---
With the soft pitter-patter of rain in the background, Rimjhim smiled and said,
"Tip-tip... it's raining outside..."
Riya replied in a tired voice,
"So what? I'm feeling dizzy."
"Oh please! Let's go outside..."
"Are you serious? The wet clothes, the cold… no way!"
"But just look at the weather! I haven't even taken a shower today!"
"That's your problem, not mine. I'm not going… and what if the teachers find out we're bunking class?"
"Come on!" Rimjhim said, grabbing Riya by the feet.
"Have you no shame?"
"Move it!" she pulled her to her feet and dragged her out.
And just like that, the two of them were out in the rain, dancing, laughing, playing...
Slowly, everything began to fade.
Riya, mid-laughter, suddenly stopped.
She looked ahead—her friend's face stood before her…
But she wasn't smiling.
Riya, alarmed, asked,
"What's wrong?"
Blood was dripping from Rimjhim's head.
"Why didn't you come looking for me?"
"You… you could've saved me, right? Didn't I tell you…"
"I… I…"
"Why didn't you save me? Mom... don't let go of my hand..."
Riya jolted awake, gasping —
"Oh... it was a dream."
Sometimes even the sweetest dreams turn into nightmares.
And outside, it really was raining.
She quietly stepped out into the rain.
There, sitting under a tree, shivering, she was suddenly embraced by her younger sister.
"No… she couldn't have committed suicide. There's something more to this," Riya thought.
---
The next day, Riya walked into a corridor whispered about in hushed tones.
They called it the Cursed Hallway—the same one where the suicide had happened.
"Locked! Oh no… it's locked from the other side too! Now where do I go?"
She shared everything with Ankita and the CR, hoping they'd help her find a way in.
"Are you crazy? That place is haunted," Ankita warned.
"No one's allowed in there," the CR added.
"Please… she was my friend…" Riya's voice broke.
The CR hesitated, but then said softly,
"Alright. Come back in the evening. I'll get the key for you."
"Thank you so much!"
---
That night, the school was quiet.
An eerie silence hung in the air.
Riya quietly unlocked the door.
Darkness enveloped the space.
"No one even cleaned this place…"
As she reached to turn on the light, she heard the faint drip of water…
Then a loud slam—a door had shut behind her.
"There shouldn't be anyone here…" she whispered.
She ignored it and continued walking.
Suddenly, it felt like someone was following her.
She neared a door, turned around slowly—
No one.
But as soon as she looked forward again, a pair of hands grabbed her neck and slammed her to the ground.
"Wh-Who are you?"
Hair scattered across her face, breath short.
"I knew it…" a soft voice echoed.
"What?" Riya gasped.
"Who are you?"
As the hair slowly moved away from the attacker's face, Riya's head hit the wall with a thud.
"You?!"
"Esha?!"
**"What are you doing here?! What have