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Hello, I’m the writer Anna—this is a pen name.

My native language isn’t English. My English level is fairly good, but I can’t translate my story alone, so I used artificial intelligence.

Warning:

(Important) The story is very dark and extremely bloody. If you can’t read this kind of story, don’t read it.

If you love dark tales, this story is for you.

Thank you, I now leave you with the first chapter.

In one of the orphanage rooms, "Linda" sat on a wooden chair, the white lamps covering the place with whiteness, facing a camera and a filming crew made up of only two people, one of them watching the camera and the other sitting on a swivel chair watching "Linda," saying in a serious tone: “Go ahead.”

Linda said:

"Hello… my name is Linda Carline de Miranov,"

she said with a voice carrying innocence mixed with a light sense of humor, "I am now fifteen years old, and I only have three years left before I leave this gloomy orphanage."

She takes a deep breath and continues:

"I was born in a huge palace surrounded by forests on every side, to a noble and very wealthy family. My father used to call me the jewel of the house, and my mother never left me for a moment, while my two older brothers protected me from everything, even from the stings of the cold."

A moment of silence, then a distracted look… and her voice drops:

"Until that… fateful day came."

A flashback appears: a luxurious hall decorated with gold and candles, the guests’ laughter rising as music fills the place. Her grandfather had held a grand party for her sixth birthday. Suddenly…the lights went out. Silence fell, then screams began. Sounds of smashing, crying, heavy footsteps. Little Linda crawls in terror under the table, her small hand clutching her trembling white dress. And when the light returned…everything was covered in blood. Bodies scattered on the floor, disfigured faces, her father’s eyes open without life, her mother in his arms, and her brothers silent…they were all dead. She was the only survivor.

______

The camera moves slowly to a boy sitting on the same chair.

“My name is William Grant, I’m seventeen, and I have five months left before I leave this place.”

He gave a forced smile and continued:

“I grew up in a military family. My father was an army commander, and my mother a respected teacher. I had a twin who looked exactly like me…but we were completely different. I was born healthy but not very smart, while he was intelligent but his body was weak.”

He lowered his gaze for a few seconds before continuing:

“When I was eight, I was the reason they all died…

We had all gone on a camping trip. My father was driving the car and my mother was sitting in the seat beside him. In the back my brother and I were playing a game on the video console, and while I was playing I wanted to show my father how skilled I was in the game. I brought the game screen close to my father’s face, and he started saying, ‘William, move the game away from my face, I can’t see the road.’”

“My mom was saying the same thing until my brother shouted, ‘Truck! There’s a truck coming toward us!’

Suddenly I dropped the game console and screamed as I saw the truck approaching us. My father tried to avoid it until the car flipped over.

I don’t remember the crash well, but as soon as I woke up inside the car I saw a sight I wish I had never seen in my life. My brother, who had been beside me, his body and head were separated. I looked at my mother and found her body soaked in blood, a piece of glass piercing her stomach. I screamed amid the blood and scattered glass… but suddenly I heard my mother’s voice as she sighed, ‘William, get out of the car and get help.’ Without saying a word I got out quickly to look for help, until I heard a loud explosion behind me. I turned and saw the car exploding before my eyes…”

_____

The scene shifts to a third girl, her curly orange hair flowing over her shoulders and a confident smile on her face:

“I’m Rosie Lancaster, sixteen years old, and two years away from leaving this place. I was born to parents who run a huge company… they were rich, but they never gave me any affection. I was that child left alone in her large room…

until my younger brother came along when I was five, and he became their favorite.”

“I always saw them give my little brother a kind of attention they had never given me.

As for me, I had no name worth mentioning among them.

One day I tried to play with my brother, but my mother quickly pulled him away while shouting, ‘Don’t touch him.’

It was painful to see myself trying to be loved with no success.”

Her eyes widen as she continues:

“At nine, I decided to run away. I went out at night, in the rain, and ran with no direction. I thought I was free… but freedom was only the beginning of another hell.”

______

The camera shifts to a young man in the corner of the room, his eyes sunken and his voice cold:

“My name is Elias… in two months I will leave this place. Since I was six I worked with my mother in the bar… yes, that’s what they called work. Until the day my mother got sick, I started carrying goods for money.

