During the tarot reading for Grant, Hayley lost her usual composure.
She had confidently identified him as a Leo earlier when he claimed not to know anything about astrology.
Now—
she cautiously began interpreting the cards.
"Generous."
"Loyal."
"A natural leader..."
Just then, Grant interrupted again.
Hayley immediately became annoyed.
"Leos are also stubborn and arrogant."
"They always think they're right."
"Mars corresponds to the Tower."
"It represents destruction and collapse."
"It's in your seventh house of relationships."
"Instead of listening and understanding, you're only making things worse."
Grant's expression darkened.
He turned his head away.
"How am I not understanding?"
"I'm interpreting the astrology."
"I'm not talking about us."
Grant laughed coldly.
"Sounds exactly like you're talking about us."
"I'm not—"
"Maybe you should look at your own reading first."
With that—
he stood up.
His face slightly flushed with anger.
Meanwhile—
Hayley looked toward the thirteenth card in the center.
Then her expression changed.
"Wait."
"The Devil represents your dark side."
"You're walking down a dangerous path."
"You need to face your inner demons."
"You need to make sacrifices."
"Otherwise..."
"...you may lose someone important."
Unfortunately—
Grant didn't believe a single word.
To him, it sounded like yet another metaphor about their failed relationship.
Without another word—
he turned and left the living room.
Lucas quickly got up and followed him.
The previously lively atmosphere immediately became awkward.
After Grant left—
Hayley shuffled the cards again.
Now—
she would read her own future.
And the result was almost identical to before.
The Death card.
Love would become the cause of her death.
Or perhaps—
it represented a romance destined never to bear fruit.
After a night of drinking and games—
everyone was exhausted.
One after another—
they returned to their rooms to sleep.
Only the living room remained silent.
In the darkness—
the wooden box containing the tarot cards emitted a faint scarlet glow.
Like a living thing.
Breathing.
Pulsing.
Watching.
The next morning.
Lucas sat in the back seat of the car with a smug expression.
"I told you."
"That shop owner was obviously a fraud."
"We did tarot readings all night."
"Did anything happen?"
"Nothing."
Ellis rubbed her forehead.
Clearly uninterested in listening.
"Fine."
"Whatever you say."
"If you can't cure my headache, stop talking."
"I'm already miserable enough."
Lucas shrugged.
"That's because you can't handle alcohol."
"Don't blame anyone else."
"Look at Hayley."
"Look at everyone else."
"Aren't they all fine?"
The group packed up and began driving back to school.
During a stop at a gas station—
Lucas suddenly slapped the window excitedly.
His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"I won!"
"I actually won!"
Out of boredom—
he had purchased a scratch-off lottery ticket.
And somehow—
won seven hundred dollars.
The unexpected luck immediately lifted everyone's spirits.
For a while—
the car was filled with laughter again.
No one remembered Hayley's warning from the previous night.
Not even Lucas himself.
By the time everyone returned to campus—
night had already fallen.
Inside Ellis's dormitory—
all of her roommates had gone to fraternity activities.
She was alone.
And honestly—
she preferred it that way.
A quiet dorm.
A hot shower.
A phone call with her best friend Paige.
Perfect.
After finishing her shower—
she stepped back into the hallway.
Then stopped.
The attic ladder had somehow been pulled down.
Ellis frowned.
"Seriously?"
"Maybe the school should start teaching basic public manners."
She looked upward.
The attic above was dark.
Silent.
Uncomfortable.
"Hello?"
"Anybody up there?"
No response.
Only her own voice echoed through the empty dormitory.
Then—
a cold gust of wind brushed past her neck.
Instantly—
goosebumps covered her skin.
Without hesitation—
she pushed the ladder upward.
Closed the attic hatch.
And hurried back toward her room.
A few minutes later—
BANG!
A heavy impact struck the dormitory door.
Then—
footsteps.
Rapid footsteps.
As though someone had slammed the door open and sprinted away.
Ellis immediately opened her room door.
Nothing.
No one.
Confused—
she looked down the hallway.
Then froze.
The attic ladder—
was down again.
A shadow seemed to move behind her.
Ellis spun around.
No one.
The hallway lights flickered.
She stared toward the attic.
"Natalie?"
"Claire?"
No answer.
Then—
a faint laugh echoed through the corridor.
A tiny sound.
Yet impossibly clear.
Suddenly—
Ellis relaxed.
Of course.
Her roommates were pranking her.
That had to be it.
Smiling helplessly—
she tiptoed toward the attic.
A noise came from above.
That confirmed it.
Someone was definitely hiding up there.
