👻 Chapter 1 — The Last Bell
The last bell of Blackridge High rang at exactly 5:02 PM.
But not everyone left.
Because every Friday, someone stayed behind.
Nobody knew why.
It was just something students understood without being told.
Emma Hart was packing her books slowly inside Classroom B3 when she noticed that the hallway outside was empty.
Completely empty.
No football players shouting in the parking lot.
No girls laughing near the lockers.
No janitor pushing his cleaning cart.
Just silence.
Too heavy for a school that should still be alive with students leaving.
Emma closed her notebook and checked her history assignment.
She was sure she had submitted it earlier in class.
But Mrs. Collins had looked at her and said:
“You should stay after school and confirm your submission.”
Emma remembered thinking it was strange.
Because she had already handed in the work.
But teachers at Blackridge High were sometimes strange.
So she stayed.
Now the school was empty.
Almost.
Tap…
Tap…
Tap…
Emma froze.
The sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Careful.
Like someone was walking barefoot on school tiles.
She turned around slowly.
The classroom door was slightly open.
She was certain she had closed it.
“Hello?” she called softly.
Silence answered.
Then the footsteps stopped.
Emma felt a small chill move across her arms.
She picked up her bag and walked outside.
The hallway lights were dimmer than usual.
One of the bulbs above flickered continuously.
Tap…
Tap…
Tap…
Emma’s heart tightened slightly.
The footsteps started again.
But they only appeared when she walked.
Emma stopped.
The hallway became silent.
She waited.
Then she took one step forward.
Tap.
Another step followed hers.
Her chest tightened violently.
Emma turned around sharply.
The corridor was empty.
But the footsteps stopped when she stopped.
“Someone is following me,” she whispered.
The voice came very softly behind her ear.
“Emma…”
She froze.
Cold breath touched the back of her neck.
“Do not go to the third floor tonight.”
Emma did not turn around.
“Who are you?” she asked.
Silence.
Then the voice spoke again.
“I am the student who was forgotten inside the hallway.”
Emma’s fingers began shaking.
“What hallway?” she whispered.
“The one that appears when the school is ready to feed.”
Emma felt fear crawling inside her stomach.
“What does it feed on?”
The answer came very softly.
“Students.”
At that moment, Emma noticed something terrifying.
At the far end of the corridor, the school clock was frozen.
At exactly 12:00.
Even though she was sure it was around 5 PM earlier.
Then her phone vibrated.
One new message.
From Liam.
The text read:
“Don’t go upstairs. Not only for you. For all of us.”
Emma’s heart skipped violently.
She typed back.
“What do you mean?”
The reply came almost instantly.
“The hallway is already inside the school.”
Emma’s hands trembled.
“What do you mean inside the school?”
Another message arrived.
From an unknown number.
“Tonight, the hallway will choose the first student.”
Emma swallowed.
“First student for what?”
The reply came slowly.
“For forgetting.”
Emma looked slowly toward the staircase leading to the third floor.
The door was slightly open.
Waiting.
Like something inside was breathing.
Slow.
Hungry.
And somewhere inside Blackridge High…
Someone screamed quietly.
