HELL UNIVERSITY

Roommate From the East Wing

Declan Mercer had never been more nervous in his life.

He stood in the doorway of his new dorm room, clutching his suitcase in one hand and a campus map in the other, his heart pounding against his ribs. The room was small—two beds, two desks, two closets, all crammed into a space that felt more like a closet than a living space. But that wasn't what made him nervous.

It was the person already sitting on the bed in the corner.

He was tall, with dark hair that fell across his face and eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light. He was wearing a black leather jacket, ripped jeans, and combat boots—the kind of outfit that screamed "don't mess with me." He looked up as Declan entered, his expression unreadable.

"You're the roommate."

Declan nodded, his throat dry. "Declan Mercer."

"Gideon Vale." The other boy stood, towering over Declan. "I don't talk much. I don't share. And I don't do drama. Got it?"

"Got it."

Gideon nodded and sat back down. "Good."

Declan set his suitcase on the empty bed and began unpacking. His hands were trembling. He couldn't help it. There was something about Gideon that made him uneasy—something that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

He'd met a lot of people in his life. Friendly people. Mean people. People who were easy to read and people who were impossible. But Gideon was different. He was like a closed door with something dangerous behind it.

"Where are you from?" Declan asked, trying to break the silence.

"Doesn't matter."

"Okay." Declan swallowed. "What are you studying?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Right." Declan turned back to his suitcase. "Sorry. Just trying to make conversation."

Gideon was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke. "You talk a lot."

"Sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

"Sorry—I mean, okay."

Gideon's lips twitched—almost a smile. "You're weird."

"So I've been told."

The silence stretched between them. Declan focused on his unpacking, trying to ignore the tension in the room. He'd known college would be different. He'd known he'd have to share a room with a stranger. But he hadn't expected this.

Gideon stood abruptly. "I'm going for a walk."

"Okay. I'll be here."

"Good." Gideon headed for the door, then paused. "Hey, Declan."

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from the east wing. And the catacombs. And anything that looks like it might be hiding something." He met Declan's eyes. "This university is dangerous. And you're way too trusting."

He walked out, leaving Declan alone with his thoughts.

---

Gideon didn't come back that night.

Declan lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the dormitory. Students moved through the halls, their voices echoing off the walls. Somewhere in the distance, a door slammed.

He couldn't sleep. His mind was racing, filled with questions he couldn't answer. Who was Gideon? Why was he so secretive? And what did he mean about the university being dangerous?

Declan had heard the rumors. Everyone had. Students disappearing. Bodies found. Something lurking beneath the campus. He'd dismissed them as exaggerations, the kind of stories that spread through every new student body. But now he wasn't so sure.

He reached for his phone and checked the time. 2:47 AM. Gideon still hadn't returned.

Declan sat up, his heart pounding. He should go find him. Make sure he was okay. But the thought of wandering the darkened campus alone made his blood run cold.

He lay back down and stared at the ceiling.

Sleep didn't come.

---

The next morning, Declan woke to find Gideon sitting at his desk, reading a book.

"Where did you go last night?" Declan asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Out."

"Out where?"

Gideon looked up. "Does it matter?"

"I was worried."

Gideon's expression softened—just slightly. "You don't need to worry about me, Declan. I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to worry."

Gideon stared at him for a long moment. Then he shook his head. "You're impossible."

"So I've been told."

They ate breakfast in silence. Declan tried to make conversation, but Gideon gave one-word answers to everything. It was like talking to a wall. A very intimidating wall.

After breakfast, they headed to orientation. Declan walked beside Gideon, his eyes scanning the crowd. New students everywhere. Nervous faces. Excited chatter. And in the corner of the courtyard, a group of upperclassmen watching them with cold eyes.

Declan shivered. There was something about them that felt... wrong.

"Who are they?" he asked quietly.

Gideon followed his gaze. "Doesn't matter."

"They don't look friendly."

"They're not." Gideon's voice was hard. "Stay away from them."

Declan nodded, his heart pounding. He didn't know why, but he trusted Gideon. Even though he barely knew him. Even though he was terrified of him.

It didn't make sense. None of it made sense.

But Declan was starting to realize that nothing at Hell University made sense.

---

The orientation speech was long and boring. Declan listened with half an ear, his mind wandering. He was tired. He was confused. And he was starting to wonder if he'd made a huge mistake by coming here.

After the speech, the freshmen were led on a tour of the campus. Declan followed the group, his eyes taking in the ancient buildings, the towering spires, the gargoyles that seemed to watch him with stone eyes.

"This university was founded over four hundred years ago," the tour guide said, her voice bright and cheerful. "It's one of the oldest institutions in the country. Many of the buildings are original, including the clock tower, which has been standing since 1620."

Declan looked up at the tower. The face was frozen at 11:47.

"Why is it stuck at that time?" he asked.

The tour guide hesitated. "No one knows. It's been that way for centuries."

"Has anyone ever tried to fix it?"

"Many times. But it always starts working again. Then it stops. Always at 11:47." She smiled. "It's one of the university's many mysteries."

Declan shivered. Mysteries. That seemed to be the theme of this place.

The tour continued. They passed the library, the dining hall, the dormitories. They passed the catacombs entrance—a dark doorway that seemed to swallow the light.

"The catacombs are off-limits to students," the tour guide said firmly. "Do not enter them. They're dangerous and unstable."

