The Shadow's Lament

The old dormitory stood at the edge of the campus, a relic of a bygone era, its walls etched with the memories of countless students who had once walked its corridors. Dormitory 13, as it was ominously known, had been abandoned for years, its windows boarded up and its doors sealed shut. Yet, whispers of its past clung to the air, a haunting melody that only the most intrepid dared to uncover.

Emma, a curious and fearless freshman, had heard the tales of Dormitory 13. She was determined to uncover the truth behind the eerie echoes that seemed to beckon her. One rainy night, she stood before the creaking gates, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and excitement.

"Emma, don't go in there," warned her friend, Sarah, who had accompanied her to the edge of the campus. "They say it's cursed."

Emma's eyes were fixed on the entrance, her curiosity overwhelming her fear. "I have to see for myself," she whispered, pushing open the heavy gates. The rain beat against the metal, creating a cacophony that seemed to echo the dormitory's history.

Inside, the air was thick with dust and the scent of decay. The once vibrant rooms were now lifeless, their beds unmade and their windows broken. Emma and Sarah ventured deeper, their footsteps echoing in the silence.

Suddenly, a cold breeze swept through the corridor, causing the rain to hammer harder against the boarded windows. Emma shivered, her breath visible in the chill. "What was that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sarah's eyes widened. "I don't know, but it felt like someone was watching us."

As they reached the end of the hall, a faint whisper reached their ears. "You shouldn't be here," it said, a voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Emma's heart raced. "Who's there?" she demanded, her voice trembling.

The whisper grew louder, more insistent. "I am the one who walks the halls of 13. You have no right to intrude upon my domain."

Sarah clutched Emma's arm. "We should go, now!"

But it was too late. The dormitory seemed to come alive around them. Shadows danced along the walls, and the air grew colder. Emma felt a presence behind her, a darkness that seemed to seep through the floorboards.

"Emma, look behind you!" Sarah's voice was a mix of fear and desperation.

Emma turned, her eyes widening in horror. A figure stood in the shadows, its face obscured by a hood. The figure's eyes glowed with an eerie light, and its voice was a chilling echo of the whispers that had haunted her.

"You cannot escape me," the figure hissed. "I will be with you always."

Emma's mind raced. She needed to find a way to escape, to put distance between herself and the shadowy figure. She turned back to Sarah, who was frozen in place, her eyes wide with terror.

"Sarah, run!" Emma shouted, pushing her friend towards the exit.

Sarah stumbled forward, her legs weak with fear. Emma followed closely behind, her heart pounding in her chest. They burst through the gates, the rain pouring down on them as they ran for their lives.

But the figure was not so easily deterred. It emerged from the shadows, its eyes never leaving Emma's back. The rain became a torrential downpour, blinding them as they ran.

"Emma, wait for me!" Sarah's voice was faint, but it was the last thing Emma heard before she stumbled, her legs giving out under her.

The ground rushed up to meet her, and darkness enveloped her. Emma's last thoughts were of Sarah and the dormitory, a place of terror and lost souls, where the echoes of the past would never truly fade.

Days later, the bodies of Emma and Sarah were found in the woods surrounding the campus. They had been torn apart by an unknown force, their bodies drained of life. The whispers of Dormitory 13 grew louder, their echoes echoing through the campus, a warning to all who dared to enter the forsaken halls.

The shadow's lament had been heard, and it would never be forgotten.