Jackson sent a message on his phone — _tonight was the night_. His friends replied one by one. He grabbed his bag and quietly snuck out of the house. The night air was cold, but it didn’t bother him. He walked toward the end of the street, toward the house that had been boarded up for years.

When Jackson reached it, he studied the exterior, scanning the windows. Everything was covered in thick wooden planks — but that wasn’t going to stop him. That’s why he brought tools.

He made his way around to the back, figuring it’d be the best way to sneak in unnoticed. Just as he started checking for an entry point, **someone jumped on him from behind**.

A surge of panic flooded over him — until he heard the familiar laugh.

“Geez, dude! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!” Jackson gasped.

“Ha ha, sorry. I’m just excited,” Tyler grinned, patting Jackson on the shoulder.

“You two are as noisy as ever,” came Jenny’s voice as she stepped out from the other side of the yard.

Tyler pulled a face to mock her. “So I guess we’re just waiting on the other two now, huh?”

“They said they were ready, but who knows with those two,” Jenny rolled her eyes. “They can’t keep their hands off each other.”

“Hey Jack, you brought the tools, right?” Tyler asked.

“Yeah — they’re in my bag by the back door.”

Just then, they heard footsteps.

Someone — or _something_ — was coming their way.

The three froze, tension rising in the air. Was it a neighbor? The cops? Or… finally the rest of their group?

“They’re probably already inside by now!” came a frustrated girl’s voice.

“We’re only ten minutes late. Knowing them, they’re probably still outside,” said a guy trying to calm her down.

“Look who finally showed up,” Jenny muttered.

“It’s not my fault, Jen!” Clair protested.

“Yeah, yeah, I know. _Men can’t keep their hands to themselves_,” Jenny sighed.

Clair ran over and hugged her. “You’re upsetting Jen again, Austin,” she pouted.

“Oh, _I_ can’t keep my hands to myself?” Austin scoffed. “Says the one who can’t keep her tongue in her mouth!”

“Alright, alright,” Tyler interrupted, throwing an arm around Austin. “Remember why we’re here.”

“Right... to check out this dump before the party,” Jenny mumbled.

“Exactly. Let’s go,” Jackson said.

Inside, the house was pitch black. The wooden floorboards creaked with every step, and the air was thick with dust — and something else.

Something **rotten**.

Jackson’s stomach turned. _Something’s off… but I don’t know what,_ he thought.

“This place is creepy. And what’s that smell?” Clair grimaced.

“I don’t know, but whatever it is, it’s awful,” Jenny agreed.

“Let’s crack the windows before we leave,” Jackson suggested.

“Agreed,” said Austin.

“I think it’s coming from upstairs…” Tyler whispered.

“You don’t think someone _died_ in here, do you?!” Clair gasped.

“I hope not. But there’s only one way to find out,” Austin said grimly.

They climbed the creaking staircase. The moonlight cut through the boarded windows just enough to light the hallway. They split up and searched the rooms.

Then they found it.

The **source** of the stench.

“Is he… is he alive?” Clair gasped, frozen in horror.

“Jack, hand me the crowbar,” Austin said.

“Wait — what are you doing?” Clair’s voice shook.

“Trying to see if this homeless guy is dead or asleep,” Austin muttered, poking at the man’s side.

“I don’t like this… I think we should leave,” Clair whispered.

“No way… is this guy _dead_?!” Tyler asked, backing away.

Just then, the man’s **eyes snapped open**.

But none of them felt relief.

He **grabbed the crowbar** and rose to his feet.

Austin, stunned, dropped it.

Jackson just stared — frozen.

There was something in that man’s eyes.

Something **cold**, **violent**, and **unforgiving**.

The kind of eyes that **had nothing left to lose**.