The early September night carried a faint chill. The wind felt as if it had leaked out of some ancient cathedral bell—heavy, hollow, and cold. Moonlight spilled unevenly across the old buildings of St. Linden Academy, a private school with a Gothic air.
Maya Chen dragged her suitcase along, her steps slow and reluctant, as she entered the girls' dormitory.
"Room 404… huh? Seriously? Of all numbers, it had to be this one. So unlucky."
Standing at the doorway of the old dorm, her thoughts circled around one feeling—dark, quiet, creepy.
"Just because I want to save money, they don't have to dump me in this haunted house, right…" she muttered under her breath.
A shiver ran down her spine. She hugged her plush toy, "Bubu Bear," tightly against her chest."It's fine, it's fine… the school is just… uh… retro. That's all."
Summoning her courage, she stepped inside.
The dorm room was a double. To her surprise, it was neat and tidy. By the window stood one bed, its white curtains swaying gently with the night breeze. The other bed had already been made—so neat it didn't even have a wrinkle. A few thick books were stacked neatly on the desk beside it. Her own bed, the one by the window, faintly carried a cool, flowery fragrance.
Carefully, Maya set her luggage down. After some clumsy unpacking, she managed to make her bed. Sweat clung to her forehead, but finally she sighed with relief."Phew… done at last!" A bit of ease crept into her heart. "Not bad at all…"
She even forced a smile, placing Bubu Bear beside her pillow, then flopped face-first onto the mattress.
Her phone suddenly lit up—[Message from Unknown Contact: Don't sleep on the bed near the door.]
Maya blinked at the screen, dazed. "Huh?" She brushed it off as a prank."Must be some newbie in the school group trying to mess with me."
She was far too tired to care. After dragging her luggage all the way from her hometown to this strange new city, all she wanted was sleep. Tossing her phone aside, she let drowsiness pull her under.
The wind outside grew louder.
—Creak.
Maya turned over, her breathing soft and steady, already slipping into a dream.
In the dream, she was hugging Bubu Bear while frolicking through a forest made of cotton candy. Balloons floated lazily in the sky, the air filled with sugary sweetness. She skipped along happily, humming a tuneless melody."Heehee, Bubu Bear, let's go find the chocolate river!"
Bubu Bear, of course, stayed silent. Maya only giggled harder, her eyes curved into crescents. She reached up, plucked a pink candy star from the sky, and popped it into her mouth."Mmm! So yummy!"
But just as her laughter bubbled out—
From beneath her bed, a bluish-black hand crept out. Its nails were long and razor sharp. Suddenly, the sole of her foot went cold.
Like ice water crawling up her ankle.
"Hm…?" Still half-asleep, Maya stirred—and then looked down.
Her pale ankle was clamped tightly by a ghostly hand!
"Ahhhhhh!" she shrieked, tears already welling. Trembling, she stammered,"S-sorry! I—I don't eat midnight snacks, okay? Please d-don't grab me!"
She tried desperately to pull back her foot, but the grip only tightened, the bony fingers digging into her skin. The voice caught in her throat, breaking into sobs.
The hand paused for a moment, then grew more frantic, sliding farther out—as if aiming for her wrist next.
And just then—
The curtain on the opposite bed suddenly snapped open.
The entire dorm room plunged into a bone-deep chill.