Chapter 15: Home?

　　"Xia Ning, sweetheart, please open the door. Come on, if you wait too long, the food won't be as tasty," pleaded the man's voice.

　　"I... I'm not hungry right now. You two should go to bed. I'll eat in the morning," I managed to say, trying to sound composed despite my racing heart.

　　As the knocking stopped and the house fell into silence, I cautiously set the gun down and climbed out of bed. Moving quietly, I tiptoed to the door and pressed my ear against it, straining to hear any sound from outside.

　　Suddenly, a loud bang startled me, causing me to stumble and fall to the ground in shock.

　　"Xia Ning, open the door! Mom has made you some fresh fingers to eat!" came the eerie voice from beyond the door."Xia Ning, please, open the door! Mom went as far as cutting off her own tongue for you!"

　　"Xia Ning, come on, open up!"

　　"Ahhhh!"

　　"Ahhhh!"

　　I found myself sitting on the ground, a mixture of screams and sobs escaping my lips, hands frantically covering my ears, my whole body trembling uncontrollably.

　　Tears and blood intertwined, tracing silent paths down my face.

　　"I... I have a gun!" It suddenly dawned on me – the gun!

　　Rushing to the bed, I grasped the handgun, my fingers fumbling as I released the safety and pointed it at my own head!

　　My hands shook violently as I hesitated, unable to bring myself to pull the trigger.

　　"Xia Ning, is this how you're going to let fear consume you? Don't you want to save your friends?" Junliang's voice cut through the chaos, filled with doubt.

　　"Xia Ning... please, save me!" Yumeng's tear-streaked face begged for help.

　　"Are you really going to let fear rule you like this? Come on, show some courage!" Wu Jing's contemptuous gaze pierced through my trembling form.

　　With a deafening bang, I...Another thunderous bang reverberated through the room as if the monsters outside were using something heavy to pound on the door.

　　"Xia Ning...!"

　　"Xia Ning!"

　　Their voices echoed relentlessly, sending shivers down my spine.

　　Trembling with fear, I raised the handgun and fired a shot at the door!

　　Bang!

　　The gunshot echoed, leaving behind a small hole in the door, and suddenly, the noise outside ceased!

　　Sitting on the edge of the bed, I wiped away a tear mixed with blood, my heart racing as I listened intently. Yet, there was only eerie silence outside, as if the world had fallen into a surreal stillness.

　　Staring at the small, dark hole, I gradually regained my composure.

　　Slowly, I rose from the bed and approached the door. With trembling hands, I twisted the lock and pushed the door open slowly, peeking outside quietly. The serene living room was empty, bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight seeping through the curtains.

　　With the gun in hand, I ventured further into the house, reaching the corner and cautiously extending my gun, poking my head out. The dark kitchen was also devoid of any human presence, casting shadows that danced with the flickering light.

　　It felt as if I was the only one left in this house, engulfed by a surreal sense of isolation and fear.

　　Approaching my parents' room, I hesitated as I trembled, wanting to open the door but stopping myself.

　　I tapped on the door with the gun, hoping for a response.

　　Tap, tap, tap!

　　But there was no reply from inside. Gently pressing down the door handle, I pushed it open a crack, peering into the pitch-black room, unable to see anything clearly, my heart pounding in my chest.I hesitated to take another step forward, a deep sense of dread warning me against opening that door. With gentle movements, I closed the door softly, fearing to disturb whatever monstrous entities lurked within, resembling my own parents.

　　Approaching the refrigerator, I cautiously pushed it over, the resulting crash sending fruits and vegetables tumbling halfway out. With great effort, I maneuvered the fridge to block the doorway of my parents' room, propping it back up again to serve as a barrier.

　　Wiping the sweat from my forehead, I picked up the handgun and made my way back to my room.

　　Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was already past two, and dawn would soon break.

　　If I wanted to find Yumeng, I knew I had to venture to the haunted house. Tomorrow, I would need to purchase a train ticket to H City. But all of this was contingent on one thing – this had to be a hallucination based on reality!

　　Sitting on the edge of my bed, I stared blankly at the clock hanging on the door, waiting for time to pass.

　　Suddenly, I heard what sounded like screams from outside. Turning to the balcony, I pulled aside the curtains and grabbed the gun as I approached the window.

