Chapter 27: The Cursed Room

After parting ways with his friends at the gaming club, Evan headed off alone. Despite having walked the route several times now, he still wasn’t fully familiar with it—so out came his trusty guide: the map app.

He tapped in his home address. A route quickly popped up on the screen, showing both his current position and the destination.

“Phew, I’m on time,” he muttered, noting that he still had a bit of a buffer before reaching home.

As he continued walking, he pulled out his phone again.

“Maybe I should ask Aunt if she needs anything from the store.”

He dialed her number. It rang a few times before she answered—and as expected, Rossy didn’t wait for him to speak.

“Evan! Are you okay? Are you lost again? Just tell me where you are—I’ll come get you!”

Her words were rapid-fire, panic clearly setting in before Evan quickly cut in.

“Aunt, I’m fine, really.”

“I just wanted to know if you needed anything from the store since I’m close by.”

That stopped her. She calmed down, exhaling sharply.

“Oh, thank goodness. I was about to send Jason to pick up a few things, but since you’re offering…”

She listed off what she needed and even transferred the money to his phone, despite Evan’s attempts to decline.

Soon enough, Evan found himself inside a neighborhood convenience store. He gathered the items on the list and walked up to the counter, where a chubby-faced man was helping another customer.

He waited patiently. After the other customer left, Evan placed his items down.

“Hey there. You new around here?”

the man asked with a grin.

Evan gave a polite nod.

“Knew it! I’ve got a sharp memory, and I don’t forget faces. First time here, huh?”

The man’s friendliness caught Evan off guard, but he replied kindly, which seemed to please him.

“Tell you what,”

the man added, leaning over the counter,

“I’ll throw in a small discount. First-time bonus.”

“Thanks,”

Evan smiled.

“So… where do you live, bro?”

the man asked casually.

“Oh, I’m staying with Mr. Jason in the building right behind the store. First floor, room 103.”

As soon as Evan said that, the man’s expression dropped.

“Oh no, bro… I hate to say this, but it sounds like you’ve hit a rough patch.”

“Oh, by the way, name’s Leo.”

“Rough patch? Why?”

Evan asked, confused.

Leo leaned in, lowering his voice like he was about to reveal a juicy secret.

“That room… is cursed.”

Evan blinked.

“What? I’ve been living there for a while, and nothing’s happened.”

Leo shook his head gravely.

“It starts after a week. Trust me, you wouldn’t believe what happened to the last two guys who lived in room 103…”

He pulled up a chair and, with a serious tone, began telling the tale.

“First guy was just a regular dude, lived a quiet life… until the girl next door called the cops on him. Accused him of peeping and harassment. He tried to suppress the news, but it spread like wildfire. His career? Ruined. Social life? Gone. He had to leave the city in shame.”

“The second guy? Same room. Lived peacefully for a while… then a story broke out that he tried to seduce and—”

Leo hesitated.

“—well,

force himself

on the girl next door. He got arrested. Jailed. His family and friends cut him off. He ended up moving to another kingdom to start over, but his life was basically done for.”

Evan clapped slowly.

“You’re quite the storyteller, Leo.”

Leo smirked, but there was still caution in his eyes.

“Some say the girl framed them. Others say the room itself is cursed. Either way, bro, you seem like a good kid. Be careful, alright? Don’t trust people too easily—especially her.”

Evan gave a nod of understanding.

The two chatted a bit more before Evan decided it was time to leave.

“Take care, brother! Hope to see you around again,”

Leo said as new customers trickled in.

Evan stepped out, his mind replaying the story Leo had told him.

“Could she really be that dangerous?”

he wondered.

He decided to avoid any unnecessary contact with the girl next door—better safe than sorry.

He arrived back at Rossy’s apartment and handed over the groceries.

“Thank you, Evan. You’re such a thoughtful boy. Go on, watch some TV while I cook.”

Evan sat down and turned on the television, only to have Jason plop down next to him moments later. Wordlessly, Evan handed over the remote.

“It feels weird letting an elder pick what to watch… but I guess that’s how it works,”

Evan thought.

After a while, Rossy called them to dinner. Jason turned off the TV, and they joined her at the table.

The meal passed quickly. Once finished, Evan excused himself and returned to his apartment.

He climbed the stairs, nearing his floor—when he noticed something.

The girl next door’s boyfriend was standing outside, knocking. A few seconds later, she opened the door and let him in, glancing around nervously to ensure no one saw. She didn’t spot Evan, who stood quietly in the shadows, observing.

He felt a chill run down his spine.

“I should steer clear of them,”

he thought, quickly unlocking his door and heading inside.

After finishing a few minor tasks, he lay down on his bed.

Sleep came easily.

But peace did not.

Half an hour later, Evan’s sleeping face began to twitch. He was dreaming—again.

But this wasn’t like his usual dreams.

It started normally. He was in danger, as usual. On the verge of death. But just as the killing blow was about to land, the dream shifted.

Suddenly, he was standing alone in a vast, surreal place—a sky of endless white above him, and a dark, glassy floor stretching to the horizon. He was suspended between heaven and earth.

Then—

He turned.

And froze.

Ten colossal beings stood before him. Towering, 15 to 20 feet tall. Their shapes were vague, shifting. Humanoid, yet not. Their presence defied logic.

Then the world began to shake—cracking, shattering.

And from the tallest one, a voice rumbled like thunder:

“The time is coming.”

That was all.

Evan shot up in bed, drenched in sweat. The fan whirred overhead at full blast, but it did nothing to cool his fevered body.

He stared out the window.

“Well… today’s dream was

very

different,”

he muttered.

Outside, the horizon glowed orange—the sun was rising.

Author's Note:

Hey everyone! Thanks for reading.