The next morning I stood at the gate of my new school, heart pounding. Every part of me screamed not to go in.
Inside the hallway, the walls was covered in old notice, most of the papers torn or faded. A faint smell lingered_dust mixed with something sour, almost like rotten fruit. The fluorescent lights flickered above buzzing as if they were alive.
Student's passed me with blank expressions some whispered with each other. But the moment I glanced their way they fell silent, their eyes following me a second too long.
I tried to shake off the thought and focused on finding my class.
When I stepped inside the chatter stopped completely, every head turned. The silence was so sharp. I heard the clock ticking on the wall. I stood at the door frozen
"What's wrong Amara, have your seat. Mrs grey said with a suspicious smile on her face.
But nobody smiled. Nobody said a word.
I sat near the window. The girl beside me shifted her chair slightly away, as though I carried some invisible disease. From the corner of my eye, I noticed her hands trembling under the desk, her knuckles pale.
Classes dragged on, but I couldn't focus. The whispers never stopped. Sometimes I heard my name in them—faint, broken, like someone breathing directly into my ear. Yet every time I turned, no one was there.
At lunch, I walked alone. The cafeteria was crowded, but it felt empty. The students sat in groups, laughing, but their eyes… their eyes kept flicking toward me, cold and unblinking.
Suddenly, a tray clattered to the ground. A boy was standing just a few tables away, staring at me. His lips were moving, whispering words I couldn't hear. Then, without warning, he slammed his forehead against the table—once, twice, three times—until blood trickled down his nose.
The cafeteria filled with screams. Teachers rushed in. The boy was dragged out, his head hanging limp, but his eyes never left mine.
That night, I couldn't sleep. The wind rattled my window, carrying faint voices. My room grew colder, even though the heater was on. And then I heard it.
Amara… Amara…
I sat up, clutching my blanket, my heart hammering. The whispers were right beside my ear now, soft and sharp at the same time.
I ran to switch on the light. Nothing. My room was empty. But when I turned back to my bed, I froze.
On the blanket, written in something dark and wet, was one single word:
"Welcome."