Ten minutes

**"BANG!"** I woke up trembling, heart hammering against my ribs. What the hell was that? I glanced at Elijah, his form undisturbed beside me. Throwing off the covers, I crept toward the source of the sound, every nerve tingling. But the hallway was empty, bathed in the pale predawn light. My mind raced with possibilities as I crept back to bed, the silence now pressing heavily.

The next morning dawned, painting the shadows long and menacing. We braced ourselves for the trials the coming days would hold.

My name is Violet. My boyfriend, Elijah, and I decided to take advantage of my mom's absence for spring break. Since she was staying with Grandma, her apartment was vacant, the perfect place for a little getaway. But that loud bang in the dead of night shattered the peace, leaving an unsettling feeling in its wake.

Unpacking felt like a chore. Strange vibes clung to certain rooms - Mom's unused bedroom, the sterile kitchen, even the bathroom. An unseen presence seemed to linger, making the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. We investigated, of course, finding nothing amiss. Yet, the feeling persisted, a prickling sensation that intensified in the hallway, as if unseen eyes watched us from every corner. Our room, thankfully, remained a haven - no unsettling energy, no toppled objects, just a blessed sense of normalcy.

Then, it happened. We were in the bathroom, surrounded by the sterile silence. A sudden **thump** shattered the quiet. It sounded far away, like it came from somewhere out in the living area. We both froze, hearts pounding in our chests. Neither of us had moved the unidentified object we left earlier. A cold dread settled over me. These "haunted couple of days" were already starting, and the source of the distant sound remained a chilling mystery.

Shaken, Elijah and I ventured into the living area. The source of the noise became clear - our shopping bag lay on its side, its contents scattered across the floor. We exchanged a worried glance, the silence in the room heavy with unspoken questions.

Elijah, ever the believer in the paranormal (a trait I shared, fueled by our fair share of unexplained experiences), suggested it could be something more than a simple toppled bag. Intrigued and a little spooked, we decided to delve into the history of the building. Its imposing facade, coupled with the inscription "Orphanage" above the entrance, had always piqued our curiosity. The strange occurrences only intensified our desire for answers.

We hopped online, fingers flying across the keyboard. What we unearthed sent shivers down our spines. The building hadn't always been an apartment complex. No, its history stretched back further, its walls holding the echoes of a bygone era. First, it served as a hospital, then, in a chilling twist, it was repurposed as an orphanage. The orphanage closed its doors years ago, but the building itself remained, a silent sentinel, its exterior unchanged. A cold dread crept over me. Could the strange goings-on be connected to the building's past? We were about to find out.

Our research took longer than expected, the afternoon sun sinking low in the sky by the time we finished. Exhausted but determined, we decided to take a break. Just then, Elijah, his eyes wide with a strange certainty, grabbed the deck of cards and, without a word, pulled out two jokers. He placed one face-up in front of the bathroom door, the other in front of our bedroom door. My breath hitched in my throat. What did he think he was doing?

Before I could question him, he ushered me back into our room and shut the door. The weight of the silence pressed down on us. Suddenly, Elijah spoke, his voice barely a whisper. "There's something out there," he said, his gaze fixed on the door. "I feel it." A shiver ran down my spine. We sat there, hearts pounding, waiting.