CHAPTER SIX180Please respect copyright.PENANAZ4eYkduMI0
Kim sat in the far corner of the dormitory hallway, her back pressed against the cool cement of the wall. The dim light from the overhead bulb flickered, but the quiet made the silence feel thick—heavy, almost suffocating. Outside, the low hum of the city’s busy streets seemed far away, as if the entire world outside had faded into the distance.180Please respect copyright.PENANAWl1iGFZ1o7
She was waiting for a moment, just like any other night, when her thoughts could settle.180Please respect copyright.PENANAHeN9JdidgP
But then, a rustle in the shadows caught her attention.180Please respect copyright.PENANA9gQfbhzacH
“Did you hear?”180Please respect copyright.PENANAft3gh5Gbaq
The voice was low, careful, like someone was trying to keep something hidden even though they were standing right there, just a few feet away.180Please respect copyright.PENANArKWpyrohVB
Kim froze. Her heart picked up speed.180Please respect copyright.PENANAW3GbXPbhXm
“They were over again,” the voice continued, sounding almost pleased. “They didn’t even make it past the wall this time, but ... they were close.”180Please respect copyright.PENANAKsDaSeHlE1
Kim’s eyes widened. Who? She hadn’t heard anything about the boys crossing over again? Usually, it was just whispers or passing glances—nothing serious. But the mention still made her skin prickle.180Please respect copyright.PENANA1Sh9lB6OuY
“They’re getting bolder,” the second voice replied. “We can't let it slide anymore. They know what happens when the boys come too close to the dorms. What happens when they cross the line.”180Please respect copyright.PENANAmDGcWEXa4O
Kim barely breathed. She had heard stories about the girls who watched the wall—the ones who seemed to always know when someone was lurking too close. The ones who made sure no boy ever made it past the threshold, no matter how hard they tried.180Please respect copyright.PENANAWUHsbxDT6u
A girl, Judy, had once told her in passing about an incident two years ago, when a boy had been found near the girls' dorms after dark. No one spoke of it much after that. The boy had been sent home. He’d never returned to school, his name erased from the roster, his face forgotten.180Please respect copyright.PENANAyG4q5FExXa
But Kim didn’t realize then how deeply that secret ran.180Please respect copyright.PENANAgVWOAtomaO
“You think the teachers don’t know?” the first voice continued, mocking. “They see us. They see everything. But they’re scared, too.”180Please respect copyright.PENANAaC0SNcfKDm
Kim's breath caught as she leaned in slightly, listening harder now. Her curiosity, and the unease gnawing at her, refused to let her pull away.180Please respect copyright.PENANA0kFszBFG96
Kim’s blood turned cold.180Please respect copyright.PENANA3bf2fu3GZg
She hadn’t realized the extent of the wall’s power. Not just a physical barrier between schools, but a place where things disappeared. And the students who crossed that line? They didn’t just get caught. They got erased. Wiped from the school history as if they had never existed.180Please respect copyright.PENANAFJUlgjUNPC
The silence that followed felt heavier than any sound. Kim’s mind raced. Who were these girls? What power did they have over everyone? Were they the ones watching, making sure no one ever crossed the line?180Please respect copyright.PENANAVUymZJnvI2
And why did no one ever speak of it?