The room had fallen into absolute silence, but this silence was heavier than ever. A silence thick with questions and fear… and the lingering scent of blood.
Sarah stood frozen beside her bed. Her gaze flicked between Maria's mud-stained, exhausted face, the blood on her uniform, and the black creature trembling beneath her coat.
In the dim yellow glow of the study lamp, Maria looked almost unreal.
Sarah took an unconscious step back. Her heel struck the bedframe. She clapped a hand over her mouth to smother a scream, but her fingers trembled visibly.
"Maria... what... is that?"
Her voice was thin and fragile as glass.
"That blood... did you kill someone?"
Maria almost lied. I found a wounded dog.I fell in the forest. The excuses rose automatically, waiting on her tongue.
But when she looked into Sarah's terrified but expectant eyes, the words got stuck in her throat.
Lying was pointless now. Sarah wasn't stupid.
And Maria... she was too tired to pretend.
Her shoulders slumped. Her defensive wall cracked for the first time.
She pulled her coat aside slightly. The head of the monster cub appeared. The creature gave a weak whimper and pressed itself closer to Maria's chest.
"I didn't kill anyone, Sarah... I saved it."
Maria continued with a voice made raspy by sheer exhaustion:
"It's a lab specimen. It was supposed to be dissected tonight. It had escaped, but they were close to finding it. If I hand it over... they'll cut it into pieces."
Sarah looked at the creature. At its long ears and three strange tails hanging limply. This wasn't an ordinary animal; it was a monster. Something that ate children in stories.
Fear rippled in Sarah's eyes.
"What... what are we really dealing with? This is illegal, Maria. If they find out, they'll expel both of us. Maybe worse."
Maria lowered her head.
"I know. You don't have to help. Just... please don't scream. I'll take it out tonight."
Maria turned and opened the room door, even though her legs had no strength to move.
"Wait!"
Sarah jumped forward.
Fear was still there — but beneath it, something else flickered.
Maria was finally being honest with her. She finally needed her.
"Where are you going in this state? It's bleeding. And you... you're trembling."
Her eyes locked on the creature for a few moments.
Her breath shuddered.
"I'm scared of it, Maria..."
She paused slightly.
Then her gaze fell on Maria's tired face.
"But I'm more scared of you going alone."
She sighed.
"Put it on my bed. The sheets are clean."
Maria turned back in disbelief.
"Sarah... it's dangerous."
"Shut up and come in. Before the creature's blood spills in the hallway."
Sarah quickly went and locked the door and drew the curtains tight.
Their friendship hadn't healed yet; deep cracks still ran through it, but in that moment, a "shared secret" connected them like powerful glue.
The room smelled strongly of disinfectant and stale blood.
The monster cub (Shadow Stalker) lay on Sarah's bed. Its body was burning with fever.
Maria cut the dirty old bandage with scissors. The wound on the creature's flank was deep and inflamed.
"Calm down, little one... it'll be over soon."
Maria took a clean cloth and started disinfecting the wound.
The creature whimpered. Its ruby eyes were half-open, looking at Maria with a dazed expression.
Every time it whimpered, the shadows in the room reacted.
The shadow under the bed, the shadow of the wardrobe, and the shadow of the chairs stretched like living things and rushed toward the bed.
Sarah, standing at a distance handing clean towels, watched the shadows with terror.
"Maria... the shadows... they're moving!"
"Its fever is high. It can't control its magic. It's leaking mana."
Maria put her hand on the creature's head and scratched behind its ear. The creature calmed down a bit, closed its eyes, and pressed its head against Maria's hand. The shadows subsided.
"I have to bring its fever down. Or it'll drown the room in darkness."
The creature reached out its small, black hand and grabbed Maria's index finger. It retracted its claws not to hurt Maria and licked her finger like a kitten. Its tongue was rough but warm.
Sarah saw this scene.
That creature... was dangerous. Its magic was suffocating the room. The air in the room had become heavy and cold, as if the windows were open.
But at the same time, a behavior so innocent and needy that it slightly softened Sarah's grim and anxious expression.
She said unconsciously:
"Aww... how cute. It's like it thinks you're its mom."
But a few moments later, shivers returned to the creature's body. The shadows leaking from the creature's body went out of control. Thick black smoke seeped beneath the door and into the hallway.
