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16 Murder Mystery Book Recommendations
A Good Girl's Guide To Murder by Holly Jackson
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
The Puppet Show by M.W. Craven
One Of Us Is Lying by Karen M. McManus
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides
Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson
The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
Suddenly A Murder by Lauren Muñoz
Anything by Agatha Christie
The Trial by Robert Rinder
Kill For Me, Kill For You by Steve Cavanagh
The Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
#books#book blog#booklr#readblr#book reccs#book recommendations#bookaddict#bookworm#books and reading#bookblr#murder#murder mystery#cosy mystery#trial mystery#trial thriller#thriller#halloween#autumn#autumn reads
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David Suchet in Poirot (1989)The Mysterious Affair at Styles
S3E1
Recovering from the horrors of World War I, British Army officer Arthur Hastings hopes to find peace and quiet at a country manor in the English countryside. But when the matriarch dies during the night from strychnine poisoning, Hastings enlists the help of an old friend staying nearby with other war refugees to help solve the murder: former Belgian police detective Hercule Poirot.
*'The Mysterious Affair at Styles' was Agatha Christie's first novel, published in 1920, and also her first to feature the character of Hercule Poirot.
#Poirot#tv series#1989#1990 episode#The Mysterious Affair at Styles#S3E1#David Suchet#first case#Hercule Poirot#1920#year 1917#strychnine poisoning#WW1#second husband#country manor#poison#flashback episode#detective#will#trial#disguise#crime#drama#mystery#thriller#period drama#just watched#Agatha Christie
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Juror #2 (2024) review
Should have been titled 12 Angry Men 2: Now It’s Personal. C’mon Warner Bros, sort your marketing out!
Plot: A juror for a high-profile murder trial finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the verdict and potentially convict, or free, the accused killer.
I feel oddly special for managing to seek this one out at the cinema, as in the US seemingly hardly anyone is able to watch it as studio Warner Bros are burying this movie completely, only showcasing it in 50 screens in the country. Granted I am in the UK and here the film has had a proper release, but still I liked to see it as if I’ve been able to attain the unattainable fruit. Especially as this may be the final film directed by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood, and yet no one is talking about this movie! Truly baffling, especially as this is a genuinely engaging piece of courtroom drama, and very much a perfect “dad movie”.
Taking inspiration from the likes of Anatomy of a Murder and 12 Angry Men, with the latter even references through straight up imagery copy as Nicholas Hoult stands in the jury room staring out through the blinds of the window like Henry Fonda did in 12 Angry Men when he is first introduced. Only difference is while Fonda’s juror was simply trying to act in the name of justice and doing the right thing, in Juror #2 the main character played by Nicholas Hoult is intent on doing the same thing, expect for the reason behind is that maybe, just maybe he is actually the murderer himself. It’s an interesting spin on the classic courtroom thriller genre, and one that Eastwood manages to unravel in a very well paced and enticing way.
The performances are all great across the board. Nicholas Hoult showcases a lot of emotion through his expressions, especially with his inner conflict of wanting to do the right thing whilst also saving his own skin, whilst also balancing his responsibility of building a new family. Zoey Deutch as his pregnant wife is a solid counterpart, and the extra gravitas with them having lost their first child added that extra layer to the relationship. Toni Collette enjoying a little About a Boy reunion there I see with Hoult, but she delivers a strong turn as a lawyer on the case who’s also an election candidate. Then JK Simmons does his usual shtick and also OMG Kiefer is in this?! I bloody love Kiefer! What a lad! Glad he’s in this, even though he doesn’t get to do much, but he’s always welcome.
Juror #2 is very sturdy, very classical stuff, a tale of moral suspense. Feels like it could have been made 75 years ago, in the best way. It of course isn’t Clint Eastwood’s best work, but it’s perfectly reliable and intelligent entertainment that had me engaged throughout, due to its great concept and execution. There are a couple of silly moments such as when Toni Collette’s lawyer googles the wife’s name + “husband” and multiple photos of them together showed up, cause that’s definitely how Google Images work! Or how Nicholas Hoult acts super shifty throughout that even a blind man would suspect something. But look, I’m not here to knit-pick - I had a good time! It’s real old-school, so again, get your dad to watch it - he’ll have a ball!
Overall score: 7/10
#juror 2#movie#movie reviews#film#film reviews#cinema#drama#clint eastwood#courtroom drama#nicholas hoult#2024#2024 films#2024 movies#2024 in film#toni collette#kiefer sutherland#jk simmons#zoey deutch#leslie bibb#warner bros#legal thriller#murder trial#crime#investigation#jury duty#12 angry men#juror 2 review#juror no. 2
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Anatomy of a Fall / Anatomie d'une chute (2023, Justine Triet)
1/20/24
#Anatomy of a Fall#Anatomie d'une chute#Justine Triet#Sandra Huller#Swann Arlaud#Antoine Reinartz#Milo Machado Graner#crime#drama#thriller#mystery#murder#suicide#courtroom#mother and son#international#father and son#marital problems#trial#dogs#medication#snow#lawyers#writers#investigation#alps#bilingual#bisexual#French#France
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I Miss You, Hugs and Kisses (Drop Dead, Dearest, 1978)
"What is this? What is this? I'm not a suspect, am I?"
"I didn't say that."
"Goddammit, why aren't you doing something? Why aren't you out there looking for the person who did it? Look, look, look. I don't have to be treated in this...this, this manner! I'm not some motorcycle punk you've dragged in off the street! I'm a wealthy man!"
#i miss you hugs and kisses#drop dead dearest#video nasty#blood tw#gore tw#1978#canadian cinema#murray markowitz#elke sommer#donald pilon#chuck shamata#george touliatos#cindy girling#george chuvalo#cec linder#richard m. davidson#migual fernandes#michelle fansett#corinna carlson#linda sorensen#highly atypical entry in the video nasty canon; it's formed more like a tv movie than a horror film‚ a courtroom drama crossed with#a murder mystery (albeit with a couple of minutes of real nastiness‚ which is what landed it on the dpp list). the irony (which is not#unique to this film) is that banning this film ended up giving it a legacy which has kept it alive much longer than it would have otherwise#who'd be seeking out a cheapo canadian killer thriller with a cast of minor b listers if it wasn't immortalised on a list of brain frying#gore flicks? well.. I might have? maybe. idk. but i mainly watched this bc of the video nasty thing and i gotta say it certainly isn't the#worst from the list I've seen. the format is interesting‚ opening on the central murder and then drifting back and forth between the events#leading up to it and the trial it resulted in. the plot is based on a true case (the Peter Demeter case; he's still in Canadian prison but#was presumably p happy with his nuanced portrayal here‚ if he ever saw the film). more melodrama than horror‚ except for those few scenes#of excessive sex and violence. remove those (and they'd be easily trimmed) and this is basically afternoon tv fodder
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With a title of Double Blind, they shoulda at least kept the mystery going as to who had the placebo, or complicate the plot with this.
Double Blind is a 2023 horror thriller film, directed by Ian Hunt-Duffy, written by Darach McGarrigle, and stars Millie Brady, Pollyanna McIntosh, Diarmuid Noyes, and Akshay Kumar.
#double blind#horror#thriller#drug trial#millie brady#pollyanna mcintosh#diarmuid noyes#akshay kumar#one location#insomnia#movie review#2023
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Title: The Maze Runner
Rating: PG-13
Director: Wes Ball
Cast: Dylan O'Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Ki Hong Lee, Aml Ameen, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Blake Cooper, Will Poulter, Dexter Darden, Chris Sheffield, Joe Adler, Alexander Flores, Jacob Latimore, Randall D. Cunningham, Patricia Clarkson, Don McManus, Michael Bow
Release year: 2014
Genres: science fiction, action, mystery, thriller
Blurb: Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning that they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with his fellow Gladers for a shot at escape.
#the maze runner#the scorch trials#the death cure#pg13#wes ball#dylan o'brien#kaya scodelario#ki hong lee#aml ameen#thomas brodie sangster#2014#science fiction#action#mystery#thriller
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Movie #24 of 2023: The Trial of the Chicago 7
Tom Hayden: “Are we using the trial to defend ourselves against very serious charges that could land us in prison for ten years, or to say a pointless "fuck you" to the establishment?”
Jerry Rubin: “Fuck you!”
Tom Hayden: “That is what I was afraid... Wait, I don't know if you were saying "fuck you" or answering.”
Abbie Hoffman: “...I was also confused.”
#the trial of the chicago 7#aaron sorkin#drama#history#thriller#daniel pemberton#phedon papamichael#alan baumgarten#arri alexa lf#2020#24#english
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True crime with Kathleen Fine
Sixteen-year-old Emily Keller is charged with causing the deaths of four family members, but what really happened that fateful night—and who’s responsible—is anything but straightforward. With a Master’s in Reading Education and a Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, Kathleen Fine is fully ready to share her young adult debut novel with the world! Kathleen is a member of the Maryland Writers…
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#book#books#debut#fiction#girl on trial#interview#murder mystery#mystery#novel#novels#Q&A#thriller#trial#true crime#writing#young adult
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The Book of Witching
I’ve wanted to read a book from C. J. Cooke for a while and even though I wasn’t one hundred per cent convinced by the blurb, there was enough to interest me – or maybe it’s because this was one of the first books I bought after coming back from London and I was missing England. Also, it gave me all the witchy spooky autumnal vibes in autumn. For whatever, because it was one of the books for Book…
#Book Review#Books#C. J. Cooke#Friendship#Historical Fiction#History#Multiple POVs#Mystery#Orkney Islands#Samhain#Scotland#Thriller#Witch Trials#Witchcraft#Witchy
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Uncover the Dark Secrets in "The Housemaid's Secret 2" – A Thrilling Sequel Download For Free
If you love suspense and intrigue, The Housemaid's Secret 2 is the audiobook for you. This gripping sequel takes listeners deeper into a world of lies, secrets, and shocking twists. With every chapter, you'll be pulled into a dark, mysterious story that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to uncover the truth.
