Coldbrook Hauntings: Unearthed Secrets

Part 4: Sinister Reflection

Eva sat with Sussy in the small corner of the teacher's lounge, their voices hushed as she recounted her eerie encounter with the coffee machine. The room was filled with the soft murmur of conversations, but Eva's words seemed to hang in the air like an ominous shroud.

"I mean, it was bizarre, Sussy," Eva said, her eyes darting nervously. "I was alone, and suddenly it just...fell over. It was as if someone had pushed it, but there was no one there."

Sussy frowned, concern etched across her face. "That's really strange, Eva. Are you sure it wasn't just a malfunction?"

Eva nodded, but doubt gnawed at her. "I wish it were that simple, but it felt...almost deliberate, like it was meant to scare me."

As they spoke, Mr. Dawson entered the lounge, his presence casting a shadow over their conversation. With a sardonic smile, he interjected, "Ah, Eva, still spinning your ghostly tales, I see. I must admit, your imagination is quite impressive."

Eva's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Mr. Dawson's words cut deep. She knew he enjoyed belittling her at every opportunity, but she couldn't understand why he was so openly cruel.

"You know," he continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm, "it's quite common for newcomers to be...overwhelmed by the history and traditions of Coldbrook High. I suppose some people just aren't cut out for it."

As Mr. Dawson walked away, Sussy leaned closer to Eva, her expression sympathetic. "Ignore him, Eva. He's just an old man set in his ways. He doesn't like newcomers because he's comfortable in his own routines."

Eva nodded, trying to push aside the hurtful words. She couldn't let Mr. Dawson's bullying deter her from uncovering the truth about the school's haunting. The mysteries were real, and she was determined to prove it.

As the day wore on, Eva couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her chest. The encounter with Mr. Dawson had left her rattled, but she pressed on with her classes, doing her best to focus on her students.

Then came the moment that shattered her fragile composure. The intercom crackled to life, and the principal's voice filled the classrooms. "Eva Collins, please report to my office immediately."

Eva's heart raced as she excused herself from her bewildered students and made her way to Mr. Harris's office. The ominous tone in his voice was unmistakable, and she feared that her strange encounter with the coffee machine had not gone unnoticed.

When she entered his office, Mr. Harris sat behind his desk, his expression inscrutable. "Eva," he began, his voice deceptively calm, "I've heard about the incident with the coffee machine."

Eva swallowed hard, her palms growing clammy. "Mr. Harris, I swear I didn't do anything. It just...fell over by itself."

Mr. Harris regarded her with a stern look. "Eva, I've been the principal of Coldbrook High for many years, and I've seen my fair share of peculiar occurrences. But I've never heard of a coffee machine toppling over on its own."

Eva felt a sinking sensation in her chest. She couldn't understand why Mr. Harris was taking this so seriously. "I promise, I'm not making this up. Something strange is happening in this school."

Mr. Harris leaned forward, his gaze piercing. "Eva, I want to believe you. But you must understand, Coldbrook High has a reputation to uphold. We can't have rumors of supernatural events tarnishing that reputation."

Eva's heart sank as Mr. Harris continued, "If you want to keep your job here, I suggest you put these...strange occurrences behind you. No more trouble, Eva. Do you understand?"

With a heavy heart, Eva nodded, the weight of Mr. Harris's warning pressing down on her. As she left his office, she couldn't help but question her own sanity. Maybe she was imagining things, and it was all in her head.

As she stepped into the hallway, her thoughts were interrupted by a group of her students playing and laughing. Eva couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance. "Why aren't you all in class?" she asked, trying to maintain her composure.

One of the students, a young girl named Emily, spoke up hesitantly. "Mrs. Anderson hasn't shown up for her class, Miss Collins."

Eva's eyebrows furrowed in concern. Mrs. Anderson was known for her punctuality, and her absence was unusual. "Thank you, Emily. I'll go check on her."

She hurried to the teacher's room, her footsteps echoing eerily in the empty hallway. When she entered, the room was filled with hushed conversations among the teachers. Eva's voice trembled as she asked, "Has anyone seen Mrs. Anderson?"

People exchanged worried glances, but no one had seen her. As Eva turned to leave, Mr. Dawson couldn't resist the opportunity to mock her once more. "Maybe she was taken by the coffee machine."

Eva stormed out of the teacher's room, her anger and frustration mounting. Tears welled up in her eyes as she made her way to the bathroom, desperate to find a moment of solace.

She pushed open the bathroom door and entered, determined to regain her composure. But as she wiped her tears away and tried to muster a smile in the mirror, a chilling sight caught her eye.

A little girl stood at the exit of the bathroom, her eyes fixed on Eva. Her presence sent a jolt of fear through Eva's body. "Is something wrong?" she asked the child, her voice trembling.

The little girl said nothing, only pointed at the mirror. Eva turned to look, and her heart seemed to stop in her chest. In the mirror's reflection, she saw a horrifying sight—a dead man with hollow eyes and a twisted expression, lying in the bathroom stall right behind her.

Eva screamed and spun around, but the stall was empty. The little girl had vanished as well. She stumbled backward in shock, her breaths coming in rapid gasps.

As panic surged through her, Eva rushed to the bathroom door, desperate to escape the haunting scene. But when she reached for the handle, her heart sank—a cold, unyielding force held the door shut.

She was trapped.

*Let me know what you guys think of this part, what do you think will happen next?*