After leaving the haunted school, the group retreated to Dami's house, a small but cozy space filled with books and mismatched furniture. The scent of brewed coffee mingled with the lingering tension. Everyone sat around the living room, trying to process what had just happened.
John broke the silence, his voice still shaky. "I can't believe we survived that… whatever it was."
Ellie hugged her knees, staring at the floor. "I can still hear that creepy music… like it's stuck in my head."
Bryan scoffed, trying to mask his fear. "We made it out. That's what matters."
Aiko sat next to Sofia, still visibly shaken. "I just… I don't understand why it let us go. Barto did something, right?"
All eyes turned to Barto, who remained stoic, leaning against the wall. Sofia spoke up, her voice soft. "You did something with that photo, didn't you?"
Barto pulled the crumpled picture of Lila from his pocket. "The entity feeds on forgotten memories. It wanted us to forget Lila, to erase what happened. Holding on to her memory weakened it."
Dami tapped his notebook. "It's like the story itself became a curse. People stopped talking about Lila, and the darkness took over, feeding on the void left behind."
Bryan frowned. "So what now? Just tell everyone about a creepy ghost story and hope it doesn't come back?"
Sofia shook her head. "It's not just about telling the story. It's about making sure people remember. Lila didn't deserve to be forgotten."
Barto nodded. "As long as someone knows the truth, the entity has no power."
The group sat in thoughtful silence until John spoke up. "So… we just keep living normally? Act like nothing happened?"
Ellie shot him a look. "How are we supposed to act normal after that?"
Barto glanced at the diary in Dami's hands. "We can write it down. Document everything. That way, even if people don't believe us, the story won't be lost."
Dami agreed. "I'll put it in the school archives. If anyone tries to dig into the school's past, they'll find it."
As they discussed the plan, a sudden bang from the window made everyone jump. Ellie yelped, clutching Sofia's arm. Barto moved to check, but Bryan got there first, pulling the curtain aside.
A stray branch had tapped against the glass, its gnarled shape resembling a clawed hand. Bryan exhaled in relief. "Just the wind… calm down."
Ellie shot him a glare. "You're the one who screamed first."
Sofia looked at Barto. "You think it's really over?"
He didn't answer immediately, his eyes fixed on the shadow cast by the tree outside. "It's quiet now. But that place… it's not safe. If people go back, the entity might find a way to return."
Nancy bit her lip. "Then we just make sure no one goes back. Maybe… spread rumors that it's dangerous?"
Dami considered it. "If we frame it as a safety hazard, the school might just board it up permanently."
John nodded. "Yeah, they love sealing off creepy places."
Ellie shivered. "But what if someone tries to investigate? You know how people get curious."
Barto looked at the photo one more time before placing it on the table. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, we just keep living."
Suddenly, the lights flickered. A cold draft swept through the room, and they froze, tension spiking. Dami's phone buzzed on the table, vibrating erratically before finally stopping.
He picked it up, his hands trembling. The screen displayed a new message. It was a picture—blurry and dark. As Dami adjusted the brightness, his breath caught. It was a photo of the old school, taken from the outside. In the window, just barely visible, was Lila's face, staring directly at the camera.
Dami looked around, his voice barely audible. "Who sent this?"
Everyone's phones suddenly chimed at once. Each of them had received the same photo. Sofia's hands shook as she checked the sender. "There's no number… it just says 'Unknown.'"
Bryan cursed. "You've got to be kidding me. We left that place—how is this happening?"
Aiko spoke up, her voice hollow. "Maybe… we didn't actually stop it. Maybe it's still reaching out."
Ellie hugged herself tighter. "No way… we can't go back there."
Barto picked up his phone, staring at the image. The caption below the picture read:
"Don't forget me."
He looked at the others. "It's not the entity. It's Lila. She's making sure we don't forget."
Sofia bit her lip. "But why? If we remember her, shouldn't that have weakened the curse?"
Dami thought aloud. "Maybe it's not about just remembering. Maybe… Lila herself is trapped, caught between being a memory and a curse."
Barto clenched his fist. "We need to find a way to set her free. Keeping her memory alive isn't enough if she's still tied to that place."
Ellie looked at Dami. "Is there anything in the diary about releasing a trapped soul?"
Dami flipped through the pages. "There's something… about a cleansing ritual. It says that the soul must willingly move on. But for that to happen, it needs closure—peace."
Bryan scoffed. "How are we supposed to give peace to a dead girl?"
Barto remained calm. "We find out what really happened. If she was betrayed or left behind, we need to acknowledge it. That might break the cycle."
Sofia touched his shoulder. "You really think we can help her?"
Barto looked at the photo one more time. "We have to try. Leaving her like this means the darkness will never truly fade."
The room fell silent as they contemplated their next move. The shadows on the walls seemed to dance in the flickering light, as if whispering secrets only the forgotten knew.
Barto glanced at the window, where the branch still tapped gently against the glass. He knew that leaving the past buried wasn't an option—not if they wanted to stop the curse for good.