Why You Should Listen: The Housemaid's Secret 2 builds on the tension and drama of the first book, delivering an even more thrilling and intense experience. As new secrets are revealed, the stakes get higher, and the twists keep coming. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers, this audiobook offers a chilling narrative that will stay with you long after it's over.
Get It for Free:For a limited time, The Housemaid's Secret 2 is available on Amazon Audible for 0.00$. Don’t miss out on this free opportunity to dive into this heart-pounding mystery! Get it here.
#The Housemaid's Secret 2#Psychological thriller audiobook#Free audiobook download#Suspense and mystery#Dark secrets fiction#Gripping audiobook sequel#Intrigue and betrayal#Audible free trial
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Read Th1rt3en by steve cavanagh or ill eat your mom.
You heard me, coward.
#The serial killer isnt on trial#hes in the jury#book recommendations#reading#mystery#suspense#thriller#ooh ahh\#keyword keyword keyword#book reccs.#rule of 3s#erm#tags ig#oh uh
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José Zúñiga in CSI Miami (2002) Simple Man
S1E17
At the start of the trial of Lorenzo Escalante, husband of city councilor Mercedes, for the murder of their equally Cuban housemaid Carmen Abregon, Horatio delays testifying while the hastily summoned team urgently examines a new corps. It's Bonita Cruz, another Latina maid, recruited and shot in almost exactly the same way, only while Lorenzo was in police custody. It looks like a copy cat or an actual serial killer, but neither theory works out, while the trail leads to the Escalante's devoted attorney and friend, Carl Galaz.
*First Yelina Salas's appearance.
#CSI Miami#tv series#2002#2003 episode#Simple Man#S1E17#trial#murders#copycat murder#murder trial#speaking spanish#political aide#José Zúñiga#police investigation#forensics#action#crime#drama#mystery#thriller#just watched
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Trial by Fire (2018) Movie Review
Trial by Fire – Movie Review Director: Edward Zwick (Glory) Writer: Geoffrey Fletcher (Screenplay) Writer: David Grann (Article) Cast Jack O’Connell (Tulip Fever) Laura Dern (Jurassic Park) Emily Meade (Nerve) Chris Coy (The Front Runner) Jeff Perry (Scandal) Plot: The tragic and controversial story of Cameron Todd Willingham, who was sentenced to death in Texas for killing his three…
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Today's must see movie is 1963s thriller, Dementia 13. Are you brave enough to watch it?
Stream it now with our 3 day free trail, or subscribe, no biggie, you do you. Love Yoyo Films. ❤️
#classicthriller #movie #lovefilm #love #freetrail
#yoyofilms
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Survive Till Daylight, My Dear - L.H
P: Dead By Daylight Killer!Heeseung X Survivor!Reader (recommended age: 17+)
Warnings: Stalking, Murder, Death, Chasing, Obsession, Blood/Injury, Psychological Thriller, Graphic Descriptions, Suggestive Content, Teasing, Hypnosis?, Yo he kinda sadistic.
Synopsis: Your life was ripped away when you were abducted into a twisted realm ruled by something called the Entity. But while most killers are fixated on winning, one seems dangerously fixated on you.
a/n: during a round of dead by daylight, this idea came when i kept stalking a survivor as ghostface on the withered isle map :3
disclaimer! all the killers and survivors in this is in dbd the game. I do not own any of them. the idea of heeseung was a creative endeavour. (Virtuoso: a person highly skilled in music or another artistic pursuit.)
now playing: the shadows by chris grey | fairytale (violin) by dramatic violin | runaway (violin) by dramatic violin | blood on white satin by naomi scott
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You hated the times when you had to place your trust in other survivors during a trial because, more often than not, they'd leave you to fend for yourself. It wasn’t that they were cruel or uncaring—it was survival instinct. The generators scattered across the map weren’t going to fix themselves, and everyone knew the doors wouldn’t open without power. You’d done the same, sprinting past a screaming teammate once or twice. It wasn’t personal. It was just the way the Entity’s sick little game worked.
This time, though, you were the one left hanging—literally. The Deathslinger had caught you in his harpoon's grip, dragging you back like a trophy he was all too proud to display. Now, you dangled from the hook, the barbed steel biting into your shoulder. Blood trickled down your arm, warm and sticky, as the pain pulsed through you in sharp waves. You’d been hooked before—more times than you’d like to admit—but the agony never dulled. The most you could do was endure it, keeping your body still to avoid making it worse. Attempting to pull yourself free was always a gamble, and one you weren’t eager to take.
The Deathslinger lingered nearby, his rifle clutched tightly in his hands. His breaths came in ragged, heavy puffs, the sound grating like sandpaper against your ears. He wasn’t going anywhere, that much was clear. You groaned, tilting your head to try and catch a glimpse of your teammates. Surely someone would come for you—right?
The faint hum of a generator in the distance made your stomach twist. They were close to getting it done. That was good for them, bad for you. If they got it running, they’d bolt for the exit, and you’d be left to rot in the Entity’s clutches. A bitter laugh bubbled in your throat, but it died when you caught the glint of the Deathslinger’s weapon shifting toward the horizon. He was watching, waiting.
A flicker of movement in the corner of your eye caught your attention. Someone was coming—finally. Your heart leaped, hope flaring like a matchstick, but it fizzled just as quickly when you realized how loud their footsteps were. No stealth, no crouching, just a dead sprint toward you.
“What the hell are they doing?” you muttered under your breath, wincing as the hook shifted with your movement.
The Deathslinger didn’t need more than a second to notice. He turned on a dime, lifting his rifle to aim at the approaching figure. You clenched your teeth, bracing yourself for the sound of the chain snapping free, dragging yet another survivor into his grasp.
"Idiots," you hissed, though a small part of you couldn’t help but admire their courage—or stupidity. Maybe both.
You watched as Adam stumbled right into the Deathslinger’s trap. His scream cut through the air as the harpoon slammed into his chest, the chain rattling as the killer yanked him closer, and within seconds, Adam was up on another hook, his scream loud as the barbed metal tore through him.
Movement caught your eye again, and you turned your head just enough to see Mikaela and Leon slipping out of the shadows. Mikaela was quick on her feet, darting into the Deathslinger’s line of sight with purpose. She waved her arms, yelling something you couldn’t quite make out, and the killer turned to her immediately, his focus shifting.
“About time,” you muttered, feeling your heart race as Leon crouched low and made his way to you.
His hands were on you before you could say anything, quick and practiced as he worked the hook free from your shoulder. You bit down on your lip hard enough to taste blood, the searing pain making your vision blur for a moment. You fell to the ground, and Leon grabbed your arm, hauling you up to your feet.
“Come on!” he hissed, his voice urgent but calm.
You didn’t need to be told twice. Stumbling at first, you forced your legs to move, ignoring the fiery ache in your shoulder as you followed Leon into a nearby building.
Leon pulled you to the far corner of the room, crouching down beside you. His hands were already moving, tearing strips of cloth from somewhere, probably from some medkit he’d grabbed earlier. You barely had time to think about it before he pressed the fabric against your wound.
You hissed at the contact, the pain sharp and immediate, but you bit it back, watching as blood dripped from your shoulder onto the cold cement floor. When Leon’s voice pulled you out of your thoughts. “You’re gonna be fine. Just stay still.”
You nodded, swallowing hard as you tried to focus on something other than the pain. “Adam?” you asked, your voice hoarse.
“He’ll be okay,” Leon said quickly, though you weren’t sure if he believed it. “Mikaela’s keeping the Deathslinger busy. We’ll figure something out.”
You wanted to argue, to say there was no “figuring something out” when someone was already on the hook, but you kept quiet. Leon’s hands worked steadily, his touch surprisingly gentle despite the urgency of the situation.
The faint hum of a generator powered up somewhere nearby, followed by the unmistakable sound of the gate alarms. Your heart sank. The others were getting ready to escape, and you were still bleeding out on the floor.
Leon’s hands froze for a moment as the sound echoed through the building, but he quickly resumed. “Don’t worry,” he said, his voice steady, though his eyes betrayed a flicker of doubt. “We’ll get out of here.”
You wanted to believe him. God, you wanted to believe him. But as another scream tore through the air—Mikaela’s this time—you felt hopeless.
With your shoulder patched up, you didn’t waste a second. Leon pulled you to your feet, and together you sprinted through the dim, foggy maze of the trial grounds. The air felt heavy, the dark sky above rumbling like it could cave in at any moment. You rolled your eyes at the theatrics—because apparently, the Entity couldn’t help but crank up the dramatics just to remind you that you were always one bad move away from death.
Jumping over a pallet, you stumbled but recovered quickly, your feet pounding against the dirt as you wove around an old, rusted bench. The faint glow of the exit lights appeared ahead, like a beacon calling you home. Relief surged through you when you saw Steve standing there, frantically working the crank to open the massive steel doors.
His head whipped around when he heard your footsteps, his face tense with panic until his eyes landed on you and Leon. He let out a shaky sigh of relief, motioning for you to hurry. "Come on! Almost there!"
The door groaned loudly as it crept open, revealing the inky blackness beyond. Freedom was so close you could taste it. But just as your heart lifted, the sharp, metallic sound of a chain unspooling sent a jolt of terror down your spine.
You stopped running on pure instinct, your body frozen for a split second before the harpoon shot past you, embedding itself in a tree just inches away. The tensioned chain rattled, swaying as it recoiled. Your head snapped toward the Deathslinger, standing only a few meters away.
“Go!” Leon shouted, his voice breaking the trance as he pushed you forward.
