Chapter: The Haunted House That Tapped Out

Shadowsun City’s annual haunted house was a big deal.

Fog machines. Actors. Jump scares. Overpriced tickets.

“Authentic terror experience,” the banner promised.

Diana read it once, expression unchanged.

“…Authentic,” she repeated flatly.

Malcolm smirked. “We have to go.”

Analise nodded. “For research purposes.”

The twins were already grabbing their sketchpads. “We want to study the techniques.”

Beckett adjusted his gloves. “…I’m curious.”

Diana sighed softly. “Fine. Let’s see what passes for horror.”

Arrival

The line outside buzzed with excitement.

Teenagers laughed nervously. Parents reassured children. Staff members hyped up the “fear factor.”

Then the Vonreichsins arrived.

Conversation dipped.

Diana stepped forward in black, composed and unreadable. Beckett followed, mask on, silent as ever. The twins walked calmly between them, sketchpads tucked under their arms. Malcolm and Analise lingered behind, unimpressed.

“…Are they part of the attraction?” someone whispered.

“No idea,” another muttered. “But they’re way scarier than anything in there.”

Diana handed over the tickets. “We’ll proceed.”

The staff member nodded too quickly. “Y-yes, of course.”

Inside the Attraction

The first room was classic: dim lighting, fake cobwebs, distant whispers.

An actor jumped out with a scream.

“RAAAH!”

Diana blinked once.

“…Predictable,” she said.

The actor froze. “…Oh.”

The twins leaned in, studying.

“Your timing was early,” Peresphone noted.
“And the lighting didn’t support the reveal,” Hades added.

The actor slowly stepped aside. “…You can go through.”

Room by Room Collapse

Second room: haunted hallway.

A ghostly figure drifted forward.

Beckett tilted his head. “…You’re visible from the left panel.”

The actor stopped mid-float. “…Seriously?”

Malcolm nodded. “Yeah, we saw you setting up.”

They waved politely and walked on.

Third room: chainsaw scare. Loud. Aggressive.

Everyone else screamed.

Diana didn’t flinch.

Beckett calmly stepped slightly in front of her—not out of fear, but habit.

The chainsaw actor hesitated. “…You’re not even reacting.”

Diana glanced at him. “You’re trying too hard.”

“…Oh.”

The Turning Point

By the fourth room, the actors were whispering.

“Group of five. No reactions.”
“They critique everything.”
“The masked guy just stared at me—I forgot my line.”

The next actor attempted a dramatic monologue.

“I am the spirit of—”

Analise raised a hand. “Projection needs work.”

He stopped. “…I practiced that.”

“Keep practicing,” she replied calmly.

The Final Room

The “grand finale” was supposed to be overwhelming:

Multiple actors. Loud sounds. Coordinated scares.

The Vonreichsins entered.

Silence.

The actors hesitated.

No one moved.

Finally, one of them tried. “…Welcome… to your nightmare…”

Diana looked around slowly.

“This is your peak?”

Beckett’s gaze swept the room. Calm. Assessing.

The actors collectively… lowered their props.

“…We’re done,” one said.

“Yeah,” another agreed. “We can’t top whatever vibe you have going on.”

Malcolm blinked. “Did the haunted house just… quit?”

Analise smirked. “Seems like it.”

The twins were already sketching. “This is fascinating.”

Outside

Word spread fast.

“The haunted house shut down early.”
“Some technical issues broke it.”
“They didn’t react to anything.”

The staff stood outside, confused and slightly shaken.

Diana approached the exit calmly. “You have potential.”

The manager blinked. “…Thank you?”

Beckett added quietly, “Refine your timing.”

The manager nodded instinctively. “We will.”

Aftermath

Back home, the family settled into their usual calm.

The twins reviewed their sketches.
Malcolm laughed under his breath.
Analise scrolled through posts about the “mysterious group.”

Diana poured tea.

“Well,” she said, sitting beside Beckett. “That was underwhelming.”

Beckett nodded. “They tried.”

A pause.

Then Diana smirked slightly. “At least we gave them something to remember.”

Beckett’s hand brushed hers. “Unintentionally.”

Closing

Across Shadowsun City, the haunted house remained closed for the night.

Actors sat in a circle, rethinking their life choices.

“…We need to be scarier.”

“…Or they need to come back and train us.”

Back at the estate, the Vonreichsins had already moved on.

Another quiet evening.
Another shared moment.
Another reminder—

They didn’t need haunted houses.

They were the atmosphere.

End of Chapter: The Haunted House That Tapped Out