Footsteps From Behind

Ethan's legs weakened, nearly giving way beneath him. He took a deep breath, feeling the cold sweat on his forehead trickle down his cheeks with a rhythmic patter. Having narrowly escaped the clutches of the ghost, he had no time to dwell on the recent events. Swiftly retrieving his phone, he activated the flashlight and regained his footing. The unknown specter lurking in the darkness grew deadlier with each passing moment, and staying in this place meant inching closer to death. As he moved forward through the murky abyss, Ethan's entire body trembled, whether from nerves or an inexplicable fear. With each step, the light pushed back the encroaching darkness, revealing Peng and Fei desperately pounding on a moldy, dilapidated wall with terror-stricken expressions.

"Who's there?" Fei's voice trembled as he turned around, his gaze fixated on a faint light. Ethan's face turned cold as he held up his phone and uttered, "It's me, Ethan." "Ethan? You're not dead?" Fei exclaimed, a mix of shock and fear evident in his voice. "Did you want me dead like Jing did?" Ethan's voice carried an edge of accusation. Overwhelmed with emotion, Peng rushed toward him, a blend of nervousness and fear written on his face. He grabbed Ethan, his voice filled with desperation, "Why did you drag me into this? Why? We had no grievances or animosity between us. Why harm me?" Fueled by anger, Ethan punched him in the face and spat out, "We had no issues either, but didn't you want to kill me? And now you blame me for your own actions. I should have grabbed Jing too and let him experience the terror of facing a ghost." Peng crumpled to the ground after the blow, yet the pain seemed insignificant. He cried out, "I don't want to die! I just want to live! Jing forced me into this. If I didn't comply, we would all perish. It's better for you to die alone than for all of us to die." Ethan retorted, his voice seething with anger, "So I should be the sacrificial lamb? Absurd! If you're so righteous, why don't you offer yourself willingly? Don't force others to pay the price for your choices."

He continued, his tone filled with bitterness, "And even if you sacrifice me, can you guarantee our escape? Let's not forget there's another ghost lurking outside. Don't be naive. Jing intended to kill me from the beginning. He must know something, or else he wouldn't have fixated on me. I'll settle this score today, if I can survive and make it out of here."

Before Ethan could finish his statement, Peng's body trembled, his face contorting with horror. He slowly turned his head, casting a terrified glance behind him into the dense darkness. Although nothing was visible, he could feel a frigid hand grabbing his wrist. The icy touch exerted an unimaginable force, dragging Peng backward. "Help! Ethan, save me!" Peng screamed in sheer terror. Ethan's heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, he caught sight of the pale hand gripping Peng's wrist. The ghost had returned. Instinctively, he reached for his phone, intending to play the audio file and scare the ghost away as he had done before. But as his hand moved, he hesitated. Was Peng truly worth saving? No, he wasn't. Ethan found himself in this predicament solely because of Jing, Peng, Fei, and their actions. They had never tried to save him before, only focusing on their own escape. Moreover, even if he wanted to

save them, how could he? The audio file on his phone could only ward off the ghost; it held no power to harm it. His bluff wouldn't be effective. Did they believe they deserved to live while he didn't? Jing had been right. He had been too naive, overlooking the signs when Jing plotted against him in the classroom. He would never make that mistake again.

Lowering his phone, Ethan took a step back, his gaze cold as he watched Peng being dragged further into the darkness, disregarding his desperate pleas and cries for help. He helplessly observed as Peng's terrified figure vanished into the abyss, along with the pale hand. As Peng disappeared, even his cries ceased, leaving behind a haunting calmness, punctuated only by the echoing sound of dripping water. Ethan turned his head, took a deep breath, and attempted to steady his trembling body, suppressing his inner fear. Regaining his composure, he picked up his phone and resumed his search for an exit. The ghost still lurked in this place, and if he lingered, there was no guarantee it wouldn't choose him as the next target. Jing had previously mentioned that using people could temporarily delay the ghost's actions. Ethan had unwittingly been brought here because Jing intended to use his life as a diversion. If that were the case, since the ghost had taken Peng, there would likely be a certain time interval before its next appearance. If his analysis proved correct, he would be safe until the next attack. All he could do now was hope.

