Mansion in the Forest

Backstabbed

Lexi finally found the door where she could hear the loud banging, as if whoever inside, trying to open it by breaking the door. She stood in front of it and released a deep breath sharply.

"Step back from the door!" Lexi yelled, she waited for Trevor to response but didn't receive anything. "You're really dead, Trevor!" She hissed, she move back a bit and lifted her leg before kicking the door strongly. The door didn't even budge, and Lexi felt the impact came back to her leg and she crouch down. "Fuck.." She hissed.

"You need my help?" Jazen said.

"Thank you but I don't want you to get hurt." Lexi replied and smiled at her girlfriend. She stood straight and stretch her leg, she moved back and kicked the door once again, but still nothing happen. "Ugh! This door!" She groaned frustratedly as she tried to twist the knob but it's really locked, at the end, she just lean her head onto it. "Trevor? The door won't open."

"Move, I'll shoot the lock." Jazen said and pushed Lexi away from the door. She then shot it twice and the door miraculously open itself.

Lexi quickly run inside but she sees no one. "Trev?" She called but no response. "Trevor! We're here, where are you buddy?" She called again but still no response from the said guy.

"Are you sure that he's here?" Jazen asked.

"I heard the banging in this room."

"Check the bathroom, I'll check the closet." The two separated and both sees no one in either spot. "Still no Trevor." Jazen said as she pad back to Lexi.

"But you saw him here, right? Everyone saw him!" Lexi almost yelled, she's frustrated and worried at the same time, she didn't even know if she's just hallucinating or what, but she's hella sure that Trevor is inside the room.

Lexi hurried out of the room and to downstairs, where everyone are confused as to why she's in a rush. She went straight to the monitors and try to find her best friend. The room they've been was already open but still no sign of Trevor.

"Where is he?!" She asked to herself while keep looking at the monitor.

"Lexi—."

"You saw him too, right?!" Lexi said to Jisu, holding the latter's both shoulders tightly. "Right, Jisu?!"

"He's not here, that's not Trevor."

"It's him! I saw it with my own two eyes!"

"The guy disappeared into the thin air when both of you arrived upstair, he turns into an unidentified animal." Siena said which caused Lexi to froze. "It's just an illusion and I don't know if it's one of those strange things going on in this mansion."

"But how? I mean, how did they know him? How could they used him as an illusion?" Lexi asked, but no one could answer her questions, because first, they didn't know Trevor except Jazen and Jisu, second, they still don't know what's going on. There's only one thing that they sure of.

They need to go out as soon as possible or they will get attack by those monsters if they stay inside till midnight.

_____

Trevor woke up with the sun rays stroking his face through the musty glass window. The light is oddly bright, casting the seagulls into dark shadows against a sky of palest blue. Their wings beat, hugging the air as they drift on unseen thermals. For a few moments they have Trevor's eye, keeping him spun into some sort of daydream.

He blink his eyes three times up to five times, until he's fully awaken, then suddenly, the horrific event last night flashed back to him. He jumped off of the bed and the first thing he did was to check if his body still intact, then the door. It's still locked, he sighed in relief. Then he walked to the window to see the serene forest outside.

"Lexi, where are you?" He mumbled and let out a deep sigh. Minutes had past and when he didn't heard anything from outside, he walked to the door and tried to twist the knob, but he furrowed when it didn't twist. He tried again and again but nothing happen, until he ended up kicking it till his leg felt sore. He also tried to call for some help but no one respond to it, even the windows have grills outside wherein there are none when he snuck inside. His surroundings are dead silent and the only sound he could hear are the chirping birds outside, the gush of the wind and his heavy breathing.

He ended up sitting on the floor while leaning his back at the door, he fold his legs and pulled them to his chest as he buried his face onto it.

"Lexi.." He mumbled again. He's not worried where he got himself into, he's more worried about his best friend, but the thing is, Lexi is capable to defend herself but Trevor don't know that.

