Locked Door - 5. A Glimmer of Hope

The grove of trees provided little comfort as Emily and Hannah huddled together, their breath coming in short, ragged gasps. The chill of the night air seeped through their thin clothing, but it was the fear that kept them shivering. The dormitory loomed ominously in the distance, a dark silhouette against the cloudy night sky, and every rustle of the leaves around them made Emily jump.

Emily’s mind was racing, trying to figure out their next move. They were out of immediate danger, but not by much. The campus was vast and mostly deserted at this hour, and they were far from the safety of any well-lit areas. They needed help, and they needed it fast.

She glanced down at her phone, praying for a signal. The screen was still dark, the battery drained from their earlier ordeal. The reality of their situation was starting to sink in—without a working phone, they were cut off from the outside world. No way to call the police, no way to reach Sarah, and no way to let anyone know they were in danger.

“We have to find a phone,” Emily whispered, her voice trembling. “There’s got to be a building nearby where we can find help.”

Hannah nodded, her face pale and drawn. “The student center… it’s not too far from here, right? They have phones there.”

Emily’s heart lifted slightly at the thought. The student center was one of the few places on campus that stayed open late, a hub for students pulling all-nighters or needing a quiet place to study. If they could make it there, they might have a chance to call for help and get Sarah out of the dormitory.

“Yes, the student center,” Emily agreed, clinging to the sliver of hope. “We just have to get there.”

The two girls slowly stood up, their legs still shaky from the adrenaline and fear coursing through their veins. Emily took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. They had to stay focused, had to keep moving if they wanted to survive.

“Let’s go,” she whispered, leading the way out of the grove and back onto the open campus.

The journey to the student center felt longer than it should have, each step fraught with tension. They moved quickly but cautiously, staying close to the shadows and avoiding the main paths where they might be spotted. The campus, usually so familiar and welcoming, now felt like a labyrinth of potential dangers.

As they neared the student center, Emily’s heart began to race for a different reason—hope. The building was just ahead, its lights glowing faintly through the windows. It looked so inviting, so safe compared to the darkness they had left behind.

But as they approached, Emily’s heart sank. The front doors of the student center were locked.

“What…? No, no, no…” Hannah whispered, her voice tinged with desperation. She pulled on the door handles, but they didn’t budge.

Emily felt her stomach drop. This late at night, the student center was usually open, but for some reason, tonight it wasn’t. Perhaps it was a precaution due to the situation in the dormitory, but whatever the reason, it left them stranded.

“What do we do now?” Hannah asked, her voice shaking. “We can’t go back. And we can’t stay out here.”

Emily bit her lip, trying to think. The campus was large, and the next closest building with a public phone was even further away. But standing out in the open like this made them easy targets, and going back to the dormitory was out of the question.

Just as she was about to suggest they find another place to hide, they heard a noise—a soft, almost imperceptible sound coming from the side of the building. Both girls froze, their ears straining to pick up the sound again. It was a faint scraping noise, followed by the creak of a door.

Emily’s pulse quickened. Someone was inside the student center, and they had just opened a door. This could be their chance.

Without waiting for an answer, Emily motioned for Hannah to follow her as she crept around the side of the building. The scraping noise grew louder as they approached a side entrance, a door that was slightly ajar. Emily felt a surge of relief—maybe there was someone inside who could help them.

But as they got closer, she hesitated. What if the person inside wasn’t there to help? What if it was the same person who had been stalking them in the dormitory? The thought sent a wave of fear through her, but she knew they had no other choice. They had to take the risk.

Emily carefully pushed the door open, peering inside. The hallway beyond was dimly lit, the overhead lights flickering slightly. It was eerily quiet, with no sign of anyone around. But the noise had come from here, she was sure of it.

“Hello?” Emily called out softly, her voice trembling. “Is anyone there?”

For a moment, there was no response. The silence stretched on, thick and suffocating. Then, to her relief, a voice answered.

“Who’s there?” The voice was wary but not hostile.

Emily’s heart leapt. She stepped inside, pulling Hannah along with her. “We’re students. We need help. The dormitory… something’s happening there. We need to call the police.”

The figure stepped into the light, revealing a young woman in her early twenties. She looked as shaken as they were, her eyes wide with fear. “You’re from the dormitory?” she asked, her voice trembling. “I heard something… something bad happened.”

“Yes,” Emily said, her voice urgent. “There’s someone in the dormitory, someone dangerous. We barely got out, but our friend is still inside. We need to call the police.”

