The new-found group of weirdos were now heading to Star's house.
There was a hint of something new in Star's expression this time even though there was no hint of emotions.
Hope.
Confidence.
Aliana clapped her hands together, addressing the group.
"Hey! So... Star's house is in the middle of the forest. It's isolated, but..." she paused for a moment, thinking carefully, "he thought it might be fun if we all came over — you know, like an adventure!"
Jake arched a brow. "An adventure into the creepy, dark forest with a guy who still hasn't explained why he's handcuffed to you?"
Aliana laughed nervously. "It's... complicated."
Nia pointed suspiciously at Aliana. " It's the second time you said it."
Star grew nervous with the sudden shift in emotion.
Kade shrugged Nia off with a playful smile. "Visiting his house could be fun...It's not like we have anything better to do tonight."
Nia nodded slowly. "As long as it's not a trap."
Star whispered shivering. "Why... would it be a... trap?"
Jake catching the whisper crossed his arms. "That's exactly what someone planning a trap would say."
Luna, fiddling with the smooth rock Star gave her, muttered, "It's weird... but I'm in."
The others exchanged looks, then — one by one — reluctantly agreed.
—---
The forest was darker than they expected due to the thick trees and a cool wind rustled the branches above. Star walked in front, handcuffed to Aliana, clearly habituated with night while the rest of the group trailed behind flashing torches.
Star shuddered looking at them. "Are you all... planning to kill me with these weapons?"
The group froze.
After a tense pause...
Kade playfully grinned. " That was a pretty innovative joke! It caught me off-guard."
But Star didn't smile. In fact, he flinched harder until Aliana gently touched his arm in reassurance.
Lila whispered. "Wait! Really?... Was that supposed to be a joke?"
Jake sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Who knows? I guess Weirdos do have the talent to make any joke realistic."
Nia remained stone-faced, arms crossed, waiting for the drama to pass.
Star slowed, eyes darting between the trees, his breathing shallow. He took a moment to settle himself—then, hesitantly, they moved on.
_ _ _
The farther they went, the deeper the darkness crept.
Even the wind had quieted now, as if the forest were holding its breath.
Jake leaned toward Kade, muttering, "If we get eaten by some monster, I'm haunting you."
Kade grinned without missing a beat. "Deal."
Then—
A sudden rustling from the bushes.
Everyone froze.
From the shadows, a guy about 18, tall and thin, with blue hair and a camera slung around his neck — stumbled out onto the path.
He looked frazzled but immediately tried to play it cool, brushing the leaves off his jacket.
"Oh... uh... hey," he said casually, though his voice cracked at the end. "I'm not lost or anything. Just... exploring."
Jake squinted. "You're... lost."
The boy scoffed. "No! I was recording the forest. Just got... sidetracked."
Aliana stepped forward, her voice gentle but firm. "It's already dark. You shouldn't be out here alone."
"I wasn't alone. I had... my camera." He patted the device around his neck awkwardly.
Star tilted his head. "Your camera? Is... it your friend?"
The boy blinked. "What? No. It's just— never mind."
Aliana smiled softly. "We're heading to Star's house — it's not far from here. Why don't you come with us?"
The boy hesitated, glancing back into the dark forest, then at the group. "I'm fine on my own."
Jake muttered, "Yeah, you look real fine."
Aliana pressed gently. "You can record the forest tomorrow when there's light. It's dangerous out here at night."
The boy shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not scared."
"But... you don't know the way back, do you?" Aliana said softly.
Silence.
Finally, the boy sighed dramatically. "Fine. But only because I'm... bored."
Aliana smiled. "Glad to have you with us. What's your name?"
"Gem," he said, adjusting his camera strap again. "And don't expect me to be all buddy-buddy. I'm just here till I figure out where I'm going."
Jake smirked. "Yeah... that's how it starts in movies."
—---
With Gem now added to the group — the growing team now consisting of Aliana, Kade, Lila, Nia, Jake, Luna, and Gem — they continued deeper into the forest.
Star, still handcuffed to Aliana, remained silent, his eyes fixed straight ahead. His house was just a little farther.
But for the first time... he wasn't returning home alone.
And maybe, just maybe... these weren't "friends" for the master.
Maybe they were his.
_ _ _
The forest seemed to thicken as they approached Star's house. The air grew heavier — colder — and the rustling of leaves faded into an eerie silence.
Then, they saw it.
A small, crumbling house hidden deep within the woods, its dark wooden frame leaning slightly as if it might collapse at any moment.
Vines crawled up the sides. The roof sagged in places, and the front door — old and slightly crooked — groaned with each breeze.
