Chapter 1: The First Night
That night, the wind outside the dorm window blew softly, just enough to make the thin white curtain sway. I had just registered as a new student at a boarding school deep in the countryside—far from the city, far from home. Block C, the senior girls' dorm, was going to be my new home from that night onward.
A senior named Mira led me to a room she said had been empty for months.
"This room's been vacant for about two months. But don't worry, it's clean. Just… if you hear weird noises at night, don't panic too quickly," she said with a small smile that felt more like a warning than comfort.
I just nodded. I was too tired to think much. The room looked fine—two beds, one old wardrobe, and a ceiling fan that creaked softly as it turned. But one thing unsettled me: a large mirror at the end of the bed. Its surface was slightly cloudy, like it hadn't been wiped for a long time.
I thought about covering it with a cloth but decided to leave it.
By 11 p.m., the dorm was silent. I lay on the bed, eyes closed, trying to sleep. The soft whir of the fan almost lulled me—until I heard something.
"Creeeeak…"
It sounded like footsteps on old wooden flooring. I opened my eyes slowly. In the faint moonlight slipping through the curtain, I saw something at the far end of the room — a shadow, standing right in front of the mirror.
I froze. Maybe it was my own reflection, I thought. But when I raised my hand slightly, the shadow didn't move. It stayed still, head slightly tilted, long hair falling past its shoulders.
My heart pounded. I grabbed my phone to turn on the flashlight — but the screen wouldn't light up. Dead.
The air felt heavier. Then, the shadow began to move slowly toward me.
I yanked the blanket over my head and whispered every prayer I could remember. I didn't know when I finally fell asleep, but when I woke up the next morning, the first thing I noticed was the mirror.
It was covered with a white cloth.
I was sure absolutely sure I never covered it myself.