Chapter 7
565 Words
Selin chose a quiet café, distant from the university, to meet Emily. After their conversation, Selin left, ensuring they weren't followed.
She then reunited with Mia, Jake, and Mike.
"Selin briefed them on her conversation with Emily. "Emily's story matches yours, Mia," Selin said. "Tied to a chair, white figure, waking up in the corridor... it's uncanny."
Jake's eyes narrowed. "Did she remember anything else?"
Selin nodded. "A man in a hoodie. Emily saw him in the hallway before the incident."
Mike's expression turned determined. "We need to find out who that is."
Mia's eyes widened, relief washing over her face. "This confirms it's not just me. We're not going crazy."
Did you notice anything similar, Mia?" Jake asked, his eyes locked onto hers. "Anyone suspicious or out of place?"
Mia hesitated, her brow furrowed. "I'm not really sure... I'm not good with faces, and I don't really interact with many people outside my department."
"Understandable," Mike said gently. "You're an introvert."
Mia nodded. "But... I did have this feeling of being followed. It started a few weeks ago. I'd see someone out of the corner of my eye, but when I turned around, no one was there."
Selin's expression turned serious. "Did you tell anyone?"
Mia shook her head. "I thought it was just my imagination. But now... I'm not so sure."
Jake's jaw clenched. "We'll look into it. Anyone who's been around you, anyone who's been acting strange."
Mike nodded. "We'll review the university's security footage, see if we can spot anyone suspicious."
Mia's eyes widened, a mix of fear and gratitude. "Thank you, guys. Just knowing I'm not crazy... it means a lot."
"Alright, let's get to work," Jake said. "How do we get our hands on the security footage without raising suspicions?"
Mike's expression turned sly. "Leave that to me. I'll hack into the system."
Selin raised an eyebrow. "Mike, are you sure that's a good idea?"
Mike shrugged. "It's the fastest way to get the footage. Besides, I've got skills."
Mia's eyes widened. "Be careful, Mike. We don't want to risk getting caught."
Mike grinned. "Don't worry, I've covered my tracks before. I'll get the footage without leaving a digital footprint."
Jake nodded. "Alright, Mike's got this. Meanwhile, Selin, can you dig up any info on past incidents similar to Mia's?"
Selin nodded. "Already on it."
As a social butterfly, Selin effortlessly gathered information through casual conversations with classmates. Despite struggling academically, she excelled at collecting juicy gossip, especially supernatural rumors.
Selin asked her classmate, Rachel, "Have you heard about the old cases?"
Rachel leaned in. "You mean the girl who died 10 years ago?"
Selin nodded.
"That was so sad," Rachel said. "She was found dead in the school corridor. No one knows what happened. It was like she just... passed away."
Selin's eyes widened. "And what about recent incidents?"
Rachel hesitated. "It's weird. Nothing strange happened for years after that. But then, about 3 years ago, people started reporting hearing strange voices in the hallways."
Selin's curiosity grew. "What kind of voices?"
Rachel shrugged. "Whispers, mostly. Some people thought it was just the wind or their imagination, but others swore they heard words."
Selin's mind raced. "And then Mia and Emily's kidnappings happened."
Rachel nodded. "Yeah. It's like something woke up 3 years ago, and now we're dealing with this."
Selin's determination grew. "I need to dig deeper."
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