Trevor shot his head up when he heard the metal knob slowly twisting, as if there is someone outside opening it. He pushed himself up and jumped away from the door, just to make sure he will have the chance to avoid the sudden attack if it's the monster. His heart beating so fast that it echoed behind his ear.

Then the door swung open and a body of a guy fell on the floor, he's covered with blood and breathing heavily. "H-Help."

"Oh god." Trevor gasped but quickly move to pick up the guy and tugged him to the bed. "What happened to you?"

"Got attacked." The guy replied.

"Well no s**t, you got bit." Trevor said disgustedly at the deep and open wound on the guy's arm.

"I know, those f*****g lesbians left me with the monsters, I just got lucky to escape."

"Those lesbians? Who?" Trevor asked, he somehow who is he refering to, but he doesn't want to jump into conclusion, but the idea of Lexi's existence in the mansion, somewhat gave him relief.

"I don't remember their name but Jazen, that beautiful cat-like eyes lady. She's the only one I can remember."

"Are they alive?!" There's a sudden adrenaline rush runs through his body, knowing that his best friend's girlfriend is here, didn't give it another thought as to why Jazen is with Lexi in such a dangerous place.

"I don't f*****g care if they're alive or not, I wish they got eaten or if not, they still need to die—."

"Okay, hold up right there schmuck." Trevor cut him off. "Why do you want them die?"

"They killed my best friend!"

"Lexi will never do such thing as killings, so I'm sure it wasn't my best friend." Trevor said with certainty in his voice. Blake on the other hand, got surprised to hear that the guy in front of him is the best friend of the person who he despised since the beginning.

"Well, sorry to break your trust towards your best friend, but they did, they cut off Francis's head and they plan to get rid off of me so they could have the money on their own." Blake scoffs and looked at Trevor's eyes. "And probably, they will kill the others too, I heard them talking about it."

Trevor froze in his spot at the side of the bed. He's still confused on where are they, and what he heard last night about being one of the participant, then he remember the words before Lexi left him that made him more confused.

Lexi told him that she found her mother and she needs money to pay the operation, then Lexi also said that she's going somewhere to get enough money. That's when something hit on Trevor, he looked at the window and smile.

"You know what? I was about to believe you, but then again, I know my best friend from the back of my hand." He said after while showing Blake his hand. "No matter how desperate Lexi was, she will never kill someone just for the money."

"How could you say so?" Blake asked, challenging Trevor.

"Because she's Lexi." Trevor replied with a proud smile in his lips.

______

"Ugh!" Jisu groaned frustratedly as she let herself plops down to the sofa. "There's no way out."

"We're trap." Denver said as he sat next to the girl. "What are we gonna do now?"

"We need to be more careful, especially at night." Lexi said, she's still looking at the monitor, never dared to tear her gaze away from it as she's still not convinced that the guy she saw earlier wasn't Trevor but just an intruder inside the mansion and in disguise.

"Does anyone know what challenges you might face in here before you accepted the offer?" Jazen asked, but none of them knows the real challenge. The only thing they know is, there's money involved and added the information of, there are lot of monsters scattered in the mansion at night. "Aren't y'all curious?"

"I don't care about those challenges, even the money. I just want to get out of here." Hans said. After getting caught by the monster and almost die, he don't need the money, because what's more important for him is to go home and find a job to pay his debt.

"Too bad you're locked in here, so you got only two choices." Chantelle said. "Get eaten by those monsters or stay alive until the people behind this game will let us out."

"But how long will they keep us waiting?! Until all of us die in starvation and dehydration?"

"Dude, the kitchen is full of stock that will keep us alive till next week." Denver said, who just got out of the kitchen, holding a carton of juice.

"Nah, I still want to go out." Hans shook his head.

"But no one can." Lexi said and finally turn around to look at them. "We need teamwork if we want to end this shit."

"Teamwork? With these perverts?" Chantelle points at the boys. "No thanks, I'm good on my own." She added with scoff.

