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"Like Clockwork" by xxskyisfallingxx
Frequenting haunted houses is not your idea of fun. Yet, for reasons you cannot fathom, you find yourself creeping up the rickety stairs and slipping inside before the door creaks shut. The darkness is pressing; almost suffocating. You shuffle forward a little, arms outstretched to prevent any potential collisions. Even once your eyes have adjusted to the gloom, it's nearly impossible to see anything further away than a few paces. Dust billows around your ankles in little puffs as you move forward. Each step is a journey into the unknown. As you inch closer to the centre of the dilapidated lobby, you can just make out the vague shape of its furnishings. Everything is covered in ghostly drapes, but that doesn't stop your mind from filling in the blanks. Is that really furniture? What if someone's hiding under the drapes? Did that Lupe-shaped bundle just shift? You're not sure, but your heart quickens all the same. As a Chia – and a yellow one, no less – the idea of encountering a Lupe fills you with dread. But this is just a fairground attraction, right? At least that's what you tell yourself. The place has been abandoned for years, so nothing bad could possibly happen.

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