I was saving to buy her medicine… but when I came back, I found her a cold corpse. I stayed beside her for a whole week until the neighbors complained about the smell.”

______

The camera shuts off, and Linda leaves the room to find her friends waiting.

She asks childishly,

“Why do they force us to film our cursed past?”

Rosie laughs bitterly: “Because they think that when we grow up, we’ll watch and see how we ended up here.”

Elias scowls: “Damn it… who wants to remember this hell?”

While everyone is distracted, the four move toward an old wall with an opening and slip outside.

In the hidden narrow passage, Elias and William are already out, while Rosie tries to squeeze through but gets stuck.

Linda laughs and pushes her from behind, shouting loudly,

“Come on, big-butt!”

Rosie’s face turns red as she looks at William, who also seems embarrassed.

In another place with different people, Jude—one of the most famous video-game YouTubers—stepped out of his Lamborghini, accompanied by his two friends: Camelia, the girl obsessed with her rock-band look, and Karm, who seemed fearful of everything. They entered a nearby café close to the orphanage.

As the four of them slipped out through the gap in the wall, they all headed to their usual spot:

a large hall filled with gamblers. Linda was talented at backgammon, used to competing with many men—among them famous travelers, wealthy businessmen…

This time one of the richest men in the city set a big wager on her, and in return, if she lost, she would have to join him in gambling work.

Linda agreed gladly as she prepared to win a large sum.

But as soon as she won, the man ordered his guards to seize them. Linda and her friends fled the gambling hall at full speed with the guards chasing them.

In the city streets, the sound of footsteps drew closer, and suddenly, in front of her, was a shiny black Lamborghini. Linda leapt gracefully over it, a move that amazed everyone.

On the other side, Jude was coming out of the café with Camelia and Karm when he saw the scene and his eyes met Linda’s for a moment. He raised his phone and called his bodyguard:

“Bring me a new car… this one got dirty.”

It bore the marks of Linda’s dirty hands.

Camelia said sarcastically, “Oh, why another car? We can just wipe off the stains.”

But Jude had another reply: “I don’t like other people touching my things.”

Linda and her friends managed to escape and returned to the orphanage at sunset. But as soon as they entered, they found the director waiting, and beside her stood George, the spoiled child who had tattled on them.

The director, her face stern, said coldly, “Do you think you can break the rules?”

Punishment was imminent, but Elias stepped forward:

“I’m the one who took them out… they have nothing to do with it.”

The director stared at him for a moment, then grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him away. William was about to speak, but Elias cut him off with a hand gesture from behind.

They only watched him in silence… knowing he had saved them at his own expense.

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The large room reserved for the girls in the orphanage buzzed with whispers and the rustle of blankets. Dozens of beds were lined up on both sides, a dim yellow light hung from the worn-out ceiling, and cracked walls told old stories.

On the last bed by the window sat Linda and Rosie—the oldest among the girls—their faces sunk in worry over what had happened to Elias the day before.

The soft sound of rain on the glass brought back a painful memory.

Flashback:

– Three Years Earlier:

The orphanage yard was full of visitors, men and women in elegant clothes who had come “to see the children.” The director, with a fake smile, held little Linda’s hand in front of the crowd as if she were a loving mother.

But as soon as the guests left, the smile vanished and her face turned into a mask of anger. She grabbed a long stick and ordered the children to stand in a line.

She advanced toward Linda, who had accidentally broken a vase that morning, and struck her in front of everyone—hard blows that made her small body tremble. Rosie stood helpless, trying to scream, but the director turned to her and said coldly,

“Anyone who speaks… gets their share.”

At that moment they realized that kindness in the orphanage was only a temporary mask and that punishment could be harsher than hunger itself.

End of flashback.......

They returned to the present, their eyes still fixed on the image of Elias in their minds as he had just been dragged away like a criminal before them.

The next morning, the four friends gathered in a secluded corner behind the orphanage yard, away from the other children’s eyes.

Linda stepped toward Elias, her eyes full of worry:

– “Are you okay… because of what happened yesterday?”

He answered with a faint smile:

– “It’s fine… it was just a small punishment.”

But William, sitting on an old stone, cut in sharply:

– “Stop lying. You took the punishment for all of us, and you know it wasn’t easy.”