Meanwhile, a first-year girl sneaking back from her friend's room at the end of the hall to reach her own room before the warden's night patrol was passing by on tiptoe.
She suddenly stopped.
In front of the door of room 304, the situation wasn't normal.
Shadows were behaving unnaturally. Darkness oozed like spilled ink from the gap under the door, spreading and trembling on the lacquer-colored hallway carpet.
The girl rubbed her eyes. She thought maybe she was hallucinating from fatigue and sleeplessness.
"What the heck is that...?"
She went closer. A strange cold came from the door, causing shivers to run down her spine. The shadow, like a living thing, lunged slightly toward her foot and then retreated again.
The terrified girl turned back and fled toward her room hurriedly and without making a sound.
Inside the room, Maria heard the sound of hurried footsteps in the hallway.
Her heart stopped.
Did someone see?
***
It was dawn. The sky was washed in pale gray light. Maria was putting on her uniform and putting her books into her bag. Her face was grim.
"I have to go."
Sarah, who was sitting by the bed playing with a piece of string with the creature, which was now a bit livelier and trying to catch the string, raised her head.
"What? Now? Where?"
" I have mandatory remedial class this morning. If I don't go, I'll give them an excuse to expel me."
Maria went to Sarah and put her hands on her shoulders. Sarah's body was cold and trembling.
"Just a few hours. I'll be back by noon. Lock the door and don't open it to anyone... anyone. Even if they say there's a fire."
Sarah looked at the creature, then at Maria. Fear rippled in her gaze. She was a merchant's daughter raised in luxury, not a monster keeper.
"What if... what if it gets worse? What if the shadows leak again?"
"Open the window so the shadow goes out, but don't let anyone in."
It felt like she was locking Sarah in a cage with a lion. Guilt squeezed her throat.
Until yesterday, Sarah's only danger was "failing an exam." Now, she was an accomplice in hiding a forbidden creature.
Sarah looked at the creature, which was now huddled and staring at them.
Fear was in Sarah's heart, but seeing Maria's worried look, she nodded firmly.
"Rest assured. I'll watch it."
Maria squeezed Sarah's hand for a moment.
Sarah had now entered the most dangerous game of her life, but the feeling that Maria relied on her gave her courage.
Maria went toward the creature. Seeing Maria getting ready, the creature's ears dropped, and it gave a sad whimper.
It wrapped its tails around Maria's leg, trying to keep her there.
Maria knelt and pressed her forehead to the creature's forehead.
"I'll be back soon, buddy. I promise. Stay here."
With a last worried look at her roommate and the helpless creature, Maria left the room.
Maria stepped out and closed the door. The soft click of the lock from inside eased her mind.
Only slightly.
She tried to walk normally, but when she reached the dormitory's common hall, she realized things weren't normal.
Usually, on weekend mornings, the dormitory was full of laughter and planning for outings. But today, groups of girls had gathered in the middle of the lobby, speaking with trembling voices.
"I swear, Sophia! I saw it myself"
A girl in pajamas was gripping her glass of water tightly.
"It was 3 AM. Something like black smoke was oozing from under one of the doors. I thought it was a fire, but it had no smell. It was cold."
"Maybe you were dreaming?"
"No! When I got close, it moved. It crawled up the wall like a snake and went into the ceiling."
Maria quickened her pace. Her heart pounded like a drum.
Last night... when its fever spiked, it lost control of the shadow. It leaked.
"I heard it too..." another girl added, "The girls downstairs say they heard whimpering last night. They say a 'wandering spirit' has entered the dorm."
Maria ground her teeth together.
The rumor had spread like poison. "Spirit," "Monster," "Shadow." Words that if they reached the ears of the masters or the Guard, meant inspection.
Maria exited the hall with quick steps.
It was no longer just a two-person secret.
The secrecy had shattered. The time bomb had been set, and it was ticking far faster than she'd imagined.
***
Varon sat behind his desk, reviewing weekly reports. Unlike the crowded, cold, and scary basement, his official office was clean, well-lit, and orderly; a perfect showcase for a respected professor.
Knock, knock.
One of the night shift guards, whose shift had ended, entered. He held his hat in one hand and a status report in the other.
"Sir... Dormitory status report."
Varon didn't even lift his head.
"Put it on the desk and go."
"It's an important matter, Sir. Related to... the 'Missing Specimen'…"