WHISPER OF THE DARK!! ••when Shadow Collide With Astral Dreams

13| Warning!

This part split into two parts

This is part 1

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It was finally Friday, and I was done with today's last lecture. As I walked out of the lecture hall, my phone pinged with a message from Pavel: "Hey beautiful, we are at the cafeteria. Meet us here."** Smiling to myself, I quickly replied, **"Yeah, I'm coming."**

The corridors were buzzing with energy as I made my way toward the cafeteria. Groups of students gathered in clusters, chatting away, while couples embraced by the walls, sharing fleeting moments before the weekend. I weaved my way through the bustle, my bag slung over one shoulder, and let out a long breath.

Just as I reached the entrance of the cafeteria, a familiar voice rang out behind me. **"Nastra!"**

I rolled my eyes and turned toward the voice. **Here we go again,** I thought. Pavel was the only person who never called me by my real name, even though he knew exactly how to pronounce it. I didn't understand his weird obsession with twisting my name, but somehow, I'd gotten used to it. Shaking my head, I made my way over to his table.

Pavel grinned as I took a seat next to him, his eyes gleaming with mischief. His friends were already there, engaged in light banter and sipping on coffee. I joined in, letting their conversations wash over me, feeling the weight of the day lift off my shoulders. Moments like these had become my small escapes-brief pauses amid the chaos of assignments, research, and responsibilities that filled my life.

The days seemed to fly by faster than I could grasp, blurring into a cycle of lectures, deadlines, and late-night meetings with Darya, my roommate and closest friend. We hardly crossed paths during the day, both of us buried under our academic loads. Our only time together was at night, and Sundays were sacred-a day reserved for us to unwind, catch up, and hang out. I was already looking forward to tomorrow. **Saturday, then Sunday,** I thought with a satisfied sigh. **Finally, some time to breathe.**

Just as I sank deeper into my thoughts, a conversation from a nearby group caught my attention. Their low voices, filled with excitement and tension, pulled me in without warning.

"...yeah, it's this really old library, just outside town," one of them whispered, the words tinged with curiosity.

I perked up, my interest piqued. Libraries were already a place of fascination for me, but this sounded like something different-something with a mystery behind it.

Another voice chimed in, a little louder this time. "People say the books whisper to you. Like... they tell you things."

Intrigued, I leaned forward slightly, catching Pavel's glance before turning my attention fully toward the nearby group.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt," I said, addressing them with a polite smile. "What's so interesting about the library?"

One of the boys smirked, glancing at me with a playful gleam in his eye. "It's not just interesting," he said. "It's haunted. They say you can hear whispers inside-like the books are alive, and they're trying to tell you something."

I raised a skeptical eyebrow, but the idea intrigued me more than I wanted to admit. "Whispers? From books?"

"Yeah." A girl with braided hair leaned in, her voice lowering as if to share a dangerous secret. "It's not just the whispers, though. People say strange things happen there. Shadows move between the shelves, and some swear the place doesn't let you leave... at least, not the same way you came in."

I felt a shiver run down my spine, though I tried to brush it off. Pavel was watching me, clearly amused by how easily I was getting sucked into the story. But I wasn't the type to scare easily. If anything, this only made me more curious.

Another boy, older and more serious, added quietly, "Some folks go in and never come out at all."

The air around us felt heavier as he spoke, as if the weight of the unspoken stories clung to his words.

I crossed my arms, tilting my head in playful disbelief. "Seriously?" I murmured, half-challenging them.

The first boy grinned wider. "Go check it out if you don't believe us. But don't say we didn't warn you."

The girl nodded, her expression grave. "The place pulls you in. And once it does... it's hard to leave."

A strange mix of excitement and unease curled in my chest. There was a warning buried beneath their playful words, but it wasn't enough to stop me. If anything, it only fueled my curiosity.

"I think I will," I said quietly, more to myself than to them.

Pavel chuckled, nudging me with his elbow. "Of course you will. Can't resist a mystery, huh?"

I smirked, brushing my hair over my shoulder. "You know me too well.

Tomorrow was Saturday, and I already knew how I'd be spending it.

As I reached my room, I found Darya already fast asleep, her slow, even breathing filling the quiet space. I tiptoed to my bed, which was perched above hers in our bunk setup, and flopped down in a starfish position. The soft mattress cradled me, but my mind was restless. I couldn't resist-I grabbed my phone and started searching everything I could find about the library.

Article after article hinted at strange occurrences: books misplaced without reason, whispers echoing between the shelves, and visitors claiming they felt "watched." Some people believed the library held secrets from a bygone era, while others thought it was cursed. The eerie stories captivated me, and I wasn't sure when exhaustion finally took over. My phone slipped from my hand, and sleep claimed me without warning.

The next morning, I followed my usual routine and made my way to the lecture hall. My mind wandered during the classes, the thought of the library pulling at me like a thread I couldn't stop unraveling. When my lectures ended earlier than expected, I felt a surge of excitement. This is it, I thought. The perfect chance.

Without wasting a moment, I met Darya as she stepped out of her class. "I need your car," I said eagerly, and she gave me a puzzled look but didn't ask questions.

Soon enough, I was on the road, the tires humming against the pavement as the car sped out of town. I watched the scenery change, the familiar streets giving way to dense, towering trees that seemed to grow taller the farther we went. The road narrowed, winding through an isolated stretch of forest that felt both tranquil and eerie.

"This place really is in the middle of nowhere," I muttered, glancing at myself in the rearview mirror with raised eyebrows. I just grinned, feeling a strange thrill coursing through me.

Finally, I pulled into a small clearing where a handful of other cars were already parked. The presence of other vehicles gave me some reassurance-at least I wasn't the only one here. I stepped out and looked ahead.

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Readers,

Next part contains their meet go and read🖤