The Empty Suite

I go to a decently sized university, not anything huge, but it's no little community college. I'm a junior this year, and every year, I've lived in a different dorm. I never really intended to do so, but I just moved to wherever my friends were living.

This year, I'm living in the nicest dorm, the one reserved for upperclassmen. Rather than a small space to share with a roommate and a community bathroom, we have suites. Each of us gets our own bedroom and bathroom, and only share a living area with one other person. Needless to say, this is a luxery compared to the other dorms.

I live on the second floor, at the end of the hall. By the end, I mean my room is in the corner of the building. Across the hall from my room is the back stairwell. And underneath me is an identical room. At least, I assume it's identical. I haven't been in any suite aside from my own.

Anyway, every suite door has two name plates on it, identifying who lives there. Every suite has these, except the one right below my. I asked about it, and an RA told me that no one lives in that suite. That wouldn't be weird at all...if it wasn't for the bumps.

It started about the middle of the fall semester. I was up late working on a paper when I felt the floor vibrate beneath my feet. Just that one thump. I ignored it, assuming something in there just fell over. But then the next night, it happened again, louder. I was starting to get annoyed; what was going on in that room? Every night, the thumps started to get worse. Louder, and more frequent. What the heck? It's supposed to be an empty room, so what is making it feel like someone is knocking a broom handle on the ceiling like some annoyed neighbor?

About a month ago, the thumping started up as usual, and it continued for over ten minutes. I finally got annoyed enough that I decided to investigate. I wish to God I hadn't.

I went down the back stairwell and went straight to that blank door. I could still hear the continued thuds, though tyhey were indistinct now. I knocked, firmly. The only answer was the cessation of the thumping. It was quiet now. I knocked again, sure someone was trying to play a trick on me. I tried the door, but it was locked. I was about to turn away and report it to an RA when...I heard the lock click, and the door creak. I stared, fixated. The door was open only a crack, but what I saw in there will never leave my mind.

A piercing, gloden eye, a pale face obscured by long, dark hair, and part of a wide, toothy grin.

"I'm coming," it whispered, and a soft laugh eched. I didn't even scream; I just ran back to my room and hid under my covers like a frightened child.

The next day, I went to the housing office and asked if I could switch to a different dorm. They told me we were completely full. So I have no choice. I have to stay in this room. I can feel it tearing at the floor beneath my feet again. Trying to get in. I can only hope that the semester ends before it breaks through.