The hallway was no longer empty.
Ananya felt it.
That strange presence again.
Closer this time.
Watching.
Waiting.
She took a slow step forward.
The floor creaked.
Too loud.
Too sharp.
Her heartbeat raced.
"Aarav?" she whispered.
No answer.
Just silence.
But not normal silence.
Heavy silence.
The kind that presses against your chest.
She moved ahead.
One step.
Then another.
And then—
She stopped.
There was a door.
Right in front of her.
Old.
Dark.
Covered in dust.
She froze.
"That wasn't here before…"
Her voice barely came out.
The hallway had always been empty.
No doors.
No turns.
Nothing.
Just a straight path.
But this—
This door didn't belong here.
Her fingers trembled as she reached out.
The handle was cold.
Ice cold.
She pulled her hand back.
Something felt wrong.
Very wrong.
Behind her—
A faint sound.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Dragging.
Her breath hitched.
She turned.
No one.
But the sound stopped too.
Like it was never there.
Or like it knew she was listening.
Ananya swallowed hard.
Her eyes moved back to the door.
Something was calling her.
Not with a voice.
But she could feel it.
Pulling her closer.
She stepped forward again.
This time—
She didn't stop.
Her hand touched the handle.
And before she could think—
Click.
The door opened on its own.
A dark room waited inside.
Cold air rushed out.
And then—
A whisper.
Right next to her ear.
"So… you finally came."
Ananya's eyes widened.
That voice—
She knew it.
But that was impossible.
Because the person it belonged to…
was already dead.