ROOM 404

Chapter 1:The Dormitory Gates

The rain had not stopped since morning.It poured relentlessly,soaking the trees,the cracked pavement,and the tall  iron gates that marked the entrance of Sekolah Asrama Putra Mutiara.
Kyle stood in front of the gates with his small suitcase,watching the water trickle down the rusty bars.His shirt clung to his skin,and his sneakers were caked with mud.He tilted his head back,staring at the faded signboard above:

WELCOME TO MUTIARA BOARDING SCHOOL

The paint had peeled away,leaving behind patches of grey wood. A crow perched on top of the sign,letting out a low,guttural caw.
"Great firts impression,"Kyle muttered under his breath.
The bus that had dropped him here had already disappeared down the narrow road.There was no turning back now.This school would be his new home for the next two years.
He gripped the handle of his suitcase tighter and pushes the gates open.They groaned loudly,the sound enchoing in the rain-soaked silence.
The path to the dormitory was lined with towering trees.Their branches twisted overhead like bony fingers,blocking out most of the weak evening light.The rainwater pooled in shallow puddles,reflecting the pale glow of the streetlamps.
As Kyle walked,he couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched.The trees loomed too closed,the shadows stretch too long.
His heartbeat quickened with every step.
Finally,the dormitory came into the view.A tall,old building with moss creeping up its wall and several broken windows covered with wooden planks.The main door stood open,but the inside looked unnervingly dark.

A figure emerged from the shadows.
"New student?" the boy asked.His voice was flat,his eyes half-hidden behind damp bangs.

"Yeah...Kyle."
The boy didn't smile.He simply noded once."I'm Hilmi.Head prefect.You'll be in the east wing."
Something about his tone unsettled Kyle,but he followed quietly as Helmi led the way inside.

The dormitory smelled of damp wood and dust.The hallways stretched long,dimly lit by flickering bulbs.Every few seconds,drops of water fell from the ceiling into rusty buckets.
"This place..."Kyle whispered to himself.
"Don't complain,"Hilmi cut him off."You'll get used to it.Everyone does."

They passed several rooms with open doors.lnside,students were unpacking,chatting,or sitting quietly on their beds.But when Kyle walked by,many pairs of eyes followed him.Whispering.Murmuring.
At the end of the hall,Hilmi stopped in front of a staircase.The light here was dimmer.The air was colder.
"You're assigned to Room 404,"Hilmi said,his tone even flatter than before.

Kyle blinked."Four-oh-four?But...this wing looks empty."
Hilmi didn't answer immediately.His eyes flicked to the shadows at the top of the stairs.Then he turned back,lowering his voice.

"Don't leave your room after midnight.Don't answer if someone knocks more than three times.And whatever happens ..."He paused,his jaw tight."...Don't open the window."
Kyle 's stomach tightened."What are you talking about?"
But Hilmi was already walking away."Unpack your things.You'll understand soon enough."

The stairs creaked loudly as Kyle climbed them.The hallway on the fourth floor was almost completely dark,save for the dull glow of a single bulb.The number 404 was painted on a wooden door at the very end of the corridor.Something about it felt wrong.The door looked older than the rest,the paint chipped,the doorknob tarnished.
Kyle swallowed hard,slid the key into the lock,and pushed the door open.
The room was small.Two beds.Two desks.A window facing the forest outside.The air smelled faintly of mold.

But what made Kyle's skin prickle was the writing on the wall near the window.Faded,but still visible under the peeling paint.
It read:

"DON'T STAY HERE."

Kyle froze.
The wind outside picked up,whistling through the cracks of the window.He stared at the words,his chest tightening.
A sudden noise echoed from the hallway-three sharp knocks.

KNOCK.KNOCK.KNOCK.
Kyle spun around,heart pounding.
"Hello?"he called,his voice shaking.
No answer.
Only silence.
Then-another knock.This time softer,slower,almost deliberate.

KNOCK..KNOCK..

The hairs on his arms stood on end.
He remembered Hilmi's warning.
Don't answer if someone knocks more than three times...
Kyle backed away from the door,his eyes wide.The rain outside battered the window,the wind howled.

And in the reflection of the glass-just for a split second-he thought he saw a pale face staring back at him.