With this thought in mind, Ethan immediately began searching for a way out of this eerie realm. "Ethan, where are you going? Take me with you," Fei pleaded, trying to catch up as he saw Ethan about to leave. Ethan, however, ignored him and coldly refused, "Figure it out on your own. Don't follow me. Do you expect me to lead you out of here? Remember, I ended up in this haunted place because of all of you." With those words, he quickened his pace and swiftly vanished into the darkness. Choosing not to exact revenge on the spot was already a concession considering their status as classmates. The ghost would undoubtedly pursue Peng, so let him wait and buy Ethan some time. If the ghost attacked again, it would likely prioritize Fei. Startled, Fei hurriedly followed, but Ethan was nowhere to be seen. Only an endless void of darkness enveloped him. "Ethan, where are you? Come out. I didn't mean what I said earlier. I apologize," Fei pleaded, his voice trembling, his hands groping through the darkness in vain. He continued to wander aimlessly.

Fei soon realized he was lost. Unable to find Ethan or even locate the wall he had been next to before, panic gripped him. This place no longer resembled the familiar restroom; it had become an infinite expanse of darkness. Fear gradually overwhelmed him, extinguishing the last remnants of his courage. To make matters worse, he heard the muffled sound of approaching footsteps. They drew nearer, steadily closing in on his position. "P-Peng, is that you?" Fei cautiously called out, his voice trembling. Suddenly, a pale hand emerged from the darkness, seizing his neck from behind. The touch was icy and lifeless, far removed from that of a living person. "Ahh!" A shriek of terror pierced the air. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he too faced a dilemma. Lost in the darkness, he pondered his situation. "This can't be the restroom," he thought, his heart pounding. The darkness seemed unending, far beyond what he would expect from a restroom. Glancing at his phone, he noted that

twenty minutes had passed. It made no sense to spend twenty minutes traversing a restroom without encountering any walls or fixtures. The only logical explanation was that he had stumbled into an unfamiliar realm. "Damn it, what kind of ghostly dimension is this? Zhou never mentioned it in his lecture," Ethan cursed, his anxiety mounting.

Without sufficient information, he couldn't analyze the situation or devise a plan to escape this ghostly realm. "Tick, tock." The dripping water resumed its rhythmic cadence. "Wait, the dripping sound had stopped for a while, so why is it back now?" Ethan's expression shifted, and he followed the sound's direction. If he heard dripping water, it meant the restroom was nearby. Once he returned to the familiar setting, he could find the exit and escape this haunted place. He berated himself for not paying attention to this earlier. With a renewed sense of direction and a glimmer of confidence, Ethan quickened his pace. However, he soon heard the low battery notification on his phone, causing him to startle.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he clenched his teeth and powered off the phone. He feared the ghost lurking in the darkness more than the darkness itself. He had to conserve the battery for a critical moment. Advancing cautiously through the dark abyss, he could hear only the echoing drips of water, devoid of any other sound. The eerie silence weighed heavily, with each breath he took resounding in his ears. Just as he had been walking in the darkness without using the light for some time, a series of footsteps suddenly broke the stillness. They were heavy and distinct, drawing nearer with each passing second. In an instant, Ethan's body tensed, and he heightened his alertness. Swiftly, he switched on the flashlight on his phone and glanced back. The light illuminated a meter ahead, revealing nothing but an expanse of thick darkness. Nevertheless, the footsteps drew closer. "It can't be Jing or Peng," Ethan's face contorted. Living people couldn't track him with such precision in the darkness. If it wasn't Jing or Peng, then it was most likely the ghost that haunted the restroom. "Run." Sensing the approaching steps, Ethan's heart raced, and he quickened his pace.