Mellisa followed Kane out of town, the crisp autumn air brushing against her skin as golden leaves drifted to the ground. Even as kids, she towered over him. She glanced down, raising an eyebrow. “Alright, twerp, what’s this big secret of yours?”

  Kane looked up at her, fidgeting. He was always so timid, practically jumping at his own shadow. “I just… I know you’re kinda, um, mean… so I thought maybe if I showed you something I like, it might make you happier.”

  Her face darkened instantly. His words hit too close to home. He didn’t know anything about the fights at home, the way her parents whispered about money when they thought she was asleep. Still, she bristled. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she snapped. “Mind your own business.”

  She turned to leave, but his voice, desperate and pleading, stopped her.

  “Wait! I promise, you’ll like it! Just give it a chance. Please?”

  She sighed, glancing back. The little ten-year-old was such a wimp. But his heart was in the right place, and besides… it wasn’t like she had anywhere better to be. Going home was the last thing she wanted. “Fine,” she grumbled. “But if it’s boring, I’m kicking your ass again.”

  His face lit up. “G-great! It’s a place I love to explore. I think you’ll like it too.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “Adventure? You don’t exactly scream ‘adventurer,’ kid.”

  He huffed. “I am adventurous! And you’re only three years older. I’m not a kid!”

  She smirked at his tiny outburst. “Sure, whatever you say. Now, where are we going?”

  Kane’s excitement bubbled over. “My grandpa’s house! It’s huge! It’s got hidden passages, stuffed animals, all sorts of cool stuff.”

  She let out a short laugh. “You’re dragging me all the way out here just to see a house? I know you’re small, but that’s—”

  Her voice trailed off as they rounded the corner.

  Before her stretched a sprawling courtyard, beautifully maintained with cobblestone paths weaving between carefully sculpted hedges and beds of vibrant flowers. A few people tended the grounds, their faces eerily blank. And at the far end of the clearing stood the house.

  No, not a house. A mansion.

  It was impossibly large, looming over the land like something out of a storybook. It had to be bigger than half the village.

  Kane ran ahead, his excitement evident, while Mellisa stood frozen. She shook herself out of her daze and hurried after him. By the time she reached the front steps, he was already pushing open two massive wooden doors, revealing a grand foyer. A staircase spiraled up to the second floor, flanked by wide hallways leading deeper into the mansion.

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  Her mouth hung open. “Holy shit… are you rich?”

  Kane shook his head. “Nope! I live in town, same as you. This is just my grandpa’s. He said he built it with his own two hands!”

  She gave him a skeptical look. “Yeah, sure he did. Whatever. Just show me this ‘adventure’ of yours.”

  Grinning, Kane darted through a side door. “This way! My favorite spot is in here!”

  She followed, watching as he disappeared into another hallway. And another. And another.

  She picked up her pace. “Hey! Twerp, slow down!”

  But he was already out of sight.

  Mellisa skidded to a stop, her breath coming quicker. She glanced around—dozens of doors, hallways stretching in every direction. The house was bigger on the inside than it had any right to be.

  Her pulse quickened.

  “Alright, idiot,” she muttered, pushing open a door at random.

  Inside was a massive library. Shelves lined the walls, stretching up to an impossibly high ceiling. The scent of old paper filled the air.

  Then—footsteps.

  She looked up.

  Kane grinned down at her from the top of a bookshelf. “Up here! There’s a ladder in the back!”

  She exhaled sharply. “You’re gonna break your neck one day.”

  Still, she made her way to the ladder, climbing up with a mix of reluctance and curiosity. The higher she got, the more uneasy she felt. This place wasn’t normal. The house shouldn’t be this big.

  She reached the top and hesitated, slightly unsteady. Kane sat comfortably on the wide shelf, legs crossed.

  “You don’t have to stand,” he said. “Crawl across—it’s easier.”

  She rolled her eyes but did as he suggested, making her way toward him. He was already fiddling with a large industrial ceiling vent, pulling it open.

  When he climbed inside, she hesitated only a second before following.

  What she found was… unexpected.

  A small hideout.

  Blankets draped over the low ceiling, giving the space a cozy, enclosed feel. Piles of books were stacked neatly in the corner. Soft pillows and warm blankets covered the floor, illuminated by a single lantern.

  “It’s a nice, quiet spot,” Kane said shyly, settling into the pillows. “I thought you might like it.”

  Mellisa looked around, taking it in. Then, to her own surprise, she smiled. “Thanks. You didn’t have to show me this.”

  Kane avoided her gaze. “I felt like I did. You’re always bullying people, and… I know it’s because of your parents.”

  Her smile vanished. She shot him a sharp look. “Don’t talk about that.”

  He nodded quickly. “I won’t. Just… I wanted you to have a place where you could feel safe.”

  She studied him, then sighed, leaning back into the pillows. “You’re such a goober.”

  He grinned.

  She let out a small laugh. “It’s nice and quiet here. I… I haven’t slept in ages.”

  Kane’s voice softened. “You can stay the night if you want. I’ll tell Grandpa. He can let your family know.”

  For a moment, Mellisa didn’t answer. Then, she smiled. A real, genuine smile.

  “Yeah… that’d be nice.”

  She curled up in the blankets, the warmth and quiet lulling her to sleep almost instantly.

  ————

  When she woke, the world was different.

  Pitch black.

  She reached for the lantern. It had been blown out.

  Her stomach twisted.

  Sitting up, she squinted into the darkness. “…Kane?”

  .

  She climbed down carefully, the air around her wrong. Thick. Heavy. She’s slowly went down the ladder, finding her way to the floor.

  The second her feet hit the floor, an unnatural stillness settled over the house.

  Her pulse pounded in her ears.

  She raised the lantern, the flickering light barely cutting through the void-like darkness.

  Something about the house had changed.

  She took a slow, careful step into the hallway.

  “…Kane?” Her voice was quieter this time.

  No answer.

  She swallowed hard. The silence stretched. Then…

  A soft creak.

  Not from the floors.

  She looked up.

  And looked back.