Horror Game Developer: My games aren't that scary! Chapter 585: Hunting [5]

Trr! Trrr—!

The phone's shrill ring pierced the quiet home, rebounding from the walls and ceiling while filling every space around.

Within the oppressive hush, the noise rang out much more intensely than expected, with each tone hanging in the atmosphere and echoing across the living room until my gaze settled on what seemed like an old landline.

Deep down, I sensed this came from some malevolent force.

Trr! Trrr—!

The true puzzle was, where had the others vanished to?

I watched them all step inside.

But still—

A realization hit me abruptly. Had they truly all come in?

My thoughts wandered back to Paul, recalling how his end struck without warning, and Seraphine’s icy response that followed. She always came off as distant, yet I never imagined her chill would run that deep.

Maybe...

"Ha."

A sudden laugh escaped me as the truth dawned.

Trr! Trrr—!

I believed my caution had paid off. Relying on Mirelle’s skill, I figured all was safe, but evidently, the entity I faced had already adjusted. It bypassed the ability and twisted it to draw me deeper into this trap.

Inhaling deeply, I fixed my stare on the landline perched upon a modest table.

Even as the insistent ringing filled the house, I stayed rooted in place. I avoided approaching the source. Rather, I scanned my environment meticulously, letting my eyes explore every inch of the living room.

The space lacked any grandeur. Actually, it appeared utterly commonplace, almost tediously normal. The illumination was terribly faint, shrouding much of the area in gloom.

Click!

Pulling out my flashlight, I flicked it on. The slim ray sliced into the shadows, gradually moving over the living room while tiny dust particles floated in the light.

Against the distant wall loomed a big TV, its screen pitch-black and blanketed in heavy dust. The unit seemed ancient, untouched for ages.

Facing it was a broad couch. Its seats dipped a bit, the material dulled and frayed, suggesting many had lounged there long before abandonment.

In the middle lay a compact tea table. Its wood top was littered with aged magazines, their sheets turned yellow over time. A light film of dirt coated it all, glinting subtly when the flashlight beam crossed it.

And atop the table sat the vintage landline phone.

Its ringing persisted.

Trrr! Trrr—!

Swiveling, I focused on the door at my back.

The actual dilemma was...

Did I wish to force my escape from here?

I glanced about.

The longer I observed, the more mundane the spot seemed.

However—

I allowed my eyes to keep drifting over the space, noting each element closely as the flashlight's light shifted deliberately between corners.

Then abruptly, the landline fell quiet.

"....."

The sudden stillness hit like a shock.

For an instant, everything stayed frozen.

No noise broke the quiet.

This hush felt more deafening than any clamor, weighing on my hearing as if the building held its breath.

The quiet stretched for a few more seconds before a buzz started in my pocket.

Brrrr! Brrr—!

Startled, I fished into my pocket and retrieved my phone.

It hummed in my hand while I looked at the display showing [Unknown Caller]. Noting the empty signal indicator, a smile crept across my face, confirming this as the strange occurrence once more.

Click!

I chose to pick up, holding the phone to my ear.

"Haaa... Haa... Haa..."

Labored breaths came through the earpiece. They sounded eerily near, like the speaker hovered right next to me, hot air grazing my ear and chilling my spine.

The panting lasted several seconds before a raspy tone murmured.

Upstairs?

My sight traced to the room's end, spotting the staircase rising to the upper level.

The tone carried urgency.

Meanwhile, the exhalation by my ear intensified, triggering a stronger chill along my back.

As the whisper repeated, I spoke at last.

"What’s upstairs?"

.....

The connection cut to silence, the breathing by my ear halting sharply.

At length—

—Go upstairs.

The panting resumed.

Regrettably, it ignored my query.

I peeked at my phone then raised my eyes to the stairs again. Having committed to remaining, I decided to follow the whisper's lead. I aimed to discover its intended path for me.

Gripping the flashlight tighter, its light carving through the dark in front, I started toward the stairs at a deliberate pace.

Creak!

Each stair groaned faintly under my steps as I ascended, the quiet of the house amplifying the soft creaks. I moved with even, controlled strides, the wood banister grazing my arm lightly while the torch's glow scanned the tight stairway.

I held the phone to my ear throughout the climb.

From the line, the breaths kept coming.

Now they quickened.

Every inhale raced ahead of the previous, as though the presence on the call thrilled more with my approach.

Before long, I arrived at the second floor.

My view traveled along the passage, halting at its remote end where a wide window waited. Its top section stood ajar, letting a chilly gust enter the home. The breeze whispered over surfaces and planks, rousing the musty air and bringing a subtle cold down the hall.

Guiding the light side to side gradually, my eyes passed over the array of doors along the corridor until focusing on the one closest to me.

"What now? Should I enter?"

—...Yes, enter.

Directing my focus to the door, I examined it thoroughly. It appeared standard, just a touch battered by years, with flaking paint in spots and light marks on the surface. Nothing unusual caught the eye.

Gradually, I extended my hand to the knob.

As my fingers neared, the breaths in my ear turned ragged. They sped up, grew sharper, verging on wild.

The noise had become grating on its own.

Yet right before my palm touched the handle, I paused.

The breathing ceased.

—What are you doing?

The whisper returned in my ear.

—Open the door. Enter.

I offered no reply. I merely grinned.

I grinned while the voice on the line shifted, growing infernal.

—OPEN THE DOOR.

My grin held as I shifted my focus from that door to another.

Click!

Hanging up, I moved without delay. I dashed to the door that had captured my attention, convinced the oddity lurked within. Triggering [Trait Transfer], a dark sheen enveloped my arm, and I smashed my fist into the door's upper section.

BANG!

Peering inside the room, I pocketed my phone.

"Found you."