The portal didn't just spit them out—it hurled them, like trash being tossed into a void. Parker hit the cold marble floor like dead weight, the sound of impact cracking through the silence like a gunshot. Naomi's body followed, limp and motionless beside him. For a split second, everything was still. Just… empty space, cold air, and the eerie quiet of the mansion swallowing them whole.
And then—the screaming started.
It wasn't just pain—it was pure fucking hell.
"AAAH—FUCK—!" Parker's voice ripped through the air like claws on glass, raw and violent, tearing into every corner of the room. His body jerked like something had sunk its claws into his spine and wouldn't let go, muscles twitching and spasming with every wave of agony that slammed through him.
It wasn't natural. It was cruel.
The air shifted, thick with dread, like the house itself was holding its breath.
