Enix's heart was pounding with excitement as the family's car wound its way through the rugged terrain.

But as the road grew narrower and rougher, Enix began to feel uneasy.

There's a sense of isolation and abandonment, and it seemed as if they were the only ones left in the world.

Enix's father had always been practical, and knew that the low price of the house in Majayjay was too good to pass up.

They had spent many summers suffocating in Manila's polluted air, and a change of scenery was long overdue.

Enix's family had been dreaming of their vacation home in the countryside for a long time.

As they arrived, the house looked beautiful, with a garden and a porch, perfect for relaxation.

The family was excited to explore the spacious and comfortable rooms.

However, when the mother went to check the terrace, she felt uneasy.

The metal bars that surrounded it were closed tightly, and there was no visible escape.

"I don't feel safe with these bars locked up like this. What if something happens and we can't escape?"

Despite her unease, she couldn't help but be drawn to the deep well in the garden, knowing it would be a great source of fresh water for the family.

During a moment of rest, his mother can't help but ask, "Why was this house sold at such a low price? It doesn't make sense."

"I'm not sure, but I heard that the former owner needed money urgently and was moving to another country. They probably wanted to sell the house quickly."

Enix's mother was surprised by this revelation.

It didn't quite add up, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

Life in the countryside was different from what they were used to. There was no cable TV or internet connection, and Enix found himself bored.

One evening, as he watched a saved movie on his phone, a loud bang echoed through the house, followed by a deafening scream. Enix rushed to the kitchen.

"Mom, was that you screaming?"

"What are you talking about? I was just cooking dinner."

Enix couldn't believe what he was hearing.

If it wasn't his mother who had screamed, then who was it?

And where had the loud bang come from?

As he stood there, trying to make sense of it all, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong in this house.

Enix realized that he was the only one who had heard the loud bang and the screams.

Was he going crazy?

He brushed these thoughts aside.

He decided to go outside to check on the light post. As he walked out, he felt a sense of relief wash over him.

But as he turned to go back inside, something caught his eye.

A shadowy figure ran across the side of the house, disappearing into the darkness.

Enix was scared and didn't know what to do.

He held up a nearby wooden dustpan as a weapon.

He could see the area thanks to the faint light of a post.

When he saw a shadowy figure, he was relieved when he realized it was just a trick of the light.

However, he noticed a small basement with metal bars and chains that appeared to have been locked up for a long time.

The rust on the hinges and the lock were significant.

Enix was shocked by what he had discovered.

What could be locked away in that basement?

Enix rushed back inside the house to tell his parents about the locked basement.

"Mom, Dad, I found a locked basement outside. You have to see it!"

"We'll check it out tomorrow morning," his Mom said, "but it's too dark to do anything now. Just try to get some rest, and we'll deal with it in the morning."

Despite his mother's warning, Enix couldn't shake the feeling of curiosity about the locked basement.

But I won't be able to sleep, I need to know what's down there

He went back inside the house and searched through the drawers until he found an old matchbox. It wasn't much, but it was all they had – they didn't have a flashlight or any other sources of light.

Enix took a deep breath, slipped the matchbox into his pocket, and headed back to the basement.

Holding up a match, he tried to illuminate the dark and mysterious basement.

He saw stairs that descended into the darkness, and couldn't resist the temptation to take a closer look.

Ignoring the way the rusted metal scraped against his skin, he reached through the metallic bars, attempting to brighten the area with his tiny matchstick.

But he suffered a burn on his hand, and in his panic, accidentally threw the lit matchstick down the stairs.

In that brief moment, something caught his eye.

He could have sworn he saw a hand strike out and extinguish the flame, as if someone was down there in the darkness, trying to hide from view.

Enix was shocked and terrified by what he saw.

He rushed back inside the house to tell his parents, and his father noticed the look of fear on his face.

"What did you see?" he asked with concern.

"There's someone in the basement. I saw a hand, and I'm sure of it."

