It had started as a joke. A harmless bet over coffee, Scarlett smirking across the table with that daring glint in her eyes.

"What’s the worst that could happen?" she teased, lips quirking as she leaned forward. "You scream, I laugh, we leave. Easy."

You weren’t about to back down. Not with her looking at you like that. So, the two of you found yourselves standing outside the abandoned house at the edge of town, the one whispered about for years. Windows cracked, shutters dangling, the place looked like it had been waiting for you.

Scarlett adjusted her leather jacket, pulling it tight around her shoulders. "Ladies first," she said with a grin, though you noticed the way her fingers flexed like she was steadying herself.

The moment you both stepped inside, the air grew colder. Your laughter echoed too loudly in the empty halls, bouncing back at you with a strange distortion. Scarlett grabbed your wrist, whispering, "Did you hear that?"

The dare suddenly didn’t feel like just laughs anymore. Shadows seemed to move on their own, footsteps thudded somewhere above though the staircase sagged with age. Scarlett pressed close to you, her warmth grounding against the chill.

"Alright," she murmured, her voice lower now, all joking edge gone. "Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea."