Maya's pov (continuation)

The room was quiet, except for the faint sound of the ceiling fan whirring above us. Liya's phone screen dimmed, casting the room into near darkness. Sana had already fallen asleep, her soft breathing rhythmic and steady.

I turned onto my side, hugging my blanket closer. The excitement of the night still lingered in my chest, but so did something else, a strange unease.

It wasn't like I didn't trust my friend's instincts, but I couldn't understand why they felt something was off about Arun. He had been nothing but kind tonight. The way he and his friends treated us, guiding us around the party, buying us dinner, it didn't seem like the actions of someone untrustworthy.

And yet…

Why did I feel this lingering heaviness in my chest?

I sighed, shaking off the thought. Maybe I'm just overthinking.

Closing my eyes, I let exhaustion take over, my body finally relaxing into the mattress. But sleep didn't come easily.

And when it did, it brought something else with it.

.....

I was in an empty hallway.

The dim yellow lights flickered above me, casting eerie shadows on the cracked walls. The air was cold. Too cold.

Something about this place felt familiar, but I couldn't place where or why. My breath came out in short, shaky exhales as I took a cautious step. My breath came in ragged gasps as I sprinted down the dimly lit corridor. The shadows stretched and twisted, reaching for me like unseen hands trying to pull me into the darkness. My heart pounded violently against my ribs, each beat echoing in my ears like the sound of a ticking bomb.

I didn't know where I was. The hallway seemed endless, the walls shifting and closing in on mine. The flickering fluorescent lights above cast eerie shadows, making it impossible to tell what was real and what wasn't.

Behind me, the sound of footsteps heavy, relentless, chased me like a predator.

I forced myself self to move faster, but no matter how much I ran, the presence behind me never faded. It was getting closer. I could feel it. A whisper low, almost inhuman brushed against my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

"Don't run, Maya… You can't escape."

A sob caught in my throat. I pushed forward, my lungs burning, my legs trembling. Just ahead, I spotted a door. The only escape. I lunged forward, fingers grasping for the handle,,

Cold hands wrapped around my wrist.

A scream ripped from my throat as I turned, eyes wide with terror. The figure standing before me, was shrouded in darkness, its face obscured except for its eyes, glowing red like embers in a dying fire. The grip on my wrist tightened painfully, sending icy chills up my arm.

"You came too close," the figure whispered. "Now, you belong here."

I struggled, twisting, kicking, trying to break free, but the grip was unrelenting. Darkness slithered around me , creeping up my legs like vines. The walls distorted, the ceiling caved in. I was sinking, being pulled into an abyss.

I screamed.

And then....

Silence.

I jolted awake, gasping for breath.

My body was drenched in sweat, my hands shaking uncontrollably. My heart slammed against my chest as I darted my eyes around the room, my mind struggling to separate reality from the lingering horror of the dream.

I was in her room. My familiar room. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast warm light on the walls. The window was slightly open, letting in the cool night air. The nightmare had ended.

I exhaled shakily and ran a trembling hand through my damp hair. It was just a dream. But why did it feel so real?

I turned to the clock on her bedside table, 3:17 AM.

Too early to wake up, too late to fall asleep again without the fear of being dragged back into that nightmare.

I sat up, hugging my knees to my chest, trying to steady my breathing. But the fear still lingered, like a shadow in the back of my mind.

The dorm room. The faint glow of the night lamp. The quiet breathing of my friends.

I swallowed hard, trying to steady myself.

It was just a dream. Just a stupid dream.

But…

Why did it feel so real?

---

The Next Morning

I barely got any sleep after that.

By the time morning arrived, my body was exhausted, but I forced myself to get up. As we got ready for class, I debated whether to tell Sana and Liya about the nightmare.

Would they laugh it off? Or would they think it meant something?

I decided against it.

I wasn't going to let a stupid dream affect my mood.

But as I got dressed and grabbed my books, I caught my reflection in the mirror. A strange feeling crept up my spine.

The dream may have been over, but the unease?

It was still there.

Lingering.

Waiting.