Great! Here's **Chapter 7 – extended version**, in which the house becomes a fully active antagonist, psychological and physical traps escalate, and the tension between the characters reaches a breaking point:---

### **Chapter 7 – The Heart of the House**

The night in the abandoned house was so thick that every breath seemed to echo in the walls. The five friends walked slowly through a hallway that seemed to change with every step. Every room, every curtain, every shadow was a potential trap. The house was no longer just a place – it had become a living enemy, observing, analyzing, and manipulating.

"This isn't just fear anymore," Anna whispered, feeling her heart pound in her chest. "He… he reads our reactions."

"Every move we make is predicted," Michał added, staring into the mirror in the corner of the hallway. "Notice… those shadows… they move independently of us."

Tomek, trying to remain calm, pointed toward the next door leading to the second floor. "We have to keep going. It's the only way to understand the game."

Karolina stopped and looked at the group. "We can't trust each other. He forces us to accuse each other. Every lie, every secret... is now a trap."

The house began to reveal its first physical traps. The stairs creaked horribly, and the boards buckled in places that had previously seemed safe. Shards of plaster fell from the ceiling, and an old lamp spun in the air, stopping a millimeter from Anna's head.

"We have to be careful," Bartek shouted. "One false step and..."

At that moment, the echoes of their own voices bounced off the walls in a strange way—each word repeated in several variations, as if the house itself were speaking to them, undermining their confidence.

The shadow reappeared—closer this time than ever. It wasn't distinct, but the aura of menace it exuded was almost tangible. Each friend felt they had been measured, judged, and that their darkest secrets could be used against them at any moment.

Another message appeared on the wall, this time carved deep into the wood:

*"Whoever fears first, who betrays the other – will be chosen. Whoever survives will discover what lies at the heart of the house."*

Conflicts escalated. Michał suspected Karolina of concealing information about previous visits to the house, Bartek doubted Tomek, that he was planning something on his own. Anna tried to calm everyone, but even her presence wasn't enough to quell the growing tension.

The house began to interact with the characters directly. Doors closed on their own, windows roared like animals, and the air in the hallway became thick and suffocating. Every step required careful coordination – one false move could end in tragedy.

A sudden thud echoed in the basement, echoing with footsteps that none of them had taken.

“He… is there,” Karolina whispered, pointing into the darkness. “And he’s watching us… watching us try to survive.”

Tomek nodded. “We have to work together, but each of us knows that this isn’t just about physical survival. This is a mental game.”

The five friends realized that the first phase of the game was coming to an end. The house wasn’t just testing their fear, but also their relationships. Every decision, every move, every weakness was being observed, analyzed, and exploited.

The shadow shifted slightly, appearing in the next room. The five sensed that the game was now becoming deadly serious – every step could be a trap, every sound a warning, and every moment of hesitation could mean the end.

The house was alive. The observer had become a participant. And they were only just beginning to understand that in this game, there was no turning back.

---

If you want, I can now prepare **Chapter 8 – full of escalation**, in which the house leads the characters through a psychological labyrinth, their conflicts reach a critical juncture, and the observer enters into a direct, threatening interaction.

Want me to continue?