A few girls were sitting by the entrance, craning their necks, hoping the dorm manager would hurry up and fix the power.
The girls were startled when they saw Drew Thorne.
"You... You're Mr. Thorne! I've taken your class!"
The girls' surprise turned to delight. They jumped up and trotted over to him.
"Mr. Thorne, what are you doing here?"
Drew Thorne didn't answer, instead walking to the door of Room 303.
He knocked lightly, then faster and more urgently, but no one came to the door.
A girl standing by the door of Room 306 spoke up.
"Mr. Thorne, you can stop knocking. We already tried. There's no one in 303. What's going on?"
Drew Thorne pressed his phone to his ear.
"You heard all that?"
Jane Sterling gave a heavy "mhm." She had, of course, heard the voice of the girl from Room 306 on Drew's end.
'It seems they've been trapped in a disorienting illusion ever since they opened their dorm room door.'
