Melany, Sofia, Isaac, and Jazmin walk along the dusty path, sweat clinging to their skin. Suddenly, the sky shifts as dark clouds roll in, swallowing the sun and casting the landscape into shadow. The breeze picks up, carrying the scent of rain, and the four friends glance at one another, uncertain whether to turn back or press on.
"We need to find shelter!"
Jazmin points toward an old mansion looming on a hill, its silhouette stark against the stormy backdrop. The friends hurry, boots splashing through mud, hearts racing as they reach the mansion’s warped wooden door. The door creaks loudly as it opens, echoing in the empty halls, startling Melany.
"This place gives me the creeps,"
Isaac tries to steady his nerves, scanning the hallway. Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap shakes the windows, plunging the house into total darkness. The friends freeze, listening to the rain hammering against the glass and the wind rattling the shutters.
"I saw something move down there,"
"It’s just your imagination, Sofia. There’s nothing there,"
Jazmin suggests they investigate the kitchen, hoping to ease everyone’s nerves. Esme, a newcomer who joined them at the mansion, shines her light into a corner and finds an old metal box, covered in dust and cobwebs.
"The sound is coming from here... from this box,"
"Should we open it or just leave it there?"
The box shudders, startling the group. "That’s not normal! I swear it moved on its own!" Tension rises as Isaac approaches, gripping a wooden stick, and pushes the lid open.
"It was only a cat!"
"We got scared over nothing,"
"Poor thing, he was just looking for shelter like us,"
The friends laugh, their fear replaced by empathy for the frightened creature. As dawn breaks and sunlight filters through broken windows, cold and dread melt away. They step outside, leaving behind the mystery of the metal box, and walk home beneath a sky cleared and renewed.
