Amara stared at the door.
Nobody moved.
The three knocks still seemed to echo around the room.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
Teni slowly put down her phone.
“Who is that?”
Nobody answered.
Mimi climbed off her bed.
“Don't open it.”
Amara looked at her.
“Why?”
Mimi's face was serious.
“Because I didn't tell you everything.”
Amara's stomach tightened.
“What didn't you tell me?”
Mimi walked closer.
“The girl who stayed in this room before you.”
Amara swallowed.
“What happened to her?”
Mimi glanced toward the door.
“She was a 200-level student. Her name was Nadia.”
Teni interrupted.
“Mimi, stop.”
“No. She needs to know.”
Mimi lowered her voice.
“Nadia disappeared during the semester.”
Amara stared at her.
“Disappeared how?”
“Nobody knows.”
A cold silence filled the room.
“She left her things behind. Her clothes. Her books. Her phone.”
Amara looked around their room.
“Then why is this room still being used?”
Mimi shrugged.
“That is what everyone keeps asking.”
Another knock came.
This time, louder.
BAM!
Amara jumped.
Teni whispered, “Maybe it's security.”
Mimi shook her head.
“Security doesn't knock like that.”
Amara's phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Another message from the unknown number.
UNKNOWN: Don't open the door.
Her heart began pounding.
Then another message appeared.
UNKNOWN: He's outside.
Amara stared at the words.
“Who?” she whispered.
Before she could receive another message, the corridor suddenly went quiet.
The knocking stopped.
Teni moved toward the door and looked through the small opening beside the frame.
Nobody was there.
She turned back.
“It's empty.”
Amara breathed out slowly.
Maybe it had all been a prank.
Maybe someone was trying to scare the new student.
Then—
A shadow moved underneath the door.
Someone was standing outside.
Amara's blood ran cold.
The shadow remained completely still.
Then a man's voice came from the other side.
“Amara.”
She froze.
He knew her name.
Teni grabbed her arm.
“Don't answer.”
The voice came again.
“Amara Okafor.”
This time, she recognized it.
It was the young man she'd seen earlier.
The one staring at Room 207.
He spoke quietly.
“Open the door.”
Amara didn't move.
“Why?”
There was a long pause.
Then he answered:
“Because if you don't, someone else will.”
The corridor lights suddenly went off.
And from somewhere behind them—
their wardrobe door slowly creaked open.
Creeeeak.
All four girls turned.
Something was inside.
And then Amara heard a whisper.
“Amara…”
It wasn't coming from outside.
It was coming from the wardrobe.
