One Short Story A Day

October 10, 2024

Prompt: During her freshman year of college, she found out that people in her dorm started to disappear. Almost from thin air.

As she stepped into her new dorm room on the first day of college, Emily felt a surge of excitement mixed with nervousness. She was finally starting her freshman year, ready to make new friends and create lasting memories. Little did she know, however, that her college experience would take a dark and twisted turn.

The dorm was buzzing with activity as students moved in and settled down. Emily quickly bonded with her roommate, Sarah, and the two of them spent the first few weeks exploring the campus, attending classes, and getting to know their fellow dorm mates. Everything seemed perfect, until one day, Sarah didn't show up for breakfast.

At first, Emily wasn't too worried. Maybe Sarah had overslept or had an early class to attend. But as the day went on and Sarah still hadn't returned to their dorm room, Emily's concern began to grow. She asked around, but no one seemed to have seen Sarah since the previous evening. It was as if she had disappeared into thin air.

Days turned into weeks, and more students in the dorm started to go missing. Emily couldn't shake the feeling of dread that clung to her, as she watched her friends and classmates vanish without a trace. The authorities were at a loss, unable to find any leads or clues as to what was happening.

As the disappearances continued, Emily's fear turned into paranoia. She started locking her door at night, afraid that she would be the next victim. Sleep became a luxury she couldn't afford, as every creak of the floorboards or whisper in the hallway sent her heart racing.

One night, unable to shake the feeling of unease, Emily decided to investigate on her own. She retraced Sarah's steps from the last time she was seen, and stumbled upon a hidden passageway in the basement of the dorm. Curiosity getting the better of her, Emily followed the dark corridor, her pulse pounding in her ears.

What she found at the end of the passageway sent chills down her spine. A secret room, filled with photos and personal belongings of the missing students. Emily's hands trembled as she recognized Sarah's necklace among the items. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks - someone in the dorm was behind the disappearances.

Before she could react, a figure emerged from the shadows, a sinister smile playing on his lips. It was one of the RA's, a seemingly friendly and helpful student who had been assisting the authorities in their search for the missing students. But now, his true intentions were laid bare, as he revealed himself to be the mastermind behind the disappearances.

Emily's heart raced as she tried to make a run for it, but the RA blocked her path, his eyes gleaming with malice. She was trapped, with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. Desperation seized her, as she realized that her college experience had taken a deadly turn.

In a split-second decision, Emily lashed out, grabbing a nearby object and striking the RA in self-defense. The struggle was intense, but she managed to overpower him and escape the secret room. As she ran through the dark corridors of the dorm, her mind raced with thoughts of survival and escape.

Finally, Emily burst through the dorm's front doors, gasping for breath as she sought help from the authorities. The RA was apprehended, and the missing students were found safe and sound, albeit shaken by their ordeal. The nightmare was finally over, but the scars it left behind would linger for a lifetime.

As Emily sat in her dorm room, surrounded by her friends and newfound sense of safety, she couldn't help but wonder - what dark secrets lay beneath the surface of her college campus? And would she ever truly be able to leave behind the horrors of her freshman year? Only time would tell, as she embarked on a new chapter of her life, forever changed by the events that had unfolded in the shadows of her dorm room.