You didn’t need to be told twice. Heart pounding, you ducked under the chain, your body nearly brushing against it as you bolted toward the exit. The pounding of your feet grew louder in your ears, mingling with the heavy, ragged breaths you couldn’t control. You threw yourself forward, crossing the threshold into the open landscape beyond just as the Deathslinger took another step closer.
Whipping around, you skidded to a stop and turned to look back. The Deathslinger stood just at the edge of the exit, his rifle lowered as he glared at you, seething. The dark, writhing tentacles of the Entity began to weave their way through the space between you, blocking his path and keeping him trapped inside the trial grounds.
Steve grabbed your arm, pulling you further away from the exit as the doors groaned shut behind you. "Come on, we don’t have time to celebrate!"
You nodded, glancing at Leon, who gave you a reassuring pat on the shoulder before jogging to catch up with Steve.
You didn’t look back again.
Suddenly, everything around you went dark. The ground beneath your feet gave way, and that all-too-familiar sensation of falling took hold. You didn’t scream—you never did anymore. Instead, you braced yourself for the impact that wouldn’t come.
Moments later, you landed on solid ground, your body jolting slightly as the world around you shifted. When you opened your eyes, the oppressive fog of the trial was gone, replaced by the dim, flickering firelight of the survivors’ camp.
You let out a long sigh, rolling your shoulder experimentally. As expected, the pain was gone, replaced by the dull, phantom ache that always lingered after a trial. You reached up to touch the spot where the hook had torn through your body, finding smooth, unbroken skin beneath your fingers. It was like it had never happened.
That was how it always was with the Entity. No matter how brutal the trial, no matter how close to death you came—or how many times you actually died—you always woke up here, whole again. The physical wounds vanished, leaving nothing but the memory of pain.
You glanced around the camp, taking in the familiar sights. The fire crackled in the center, its warmth doing little to ease the chill that seemed to seep into your bones. A few other survivors were scattered around, some tending to the fire, others sitting quietly with haunted looks in their eyes. They were all like you—trapped in this endless cycle of torment and survival, powerless to escape the Entity’s grasp.
Leon was already here, his jacket was draped over his shoulders, and he was absently cleaning the blood from his hands with a rag. When he saw you, he gave you a small, tired smile.
“Made it back,” he said, his voice low but steady.
You nodded, walking over to join him. “Barely.”
Steve, who had landed nearby, ran a hand through his hair. “That was too close,” he muttered, shaking his head. “I thought he was gonna get all of us at the end.”
You sat down beside Leon, the phantom pain in your shoulder throbbing faintly as you rested your elbows on your knees. “He almost did,” you said, glancing at the fire.
“That’s how it goes,” Feng said softly, appearing from the shadows. She had a medkit slung over her shoulder, though she didn’t need it—not here. “We survive, we heal, and then we go back in.”
Her words were a reminder of the reality you all faced. There was no end to it, no escape. The Entity would call you back into another trial soon enough, and the chase would start again.
You sighed, leaning back and closing your eyes for a moment. The camp was supposed to be a place of safety, a brief reprieve from the horrors of the trials, but it never truly felt like it. The shadows seemed to watch you, the ever-present feeling of being watched lingering even here.
“How’s Adam?” you asked after a moment, opening your eyes to look at Leon.
“He made it back,” Leon said, his voice heavy with relief. “Barely. Mikaela got him up just before the door closed.”
You nodded, grateful but knowing better than to celebrate. It was just another trial, another near-death experience in an endless cycle of them.
For now, you were safe.
Luckily, during the next trial, you weren’t one of the chosen ones. It was a relief, but it didn’t stop the restless feeling gnawing at your muscles. The camp, despite being a sanctuary of sorts, always felt suffocating when others were off risking their lives in the fog. You needed to move, so you decided to take a walk.
Of course, you never strayed too far. Not anymore.
You’d learned that lesson the hard way when you first arrived. Back then, you’d been terrified, too panicked to listen to anyone. The other survivors had tried to explain things to you—what this place was, what the trials meant—but their words only blurred together in the haze of fear clouding your mind. All you knew was that you were somewhere you didn’t belong, and you needed to get out.
So you’d run.
You sprinted as fast as your legs would carry you, ignoring the desperate calls of the others. You didn’t know where you were going, only that you had to escape. The trees around you blurred as you pushed yourself harder, your lungs burning with every frantic breath—until you slammed face-first into something solid.
It wasn’t a tree. No bark, no leaves—just an invisible wall that sent you reeling backward, clutching your nose in pain. You stumbled, dazed and confused, but before you could even think about what you’d just hit, you heard it: deep, guttural breathing, slow and deliberate.
Your head snapped up, and your blood ran cold. A obese figure loomed just on the other side of the barrier. His face was grotesque, smeared with greasepaint that cracked like old plaster. The Clown.
You screamed, scrambling to your feet and bolting back toward the camp. The sound of his laughter—wet and wheezing—chased after you, but when you risked a glance over your shoulder, he wasn’t following.
The Clown remained where he stood, staring at you with those cold eyes. Confusion flickered in your panicked mind, but you didn’t stop running until you were safely back in the camp.
Later, after you’d calmed down and stopped trembling like a leaf, Dwight had sat you down by the fire. He was the first survivor here, or so they all said, and he’d taken it upon himself to explain how the realm worked to newcomers.
“That’s why he didn’t follow you,” Dwight had said, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “There’s a barrier between us and them. The Entity doesn’t let killers into our camp. Same way we can’t go into their domain. Not unless it’s during a trial.”
It had taken time for the words to fully sink in, but eventually, you understood. The killers could watch you from the other side of that invisible wall if they wanted to, but they couldn’t cross it. They weren’t allowed to harm you outside of the trials.
Still, that didn’t make the idea of running into them any less horrifying. You already saw enough of them during the trials. You didn’t need to see them here, too.
That’s why, even now, as you wandered through the edges of the camp, you kept your distance. The boundary between the survivors’ camp and the killers’ domain wasn’t visible, but you could feel it, like an unseen pressure in the air. You never dared to go too close.
But alas the camp wasn’t large, so it was almost impossible not to catch at least a glimpse of a killer lingering near the barrier from time to time. You’d gotten used to it, in a way—seeing their shadowy figures pacing just out of reach, watching.
But now, as you rounded a corner near the edge of the camp, you froze. There, just a few yards away, was Chucky.
The little doll hadn’t noticed you, too busy pacing along the barrier and cussing up a storm. You crouched low behind a boulder, not out of fear but curiosity, your eyes narrowing as you caught bits and pieces of his tirade.
“...That smug prick—thinks he’s so damn smart, huh? Always with the ‘grand plans.’ I’ll show him a plan—it’s called taking his head off with a kitchen knife!”
You tilted your head, straining to hear more. The Mastermind—you’d heard that name before. Albert Wesker. You’d faced him twice in trials, and both times, you’d died. He was fast, calculating, and far more terrifying than a doll with a knife. Where Chucky was a chaotic little bastard who relied on deception and sneak attacks, Wesker had power and strategy to back him up. You hadn’t stood a chance.
Still, the idea of Chucky throwing a tantrum over Wesker made you stifle a small, ironic laugh. The Entity certainly had a sense of humor when it came to the killers it pulled into its realm.
You were about to leave, figuring you’d heard enough, when something Chucky said made you freeze.
“...And now there’s a new guy? Already? What the hell does the Entity even need him for? We just got the Houndmaster! Isn’t that freaky dog-pack enough?”
A new killer?
Your eyes widened, and your breath hitched. You instinctively leaned forward, your curiosity overtaking your caution. You’d only just gotten used to the Houndmaster—another recent addition to the roster of killers. And now the Entity was adding someone else?
You thought about how peculiar it was. The Entity usually gave some time before introducing new killers, letting survivors adjust (or break) under the current conditions. The Houndmaster was still fresh, and you with the other survivors were still learning how to navigate her brutal trial. So why now?
You shifted slightly, your knee brushing against the dirt, and froze when Chucky suddenly stopped pacing. His head snapped up, his plastic eyes scanning the horizon, and for a moment, you thought he’d spotted you.
“Whatever,” he muttered, resuming his rant. “If this newbie thinks they can show me up, they’ve got another thing coming. I’ve been doing this way longer. What’re they gonna do? Kill me?”
You slowly backed away, keeping low until Chucky was out of sight. A new killer. The thought sent a ripple of unease through you. It wasn’t like you’d gotten comfortable with the existing ones—the trials were still brutal, the killers relentless—but the idea of facing someone new, someone whose abilities you didn’t yet understand, made your stomach churn.
Who—or what—had the Entity brought into its realm this time?
You couldn’t shake the feeling of dread as you rushed back to the survivors' camp, your mind racing with the news you’d just learned. When you burst into the center of the camp and announced the new arrival, the reactions were varied.
Some survivors, like Dwight and Leon, looked concerned but stayed quiet. Others, like Steve and Yuna, were visibly stressed. But there were those like Yunjin and Yui, who didn’t show any reaction at all.
Just as the murmurs of unease began to settle into the air, the survivors from the most recent trial landed back into the camp, their faces drawn with exhaustion. Before anyone could even ask about their experience, Claudette, always quick to speak, started rambling, her voice trembling with exhaustion.
“New killer,” Claudette gasped, wiping sweat from her brow as she collapsed onto the log near the fire. “The Virtuoso. That’s what he’s called. And he’s... terrifying.”
You felt a chill run down your spine at the name. The Virtuoso.
The other survivors gathered around, listening intently as Claudette, Meg, and Feng started explaining.
“He has a violin,” Meg said, her voice low and shaky. “A violin. He uses it as a weapon. And when he plays it... it’s like... you can’t hear anything. Our ears just—stop working. You lose all sound. It’s like you’re in a void for a few minutes, and you can’t even tell where he is. He would just come up behind us and we wouldn’t hear him at all.”