Declan's eyes lingered on the doorway. There was something about it that drew him. Something that whispered to him in a voice he couldn't hear.

"Declan."

He turned. Gideon was standing behind him, his face hard.

"Stay away from the catacombs," Gideon said quietly. "You don't want to go there."

"How do you know?"

"Just stay away."

Declan nodded, his heart pounding. He didn't understand what was happening. But he was starting to realize that Gideon knew more than he was letting on.

---

That night, Declan sat alone in the dining hall, picking at his dinner.

The other students were gathered in groups, their voices a low murmur. A few freshmen sat near the windows, their faces pale with fear. Word had spread about the body found near the east gate. Everyone was on edge.

Declan felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up. Rowan Hawthorne was standing beside him, his face serious.

"Can I sit?"

"Sure."

Rowan sat down across from him. "How are you settling in?"

"Okay, I guess. My roommate is a little... intense."

"Gideon." Rowan smiled slightly. "He's not that bad once you get to know him."

"You know him?"

"We've met." Rowan leaned back in his chair. "He's not as scary as he seems. He just has a hard time trusting people."

"Join the club."

Rowan laughed. "You'll get used to it. This university takes time to adjust to."

Declan nodded, his eyes drifting to the window. The campus was dark, the shadows deep. Somewhere out there, the hunters were planning their next move.

"You look worried," Rowan said.

"I am worried." Declan turned to him. "People are dying. Students are disappearing. And no one seems to know why."

Rowan was silent for a moment. Then he leaned forward, his voice low. "I know why."

Declan's heart skipped. "What do you mean?"

"There are things about this university that you don't know. Things that most students never learn." Rowan met his eyes. "But I think you deserve to know the truth."

"The truth?"

"Yes." Rowan's voice was barely a whisper. "The hunters. The catacombs. The body under the bridge. It's all connected."

Declan stared at him. "Connected to what?"

Rowan hesitated. Then he spoke.

"Connected to something buried beneath the university."

---

Declan lay in bed that night, Rowan's words echoing in his mind.

Connected to something buried beneath the university.

What did that mean? What was buried beneath Hell University?

He couldn't stop thinking about it. He couldn't stop wondering. And he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched.

He sat up and looked around the room. Gideon was asleep in the other bed, his breathing slow and steady. The room was dark, the only light coming from the moon outside the window.

Declan got up and walked to the window. The campus was quiet, the shadows deep. But there was something moving in the darkness. Something that made his blood run cold.

He squinted, trying to see. A figure was standing near the catacombs entrance, its face hidden in shadow.

Declan's heart pounded. He watched the figure for a long moment. Then it turned and walked into the darkness.

Declan stepped back from the window, his hands trembling.

Something was happening. Something bad.

And he was right in the middle of it.

---

The next morning, Gideon was gone.

Declan woke to find the other bed empty, the sheets cold. He sat up, his heart pounding. Where had Gideon gone? Why hadn't he woken him up?

He got dressed and went to find him. But Gideon was nowhere on campus. No one had seen him. He'd just vanished.

Declan felt a chill run down his spine. This was the second time Gideon had disappeared. And both times, he'd come back looking more haunted than before.

Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong.

Declan found Rowan near the library. "Have you seen Gideon?"

Rowan shook his head. "Not since last night."

"He's gone. Again."

Rowan's expression darkened. "We'll find him. Don't worry."

"How can I not worry? He's my roommate. He's been acting strange since I met him. And now he's disappearing in the middle of the night." Declan took a breath. "I'm starting to think this place is cursed."

Rowan was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke. "It's not cursed. But it's... complicated."

"Complicated how?"

Rowan looked at him, his eyes unreadable. "There are things about this university that I can't explain. Things that would sound crazy if I tried." He paused. "But I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

Declan hesitated. "I can try."

"Good." Rowan nodded. "Because we're going to need each other. All of us. If we're going to survive what's coming."

Declan stared at him. "What's coming?"

Rowan didn't answer. He just turned and walked away, leaving Declan alone with his questions.

---

That night, Declan couldn't sleep.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, his mind racing. Gideon was still gone. Rowan had disappeared too. And Declan was starting to feel like he was the only person on campus who didn't know what was happening.

He got up and walked to the window. The campus was dark, the shadows deep. And standing near the catacombs entrance was the same figure he'd seen the night before.

Declan's heart pounded. He grabbed his jacket and slipped out of the room.

He had to know. He had to find out what was happening. He had to find Gideon.

He made his way across the campus, his footsteps silent on the cold stone. The figure was still standing near the catacombs entrance, waiting.

Declan approached slowly, his heart in his throat. As he got closer, he saw that it was a woman. Young. Dark hair. Pale skin.

"You're Declan Mercer," she said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." He stopped a few feet away. "Who are you?"

"My name is Selene." She met his eyes. "I need to talk to you."

"About what?"

"About your roommate. About Rowan. About everything."

Declan stared at her. "What do you know?"

Selene hesitated. Then she spoke.

"Your roommate is a hybrid. Rowan is a vampire. And this university is built on top of a prison." She met his eyes. "And the prisoner is about to wake up."

Declan's heart stopped.

---

Selene reached into her pocket and handed him a folded piece of paper.

"Read this," she said quietly. "And then we'll talk."

Declan opened it. The message was short. Three words.

"They're watching you."

He looked up. Selene was gone.

But standing in the shadows behind him, a figure watched.

And in the catacombs below, something stirred.