The Cellar

As Yasuji slowly fluttered his eyes open, the echoes of his nightmare still lingered in his mind. The haunting dream had persisted, refusing to leave him be each night. But this time, something was different. The voice he heard felt more real, more urgent. It beckoned him to wake up, to investigate.

With a surge of dread, Yasuji swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. Each step he took towards the source of the sound was cautious, his movements as hushed as a whisper, as if navigating a minefield. He knew any sudden movement or noise could draw unwanted attention.

Finally reaching the living room of the eerie mansion, Yasuji's heart plummeted as he bore witness to a sight that would be forever etched into his memory. One of the children they had taken refuge with, Bella, lay lifeless on the floor, her body mutilated by Ori. Ori, his eyes crazed, was feasting on the remains.

The grotesque scene sent shivers down Yasuji's spine, threatening to paralyze him with fear. But he had no time to dwell on the horror before him. As Ori's head snapped towards the sound of the creaking floorboards, Yasuji knew he had to act fast if he wanted to survive.

Gathering every ounce of strength in his body, he mustered the courage to retreat silently from the living room. But fate seemed determined to test his resolve. Just as he thought he had escaped unnoticed, another child let out a terrified scream at the sight that unfolded before their eyes.

Ori's attention swiftly diverted to the new target, giving Yasuji a small window of opportunity to escape. Adrenaline coursing through his veins, Yasuji sprinted towards what he hoped would be his salvation - the front door.

But as he reached for the doorknob, panic surged through him as the door refused to budge. It was locked. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized that the obvious escape route was no longer an option.

Thinking quickly, Yasuji's eyes darted around the room, searching for an alternative way out. That's when he spotted a small hatch leading to the basement. It was a risky move, but he had no choice. With a steely determination in his eyes, he proceeded towards the hatch, his only hope for safety.

As Yasuji ventured into the darkness of the basement, he could feel the presence of something sinister lurking behind him. His skin crawled as he sensed two glowing eyes fixed on him from the shadows. Fear threatened to consume him, but he knew he had to keep moving.

Just as Yasuji reached the bottom of the stairs, a wave of panic washed over him as he realized the cellar door was jammed. He frantically tugged at the door, using every ounce of his strength to pry it open. Time seemed to stand still as he wrestled with the stubborn door, his heart pounding in his chest.

Finally, with one last desperate heave, Yasuji managed to wrench the cellar door from its grasp. Stumbling into the cool night air, he wedged the long bar he had found earlier in front of the door, securing his temporary freedom.

A wave of relief washed over him, but he knew the chase wasn't over yet. He could still hear Ori relentlessly pursuing him, pounding against the cellar door.

As he quickly made his way around the mansion, he witnessed, to his astonishment, the children breaking down the front door and fleeing into the forest. Yasuji knew he had to be careful not to draw attention to himself.

When he heard the sound of the cellar door splintering, he acted on instinct, darting towards a hidden section of stairs he had noticed earlier near the corner of the mansion.

Crouching in the darkness, he held his breath, praying that Ori would pass him by. The heavy footsteps grew closer, and Yasuji squeezed his eyes shut, his heart pounding in his chest.