Enix's father was taken aback by his son's claim and decided to investigate.

Enix insisted on coming along, wielding the wooden dustpan once more.

With a key, his father unlocked the metal bars to the basement with a screech.

Descending the stairs with a matchstick for light, they called out, "Is someone there? We own this house, and if you're trespassing, we'll have to call the police."

Using a couple of matchsticks, they searched for the light switch and eventually found it.

The basement was cluttered with old and unused items, and the silence made them feel uneasy.

Enix noticed a cassette player and some cassette tapes among the clutter and felt drawn to them.

Enix was completely focused on the cassette player and the possibility of discovering new music or stories on the tapes.

But when his father saw him engrossed in the cassette player, he couldn't help but wonder if his son had just been making an excuse to explore the basement.

"Did you really see something out there, or were you just trying to find an excuse to check out the basement?"

Enix didn't answer the question.

"Do you think this still works?"

His father sighed and shook his head, but he couldn't deny the look of excitement on his son's face.

Maybe there was something to be gained from exploring the basement after all.

Enix's excitement from the previous night turned into disappointment when his father refused to let him take the cassette player and tapes upstairs.

His mother greeted them anxiously, asking if they found anything.

"Just a bunch of old stuff," his father replied with a shrug. "We'll have to clean out the basement and see what we can do with it. But for now, it's just a cluttered mess."

The next morning, Enix was eager to go back into the basement and explore the cassette tapes further.

But his father had other plans.

"You can take the cassette player and tapes up to your room if you want, but you'll just be in the way down here. We've got some cleaning to do."

Enix took the cassette player and tapes upstairs, eager to uncover any hidden secrets.

He remembered the backmasking technique he had learned about and unscrewed a cassette tape of a hardcore band.

Unfortunatelt, the music was just noise and mumbled words when he played it.

He was about to turn off the player when he heard a faint sound of a woman's voice

"Help me,"

It was barely audible, but he was certain he had heard it.

Enix rewound the tape and played it again, straining to hear the faint voice of the woman.

Her words sent chills down his spine as he listened intently.

"I'm in the basement,"

"I need help."

"Please, someone help me."

As the cassette tape continued to play, the woman's screams echoed through the room.

"Help me! My husband buried me and cemented me in the basement. I can't get out. Please,"

Enix was in tears as he ran to his parents and shared what he had heard on the cassette tape.

They were skeptical but decided to check the basement once more, and noticed a newly cemented area that looked suspicious.

Enix's father called for help and gathered some neighbors to witness what they were about to do.

Together, they worked hard to dig through the cement, and after a while, they uncovered something terrible.

Enix's family was stunned to find the corpse of a woman buried in their basement, and they immediately called the police to report the grisly discovery.

As they waited for the authorities to arrive, the family tried to make sense of what had happened.

"How could someone do something so evil?" Enix's mother wondered aloud, her voice trembling with emotion.

Enix's father was equally shaken by the discovery.

"We need to report this to the authority," he said firmly.

The family huddled together, waiting for the police to arrive and hoping that justice would be served for the poor woman who had been buried alive.

Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months as the family waited for news on the investigation.

Enix's parents talked in hushed tones, discussing the latest updates with each other.

One day, the police came to their door with news that the former owner of the house had been arrested in connection with the murder.

Enix's family felt a sense of relief knowing that justice would be served, but the memory of the woman's desperate cries for help and the horror of finding her body would stay with them forever.

It took a couple of years for the family to sell the house and move on from the traumatic events that had occurred there, but they eventually found peace and closure knowing that the killer had been brought to justice.

------------------

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Shane's shoulders slumped as she let out a long, defeated sigh. Once again, she had fallen short by a mere hundred on her daily target. The customers were scarce in their small eatery, and in reality, her earnings were barely enough to pay for her sole companion at work. It was a struggle to keep the business afloat, and sometimes she felt ashamed that she hadn't given her colleague a raise in the three years they had been serving together.

