A gentle cold wind was blowing. A light fog hung in the air, curling around the old, mossy boundary wall of the school.
One by one, the squad began to climb.
Aman went first, like a true leader—calm, confident.
Then came Arjun, who climbed and jumped down coolly with one hand still in his pocket, landing without a sound.
Rishi followed next, holding the camera tightly, making sure it was still recording.
Rohit, Kabir, and Sameer tried to climb using a thick vine that had grown up the side of the wall.
But halfway up, the vine snapped.
Sameer fell flat on his back with a loud thud.
Aman (turning around): "Dev? What was that noise?"
Dev (smirking): "Nothing bro. Just a dumb insect fell off the wall."
The group burst into giggles.
Aman (playfully shouting): "Both of you better hurry up. We're not gonna wait all day!"
Dev helped Sameer climb over the wall. With a bit of effort and teasing, they finally joined the others.
Just as Dev's foot touched the ground inside the school campus, the cold wind suddenly stopped.
Everything... went silent.
Not a sound. Not even the rustling of trees.
Sameer (nervously): "Bro... what just happened? Why did everything go so—"
DING... DING... DING...
A faint school bell rang in the distance. But the tone felt... old. Echoed. Like it hadn't rung in years.
Rohit (tense): "Bro... did you hear that?"
Everyone looked at each other.
Rishi slowly lifted his camera and began filming the surroundings.
As he panned left, the fog cleared a bit.
Rishi (softly): "Guys... we're standing in the playground."
Everyone looked around.
Vines had sprouted across the ground, creeping up old swings and broken benches.
Grass had grown wild and uneven, and a thin layer of snow coated everything — like the place had frozen in time.
Dev (pointing ahead): "That thing... is that the goalpost? Looks like it's barely standing."
The post was completely rusted, leaning slightly, as if it could fall any second.
Kabir (shrugging): "What else do you expect from a place locked for almost four years?"
They all tried to scan the area, but the fog was growing heavier. Shapes blurred.
Aman (serious tone): "We stay close. This place is already giving me creepy vibes."
They nodded silently and huddled up.
While the others looked around, Arjun stood frozen, eyes locked ahead—
Through the thick fog, he could barely make out the outline of the school building.
Arjun (coldly): "That bell... it wasn't random. It rang to tell them... we've entered."
A chill ran down everyone's spine.
Dev walked up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder with a sly smirk.
Dev: "Then the ghosts should know—we've arrived too."
Silence.
Then, they slowly began moving through the playground, trying to find a way deeper into the school.
But the fog grew thicker with every step.
The school building faded in and out of view.
Their breath became visible in the cold air.
Each step made the snow crunch beneath their feet...
As they moved ahead, Sameer unknowingly stepped a little further than the rest.
Suddenly, his foot struck something.
He looked down—a football, old and dirty, partly sunken in the snow. Fungus had grown along one side of it.
Curious, he bent down and gradually picked it up.
The fog in front of him suddenly began to clear...
And in that clearing—he saw them.
Shadows. Small. Childlike.
Figures of children standing still, their features hidden by the mist.
Then—voices.
"Please give our ball...
Wanna play with us?
We're quite playful...
Please join us..."
The whispers echoed directly inside Sameer's head.
He stared, frozen. His legs began to tremble.
He slowly started stepping back, still clutching the ball.
But the shadows began to grow, stretching unnaturally tall, as if the children themselves were rising.
The voices grew louder.
Louder.
LOUDER.
"Wanna Play With Us..."
Sameer's head began to throb.
He dropped the ball and clutched both sides of his head.
Sameer: "Aaaahhh!!"
He screamed and collapsed.
Far behind, the squad heard his scream echo through the fog.
Aman (alert): "That was Sameer! But... how the hell did he get separated?!"
Dev (serious now): "Let's hurry!"
They rushed toward the sound, cutting through the thick fog.
Soon, they found Sameer lying unconscious in the snow.
Dev (kneeling): "Wake up, dumbo! What the hell did you see?"
He placed Sameer's head gently on his lap and shook him slightly.
Gradually, Sameer's eyes opened. His face pale. His lips trembling.
He explained everything — the ball, the voices, the shadows, and how it all hit his head like a scream.
The squad listened in silence.
Dev stared at him for a moment...
Then burst into a laugh.
Dev: "Bro... you got bullied by kids? Ghost kids?!"
Dev then turned to Rishi.
Dev: "Hey, Rishi... give me your camera."
Rishi passed it over, still recording.
Dev zoomed in on Sameer's face and, with a grin, said loudly:
Dev: "Carefully watch this, people. This dumbo here... even got bullied by ghost kids!"
The squad burst into laughter.
Sameer's cheeks turned red. He looked away, clearly embarrassed, and a flicker of anger crossed his face at Dev's teasing.
Arjun, standing a little apart, spoke in a deep voice:
Arjun: "They're happy... because after so many years, someone finally entered their territory. And they wanted to welcome us."
The laughter faded for a moment. A chill returned.
Dev handed the camera back to Rishi, but smirked at Arjun.
Dev: "Then tell the ghosts I want some snacks... and one coffee."
He burst into laughter again.
Kabir raised his hand like he was placing an order.
Kabir: "Me too, bro. But also get me some chips."
Everyone giggled.
Arjun just sighed.
Aman: "Let's go."
All of them nodded.
They began moving forward, deeper into the fog.