Chapter 4

High-power appliances aren't allowed in the dorms. The last time Eleanor used that oven, she tripped the breaker.

It was Alma who called someone to fix it—she'd obviously done it on purpose.

"Power's out! Power's out!" The sudden darkness threw the onlookers into chaos.

Everyone scattered like startled birds, and in the confusion, I hadn't even had time to react.

A short figure slipped in fast.

The next second—bang. The door was locked from the outside.

My heart shot straight into my throat.

I instinctively dialed 911, only to find there was no signal at all because of the storm.

Fear crawled over me thick and dense. I pounded on the door and screamed, "Open the door!"

But all I heard from outside was Alma, deliberately raising her voice.

"Why does the lock on you girls' Room 103 keep breaking? It's such a pain."

I pounded on the door with everything I had, over and over, but Eleanor just kept sneering at me with contempt.

"Class President Swanson, are you done yet? It's not the first time this lock's broken. On a stormy night like this, where do you expect Alma to find someone to fix it—"

"Hey, lady, could you at least shine a light in here? I can't see a thing—"

Another comment scrolled across the screen: Don't turn on your phone flashlight!

You know this dorm—in the dark you've got the advantage over Phineas.

Behind you, on your right, there's a bottle of pepper powder on the desk.

I ignored Eleanor and closed my hand around the pepper powder, my cold fingers sweating as I gripped it.

The pouring rain blotted out the whole sky.

A suffocating darkness soaked through every corner of the dorm, inside and out.

Phineas let out a low, eerie voice.

"Big sister Eleanor, it's so dark, Phinny's so scared. Can you give me a hug?"

The instant I realized what he was about to do, my breath froze and every hair on my body stood on end.

"Be good, little brother, don't be scared. Big sister's coming right over."

Eleanor was too busy looking down for her phone to notice the danger closing in.

Holding my breath, feeling for the desk behind me, I edged away bit by bit, without a sound.

I couldn't see clearly, but I knew the rough layout of the room.

The bathroom was right behind Eleanor's bed, at the end of the aisle.

While Phineas had all his attention on Eleanor, I was about to slip inside.

But Eleanor suddenly shouted, "So that's where my phone was!"

The words had barely left her mouth when a blinding white light shone straight into Phineas's face.

In that instant, the lewd look on his face was laid bare.

At the far end of the aisle, Phineas was like a wild beast off its chain.

He grinned, baring a mouthful of yellow teeth, and threw his arms wide to lunge at Eleanor.

"Ahh!" Eleanor screamed and bolted into the bathroom.

I was just one step away, so I threw out my hand and jammed it against the door.

But Eleanor didn't care whether I lived or died—she frantically pushed the door shut.

I pulled the door open with all my strength, and just as my fingernails were about to snap—

Eleanor reached her hand out through the gap in the door, gave a sinister little smile, and shoved me straight at Phineas.