I was shaking before I even reached the computer lab.
Not a cute trembling. Not the "I drank coffee on an empty stomach" kind. I'm talking full-body earthquake. Knees unreliable. Heart doing dubstep. My brain decided breathing was optional. And the hallway lights? Too bright. Too quiet. Too normal for what was happening.
The door at the end of the hallway felt alive.
That's the worst part. It wasn't metaphorical. It actually pulsed, the way a loading screen hums before a boss spawns. Each step I took made the air feel heavier, like something was tugging me closer.
Great. Perfect. Nothing screams mental stability like a door that feels sentient enough to have a crush on me.
My hand reached for the handle. It wasn't steady. Honestly, I was half-expecting it to shock me, or scream, or turn into a mimic. Instead, it clicked open with a soft, gentle sound.
And she was there.
Pelushra.
