Chapter 1
She said it was an early celebration, wishing me luck getting into a top-tier Ivy League university.
But then, I got a message from Willow, our dorm’s resident mystic.
[Chloe, don’t wear that necklace. If you do, you’ll turn into a total blank slate before the exams.]
The moment the dorm lights flickered on, my roommate Tiffany held out a shimmering silver necklace.
“Chloe, this is a special gift I had made for you when I traveled to Japan. Consider it an early celebration for getting into your dream university.”
Tiffany was a true heiress; she spent every break traveling. I was genuinely surprised she remembered my birthday. I quickly took the necklace, thanking her profusely.
Right after, my roommate Willow handed me her gift – a bracelet inscribed with ancient, mystical symbols.
You could tell she’d made it herself. Willow was always obsessed with spiritual and occult studies.
But whether it was expensive or cheap, the thought counts, and that’s priceless. I accepted both.
Still, being a girl, I couldn’t help but feel Tiffany’s gift was clearly superior.
“Come on, let me put it on for you myself.”
Oddly enough, the necklace felt icy cold against my skin, making me shiver. Seeing this, Willow wasn’t to be outdone. She urged me to put on her bracelet too. But Tiffany quickly stopped her.
“Maybe not. Our first major mock exam is tomorrow, and that bracelet is covered in symbols. What if the proctor gets suspicious?”
Tiffany had a point. I could only apologize to Willow, promising to wear her bracelet as soon as the exam was over. Normally, Willow would insist on having her way. But this time, she just frowned, saying nothing more.
Just as I thought my birthday celebration had ended perfectly, right after my shower, Willow grabbed my arm. Her eyes burned into my neck as she said, her voice serious:
“Chloe, you can’t wear that necklace. If you do, you’ll turn into a total blank slate before the exams.”
Hearing her, I thought she was still upset about the earlier incident. I quickly tried to reassure her.
“Willow, don’t be mad. I’ll wear your bracelet right after the exam tomorrow.”
“No, I’m not mad. The necklace Tiffany gave you… its previous owner was a complete academic failure. She made a pact with it, and it feeds on your essence to give her power!”
What was she talking about? This was getting ridiculous.
“Just listen to me, okay? Take it off, now.”
Without a word, Willow spun me around, trying to unfasten the necklace. But Tiffany walked right in on us, having just returned to the dorm. She thought Willow was forcing me to wear her bracelet and instantly lost her temper.
“Are you serious? You’re allowed to give gifts, but mine’s no good? Or are you just targeting me?”
Seeing the tension fill the air in our dorm, I quickly intervened to smooth things over.
“I just have some pimples on my neck, and Willow was helping me put on some cream. Tiffany, don’t misunderstand.”
Willow saw my signal and didn’t argue. Instead, she discreetly sprinkled some fine powder near my bed. Before I fell asleep, she kept signaling me with her eyes, urging me to take off the necklace.
Lying in bed that night, I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Willow’s words kept replaying in my mind. It wasn’t until the latter half of the night that I finally started to feel drowsy.
Then, a rustling sound woke me up. It sounded like someone was dragging ill-fitting jeans across the floor.
But that didn’t make sense, did it? Willow preferred simple, natural fabrics like cotton and linen. Tiffany came from money and favored designer clothes; she’d never wear anything ill-fitting. My heart pounded in my chest. I secretly pulled back the curtain a crack.
Through the faint moonlight from the window, I saw a distorted, shadowy figure of a “person” dragging its limp limbs, twisting eerily across the dorm floor, inching closer to my bed…
I woke up, scared senseless. It was just a nightmare, I realized. Still shaken, I lay back down, pulling the covers over my head, and vaguely managed to stay like that until morning.