“So you’re saying your grandma just dies and leaves you this house. That you didn’t know she even owned?” Chelsea asked from across the room where she was busy going through a box of old fabrics.

“Yeah seems kinda weird if you ask me.” Matty mumbled shuffling boxes away from the wall and over to the middle of the room.

Ember sighed and flicked open one of the locks on a large black chest in the back of the room. “Look my grandma was pretty kept to herself. When I moved out here away from my parents, she was the only one accepting of my choices. But she was already in the retirement home at that point, and she didn’t really share too much about her past.”

“Yeah but it’s pretty weird that the place isn’t even furnished. I mean, there’s four bedrooms and the only stuff in the place is in the attic.” Matty said dropping a box on the wooden floor with a thud. The boards creaked under the weight and everyone stopped what they were doing to look. “My bad.”

“Maybe your grandmother was some kinda hit person. Maybe she murdered people here.” Chelsea said holding up a large floral roll of fabric. “You sure it’s cool that I take some of this? I can make some sick vintage stuff out of it.”

“Yeah take whatever you want. I think I saw a box called, and get this, vintage clothes, somewhere around here.” Ember said flicking the other lock open. She turned the notches, the flaps flying off.

“Woah! You all have to see this!” Matty screamed holding open one of the boxes.

Chelsea and Ember walked over to look what he was holding. “Is that your grandma Ember? She looks just like you, except more, naked.” Chelsea grabbed one of the photos out of Matty’s hands and held it up to her.

Ember looked at the photo. In it, there was an image of her grandma from when she was younger. Ember could see the resemblance between the two of them, except that her grandma’s hair was longer and had a lot more volume to it than her short wavy hair. Also her grandma had a shaved pussy, where Ember had a decent sized cock. She always wondered if she’d look better, like her grandma did, if she ever got bottom surgery, but after seeing her mirrored image, she felt pretty good about herself.

“Oh my god. This whole box is full of romantic letters, and sexy photos. And lingerie!” Chelsea cried shoving Matty aside to dig through it.

Ember quickly pushed Cheslea over to Matty and tossed the photo back in. “Nobody gets to look at my grandma’s vintage porn before I get to check it out.” She turned to look at the pair on the floor. “Privately.”

“You’re no fun Embs-“ Matty sighed grabbing another box.

“Promise you’ll tell me all about it after?” Chelsea said doing her typical little eyebrow bounce. Ember rolled her eyes.

“Y’all forget going through this stuff!” Ry came bounding into the room with a small wooden chest in his arms. “There’s a whole shelf back there of some board games, and as you know I am an aficionado of such things.”

“Yes we’re all aware Ry. Get to it. What’s so special-“

“What’s so special about this one, and some of the other ones back there is the name of them.” Ry quickly cut Matty off. “This game, Jumbani. It’s a knock off version of some other game, but made for entirely adult theming. They’ve only made like a dozen copies ever. This is such a find!”

“Honestly, that seems pretty fun, unless you’re all afraid of some lewd acts.” Chelsea said sticking out her chest.

Ember blushed, she had always been a bit embarrassed by her body. After all it wasn’t exactly the body she had always wanted to be in, but it was feeling a bit more like home every day. And it wasn’t like everyone hadn’t seen each other in bathing suits. They were just at the beach last week. But still, what did Ry mean by adult theming.

“I’m in. My arms are giving out entirely anyways so I don’t think I can move any more boxes tonight. Sorry Embs.” Matty said rubbing his arms.

“No worries. If everyone is in, I guess I can be in. But this game won’t be like creepy pervy right Ry? I mean if I do end up moving in here, I don’t want all of the neighbors to have seen someone going streaking.” Ember said awkwardly tucking one of her legs behind the other.

“No clue. I’ve never played it. Always wanted to though. It’s like an urban legend to have even heard of it.” They scratched their beard. “Really was starting to think it wasn’t even real.”

“Maybe it isn’t. Maybe we’re all dreaming.” Chelsea said heading for the doorway that led to the open stairwell out of the attic.

“If we’re dreaming, then it’s a damn shame I’ll be thinking about Ember’s grandma all night long.” Matty followed her out of the room.

“Wait what about Ember’s grandma?” Ry said turning to look at Ember.

Ember gripped their arm and motioned them both towards the door. “The short version. My grandma and I look really similar.”

