The footsteps dragged closer, the sound echoing in the tense silence of the room. Everyone instinctively shifted, their gazes locked on the closed door.
"Stay together," Jack ordered, his voice calm but edged with unease. He stepped forward, placing himself between the door and the rest of the group.
The knocking returned—this time sharper, angrier.
Hao tilted his head, his grin forced and sharp. "Is it just me, or does our guest seem… impatient?"
"Don't joke," Kai snapped, his voice low. He moved toward the edge of the group, positioning himself near Gladly, his stance protective. "We need to be prepared for anything."
The cold watcher, Naya, stepped forward, her eyes narrowing at the door. "No one opens it unless I say so."
Z stayed at the back, leaning casually against his cane, though his heart raced. He could see it now—the faint traces of a shadow spilling in under the door, writhing like black smoke. His vision pulsed as the grey of its form solidified, twisting into something vaguely human. The sight clawed at his mind, his stomach lurching.
Chaos thrives here, he thought grimly.
"What do you see, Z?" Gladly asked suddenly, her eyes locking onto him.
Z straightened, his smile soft and disarming. "Nothing special. Just a hunch that whoever—or whatever—is out there isn't here to make friends."
Jack turned toward the group. "Weapons ready, if you've got them. T-Jan, Kai, you're up front with me. Neo, Hao, cover the flanks. Naya—"
"I know my role," she interrupted coldly, her gaze never leaving the door.
The dragging footsteps stopped abruptly, followed by another sharp knock.
And then, a voice.
"Open the door."
The words were soft, almost melodic, but carried an unnatural weight. It sounded like multiple voices speaking in unison, layered over one another in a way that made Z's ears buzz painfully.
"Don't," Naya hissed, her expression dark. "No matter what it says, don't open the door."
But the voice continued, now louder, more insistent. "Open the door. You must open the door."
Neo took a hesitant step back, his bravado cracking. "Is it just me, or is anyone else feeling like it's crawling into their head?"
Z's cane tapped the floor softly as he moved closer to the group. "It's not just you," he murmured, his tone light despite the mounting dread. "Something's… leaking through."
Suddenly, the shadow under the door surged forward, stretching toward their feet like ink spilled on water. It lashed out, reaching for Kai, who instinctively leapt back with a curse.
Naya acted swiftly, raising her hand. "I see, I observe, I conclude!"
Her skill flared again, and the shadow's advance halted as her deduction took hold. The writhing tendrils froze, fracturing into shards of light before dissipating entirely.
But the voice didn't stop.
"You cannot escape me. Open the door."
The room fell deathly quiet as everyone stared at the door.
Z's grip tightened on his cane. His lips parted slightly, tasting the air, the faint scent of Chaos lingering in his nostrils. Whatever was out there wasn't following the Ladder's rules.
It was something else entirely.
The tension in the room was a living thing as Anarmika stepped forward. His expression was calm, almost serene, as if the eerie voice and ominous knocking meant nothing to him.
"What are you doing?" Jack demanded, his voice sharp with disbelief.
Anarmika ignored him, reaching for the handle.
"No!" Naya barked, her usual cold demeanor cracking. "Don't open—"
The door swung open before she could finish.
Everyone held their breath, weapons drawn and ready for an attack. But there was nothing.
The corridor beyond was completely empty.
Anarmika turned back to face them, his dark eyes unblinking. "There's a rule," he said in his calm, measured tone. "If there's knocking, you open the door."
Gladly nodded, stepping beside him. "And another rule," she added, her voice just as detached. "You don't go outside at night."
The group fell silent as the realization sank in.
Z glanced down at the pale blue pajamas they were all wearing. His fingers brushed the soft fabric as a chill ran down his spine. It was night.
Gladly and Anarmika exchanged a look, then turned to the rest of the group. Their faces were unreadable, cold, and distant.
"Goodnight," Anarmika said simply, his tone flat but final.
"Stay safe," Gladly added, her words almost mocking.
And just like that, the two of them walked away, leaving the rest of the group frozen in place.
Z watched them go, his mind racing. Something about them didn't sit right. He thought back to the bloody words on the note in his room, the ominous warning he had barely been able to decipher. The rule about roommates echoed in his head, louder now that he realized the full implications.
He glanced at the others as Jack and Neo walked away. "Did you and T-Jan wake up in the same room?" He asked Hao who nodded hastily.
Suddenly he became hyperaware that he, Naya, and Kai were the only ones without assigned roommates.
What if… I already have one? The thought sent a shiver down his spine. His gaze darted back to the empty doorway, half-expecting to see a figure standing there, unseen by anyone else.
Hao's voice broke the silence. "Well, this is a bit grim, huh?" He grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, maybe we should all just bunk together. Safety in numbers, right?"
Naya shook her head sharply. "Don't be stupid. There's a reason we weren't assigned roommates. The Ladder doesn't make mistakes. Rooming together might break a rule, or worse—it might set something in motion we can't undo. You shouldn't plant a death flag this early."
Hao rolled his eyes but didn't argue. "Fine. Whatever you say, Watcher."
Kai, however, didn't even wait for the conversation to finish. Without a word, he turned and walked away, his footsteps resounding down the hall.
Naya blinked, then sighed. "This group is hopeless," she muttered before following him.
Z stood there for a moment longer, watching Hao shift uncomfortably in place.
"You're a quiet one, huh?" Hao said, grinning awkwardly. "Well, I guess I'll just—"
Z cut him off with a warm smile. "Goodnight, Hao."
With that, Z turned and left, the sound of his cane tapping softly against the floor as he made his way back to his room.
He hesitated at the door, his hand hovering over the handle. For the first time since entering this twisted game, a kind of fear took hold of him.
What if someone—or something—was waiting for him on the other side?
"Suppose going in is the only way of knowing,"
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and stepped inside. The room was as he had left it, the faint scent of blood still lingering in the air.
His gaze lingered on the note on the table, the words scrawled in blood still fresh in his memory.
"Are you sure you're alone?"
Z swallowed hard, his grip tightening on his cane.
He didn't sleep that night.