The children in room 7

chapter two

The Photograph

Avery didn't speak.

Neither did Claire.

The kitchen seemed to have become smaller, as though the walls had moved closer while they were standing there.

Avery looked at the photograph again.

Seven children.

One of them was supposedly her mother.

But that was impossible.

"My mother died when I was four," Avery said quietly.

Claire's eyes remained fixed on the photograph.

"That's what you were told."

Avery looked up sharply.

"What does that mean?"

Claire walked to the table and picked up the silver envelope.

Her fingers trembled.

"Avery, there are things about your childhood that I wanted to protect you from."

"Protect me from what?"

Claire didn't answer.

Instead, she turned the envelope over.

"Did you open this?"

"No."

"Good."

"Why?"

Claire placed it back on the table.

"Because whoever left it knows you're looking."

Avery felt a chill run through her.

"How would they know?"

"I don't know."

"You obviously know something."

Claire looked at her.

"I know enough to tell you that this isn't a game."

Avery pushed the photograph toward her.

"Then tell me about Evelyn."

Claire stared at the photograph for a long moment.

"Your mother was seventeen when that photograph was taken."

Avery's eyebrows lifted.

"Seventeen?"

Claire nodded.

"She was investigating the disappearances."

Avery looked at the children again.

"Why?"

"Because one of them was her younger brother."

Avery's expression changed.

"Daniel?"

Claire nodded.

Avery remembered the name from the newspaper.

Daniel Mercer.

Nine years old.

Missing.

Thirteen days after his birthday.

"But why does he have a different surname?"

"Because the photograph wasn't taken by the police."

"Who took it?"

Claire didn't answer.

Avery waited.

Finally, Claire said, "Your mother found the photograph in a place she wasn't supposed to be."

"Room 7."

Claire's face tightened.

Avery immediately noticed.

"You know about Room 7."

"I know what people called it."

"Where is it?"

"Nowhere."

"That doesn't make sense."

"It was part of an old school building. The building was demolished years ago."

Avery stared at her.

"Then how can it still be connected to the disappearances?"

Claire's silence was answer enough.

Avery picked up her phone and opened the photograph she had taken earlier.

She zoomed in.

The image became blurry.

She zoomed further.

There was something behind the children.

A doorway.

Above it was a small metal number.

7.

Avery's pulse quickened.

"Look."

Claire leaned closer.

The moment she saw the doorway, she stepped back.

"No."

"What?"

"Delete that picture."

"Why?"

"Just delete it."

Avery didn't.

Instead, she zoomed in again.

There was writing scratched into the wall beside the door.

She couldn't make out the words.

But there was a symbol beneath them.

A circle with a line through its center.

Avery had seen it before.

She just couldn't remember where.

Then her phone vibrated.

Another message.

YOU FOUND ROOM 7.

Avery's heart jumped.

Claire saw it too.

"Give me your phone."

"No."

"Avery."

"Who is sending these?"

"I don't know."

"You're lying."

Claire's expression hardened.

"You think I wanted any of this?"

"Then tell me the truth!"

Claire suddenly grabbed Avery's wrist.

Not hard.

Just enough to stop her.

"Listen to me. If someone contacts you, you don't answer. If you see that symbol again, you walk away. And if anyone asks about the photograph, you never show it to them."

Avery pulled her hand free.

"You still haven't told me why I look like that girl."

Claire went silent.

Avery pointed at the photograph.

"Who is she?"

Claire looked at the girl.

Her voice dropped.

"That's Evelyn."

Avery stared.

Her mother.

She looked younger than Avery was now.

Yet the resemblance was undeniable.

Avery picked up the photograph.

"Why did you tell me she died?"

Claire's eyes filled with something Avery couldn't identify.

Fear.

Regret.

Maybe both.

"Because if you knew she was alive, you would have searched for her."

Avery stopped breathing for a second.

"What?"

Claire looked away.

Avery's voice became barely a whisper.

"My mother is alive?"

Claire didn't answer.

The front door suddenly slammed.

Both of them froze.

Someone had entered the house.

Claire immediately turned off the kitchen light.

"Aunt Claire?"

"Stay here."

She moved silently toward the hallway.

Avery followed.

"Stay here," Claire repeated.

Then she disappeared around the corner.

Avery waited.

Five seconds.

Ten.

Nothing.

She slowly stepped into the hallway.

"Aunt Claire?"

No response.

The front door was open.

Cold air moved through the house.

Claire was gone.

Avery ran to the doorway.

The street outside was empty.

Then she saw something on the floor.

A small black notebook.

She picked it up.

On the cover, someone had written three words:

AVERY — DO NOT READ.

She opened it anyway.

The first page contained a list of names.

Daniel Mercer.

Sophie Bennett.

Lucas Reed.

Maya Hart.

Six more names followed.

Then another name appeared at the bottom.

Avery's fingers tightened around the notebook.

Because beside her name was a date.

September 15.

Today's date.

Underneath it, someone had written:

The thirteenth day has begun.

Avery slowly turned the page.

There was only one sentence.

If Avery finds this notebook, Room 7 is no longer empty.

A sound came from upstairs.

Three slow knocks.

Avery looked toward the ceiling.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

She held the notebook against her chest.

Then her phone lit up.

One final message appeared.

DON'T LOOK UP.