Feng nodded, her eyes wide with the memory. “And when he’s chasing you, he doesn’t stay silent. He hums or sings under his breath. It’s so creepy.”
You exchanged a look with Leon, both of you registering the horror of their words. A violin as a weapon? That was something you had never imagined.
“So, like the Huntress?” you asked quietly, trying to make sense of it. “He relies on sound to track you?”
Meg gave you a grim nod. “Kind of. But worse. It’s not just about hunting you—it’s about taking away everything you rely on. You can’t hear anything, can’t even react properly. He disorients you. Makes you feel helpless.”
“That’s... unsettling,” Leon muttered, the words heavy with the shared understanding that this new killer was unlike anything you had faced before.
It took a total of three trials before you finally faced the Virtuoso. The first round was against The Shape. You survived by a hair, heart pounding in your chest as you barely managed to escape through the exit. The second trial? Against Nemesis. You didn’t survive that one. His relentless pursuit, aided by the terrifying zombie hordes, had been too much to handle. You’d been caught and ended up on the hook. But the third trial was different—you faced Dracula, but somehow, against all odds, you survived. You’d made it through with flying colors, your team working together to power up the generators and escape.
And now, here you were, entering your fourth trial. This time, it was a new map—a small city that seemed stuck in time. Old, crumbling buildings lined the streets, abandoned cars scattered across the roads, rusted and forgotten. But the centerpiece of it all? A massive theatre that towered over everything, its marquee flickering like a faint ghost of a past long gone. The sight was eerie, and your instincts immediately kicked in.
You crouched low, moving as quietly as possible, not wanting to attract any attention. The map was unfamiliar, and you knew the key to surviving here would be finding a way to adapt quickly. You needed to figure out where the generators were, which killer you were facing this time, and if there were any survivors to find and help.
You made your way into one of the buildings—an apartment complex, judging by the layout. You tried the first door you came to. Locked. The second one, same. You didn’t linger long, knowing that if you wasted too much time, the killer would find you. You had to keep moving.
Your main focus now was to get a feel for the map. The theatre seemed to loom ominously in the distance, a place that probably had its own secrets. You had to remember that the killers loved these big, grandiose settings, where they could trap and hunt survivors in ways that felt like part of their twisted game.
As you cautiously made your way through the city, a sound broke the silence—something distant, but it sent a cold shiver down your spine. It wasn’t the usual rumbling of the Entity’s presence. This was something else. A soft, haunting melody, like the strains of a violin being played somewhere in the distance.
You froze.
That was the Virtuoso. The violin music—it was unmistakable.
You didn't know if he was close or far, but you knew that he was out there. You needed to find a generator, and fast, before he tracked you down. The eerie melody seemed to seep into the air, twisting everything, making it harder to focus. You crouched even lower, scanning the streets, every creak of the buildings or rustle of the wind making you jump. You had to keep it together. This was a new map. The city would be full of hiding spots and escape routes.
You made your way past another apartment, your heartbeat quickening as you heard the faintest hum of the violin. You weren’t sure if it was coming closer or just echoing off the buildings, but you couldn't risk staying in one place for too long. You kept your movements as quiet as possible, crouching behind abandoned cars and ducking into doorways when necessary.
And then you saw it. In the distance, hidden behind an alleyway, the faint outline of a generator. Your heart raced in your chest as you approached, the sound of the violin growing louder, now definitely closer. You had to power up the generator before it was too late.
You focused on the generator, keeping your hands steady as you worked to repair it. The rhythm of your actions matched the increasing intensity of the violin, the music growing louder, echoing through the alley like it was all around you.
Then, without warning, a sharp note sliced through the air, followed by a scream from a survivor nearby. It snapped you out of your concentration for a moment, but you forced yourself to ignore it, refocusing on the task. You had to finish this. But as you continued to work, you heard something else—a short solo, a few drawn-out notes that struck like a delicate thread of sound, and then… everything changed.
Suddenly, your body felt heavy. It was subtle at first, just a slight shift, a tug in your muscles, but then it intensified. Your hands grew sluggish, and your vision blurred at the edges. The music seemed to seep deeper into your mind, invading your senses like a drug. You could feel the melody wrapping around your thoughts, pulling you into a soft, sleepy trance.
You tried to shake it off, to focus on the generator, but the exhaustion hit you hard. You gasped, dropping to your knees, hands gripping the dirt and debris on the ground as you tried to steady yourself. What was happening? You felt dizzy, but not in a sick and bad way, no this was different—it was a comforting kind of dizziness, like being wrapped in a warm blanket that made you want to close your eyes and give in.
It was the strangest feeling. The violin’s notes was almost seductive, pulling you deeper, lulling you into a state of relaxed submission. It wasn’t painful—no, it was... pleasant. Your limbs felt like they were made of lead, and you found yourself slowing down, your movements growing languid, as if you were caught in some spell you couldn’t break. You wanted more of it. Whatever this feeling was, it was unlike anything you’d ever experienced.
Was this the Virtuoso’s ability? You felt your thoughts fuzzing at the edges as his melody played on, each note wrapping around your mind like a gentle whisper, coaxing you further into this strange, hypnotic state. What was he doing to you? The question seemed far away, like it didn’t matter. It was easier to just give in, to let the music take over and stop worrying about the generator, the trial, everything else.
But no. You couldn’t let yourself fall into that trap. You forced your hands to push against the dirt, trying to stand up, to shake off the exhaustion. You had to keep moving, keep thinking. You couldn’t afford to let him win. The Virtuoso was manipulating you with his music, using it to cloud your senses, to wear you down until you couldn’t think straight anymore.
You gritted your teeth, pushing through the haze in your mind, forcing yourself to crawl back to the generator. You had to get it done—now.
Your fingers were slow, trembling as you worked, but the sound of the violin kept playing, surrounding you, tightening its grip on your senses. You were struggling to focus, the exhaustion clouding your thoughts.
Suddenly, you heard the soft shuffle of footsteps behind you. You glanced over, your blurry vision making it hard to see clearly. But then you recognized her—Yui. She was stumbling, hurt, her clothes torn, and blood staining her skin. She looked dazed, her eyes half-lidded, like she was under the same spell you were. The exhaustion was evident in her posture, her steps unsteady as she approached.
You whispered, barely able to make the words come out, "Do you want me to heal you?"
But Yui didn’t respond to your voice. She pointed to her ears, a subtle, desperate gesture. She couldn’t hear you.
She crouched beside you, barely able to focus, but she reached for the generator. You could see the struggle in her expression as she tried to push through the same fog you were in. You both sat there working.
Then, you heard it. A scream. The unmistakable sound of a survivor being hooked. Your heart clenched, and panic began to creep in.
“Come on... finish...” You muttered under your breath, barely audible. You could barely focus, every part of you aching.
Yui’s hands were slower than they should have been, her movements sluggish, but she kept working beside you.
But just as you thought the generator might finally be finished, the air grew colder. You could sense something was coming. The music stopped. The silence was deafening.
Your hands trembled, the generator almost done, but you knew you couldn’t afford to be caught now. You had to finish this. You had to.
Just as the generator lit up and blared, signaling that it was finally done, Yui took off, her movements slow but determined. You exhaled in relief, ready to run yourself, but then something caught your eye. Yui was heading straight for a figure standing in the shadows, a tall, looming figure. She didn’t see him until it was too late.
The sound of a sharp, slicing movement filled the air, and you gasped in horror as Yui screamed, the sound cut short by a sudden thud as she crumpled to the ground. Her blood pooled around her, and there, standing over her, was the figure. A man, tall and lean, dressed in a dark and tattered suit that was stained with blood. His white undershirt was ripped, exposing skin underneath. But it wasn’t his clothing that made your heart race—it was his face.
A cracked porcelain mask covered most of it, resembling that of a twisted theater performer. From the cracks, you could see his eyes, dark and hollow, and his lips, painted with an smug expression. His black hair was slicked back, and his white gloves were stained, a deep, crimson red. He was a nightmare made flesh, a figure from a forgotten stage play brought to life in the most terrifying way.
You froze, watching as the man wiped Yui’s blood from the bow of his violin. That’s when you realized—this was him. The Virtuoso.
He looked up at you, and for a moment, you could have sworn there was no emotion in his gaze. His eyes were cold, detached. But then something shifted, the indifference was replaced with something else—something more dangerous. Interest. And that terrified you more than anything else.
The Virtuoso’s hand stretched out, and you saw him pull a black violin from his back, its surface stained with dark splatters of blood. Your heart raced as he held it to his chin, the bow raised, and began to play.
The moment his fingers touched the strings, the haunting melody flooded the air. Your body tensed, your head spinning, and that all-too-familiar exhaustion swept over you again. You gasped, trying to steady yourself, but it was like the music was pulling you under, drowning you in its grip.
Your legs buckled beneath you, and you fell to the ground. Your hands trembled, your head pounding as the exhaustion began to take over. You couldn’t think straight. Your mind felt like it was slipping away, like everything that was you was fading into the background, consumed by the tune he was playing.
Every muscle in your body thrummed with a dull, almost pleasurable ache, like your very essence was being swept away by the music. You couldn’t fight it. You didn’t want to fight it. The only thing that mattered now was the sound of that violin, that song that tugged at your soul.
But you had to stay conscious. You had to—stay awake.
You wanted to scream, to push through, but the tune was so lullingly beautiful. It was too hard to resist. Your eyes fluttered, the world around you starting to fade to black. You could see the Virtuoso’s face, his mask cracked but still emotionless, his cold gaze never leaving you as he played on, the haunting tune weaving its way deeper into your mind.
And then, everything went dark.
