The Haunting Call of Midnight

In the heart of a bustling university town, the old dormitory stood as a silent sentinel, its brick walls cloaked in ivy and tales of the past. The students at the university whispered about the "Cursed Midnight Call" that echoed through the halls, a chilling phenomenon that no one could explain or avoid.

Among them was Alex, a senior with a knack for solving mysteries. One cold, moonlit night, the dormitory was as still as death, save for the occasional creak of the wooden floors. Alex's phone vibrated in his pocket—a text message from an unknown number: "You're next."

Confused, Alex showed the message to his friends, a small group of roommates who had become like family. The text was a simple, ominous warning, but it sent a shiver down their spines. They decided to investigate the source of the message.

As they entered the old dormitory, the air seemed to grow colder, and the dim light flickered ominously. The corridors were eerie, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls. They reached the room number on the message—a room that had been abandoned for years.

Inside, the room was in disarray, old furniture overturned, dust and cobwebs collecting in forgotten corners. The walls were peeling, and the once vibrant colors had faded to a sickly shade of grey. They found a small, dusty mirror leaning against the wall and noticed a strange mark etched into the wood near the door.

"Look at this," said Jamie, Alex's best friend. "It's like some kind of symbol. It has to mean something."

The group decided to examine the mark more closely. Suddenly, the mirror began to glow, and the image within it changed. It showed a dorm room, but not their room—they were watching the past unfold. The image was grainy and flickering, but they could make out the figure of a young woman, her eyes wide with terror.

"What's happening?" whispered Alex, his voice trembling.

Before they could react, the mirror shattered into a thousand pieces, and the room filled with a chilling wind. The image vanished, and the group found themselves standing in the room, looking at the shattered mirror.

"This place is haunted," said Jamie, his voice barely above a whisper.

The phone vibrated again. It was a video message, the same number they had received the text from. The video showed a woman with long hair, her eyes red-rimmed from crying. She was standing in the room, looking directly into the camera.

"You have until midnight to save us," she whispered. "We're trapped here, and we need your help."

The group exchanged worried glances. They knew they had to find a way to break the curse, but they had no idea how. They spent the next few days searching the university, trying to uncover the mystery of the cursed dorm and the woman in the mirror.

Their investigation led them to an old almanac in the university's library, a book filled with strange rituals and forgotten lore. They discovered that the dorm had once been home to a sorority, but a tragedy had befallen them. The sorority sisters were said to have been cursed by an ancient spell after a tragic accident, leaving them trapped in the dorm until their curse was lifted.

The group realized that the symbol on the mirror was a key to unlocking the curse. They needed to perform a ritual to break the spell, but they had to do it before midnight or they would be trapped in the dorm forever.

With little time left, the group raced back to the dorm. They gathered around the mirror, reciting the incantation they had found in the almanac. The room filled with a strange light, and the walls began to glow. The group felt a presence, and the room seemed to shake as the curse was broken.

The mirror shattered, and the image of the woman vanished. The room grew cold again, and the group stood in silence. They had done it. They had broken the curse.

As they left the dorm, the weight of the curse seemed to lift from their shoulders. They had faced their fears and solved the mystery, but the experience had left a lasting impression on them.

The Cursed Midnight Call had been a warning, a challenge, and a test of their courage. They had faced the unknown and come out stronger, forever changed by the experience.

The group continued their lives, but the dormitory and the woman in the mirror remained a haunting memory. They had been lucky to escape the curse, but they knew that the dormitory was still a place of mystery and danger.

As they walked away from the old dormitory, they couldn't shake the feeling that the curse was still lingering, waiting for the next unsuspecting soul to cross its threshold. The Cursed Midnight Call had been answered, but the question was, who would be next?