles illuminated the room. Outside, thunder rumbled. The atmosphere suddenly felt heavy. No one spoke. Even the laughter had disappeared. Chloe cleared her throat. "If there are any spirits here..." Megan giggled. "...give us a sign." Nothing happened. "Told you," Riley laughed. Then... The pointer moved. Very slowly. Everyone froze. "I didn't push it," Brooke whispered. "Neither did I," Sophie answered. The pointer slid across the board. YES. The room fell silent. Another clap of thunder echoed outside. A cold breeze swept through the living room. Every candle flickered at once. Ava felt goosebumps spread across her arms. "I don't like this." Chloe forced a laugh. "Someone's messing around." But even she sounded uncertain. The pointer moved again. It slowly spelled a single word. LEAVE. Brooke swallowed. "Okay..." "This isn't funny anymore." Suddenly every candle went out. Darkness swallowed the room. Someone screamed. The lights returned seconds later. The girls burst into nervous laughter. "See?" Chloe said. "Just the storm." She grabbed the board. "Let's play something else." --- An hour later, the atmosphere had lightened again. Music played loudly. Someone suggested a game of hide-and-seek. "No adults." "No rules." "The whole house." Everyone agreed. Except Ava. "I still have chores." Chloe grabbed her wrist. "You're playing." "I don't want to." "You never want to do anything fun." "I'm tired." Megan smiled mischievously. "Then you'll be the seeker." Before Ava could protest, Brooke tied a scarf over her eyes. "No peeking." "I really can't see." "Exactly." They spun her around repeatedly until she became dizzy. Then they scattered through the house laughing. "Count to one hundred!" Ava sighed. "One..." She counted slowly while holding the blindfold. Outside, rain intensified. The old farmhouse creaked beneath the wind. "Ninety-eight..." "Ninety-nine..." "One hundred." She removed the blindfold. The house had become strangely quiet. Too quiet. "Aren't you guys going to laugh or something?" No answer. She walked carefully through the hallway. "I know you're hiding." Still nothing. Then she heard footsteps upstairs. Ava climbed the staircase. The attic door stood slightly open. She frowned. Nobody was allowed in the attic. Mr. Harper kept dangerous tools there. She slowly climbed the narrow ladder. The attic was almost completely dark. Boxes surrounded her. Old furniture stood beneath dusty sheets. "I found you..." Something moved behind a wardrobe. Ava smiled faintly. "Chloe?" Suddenly someone jumped out shouting. "Boo!" Ava screamed in surprise and stumbled backward. Her foot slipped. She fell. Instead of landing safely on the attic floor, she crashed through loose wooden boards hidden beneath an old rug. The rotten floor gave way. She plunged into the darkness below. A sickening crack echoed through the house. Silence followed. For several seconds... No one moved. Then Chloe laughed. "Got her good." No answer came from below. "Seriously?" Still nothing. The girls looked at one another. A feeling of dread spread through the attic. Megan slowly approached the hole. "Ava?" She peered down. Then her face turned completely white. "Oh... my God..." One by one, the others looked. Ava lay motionless on the first floor below. A pool of blood slowly spread beneath her head. Her eyes stared blankly toward the ceiling. She wasn't moving. She wasn't breathing. Brooke's voice trembled. "Tell me she's pretending." No one answered. Chloe ran downstairs. She knelt beside Ava. Her hands shook as she touched the girl's neck. There was no pulse. "No..." "No..." "No..." Sophie began crying. "What do we do?" "We call an ambulance!" Megan shouted. "And tell them what?" Riley's voice cracked. "We'll go to prison!" "It was an accident!" "They won't believe us!" Panic consumed the room. Each girl spoke over the others. Then Chloe stood. Her face had become frighteningly calm. "No one can know." Everyone stared at her. "What?" "We bury her." The room fell silent. Brooke stepped backward. "Are you insane?" "If my parents find out..." "They'll think I killed her." "We all did," Megan whispered. Chloe looked each of them in the eye. "If any of us talks..." "...all of us are finished." Outside, thunder shook the house once more. Far beyond the rain-soaked windows, hidden deep among the trees, the earth waited in silence. Before dawn, five frightened girls would carry a terrible secret into those woods.