Chapter 3: Blood on the Walls, Ghosts in the Mind

“Autumn, that face mask you gave me yesterday was amazing. What brand is it?”

The dorm door opened. Lily and Autumn walked in arm-in-arm, chatting and laughing.

Their voices were bright, normal, like nothing was wrong. Autumn’s laugh was a little too high, a little too sweet.

“Harper, why are you holding a box?”

Lily’s eyes widened when she saw me clutching the empty box. Her concern sounded genuine, but I couldn’t process it.

I lost it. The tears just came.

The tears came hot and fast, blurring my vision. I hugged the box to my chest, sobbing uncontrollably.

I cried for a long time before I could speak, sobbing out:

Each word felt like it was being dragged out of me. “Peanut is gone.”

Lily looked at me, puzzled.

She tilted her head, brows drawn together. “Who’s Peanut?”

I was dumbfounded.

I stared at her, heart pounding. “Peanut, the puppy we found together—you even named her!”

Lily shook her head.

She looked genuinely confused, her eyes searching mine for a clue. “We’re not allowed to keep pets in the dorm. How could I bring a puppy in?” That didn’t make sense.

Right, everyone knows Lily is the strictest about following the rules.

She was always the one who reminded us about quiet hours, checked if we’d unplugged the kettle, and tattled to the RA if someone tried to sneak in a bottle of wine.

But how was I supposed to know why she snuck a puppy in with me?

I felt the panic rising again, my hands trembling. I couldn’t make sense of any of it.

I was about to lose it, anxiously pulling my hair.

I dug my nails into my scalp, desperate for something solid to hold onto. My breath came in short, ragged gasps. Get a grip.

Right, the fur!

I clung to the memory, like it was a lifeline. If I could just show her, she’d have to believe me.

I quickly dragged Lily to the bathroom.

She protested, but I barely heard her. I needed her to see what I’d seen.

The bloodstains hadn’t been cleaned up yet, and the fur was still on the floor.

I pointed, my voice trembling. “Look! There—do you see it?”

Black and brown mixed, the size matched. I was sure—that was Peanut!

The fur was clumped together, unmistakable. I felt a surge of hope.

“What are you doing, Harper!”

Lily’s voice was sharp, almost angry. She pulled her arm free, glaring at me.

“I’m showing you the evidence!”

I turned the handle to the left.

The water gushed out, but the fur didn’t move. I waited, holding my breath.

Wait? Did I close the bathroom door just now?

A chill ran down my spine. I couldn’t remember. Everything felt out of order.

A bad feeling hit me again. I forced myself to open the door.

My hand shook as I reached for the knob, heart in my throat.

“So clean, nicely cleaned.”

Lily’s voice was flat, almost bored. I stared, stunned.

I froze.

The bathroom was spotless. No blood, no fur, no smell. It looked like nothing had ever happened. Had I imagined it all?

The smell of blood in the air was gone, the tiles were spotless, and there was no black-brown fur at all.

It was as if I’d imagined the whole thing. My mind reeled, desperate for some explanation.

How could that be? It was just here…

I pressed my palms to my eyes, trying to force the images away. I felt like I was losing my grip on reality.

“Harper, are you feeling unwell? Should I call a doctor for you?”

Autumn’s voice came from behind me, cold and chilling.

It was too smooth, too practiced, like she was reciting lines from a script. I shivered, not trusting her for a second.

“Shut up!”

The words burst out before I could stop them, sharp and angry. I couldn’t help it.

My voice echoed in the bathroom, harsher than I intended. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment and fear.

“Harper, what’s wrong with you? Autumn’s just worried about you!”

Lily’s voice was hurt, her eyes wide. I couldn’t explain, not without sounding crazy.

I pushed the two of them away, didn’t bother washing up, and ran back to bed like my soul had left my body, messaging my best friend.

I dove under my covers, clutching my phone like a lifeline. My hands shook as I texted Maddie, my best friend since forever.

“Damn, did you run into something supernatural!”

Maddie’s reply was instant, a string of shocked emojis and exclamation points. She always loved a good ghost story.

“Why is that A so creepy?”

She always had a nickname for everyone. Autumn was just ‘A.’

“You feeling sick or anything?”

Her concern made me feel a little less alone. I wiped my eyes, sniffling.

My best friend sent a string of texts, and I felt a little better.

Her messages kept coming, each one a little more frantic than the last. I smiled through my tears, grateful for her. At least someone believed me.

“I’m fine.”

I lied, but it was easier than explaining the truth. I just wanted someone to tell me I wasn’t crazy.

“Don’t worry. I found a website that specializes in weird stuff. I’ll send it to you.”

She was always the one with the wildest links—urban legends, conspiracy theories, haunted house maps. I waited for the ping.

“You’re browsing those creepy sites again?”

I teased her, but deep down, I was desperate for any explanation.

Maddie sent me a link. I clicked in.

My thumb hovered over the URL. I took a deep breath and tapped it.

A bunch of spam popped up. I immediately closed it, feeling like a thief.

Flashing banners, pop-up ads, and a warning from my antivirus. I slammed my laptop shut, heart racing. Thanks a lot, Maddie.

Zoe came back late, even bringing us takeout.

She burst in, arms full of greasy paper bags, her hair windblown and cheeks flushed.

She looked ridiculously pleased with herself.

She couldn’t stop grinning, her whole face lighting up. I hadn’t seen her this happy in weeks.

Sure enough, the next second she announced some good news:

She set the food down with a dramatic flourish. “Ladies, I have an announcement!”

“Marcus confessed to me. We’re officially together!”

She squealed, waving her phone. Lily shrieked, and even I managed a smile.

Thanks to Maddie’s comfort, I was much calmer now.

My nerves had settled a little, the warmth of friendship soothing the raw edges of my fear. I could finally breathe.

At least I could ignore Lily and Autumn and smile as I congratulated Zoe.

I forced myself to join the celebration, even if my heart wasn’t in it. For a moment, it almost felt normal again.

“That’s awesome! I told you, after all that flirting, you two should be together!”

I nudged Zoe, winking. Lily whooped and hugged her, the room filling with laughter.