The school hallways were eerily empty when Kayla walked alone toward the library. It was late, long after the final bell had rung, but she needed answers.
Her fingers curled around the book Marina had found, the old leather binding rough against her palm. They were running out of time. If they didn't figure this out soon, she would be the next name crossed off the list.
The air felt heavy, thick with something unseen.
Then—
A whisper.
Soft. Almost musical.
"Kayla…"
She froze.
The voice wasn't in her head. It wasn't just a trick of exhaustion.
It was real.
Kayla turned sharply, her heart hammering. "Who's there?"
Silence.
She swallowed, her throat dry, and took a cautious step forward. The library door stood slightly ajar.
"In here…"
The voice slithered through the air, wrapping around her like cold fingers.
Kayla hesitated—but then shoved the door open.
The library was dark, except for a flickering overhead light in the farthest corner. Rows of books loomed around her, the silence pressing.
She wasn't alone.
At the end of the aisle, standing between the bookshelves, was a girl.
Kayla's breath caught.
She was young—about their age—but wrong. Her skin was too pale, almost translucent, her dark eyes hollow and endless. She wore an old-fashioned Ridgewood High uniform, the fabric torn and faded, stained with something dark. Her lips curved in an unnatural smile.
"You finally came."
Kayla's feet wouldn't move. "Who… who are you?"
The girl tilted her head. "You already know."
Kayla sucked in a sharp breath.
This was her.
The first name on the list.
The first student to disappear when the graves were disturbed.
"They let me die, you know," the ghost whispered, stepping closer. Her bare feet didn't touch the ground. "No one helped me. No one even looked for me."
Kayla's hands clenched. "We're looking now."
The ghost's expression darkened. "Too late."
The lights flickered violently.
Kayla stumbled back as the air turned ice-cold.
The girl's head snapped to the side as if she heard something. Her dark eyes met Kayla's. "He's watching you."
Kayla's stomach twisted. "Who?"
But the ghost was already backing into the shadows, her form flickering.
"Run."
Then—
The books exploded off the shelves, flying toward Kayla.
She yelped, ducking as hardcovers crashed around her. Her pulse thundered as she scrambled to her feet, shoving through the falling books.
The doors slammed shut.
Kayla ran.
She sprinted through the darkened halls, heart racing, the ghost's voice still ringing in her ears.
"He's watching you."
Who was he?
What the hell had they just uncovered?
As she reached the exit, the doors flung open—and she slammed into Caston.
His hands caught her shoulders as she gasped for breath. "Whoa—Kayla?"
She gripped his hoodie, shaking.
He frowned, his usual smugness gone. "What happened?"
Kayla opened her mouth—
And the library lights went out completely.
Something was coming.
And for the first time, Kayla knew this wasn't just about the past.
This was about her.
This time, the ghost wasn't warning her.
It was hunting her .