THE SECRET FLOOR

Chapter 1: The first dream

The first time I saw the door, I was dreaming.

At least, that's what I thought.

I was standing in the middle of a hallway I had never seen before. It was completely empty. The walls were painted a dull shade of white, but the lights above me kept flickering. Every few seconds, one of them would go dark before coming back on.

I looked down at myself. I was wearing a university ID card around my neck.

That was strange.

I hadn't even started university yet.

"Hello?"

My voice echoed through the hallway.

No answer.

I took a few steps forward.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

My shoes sounded unusually loud against the floor.

Then I heard it.

"Naomi."

I froze.

Someone had whispered my name.

I slowly turned around.

Nothing.

The hallway behind me was empty.

"Naomi..."

This time, the voice sounded closer.

My heart started beating faster.

"Who's there?"

Silence.

I turned back around.

And that's when I saw the door.

It was at the very end of the hallway.

Unlike everything else, the door was black. There was a strange gold symbol carved into the center of it. I couldn't tell what the symbol meant, but something about it made my stomach twist.

I walked toward it.

One step.

Then another.

The closer I got, the colder the hallway became.

I reached for the handle.

Before my fingers touched it, someone grabbed my wrist.

I screamed.

I woke up.

My eyes flew open. For a few seconds, I couldn't move. I stared at my bedroom ceiling, breathing heavily.

Morning sunlight streamed through the curtains.

My room. My bed. My alarm clock.

Everything was normal.

I sat up and rubbed my eyes.

"What was that?"

I looked at the time.

6:17 a.m.

My university orientation was today.

Today.

I was finally starting university.

I got out of bed and tried to forget the dream.

It wasn't difficult.

It was just a dream.

At least, that's what I told myself.

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