"But—."

"I will never gonna team up with these assholes." Chantelle insisted firmly.

"Then be it, just in case you will need our help, don't ever ask for it because we'll never help you." Hans scoffed.

"Then don't. I will never ask for everyone's help for that matter." Chantelle said as she rolled her eyes. "I will never share my money tho."

"Your money? How sure you are that you are the one who will get the prize, b***h?"

"The f**k did you just call me?!" The Blonde storm forward to Hans but Jisu was too quick to stepped in the middle to prevent the tall Blonde from attacking the wounded Hans.

"That's enough, it is not worth to fight someone like him." Jisu rebuked as she grabbed Chantelle's hand and looked at Lexi. "I better put her away from them."

"Much better." Hans sneered. "We don't need a b***h in here."

Jisu whipped her head behind and glare at Hans. "You better shut your mouth, asshole. You're just lucky that I stopped her or you'll never see the next morning if I let her hit you." She growled and pulled the girl with her and they left the living room.

Lexi shook her head in disbelief, but the smile on her lips says the otherwise. She is just surprised as Hans for what had happened. This is the first time that Lexi heard Jisu talk like that. It's as if she is really a different person from the Jisu she know for more than years.

"We should eat first." Lexi said after a minute of silence.

"Yeah, I'll cook." Iris volunteered and she left to the kitchen, Siena in her heels. As the two left and the three boys decided to sit on the sofa. Jazen finally had her chance to speak with Lexi.

"Babe?" She called softly. Lexi turned around and look at her questioningly. "Can we talk?"

"About what?"

Jazen glance at the boys, who seems eavesdropping to them, she nudge her head toward the corner so they can have their privacy. Although she's confused, Lexi just shrugged her shoulders and followed her girlfriend.

"May I ask what are you doing here?" Jazen asked after they stop safe enough distance from the boys.

"Just like you, I received the offer." Lexi lied, but Jazen knew better, so she stared at Lexi intimidatingly, which makes the other girl anxious, Lexi's eyes began to mischief, looking everywhere but her. From then on, Jazen knew that Lexi is hiding something to her. "Tell me,Myers." She pressed.

Lexi lower her head as she fidgets and play with her fingers. "I saw my mom."

"Your mom?"

"Yeah, she's in s hospital and dying. I need money to pay her bills."

"Don't get me wrong okay? But how sure you are that she's your mom? I mean, is there any strong evidence that she's really your mom?" Jazen asked worriedly. Lexi is known as a nice and smart kid, but she can get deceived sometimes, taking advantage of her kindness. She's just worried that someone doing it to her right now that's why she risk her life for a person she's not even sure if that's really her biological mother.

"She have my pictures when I was a kid." Lexi said.

"My god, Lexi. Everyone can photoshopped any pictures, what if they are—."

"My mom's name is Anna Myers, legal documents cannot fool people, right?"

"Lexi.." Jazen sighs, massaging her temples. "I don't what makes you think that people can't do anything just for money. But since you're already here, there's nothing I can do, but promised me that we'll both get out of here unharmed, okay?"

"Yes ma'am, I'm sorry." Lexi pouted, which Jazen finds so cute and she has the urge to kiss her girlfriend but they haven't done it before so she settled at poking Lexi's cute nose.

"Forgiven, but next time. Don't lie to me, okay?" Jazen said as if she's cooing a toddler who nodded her head vigorously. "Good, now let's eat." She said and clings onto Lexi's arm.

_____

While everyone is eating, Jisu and Chantelle decided to explore the mansion. There are too many, as in a lot of rooms in every floor. Though the mansion are in dead silent and creepy, they still dared to open every rooms to check if there's something they can use to fight the monster.

Jisu was so against to that idea, but Chantelle insisted, since they still don't have any idea how to finish the game they got it. For the meantime, they decided to hide in a room once the night arrive.