As if on cue, he spoke up, "I'll go ahead, Ma'am. Sorry, there's an emergency at home."

Shane waved at him warmly, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine." But deep down, she knew she wasn't. She was barely making ends meet, and the thought of closing the eatery and losing the only source of livelihood she had left sent a chill down her spine.

She watched as her colleague walked out the door, and for a brief moment, she let her guard down. Her mind wandered back to the days when the eatery was thriving, when she had a steady stream of customers who couldn't get enough of her delectable dishes. But now, it seemed like those days were nothing but a distant memory.

Shane was ready to call it a night, as evidenced by the way she was already tidying up her small eatery. She had placed the cash she earned for the day in her wallet and left a few coins for the cashier, a routine that had become second nature to her. With practiced ease, she began stacking the chairs on the tables, a task that had grown all too familiar. Just as she was about to flick off the dim light on the right side of her establishment, a doorbell rang out, signaling that someone had entered.

"We're already closed," Shane said in a firm voice, turning around to face the unexpected guest. A man stood before her, dressed in formal attire that looked expensive and polished. He exuded an air of sophistication and professionalism, with a sharp nose and reddish-brown complexion that suggested he was of European descent. He looked to be in his mid to late twenties and could have easily passed for a young actor or model.

"It won't take much, I promise. Just give me whatever you have, please," he said with a smile.

Shane's tired eyes met the young man's, who stood before her with a smile that could melt glaciers. His presence was magnetic, a force that Shane found impossible to resist. She found herself nodding in agreement, despite knowing that she should refuse. Her business was already closed, and she needed to go home. But something in the man's charm made her stay.

"I'll get you whatever I have," she said softly, her voice almost a whisper.

As the man sat down, Shane noticed that his shoulders were tense and his neck was stiff. He looked like someone who had been carrying the weight of the world on his back. Despite the late hour, she decided to open her eatery for a few more hours. She could use the time to clean up while the man ate. It was her fault for sending her worker home early.

Shane kept an eye on the man as she walked to the kitchen. There was something otherworldly about him, something that reminded her of the angels from her favorite novels. As she prepared his meal, she couldn't shake off the feeling that this encounter was going to change her life forever.

As Shane continued to arrange the young man's meal, she couldn't help but feel flustered by his piercing gaze. It was as if he could see right through her, and the thought sent shivers down her spine. She quickly turned away, pretending to be busy with something else.

But it was no use. The young man had caught her in the act, and when she looked back at him, he was smiling at her with a twinkle in his eye. It was a smile that could make even the most stoic of people melt, and Shane was no exception.

Suddenly, she felt a rush of heat spreading across her face, turning her cheeks a deep shade of crimson. She tried to hide her embarrassment by turning away, but the young man's gaze was too intense. It was as if he could read her every thought and feeling.

Shane reheated the cold melon soup, lemon garlic fish, and butter biscuit she had prepared earlier, carefully placing them on a tray. As she did, she couldn't help but feel a strange pull towards the young man sitting at the table.

"It's his fault for being so damn charming," she muttered to herself, shaking her head as if to clear her thoughts.

But as she approached him, something changed. It was as if his presence was drawing her in, like a moth to a flame. Shane's soul felt like it was separating from her body, leaving her disoriented and dizzy. The young man's charisma was unlike anything she had ever experienced before.

"I tried my best, I hope you'll like it," Shane said to the customer.

The man flashed a charming smile that made Shane's heart skip a beat. "I'm sure I will," he replied, his eyes meeting hers. Shane was about to leave when the man spoke again. "If you're not busy, is it too much to ask for you to join me? It's quite lonely eating alone."

Shane hesitated for a moment, but the man's charisma was too irresistible. "I can do that." Without a second thought, she accepted the invitation and sat down across from him. As she looked into his deep, captivating eyes, she couldn't help but wonder why a man like him was still out so late. "Why haven't you gone home yet?" she asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

As he picked at the fish bones, the young man seemed lost in thought, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Shane couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him.

