<p><span style="background-color: transparent;">I didn't sleep that night.</span></p><p><br/></p><p>I kept staring at the diary on my desk.</p><p><br/></p><p>If Maya ever moves into Room 16, I need her to remember me.</p><p><br/></p><p>How could Lena have known I would move into this exact room?</p><p><br/></p><p>I picked up the diary again.</p><p><br/></p><p>Most of the pages had been torn out.</p><p><br/></p><p>Only a few remained.</p><p><br/></p><p>The first one was dated seven years ago.</p><p><br/></p><p>June 14.</p><p><br/></p><p>She found out.</p><p><br/></p><p>The next page said:</p><p><br/></p><p>I told Maya we should leave, but she doesn't believe me.</p><p><br/></p><p>I stopped reading.</p><p><br/></p><p>Maya.</p><p><br/></p><p>Again.</p><p><br/></p><p>I turned the page.</p><p><br/></p><p>If anything happens to me, she will know why.</p><p><br/></p><p>My hands went cold.</p><p><br/></p><p>A knock came from my door.</p><p><br/></p><p>I nearly screamed.</p><p><br/></p><p>“It's me.”</p><p><br/></p><p>A man's voice.</p><p><br/></p><p>I opened the door slightly.</p><p><br/></p><p>A young man stood outside.</p><p><br/></p><p>I'd seen him around the house before.</p><p><br/></p><p>“I'm Ethan,” he said. “I live across the hall.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I opened the door.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Did you need something?”</p><p><br/></p><p>His eyes moved past me.</p><p><br/></p><p>Towards Room 17.</p><p><br/></p><p>“You went inside.”</p><p><br/></p><p>It wasn't a question.</p><p><br/></p><p>I nodded.</p><p><br/></p><p>His expression changed.</p><p><br/></p><p>“You shouldn't have.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Why?”</p><p><br/></p><p>He looked at me for a moment.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Because people who go looking for Lena usually regret it.”</p><p><br/></p><p>My heart skipped.</p><p><br/></p><p>“You know her?”</p><p><br/></p><p>He hesitated.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Yes.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Who was she?”</p><p><br/></p><p>Ethan looked down the hallway before answering.</p><p><br/></p><p>“She lived here seven years ago.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“What happened to her?”</p><p><br/></p><p>“She disappeared.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Disappeared how?”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Nobody knows.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I remembered the diary.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Was she my friend?”</p><p><br/></p><p>His eyes snapped towards me.</p><p><br/></p><p>“How do you know that?”</p><p><br/></p><p>I didn't answer.</p><p><br/></p><p>Instead, I went back inside and brought out the photograph.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Is this her?”</p><p><br/></p><p>Ethan stared at it.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Yes.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“And who's the other girl?”</p><p><br/></p><p>He looked at me.</p><p><br/></p><p>For several seconds, he said nothing.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then he whispered,</p><p><br/></p><p>“You.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I laughed.</p><p><br/></p><p>Not because it was funny.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because I didn't believe him.</p><p><br/></p><p>“That isn't possible.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“It is.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“I would remember her.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“You don't remember a lot of things, Maya.”</p><p><br/></p><p>The room suddenly felt smaller.</p><p><br/></p><p>“What are you talking about?”</p><p><br/></p><p>Ethan took a step back.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Ask your mother what happened seven years ago.”</p><p><br/></p><p>Then he walked away.</p><p><br/></p><p>I stood in the doorway, watching him disappear down the stairs.</p><p><br/></p><p>My mother.</p><p><br/></p><p>I called her immediately.</p><p><br/></p><p>She answered on the third ring.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Maya?”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Mum, what happened seven years ago?”</p><p><br/></p><p>Silence.</p><p><br/></p><p>A long one.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then she asked,</p><p><br/></p><p>“Why are you asking me that?”</p><p><br/></p><p>I looked at the photograph in my hand.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Who is Lena?”</p><p><br/></p><p>The line went completely silent.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Mum?”</p><p><br/></p><p>When she finally spoke, her voice was trembling.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Where did you hear that name?”</p><p><br/></p><p>“I found a photograph.”</p><p><br/></p><p>Another silence.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then she said something that made my blood run cold.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Maya, listen to me.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“I'm listening.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Leave that house.”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Why?”</p><p><br/></p><p>“Because Lena is dead.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I couldn't breathe.</p><p><br/></p><p>“Then why did I see her last night?”</p><p><br/></p><p>My mother's voice broke.</p><p><br/></p><p>“You didn't.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I looked towards Room 17.</p><p><br/></p><p>The door was open.</p><p><br/></p><p>And someone was standing inside.</p><p><br/></p><p>Lena.</p><p><br/></p><p>She lifted one finger to her lips.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then she mouthed four words.</p><p><br/></p><p>Don't trust Ethan.</p>
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