“So the rules are pretty simple. Each turn, someone takes the die, rolls it, and the mystery spot in the center will generate an effect or action.” Ry said thumbing through the old instruction booklet.

The game box seemed to not be a box at all and instead, part of the game itself. Once they undid the latches, the box opened up to lay flat on the middle of the empty living room. Everyone sat around it on the old wooden floor looking at the large board. The two back panels seem to have unfolded allowing the board to flow seamlessly between the two halves. On one side was a little box with little stone carvings of people. Each person had picked one and had set it on the start. There were still some in the box, which seemed kind of odd, but I guess more than four people could play.

Chelsea had been holding the old wooden die in her hand since they had opened it. She was always the kind of person who wanted to go first. Most people would find her adventurous spirit to be a bit obnoxious but in the context of the friend group, it actually helped out.

Ember was usually the follower, content to let anyone else take the lead. Chelsea, more than happy to fill that role, was the loud outspoken one of the group. Matty was the muscle, always had been, but everyone knew he had a soft streak. Ry was the one who knew just about everything about anything nerdy. They could tell you just about anything and if they couldn’t, their partner Stella knew what they didn’t.

“Yeah but what does effect or action mean?” Matty said looking over the bare board. None of the spaces seemed to have anything. It seemed to be mostly just tan squares on a long pathway leading towards the middle of the board.

“I assume action is a thing you have to do and effect is probably something that happens to you. The rules are pretty bare on details.” Ry tossed the page next to the board, the faded text practically unreadable.

“All the doors are locked, right. Windows drawn?” Ember said looking around at the curtain covered windows out of caution.

“Yes mom. Don’t worry, we won’t scar your neighbors too much. God forbid a bunch of queer kids move into the suburbs. “Oh Johnathan. Would you believe what those degenerates did last night. They were topless and kissing. Horrific”. Pfft.” Chelsea said pretending to be an old suburban woman.

Ember shoved her shoulder playfully. “Look I’m just trying to be careful. You remember what-“

“This won’t be like last time Embs. I promise. You’re halfway across the country from your parents. You’ve got a job, just inherited a house, you’re with your friends. Things are looking up.” Chelsea wrapped her arms around Ember holding her tightly.

“Okay. Sorry for being nervous.”

“No worries fam.” Matty said patting her leg.

Ry cleared their throat. “Alright. Well if you’re ready. Chelsea, go ahead and start us off.”

“Power of the dice to me!” She shook her hand and the dice went flying out of it. It landed with a thud on the board, bouncing around twice. It slammed against the side, sliding across the board, stopping after a few seconds with a two face up.

Slowly her figure moved across the board two spaces. “Oh cool. It’s magnetic.” Chelsea leaned in as the large black mystery spot in the center began to swirl. It rotated pink, the same color as Chelsea’s token, words slowly materializing in the middle.

“A creak begins to sound below the floor, beware what waits beyond the basement door.”

“This place doesn’t have a basement guys.” Ember said as everyone looked over it.

“If I had to guess, there’s probably a bunch of programmed things in it. Guess nobody wondered whatever would happen if there wasn’t a basement.”

Slowly a low creaking sounded from beneath the floor beneath the group. Everyone went silent as it was followed by a soft squeak and a shuffle. Everyone looked at Ember nervously.

On the other side of the house, a doorway began to appear, frame pushing out from the bare wall. The deep black stain that began to stretch out, melting the wall into an ominous door that wasn’t there before. The handle that stretched out from it, seemed almost inhuman, the metal all warped and twisted, unlike anything manmade.

Matty picked up the dice. “We’re just overthinking things now right.”

Chelsea nodded but looked visibly uncomfortable. She kept glancing down towards the floor, hands clasped tightly together in her lap. Ember leaned over and rested her head onto Chelsea’s shoulder. The younger girl seemed to relax ever so slightly.

Matty tossed the dice. It bounced once before landing with a thud. A four face up. The small brown token he chose crept its way forward, brushing around Chelsea’s piece before stopping two spaces ahead. The black space in the middle began to swirl deep brown like a chocolate river.

“Beyond the door nearest to you, holds a lover, whose heart belongs to you.”

Matty laughed and stood up. “Alright now this shit is funny. A lover waiting beyond the door for me? What’s the nearest door?”

