Dormitory

Have you ever gotten that "alone" feeling? Like not just the fact that you're the only one in a room or something, but the feeling that you wouldn't be able to call for help, even if you tried. That's truly alone. And when you know what it's like to feel truly alone, you know what it's like to feel true fear.

I was returning to my college dorm after a hard fought game of ultimate. My clothes were sticking to me as I felt the relief of the A/C battle the muggy heat from outside. I waltzed up to my room to get my shower stuff. I remember glancing at the clock and thinking that the ultimate game had taken quite a lot longer than I thought. It was already midnight! As I washed off the sweat and grass, I remember feeling peculiar. I hadn't really realized how quiet the dorm was until now. Usually I hear blaring music and excited laughter as I walk to the shower, but this time it had been nothing. I remember feeling a chill run up my spine, despite the steaming water. If only I'd stayed in that shower.

After I was done rinsing off, I threw on my tshirt and shorts and opened the bathroom door to go back to my room. The lights were off in the hallway. And since it was midnight, that meant there was no light whatsoever in that hallway. I stuck my foot in the bathroom door to use the little rectangle of light that came from it to try and see into the darkness. I heard movement at the end of the hall, but I wasn't scared yet. "Kali, is that you?" I called, thinking it might be one of my friends whose room was down there. I heard a soft chuckle, not loud enough to distinguish the gender but it still greatly unnerved me. I heard a soft rolling noise and was tempted to bolt for my room, which was at the complete other end of the hallway, but I stood my ground. Finally, a ball rolled into my field of view (which was only a few feet in front of me). I smirked at the clever prank and yelled, "Ok haha very funny Kali."

I took a closer look at the ball and my blood froze in my veins. It was my "lucky" racquetball that I kept under my bed. But the thing that truly scared me was that none of my friends knew about it. I yelled," Ok guys this isn't fucking funny." A soft chuckle, but this time it was from the other end of the hall. "GUYS FUCKING STOP" I screamed. In my rage, I accidentally pulled my foot out of the door. Total darkness. I went to push it back open but it was locked. And I had left my key card inside. My eyes watered as I fumbled for my phone in my pocket. After what seemed like the biggest struggle of my life, I finally got my phone out of my pocket. I turned on the flashlight and looked at both sides of the hallway. It seemed that every time I looked one way, I would hear a chuckle from the other. I was absolutely terrified now. I was torn between which side of the hall to look at. I quickly glanced at my phone screen to check the battery. Four percent.

I was pretty much full on crying at this point as I laid my phone down so the light showed upwards. I sat with my back to the bathroom door and looked straight ahead so I could try to use my peripherals to look at both sides. The chuckles came closer until they were just outside my field of view, maybe 10 feet away on both sides. I felt like I couldn't be any more afraid until I realized something. I had no way of knowing what my battery percentage was at as my phone was face down, and I couldn't check it because I would lose sight of both sides of the hallway. So I waited. Waited for my only lifeline to go out. And I listened to the eager chuckles on both sides of me.

I sat for what felt like ages until my flashlight flickered. I was sobbing uncontrollably as I put my head down and shut my eyes just as the light went out. The chuckles became quieter, and moved in slowly. I swear I could feel breathing on my neck. Just as I decided I had had enough and swung my arms out and screamed, the hallway lights came on. Nothing. In either direction. My soul felt shattered. I didn't move until all the people that lived on my floor came laughing through the door, joking about the awesome party they had all been at. I stood up and let out a soft chuckle. I dropped out and moved the next day.