Elias sighed and looked down:

– “It’s fine… I only have two months left before I leave this hell. As for you, you still have a long time, and I don’t want the director to hold a grudge against you.”

Then he lifted his head, his voice carrying a hint of a dream:

– “When I get out of here… I’ll live on my own, find a job, and finish my studies at the university.”

William smiled, a real smile this time:

– “And I’ll follow you.”

Linda suddenly jumped and placed her hands on their shoulders:

– “No, guys! You promised me we’d always live together… no one leaves the others!”

Rosie, with her usual smile, nodded:

– “Of course, we’re a family.”

William raised his eyes to the gray sky and said:

– “We’ll be happy then… far away from this place.”

In the evening, the children were playing frisbee and laughter filled the yard. William threw the disc far from everyone, and Linda ran to catch it, moving lightly until she passed by an old dusty staircase. She didn’t notice the broken steps, her left foot slipped, and she tumbled in a spiral until she reached the bottom.

She stood up holding her head, dizziness unsettling her steps… then she noticed a heavy iron door slightly open. Her curiosity outweighed the pain, and she pushed it slowly.

Before her stretched a long, strangely beautiful corridor lit by golden chandeliers, its walls decorated with old oil paintings and its floor made of pure marble. It looked like another world… with no connection to the miserable orphanage above.

She walked forward hesitantly, glancing left and right, passing elegant closed rooms.

“Why is there a place this beautiful… while we live in filth above it?” she whispered to herself.

As she continued exploring, she suddenly stopped when she heard voices approaching. She hid behind a marble column, breathing hard.

A man’s voice:

– “I want to adopt more than one child… and I want them to be teenagers, not little kids…”

The director’s voice:

– “You know that’s forbidden, sir.”

The man:

– “And what about this money?”

The director fell silent, then laughed slyly:

– “Very well… I’m happy there’s a generous and kind man like you… I’ll tell you this only once… you can adopt more than one child…”

Then she heard papers rustling, and the director continued:

– “This is a photo of the oldest boy… his name is Elias. And this is William, the second boy. These two are Rosie and Linda. They are the oldest in the orphanage.”

The man:

– “Mmm… good. I’d be happy to take them all… I’ll make them like my own children.”

The director:

– “That’s wonderful, sir… we’ll prepare the adoption papers immediately.”

Linda put her hand over her mouth, her heart pounding. She moved away quickly, but the corridor was long and confusing. She decided to hide behind another marble column.

Luckily they didn’t turn around as they left.

She returned to the yard to find her friends searching for her anxiously.

She ran toward them, a strange smile on her face:

– “There’s a rich man… he wants to adopt all of us! I heard the director talking to him.”

They exchanged surprised looks.

William asked:

– “How do you know?”

So she told them everything she had seen and heard.

But Elias frowned and said sharply:

– “Adopt us? No, they’re mocking us. Who adopts teenagers our age? That’s not adoption… maybe he wants us for work or something worse.”

William nodded in agreement:

– “Makes sense.”

But Linda tried to convince them, her eyes shining with hope:

– “At last we’ll live under one roof… we won’t be separated!”

Rosie raised an eyebrow and said:

– “Strange… usually they adopt only one child, not four. I feel there’s a trick behind this.”

Elias cut in:

– “Trick or not… I don’t want anyone to tie me down. In two months I’ll be free. I’ve refused every family that tried to adopt me, and I won’t change my mind.”

The other three stood by his side, except for Linda, who was still trying to plant hope in them… but the atmosphere grew heavy, and doubt began to creep into all their hearts.

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In the heart of the city, under the midday sun, the luxurious pool reflected the blue water like a mirror. Only the wealthy were allowed in, where white shaded chairs lined up and the scent of fine perfumes mixed with the summer breeze.

At the edge of the pool sat Jude, his red hair falling loosely and his eyes confident, beside him Karem, who avoided looking at anyone as if he even feared his own shadow, and Camelia, who glittered from head to toe with jewelry fixed in her ears, nose, and even her belly.

From the other side came the famous three: Ray, Jason, and Lily, the triplets whose father was on the list of the richest men in the country. And on the opposite side, Laura entered, the women’s boxing champion, following with steady, confident steps, then Vivian, the famous fashion model, who drew all eyes the moment she appeared in her elegant swimsuit and breathtaking smile.

