The hall trembled.
Not violently.
But like something deep inside it was… remembering something it didn't want to.
Evelyn stood frozen, staring at the other version of herself.
"…Fix what?" she asked quietly.
The other Evelyn didn't answer right away.
Instead, she looked past her.
At the door.
At something beyond it.
Her voice came out softer than before.
"Not what… who."
Evelyn's breath caught.
The lantern flickered in her hand, the flame stretching thin—
Almost like it was listening.
"Alex…" she whispered.
The other Evelyn didn't confirm.
But she didn't deny it either.
Silence filled the hall.
Heavy.
Pressing.
Then—
A sound.
Footsteps.
Behind the door.
Evelyn turned sharply.
"…Did you hear that?"
The other Evelyn's expression changed.
Fear again.
"No," she said quickly. "That shouldn't be—"
BANG.
The door behind Evelyn shook violently.
BANG.
Again.
Something was trying to get in.
Or get out.
Evelyn stepped back, heart racing. "What is that?!"
The other Evelyn moved toward her quickly.
Too quickly.
"Listen to me," she said urgently. "You can't open that door again. Not yet."
Evelyn shook her head. "I already opened it."
"No," the other Evelyn said, grabbing her arm.
"You opened this one."
A pause.
"But there's another."
The hall flickered again.
The walls cracked, revealing glimpses of the manor—distorted, unstable, watching.
The sound behind the door grew louder.
Faster.
More desperate.
Evelyn's voice shook. "Then what's in there?"
The other Evelyn hesitated.
For the first time—
She looked unsure.
"…The version of you that didn't make it out."
Evelyn went still.
"What?"
A loud crack split through the air.
The door behind her splintered slightly.
A dark light leaked through the cracks.
Not darkness.
Something worse.
Something aware.
The other Evelyn stepped back slowly.
"I tried to stop you," she whispered.
"But you already decided."
Evelyn's grip tightened on the lantern.
"…Decided what?"
The other Evelyn looked at her.
And this time—
There was no hesitation.
"You chose Alex."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Even the sound behind the door stopped for a moment.
Evelyn's voice came out barely above a whisper.
"…What does that mean?"
The other Evelyn's eyes softened.
"It means when the moment came…"
A pause.
"…you didn't save yourself."
Evelyn's chest tightened.
"You saved him."
The door behind her began to shake again—stronger now.
More violent.
Evelyn slowly turned her head.
Fear creeping in.
"…Saved him from what?"
The other Evelyn didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she looked at the door.
And whispered—
"…From becoming the reason everything stays trapped."
A long pause.
Then—
The door cracked open just enough—
For something to look back.