Ruby Fridays

Chapter 26: Truth Hurts

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N O W P L A Y I N G

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───── ❝ R U B Y F R I D A Y ' S P O V ❞ ────

║ Gregorian Calendar ║ 01 - 14 - 2027 ║

║ Thursday║ Class Day ║

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the hallway into shadows. A warm breeze stirs my hair, carrying the scent of honeysuckle from the bushes below.

Sinks of low embers in the sky, painting the horizon in brilliant hues of crimson and gold, I trudge up the steps to my dorm. I had stayed late at the library studying, hoping to block out the strange events of the past day. My day has been long and exhausting after all that happened, and all I want now is the comfort of my room.

And so, feeling like collapsing, I made my way through the walkway of my dorm. The fluorescent lights of the automatic front main gate, flickered above me, their buzzing the only sound in the unnatural stillness that cloaked the hall. It was then I realized as I taunted through it that, the dorm was quiet, unnaturally so.

I expected the usual sounds filtering through the walls, my roommate playing music or watching TV. But today, there was nothing, just an eerie silence that sent a chill down my spine. A sense of foreboding crept over me as I reached my door, hesitating to turn the handle. 

Still standing on the premises of the main door, I peered into the common area by its slightly tinted glass panels, trying to make out something for my eyes to see. Yet, the lights were off and the room was empty, not a single roommate in sight. 

Stepping back, I scan the hallway for anything out of place. The paintings hang straight, undisturbed. Dust motes float lazily in the air. Yet that feeling of unease persists, raising the hairs on my neck. 

I inched closer to the door once more and press my ear against the rough grain, listening for any clues from within. I listened for any sound from within, but heard nothing — nothing but the pounding of my own heart. 

Doubting myself even more, I held the doorknob and found out that the door was shut tight, just how I had left it that morning. I paused outside, my hand hovering and paused on the handle. An unnatural stillness seems to hang over the house. 

I hesitated for a moment on the threshold, peering into the gloom of the hallway beyond. I tell myself I'm being ridiculous, that of course it's quiet with everyone at class this time of day. 

Yet, why does it feel like something's wrong? 

"Fuck this intuitions, Ruby." I murmured. Steeling myself, I grasped the doorknob and pushed the door open. Darkness greeted me, the curtains drawn and lights off. I fumbled for the switch and flicked it on.

Stepping cautiously into the room, I both strained and adjusted my eyes to pierce the darkness. 

At first, nothing seems amiss. Our books and things lay just as I left them. I move further into the room, scanning for any sign of disturbance. I then turned to close the door, as my gaze glides on the window. The curtains are drawn, a slit of fading daylight falls across the sofa seat lingering on the living room, illuminating its one corner.