"No One is Home"

Episode 3: The Darkness Within

As Emily's voice whispered "Welcome home," the darkness seemed to coalesce around her. Her black eyes bore into mine, and I felt an icy presence spreading through my veins.

"Emily, what's happening?" I pleaded, trying to reach my friend beneath the eerie facade.

Her response sent shivers down my spine: "I've been waiting for you. We've been waiting."

Suddenly, the basement lights flickered back to life, revealing a grotesque scene:

- Emily's family, their faces twisted in agony, stood motionless around us.
- The walls were covered in strange symbols, pulsing with a malevolent energy.
- A dark, swirling portal yawned open behind Emily.

"What have you done?" I whispered, horror-stricken.

Emily's smile grew wider. "I've opened the door. They're coming."

The symbols on the walls began to glow brighter, and the air thickened with an otherworldly presence.

I tried to flee, but Emily's grasp was like ice. "You'll never leave," she hissed.

As the portal's darkness enveloped me, I realized:

Emily was no longer my friend.
The house was no longer a home.
And I was no longer alone.

The darkness closed in, and everything went black.

To Be Continued...