When you woke up, it was with a sharp, disorienting breath, your heart racing as your body jerked upright. You found yourself lying on something cold and hard, the rough texture of the floor beneath you. Confusion gripped you, and as you looked around, it hit you like a punch to the stomach: you were on a stage. The grand theater, the one you’d only glimpsed before.
How did you get here?
Did the Virtuoso bring you here? You could barely remember the last moments before everything went black. The music, his violin—it had all blurred together in a haze of exhaustion and pleasure. You shook your head, pushing yourself to your feet. Your legs wobbled slightly, but you managed to steady yourself.
The stage was crumbling around you. The curtains hung tattered and ripped, torn from years of neglect. The floorboards creaked beneath your weight, some of them so loose that they threatened to give way with even the slightest pressure. The way down was a steep, treacherous drop, the ground far below hidden by the darkness that seemed to consume the rest of the theater. The chairs facing the stage were old and covered in dust, their worn fabric peeling away like the remnants of a forgotten time. The air smelled faintly of blood, mixed with the scent of neglect.
A cold shiver ran down your spine as you looked around, your mind still foggy, struggling to grasp the situation. You needed to get out of here, but before you could take another step, you heard it—the familiar, haunting melody.
The violin. It came from somewhere deep within the theater, its sound clear and insistent, just like before. And like before, you felt it. The pull. The music wrapped around your mind like a shroud, soft yet relentless, seeping into your thoughts, digging into the very core of your being. You tried to ignore it, but the pull was too strong.
Before you could even react, you fell to your knees, gasping for air as your hands instinctively flew to your head. The pain was sudden, sharp, like a thousand tiny needles pricking at your mind, but then—then—it melted into something else. Something worse.
It felt too good. Too intoxicating. It was as if the melody had found something deep within you, something buried, and was now scratching at it, pulling it to the surface. You hated it. You hated how it made your heart race and your body burn with a strange, unbidden desire. This was different from the shock therapy The Doctor used. It wasn’t painful in the way you knew pain, like a jolt of electricity that shattered your thoughts. No. This was... pleasure of the mind, something so smooth and alluring, it felt like the essence of who you were was being coaxed from your very soul.
It was like drowning in euphoria and fear all at once. You wanted to stop it. You wanted to tear yourself away from it, but you couldn’t.
The tune continued, crawling deeper into your head, pushing against your will. Every note felt like it was peeling away at your very identity, unraveling the pieces of your mind, piece by piece, until all you could hear, all you could feel, was the melody.
You gasped again, your chest tight as the world around you began to blur. Was this what he wanted? Was this how he claimed his victims? With the music?
Your mind screamed at you to move, to run, but your body refused to obey. The melody still reverberated in your skull, a lullaby of twisted euphoria. And then, you saw him.
He emerged from behind the backstage curtains, the black violin still held under his chin, his fingers expertly gliding over the strings, pulling out notes that made your head swim. His eyes remained fixed on you as he began to hum along, the sound vibrating in the air, setting your nerves on fire.
You groaned, struggling to shake the haze from your thoughts, but it was no use. He was here now, standing before you. His presence towered over you, and you could feel the coldness of his gaze piercing through the haze that clung to your senses.
He stopped playing, the sudden silence swallowing the air around you. Your heart pounded in your chest as he crouched down, bringing his face dangerously close to yours. You could feel the heat of his breath, steady and cold at the same time, but his eyes… those eyes pierced into you, unblinking and filled with an unsettling curiosity.
You tried to look away, to break free from his stare, but before you could move, his gloved hand shot out and grasped your jaw, forcing you to look up at him. His touch was firm, not painful, but there was no escaping it. You felt small, powerless under his grasp.
He studied you, his gaze moving from your face to the rest of your body, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he didn’t speak, just letting the silence linger between you. Then, his voice broke through the tension, deep and smooth, almost like a melody of its own.
"Where has the Entity been hiding you, I wonder?" his words was laced with dark amusement. His voice was soft, but it held an edge, as if he was enjoying your discomfort, your inability to escape him.
You didn’t know how to respond. Your body felt heavy, your mind clouded, but you could hear the taunting tone in his voice.
"You’ve been so quiet," he continued. "All you can do is whine, can’t you? Letting me do whatever I want."
You wanted to fight, to scream, to tell him to stop, but all you could manage was a weak grip on his arm, your fingers barely able to hold onto the sleeve of his bloodstained suit. Your strength was gone, sapped by the music, by him.
His lips curved into a knowing smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes, and he leaned in closer, his voice a soft whisper now.
"I can’t wait to see how long you last."
His words sent a shiver down your spine, and you realized that, in this moment, you were nothing more than a puppet in his hands. You wanted to speak, to shout, to fight back, but you couldn’t form the words. His hold on you was suffocating, his fingers warm and unforgiving as they gripped your face and tilted your head back.
"You’re so adorable when you try to resist," he purred, his voice dripping with amusement. "You think you can escape, don’t you?"
You were trying to gather strength, to push him away, but before you could react, his hands shot out, swift and sure. In one fluid motion, he lifted you off the ground, throwing you effortlessly over his shoulder. You gasped, the sudden shift making the world spin around you.
You would have fought back against any other killer. You were used to wiggling free, to finding a way to outsmart and escape. But not with him.
He started humming again, each note seemed to echo in your head, making it harder and harder to think clearly, and it lulled you into a stupor.
The two of you passed through the decaying theater, the doors creaking open as he made his way out. The world outside was dark, the streets eerily empty. You tried to shake yourself awake, to fight the haze, and finally, your lips parted in a slow, slurred speech.
"W-where... where is everyone?" you managed, the words feeling foreign as they left your mouth, thick with exhaustion.
The Virtuoso didn’t even flinch, his pace steady as he continued walking, as if this was just another routine. He simply answered, his voice cold and casual.
"They’re gone," he replied, a slight edge of amusement in his tone. "Already given to the Entity. All of them."
The weight of his words sank in, and you froze, your breath catching in your throat as a realization dawned on you.
Oh. You were the only one left. The only survivor.
A wave of cold dread washed over you, and you couldn’t shake the sick feeling that had settled in your stomach.
And now, you were alone with him.
"You’ll learn to enjoy this feeling," he murmured, almost as if he were speaking to himself.
The weight of his words lingered in the air, suffocating you with their twisted promise. "You’ll learn to enjoy this feeling."
Just then the rumbling began, the map trembling under the familiar pressure, you knew the Entity was growing impatient. It wanted this to end quickly—its hunger insatiable. The last survivor, the final piece in its dark game, was about to be consumed. But then the Virtuoso suddenly released his grip on you. You were unceremoniously dropped to the ground, the rough texture of the pavement scraping your palms as you struggled to sit up.
You groaned, looking up to find the Virtuoso no longer watching you. Instead, his attention was fixed on his violin bow, the jagged edges glinting in the dim light, stained with blood.
“What’s happening?” you managed to ask, your voice shaky but filled with desperation.
Without looking up from his bow, he simply uttered one word, cold and commanding. “Crawl.”
You blinked, confusion settling in for a brief moment before your gaze drifted to the distance. Just a few meters away, the hatch—open and waiting. The escape. The only chance you had. Without thinking, you began to crawl toward it. Every movement felt like an agonizingly slow struggle, but you pushed yourself forward, determined to get to the only possible way out.
But as you moved, you heard it—his humming. It was soft at first, the haunting melody following you, filling the air around you. You dared a glance over your shoulder, and there he was. The Virtuoso was trailing behind you, his figure looming with a slow, deliberate pace. His bow was still clutched tightly in his hand, the faint sound of his humming growing louder as he moved closer. His lips curled into a manic smirk, one that sent a chill down your spine.
And then, in a voice that was far too cheerful for what was happening, he began to count.
“Ten...” His voice was smooth, almost musical, like he was savoring each number.
You could feel your heart racing, pounding in your chest, the escape hatch tantalizingly close but still so far away.
“...Nine…”
Every second felt like an eternity, the weight of his presence bearing down on you as you forced yourself to crawl. The sound of his counting echoed in your ears, filling you with dread.
“…Eight…”
You looked back again, sweat beading on your forehead. His expression was twisted, like he was enjoying this far too much.
“...Seven…”
The hatch was so close now. You could almost reach it.
“...Six…”
You pushed yourself harder, faster, but each movement felt like it drained more of your energy.
“...Five…”
The Virtuoso’s steps were closer now, his bow gliding smoothly through the air as he followed behind you, still counting, still humming.
“…Four…”
You gritted your teeth, pushing through the exhaustion, through the haze of his song, your body screaming at you to stop.
“...Three…”
The hatch was just a few inches away now. You could see it beckoning you.
“…Two…”
His humming was louder, almost deafening in its intensity.
“...One.”
And then, in a heartbeat, he stopped. The silence that followed was deafening, as if the world had held its breath. You froze, barely a few inches from the escape hatch. You could hear the sound of his violin bow slicing through the air.
And then, his voice, smooth as silk, reached your ears. “Such a shame, my dear.”
He walked past you, the sound of his footsteps echoing in the silence of the street. Without a word, he approached the escape hatch and closed it with a swift motion, the heavy metal door slamming shut behind him with an almost finality that made your heart race. When he turned back to face you, his smile was chilling, like a predator savoring the moment before the kill.
"Time to die," he said softly, his voice low, but filled with a cruel satisfaction.
He moved toward you slowly, deliberately, his every step measured as if he had all the time in the world. Your body trembled, your muscles stiff and weak from the exhaustion, the haze of the melody still clouding your mind. You struggled to move, but the world around you felt distant and blurry.
A haunting melody played in the background, filling the space between you and him, wrapping around your thoughts like a chain. Your vision swayed, the edges of the world fading into a soft blur as his presence grew closer. Then, with a gentleness that made the hairs on your neck stand on end, he positioned the bow against your throat, his touch light but firm.
