The red glow from the walls faded, leaving them in dim, flickering light.
Felix was still shaking. "I'm done. I've officially quit life as we know it."
Lara groaned. "I don't even know who I am anymore. We walked into a school, and now… what? We're part of a horror game?"
Sarah crouched beside Mira. "Mira… what is going on? How did you know the creature was herding us?"
Mira stayed silent for a long moment. Her eyes were fixed on the center of the room, where faint shadows still lingered.
"…I was here before," she finally said, her voice barely audible.
Felix nearly fell off his chair. "WHAT?!"
Sarah grabbed her shoulders. "Explain. Now."
Mira hesitated. "…Not here. Not the building itself… but somewhere like it. I… I've seen this place in my dreams. Every detail. Every corner. The halls. The walls. Even the monsters."
Kai frowned. "Dreams don't make doors appear and monsters chase you."
"I didn't just dream it," Mira said. Her hands were shaking. "I remember. I… I was here as a child. But I didn't stay long enough to understand. And then I forgot… until now."
Lara tilted her head. "Wait, wait. You mean… Mira is part of the school?"
Mira didn't answer directly. She just whispered, "It knows me. That's why it's learning so fast. And that's why it's hunting us."
Felix groaned. "Oh, wonderful. So the only calm one in the group is basically a beacon for death monsters. Fantastic."
Sarah's face hardened. "Then we use that. Mira, if the school knows you… maybe you can control it. Maybe we can fight back."
Mira looked at them, fear and determination warring in her eyes. "…I don't know if I can."
Kai put a hand on her shoulder. "We'll do it together. No one gets left behind."
The ticking sound returned, louder now. Every corner of the room seemed to stretch and warp, shadows twisting toward them.
Then the desks floated up again, as if sensing their hesitation.
Lara groaned. "Okay, great. Animated furniture. We're officially in a haunted IKEA, everyone. Can we not die today?"
Suddenly, the shadow from the hallway reappeared—its long limbs bending unnaturally, its smooth, smiling face just beyond the doorframe.
It moved closer.
Mira stepped forward. "…It won't leave me alone."
Sarah drew in a deep breath. "Then we make it leave. Together."
Felix looked around. "I so hope this is going to work."
The shadows crept forward.
Mira's hands trembled—but slowly, she raised them.
Her eyes glowed faintly.
"…Stop."
And for a heartbeat, everything froze.
The shadows wavered.
Then the creature hissed—like it hadn't expected resistance.
Sarah whispered, "That's it. We've got a chance."
For the first time, the friends realized: Mira's secret might be the key to surviving Noorwood High.