The call for answers

Arun sat in the bustling campus courtyard, the distant hum of students chatting and laughing blending into the background noise. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a warm golden glow over the buildings, but Arun barely noticed. His mind was too tangled in Maya's words.

"Something is happening in our dorm room."

He had seen the unease in her eyes, the tension in her voice. Maya wasn't the type to get scared easily, but today, she looked almost... shaken. And if Maya was scared, then something was seriously wrong.

Arun sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. He needed to do something, and fast. With a sense of urgency, he pulled his phone from his pocket, swiped through his contacts, and tapped on Aryan's name.

The phone rang twice before Aryan picked up.

"What's up, man? You don't usually call me at this hour. What's the thing?" Aryan's casual voice came through the speaker, light and unconcerned.

Arun took a breath before replying, "I need a favor."

That caught Aryan's attention. "A favor? Now that's interesting. What do you need?"

Arun leaned forward, pressing his elbows onto his knees. "I need information about room 279 in the girls' hostel. Do you know anything about it?"

There was a brief pause before Aryan spoke again, his tone laced with curiosity. "279? I mean, I know where it is, but... why are you suddenly asking about that?"

Arun shifted in his seat, gripping the phone a little tighter. "Your girlfriend stays in the same hostel, right? Can you ask her if she's heard anything about that room?"

Aryan chuckled. "Hold on. This is starting to sound really suspicious. What's going on?"

Arun hesitated for a moment. He had been skeptical too, but after seeing Maya's unease, he knew something wasn't right. He couldn't ignore it.

"It's Maya," Arun finally said. "She and her friends are staying in that room, and… well, something strange is happening there."

Aryan's laughter faded. His voice lowered slightly, as if suddenly intrigued. "Strange how?"

Arun rubbed his forehead. He felt ridiculous even saying it out loud. "She says they've been experiencing weird things. Things they can't explain."

Aryan let out a low whistle. "You mean, like... ghosts?"

The word made Arun's stomach tighten. Ghosts. Spirits. Paranormal activity. It all sounded so absurd. But still... Maya's fear had been real.

"I don't know," Arun admitted. "I just know that something isn't right. And I want to figure out what it is."

Aryan let out a short laugh. "Come on, dude. You're really buying into this ghost stuff? It's probably just in their heads. You know how freshmen are, new place, new stress, weird dreams, and suddenly they start imagining things."

Arun's jaw clenched. His fingers curled around the phone. He wasn't in the mood for dismissive theories.

"Look, I don't have time for guesses. I just need to know if there's anything unusual about that room. Are you going to help me or not?"

There was a long silence on the other end. Arun could hear distant voices in the background, maybe Aryan's roommates chatting. Then finally, Aryan sighed.

"Alright, alright. I'll ask my girlfriend. If there's anything to know, she'll probably have heard about it. I'll call you back once I talk to her."

Arun exhaled, some of the tension in his chest loosening. "Good. Thanks, man." Without waiting for a response, he ended the call.

He sat there for a moment, phone still in his hand, staring at nothing in particular. The setting sun cast long shadows across the courtyard. Students walked past, laughing, completely unaware of the unsettling mystery that was gnawing at his mind.

What exactly was happening in that dorm room?

He wasn't sure what he was hoping for, maybe a logical explanation, something that could put Maya's fears to rest. But a part of him couldn't shake the feeling that whatever was happening... it wasn't normal.

One thing was for sure, he wasn't going to rest until he found out the truth.

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