Y/N's shout startled the redhead, who turned around to see the danger approaching. Unbeknownst to the group, the creature they saw was the same one Ashlyn had been seeing since she was young. It had been following her ever since she ventured further into the house. Ashlyn pulled her hand away just in time to avoid serious injury, but the mysterious entity still managed to scratch her arm, a detail only noticed by Y/N.

Upon the sudden tug, she fell back on her butt with a shocked expression. Everyone stood there in utter horror, some wondering and questioning the same thing about what just occurred right before their eyes as they tried to process the situation. While the others were panicking, Y/N stood there spacing out with a slightly surprised expression evident on her face, her mind trying to process what just happened.

'I am at a loss for words...' Despite being loss for words, Y/N began questioning the possible solution of the situation.

The group still kept questioning the situation, scared it might show up again.

"What was it?" Taylor kept looking frantically around her to make sure it wasn't near as she was scared it might come back.

"I-I don't see it anywhere." Logan stuttered nervously as well as about the sight he just witnessed.

"One of the ghosts maybe?" Aiden said causally.

Tyler became increasingly frustrated while others discussed the possibility. He found it hard to believe what he saw, but he shrugged it off out of frustration, not wanting to accept it.

"Are you guys dumb?" Tyler was annoyed at Aiden's ridiculous claim. "Ghosts aren't real. This is just some stupid prank."

"A prank?"

"Obviously. A group conveniently cancels a reservation, and our guide just happens to have an excuse to leave? Then when we're all alone in a 'haunted' house we have a scary encounter. Immediately after said "scary encounter" the thing just disappears before we can confirm or touch it?"

He dismisses it, saying, "Yeah right. This is definitely a setup for reaction video to make money. They probably have cameras and a projector hidden somewhere."

Y/N questioned, "So you're saying that we were in a video and what we saw was fake? How can you claim that when we all saw it disappear right before our eyes?"

"Well explain how the fact that it hasn't laid a scratch on us. it's proof to show it's not real." He crossed his arms while making his claim.

"Wait, did they not see how it scratched her arm? Am I the only one who noticed?" Y/N looked over at the redhead, who was still on the ground, confused by what was happening. "If there was a projector, shouldn't there have been a light where the video was being projected from? The light would have shone down on the ground or somewhere, but we didn't see any of that, did we?"

"Do you really believe what you saw so easily? Things don't just randomly disappear like that."

"I'm not saying I am, but the way we all saw it at the same time proves my point. Even though I find it hard to believe myself, the fact remains." Y/N wasn't sure how she became so good at expressing herself. She was just as confused as everyone else, yet she was able to articulate things like a pro, even though she had never encountered anything abnormal in her life.

Tyler became increasingly frustrated and annoyed when he couldn't respond to her comment. This led to his anger rising and eventually turning into irritation.

"Forget it! Screw you and your idiotic video! For the record, you don't have permission to use our reactions!" He yelled, grabbing Taylor's wrist, "C'mon Tay. We're going back on the bus."



"A-Ah Wait..." Logan tried to stop them, but they had already left.

Y/N sighed, not bothering to stop him since this kind of reaction was typical from guys like him. She found all this information a bit overwhelming, but decided to put that aside for now. She remembered Ashlyn and decided to check on her. Ashlyn was still on the ground, with Aiden by her side calling her name repeatedly, but receiving no response. She seemed lost in her own world until Aiden interrupted her by patting her head.

"Ash? Ya good?" the blond asked, making the redhead pull back suddenly.

"Please stop getting in my face!"

"I kept calling your name, but you weren't answering." He said as he approached the girl, with Y/N following behind.

The girl with H/C held out her arm towards the redhead. The redhead stared at the girl's hand before reaching out to grab it.

"I'm fine. Just spooked, I guess." Ashlyn held her hand tightly to prevent herself from falling. "It's almost 5:30. We should catch up with the others."

Y/N agreed with a nod. But as she was leaving, she noticed something on the wall behind Ashlyn that confused her. "What is that..."

The hand that the creature had previously grabbed Ashlyn's hand with would surely have left a scratch. However, the wound that was once on her hand was completely gone, as if it never existed. Another strange thing that puzzled her was that Ashlyn's shadow seemed to have shifted in a parallel way. When the strange creature appeared behind Ashlyn and attacked her, causing a scratch on her right arm.

However, instead of her arm dripping blood, it was her shadow that was dripping. The same arm she was attacked with, but it was inside the shadow.

Aiden and Ashlyn didn't seem to notice yet, so Y/N wondered if she should say anything about it. However, she decided not to, thinking it was just her mind playing tricks on her. She shook her head and chose to ignore it, even after telling the group about the strange occurrence that had just happened a few moments ago.



Upon returning with their teacher, Mr. Thomas, the groups were assigned rooms with four people in each. However, there was a slight issue with the number of students fitting in each room. Y/N, a girl who was left without a room, ended up staying with Ashlyn and Taylor along with two other girls. Despite not having a designated sleeping space, Y/N didn't seem to mind as she considered herself lucky.

She had brought a sleeping bag just in case, as her dad thought it would be useful. It turned out she needed it and she was grateful to him for that. Sitting on the bed in one of the rooms, she had her feet crossed and her sketchbook on her lap, wearing her pajamas for the day. Y/N already felt at home in the room. She sat drawing whatever came to mind, with a focus on fashion. Several sketches of dresses and other stylish clothing were created. She kept sketching until she was slightly surprised by a figure entering the room.

