Classroom 404

It has been more than a week since I transferred to this high school, but I still can't get used to the eerie atmosphere here. Especially that well-known Classroom 404. Every time I pass by it, a chill runs down my spine and an icy feeling surges up in my heart.

I heard from senior schoolmates that a tragic incident happened in Classroom 404 ten years ago. A girl hanged herself there. Since then, every midnight, faint crying sounds can be heard coming from the classroom. The school originally planned to demolish this classroom, but every time there was construction work, either the workers got injured or the equipment malfunctioned inexplicably. With frequent accidents, the school had no choice but to seal the classroom up in the end.

"Never go near Classroom 404," my deskmate, Xiao Lin, warned me seriously with a solemn expression. "Especially at night. That door... it will open by itself. It's really creepy!"

At first, I scoffed at these superstitious rumors and didn't take them seriously at all, until that night.

It was my turn to be on duty that day, and I was responsible for locking the classroom door. After I finished cleaning the classroom and tidying up the desks and chairs, I looked at my watch. It was almost seven o'clock, and it was already completely dark outside. I held a flashlight and walked alone in the empty corridor. It was terribly quiet around, and only the sound of my footsteps echoed. Suddenly, a dull thud came from upstairs, as if something heavy had been slammed onto the ground.

I stopped in my tracks and started to wonder. After much hesitation, I decided to go up and take a look. After all, as a student on duty, it was my responsibility to check the whole building to ensure there were no potential safety hazards.

The corridor on the fourth floor was even darker than those downstairs. The dim beam of the flashlight cast swaying shadows on the wall, which looked somewhat creepy. As I walked, I counted the classroom numbers: 401... 402... 403...

Classroom 404 was at the end of the corridor. Looking from a distance, my heart started pounding rapidly—the door that had been sealed shut actually had a narrow crack open!

I froze in place, torn between going forward and turning back. My reason was desperately urging me to turn around and leave, but my curiosity, like an invisible hand, drove me to move forward involuntarily. As if possessed, I slowly reached out my hand and gently pushed the door open, and the beam of the flashlight shone into the classroom.

The classroom was covered with a thick layer of dust, and the desks and chairs were lying in all directions in a mess. There were still some words written on the blackboard ten years ago, which had become blurred due to the erosion of time. I leaned closer and squinted my eyes to look. Vaguely, I could make out a few words: "Why... don't you believe me..."

Just then, a "creak" sound came from behind me. I shivered all over in fright and turned around abruptly. I saw the classroom door slowly closing. My heart tightened, and I rushed over, reaching out to try to hold the door back, but it was too late. With a "bang", the door closed heavily, and immediately after, I clearly heard the sound of the lock being fastened from the outside.

"Is there anyone there?" I slapped the door hard and shouted at the top of my voice, "Open the door! I'm locked in here!"

All that responded to me was deathly silence. I quickly took out my phone, but the screen showed no signal. The light of the flashlight also started to flicker and dim. I was extremely anxious and slapped it hard, and the beam of light barely lit up again.

Just then, a faint "rustling" sound came from the classroom, which sounded like someone was writing on the blackboard. I felt a chill down my spine and slowly turned around, shining the beam of the flashlight towards the blackboard.

When I saw this, I almost fainted from fright. New words appeared on the blackboard, bright red and dazzling, as if written with blood: "Play with me..."

My legs went weak, and I couldn't stop trembling all over. I almost dropped the flashlight. Suddenly, I felt something cold hanging down from the ceiling and gently brushing against my face. I looked up in horror, and my throat seemed to be choked by an invisible hand. I almost let out a scream—

A girl in a school uniform was hanging upside down from the ceiling. Her long hair hung straight down, and her pale face was facing me. Her eyes were pitch black without a hint of impurity, and the corners of her mouth curved into an extremely eerie smile.

"Finally... someone is here..." she said, her voice as hoarse as sandpaper rubbing. "I've been waiting for so long..."

My head buzzed, and I turned around and ran, but there were suddenly many more desks and chairs in the classroom, lying in all directions and blocking my way. A dull thud came from behind me. I didn't need to look back to know that the girl had jumped down. I couldn't help but glance back and was almost scared out of my wits. I saw her crawling towards me rapidly on all fours like a spider.

I was extremely anxious and pushed the desks and chairs away with all my might. Finally, I ran to the door. I twisted the lock hard, but the lock didn't budge at all. I was both anxious and scared, and I rammed the door with my shoulder. It hurt so much, but the door still remained shut. The girl was getting closer and closer, and I could even clearly hear her eerie "giggling" laughter. Cold sweat instantly soaked through my back.

In a panic, I suddenly remembered what Xiao Lin had said: "That door... will open by itself..."

I closed my eyes in despair, took a deep breath, and said in a trembling voice, "Please... please open the door..."

Miraculously, the lock clicked open. Like grabbing a life-saving straw, I rushed out the door and ran downstairs as fast as I could. Behind me came the girl's shrill crying: "Why... why won't you stay..."

I stumbled all the way home and locked myself in my room, huddling in the corner, still in a state of shock. The next day, I came down with a high fever and was in a daze. I didn't go to school for a whole week.

After I recovered and returned to school, I found that the door of Classroom 404 was sealed shut again. Xiao Lin came over mysteriously and said to me, "Do you know? That girl who committed suicide was also a student on duty before. It is said that she was framed for stealing by her classmates and couldn't defend herself, so she was so depressed that she committed suicide..."

I couldn't help but shiver. The blurred and dazzling words on the blackboard flashed through my mind: "Why... don't you believe me..."

Since then, every time I'm on duty, I leave school early and don't dare to stay a second longer. Every time I pass by Classroom 404, I feel as if I can hear faint crying sounds coming from inside, as well as the sharp sound of nails scratching the blackboard...

Sometimes, I wake up from a nightmare because I dream that I'm back in that terrifying classroom again. The girl is still hanging upside down from the ceiling, showing me an eerie smile and saying softly, "Come and play with me... Stay here... forever..."

This nightmare will probably haunt me for a long time. Every time I pass by Classroom 404 in the future, I will unconsciously quicken my pace. Because I know that the door may open again at any time, and next time, I may not be so lucky...