Eva sat at the bus stop, scrolling through her phone absentmindedly. The warm glow of the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the pavement. A sleek black car pulled up beside her, its engine humming softly. The window lowered, revealing Zayn with a smirk on his face.

  “Here I am,” he announced casually.

  Eva looked up, her thumb pausing on the screen. She smiled politely but raised an eyebrow. “Do you even have a license?” she asked, stepping closer to the car.

  Zayn hesitated for a second before shrugging. “No.”

  She sighed, opening the driver’s side door. “Get out. Sit in the passenger seat. I don’t want you getting arrested for driving without one.”

  He stared at her, looking slightly offended. “I turned eighteen just three days ago,” he reminded her, as if that made a difference.

  “Exactly. Still not a legal driver,” she countered, waiting until he reluctantly switched seats. Once she settled into the driver’s seat, she started the car and pulled onto the road.

  “Where are we going?” Zayn asked, buckling his seatbelt.

  Eva gave him a quick glance. “I told you in my text a few days ago. Did you forget?”

  Zayn rubbed the back of his neck. “Oh… right. I remember now.”

  She rolled her eyes but let it slide. “I’m conducting a case study for my psychology project. It’s about analyzing the behavior of an unstable patient and understanding their mental challenges.”

  “Is this for a job?” he asked curiously.

  “Yeah, something like that,” she replied, focusing on the road.

  The hospital soon came into view, its towering structure looming over them. The stark white building had large tinted windows that reflected the evening sun. As Eva pulled into the parking lot, she turned to Zayn. “Wait here. I won’t take long.”

  Zayn looked skeptical but didn’t argue. “Fine, but if you take too long, I’m coming in.”

  She shook her head with a small smile and stepped out, making her way inside. The hospital smelled of antiseptic, its halls filled with soft murmurs and the occasional beeping of machines. She approached the front desk and inquired about the patient’s room. A nurse directed her upstairs.

  As she climbed the stairs, she met a woman who introduced herself as the patient’s sister. “Thank you for doing this,” the woman said, her voice laced with exhaustion and hope.

  Eva nodded. “I appreciate you allowing me this opportunity.”

  Before they could continue their conversation, a hospital staff member approached her. “Eva?”

  “Yes?”

  “You can go in. Room 32.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Oh, and one more thing,” the staff member added, her expression firm. “You only have thirty minutes.”

  Eva acknowledged the warning and proceeded toward the room. When she stepped inside, she found a man sitting on the hospital bed, biting his nails, his vacant eyes staring at nothing.

  “Hi, I’m Eva. It’s nice to meet you.”

  He didn’t react.

  She took a step closer. “You can think of me as a friend.”

  The patient’s gaze flickered to her for a brief second before returning to his nails.

  “You know,” she continued, her voice gentle but firm, “I see things that don’t exist too.”

  His fingers froze. Slowly, he looked up at her, his dull eyes now filled with something resembling curiosity. “Do you?” he asked.

  “Yes. And I don’t think it’s a bad thing.” She placed a recorder on the table beside her. “It just means we’re different. We aren’t like others.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  A strange smile stretched across his face. “You’re right… I am different.”

  As their conversation went on, Eva carefully noted his behavior, gaining insight into the mind of someone suffering from bipolar disorder and maladaptive daydreaming. But just as she was about to wrap up, the patient’s demeanor shifted. His expression darkened, his eyes darting around the room erratically.

  “Are you leaving?” he asked suddenly, his voice sharp.

  Eva hesitated. “I’ll come back,” she reassured him, reaching for her things.

  “You’re lying,” he muttered. “You will not come back.”

  “That’s not true. I’ll be back.”

  “Liar,” he hissed, gripping her wrist tightly. A surge of panic shot through her.

  “Let go,” she said, trying to keep her voice calm.

  “You said we’re the same,” he continued, his grip tightening painfully. “Now you’re leaving me in this hell alone.”

  “Please, let go,” she pleaded, struggling against his hold.

  His free hand reached under his pillow, pulling out a scalpel. Eva’s eyes widened in horror. “Help!” she shouted, twisting away.

  He slashed at her, missing the first time, but the second strike grazed her cheek. A sharp sting burned across her skin as blood dripped down. Desperation took over, and she kicked him hard in the stomach. His grip loosened just enough for her to break free.

  She ran toward the door, but just as she reached for the handle, he lunged at her again. Before he could strike, the door swung open, and a strong hand stopped his arm mid-air.