The woman nodded quickly. “There’s a phone in the main office. Follow me.”

Emily felt a surge of gratitude as they followed the woman down the hallway. They were so close—so close to getting help, to finally ending this nightmare. She glanced at Hannah, who looked equally relieved, and felt a flicker of hope. Maybe they would get through this after all.

The woman led them to a small office tucked away in the corner of the building. It was a plain room, with a desk, a few chairs, and a landline phone on the desk. The woman gestured to the phone. “You can use that to call the police.”

Emily hurried to the phone, her hands shaking as she picked up the receiver. She dialed 911, the number feeling strange and foreign under her fingers. The phone rang twice before a calm, professional voice answered.

“911, what’s your emergency?”

Emily’s voice came out in a rush. “We’re at the university. Something’s happening at the dormitory. There’s someone inside—someone dangerous. We need help.”

The operator’s voice remained steady. “Can you tell me your location? Which dormitory are you at?”

Emily quickly provided the information, her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear Hannah pacing nervously behind her, the fear still palpable despite their temporary safety.

“Officers are on their way,” the operator assured her. “Please stay on the line until they arrive.”

Emily nodded, even though the operator couldn’t see her. “Thank you… thank you so much.”

The woman who had helped them watched with concern as Emily relayed the information to the police. “Are you sure you’re safe here?” she asked quietly. “If there’s someone dangerous out there, they might come this way.”

Emily’s stomach tightened at the thought. The campus wasn’t huge, and if the intruder had seen them leave the dormitory, they could easily find their way to the student center.

“We need to find somewhere more secure,” Emily said, covering the phone’s receiver with her hand. “Is there a place where we can lock ourselves in until the police get here?”

The woman nodded. “There’s a storage room at the back. It’s small, but it locks from the inside. We can wait there.”

Emily quickly relayed the plan to the 911 operator, who agreed it was a good idea. “Stay safe,” the operator said before Emily hung up the phone. “Help is on the way.”

With the phone call over, the three of them quickly made their way to the storage room. It was a tiny, windowless space filled with cleaning supplies and boxes of office materials. But it was secure, and right now, that was all that mattered.

Once inside, the woman locked the door behind them, and they all sat down on the cold floor, huddled together in the cramped space. The silence was deafening, broken only by the sound of their breathing. Emily could feel her heart racing, her mind replaying everything that had happened over the last few hours.

Hannah reached out and squeezed Emily’s hand, her touch warm and reassuring. “We’re going to be okay,” she whispered, though her voice was shaky. “The police are coming. We’re going to be okay.”

Emily nodded, though the fear still gnawed at her. They had done everything they could, and now all they could do was wait. The minutes stretched on, each one feeling like an eternity. Every small noise outside the door made them jump, their nerves frayed from the constant tension.

Finally, after what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they heard the distant sound of sirens. The relief was almost overwhelming—help was finally here. They were going to be saved.

The woman unlocked the storage room door, and they cautiously made their way back down the hallway. The lights of the police cars were visible through the windows, flashing red and blue against the darkness. Emily felt a wave of emotion wash over her—relief, exhaustion, and a lingering sense of fear that it wasn’t over yet.

As they stepped outside, they were met by several police officers who quickly assessed the situation. Emily and Hannah explained everything that had happened, their words tumbling over each other in their rush to convey the danger that still loomed in the dormitory.

The officers listened carefully, taking notes and asking questions. They reassured the girls that more units were on the way and that the dormitory would be thoroughly searched.

But even as the police took control of the situation, Emily couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still terribly wrong. She had escaped, but Sarah was still inside the dormitory, possibly trapped with the very person who had caused all this terror.

As they sat on the curb, wrapped in blankets provided by the officers, Emily looked up at the dark silhouette of the dormitory. The night’s events had taken a toll on her—physically, mentally, and emotionally. But she knew that until Sarah was safe, she couldn’t rest.

Hannah leaned against her, both of them exhausted but unable to stop worrying. “Do you think Sarah’s okay?” Hannah asked softly, her voice barely audible over the noise of the police radio.

“I hope so,” Emily replied, her voice thick with emotion. “I really hope so.”

The hours stretched on as the police continued their search of the dormitory. Emily and Hannah sat together, their eyes never leaving the building as they waited for any news of their friend. The night was cold, but the fear in Emily’s heart was colder still.

And as the first light of dawn began to break over the horizon, Emily couldn’t help but wonder if this nightmare would ever truly be over.