Seeing the sentence written on the room wall, the three of them froze for a few seconds.
"The basement is waiting for you."
Imama's heart was racing.
"Jihan… this isn't a joke…" she whispered.
Ahmad spoke softly,
"Bro… I think all of this is connected to the basement."
Jihan stared at the wall intently. His mind was focused on one thing—
The basement.
He took a deep breath.
"We're going back."
Imama immediately burst out,
"WHAT?! Are you serious?!"
Ahmad was shocked too.
"Bro, after everything that just happened… you want to go back there?"
Jihan spoke in a serious tone,
"Yes."
"Because if we don't go… it will come looking for us."
Silence fell over the room.
After a few minutes…
The three of them walked through the dark school corridor.
It was night. The school was almost empty.
The lights flickered softly.
Imama could clearly feel someone watching them.
"Jihan…"
"Hmm?"
"I don't feel good about this…"
Jihan said softly,
"Just a little further."
Finally, they reached the basement gate.
The gate was half-open, as if someone was waiting for them.
Ahmad whispered,
"Bro… last time this gate was locked."
Jihan pushed the gate.
Creeeaaak…
The gate slowly opened.
Complete darkness lay inside.
Jihan turned on the flashlight.
The three of them slowly descended the stairs.
With every step, the air grew colder.
Suddenly—
The basement light turned on by itself.
Imama froze completely.
"Jihan… who turned on the light?"
Jihan was confused too.
"We didn't…"
Then, something moved in the corner of the basement.
The flashlight swept across, and in that moment—
They saw someone standing.
A girl.
In a white dress.
Her long hair covered her face.
Imama's breath caught.
"J-Jihan…"
Jihan was shocked too.
"Who… who are you?"
The girl slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes were completely black.
A strange smile spread across her face.
Ahmad stepped back.
"Bro… this isn't normal…"
The girl suddenly whispered,
"You came back…"
Jihan's body froze.
"Who… are you?"
The girl pointed directly at Imama.
"She remembers."
Imama's heart started racing.
"M-me?"
Suddenly, flash images filled Imama's mind.
Old school corridors…
Students…
And a girl…
Being pushed down the stairs.
Imama screamed,
"STOP!"
Jihan grabbed her.
"Imama! What did you see?!"
Her face turned pale.
"I… I remember everything…"
"This school… I've been here before…"
Jihan was shocked.
"WHAT?"
Imama said slowly,
"I was a student here six years ago."
Ahmad was shocked too.
"Why didn't you ever tell us?"
Tears filled Imama's eyes.
"Because… that day an accident happened."
Jihan asked slowly,
"What kind of accident?"
Imama's voice trembled as she spoke,
"There was a girl… her name was Areeba."
The basement suddenly grew colder.
"She was my classmate."
"That day we all went near the basement…"
"But someone pushed her down the stairs."
Ahmad asked in shock,
"So… she died?"
Imama nodded slowly.
"Everyone called it an accident…"
"But I always felt… it wasn't an accident."
At that moment—
Slow clapping echoed from the corner of the basement.
Clap… Clap… Clap…
The three of them froze.
The girl appeared again in front of them.
This time her face was clearly visible.
She spoke softly—
"My name… is Areeba."
Imama's heart almost stopped.
"Th-this is impossible…"
Areeba's dark smile widened.
"You all forgot me…"
"But I never left this place."
Suddenly, a black shadow moved along the wall.
But this shadow wasn't human.
Its shape looked extremely dangerous.
Jihan shone his flashlight on it.
And in that moment—
The shadow suddenly moved behind them.
Ahmad screamed,
"RUN!"
The three of them ran toward the stairs.
But footsteps followed them from behind.
Step… Step… Step…
As if someone was chasing them.
Imama, terrified, almost started crying.
"Jihan please!"
Jihan held her hand tightly.
"Don't look back!"
But when they reached the stairs—
Jihan looked back for just a second.
His face turned pale.
The shadow was changing into human form.
Its face slowly became visible.
It was Areeba.
But this time her eyes were completely black.
She whispered slowly—
"You pushed me… Jihan."
Jihan's heart stopped.
"WHAT?!"
Areeba's voice echoed through the basement.
"Six years ago… you were there too."
Imama and Ahmad looked at him in shock.
And in that moment, Jihan had a flash memory.
The same stairs…
The same basement…
And a girl falling.
Jihan's face went pale.
"This… this can't be possible…"
Areeba's dark smile deepened.
"You can run… but you can't escape your past."