His face was expressionless, calculating. His eyes locked onto yours as if studying you, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
He began to sing.
His voice was smooth, precise, almost like a lullaby. Each note slipped into your mind, soothing and terrifying all at once, as if he were performing an intimate, private piece just for you. The sound of his voice, along with the melody, distorted everything around you. The air thickened, pressing in from all sides, and you could feel your senses begin to unravel. The world seemed to twist, the music warping, growing louder, more dissonant, filling your head with confusion, a maddening disorientation that made it harder to breathe.
Your vision flickered in and out, the room around you stretching and bending with each note he sang. The pressure on your throat from the bow grew, the coldness of the violin's edge digging into your skin.
And then, without warning, in a single, fluid motion, he swept the bow across your throat.
The sharp strings bit into your skin, cutting deeply, and you gasped, feeling the hot rush of blood spilling from the wound. You fell to the ground, your body crumpling beneath the weight of the pain and the overwhelming sensation of his final song echoing in your ears.
Everything went dark.
The familiar feeling of falling overwhelmed you once more, a sinking sensation that seemed endless. And when you landed, it wasn’t the cold streets of the trial. No. You were back.
You were back in the survivors’ camp.
Alive.
Unhurt.
The sudden shift left you gasping for air, your heart racing as you blinked, trying to process what had just happened. You looked around. The camp was quiet, peaceful, almost like nothing had ever happened.
--
You sat there for what felt like an eternity, your back pressed against the rough bark of the tree. The camp was unusually quiet, save for the distant murmurs of other survivors. You had a clear view of the barrier between you and the killers, the oppressive feeling of the entity’s domain hanging in the air. It felt like days since you’d last faced a trial, days that stretched on, leaving you to wonder why you hadn’t been called back into the horrors of the realm.
Time blurred together. Trials came and went, but for some reason, you were left untouched, as if the entity itself had decided to leave you be. You watched as others came back, their faces etched with exhaustion and fear. Some spoke of the Virtuoso in hushed tones, their words tinged with dread. You overheard their stories: how they’d tried to outrun him, how they’d failed to survive a single trial with him, how his music had driven them to madness before the end.
But none of them had managed to make it through. None of them had escaped him.
He had become a legend in the realm, and for good reason. His abilities—his haunting song, his control over the survivors—had turned him into a killer of nightmares. No one had survived one trial against him.
You saw him in your dreams sometimes, his haunting music echoing in your ears, his voice soft and cruel. You shivered at the thought of facing him again, knowing that if the entity ever called you back, you wouldn’t stand a chance.
Trials passed, and yet the call never came. You began to wonder if you had been forgotten—left behind, abandoned in the shadows of the camp. Or maybe the entity was just waiting for the perfect moment to drag you back into the trial, to see if you would survive a second time.
--
Eventually, the call came. You were thrust back into the realm, pulled from the relative peace of the survivors’ camp and thrown into the chaos of the trials once again.
First came the Dredge, you were constantly on edge, and you barely made it through, but you survived.
Next, you found yourself up against the Demogorgon. You escaped—barely—each breath ragged, the taste of fear still fresh in your mouth.
Then, the Oni came, you barely manage to survive, barely.
The Doctor came next, his shock therapy was unbearable, his laughter echoing in your head. But again, somehow, you survived.
And then there was the Hillbilly, you sprinted, dodged, and hid, your heart pounding in your chest as you narrowly escaped the carnage.
You groaned loudly as the familiar feeling of being pulled into the trial washed over you, the world around you spinning before it all dropped away into darkness. When your feet hit the ground, you staggered, blinking against the sudden brightness.
Your eyes widened in horror as you looked around.
You were on his map.
The surroundings were hauntingly familiar—the dilapidated theater looming in the distance, the cracked, decaying streets, the smell of dust and blood in the air. It was as if the very atmosphere of the map itself was alive, pulsing with a sinister energy, beckoning you to come face to face with your worst nightmare.
You had to survive him. You had no choice. You couldn’t afford to fall victim to him again. The thought of hearing that haunting tune again, of being caught in his eerie, hypnotic grip, made your stomach turn. But there was no time for hesitation now.
With a deep breath, you forced yourself to focus. The trial had begun, and your survival depended on staying sharp, on staying one step ahead of him. You crouched low, scanning the environment for any signs of life, any survivors, and most importantly—any generators. You had to find a way out.
The air grew colder, and then you heard it—the soft, deliberate hum of his melody, distant at first, but slowly getting closer. You felt the weight of it, the pull in your chest, as the music seemed to crawl into your mind, trying to seduce you into a false sense of safety. You clenched your fists, forcing yourself not to give in. You couldn’t afford that.
You started moving, every step measured, trying to remain as quiet as possible. Your heart pounded in your chest, and the hairs on the back of your neck stood up as you passed through the eerie streets, passing abandoned vehicles and broken-down walls.
You reached the edge of the map, your eyes scanning the horizon, but no sign of him yet. But you knew better than to relax—he could be anywhere, and the moment you let your guard down was the moment you’d pay for it. You had to stay focused.
Suddenly, you saw movement in the distance. Another survivor? Or was it him, creeping closer? You couldn’t tell, but you had no intention of waiting around to find out. You bolted for the nearest building, hoping to find some semblance of safety.
As you ducked inside, the door creaked loudly behind you, and you froze. The sound of his humming was unmistakable now, closer, almost as if it were right behind you. Panic surged through your veins, but you forced yourself to stay calm. You had survived against killers like the Demogorgon, the Xenomorph, and the Nemesis. You could survive this.
You quickly turned to look for a generator, anything to give you a chance to escape. But before you could make a move, the faintest touch of a violin note reached your ears—and with it, the world around you began to blur.
You staggered, your head spinning, the familiar exhaustion sinking in as the haunting melody wove its way into your mind. It was him, so close now.
Then everything suddenly went quiet.
You froze, your breath shallow, listening intently. There was no sign of the Virtuoso—no sound, no humming. Just silence.
You dared to peek out from behind the window, your eyes scanning the desolate street outside. It was empty, the shadows stretching across the cracked pavement, but you didn’t trust it. You couldn’t trust it. Still, it seemed safe enough to move.
Just as you were about to vault over the low wall and make a break for it, you were hit by a wave of music, a sudden, intense surge that made you gasp. It was like the sound wrapped around your body, heavy, suffocating, and in an instant, your vision blurred. The world felt distorted, like a fog had rolled in, the edges of everything softening into nothingness.
No.
You blinked rapidly, trying to regain focus, and when you turned to your left, you saw him.
He was standing there, so still, his gaze fixed directly on you.
How long had he been standing there?
You didn’t get the chance to ponder over that question, not with the sharp sting that followed.
His bow came down, slicing through the air with a sound that sent chills down your spine. You gasped in pain as the sharp edge slashed through your side, the blade cutting deep into your flesh.
The pain was immediate, and for a moment, everything stopped.
But instinct kicked in.
With a strangled cry, you vaulted, your body screaming in protest, but you didn’t stop. You couldn’t. You held your side tightly, feeling the blood seep through your fingers as you sprinted down the street, desperate to put distance between yourself and him.
Behind you, you could hear the faint hum of his violin, the melody now twisted and taunting, as if it was mocking your attempt to escape.
"Run," he teased, his voice soft and smooth, almost playful as it floated on the wind. "It won’t help."
Your heart hammered in your chest as you pushed yourself harder, the pain in your side nearly blinding, but you refused to stop. The sound of his footsteps echoed behind you, slow and measured, but every time you glanced over your shoulder, you saw him gaining on you, moving like a shadow, a predator closing in.
Your breath came in ragged gasps, each step taking everything out of you. The street stretched out in front of you, the buildings offering little cover. The world felt so small here.
You ran past two survivors, Yui and Meg, working on a generator in the distance. You barely spared them a glance as they turned to look at you, their faces filled with terror before the Virtuoso's haunting violin notes reached them. Their screams echoed behind you, sharp and full of pain as the bow sliced into them.
But you couldn’t look back. You couldn’t afford to stop. You had to keep moving.
With your heart pounding, you bolted for the theatre, slipping through the back door just as his music faded behind you. The building was dark and quiet, save for the creaking of the old floorboards.
Inside, you found a room. Dimly lit, but it had a palette lying against the far wall, a perfect place to take a breath, even for a moment.
You crouched down and pulled out the medkit you had brought with you for this trial, you hissed through your teeth as you started to treat the wound in your side, carefully bandaging it, the blood still dripping down your hands. The pain was a constant throb, but it was nothing you couldn’t handle. You had learned to survive worse.
The violin music grew louder, and you could feel him getting closer, his presence near the door.
You couldn’t stay in one place for too long. Not with him hunting you.
You took a deep breath and prepared to move again. You crept toward the door, every muscle tense, ready to spring into action the moment you heard his violin hum. The sound was becoming more insistent, like a heartbeat you couldn't escape from. You slowly cracked the door open, peering out into the dark hallway beyond.
No sign of him yet.
You made a break for the other side of the room, slipping past the shadowy corners and moving carefully toward a nearby window, hoping to get a glimpse of your surroundings. You had to figure out where the others were, or better yet, where a generator was.
Just as you reached the window, you heard it—a faint humming, followed by a low, dissonant note that made your spine stiffen.
He was here.
The unmistakable sound of the bow scraping against the strings pierced the silence, sending a shiver down your spine. You pressed yourself against the wall, barely breathing, trying to blend into the darkness.
You dared to peek out, your eyes scanning the edges of the room, and there he was. He was standing still, his back to you, seemingly unaware of your presence… but his head tilted slightly, as though sensing you.
Then, without warning, he turned, his eyes narrowed as he locked onto yours.
"Found you," he purred, his voice smooth.
