The Hollow Guest

**Farih’s POV** The clock read two in the afternoon, and we still had class at three PM. I decided to head to the library to focus on reviewing. But when I walked in, the place was crowded. I looked for a quieter place on campus and finally settled on a bench near the garden. I focused on my notes, trying to drown out the low hum of chatter. I tried not to listen to the students’ conversations, but some things just stood out. "Do you think that game is real?" "I don't think so. Maybe it’s just another made-up story by the students here on campus..." "And do you know? I heard that five years ago, some teenagers were forced to play that game..." I couldn't take it anymore. I covered my ears. I was so fed up with all these stories. Instead of focusing on school, they were spreading rumors, scaring each other. I decided to go to our classroom earlier than usual, hoping for some peace. "Farih!" I froze, recognizing the voice even before turning around. Ledger was running toward me. Lean and tall, with tousled hair that gives him a laid-back yet captivating look, he always has that comforting presence. Ledger and I have been friends since we were seven. Now we’re sophomores, currently taking BSBA Marketing Management here at Da Vinaz University. He’s been my pillar, especially since my parents passed away in a car accident. His mom has taken care of me ever since, helping me. I’m grateful, even though my parents are gone. They are here for me. "Let’s go to the department room. Our department shirts have arrived," he said, catching his breath. I nodded with a smile, and we walked down the hallway together. The surroundings were quiet—only a few students were around. As we climbed the stairs, I frowned when I noticed a woman standing near the fourth-floor building. She was wearing a red dress and seemed to be watching and observing the students passing through the quadrangle. I was about to tell Ledger about what I saw, but when I looked back, the woman had suddenly disappeared. I shook my head, thinking I must have been imagining things. When we arrived at the department room, there were already two students inside. A girl with short hair noticed us. "Are you here to get your department shirt?" she asked. "Yes," I replied. "Sizes?" "Small," I answered, looking at Ledger. He hesitated, then muttered, "Medium." There was something strange in his tone, as if his mind was elsewhere. I brushed it off. The girl handed us our shirts, and we left. When we returned to the classroom, our classmates were already there. I sat in my seat and sighed. My seat was near the window, right at the edge. I glanced outside for a moment. The sky was gray—it looked like it was going to rain. I hugged myself when a cold wind suddenly blew. Someone stood up and closed the window. When I saw who it was, I quickly looked away. It was Deus. As usual, he was wearing his Ferrari jacket and leather pants again. He had a piercing on his lip, which added to his intimidating aura, especially with his dark blue hair. People often misjudged him as cold, but I knew there was more to him. I suddenly remembered an embarrassing incident that happened weeks ago. I almost fell down the stairs, but Deus caught me just in time. In the chaos, we both ended up... accidentally kissing. I shook my head, trying to tell myself it wasn’t a big deal, even though it was incredibly embarrassing. I glanced at my watch. It was already three o’clock, but our professor still hadn’t arrived. "Guys, Sir Guerrio announced in the group chat that he won’t be meeting us today," Larae said while looking at her phone. "He just told us to review because next week is our midterm exam." Our classmates reacted differently. Some cheered, others groaned. "Let’s not bother reviewing! We’re going to fail anyway!" someone shouted. Everyone was either on their phones, chatting, or actually reviewing. Our classroom was on the top floor, and not many people passed by. Since there was no class, I decided to go to the restroom. Fortunately, I didn’t have to go down to the fifth floor because there was an old and rarely used restroom on this floor. As I walked, I passed by some unused rooms, most of them covered in cobwebs, especially the ceilings. When I entered the restroom, silence filled the surroundings. I noticed that it was dark and dirty. The flickering lights cast eerie shadows on the cracked tiles. I forced myself to be brave and entered a cubicle. "Farih..." I frowned when I heard someone call my name. I shook my head and quickly composed myself. I felt a chill up my spine, as if someone was watching me. I stepped out of the cubicle and my eyes were drawn to the mirror. It was dusty and had faint stains that looked like old blood. Then I saw a large, smudged handprint on the mirror, sending chills down my spine. I couldn’t take my eyes off it. "Farih..." I tried to ignore the voice, but the lights flickered, and for a split second, I thought I saw a shadowy figure in the corner. I took a deep breath, telling myself it was just my imagination. But the dread only grew stronger. My heart raced. I didn’t know who or what was calling me or how they knew I was there. Trying to shake off the fear, I quickly washed my hands and exited the restroom. I ran away and, gasping for breath, reached the hallway. Suddenly, I bumped into someone. I gasped but looked up to see Deus watching me with concern. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Y-yeah..." I managed, even though I was shaking. "Why do you look so scared?" His grip on my arm steadied me. "Someone... something... was in there," I whispered, nodding toward the restroom. He frowned, glancing at the restroom door. "No one’s in there. It’s always empty." I shook my head, my thoughts racing. I had no answer. I’d sound crazy if I said there was a ghost or something inside. I forced myself to ignore it until I got back to the classroom. When I sat down, my anxiety was obvious. Ledger approached me when he noticed. He looked at me worriedly. "What’s wrong?" he asked. "N-nothing," I lied, forcing a smile. I could see on his face that he wasn’t convinced. I glanced around the room. I quickly looked away when I noticed Deus also watching me, his eyebrows raised, as if sensing I wasn’t telling the truth. The classroom grew quiet as Alondra and Lisette started talking about the rumored game again. "I heard people really died because of that game. They got trapped in a strange place where they had to play it..." Alondra's voice was low, but I could hear every word clearly. "Once you're in, you can't back out." Lisette chimed in. "The messages keep coming, and each task gets worse..." I tried not to listen, but my heart pounded as their words echoed in my head. Then my phone buzzed. I slowly took it out and checked the message. **Unknown Number: "Death is near."** I stood up suddenly, and everyone turned to look at me. "What’s wrong with her?" Alondra raised an eyebrow while looking at me. I quickly left the room. The hallways seemed to close in, heavy silence pressing down. "Farih!" Ledger ran toward me, worry filling his face. "What’s happening? Tell me." "I-I just don’t feel well," I lied. He nodded, but his face still showed doubt. "Alright. Let’s go to the clinic," he said before leading me away. As we walked, he kept glancing at me, concern etched deeply on his face. I wanted to tell him everything—the messages, the handprint, the strange voice—but how could I? I didn’t want to worry him. Suddenly, loud screams filled the air. We looked at each other in alarm. Then the clinic door opened. Deus stepped in. His intense gaze found me. His usual confident demeanor was replaced by something darker. There was a bruise on his lip and scratches on his hands. "W-what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice sharp.