Mira didn't unpack again.
She just left her bag near the door.
Like she might still leave at any moment.
Even if she wasn't sure she could.
The apartment felt different now.
Not just strange.
Hostile.
Like it knew she had tried to leave.
She sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the paper in her hands.
The rules.
They didn't feel ridiculous anymore.
They felt… necessary.
"…What even is this place?" she murmured.
No answer.
Of course.
She let out a breath and rubbed her temples.
"Think," she muttered. "Just think."
The landlord knew something.
That was obvious.
And the residents—
At least one of them definitely wasn't normal.
Her mind drifted back to the list.
Her eyes stopped on one line.
Rule 11. Never enter Apartment 407.
She frowned.
"…Why that one specifically?"
Out of all the rules, that one felt the most direct.
The most intentional.
Which meant…
There was something there.
Before she could stop herself, she stood up.
"…No," she muttered. "Bad idea."
She grabbed her jacket anyway.
"This is a bad idea."
She walked to the door.
Paused.
Then opened it.
The hallway was quiet again.
It always was.
Mira stepped out and closed the door behind her.
Locked it.
Then started walking.
Her footsteps echoed softly.
302.
303.
304.
She stopped.
305.
She didn't look at it.
Didn't even slow down.
Just kept walking.
306.
307.
The numbers kept going.
Her heart started beating faster with each step.
"…This is stupid," she whispered.
But she didn't turn back.
She reached the end of the hallway.
The elevator stood there.
Old.
Silent.
The doors slightly scratched.
Mira hesitated.
Then pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
She pressed it again.
Still nothing.
"…Of course."
She turned toward the stairwell.
Then paused.
Rule 9. Avoid the stairwell between 1–2 AM.
She checked her phone.
11:48 PM.
"…I'm fine."
The stairwell was darker.
Quieter.
Her footsteps echoed louder here.
Each step felt heavier.
Like the building was listening.
She climbed slowly.
Floor 3.
Then 4.
Her breathing picked up slightly.
Not from exhaustion.
From something else.
Something she couldn't explain.
The fourth floor felt different.
The moment she stepped out, she knew.
The air felt colder.
Heavier.
The hallway lights flickered once.
Then steadied.
Mira swallowed.
"…Okay."
She stepped forward.
401.
402.
403.
Her pace slowed.
404.
405.
406.
She stopped.
Right in front of the last door.
407.
It looked normal.
Just like every other door.
But…
It didn't feel normal.
Her chest tightened.
Like something was pressing down on it.
Telling her to leave.
Her hand moved before her brain could catch up.
She reached out.
Knocked.
Once.
Silence.
Mira let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
"…See? Nothing."
The door opened.
A man stood inside.
Tall.
Pale.
His expression was calm.
Too calm.
Like he had been expecting her.
"…You shouldn't be here," he said.
His voice was quiet.
Almost gentle.
Mira froze.
Her heart started racing again.
"…I just wanted to—"
"Leave."
The word cut her off immediately.
His eyes shifted past her.
Down the hallway.
Like he was checking something.
"…Now."
Something in his tone made her take a step back.
"…Why?"
For a second, he didn't answer.
Then—
"This building isn't safe."
Mira let out a small, nervous laugh.
"Yeah, I figured that much."
His gaze snapped back to her.
"No," he said.
"You don't understand."
There was something different in his eyes now.
Something urgent.
Something real.
"This place isn't just dangerous."
A pause.
Then—
"It's a trap."
A sound echoed through the hallway.
Soft.
But wrong.
Both of them froze.
The man's expression changed instantly.
"Go," he said sharply.
"Back to your room. Now."
Mira hesitated.
"Go!"
She turned and ran.
Her footsteps echoed loudly as she rushed toward the stairs.
The lights flickered once.
Twice.
Her heart dropped.
Rule 6.
If the lights flicker twice, leave the corridor.
"I am leaving!" she muttered under her breath.
She reached the stairs and ran down.
Fast.
Too fast.
Her chest burned.
Her legs ached.
But she didn't stop.
When she finally reached her floor, she rushed to her door and unlocked it quickly.
Slipped inside.
Locked it.
Her back hit the door as she tried to catch her breath.
Silence.
Nothing followed her.
For now.
Mira slid down to the floor, her hands shaking slightly.
"…A trap?"
Her mind raced.
The rules.
The residents.
The landlord.
Apartment 407.
None of it made sense.
But one thing was clear now.
She wasn't just staying in a strange building.
She was trapped in it.