The doors quietly locked one by one until the trio were left huddled in the middle of the hallway, knowing they were not alone and knowing they were unlikely to see another sunrise. With silent eye contact they chose to head for the stairs and try the front door, willing to break the large ornate windows if all else failed.
As they crept down the hall they heard quiet snickering and tapping from behind every locked door - a staunch reminder that they were being toyed with as a cat does to a mouse moments before the final bite. As if they needed a reminder of their dire circumstances; the multitude of glaring signs and countless tiny mistakes that led them up to this very moment.
It was supposed to be a break from college - a spooky looking mansion where they could rent a room for the week and relax after breaking their backs and sleeping schedules for the end of semester exams. It was highly rated and cheap enough to gloss over all the little details in the gallery that made their hindbrain scream run oh god just run and never look back!
They were at the top of the stairs when they heard one single door unlock from somewhere on the floor above and footsteps sweep their way towards the staircase. The hunt was on and panic forced them to make yet more mistakes. Instead of sticking to their plan and heading to the front door they instead chose to duck under the stairs and hide behind a pile of old clothing, presumably left by the last ones.
A deep chuckle worked its way closer as the figure glided down - feet seeming to touch only air now that he knew they hadn't gone for the obvious option. The trio muffled their breath in dusty fur coats, praying he'd think they moved into one of the dining rooms or the servant's quarters and while he did head away from them, he kept turning his head back towards their hiding place, muffling his laughter as they did their breathing and neither working very well.
This would be a short hunt afterall.
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