The message didn’t leave them with a choice.
At 9:52 PM, Arjun watched the attendance portal refresh again.
Next Absence Pending — 8 minutes remaining.
No one spoke for a long time after that. The canteen felt smaller, the shadows longer, like the walls were leaning in to listen. Outside, the campus had fallen into a strange half-darkness — some lights glowing too bright, others dead entirely.
“We’re not actually going, right?” Nisha said, but she was already standing.
Ravi forced a grin. “Relax. We’ll walk halfway, find whoever’s behind this, scare them back. Probably some IT senior with too much time.”
Meera grabbed her bag without answering. Karthik stayed quiet, still shaken by the attendance mark beside his name.
Arjun exhaled slowly. “We go together,” he said. “No splitting up.”
The five of them stepped into the night.
The campus felt wrong.
Not empty — just… paused.
Wind rustled through neem trees, carrying the smell of dust and wet concrete. Tube lights flickered overhead like tired eyes trying to stay open. Their footsteps echoed too loudly along the walkway toward the eastern blocks.
Halfway there, a camera mounted on a lamppost rotated slowly.
Before they even reached its range.
Ravi noticed first. “Bro… that camera just moved.”
“It’s motion sensor,” Arjun said automatically.
But the red indicator light blinked steadily — already focused on them.
As they walked, each camera turned in sequence.
Not snapping.
Not jerking.
Just… watching.
Nisha tried to laugh. “Okay, someone definitely has admin access.”
Meera pointed ahead.
Old posters covered a cracked notice board near Block C’s entrance. Torn edges fluttered in the breeze. Arjun stepped closer and brushed away dust.
Bold faded letters read:
BEHAVIORAL ORIENTATION PROGRAM
Mandatory for Students Under Conduct Review
Dates listed from three years ago.
Before the incident.
Below it, a smaller printed notice:
Warning: Non-compliance may affect academic progression.
Ravi swallowed. “They actually used this program?”
Meera’s voice dropped. “It was shut down after… you know.”
No one said the name.
The junior.
The one who never came back to class.
Karthik’s phone buzzed.
Group Chat:
Attendance Window — 4 minutes remaining.
Nisha cursed under her breath. “This is too detailed for a prank.”
Arjun’s eyes drifted toward the main entrance of Block C.
The building loomed ahead, darker than the rest of campus. Windows reflected nothing but empty corridors. The rusted metal doors stood closed.
As they approached, the overhead light flickered violently — once, twice.
Then the heavy door clicked.
Unlocked.
No one touched it.
The handle turned slowly on its own with a soft metallic groan.
Ravi took a step back. “Okay… that’s dramatic.”
Arjun forced himself forward and pushed the door open fully. The corridor inside stretched long and narrow, lit by flickering tube lights. The air smelled stale, like rooms that hadn’t been used in years.
Behind them, another camera rotated toward the entrance.
Watching them enter.
Not aggressively.
Just… observing.
Meera’s voice trembled. “This feels like someone wants us to come in.”
They moved cautiously down the hallway. Dust footprints appeared beneath their shoes. Classroom doors stood half-open like silent mouths. On one wall, faded admin notices curled away from peeling paint.
One in particular caught Arjun’s attention.
ADMINISTRATIVE WARNING
Students Under Behavioral Monitoring Must Report Immediately.
Signed by a dean whose name none of them recognized.
Ravi pulled out his phone. “I’m calling Naveen,” he said. “If this is a prank, it’s definitely him. He used to run server hacks in second year.”
The call connected instantly.
Naveen answered on video.
Behind him: bright hostel lights, loud music, at least ten people visible around him.
“Bro?” Naveen laughed. “Why are you calling? We’re in the middle of FIFA night.”
Ravi turned the camera toward Block C’s corridor. “You messing with us?”
Naveen squinted. “Block C? Are you mad? That building’s been sealed for years.”
“Portal updates, voice notes, cameras moving,” Ravi insisted.
Naveen shook his head. “Dude, I’ve been here since evening. Ask anyone.”
He flipped the camera around — a room full of witnesses yelling greetings and insults. Loud, chaotic, very real.
No hidden laptops.
No hacking setup.
Just a crowded hostel party.
The call ended.
Silence filled the corridor again.
Nisha whispered, “So… not Naveen.”
Arjun looked back at the entrance.
The door had closed behind them.
Softly.
Without a sound.
Their phones buzzed in unison.
Portal Update:
Attendance Window Closed.
A new status appeared:
Arjun — Absent
Nisha — Absent
Meera — Absent
Ravi — Absent
Karthik — Present
Next message appeared in the group chat:
Orientation Begins. Proceed to Lecture Hall 3.
The lights above them flickered once more, then stabilized into a cold white glow that stretched deeper into the corridor — guiding them forward.
Arjun felt a chill run through his chest.
Because if Naveen wasn’t behind this…
and no one else seemed to be watching…
then something else had unlocked the doors, moved the cameras, and updated the real college servers.
Nisha whispered what all of them were thinking.
“This isn’t just someone following us anymore.”
Ravi swallowed hard.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “This… isn’t just a human prank.”