The dorm was smaller than expected. Five narrow beds along the walls, a dusty window, and a wooden chest at the foot of each bed.
Bella immediately claimed the bed near the window for "sketchbook purposes."Mila clutched her blanket like a shield and crawled into the corner bed.Daniel inspected the room like there might be cockroaches roaming around.Adrian flopped into the middle bed, grinning.I pointed at the last bed, the corner one closest to the wall. "This is mine now."
"I hate it here already," Mila said.
Adrian said, "Don't jinx it."
Daniel suddenly pulled out his phone."Daniel, what are you planning?" I asked cautiously.
"Man, why didn't we think about that earlier?" Adrian said, grinning.
He tried to call his parents, but the signal didn't reach.
Bella sighed. "I knew it."
Adrian's grin disappeared, but he tried to lighten the mood. "It's okay, guys. We do everything together—even if we die."
I shot him a death glare.Mila muttered, "That doesn't make it better."
The sun dipped behind thick trees outside, shadows stretching like dark fingers across the dorm.
My eyes caught the clock: 6:15 p.m."Shit, it's 6:15. No more dinner for us, I guess," I muttered.
Adrian scowled. "The last thing we need to survive this place."
"Remember," I said, louder than I intended, "Morticia said no one goes outside after 6:30. Not even to… you know… the bathroom outside our floor."
Mila bit her lip. "I have a feeling we'll hear noises."
Daniel groaned. "Why does this place feel alive?"
Adrian rolled over dramatically. "Relax. It's just… haunted, I guess. Totally normal."
I gave him a look."Relax? RELAX? NORMAL ISN'T KIDS SCREAMING ACROSS THE WOODS."
The last light of the day faded. The room darkened.
6:29
The first sound came. A faint creaking across the hallway. Then whispers, soft, indistinct, calling: Jay… Jay…
I froze.
"Did you hear that?" Mila whispered, wide-eyed.
"It's probably nothing," Adrian said too quickly.
Bella gripped my arm. "I don't think it's nothing."
Footsteps: one… two… three.
The room felt too small. Too exposed. Too alive.
"Stick together," I said. "No one leaves. Not even a little peek."
Daniel nodded, eyes scanning shadows like a hawk.
The whispers grew louder… then vanished.A chill swept through the room, the window rattling as though someone—or something—was outside.
"Welcome to Black Hollow," I whispered to myself.
And I knew—this was just the beginning.