Lina couldn't breathe.
Her own face stood in front of her.
Smiling.
Watching.
Waiting.
"Welcome back."
Ethan pulled her back sharply.
"Don't respond," he said, his voice low and urgent.
"But that's—" Lina's voice broke.
"I know," he cut in. "It's not you."
The thing tilted its head.
Perfectly copying her movements.
"Why are you running?" it asked softly.
Its voice was hers.
Every tone.
Every breath.
"You belong here."
Lina shook her head violently.
"No… no, I don't…"
The thing smiled wider.
Too wide.
"You already do."
Ethan stepped forward.
Positioning himself in front of Lina.
"Stop looking at it," he said quietly.
"I can't…" Lina whispered.
"You have to."
His voice was steady.
Grounding.
Slowly—
Lina forced her gaze away.
The moment she did—
The air changed.
The presence felt weaker.
"Good," Ethan murmured.
Lina grabbed his arm.
"What is that thing?!"
Ethan hesitated.
Then said something that made her blood run cold—
"…That's what the house makes."
Silence.
"What do you mean?" Lina asked.
Ethan's eyes darkened.
"It studies you," he said.
"Watches how you move. How you speak. How you think."
Lina's chest tightened.
"And then…" his voice dropped—
"…it creates something that can replace you."
Lina's heart stopped.
"No…"
Ethan didn't look away.
"It doesn't just want to trap people," he said.
"It wants to become them."
Behind them—
A soft laugh echoed.
Their heads snapped back.
The fake Lina had moved closer.
Too close.
"You talk too much," it said.
Its eyes shifted—
Locking onto Ethan.
"And you…"
Its smile twisted.
"You shouldn't be here."
Lina felt Ethan tense beside her.
"Why?" she whispered.
The thing's voice dropped—
Cold.
"Because he already belongs to us."
Lina froze.
Slowly—
She turned to Ethan.
"…What does that mean?"
Silence.
Heavy.
Then—
Ethan finally spoke.
"…It took my sister."
The words hit like a punch.
Lina's breath caught.
"What?"
Ethan's jaw tightened.
"She was the one it chose," he said quietly.
Memories flashed in his eyes.
Pain.
Guilt.
"I tried to save her."
His voice broke slightly—
But he forced it steady.
"I went back into the house."
Lina's heart pounded.
"What happened?"
Ethan didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…I got out."
Relief flickered—
Then died instantly.
"But she didn't."
Silence.
Lina's chest tightened painfully.
"And now…" Ethan continued—
"…the house won't let me go either."
A chill ran through her.
"What do you mean?"
Ethan finally looked at her.
And for the first time—
She saw it.
Something… wrong.
Not fully human.
"Part of me is still here," he said.
The air grew colder.
Behind them—
The fake Lina smiled again.
"Not part of you," it corrected softly.
"Most of you."
Lina stumbled back.
"No…"
Ethan didn't deny it.
"I shouldn't be able to leave," he said quietly.
"But I did."
His eyes darkened.
"And it's been trying to pull me back ever since."
The house creaked.
Loud.
Angry.
The walls seemed to close in slightly.
Like it didn't like him talking.
The fake Lina stepped closer again.
"Both of you…" it whispered.
Its voice deepened.
Twisting into something inhuman.
"Stay."
Lina's grip tightened on Ethan's arm.
"What do we do?" she whispered.
Ethan's answer came instantly—
"We don't let it separate us."
Because now—
The truth was clear.
The house didn't just want Lina.
It wanted to finish what it started.
And take Ethan back.