Chapter 261 | I’m Not Scared!

Chapter 261: 261 | I’m Not Scared!

The entrance to Nightmare Manor swallowed the sunlight almost immediately.

One moment, Dexter was standing beneath the bright afternoon sky with music, laughter, and the roar of the festival surrounding him. The next, darkness wrapped around the four of them.

The temperature dropped. A cold artificial breeze drifted across Dexter’s face.

Behind them, the entrance doors slammed shut.

"BANG!"

Dexter stopped pushing Mira’s wheelchair. Selene stopped beside him. Lyra froze on his left.

Mira slowly looked over her shoulder. "Scared already?"

Dexter scoffed. "That?" He pointed backward. "Cheap trick."

A low whisper suddenly came from somewhere directly beside his ear.

"Get... out..."

Dexter’s head snapped around. Nothing.

Mira’s lips twitched.

Dexter cleared his throat. "Still cheap."

Lyra’s melodious voice entered his mind. ’Your shoulders jumped.’

"They did not."

’They did.’

"Must have been the floor."

Mira chuckled. "The floor frightened you?"

"I didn’t say that."

Selene’s smile appeared in the darkness. "You should stop talking before you make it worse."

Dexter stared at his three wives. "We’ve been inside for twenty seconds and you three are bullying me."

"The wives should bully the husband to sometimes." Mira replied calmly.

Dexter shook his head and resumed pushing her.

They had been required to leave their enormous teddy bears with an attendant at the entrance, something Lyra had been very reluctant to do. She had eventually surrendered hers only after receiving a numbered token and making the attendant promise twice that nobody would touch it.

Now they had nothing but the candy they’d brought inside. And each other.

The corridor ahead was barely illuminated.

Flickering candles hung along the walls, though Dexter suspected the flames weren’t real.

Ancient-looking paintings covered the faded wallpaper. Several depicted stern men and women dressed in clothing from centuries earlier.

Every few seconds, lightning flashed outside artificial windows. Thunder followed.

"BOOM!"

Dexter glanced around. He had to admit it. The place was impressive. The sounds were especially convincing.

With his enhanced hearing, however, Dexter could distinguish the mechanisms hidden behind the walls. Gears. Motors. Speakers. Pressure plates. He could even hear several employees breathing in concealed spaces.

Dexter smiled. ’This is going to be easy.’

He pushed Mira forward confidently.

A portrait beside him suddenly screamed.

"AAAAAAAH!"

Dexter jumped.

Mira burst out laughing. Lyra grabbed her stomach. Even Selene laughed.

Dexter glared at the portrait. The previously serious-looking painted woman now had black eyes and a mouth stretched impossibly wide.

"That’s cheating."

Mira looked back. "How?"

"I was analyzing the architecture."

"Of course."

"I was."

Selene tilted her head. "You screamed a little."

Dexter stopped and glared at her. "Men don’t scream, I absolutely did not scream."

"You made a sound."

"What sound?"

Selene imitated him. "Uh!"

Mira laughed harder.

Dexter stared at Selene. "I liked you better when you couldn’t tell where I was."

Selene smiled sweetly. "I can hear your heartbeat."

"Stop listening to my heartbeat."

"I can’t exactly turn my ears off."

Dexter muttered something under his breath and continued.

Lyra tapped his shoulder. He turned. ’Uh!’ She imitated his startled expression.

Dexter’s eyes narrowed. "Keep laughing." Lyra smiled. "I’m remembering this."

She gave him an innocent look.

Dexter pointed at her. "Especially you."

They continued deeper.

Despite all the teasing, Dexter was paying careful attention to the three women. Especially Selene. The haunted house was almost completely dark. Yet strangely, she seemed to be navigating it better than the bright festival grounds outside.

Air moved through corridors. Mira’s wheelchair rolled across wooden floors. Lyra’s dress brushed against her legs. Dexter’s breathing remained steady beside her.

To Selene, each sound returned information. Distance. Shape. Direction. Space. The world existed around her without needing light.

She avoided the corner of a decorative table without touching it.

Dexter noticed. His smile returned. The medicine really was working.

They entered a larger room. A sign above the doorway read: THE DINING HALL.

An enormous banquet table occupied the center. Twelve mannequins sat around it. Every mannequin wore old-fashioned clothing. Their heads were bowed.

Mira looked around. "I don’t like this."

Dexter grinned proudly. "Scared alredy ?"

"No."

"You sound scared."

"I’m stating an observation."

"That’s exactly what a scared person would say."

Mira gave him a cold look.

Dexter’s grin widened. Finally.

They moved farther into the room. Nothing happened. Ten meters. Still nothing.

Dexter began becoming suspicious. "That’s strange."

Selene turned her head. "What?"

"They’ve been too quiet."

Mira immediately frowned. "Why would you say that?"

Dexter looked around. "I mean, obviously something is going to—"

Every mannequin’s head suddenly snapped upward.

"CLACK!"

Lyra jumped backward. Selene flinched. Mira’s eyes widened.

Dexter grinned. "Got you."

Mira glared at him. "You jumped earlier."

"Ancient history."

The mannequins slowly turned their heads toward them. One. Then another. Then another. Until twelve pale faces were staring directly at the group.

A child’s voice whispered through the room. "Would you..."

The lights flickered. "...like..."

The mannequins’ mouths opened. "...to stay for dinner?"

Lyra moved closer to Dexter. He noticed. "Oh?"

Lyra immediately stopped.

Dexter smiled. "Someone’s scared."

’No.’

Lyra glared at him.

Dexter laughed. Then something grabbed his ankle. "WHAT THE—"

He nearly kicked downward before his brain caught up. A skeletal hand had emerged beneath the table.

Dexter stared at it. The hand released him and disappeared.

Silence.

Mira slowly looked at Dexter. Selene turned toward his voice. Lyra’s eyes widened.

Dexter straightened. "No."

Mira’s smile appeared. "No what?"

"Whatever you’re about to say."

"I haven’t said anything."

"You don’t need to."

Mira smiled innocently. "Interesting."

Dexter resumed pushing her. "Moving on."

---

The next section was considerably darker. A narrow corridor twisted between artificial stone walls. Red emergency lights glowed along the floor. The sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere ahead.

Drip. Drip. Drip.

Then came the dragging.

"Scrrrrrape."

Pause.

"Scrrrrrape."

Dexter frowned as he heard something heavy was being pulled across the floor.

Selene moved closer. "That’s ahead."

"About thirty meters," Dexter replied.

"Twenty-seven."

Dexter looked at her. Selene smiled. "Approximately."

Mira glanced between them. "You two are competing now?"

"No," Dexter said.

"Yes," Selene said simultaneously.

Dexter stared at her and Selene’s smile widened.

They rounded the corner to find a figure at the end of the hallway. Dexter assumed it was a man, given the sheer size. A bloodstained butcher’s apron covered his body, while a sack covered his face. One hand gripped a massive cleaver, and the other dragged a metal chain.

Mira eent silent, lyra stared and Selene whispered, "What’s there?"

Dexter looked at the figure. "Just a very ugly man."

The figure tilted its head. Then charged.

Mira’s eyes widened. "Dexter!"