"You must be a workaholic," Shane remarked, hoping to start a conversation. "Your girlfriend might get angry at you for not spending enough time with her."

The man laughed, a carefree sound that seemed to fill the entire room. "Because my job is so demanding? No woman would endure me," he said with a chuckle.

Shane found herself captivated by his charm and wit. "With your good looks..." she trailed off, realizing too late what she had said. She blushed and looked away, feeling foolish for being so forward.

As Shane sat there, a dimly lit corner of her restaurant became the backdrop for an unlikely conversation. Cutlery clinked and clattered, echoing in the stillness. It was a rare moment for Shane, who found herself engaging with a customer without any ulterior motives to promote her establishment.

The young man continued with what he was doing, seemingly uninterested in the flattery Shane had offered earlier. "Thank you, but I'm more than just my appearance," he stated firmly.

Despite his nonchalant demeanor, Shane couldn't help but feel drawn to him. It was as if he had a gravitational pull that was hard to resist. She wondered if it was his piercing blue eyes or his devilishly handsome smile that caused this inexplicable feeling. Whatever it was, she found herself wanting to know more about him.

"Thank you for the sumptuous meal," he said while wiping his lips.

"Oh, thank you too. I can't remember the last time I enjoyed talking to someone at work. Maybe that's what's missing in my business. I may have lost the sense of excitement," thought Shane. She vowed to be more present with her customers, to connect with them on a deeper level.

The man leaned back in his chair and looked at his watch. "Just a minute left."

Shane's heart sank. She didn't want the conversation to end, didn't want him to leave.

"Wait, are you going to be late for your appointment? Oh no, I'm sorry, maybe I talked too much."

As the man began to clear the dishes from the table, Shane couldn't help but notice his impeccable manners. It was a rare sight in the bustling city, where most people were too preoccupied with their own lives to take notice of the little things. But this man, with his chiseled features and impeccable dress, seemed to be cut from a different cloth.

"Don't stress about it. I came too early. Thankfully you're here to keep me entertained," he said with a charming smile, his eyes meeting Shane's for a fleeting moment.

For a moment, Shane was caught off guard. She had never been one to be taken in by a man's good looks, but there was something about this man that made her feel uneasy yet captivated at the same time.

"I should be the one doing that. Just do your work so you can go home," Shane said, trying to keep her cool.

Just as Shane was about to take the plate from the man, a deafening crash filled the air, followed by the sound of shattering glass and screeching metal. A large container truck had lost control and crashed into the restaurant, its massive weight crushing everything in its path.

Shane's world was suddenly engulfed in chaos. The force of the impact sent rocks and debris flying, and she felt something strike her eyes, causing sharp pain and blinding her momentarily. She was thrown like a rag doll, her body hurtling through the air before colliding with the bar counter, her back hitting it with a sickening crack.

As Shane's world faded to black, she heard a voice that cut through the chaos around her. "Well, this is perfect timing," said the man, his voice carrying an eerie calmness that sent shivers down her spine. "You're the last soul I have to collect. I can finally rest."

The stifling heat of the attic was suffocating, making the air thick and heavy. The child's clothes clung to his skin, soaked through with sweat as it dripped down his forehead and stung his eyes. The small, grimy window provided only a sliver of light, casting eerie shadows across the cramped space.

The child huddled in the corner, his heart pounding with fear, afraid to make any sudden movement or sound that could alert the monster lurking in the house below. Every step he took on the creaky wooden floorboards felt like a thunderous earthquake, his breaths coming out in shallow, ragged gasps. He knew that he had to be careful if he wanted to survive another night in this house of horrors.

Ramone had been living in the cramped and musty attic for what felt like an eternity. It happened, one morning, when he woke up, he was transported to a world that seemed straight out of his worst nightmares. Monsters with tentacles covering their grotesque bodies slept soundly around him, snoring like dancing squids.

