The Haunting of Room 402: A Dormitory's Dark Secret

The old dormitory on the edge of campus had been abandoned for years, a relic of a bygone era that stood as a silent sentinel against the encroaching modernity. Its brick walls, stained with the passage of time, whispered tales of forgotten lives and unspoken regrets. The students who dared to venture there were few, and those who did often returned with stories that were too eerie to be ignored.

The night of the full moon, a group of five friends decided to explore the rumors that had long haunted the campus. They were Alex, the brave leader; Sam, the tech wizard; Jamie, the skeptic; Lily, the nervous one; and Mike, the ghost hunter with a camera that seemed to capture more than just the light.

As they pushed open the creaky gates of the dormitory, the air grew colder. The moon cast long, eerie shadows across the concrete floors, and the silence was oppressive. They climbed the rickety stairs to the second floor, where the legend spoke of a haunted room, Room 402.

The door to Room 402 was slightly ajar, and as they stepped inside, the room seemed to close around them. The walls were adorned with faded posters of rock bands and movie stars from the '80s, the floor littered with old magazines and debris. The only light came from the small window high above, casting dancing shadows on the walls.

Alex, feeling a shiver run down his spine, turned on his phone's flashlight and flicked it around the room. "Look at this," he said, pointing to a small, handwritten note on the window sill. "It says, 'Remember me? I'm watching.'"

Jamie, the skeptic, rolled his eyes. "That's just some kid's graffiti," he said, brushing it off. But as he did, the note fluttered to the floor and rolled under the bed.

"Let's check the rest of the room," Sam suggested, his voice tinged with excitement. He began to search the drawers and cabinets, while Mike set up his camera on a tripod.

Lily, who had been silent since entering the room, suddenly gasped. "Did you hear that?" she asked, her voice trembling. There was a faint whispering sound, as if someone was calling their names from the shadows.

"Shut up, Lily," Mike said, trying to focus on his camera. He adjusted the settings, hoping to capture anything unusual. The camera whirred to life, and they all watched as it recorded the room's stillness.

But as the camera moved, something strange happened. The images flickered, and the room seemed to shift and change. The shadows on the walls twisted and contorted, and a cold wind swept through the room, making the hair on their arms stand on end.

"Look!" Jamie shouted, pointing at the window. Through the glass, they saw a figure standing on the other side, a ghostly apparition that seemed to fade in and out of existence.

The friends exchanged nervous glances. The figure was a young woman, her face contorted in a silent scream. She seemed to be reaching through the glass, trying to touch them.

"Run!" Lily shouted, but it was too late. The ghostly figure lunged towards them, and in a flash of terror, they were all knocked to the floor. The room was spinning, and they could hear the walls creaking under the pressure.

Mike's camera, still rolling, captured the moment. The image showed the room in disarray, with the ghostly woman now standing right in the middle, her eyes wide with fear. The screen went blank as the battery died.

They scrambled to their feet, their hearts pounding in their chests. "We need to get out of here!" Sam shouted, leading the way towards the exit.

But as they reached the door, it slammed shut behind them, trapping them inside. The room grew colder, and the whispers grew louder. The ghostly woman was now surrounded by them, her face twisted with fury.

"Please, help us," Lily pleaded, tears streaming down her face. But the ghost remained silent, her eyes burning with an unquenchable anger.

The friends huddled together, their only hope being the window. But as they looked out, they saw nothing but darkness. The ghostly figure was gone, but the fear remained, a palpable presence that filled the room.

Then, a sudden explosion of light filled the room. The walls crumbled, and the ceiling collapsed, sending debris flying. The friends were thrown to the ground, their senses overwhelmed by the chaos.

When the dust settled, they found themselves outside, the old dormitory in ruins around them. They had escaped, but not without a price. The ghostly woman had vanished, but her presence lingered in the air, a chilling reminder of the darkness that had been released.

The friends made their way back to campus, haunted by the events of the night. They never spoke of the dormitory again, but the legend of Room 402 lived on, a cautionary tale of the supernatural that would forever haunt the hearts of those who dared to venture too close to the dark side.