　　Living on the second floor granted me a clear view outside, even in the darkness of night. No streetlights illuminated the neighborhood below, but I could make out a person downstairs, screaming in terror as a paper figure crawled over them!

　　That paper figure was tearing into their entrails while simultaneously peeling off their skin!What's even more chilling is how the paper figure, as it fed, began to gradually expand its form. Its initially flat body visibly thickened, its color deepening, gradually resembling the shape of a human. I watched with rapt attention, my eyes fixed and unblinking. Despite the fear and revulsion, I felt compelled to see it through, to understand what the paper figure intended to do.

　　As it emptied the man's innards, the poor victim succumbed to the agony. After stripping the flesh off, the paper figure dismantled the bones and awkwardly squeezed itself in, like trying to fit into an ill-fitting garment...

　　I quickly drew the curtains shut.

　　I already had a rough idea of what would happen next—the paper figure must have replaced the man's body.

　　I found myself unable to reach out for help from anyone else, fearing they too might be mere paper figures!

　　Sitting quietly on the edge of my bed, my mind was anything but calm. I felt lost, unsure of which path to take next.

　　As the clock ticked away, each second felt like an eternity. I finally understood the true meaning of "time dragging on." When the first light of dawn peeked through the window, I rose from my seat with the gun in hand, my expression devoid of emotion as I gazed out into the morning. Time slipped through my fingers as I continued to stare, lost in thought.

　　Then it hit me—I might not have enough money for a train ticket. That realization spurred me into action. I strapped the gun to my waist and remembered Dad's stash hidden under the sofa cushion!

　　Pushing open the door, I made my way to the sofa and gently lifted the cushion. As expected, I found over two hundred bucks tucked underneath.

　　Securing Dad's stash, I patted the gun at my waist and decided to keep it hidden. I grabbed a long-sleeved denim jacket from my wardrobe to conceal it. Since the illusion was grounded in reality, it made sense to keep the gun out of sight!

　　Glancing at the time, it was already past five in the morning, and daylight had flooded in. With a heavy heart, I pushed open the front door of our house and stepped outside.

　　As I descended the stairs, I glanced back at the spot where the paper figure had stood yesterday. There was nothing there now. I couldn't help but wonder if the paper figure had devoured even the man's bones!

　　There wasn't a soul in the neighborhood. I walked straight out of the compound and headed towards the bus stop. I needed to catch the 102 bus to the train station.At the bus stop stood a woman in her early thirties, dressed in a vibrant red. She wore a gentle smile as she patiently awaited the arrival of the bus.

　　Despite my initial hesitation, I approached her and stood by her side. Yet, as I observed her closely, a sense of unease crept over me. Her eyes remained fixed ahead, unblinking, and her expression seemed frozen in time—a living, breathing paper figure, eerily still.

　　In that moment, it struck me like a bolt of lightning—she had been replaced by a paper figure!

　　With my hand subtly reaching for the gun concealed in my pocket, I prepared myself for any sudden movement. But to my surprise, the woman remained completely motionless, her smile unwavering, her gaze fixed ahead as if lost in a distant reverie.As I watched her, a nervous sweat began to form in the palms of my hands. But just in time, the familiar sight of the Route 102 bus arrived, its doors opening with a sharp hiss.

　　Without hesitation, the woman in red stepped forward and boarded, her movements rigid and robotic, like a marionette pulled by invisible strings.

　　I hesitated briefly, unsure whether to follow her onto the bus. But then I realized, even if I chose to stay behind, the next bus would likely be no different.

　　Taking a deep breath, I mustered my courage and stepped onto the bus.

　　Inside, there were six or seven passengers seated at the back. Yet as I glanced at each face, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Their expressions were frozen, like playing cards in a game of poker – some smiling, some crying, some completely devoid of emotion. Their eyes seemed fixed, unmoving, casting an eerie aura throughout the bus.

　　Despite my discomfort, I found a vacant seat towards the front and settled in.

　　As I sat down, a prickling sensation crept up my spine, causing me to squirm uncomfortably. Yet, despite the discomfort, I remained rooted in my seat, unable to muster the courage to stand.The doors of the bus sighed shut, and with a gentle hum, the vehicle began its steady journey forward