In an instant, his violin was in his hands again, the bow raised, and before you could react, the first note rang out, and you felt it—the exhaustion, the pull of his music sinking into your mind. Your vision blurred, the world spinning around you.
Your body rebelled, but your legs wouldn’t move. It was like his melody had a grip on your very soul, twisting you with every note.
"Run," you whispered to yourself, but the word was drowned out by the haunting sound of the violin as he started moving toward you.
"Why run?" he hummed, his voice taunting as he advanced slowly.
You collapsed to your knees, gasping for air as the melody wrapped around your senses like a velvet noose. Each note sent a shiver down your spine, your body trembling with a mix of fear and something you hated to acknowledge.
The Virtuoso stopped a few feet in front of you, tilting his head as if admiring his handiwork. "Look at you," he murmured, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "On your knees, just like the music intended. Isn't it beautiful? The way it breaks you down, piece by piece."
You tried to push yourself up, to fight the pull of his haunting melody, but your arms gave out, and you slumped forward, your hands trembling against the floor.
"Stop..." you managed to choke out, though your voice was weak, barely audible over the sound of his violin.
The Virtuoso chuckled, low and smooth, as he crouched down in front of you. He gently rested the bow under your chin, tilting your head up to face him. The cold, sharp edge of the bow scraped lightly against your skin, sending a shiver through you.
"Stop?" he repeated, feigning surprise. "But you don’t really want me to, do you?" His voice softened, almost a whisper. "The Entity chose you for a reason. You were made for this... to be shaped, to be played."
You tried to shake your head, to deny his words, but his gaze pinned you in place. His hand, gloved and stained with dirt and blood, reached out and gently brushed a strand of hair away from your face.
"Tell me," he continued, leaning closer, his voice dropping into a husky murmur. "How does it feel to be a part of something so... exquisite? To be at the mercy of art itself?"
You bit your lip, fighting the fog in your mind. Somewhere, deep inside, you knew this wasn’t right. You were a survivor—you had fought through so many trials, endured countless horrors. You had to fight this, too.
But his music was unlike anything you’d faced before. It wasn’t just a weapon—it was a manipulation of your very being, twisting your will, blurring the line between fear and something darker.
He tilted his head, waiting for a response, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement when you stayed silent. "No answer?" he said, his tone mocking. "Perhaps you're finally starting to understand... There's no escape from me."
Your breath hitched as he slung the violin onto his back with an almost practiced elegance. You saw your chance and scrambled to your feet, trying to make a run for it. But you barely got a few steps before a sharp pain erupted across your back.
You screamed as his jagged violin bow slashed through your skin, the searing pain causing you to stumble and fall forward. Blood trickled down your side as you tried to crawl away, but before you could even attempt to push yourself up, his hand gripped your wrist like iron.
With alarming strength, he yanked you back and slammed you against the cold, crumbling wall. The force knocked the wind out of you, leaving you gasping as the world spun.
"Still trying to run?" he murmured, his tone dripping with amusement.
You tried to push him off, but he pressed his body against yours, trapping you between him and the wall.
"Let me go!" you gasped, writhing beneath his grip.
His response was to catch your wrists in one swift motion, slamming them above your head and pinning them there with a single hand. His strength was inhuman, and no amount of struggling could break you free.
With his other hand, he grabbed your chin, forcing you to look at him. His gloved fingers dug into your jaw, tilting your head back as his eyes roamed over your face.
"Such defiance," he said softly, almost as if he were admiring you. "But even fire can be tamed."
Before you could muster a reply, before you could even process the fear coursing through you, he leaned in. His lips crushed against yours with a sudden, ferocious intensity that left you utterly stunned.
Your muffled gasp filled the air as his mouth moved against yours, his kiss possessive and unrelenting. His grip on your wrists tightened as you tried to pull away, your attempts feeble against the strength that held you in place.
Your heart thundered in your chest, torn between fear, anger, and a bewildering sense of helplessness. The world seemed to narrow down to him—his lips, his overwhelming presence, and the haunting melody of his violin still ringing faintly in the background.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes searched yours. "You can fight all you want," he murmured, his voice dangerously soft, his gloved thumb brushing against your trembling lip. "But you’ll never escape me."
Your legs felt like jelly, trembling beneath you. The weight of his gaze pinned you in place. You should’ve tried to run, screamed for help, done something, but your body betrayed you, too weak to move.
His thumb lingered on your lip, pressing lightly, as if testing your limits. He tilted his head, and that haunting hum escaped his throat again—a melody low and sinister that seemed to seep into your very bones.
“You’re trembling,” he said, his voice smooth and mocking as he studied you. “Is it fear? Or something else?”
You glared at him—or tried to—but the faint tremor in your chin betrayed your attempt at defiance.
He chuckled, low and dark, and his gloved hand left your face, sliding down to your neck. His fingers trailed lazily over your skin, the rough texture of the worn leather leaving a cold, ghostly sensation in their wake.
“You’re so fragile,” he mused as his hand traveled further, tracing the curve of your shoulder and down your arm. “And yet, so strong…”
His words trailed off as he moved closer again, his body pressing lightly against yours to keep you pinned to the wall. His free hand glided down your side, brushing over the torn fabric of your shirt and the faint wound left by his bow. His fingers paused there, pressing gently, almost mockingly.
You flinched, gasping softly at the sting of pain, and he hummed again, as if pleased by your reaction.
“Every mark I leave on you…” he whispered, his voice dripping with sadistic delight. “It’s a masterpiece in its own right.”
His hands didn’t stop, exploring further—over your waist, down to your hips. Each touch was deliberate, calculated, as if he were memorizing every inch of you he could reach. You tried to push him away, but he didn’t even budge.
“Still fighting?” he teased, his lips curling into a cruel smile as his eyes locked onto yours. “I admire your persistence… but we both know how this ends.”
Tears pricked at your eyes, frustration and helplessness bubbling as his hand continued. His touch wasn’t violent—it was careful—but that only made it worse. It wasn’t pain he was inflicting now, but a complete violation of your sense of control.
His gloved hand came back to your face, tilting your chin up so you were forced to look at him. His thumb brushed over your trembling lip again, his gaze piercing into yours.
“I could keep you here forever,” he said, the words chilling in their sincerity.
His lips crashed against yours again, firm and unrelenting, leaving you breathless. You struggled at first, your body instinctively trying to push him away, but his grip on your wrists remained iron-clad. The cold leather of his glove against your skin sent a shiver down your spine, but it was nothing compared to the heat of his mouth on yours.
You whimpered into the kiss, your resolve crumbling as the sheer intensity of it overwhelmed you. It wasn’t just the act itself—it was him. His presence, his control, the way he seemed to consume you entirely.
His hand on your chin slid down, his fingers tracing the line of your jaw before resting on your throat. The weight of his touch there, firm but not constricting, made your breath hitch, and that only seemed to fuel him further. His tongue brushed against your lower lip, demanding entrance, and though you wanted to resist, your body betrayed you.
You parted your lips, and he wasted no time, deepening the kiss with a hunger that sent sparks of something unfamiliar coursing through you. You should’ve been disgusted, horrified even, but instead, a warmth began to bloom in your chest, spreading through your body like wildfire.
Why did this feel so good?
You had never had time for… this. Whatever this was. After being abducted by the Entity, survival had been your only focus. There was no room for affection, no space for intimacy, no chance to feel anything beyond fear and desperation. But now, under his touch, under his spell, you felt yourself slipping into something dangerously close to surrender.
And then it happened.
You kissed him back.
It was tentative at first, a soft, hesitant movement of your lips against his, as if testing the waters. But when he felt your response, his grip on your wrists tightened, and a low, satisfied hum rumbled in his chest. His other hand, still resting on your throat, flexed slightly, his fingers curling against your skin as if claiming you.
The kiss grew deeper, more intense, and you found yourself leaning into him despite everything. Your mind screamed at you to stop, to pull away, to fight, but your body refused to listen. Every brush of his lips, every flick of his tongue, every subtle shift of his body against yours sent another wave of that intoxicating warmth crashing over you.
You hated him. You feared him. And yet, in this moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to resist.
When he finally pulled back, his lips parted from yours with a soft, wet sound, leaving you gasping for air. His eyes bored into yours, dark and unreadable, as he studied your flushed face.
“There it is,” he murmured, his voice low and almost… tender? “I knew you’d come around.”
You tried to look away, shame and confusion twisting in your chest, but he wouldn’t let you. His hand on your throat moved back to your chin, tilting your face up again so you had no choice but to meet his gaze.
“Don’t look so conflicted,” he teased, his lips curling into a smirk. “You’re mine now, remember? There’s no going back.”
His hand lingered on your chin, thumb brushing against your skin with an unsettling softness, as though savoring the moment. His smirk widened as he leaned in close, his lips brushing against your ear.
“You feel it too, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice a velvet whisper that sent shivers down your spine. “The pull… the surrender. Fighting me is pointless.”
You swallowed hard, your breath hitching as his free hand began to trail down your body, gliding over your shoulder, tracing the curve of your arm, and finally resting at your waist.
Your heart raced as you tried to push him away again, weakly pressing against his chest, but he didn’t budge. If anything, the pressure of his body against yours only increased.
“Shh,” he cooed, his lips ghosting over your ear. “Why do you still resist? Haven’t I shown you how… good this can feel?”
You hated how his words stirred something inside you, how the warmth from before was now spreading like fire under your skin.
He leaned back just enough to study your face, his gaze softened slightly, but there was still a glint of amusement in his eyes, as though he was enjoying watching you struggle with your own emotions.
“You’re so used to running,” he said, almost thoughtfully, as if speaking to himself. “So used to fighting. But here, with me…” His hand on your waist tightened, pulling you closer. “You’ll learn to stay. To submit.”