Ry pointed to the front door. “That would be the closest.”

Matty walked over and undid the lock and pulled it open. The cold night air rushed inside sending a chill up everyone’s spine. “Wow. Would you look at that. It’s an empty door.” He shut the door and closed it, flicking the lock back shut.

“Maybe it meant that door.” Chelsea gestured towards the one across the room that led to the empty office space. She seemed to be in slightly better moods now that it wasn’t her turn.

“Want me to check it. I’ll go check it.” Matty crossed the room, footsteps ringing in the empty air. He stopped and gripped the brass door knob. “Here goes…” He opened the door a crack taking a look inside and quickly slammed it shut. “Embs you sure this place was empty.”

“Yeah. Why?”

Matty opened the door, the smell of brimstone filling the air immediately as smoke wafted out of the room. Beyond it a firelight flickered orange casting it’s light out in to the living room.

“Lover. Won’t you join me?” A strong voice dripping with lust called from within the room.

Matty looked into the room. Inside a large four post bed, draped in red and purple silks hung from the tops before dropping down into the pile below. The floor and walls had been covered in a rock like substance that seemed instead as if the room had been carved out instead of built up. On the bed, leaning back against a mountain of pillows on the headboard, sat what could only be described as a demon. His hand gingerly toyed with the curled black hair on his sweaty red chest. The seductive snarl on his lips wiped away as his tail flicked through the air with a wave. One either side of his head, two large black horns grew hanging down.

Matty quickly looked back to Ember, sweat beading on his forehead. Whatever this game was, it was pulling from his deepest fantasies.

Ember grabbed the dice and quickly walked over to the door peering in. She stood watching in awe as the demon who sat there, fingers tracing over the flared head of his horse shaped cock paid no attention to her, instead staring longingly at Matty.

Ember quickly grabbed the door and slammed it shut. The dice bounced out of her hand with the motion tumbling across the floor. Everyone turned their attention from the door to the dice watching as it rolled across the floor before sliding to a stop. The six side up.

“Oh god. I didn’t mean to throw it. We have to stop this before its-“ Ember’s eyes flickered for a second, her pupils glowing bright blue before returning to normal. She gripped her head. “Before- Before- I feel-“

“Cold metal overtakes the weak flesh. Let new programming fill your synaptic mesh.”

Ember stumbled falling to the floor. Chelsea quickly walked over putting a hand on her back. She could feel the ice cold starting to spread across Ember’s skin. Ember stared at her hands, watching as joints were replaced by metal balls, a blueish tint running over the metallic surface coating her. Her eyes flickered back and forth, the pulsing blue glow growing stronger by the second. She could feel the wires spreading into her brain, filling it with algorithms, code, and programming instead of thoughts and ideas.

No, they were the same, she was just computing at a higher level now. Her mind was no longer constrained by a human limitation. She was free, and she could see and run every possible option instantly. Everything made so much more sense to her.

Ember sat up, quickly brushing Chelsea’s arm aside. “This game’s manifestations are a real effect delivered unto us.”

“Embs. Are you okay? You’re not-“

“Yes Chelsea. I am okay. In fact, my body has been upgraded for maximum usage and my mind no longer is constrained to limited thinking. However I find that I am still myself although things feel a bit different. My new and old minds are still connecting.” Ember said smiling, the blue glowing eyes replacing her human ones.

“Yeah guys I don’t want to play this anymore. This is getting weird.” Matty said leaning with his back against the door.

“Agreed. We should stop and figure out how-“

“There is no stopping once the game has begun.”

Everyone turned to look at Ry, their eyes now swirled deep black. Chelsea shuffled over towards the board and looked down at it.

“A welcome host is needed to progress. To receive your punishment, roll a one, no less.”

Ry’s head titled sideways, ear dropping to their shoulder. “You have all made your roll. The game will now play on until there is a winner.”

Matty stepped forward. “Hey. No. Whoever or whatever you are. You don’t just get to demand we play the game. We have free will. We can just quit.”

Chelsea looked up to Matty, fear etched across her face. “I don’t think we have a choice. I didn’t pick up the dice. It just appeared in my hand.” She held her palm face up towards the group. She turned to look into the cold eyes of Ember, her best friend, to receive a blank blink in return from the cold robot eyes.

“The game must continue. Please roll the dice.” Ry said, voice dry and emotionless.