Thriller, Physicology and Friends

It was just another Friday night in the town of Fairhaven, and Mike had invited his friends over for a little get-together at his place. The group of five had known each other since high school, and even though they’d all gone their separate ways after graduation, they always made time for their Friday night meet-ups. It was tradition.

Mike had prepared a bunch of snacks, and his living room was filled with the smell of buttered popcorn. "You guys ready for a movie?" he asked, balancing a tray of drinks on one hand. He set it down on the coffee table and glanced at his friends. Sarah, Tom, Lisa, and Jason were all spread out on the couches, deep in conversation about the latest work drama and life updates.

"Absolutely," said Sarah, grabbing a soda from the tray. "What's on the menu tonight?"

Mike grinned. "Thought we could go with a classic—'The Shining.' Get a little spooky, you know?"

Jason rolled his eyes. "Dude, we've seen that movie, like, a million times. Can't we do something different?"

"I've got something else in mind, actually," Mike said, a hint of mystery in his voice. "It's a game. Thought we could mix it up."

Tom perked up. "A game? What kind?"

Mike reached into a drawer and pulled out a deck of cards. They didn't look like your average playing cards, though. They were larger, and the designs on the back were intricate, almost hypnotic. "It's called 'The Mind Reader,'" he said. "It's a psychological game. Basically, one person draws a card, and the others have to guess what's on it. But there's a twist: the person with the card gives clues through body language and subtle gestures. No talking allowed."

Sarah raised an eyebrow. "Sounds intriguing. What's the catch?"

Mike shrugged. "No catch. Just a fun way to test how well we know each other."

The group agreed to play, and they gathered around the coffee table. Mike shuffled the deck and handed it to Sarah. She drew a card and stared at it, her expression carefully neutral.

The rest of them watched her closely, looking for any hint of what might be on the card. It was a slow process, with a lot of guessing and second-guessing, but it was fun. Laughter filled the room as they struggled to read each other's subtle cues.

But then, as the game went on, something shifted. It was hard to pinpoint exactly what, but there was a growing tension in the air. Sarah seemed to be acting strangely, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a sort of distant intensity. The others noticed it, too, and their guesses became more hesitant, more cautious.

When it was Mike's turn to draw a card, he gave nothing away. His eyes darted around the room, as if he was waiting for something—or someone. The others felt a chill run down their spines, the sense that something was off growing stronger.

Finally, Lisa spoke up. "Okay, this is getting weird. What’s going on, Mike?"

Mike didn’t respond. Instead, he simply stood up, a blank expression on his face, and walked to the front door. Without a word, he unlocked it and stepped outside.

The others exchanged nervous glances. “Did we take the game too far?” Tom asked.

Jason shook his head. “I don’t know, man. This feels...wrong.”

They followed Mike outside, only to find him standing in the driveway, staring into the darkness. "Mike?" Sarah called, her voice trembling.

He didn't turn around. Instead, he slowly raised his arm, pointing into the shadows. The others strained to see what he was pointing at, but there was nothing there. Just the silent, dark night.

A low rustling sound came from the bushes, and the group froze, their eyes wide with fear. What had they unleashed? And more importantly, how were they going to stop it?

The night was far from over, and the game had taken a turn none of them saw coming.