Kyrian Herdessen had always been the quiet observer the one who noticed things others missed. But lately, the things she noticed weren't just strange. They were impossible.
The symbol that had glowed beside her bunk the night before was gone. Not faded. Not erased. Gone. As if it had never existed. But she remembered the warmth of it, the way it pulsed like a heartbeat. She remembered the dream the mirror, the blinking reflection, the seven girls standing beside her.
She hadn't told anyone. Not yet.
The others were still settling in. Zara had taken charge of organizing the room, assigning bunks and suggesting they pool money for curtains and cleaning supplies. Amaka remained quiet, her eyes always scanning the corners of the room like she expected something to move. Two girls Tolu and Nessa had bonded instantly, laughing over shared playlists and gossiping about lecturers. The remaining three Adaeze, Ruth, and Bimpe were polite but distant, each wrapped in their own bubble of adjustment.
Kyrian watched them all. Eight girls. Eight stories. But only one room.
Later that afternoon, a knock came at the door. A staff member wheeled in their lockers plain metal boxes with their names etched in faded ink. Kyrian's was the last to be placed, tucked into the corner beside the window.
She opened it slowly. Inside was a folded sheet of paper. Not the kind used for orientation schedules or campus maps. This one was old yellowed, creased, and marked with a symbol.
The same symbol that had glowed on her wall.
She unfolded it carefully. It wasn't a note. It was a map.
But not of the campus.
It showed a hallway. Long. Twisting. With numbered doors. Room 2 was circled in red. Room 25 was marked with an X.
Kyrian's breath caught. She folded the map and slipped it into her notebook.
That evening, the girls gathered around the center of the room, sitting cross-legged on the floor. Zara had brought snacks, and someone had connected a speaker to play soft music. It felt almost normal.
Until Amaka spoke.
"Has anyone else… seen things?" she asked quietly.
The room fell silent.
"What kind of things?" Ruth asked, her voice cautious.
"Symbols. Lights. Dreams that feel like memories."
Kyrian looked up. "I saw a symbol. On the wall. It disappeared."
Zara nodded slowly. "I saw it too. On my locker. Just for a second."
Adaeze frowned. "I thought it was just me. I've been hearing whispers. At night. I thought maybe I was just tired."
Bimpe laughed nervously. "Okay, this is getting creepy."
"It's not creepy," Amaka said. "It's connected."
Kyrian pulled out the map. "This was in my locker."
They gathered around as she unfolded it. The hallway. The doors. The markings.
"This is the hallway from my dream," Kyrian said. "Room 2 was glowing. Room 25… felt wrong."
Zara traced the X with her finger. "What does this mean?"
"I don't know," Kyrian whispered. "But I think we're supposed to find out."
That night, Kyrian couldn't sleep.
She lay on her bunk, staring at the ceiling, the map tucked under her pillow. The hum had returned soft, rhythmic, like a lullaby sung by something that didn't know words.
She closed her eyes and the dream came instantly.
She was in the hallway again. But this time, it was darker. The doors were closed. The air was colder. She walked slowly, her footsteps echoing.
Room 2 pulsed behind her. Room 25 loomed ahead.
She reached for the knob of Room 25.
"Kyrian…"
The voice was louder. Closer.
She turned. A figure stood at the end of the hallway. Tall. Cloaked. Its face hidden.
"You must not enter."
Kyrian stepped back. "Why?"
"Because you already did."
She woke with a gasp.
The next morning, Kyrian found Zara sitting by the window, staring at the sky.
"I had the dream," Zara said without turning. "The hallway. The doors. The figure."
Kyrian sat beside her. "It spoke to me."
Zara nodded. "It spoke to me too."
They looked at each other.
"We need to go to Room 25," Kyrian said.
They waited until evening.
The campus was quieter then. Most students were in the cafeteria or attending orientation events. Kyrian, Zara, and Amaka slipped out of Room 2, moving silently through the hallway.
Room 25 was in Wing A. The air felt different there warmer, heavier. As they approached, Kyrian felt her pulse quicken.
The door was closed. But not locked.
She reached for the knob.
It turned.
Inside, the room was empty. No bunks. No lockers. Just a mirror.
Tall. Ornate. With symbols carved into its frame.
Kyrian stepped forward. Her reflection blinked.
Zara gasped. "Did you see that?"
Amaka nodded. "It blinked."
Kyrian touched the glass.
It was warm.
Suddenly, the mirror shimmered. The reflection changed. It showed Room 2. The eight girls. The map. The symbol.
Then it showed Kyrian standing alone in the hallway.
Then it showed nothing.
Just darkness.
They ran.
Back to Room 2. Back to the others.
Kyrian unfolded the map. The X over Room 25 was glowing now.
"What does it mean?" Adaeze asked.
"It means we're being watched," Kyrian said. "And Room 25 is the eye."
That night, the hum became a song.
Soft. Melodic. Haunting.
Kyrian lay awake, listening.
She wasn't afraid.
She was ready.
End of Chapter 3