As the day turned to night, the creatures started to stir and wriggle like crawling blobs, their slimy appendages lashing out in all directions. During those hours, Ramone had to be extra careful and stay hidden, watching in horror as the monsters slithered and squirmed around him. But as dawn broke, the creatures retreated back to their slumber, giving him a brief respite before the nightmare began again.

As the first light of dawn crept through the small window of the attic, Ramone's heart began to race. He knew the monster will return in the house, once again entering into a state of slumber. The air was thick with an eerie silence that made his skin crawl.

Suddenly, he heard the creaking of the floorboards below him. He knew that the creature had entered the room. He huddled in a corner of the attic, trying to make himself as small and as invisible as possible. Through the crack in the ceiling, he could see the monster moving slowly around the room below him.

It was a grotesque sight to behold. The creature was covered in writhing tentacles that seemed to move like snakes. Its mouth, which was located at the top of its head, was lined with razor-sharp teeth that looked like saw blades. Ramone shuddered as he watched the monster, wondering how long he could keep himself hidden from its sight.

As Ramone watched the monster crawl into its capsule, a sense of fear and awe washed over him. Its razor-sharp teeth glimmered menacingly in the dim light. Ramone's heart raced as he saw the monster settle into its sleeping pod, a strange bell-like sound filling the room. A sign that the monster is asleep.

Suddenly, the entire space turned an ominous shade of red, as if the walls were bleeding. Ramone's mind raced with questions - What was this monster? How long had it been living here? How could he escape its grasp? It was as if he had been trapped in a terrifying game of cat and mouse, playing with death itself for weeks on end.

Ramone's stomach growled with hunger, but he was frozen in place, afraid of making even the slightest noise. He could feel his palms getting sweaty as he tried to control his breathing. The air was thick with tension as he took a small step forward. The sound of his foot creaking on the old floorboards echoed in his ears, and he held his breath, praying that the monster wouldn't hear him. He could feel his heart racing in his chest, pounding like a drum. But he knew he had to keep moving. The fear of starvation was greater than the fear of the monster.

Ramone's eyes were fixed on the small hole at the end of the attic, his heart racing with anticipation. He knew that crawling through that hole was his only way out, but it also meant risking his life. The thought of the monsters lurking in the house made his skin crawl, but hunger had become unbearable.

He squeezed his small frame through the hole and landed on the dusty floor of the empty room below. He tiptoed to the door, every step taking all his courage not to make any noise. As he reached the kitchen, he scanned the room for anything edible, his stomach growling loudly. Despite the risk of eating something that could be poisonous, he had no choice. He remembered the boyscout camping he had attended, and he knew that he had to trust his instincts.

He carefully examined the food, smelling it and looking for any signs of decay. He remembered that if his tongue started itching, it was a clear sign of danger. He selected a few items that he was sure were safe and ate them.

After a while, Ramone's stomach was finally satiated, and he let out a sigh of relief. He could feel the food settling in his belly, and it gave him the energy he needed to make his escape. As he left the house, he saw that the surrounding area was deserted, with no signs of human life, except for the creature that stood guard at the entrance like a loyal dog. Its presence sent shivers down Ramone's spine, and he knew he had to be careful not to attract its attention.

Ramone had been living in this world of monsters for days now, and despite his young age, he had learned to survive. He knew he couldn't stay in this place for long, as every moment he spent there put him in more danger. He longed to return to the world he once knew, but he knew that he had to be patient and find the right moment to make his escape.

Ramone stumbled out of the house, his eyes squinting against the blinding light of the morning sun. The world around him was eerily quiet, with no sign of any creatures stirring. The ground beneath his feet was covered in a layer of red moss, pulsing and heaving like a living organism. It was as if the earth itself was alive in this strange, otherworldly place.

Ramone had learned to be cautious in this bizarre new world, and he carefully took in his surroundings, trying to make sense of it all. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, that something was lurking just out of sight, waiting to pounce. But he had no choice but to keep moving forward, to keep exploring and learning about this place.

