The woman tilted her head, her smile never fading. “What do I want? Oh, darling, I want many things. But right now, I want you.” She took another step forward, her eyes locked on Eli’s. “I want to see your face as I break your spirit, watch the light leave your eyes as I devour your soul. Oh, it will be exquisite.”

Sam’s breath hitched, her voice barely a whisper. “What... what is she talking about?”

Eli didn’t respond, his grip tightening on the machete. “Stay back!” he yelled, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “I swear I’ll—”

“You’ll what?” The woman’s smile twisted, her voice mocking. “Fight me? Oh, sweet boy, you can try. But there’s nothing you can do. You’re mine. All of you are.”

Suddenly, she darted forward again, faster this time, her hand reaching for Eli’s face. He swung the machete wildly, slashing at the air between them, but she pulled back at the last second, her laughter filling the room. It echoed in their ears, crawling under their skin.

“You’ll tire soon,” she hissed, circling them like a predator playing with its prey. “And then, I’ll take my time. I’ll savor you.”

The group huddled closer, fear evident on their faces. Lilian’s hand trembled as she clutched Eli’s arm, and Alyssa stared at the woman in frozen terror. Mike gripped his iron pipe, knuckles white, while Sam stood beside him, her eyes darting between Eli and the pale creature, searching for any possible escape.

“We have to get out of here,” Rae whispered, her voice barely audible. “We can’t stay.”

“No kidding,” Mike muttered, eyes wide. “But how? She’s blocking the stairs.”

Eli’s mind raced, his pulse hammering in his ears. The woman was playing with them, enjoying their fear, drawing it out. She wanted to break them, to feed off their terror.

“We need to distract her,” Eli said, his voice low but firm. “Something to give us a chance to get past her.”

“How?” Lilian asked, eyes wide.

Eli clenched his jaw, trying to think of a plan. “I’ll keep her focused on me. When I give the signal, you all run for the stairs. Don’t look back, just go.”

“No, Eli, we can’t just leave you—” Lilian started, but he cut her off.

“Trust me,” he said, his voice soft but urgent. “It’s the only way.”

The woman’s smile widened even more, as if she could hear their plan, savoring the futility of it. “Oh, little boy, you think you can save them?” she taunted, her voice dripping with cruelty. “You think you can protect them from me?”

Eli took a deep breath, gripping the machete tighter. “We’ll see,” he muttered, stepping forward, ready to face whatever nightmare was coming.