Room 401

2. Don't Go In

                                                                                  AUGUSTINE 

" The woman in the cloak had her head covered, she kept telling me not to go in, and yet the creepy wreck lured me in, it's like no matter how hard I try to stay away from the wreck, I get dragged right back in Betts, I don't wanna sound like a scaredy cat but, it's been 17 years and that dream still haunts me, the house haunts me. The woman stopped me but I wanted to go right in that place. The woman who's face is unknown and covered but I can sense that she glares back at me." I said to my bestfriend in the entire world

 not to mention it was 4 A.M in the morning and I woke her up from her beauty sleep which I am sure she is upset about.

" It's just a nightmare August, please sleep we have an interview in a week, if you overthink about this, we won't be able to make it." she said nonchalantly, I got the feeling she is reluctant and doesn't care much about this.

 She has always been the one who doesn't read much into these things, for two reasons... one being the fact that has never experienced anything like that and secondly, I don't think she believes in fate, destiny and connections.

 Either way, she was right about the interview, I put my headphones on, listened to some music and I tried to sleep.

" I cannot believe we cracked the interview, we are gonna be studying together in the same class now, and we will be roommates for the next four years, this is gonna be so much fun! " Betty exclaimed and hugged me, I gave her a little nudge to push her away reminding her we were still on the college campus and we need to maintain a decorum. I look at the campus and imagine myself there in the next four years making the best memories and participating in the most  remarkable projects. 

Don't disrespect our family's name, and jeopardize our integrity!  My grandfather's words echo in my head and I start feeling the pressure of being perfect, I try to brush it off, so that my parents don't suspect my anxiety. I wanna make them travel the world with me, the ambition to make them proud makes my eyes glisten with tears but I gulp them down and sit in the cab, I see the street lights passing and the vehicles going by as I dozed off.

" Don't go in there, the damp will eat you up, and never let you exit, it's craft is to capture pure souls, and take them with it! " The lady in the cloak tried to catch my hand, as I was trying to get a better look at the architecture and surroundings of the house, her voice pierced through my ears and chills ran down my spine. Every bone in my body was telling me that I need to go in, why though? even I wasn't aware

 " I think something is calling for me" I say

 She glares at me, and starts whispering something which makes the wind go crazy, she was talking to herself or someone behind her, the whistling wind made her voices unreadable. The rustling of the dried leaves on almost dead trees starts to increase, it seemed like they were set on fire a while back, they turned black due to ashes I could almost smell the burnt wood.

The flapping of the cloak made me want to sneak a look at the woman's face but it was of no use, she had turned around and was leaving. The sky started forming colors I'd  never seen before, and the voice echoed loud and clear when she said " Do you wish to risk everything? " 

 I looked at the house it was at a safe distance, covered with fog and one could tell the house must be freezing inside, the iron gates looked rusted and old, like no-one tends to the house, it stood tall but had somehow stopped time, and it kept calling for me.

 I knew that going inside has consequences, but yet I started to move towards it, the closer I got, the harder it got to breath, it was like the glory of the mansion was suffocating me.

" Wake up honey, we're here " my mom said, and she put her hand on my head, I woke up letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Images of the dream still captured my thoughts, but I try to maintain a brave face. We are supposed to check in today, but for some reason I cannot leave my parents just yet, we enter the building, cold air brushes my bare skin, me and Betty give each other a knowing look as she felt the breeze too. The receptionist greets us with a handshake and hands me the keys.

" Here are the keys, your room number is 401, feel free to use the elevator, the Dinner Schedule will be emailed to you shortly. " I take them and head towards the room.