But the calm atmosphere did not last, as the usual rivalry soon ignited: Jude, Ray, and Jason began arguing about Vivian, each trying to catch her attention with compliments or heavy teasing. Voices rose, and they exchanged looks full of challenge while the others watched in surprise.

—The battle for attention had begun…!

At the orphanage, the atmosphere was completely different.

The director summoned the four—Linda, Rosie, William, and Elias—to her office. Her cold gaze slid over them before she spoke.

—“Your adoption request has been accepted… all of you.”

Her tone was firm, as if the matter was settled and left no room for discussion.

No one dared to object… except Elias, who stood up violently and slammed his fist on the table, making the papers on it shake:

—“Why do you decide our fate? I’m not going, do you understand?!”

The director gave a superior smile:

—“You are in my orphanage… and under my mercy. Don’t act recklessly or I’ll show you something you won’t like.”

He stared at her for a moment, then turned his back and stormed out, pushing the door until it hit the wall. The others followed, calling after him, but they stopped when they saw him standing under a large tree, punching its trunk, shouting and cursing.

They didn’t try to calm him, knowing he disliked talking when angry… while Linda hid her happiness—she wouldn’t have to be separated from them after all.

The days passed quickly, and the morning of departure arrived.

In the orphanage yard, the younger children lined up to bid them farewell. Some cried bitterly, others shouted, “Don’t go!” Their tear-choked voices clung to the hearts of the four.

They carried their few belongings and headed toward the gate, where the director stood pretending to be sad as she spoke words of farewell, but their faces stayed expressionless; none of them believed her feelings.

Outside, a black luxury limousine stopped in front of them. Two men stepped out wearing very elegant suits… but their faces were completely covered: one with a pig mask, the other with a horse mask, both covering head and neck. The masks were disturbingly lifelike, with nostril and mouth holes that almost seemed to breathe.

Without a word, they took the bags and placed them in the trunk, then gestured for them to get in. Linda, Rosie, Elias, and William sat pressed together while the masked men sat across from them, staring silently, their eyes hidden in the shadows behind the masks.

Rosie whispered as she held Linda’s arm:

—“I feel something strange… I’m scared.”

Linda answered in a low voice:

—“Me too.”

All the way, Linda felt intense tension and a tightness in her chest she couldn’t explain.

The long trip crawled by with only the sound of the engine, until the car stopped in front of a massive palace, its white walls shining under the sun and its garden stretching without end. They were all awestruck by its beauty, except Elias, who muttered sarcastically.

Linda, feeling relieved, said,

“It’s a palace… you were worried for no reason…”

—elias said:

“Don’t be stupid, Linda… we don’t know their intentions yet.”

They entered through the large gate, the masked men walking ahead of them, guiding them only with gestures, never speaking a word. But as soon as they stepped inside, the palace’s charm faded; from within it looked like a luxurious psychiatric ward—an extremely clean long corridor, gleaming white walls, identical doors on each side, and cold lighting that reflected the chill of the place.

Linda looked around and said:

—“What is this place?”

Rosie replied:

—“I don’t know… it’s clean but strange.”

William added:

—“It’s like a maze.”

Then Linda’s shoelace came undone, and she bent down to tie it in front of one of the doors. Suddenly, a trembling female voice whispered from inside:

—“You… run quickly… save yourself… I’m warning you.”

Linda gasped and whispered:

—“What? Who are you?”

The voice came again, even more shaken:

—“I… Nina… they will kill you… and eat you… they are ghouls… run no matter what it takes.”

She froze in place until a shadow appeared before her. She looked up to see the man in the horse mask standing there, staring at her. He tilted his head, signaling her to follow.

She gave a nervous smile:

—“I was just tying my shoelace.”

She kept walking, but they suddenly stopped in front of one of the doors. The two men shoved Linda and Elias inside forcefully and shut the door at once.

The two turned toward the door, pounding on it hard, but no one answered.

In the hallway, two other men grabbed Rosie and William from behind and pressed a cloth with a sharp smell over their noses. Within seconds the two collapsed unconscious.

As for Linda and Elias, they stopped banging on the door when gray mist began seeping from small vents in the walls. The smell was heavy and choking, their heads spun… and finally their voices faded, and they fell to the floor in silence.

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