The children in room 7

Chapter six

Don't Trust Claire

Avery stared at her aunt.

Claire's hand was still wrapped around her wrist.

"Don't listen to it," Claire whispered.

Avery pulled away.

"That was my mother's voice."

"You don't know that."

"I know her voice."

"You were four when she disappeared."

"I remember her."

Claire shook her head.

"No, Avery. You remember what you were told."

The words landed harder than Avery expected.

Behind them, Room 7 remained open.

A narrow strip of darkness stretched across the hallway.

Avery looked toward it.

"Why would my mother tell me not to trust you?"

Claire didn't answer.

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying again."

Claire looked at her.

For a moment, Avery thought she might finally tell the truth.

Instead, Claire whispered, "We need to leave."

She turned toward the stairs.

Avery didn't follow.

"What happened to your wrist?"

Claire stopped.

Her sleeve covered most of it, but the dark mark was visible.

"Nothing."

"That doesn't look like nothing."

"I said we're leaving."

Avery stepped closer.

"Did someone hurt you?"

Claire's expression changed.

"No."

"Then who did?"

Claire looked toward Room 7.

Her voice dropped.

"Something happened here years ago. Something neither of us should have reopened."

Avery glanced at the cassette in her hand.

"Then why did you keep this?"

"I didn't."

"It was in your room."

Claire stared at it.

"I've never seen that tape before."

Avery didn't believe her.

Suddenly, a sound came from Room 7.

A chair scraping across the floor.

Claire grabbed Avery's hand.

"Now."

They hurried down the staircase.

Avery kept looking back.

The hallway above them was empty.

But just before they reached the bottom, she saw a small figure standing outside Room 7.

A child.

Watching them.

Avery stopped.

"Claire..."

"Don't look."

"It's one of them."

Claire didn't turn around.

"Keep walking."

Avery looked again.

The child had disappeared.

They reached the front entrance.

Claire pushed the door open.

Cold night air rushed inside.

They stepped outside.

Avery finally breathed.

But Claire wasn't looking at the school anymore.

She was staring across the street.

At a parked black car.

Its headlights were off.

The windows were tinted.

Someone was sitting inside.

"Who's that?" Avery asked.

Claire's expression tightened.

"I don't know."

The car suddenly started.

Avery stepped closer to the road.

The car drove away.

Claire grabbed her shoulder.

"Don't follow it."

"I wasn't going to."

"You were thinking about it."

Avery turned.

"How do you know?"

Claire didn't answer.

They walked home in silence.

Neither mentioned Room 7 again.

But Avery couldn't stop thinking about the voice.

Don't trust Claire.

When they reached the house, Claire unlocked the door.

The hallway was dark.

Avery stepped inside.

Then she stopped.

Something was lying on the floor.

An envelope.

Silver.

Her name was written across it.

Claire saw it too.

"No."

She moved toward Avery.

"Don't touch it."

Avery picked it up.

Claire grabbed her hand.

"Avery, please."

Avery looked at her.

"Why are you so afraid of this envelope?"

Claire's eyes filled with tears.

"Because the last time Evelyn received one..."

She stopped.

Avery waited.

"What happened?"

Claire looked toward the stairs.

"She disappeared."

Avery slowly opened the envelope.

Inside was a single photograph.

Not of Evelyn.

Not of Claire.

Of seven children sitting inside Room 7.

Avery stared.

There was something different this time.

The children weren't facing the camera.

They were all looking at something outside the frame.

Avery turned the photograph over.

A message had been written on the back.

ONE OF THEM IS STILL MISSING.

Below it was another line.

AND SHE'S STANDING IN YOUR HOUSE.

Avery's heart dropped.

She looked at Claire.

Claire was staring at the photograph.

Then at Avery.

"Don't," Claire whispered.

Avery stepped backward.

"What does it mean?"

Claire didn't answer.

Avery's eyes moved around the hallway.

The house was silent.

Then she heard footsteps upstairs.

Slow.

Careful.

One step.

Then another.

Claire looked toward the ceiling.

Avery whispered, "Who's upstairs?"

Claire's face went pale.

"No one."

The footsteps stopped.

Avery looked at her.

"Then who is it?"

Claire slowly shook her head.

"I don't know."

Avery's phone vibrated.

Unknown number.

She opened the message.

There were only three words.

LOOK AT CLAIRE.

Avery raised her eyes.

Claire was standing directly in front of her.

But there was something strange about her expression.

She looked terrified.

Not of the house.

Not of Room 7.

Of Avery.

Then Claire whispered:

"Whatever you hear next, don't believe it."

A child's voice came from upstairs.

"Avery..."

Claire closed her eyes.

The voice continued.

"She isn't your aunt."

Avery stared at Claire.

Claire didn't move.

The child whispered again.

"She took us."

And somewhere upstairs, a door slowly opened.