  Zayn.

  “Enough!” Zayn yelled, his voice firm and unyielding. He pushed the patient back and called out for the doctors. A team of medical staff rushed in as Zayn quickly pulled Eva out of the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

  He turned to her, gripping her shoulders. “Are you okay?” His eyes scanned her face until he noticed the blood trickling down her cheek. His jaw clenched as he pulled out a handkerchief and gently wiped it away. “Eva.”

  She didn’t respond, just stood there, staring blankly at the floor like she was still processing what had happened.

  A nurse approached and carefully applied antiseptic to her wound before wrapping it in a bandage. “You should be more careful next time,” the nurse advised, patting Eva’s shoulder.

  Eva and Zayn sat in the car in silence. He glanced at her before hesitating. “Okay… come sit in the passenger seat.”

  She didn’t argue this time, quietly switching seats.

  “You okay?” he asked again, starting the car.

  “I’m fine. And it’s not like we can stay here all night,” she muttered.

  As they drove, Zayn broke the silence. “Why was I there?”

  She turned to him, confused. “What?”

  “You asked why I came inside. Well, you were late, so I got worried. No one was downstairs, so I went up. Then I heard noises from that room, and when I opened the door, I saw you—” His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “—and that psycho with a scalpel.”

  Eva let out a slow breath. “Even though it was sudden… you still managed to save me.”

  Zayn smirked. “I’m great, aren’t I?”

  She nodded slightly, a small smile appearing on her lips. “Yeah. You are.”

  Zayn arranged the meeting during break time. Everyone who had been there that night showed up, except for Cara and Jim—They attended a different school. The group settled into their seats, but Zayn was surprised to see one extra person—Sean. He hadn’t expected him to be here. However, Katherine had already explained how Sean had gotten involved, so Zayn let it slide.

  "Guys, I don’t believe in curses," Zayn began, looking around at the group, "but it’s already started."

  "Explain," David urged, crossing his arms.

  "Yesterday, a patient tried to kill Eva. And two weeks ago, in her violin class, the chandelier fell right where she had been sitting."

  "How do you know that?" Katherine asked, frowning.

  "Yesterday, I was with her. She was too shaken to explain anything, so I did some digging and found out about the chandelier incident. She barely escaped, but luck won’t always be on her side."

  "So you’re saying the curse is real?" Jack sputtered, unease creeping into his voice.

  "Maybe."

  "But curses only affect those who’ve done something unforgivable, right?" David asked hesitantly.

  "What an interesting topic we have here," Sean interjected, smirking as he leaned closer. "I’d love to meet the girl who dared to attempt the Curse of Burial."

  Zayn’s patience snapped. He kicked Sean’s chair, making him stagger. Sean retaliated, slamming his hands on the table, but before things could escalate further, Katherine’s voice cut through the tension.

  "You two—can you stop acting like children?!" she snapped. "This isn’t a joke. We’re the ones who dragged Eva into this. If she tells anyone, they’ll think we tried to kill her."

  She ran a hand through her blonde hair, frustration evident on her face. "And honestly… would they be wrong?"

  "She won’t say anything," Zayn said firmly. "She just won’t."

  "Our first priority is to keep this from Cara," Jack stated.

  "Why?" Sean asked, raising an eyebrow. "I’m one of you now, right? Don’t I deserve to know?"

  Everyone shot him a look. Jack sighed. "Because if Cara finds out, she’ll post about it for views and likes."

  "She already posted it," Katherine said quietly.

  Everyone turned to her in shock. "When?" Zayn demanded. "And why isn’t it on her channel?"

  Jack pulled out his phone, quickly checking her page. "He's right—it’s not here."

  Katherine frowned, confused. "I know she posted it. I saw it when we were at the café together… but now it’s gone."

  No one had an explanation, but the bell rang, signaling the end of their break. The conversation had to end for now. Bags were slung over shoulders, and everyone prepared to leave when Sean spoke up again.

  "I think you guys need to know how to break the curse."

  "There’s barely anything online about it," Katherine scoffed as she walked past him.

  "But a book will have the answer."

  David narrowed his eyes. "The Book of the Curse of Burial? You have it?"

  Sean smirked. "I don’t. But I know who does."

  "Guys, he’s bluffing. Don’t listen to him," Zayn muttered.

  Sean ignored him, his smirk widening. "Lily Foster."