"There are sure a lot of rooms in here." Jisu said as she pushed the door open and check inside but she sees nothing but antique stuffs.

"To be honest, if we can escape in this mansion, we can still be rich with these antiques." Chantelle said while checking the gold candelabra she was holding to light their way into the mansion.

"But unfortunately, we cannot. So we better look for a good hiding place."

"You love hiding."

"I don't." Jisu said without looking at the girl and continue her walk. "I just need to make a plan first to my next move."

"And your first move was be with the most gorgeous girl in this mansion?" Chantelle said which made Jisu halted abruptly, and Blonde chuckled. "Isn't it true?"

"Can you hear that?" Jisu asked almost whispering, totally ignoring Chantelle's joke, making the latter to scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"What?" She asked annoyingly.

"You're gorgeous, but I want you to listen carefully." Jisu said, Chantelle pursed her lips to prevent her smile to break out. Then she decided to ignore the nerd and walk towards the end of the hallway where they could hear the voices. "Hey, where are you going?" She asked in panic after she saw Chantelle walking forward, she's battling wether to let the girl pr to stop her, but Chantelle seems not afraid to whatever it is. "Shit." Jisu hissed and run after the girl.

Chantelle is not really scared of anything, but she knows that whatever inside the room are not monsters, because first, monsters don't speak, they just growling and hissing, while the sounds inside seems two person having an argument. So she open the door swiftly and closed it immediately.

"What's inside?" Jisu asked frighteningly.

"Gays." Chantelle said.

"What?"

"Two guys, f*****g each other."

"What?" Jisu asked again, as if she couldn't comprehend what was Chantelle is saying.

"There two guys inside the room." She said again and open the door once again. Revealing Trevor and Blake, both sitting on the bed while looking at them.

"Trev?!"

"Jisu!" Trevor exclaimed and he jumped off of the bed. "Where's Lexi?!"

"You're here?" Jisu asked back, as if she couldn't believe what she's seeing now.

"You know him?" Chantelle asked.

"He's Lexi's best friend." Jisu answered. "What are you doing here? Why are you here?"

"Long story, I'll tell you later. Where's Lexi?" Trevor asked again.

"She's in the living room with Jazen and the others." She said as her eyes shifted to guy still on the bed, glaring at her. "Why are you with Blake? Do you know him?"

"Not personally, but I guess he's one of the participant." Trevor shrugged and looked at Chantelle. "Is she your girlfriend?"

"Yes/no."

"What?" Jisu snapped her head to Chantelle. "We're not girlfriends for f**k sake!"

"Oh right, because you like Lexi." Chantelle scoffed.

"What?" Jisu and Trevor asked simultaneous, then Trevor looked at Jisu.

"You like Lexi?"

"No! What the hell? She's my friend!"

"And so? I love her even if she's my best friend." Trevor proudly said, knowing that Lexi is a whole as lesbian.

"Uh, didn't she have a girlfriend named Jazen?" Chantelle asked confusedly.

"Wait, so it's true that Jazen is here?" Trevor sneered. "That b***h is like a f*****g leech."

"And so as you." Jisu snarled. "We should go back to the living room." She said and glance at Chantelle. She never knew that there's a person who will notice the feelings she has for Lexi in just a short time period, which is really confusing because she never let anyone notice it even Lexi.

"Thank god, you found me. I've been looking for Lexi since yesterday."

"You better not be so happy, because we both know that Lexi will get mad to see you here." Jisu warns which made Trevor to shut up because she's telling the truth. As they were about to go back, they forgot about Blake. So they didn't notice how the guy quickly jumped off of the bed, gripping his blade tightly and he suddenly stabbed Jisu from behind, although the blade already pierce on Jisu's neck, Chantelle quickly grabbed Blake's hand and twisted it, which caused the guy to grunts in pain, then the Blonde kick the back of his knee and he fell on his knees.

"L-Lexi." Jisu mumbled before she fell on the floor and her surroundings covered with black.

______