Step by step—
she climbed upward.
Toward the darkness.
Toward the end of the attic.
Her upper body emerged through the opening.
The flashlight in her hand became the only source of light.
Boxes.
Dust.
Storage containers.
Nothing else.
No people.
No roommates.
Then—
behind her head—
a pair of black feet silently drifted through the darkness.
Ellis turned instantly.
Nothing.
Below—
the hallway lights flickered violently.
Then went dark.
Completely dark.
"Who's there?!"
"Who's down there?!"
Her voice trembled.
No answer.
Only faint laughter.
Then—
a bright light appeared above her.
Ellis looked upward.
And froze.
Everything had changed.
The clutter was gone.
The attic was now filled with rows upon rows of burning candles.
Hundreds of them.
Inverted crosses hung from the ceiling.
Surrounding her from every direction.
Ellis stared in horror.
Then noticed something lying directly in front of her.
A tarot card.
Shaking—
she picked it up.
The High Priestess.
The exact card she had drawn the night before.
Then—
something moved behind it.
A woman.
A horrifying woman with a rotting face.
A white blindfold covered her eyes.
She crawled forward on all fours.
Hissing.
Black blood dripped from her teeth.
Splattering across the wooden floorboards.
The terrifying sight caused Ellis to lose her balance.
She fell.
Hard.
Her phone slipped from her hand and crashed onto the floor below.
Beep.
Beep.
Beep.
The screen lit up.
Peggy Calling...
For the first time—
hope appeared in Ellis's eyes.
Ignoring the agony throughout her body—
she crawled desperately toward the phone.
Just as her fingertips were about to touch it—
an invisible force grabbed her ankle.
And dragged her away.
The attic ladder suddenly lifted itself into the air.
Sharp claws gripped its sides.
Then—
SLAM!
The ladder crashed down onto Ellis's back.
Crack.
The sound echoed through the darkness.
Her spine shattered.
The pain was so overwhelming she couldn't even scream.
Her face turned pale.
Her mouth opened soundlessly.
Like a fish gasping for air.
But it wasn't over.
The ladder rose again.
And again.
And again.
Until—
her back became an unrecognizable mass of blood and broken flesh.
Until—
she stopped breathing.
Blood splattered across the phone screen.
Meanwhile—
Peggy continued calling.
Again.
And again.
And again.
A call that would never be answered.
Ellis's body was discovered soon afterward.
The police were called.
Her family was notified.
And Hayley's group was summoned for questioning.
Only then did they learn the horrifying truth.
Ellis had died the very night they separated.
Inside the police station—
an officer reviewed the case files.
Occasionally glancing toward the students seated across from him.
"None of you have strong alibis."
"And all of you had recent contact with the victim."
"I hope you'll answer honestly."
"Otherwise you may create problems for yourselves."
Grant immediately exploded.
"You think we killed Ellis?!"
"That's ridiculous!"
"We had no motive!"
The officer remained calm.
"Motive isn't always necessary."
"Many crimes happen in moments of emotion."
Before he could continue—
the interrogation room door opened.
A man wearing a long coat entered.
"Detective."
The officer immediately stood.
Straightening his posture.
"I came to check on the case."
"Mind if I ask a few questions?"
"Of course."
The detective nodded.
Then looked toward the six young people.
For some reason—
their expressions felt strangely familiar.
A memory surfaced.
Jamie.
Months ago.
The exact same expression.
The detective sighed inwardly.
"I'll keep this brief."
"Your statements are consistent."
"And no evidence places any of you at the crime scene."
"However—"
"I'd like you to describe anything unusual that happened before the incident."
"It might help move the investigation forward."
Paxton scratched his head.
"Everything?"
"Like going to the bathroom?"
"Sleeping?"
The detective shook his head.
"No."
"I mean unusual events."
"Anything special."
The group fell silent.
A party.
Some drinking.
Some games.
Nothing seemed particularly strange.
Then—
Hayley suddenly remembered something.
She looked up.
"We found a tarot deck."
"And performed readings."
"I don't know if that counts."
The detective immediately focused.
"Special tarot cards?"
"How special?"
Before Hayley could answer—
Lucas groaned.
"Hayley, seriously?"
"You're not still thinking about that nonsense, are you?"
Madeline nodded in agreement.
"Don't tell me you actually believed that antique shop owner."
The moment those words left her mouth—
the detective froze.
Then—
he abruptly stepped forward.
His hands slammed onto the table.
His eyes locked onto Lucas.
"What did you just say?"
The room fell silent.
The detective leaned closer.
"An antique shop owner?"
"Which antique shop owner?"