Kade blinked. "Uh... this is a house?"
Lila clutched Kade's arm. "It looks more like a haunted cabin..."
Jake in an unsurprised tone said. "I had spent nights in isolated houses like this to hide from cops."
Gem tilted his head, already adjusting his camera. "Actually... this is kinda cool."
Star, still handcuffed to Aliana, stepped forward without hesitation. "This is... home."
The group exchanged uneasy looks, but Aliana smiled softly at Star. "Thanks for inviting us."
Star didn't respond — his face as emotionless as ever — but there was the slightest flicker of something in his eyes.
Hope, perhaps.
—---
Inside the house
The interior was somehow even more unsettling than the outside.
Dim candlelight barely illuminated the small, cramped living space. The walls were lined with shelves, but instead of books, they held old trinkets — random objects like rusty locks, broken toys, and small, unblinking dolls. Dust floated in the air, and the wooden floor creaked with every step.
In one corner of the room, a pile of handcuffs and chains lay tangled together. In another, a faded old bed with thin blankets.
The air smelled... stale. As if the place hadn't been lived in for years.
Kade broke the silence first. "Okay... so... I get why you wanted friends..."
Luna hugged herself, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's so... cold in here."
Nia wrinkled her nose. "And why does it smell like... metal?"
Gem was already filming. "This is awesome. Creepy, but awesome."
Jake rubbed the back of his neck.
"Hey... are you sure you are okay with all of us being here?"
Star flinched in nervousness not confident how to respond.
He didn't answer.
Aliana, sensing his discomfort, gently tugged the handcuff chain. "Hey... it's okay. They're just curious."
Star's gaze stayed fixed on the ground. "Master will come back... in two days. If he sees you... he might..."
He trailed off.
Jake took a step back. "Wait — Master? and might what?"
Star didn't answer, but the fear in his voice was clear.
—---
Jake: Immediately on edge smelling something suspicious. He wasn't used to running toward danger. He usually ran away.
The fact that Star seemed scared of his so called "Master" worried him, and he didn't trust this situation. He kept a close eye on the door, ready to bolt if needed.
Kade: Tried to stay calm, but was growing more concerned about what exactly they had walked into. The handcuffs, the chains, the eerie vibe — it didn't feel like a place anyone chose to live in.
Lila: Visibly creeped out. She stuck close to Kade and Nia, whispering that maybe they should just go back to town. This place felt wrong.
Nia: Suspicious. She didn't fully trust Star and kept eyeing him, wondering if this was all some elaborate trap. The fear of his "Master" seemed genuine... but was that fear real, or part of some twisted act?
Luna: Silent and wide-eyed. She didn't speak much, but the creepy atmosphere clearly unnerved her. She clutched the rock Star gave her like a lifeline.
Gem: Fascinated. Unlike the others, he wasn't scared — just intrigued. He was already planning how to use this footage for some "spooky lost-in-the-woods" documentary.
Aliana: Calm and reassuring. She was the only one who could feel Star's fear. He wasn't trying to hurt anyone — he was scared of his Master. Aliana knew it pretty well after knowing what he had to go through.
—---
After a long silence, Star finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper:
"We need... three more... before Master returns."
Jake blinked. "Three more what?"
Star's emotionless eyes slowly scanned the group. "Friends."
The room went dead silent.
Aliana gently placed her hand over Star's. "We'll figure it out... together."
For a moment — just a brief one — Star's hand didn't pull away.
After a long, tense silence in Star's crumbling house, Aliana gently broke the ice.
"You all should head back for now," she said, keeping her voice calm but firm. "We need to rest, and tomorrow... we'll figure out how to find the last three friends."
The group exchanged wary glances.
Jake crossed his arms. "And we're... supposed to just come back here?"
Kade added, "Yeah... not gonna lie, this place isn't exactly cozy."
Lila nodded. "More like a horror movie set."
But before the doubt could spread, Aliana tightened her grip on the handcuff chain connecting her to Star.
"They will come back."
Her voice was steady — so steady that even the most suspicious ones paused.
Star, still facing away from everyone, kept his head lowered. The idea of them not returning was something he fully expected. His master had always told him:
"No one with emotions will ever stand by your side. Only I will."
But... something about Aliana's words struck him.
"Why?" he asked softly. "Why... will they... come back?"
Jake looked ready to answer with something sarcastic, but Aliana spoke first.
"Because they or rather we are friends and we promised."
Star didn't respond. Promises were foreign to him — they were just words people broke.
But Aliana's voice didn't waver.