SLIDE 16

CHAPTER 3

Academic Rituals

The next day, Viego met his friends in the dormitory common room. The atmosphere was tense, the whispers from the night before still fresh in his mind.

"Guys, we need to talk," Viego said, his voice steady but serious.

Ellie, Czisco, Calle, and France looked at him with concern. "What's up, Viego?" Calle asked.

"I've been hearing whispers," Viego began, "and last night, they were asking for help. They said something about breaking a curse."

The group exchanged uneasy glances. "I've heard them too," Ellie admitted. "I thought it was just my imagination."

"It's not your imagination," Viego said. "I saw something outside last night—ghostly figures watching me. I think they're the spirits of the students who were sacrificed."

"We need to figure out what's going on," Czisco said, his expression serious. "This is more than just a legend."

"Let's start with the library," France suggested. "Maybe there's something in the archives about the history of Laurel Haven and the sacrifices."

They agreed and headed to the library. The large, dimly lit room was filled with rows of dusty books and old manuscripts. The friends split up, searching for any clues that might shed light on the mystery.

After hours of searching, Ellie found an old journal hidden behind a stack of books.

"Guys, look at this," she said, her voice filled with excitement. "It's a journal from one of the first professors at Laurel Haven."

They gathered around as Ellie read aloud.

The journal detailed an experiment conducted by the professor to harness supernatural powers for academic success.

The experiment had gone horribly wrong, unleashing a malevolent entity that required sacrifices to maintain its power.

"This explains everything," Czisco said, his face pale. "The entity feeds on fear and despair. The sacrifices are part of a pact made to keep it under control."

"But how do we stop it?" Calle asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "How do we break the curse?"

"We need to weaken the entity," Viego said, remembering what Czisco had mentioned earlier. "If we can stay strong and not give in to the fear, maybe we can disrupt its power."

As they discussed their plan, the whispers grew louder, more urgent. The friends knew they had to act quickly. They decided to meet back at the dormitory that night to continue their investigation.

As night fell, the friends gathered in their room, the atmosphere tense and charged with anticipation. The whispers seemed to press in on them, filling the air with a sense of dread.

"We need to stay strong," Viego said, his voice steady. "We can't let the fear consume us."

The friends nodded, their resolve hardening. They spent the night combing through the journal, piecing together the dark history of Laurel Haven and the sacrifices that had plagued the university for generations.

Suddenly, the room grew cold, and the candle flickered. The whispers became deafening, filling the room with a cacophony of desperate voices.

"Help us... find peace... break the curse..."

Viego stood up, his eyes blazing with determination. "We will help you," he said aloud, addressing the spirits. "We will break the curse."

As he spoke, the whispers seemed to recede, replaced by a sense of tentative hope. The friends knew they had a long road ahead, but they were ready to face the darkness head-on.

That night, as they lay in their beds, the friends felt a renewed sense of purpose. The whispers had guided them to the truth, and they were determined to uncover the secrets of Laurel Haven and break the curse that had haunted the university for generations.