I could feel the presence knelt next to me.
"Rachel, you can open your eyes it’s me." I heard my grandma’s voice
I wanted to open my eyes but I know this isn’t the first time I heard a familiar voice and it turned out to be something else. It cannot be possible that it’s grandma because she can’t talk.
"Rachel opens your eyes, you need to listen to me." She said
"It’s not real, you’re not real, go away!" I whined "Go away! Go away! You’re not real." I hyperventilated.
"Open your eyes Rachel, believe in one but trust no one, if life throws a ball at you, never catch it because it’s a trap."
Those words, made me open my eyes. Those words meant so much to grandma, she always says it but I don’t know why, it’s like a message or something, she once told me that life will explain what it means and I think now is the time.
"Grandma" I barely spoke out. I can’t believe she’s talking, it’s been almost ten years since she said a word. "Grandma you are talking."
I can’t explain how happy I am right now, I have been wanting to hear her speak.
She instantly clutched my wrist "You need to hear me out." She widened her eyes; her voice sounding profound
"What’s the wrong grandma?"
"It’s coming and it wants you but it can’t get you until it’s time. You need to get help from her, she isn’t what you think she is, she is the only way out of this."
"Who?"
"Just trust her." She pushed me away from her as she walked toward the dark side of the forest.
"Grandma! Grandma wait!" I called out but it was too late; she vanished.
My body began to shudder as I stood up "Grandma! Grandma!" I called out again.
I jolted awake and began hyperventilating as I realized what exactly happened; a dark dream. I gulped in my saliva and slowly closed my eyes and then opened it.
"It was a dream, grandma is fine, grandma is fine, nothing is wrong with her." My inner thought said.
Even though it was a dream, it felt real, her voice, her presence, everything felt real. Grandma knelt next to me, she could talk, walk and even run. Thinking about this makes me feel more delusional, grandma hasn’t been able to walk or run in years. I closed my eyes and took a long deep breath "It was just a nightmare" I convinced myself.
A nightmare that got my grandma to talk, a nightmare that got her to run, walk and it got her scared. I may sound crazy but I think this isn’t just a dream, grandma was trying to tell me something but what exactly?
I lifted my head and looked at Alice who just walked into the room "Hey! Are you okay?" Alice asked
"Yeah...Uhm. I am fine." I responded
My heart was gradually calming down and my breath was becoming normal.
"You look like you’ve seen a ghost." She walked towards her bed and grabbed something.
"What! No, I’m just…Uhm...I bit tired." I said
"Okay." She shrugged as she walked towards the door "Hey! I am going for a stroll, do you wanna join me?" She asked
"Yeah, sure." I stood up and grabbed my jacket. Maybe some fresh air is all I need right now.
Once we stepped out of the hostel, I felt a thrilling chill on my body, the wind whipped through the trees, creaking and groaning like an old rocking chair. It was almost like it was going to rain, as a cold wind nipped at my face, my hair ruffled. The wind increased, and my body cooled at a faster rate causing my skin temperature to drop.
"So, where are we going Alice?" I asked
"I don’t know, we are just gonna roam round and round and round until we eventually get tired." She responded as she turned around and looked at me "Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah."
We walked for a while in silence before Alice broke the ice "I never got to ask you this question; how has the hostel been for you?"
"Okay, I guess," I responded
"Really, I thought you would like it more than that."
"I also thought that." I muttered under my breath "Alice, can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah, why not."
"What happens if someone opens the door at 3:15?" I asked
"What are you talking about?"
"You told me not to open the door at 3:15, didn’t you?" I asked
"When did I tell you that?"
"That day, the first day I arrived."
"I’m sorry Rachel but I don’t understand, is this some kind of a game because you just lost me? I seriously don’t get what you are saying."
"You don’t remember anything, do you?" I questioned
"I’m sorry but I’m kinda lost."
If Alice didn’t tell me then who did? Who told me about this 3:15 stuff?
"Relax, it’s just a rumor even if you opened the door or not, it’s a rumor you have nothing to worry about." She assured
"Rumor?" I questioned
"Yeah, it’s been going on and on since I was a freshman."
"I’m sorry but I’m confused, you told me that you have no idea what I was talking about and now you are saying that it’s a rumor."
"Yeah, because it’s a rumor but I never told you anything about it."
"You_" I paused when I recalled what exactly happened that night. Something happened to me, Alice sure told me about it but it felt like dream, it’s like she told me but at the same time, she didn’t.
"Hey! Snap out of your thoughts, it’s getting quite late and I have night class," Alice said
"Yeah sure." I sighed "But Alice, do you what happens afterward, like what exactly happens when someone opens the door at 3:15?"
"I don’t know." She shrugged "It’s just like a rumor kind of thing, so no one actually knows what happens next."
"Ohh!" I sighed
"Anyways, why are you so bothered about it? It is just a stupid rumor, you have nothing to be scared of."
"I was just curious, that’s it."
I need to know what exactly happened that night, if I want to end this, then I have to find out about everything.