Chapter 57

Everyone made their way up the creaking staircase of Samantha's old abandoned house, each step a battle against the violent tremors that shook the entire structure.

Kathleen led the way, her phone's flashlight cutting through the thick layers of dust and darkness. Tomoya followed closely behind, his eyes sharp and focused, while Takumi, with a grim expression, brought up the rear.

Jay and Ruby, unfamiliar with the layout of the house, clung close to each other and kept their eyes fixed on the backs of their companions, trusting their knowledge and determination.

Reaching the second floor, they paused briefly, the eerie quiet broken only by the distant rumbling and the occasional creak of wood. Takumi gestured towards a door at the end of the hall, which he remembers exactly where the library is located, and without hesitation, he stepped forward and pushed it open.

As the door swung inward, a rush of cold air greeted them, and Takumi froze, his eyes wide with the sudden onslaug