"Ethan!"
The flames roared louder.
Closer.
Hotter.
Lina could barely breathe.
Smoke filled her lungs.
Burned her throat.
But Ethan—
He wasn't moving.
He was on his knees.
Staring at the figure in the fire.
"…Ava…" he whispered.
The burning girl stepped closer.
Skin cracking.
Eyes hollow.
"You left me."
Ethan shook his head weakly.
"I tried…"
"You ran."
"I came back!" he shouted.
The flames surged violently.
"Too late."
"ETHAN!" Lina screamed.
But he didn't respond.
It was like he couldn't hear her anymore.
Like the house had pulled him somewhere else.
The fire spread across the floor.
Reaching her feet.
Pain shot through her leg.
Lina gasped—
But didn't move back.
Because if she did—
She would leave him.
"No," she whispered.
Her hands clenched into fists.
"I'm not losing you too."
The words surprised even her.
But they were true.
Lina forced herself forward.
Through the flames.
Each step burned.
Each breath hurt.
But she kept going.
"Ethan!"
She grabbed his shoulders.
Shaking him hard.
"LOOK AT ME!"
For a moment—
Nothing.
Then—
His eyes flickered.
"…Lina…?"
"Yes!" she said quickly.
"It's me! Not her!"
The burning figure screamed.
"Don't listen to her!"
Lina tightened her grip.
"That's not your sister!"
Ethan's expression twisted.
Pain.
Doubt.
Fear.
"But it feels real…"
Lina's voice softened.
"I know."
The fire crackled louder.
"But if it was really her…" Lina continued—
"…would she want you to suffer like this?"
Silence.
Ethan froze.
The question hit him.
Hard.
The burning figure shrieked—
"Don't listen!!"
Its form glitched.
Flickering.
Breaking.
Ethan's breathing became uneven.
"…Ava wouldn't…" he whispered.
Lina nodded.
"She wouldn't blame you."
The flames hesitated.
For a split second—
They weakened.
"Stand up," Lina said firmly.
Ethan looked at her.
Still shaking.
"I can't…"
"Yes, you can."
She grabbed his hand.
And held it tightly.
"I'm not leaving you."
Something changed.
In his eyes.
Strength.
Slowly—
He stood.
The fire roared again.
Angrier.
The burning figure lunged toward them.
"You don't deserve to leave!"
Ethan stepped back.
This time—
He didn't hesitate.
"That's not you," he said.
The thing screamed.
Its form cracked apart—
Like glass under pressure.
"Then burn with me!"
The flames surged—
Completely surrounding them.
No escape.
No way out.
Lina's heart pounded.
"We're trapped!"
Ethan looked around quickly.
"There has to be a way—"
Then—
He saw it.
The door.
It had returned.
Behind the flames.
Barely visible.
"There!" he shouted.
Lina turned.
Hope flickered.
But the fire stood between them.
Like a wall.
"We won't make it…" she whispered.
Ethan looked at her.
Then—
Without warning—
He pulled her closer.
"Trust me."
Before she could react—
He ran.
Dragging her with him.
Straight into the flames.
Lina screamed—
Heat exploded around them—
Pain—
Light—
Fire—
And then—
Silence.
They crashed onto the floor.
Hard.
Cold.
Lina gasped.
No fire.
No smoke.
No heat.
They were back in the hallway.
The doors still lined the walls.
Waiting.
Watching.
Ethan lay beside her.
Breathing heavily.
"…We made it," he said.
Lina let out a shaky laugh.
"Barely…"
But then—
Her smile faded.
Because she realized something.
The door they came out of—
Was gone.
And the hallway—
Had more doors now.