The Unlocked Wardrobes

Chapter Four: The Unlocked Wardrobes

A rush of cold air swept through the dorm as the wardrobes creaked open in unison. The violet glow pulsed like a heartbeat, spilling out into the dim hallway.

Alex felt every muscle in his body tighten.

Then something stepped out.

It wasn’t the shadowy figure from before.

This was different.

A tall, gaunt creature emerged from the wardrobe, its body covered in tattered black cloth. Its arms were unnaturally long, its fingers ending in sharp, bony claws. Its face was obscured by a featureless mask, smooth and pale as porcelain.

Rachel let out a sharp breath. “What is that?”

Ethan took a step back. “We’re so dead.”

The masked figure stood motionless for a long, unbearable second. Then, without warning, it tilted its head toward them.

And moved.

It didn’t walk—it glided, crossing the room in seconds.

Alex barely had time to react.

“MOVE!” he shouted, grabbing Ethan and shoving him out of the way.

The creature’s claws slashed through the air where they had been standing moments ago, cutting through the wooden desk with ease.

Rachel yelped and swung the fire extinguisher. The metal canister struck the figure’s arm, sending a dull clang through the room.

The creature barely flinched.

“RUN!” Alex yelled.

They didn’t need to be told twice.

All three of them bolted into the hallway. The moment their feet hit the tile floor, chaos erupted around them.

More students were fleeing their rooms, their expressions twisted in horror. Some screamed, others sobbed, but all of them were running.

Because the wardrobes hadn’t just unlocked in Alex’s room.

They had opened everywhere.

More creatures were emerging—tall, masked figures like the one they had just escaped. They moved with unnatural grace, their claws slashing at anything in their path.

A boy ahead of them wasn’t fast enough.

One of the creatures caught him by the shoulder, its claws digging deep. He let out a strangled cry as the thing lifted him off the ground with impossible strength.

And then—

It dragged him back toward the wardrobe.

The violet glow flared.

And the boy disappeared into the darkness.

Rachel covered her mouth, eyes wide with horror. “Oh my God…”

Ethan turned to Alex, breathing hard. “What do we do? Where do we go?”

Alex’s mind raced. They couldn’t stay in the hallway. They needed somewhere safe.

His eyes darted to the end of the corridor.

“The stairwell!” he shouted. “Go!”

They sprinted, dodging past other students, some of whom were frozen in terror. The creatures continued their relentless pursuit, dragging victims back into the glowing wardrobes.

Alex didn’t dare look back.

They reached the stairwell door, and Rachel shoved it open. The three of them stumbled inside, slamming it shut behind them.

Silence.

Only their heavy breathing filled the space.

Ethan leaned against the wall, hands on his knees. “Holy crap… Holy crap.”

Rachel wiped sweat from her forehead, eyes still wide. “Did you see that? They— They took him! Where did they take him?”

Alex didn’t want to think about it.

Instead, he turned his focus to their current situation. “We can’t stay here forever. We need to figure out what’s happening.”

Ethan let out a shaky laugh. “Oh yeah? What’s there to ‘figure out’? The wardrobes opened, monsters came out, and they’re taking people! Seems pretty clear to me.”

Rachel shot him a glare. “Panicking isn’t going to help us.”

Ethan threw up his hands. “Oh, I’m sorry, Rachel. Did you get a manual on how to survive a freaking horror game?”

Alex stepped between them. “Enough. We don’t have time for this.”

They fell silent, tension thick in the air.

Rachel crossed her arms. “So what do you suggest?”

Alex thought back to the announcement.

‘Survive the night. New conditions have been added.’

His gaze drifted toward the stairwell window, where he could see the dark sky outside. The sun had set hours ago.

“How long do we have until dawn?” he asked.

Rachel checked her watch. “It’s almost 1 AM.”

Ethan groaned. “Are you telling me we have five more hours of this?”

Alex nodded grimly. “We need a plan.”

Rachel leaned against the railing. “We still don’t know the rules. That’s what scares me the most.”

Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?”

Rachel gestured toward the door. “Think about it. In Phase One, we only had to survive the zombies. But Phase Two? It’s not just about running. The wardrobes are taking people.”

A sick feeling settled in Alex’s stomach.

She was right.

This wasn’t just about survival anymore.

It was about not getting taken.

Rachel continued, her voice quieter now. “What if those things have a quota? What if they need to take a certain number of people before the round ends?”

Ethan’s face paled. “You’re saying… they won’t stop until they’ve collected enough of us?”

Rachel swallowed. “It’s just a theory. But if I’m right, that means we can’t just hide. We have to do something before we run out of people.”

A heavy silence fell over them.

Alex exhaled slowly. “Then we need to find more survivors.”

Rachel nodded. “And figure out how to fight back.”

Ethan let out a dry laugh. “Oh yeah, sure. Let’s fight the faceless monsters with what? Fire extinguishers and bad language?”

Alex clenched his fists. “If we don’t, we’re all dead anyway.”

Rachel looked between them. “Then we need to move. Now.”

Alex took a deep breath. He had no idea what they were up against.

But if they wanted to survive this game, they had to start playing it.

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End of Chapter Four