It was a dark, and stormy night.
My father's new girlfriend came home in a foul mood. She found fault with every speck of dust real and imagined. The dishes were not put away; I had just washed them, and they were still drying in the drying rack. Dinner was not on the table, It would be on the table in around twenty minutes. As soon as dad walked in the door, she started in on him. At one point of her rants against me, and his not disiplining me; her daughter chimed in with: "Yeah, and you stink." as she dramaticly mimed vomiting. The house exists at the end of a gravel road, but cannot be found on any map.In a town where the streets are worn and the shadows linger longer than they should, there exists a house that cannot be found on any map. Locals whisper about it in hushed tones, warning curious children never to stray too far from home. But for those who have suffered in silence—those who feel the sting of a broken home—it is a beacon of hope, a refuge that appears when they need it most. One rainy night, drenched and trembling, a girl named Lila stumbled upon the house. Its peeling paint and crooked chimney stood defiantly against the storm, the front door slightly ajar as if inviting her in. With nowhere else to go, she crossed the threshold. Inside, the atmosphere was warm and welcoming, a stark contrast to the chaos she left behind. The air was filled with the scent of cookies baking, and laughter echoed through the halls. It was as if the house had a personality of its own, nurturing the lost souls it sheltered. But soon, Lila discovered the house’s dark allure came with a price: the Twelve Rules. 1. **Never leave the house at night.** 2. **Do not speak of your past.** 3. **Always greet the caretaker with respect.** 4. **Do not open the basement door.** 5. **Never invite anyone in.** 6. **Keep the windows closed at all times.** 7. **Feed the house with kindness; it will return the favor.** 8. **Do not stray into the woods that surround the property.** 9. **If the lights flicker, silence must follow.** 10. **Never ask about the previous children.** 11. **Leave your worries at the door.** 12. **Remember: the house is always watching.** At first, Lila reveled in her new life. The other children shared stories, played games, and felt safe for the first time. But as the days turned into weeks, she noticed strange occurrences. One child who broke Rule #4 went missing, and the laughter grew quieter as shadows danced along the walls. The caretaker, a tall figure draped in shadows, would appear at the slightest breach of the rules, his presence cold and foreboding. One fateful evening, Lila found herself awakened by a soft humming coming from the basement door. The curiosity tugged at her; it was the only rule she hadn’t followed. With her heart racing, she approached the door, ignoring the warnings whispered by the other children. As she reached for the handle, the lights flickered violently, and a chilling voice echoed, “Remember the rules…” Frozen with fear, she pulled her hand back, heart thumping in her chest. But the humming grew louder, more insistent. Against her better judgment, Lila opened the door, revealing a dark staircase spiraling down into an abyss. “Lila,” the voice whispered, now enticing and sweet. She hesitated, feeling the weight of the rules pressing down on her. But deep inside, a part of her craved the forbidden. With one step down, the air turned icy. Visions of the previous children flooded her mind—faces twisted in fear, trapped in eternal darkness. The house, the refuge she once adored, was a prison for lost souls who dared to stray from its rules. Panicked, Lila rushed back up the stairs, slamming the door behind her. The lights flickered again, and a heavy silence enveloped the house. She could feel the eyes of the caretaker watching her, their judgment heavy in the air. That night, as the storm raged outside, Lila made a pact with herself. She would abide by the Twelve Rules, no matter the cost. She would keep her past hidden, feed the house with kindness, and never, ever, break the rules again. But whispers among the other children grew louder, and the house’s shadows loomed larger. Lila knew that the cost of their sanctuary was steep, but as long as the house stood, it would always be a refuge for those like her—children fleeing violence, danger, and darkness, unaware that they had traded one nightmare for another. And as the clock struck midnight, the house continued to watch, waiting patiently for the next child to cross its threshold, ready to welcome them into its embrace — under one condition: they must always obey the rules.
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