The Gauntlet of the Hallway
The heavy oak door of Room 212 clicked shut behind us, and the muffled silence of the dorm was instantly replaced by the roar of High Springs in motion. It wasn’t just noise; it was a physical wall of scent and sound. The hallway was a wide, arched stone corridor that looked like it belonged in a medieval fortress, but it was filled with the jarringly modern sight of teenagers in leather jackets, tactical boots, and university sweaters. “Walk like you belong here,” Jade muttered out of the side of her mouth. She didn’t look at me; she kept her chin high, her amber eyes scanning the crowd with a bored, regal detachment. “And for the love of the Moon, stop twitching. You look like a rabbit in a room full of wolves, which is exactly what you are until we get you to that seat.” I shoved my
- Writer