As he was walking, Ramone heard a piercing screech that made his ears ring. He quickly ducked into a corner, feeling the prickly sensation of the human hair-like objects poking his skin. He looked up and saw a shadowy figure approaching in the distance. The creature was a stuff made from nightmare. Its movements were fluid and graceful, like a dancer, but the sight of its writhing tentacles made him shudder with fear. The tentacles seemed to have a life of their own, moving independently as if they were searching for prey. Ramone could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the monster get closer and closer.

Ramone held his breath, trying to make himself as small and silent as possible. He was crouched in a corner surrounded by piles of what looked like human hair. Suddenly, he heard a strange sound he had never heard before. It was a mix of a gurgling growl and a metallic hum. In the distance, he saw a monster that resembled the creature in the house he was hiding in.

The monster grew closer, and Ramone could feel the vibrations of its movements in the ground beneath him. He held back a whimper as the monster stopped right in front of him. The child could hear the creature's labored breathing, as if there was a machine working inside its body. The monster's tentacles reached out one by one, probing and searching through the tangles of hair where Ramone was hiding. The scraping sound of the tentacles against the hair was like the slicing of pork meat, sending shivers down Ramone's spine.

As the creature's tentacles searched through the tangled hair, Ramone felt his heart pounding against his chest. His palms were slick with sweat as he tried to control his breathing. The slicing sound of the tentacles against the hair echoed in the cramped space, sending shivers down his spine. He could feel his legs growing numb, and his muscles twitched with discomfort.

Just when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the creature suddenly stopped. Ramone held his breath, praying that he hadn't been discovered. He heard the creature's labored breathing, like the sound of a machine working inside it. Seconds felt like hours as the tension built up inside him.

Then, to his surprise, the creature left just as suddenly as it had come. Ramone felt the relief wash over him, but his legs were still tingling from the long period of inactivity. He shifted his position, trying to massage the feeling back into his limbs.

Ramone walked cautiously back to the house, his eyes darting around for any sign of danger. The red moss beneath his feet seemed to squelch with every step, as if trying to keep him there. As he approached the house, he felt a chill run down his spine. The door was open, and it looked like someone had been inside.

Heart racing, he cautiously made his way inside, his hand reaching for anything he could use as a weapon. The kitchen was untouched, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he grabbed some food to take back to his hiding spot in the attic. As he made his way back up the stairs, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

Ramone crept through the empty and eerie world, his heart heavy with grief and fear. The memories of his mother flooded his mind, causing tears to stream down his face. His sobs echoed off the red moss-covered walls, adding to the already haunting atmosphere. He tried to suppress his cries, knowing that any noise could attract the attention of the monsters lurking in the shadows.

Meanwhile, inside the capsule, the creature sensed something amiss. It had grown restless for the past few days, unable to ignore the strange sounds and the sudden decrease in its food supply. Its tentacles twitched and writhed with impatience, ready to investigate the intruder in its home.

The monster couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off in its own home. It had been unable to sleep or relax. It couldn't help but feel like it was being watched or observed by something, or someone, it couldn't see.

Then, just a few minutes ago, as it was moving around its home, the monster caught sight of a creature taking food from the kitchen. Its heart raced with suspicion and fear. Who was this creature and what was it doing in its home?

As the monster retreated back to its room, it couldn't help but feel torn. It was afraid of what the creature might do, but at the same time, it couldn't ignore the fact that there was a chance that he might be branded as someone crazy if it reported the creature in the attic. It felt helpless and alone in its dilemma, unsure of what to do next. For now, the creature would have to get used to the wailing of the monster in the attic.

Meanwhile, the monster that Ramone encountered on the road a while ago had reported the sighting of an eerie creature hiding on the shrubs to its fellow monster. The other monster simply laughed and dismissed the report, telling its friend that it was probably just a figment of its imagination.

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