The word sent a jolt through you, and your eyes widened as you finally found your voice.
“I’ll never—”
But before you could finish, his lips were on yours again, silencing your protest with a kiss far more intense than the last. It was consuming, overwhelming, and despite your words, you felt yourself melting into it. His grip on your wrists remained firm as his other hand moved to cup the back of your neck, holding you in place.
You tried to focus, to think, to fight, but his kiss drowned out every thought, leaving you with nothing but the sensation of him.
When he pulled back this time, he was breathing heavier, his dark eyes locked onto yours. “See?” he said softly, his voice a mix of satisfaction and something deeper. “You’re already mine.”
Tears pricked at the corners of your eyes, frustration and confusion boiling inside you. You hated him. You hated how he made you feel, how he twisted your will, how he toyed with you like you were nothing more than a plaything. But most of all, you hated how a part of you wanted to stay.
He tilted his head, watching you with a curious expression, as though trying to decipher the storm of emotions on your face. Then, with a smirk, he leaned in close, his lips brushing against your ear once more.
“Don’t worry,” he whispered, his voice dripping with dark amusement. “We have all the time in the world to figure this out.”
And with that, he released your wrists, stepping back and letting you collapse to the ground, your legs too weak to hold you up. You looked up at him, your body trembling, your mind spinning, as he simply stood there, staring down at you with that infuriatingly smug expression.
“Run,” he said, his voice almost playful as he gestured toward the door. “I’ll even give you a head start.”
But you didn’t move. You couldn’t. You were trapped—not just by him, but by your own warring emotions.
He watched you with those sharp, unrelenting eyes as you remained frozen, staring up at him. His smirk faded, replaced by a look of amused annoyance.
“Pathetic,” he muttered, shaking his head in mock disappointment. “I offer you a chance, and yet you just sit there like a lost little lamb.”
Before you could react, he moved with frightening speed, grabbing you and slinging you over his shoulder like you weighed nothing. You let out a small yelp, weakly squirming in his grip, but his hold was ironclad.
“Keep struggling if you want,” he said, his tone dripping with disdain. “It won’t make a difference.”
He started walking, his steps slow and deliberate, as though savoring the moment. The sound of his boots against the cracked floorboards echoed through the empty halls of the theater. You hung limply over his shoulder, your mind racing as you tried to process what was happening.
Then, out of nowhere, he started talking.
“You know,” he began, his voice calm and eerily conversational, “they called me a genius once. A prodigy.” He chuckled darkly. “The greatest violinist of my time. My performances brought crowds to their knees. They cried, they cheered… They worshipped me.”
You frowned, unsure of where he was going with this, but he continued, as though you weren’t even there.
“But it wasn’t enough,” he said, his voice tightening with anger. “I wanted more. I needed to create the perfect symphony. Something timeless. Something unforgettable.”
His grip on you tightened slightly, his gloved hand pressing into your back.
“So I poured everything into my masterpiece,” he went on, his tone shifting into something almost wistful. “Years of work. Painstaking detail. Every note, every pause, every crescendo—perfection.”
You hesitated, your curiosity getting the better of you. “…What happened?”
He stopped walking for a moment, his silence heavy and foreboding. Then, he let out a bitter laugh.
“They rejected it,” he said, his voice cold. “Those self-important critics. They said it lacked ‘soul,’ that it was too mechanical, too precise. They dared to insult my work.”
You swallowed hard, already sensing where this was going.
“So,” he continued, resuming his slow, steady pace, “I invited them all to a private concert. My ‘final performance,’ I told them. And they came, eager to tear me apart one last time.”
He chuckled darkly, the sound sending a chill down your spine.
“But this time, they didn’t leave. Not alive, anyway.”
You stiffened, your breath catching as his words sank in.
“They didn’t understand art,” he said, his voice growing colder. “Not until they became part of it. Their screams, their fear… It was the most beautiful symphony I ever created.”
You could barely comprehend what you were hearing. He wasn’t just mad—he was completely deranged.
“And then,” he said, his tone shifting into something almost reverent, “the Entity came. It saw my genius, my passion, and it gave me a new stage. A new audience.”
He stopped walking, his gloved hand coming up to idly adjust the strap of his violin, which was still slung across his back.
“And now,” he said, his voice dropping to a near-whisper, “I perform for eternity. Each trial, a new composition. Each scream, a new note.”
You shuddered, your mind racing. His story was horrifying, but what scared you the most was the way he spoke about it—with pride, with satisfaction.
“Why are you telling me this?” you asked weakly, your voice trembling.
He tilted his head, as though considering your question. Then, he chuckled softly.
“Because,” he said, his voice laced with amusement, “you’ll be part of my next masterpiece.”
Your blood ran cold as his words sank in. You wanted to scream, to fight, but your body felt too weak, too drained. All you could do was hang there, helpless, as he carried you deeper into the dark, abandoned theater.
And all you could think was, he’s completely mad.
He carried you through the desolate theater, his footsteps unhurried, as though he were savoring every moment of your despair. When he finally stopped, you felt your stomach churn as your gaze landed on a rusted, blood-stained hook.
“No,” you croaked, struggling weakly in his grip, but he only chuckled darkly, his gloved hand tightening around you.
“Oh, yes,” he replied, his voice dripping with mockery.
With terrifying ease, he lifted you off his shoulder and slammed you onto the hook. Pain shot through your body as the sharp metal pierced your flesh, forcing a scream from your lips. You writhed and struggled, the agony unbearable, but the hook held firm.
Your scream echoed through the empty halls, and his reaction was chilling. His head tilted back slightly, his lips parting as though he were savoring a fine wine. His eyes gleamed with a wild, crazed light, and the corners of his mouth curled into a manic grin.
“Yes,” he whispered, his voice low and trembling with excitement. “That’s it. That’s the sound I’ve been waiting for.”
You gasped for breath, tears stinging your eyes as you glared at him. “You’re insane,” you spat weakly.
His grin only widened. He stepped closer, tilting his head, his gaze fixed on you with a kind of sick fascination.
“Next time I put you up here,” he said, his voice soft but dripping with menace, “I expect to hear you scream my name instead.”
You flinched at his words, your breath hitching. “I—I don’t know your name,” you managed to choke out.
At that, his grin shifted into something even more unsettling—a sickeningly sweet smile that made your blood run cold.
“Then let me enlighten you,” he said, leaning in closer. “It’s Heeseung. And you’d better not forget it.”
His voice dropped lower, dangerously smooth. “Because if you do… I’ll make sure you never forget. I’ll carve it into your mind, your body, your soul.”
Your heart raced as his words sank in, his soft, mocking tone making your skin crawl.
He straightened up, pulling his violin from his back with a flourish. Heeseung’s eyes never left you as he adjusted the instrument beneath his chin, his gloved fingers dancing over the strings.
“And now,” he said, his voice almost playful, “I leave you with a parting gift.”
He raised his bow, but before he began to play, he blew you a kiss—a mocking, exaggerated gesture that sent a chill down your spine.
“Until next time, my dear,” he said, his voice dripping with malice.
Then, he walked away, the haunting melody of his violin filled the air. You hung there, trembling and bleeding, as his tune echoed through the empty theater.
And all you could think, through the haze of pain and exhaustion, was how he and Ghostface would make the best buddies. If they hadn’t already.
You could practically imagine it: Ghostface with his twisted sense of humor, showing pictures of his victims, while Heeseung played a chilling melody in the background. The thought almost made you laugh—a bitter, hysterical sound that was quickly swallowed by a wave of pain.
"Perfect little psychopaths," you muttered under your breath, your voice weak and trembling.
And yet, part of you wondered if they had met. The Entity’s domain wasn’t small, and the killers had their own ways of crossing paths. You could imagine Ghostface mocking Heeseung’s perfectionism, while Heeseung would likely call Ghostface’s theatrics "childish." Still, their combined sadism would leave anyone unfortunate enough to cross their paths wishing for a quicker end.
“Maybe they’re pen pals,” you muttered weakly, clinging to the absurdity of the thought to distract from the throbbing pain.
"How funny would that be," you mumbled to yourself, letting out a breathless, bitter laugh as the Entity’s claws dug deeper. The pain was unbearable, and you could feel your strength fading fast. The realization hit you like a brick wall: no one was coming.
You glanced around weakly, but the map was eerily quiet, void of footsteps or whispers of another survivor. It was just you—hooked, bleeding, and alone.
With a sigh of resignation, you let your hands drop, giving up the fight against the Entity’s claws. “Guess this is it,” you whispered to yourself, closing your eyes as the final pull of the Entity claimed you.
It wasn’t like you hadn’t been through this before. You knew you’d wake up in the survivors’ camp, alive and unhurt. But this time… this time felt different.
When you opened your eyes again, you were sprawled beneath the familiar tree in the survivor camp, your body whole and your wounds gone. The gentle hum of the campfire reached your ears, and the familiar sounds of chatter surrounded you.
But you didn’t join the others. Instead, you sat there, frozen, your thoughts a whirlwind.
Your fingers absentmindedly moved to your lips, grazing the soft skin as if to confirm something. Heeseung’s kiss had been like his music—intoxicating, haunting, impossible to forget. You hated that you could still feel it, like a ghost of his touch lingering there.
You clenched your fists, cursing under your breath. What the hell was wrong with you? He was a killer. A deranged, sadistic monster who found joy in tormenting you. And yet…
You shook your head, trying to banish the thought. But the image of him wouldn’t leave your mind.
The other survivors’ voices seemed to fade into the background as you stared into the campfire, lost in your thoughts. You’d faced countless killers before, survived their wrath, even laughed off their brutality. But this… this was something else entirely.
Heeseung, you thought, his name echoing in your mind like a song you couldn’t forget.
Heeseung.
Heeseung.
Heeseung.
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