The Dormitory's Nightly Visitors: The Bedboard's Ghostly Guests

The dormitory at the prestigious Qinghe University had always been known for its serene beauty, nestled in the heart of a lush campus. Its rows of dormitory buildings were a testament to modern architecture, but beneath their pristine facades lay untold secrets. One such secret was whispered about in hushed tones by the students: the haunted dormitory, known for its nightly visitors.

The dormitory in question was Building 12, a five-story structure that had seen better days. Its walls were peeling, and the floors creaked under the weight of the students' footsteps. Despite its age, the dormitory was still inhabited by students who dared to face the unknown. Among them was a group of four friends: Li Wei, Zhang Wei, Wang Lin, and Liu Hua.

One stormy night, as the wind howled and rain pelted the windows, the four friends decided to gather in the common room to play a game of "Ghost Stories." The game was a local favorite, and the group had been looking forward to a thrilling evening. However, little did they know that this night would be unlike any other.

As they settled in, Li Wei began to recount a tale of the dormitory's haunted history. According to the legend, a young woman had taken her own life there many years ago, and her spirit had been trapped in the old bedboard that served as the headboard of her bed. The story went that if someone slept on that bedboard, they would be haunted by the woman's ghost.

Zhang Wei, always skeptical, rolled his eyes. "That's just an old myth," he said. "There's nothing to it."

Li Wei ignored him, his eyes fixed on the old bedboard. "Well, let's find out for ourselves," he suggested. "Who's going to be the first to sleep on that bedboard?"

Wang Lin, ever the optimist, volunteered. "I'll be the first. What's the worst that can happen?"

As Wang Lin laid down on the bedboard, the room fell into a heavy silence. The wind outside seemed to howl louder, and the rain beat against the windows like a relentless drum. Wang Lin shivered, feeling the bedboard beneath him vibrate slightly.

"Feel anything?" Zhang Wei asked, his voice tinged with fear.

Wang Lin nodded. "Yes, something... It's like there's someone here."

The others exchanged nervous glances. Liu Hua, the group's most superstitious member, reached for the flashlight and turned it on. The beam of light danced across the wall, casting eerie shadows. Wang Lin closed his eyes, his breaths coming faster.

Suddenly, the bedboard creaked again, this time louder than before. Wang Lin opened his eyes to find the flashlight had flickered and gone dark. In the sudden darkness, he heard a faint whisper.

"Help me," it said, barely audible.

Wang Lin's heart raced. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice trembling.

The whisper came again, clearer this time. "I need help. Please, help me."

Li Wei, Zhang Wei, and Liu Hua rushed to Wang Lin's side. They turned on their flashlights, but the darkness seemed to engulf them. The whispers grew louder, and the bedboard vibrated with a newfound intensity.

"Where are you?" Wang Lin demanded, his voice now steady.

The whispers stopped. A moment of eerie silence followed, and then a figure emerged from the darkness. It was the woman from the legend, her eyes hollow and her hair matted with rain. She reached out to Wang Lin, her fingers brushing against his skin.

"Please, help me," she whispered.

Wang Lin felt a strange connection to the woman, as if she were reaching out for him through the years. He reached back, and the woman's hand clasped his. The room seemed to spin, and the four friends were drawn into the past.

They found themselves in the dormitory of the 1920s, where the young woman, named Mei, was living. Mei had been a bright and promising student, but her dreams were shattered when she discovered she was pregnant. Unable to bear the shame, she took her own life, leaving behind her baby.

Wang Lin, Li Wei, Zhang Wei, and Liu Hua were now part of Mei's final moments. They saw her struggle with the bedboard, her fingers slipping, and her eyes filled with despair. As the whispers grew louder, they realized they were the only ones who could save her.

With a collective effort, they pushed Mei away from the bedboard. The whispers stopped, and the woman's spirit seemed to release its hold on the dormitory. The past faded away, and they returned to the present, the room bathed in light.

Wang Lin opened his eyes to find the others standing over him, their faces a mixture of relief and awe. The bedboard no longer vibrated, and the whispers were gone.

"Are you okay?" Li Wei asked, his voice trembling.

Wang Lin nodded. "I think we saved her."

As the night wore on, the four friends shared a moment of silence, reflecting on the events of the evening. They realized that sometimes, the past needed to be laid to rest before the future could begin.

From that night on, the old bedboard in Building 12 was left untouched. The whispers were gone, and the legend of the haunted dormitory faded into obscurity. The students of Building 12 were left to wonder if they had truly helped Mei find peace, or if her spirit still wandered the halls, searching for help.

The Dormitory's Nightly Visitors: The Bedboard's Ghostly Guests was a chilling tale of fear, courage, and the power of friendship. It was a story that would be whispered among the students of Qinghe University for generations, a reminder that sometimes, the past is not as easy to escape as one might think.