When she looked up, she noticed Ashlyn coming into the room with a her hair down. It seemed like this was where Ashlyn would be staying for the night. Ashlyn entered the room with her head down, using one hand to dry her hair. When she looked up, she saw Y/N sitting on the left side of the bed.

"Oh, I didn't think she would be in this room." She paused for a moment, realizing they were staring at each other. She decided to continue with what she was doing.

Ashlyn's hair was down and glowing, her red locks mesmerizing Y/N with their beauty. She had a towel wrapped around her neck to dry her hair, which was still wet and dripping onto her clothes. Y/N couldn't help but admire how effortlessly beautiful Ashlyn looked, even with wet hair. The way the light caught the red hues in her locks made them appear almost ethereal.

"She must have just gotten out of the shower." Her gaze was fixed on the girl's hair. It felt odd to stare at someone's hair like that, but she couldn't resist - it looked so captivating and beautiful.

Ashlyn noticed the girl looking at her and decided to address it. "Hey, Y/N are you okay? You've been staring at me since I walked in. Is everything alright?"

Y/N was slightly caught off guard and felt nervous at the same time. "No, nothing's wrong. I was just looking at your hair," she said.

Ashlyn turned to the girl and asked, "What do you think about it?" as she continued drying her hair.

"Well... Um- it's very... Very... Unique?" She stuttered.

Ashlyn felt a mix of curiosity and confusion as she and Y/N exchanged looks. Y/N seemed to be drifting off, getting lost in her thoughts and mixing up her inner thoughts with reality. Ashlyn sensed that there was something more going on, but she wasn't sure whether to push for answers or leave it be. She had been letting Y/N off the hook too many times, so she decided it was time to confront her and ask about the constant stares.

"Y/N, are you sure you're-"

"Your hair looks amazing like that," Y/N blurted out, unable to contain her admiration any longer.

Ashlyn was surprised and asked, "What?"

Ashlyn was taken aback by the directness of the compliment, causing her cheeks to turn slightly red. She was unsure of how to respond in this situation. Despite feeling flattered by the compliment on her hair, she found it a bit embarrassing to let her initial response go unsaid. However, she couldn't help but feel touched by the kind words, which made her forget about her previous confrontation.

"Oh, thanks," she said, turning her head away.

Y/N suddenly realized she had spoken her thoughts out loud. She started pleading with herself, "Oh no, please don't tell me..." When she saw Ashlyn looking slightly embarrassed, she knew she had. "Why do I always have to say my thoughts out loud, especially about this?!"

Y/N was feeling embarrassed and wanted to disappear at that moment. She had never been so blunt with a girl, or anyone for that matter, so it was natural for her to feel embarrassed. Saying something like that to someone made her extremely embarrassed of herself, which made the whole situation awkward. Ashlyn was honestly surprised by the girl's boldness, and it made her see her in a slightly different light. She cleared her throat to break the awkward tension.

"I appreciate the compliment Y/N. I find your hair to have a unique color as well."

"Huh?"

"It suits you."

Y/N was shocked by Ashlyn's compliment. She gazed into Ashlyn's emerald eyes, her own eyes lighting up slightly. "Thanks," she mumbled, feeling a mix of confusion and embarrassment as she looked away.

The room grew quiet as the tension dissipated, creating a more relaxed atmosphere. Y/N focused on her sketch while Ashlyn finished drying her hair. After Ashlyn sat down, her long curly hair stretched back slightly, getting closer to where Y/N was sitting. It looked so soft that Y/N was mesmerized, and she didn't even realize her hand instinctively reaching out to touch Ashlyn's curly and luscious hair.

As Ashlyn was finishing styling her hair, she felt a tug on her hair which made her alert. She turned around and saw Y/N touching her hair. When Y/N realized what she was doing, she stopped, pulled her hand back, and quickly apologized.

"Sorry. That was kind of rude of me."

Ashlyn remained silent and slowly reached for the end of her hair. The two of them sat in silence, with Y/N unsure of why she was acting strangely at the sight of Ashlyn's hair. On the other hand, Ashlyn could sense that Y/N was intrigued by her hair. This made her realize that she had never really thought about her hair much, as she saw it on her head every day. However, for Y/N, it seemed to evoke a strong reaction just by looking at it. This puzzled Ashlyn, as she had never seen anyone react in such a way to her hair before.

"Um, I'm sorry if I'm being a bit intrusive, but- Do you need help?"

"Hm?"

"With your hair."

Ashlyn brushed aside some of her hair and said, "Not necessarily. I can do my own hair because I'm used to it."

"Oh, I understand. But… Would you mind if I did it? I know it's a bit unexpected for me to ask, but it's something I used to enjoy doing with long hair. My Mom-" Y/N paused, a slight surprise evident on her face.

She was unsure why she was suddenly talking about something so personal to anyone, but at the same time, she felt a sense of fondness for the memory of her and her mother that made her feel a slight sense of comfort just thinking about it. Ashlyn noticed this and stared at the girl with a slightly open mouth, as if trying to hold herself back from saying more.

Y/N turned her gaze away, "Why do I keep doing this to myself? But... Maybe opening up a little wouldn't hurt to earn some friends, right?" She sighed, "But, do I really have to explain about that in order to do this?" She understood the importance of boundaries, but the idea of it made her take a deep breath.

"When I see someone with long hair like my mom used to have, it makes me want to play with it. Ever since I was a child, my mom always wore her hair down, and I always had the urge to touch it. I'm not exactly sure why I feel mesmerized when I look at your hair. It might be because it reminds me of my mom's hair, or it could just be the way it looks. It's a bit of a mystery. I suppose you could say it's a habit that formed when I was young. So, seeing you with your hair down is quite… captivating."

Ashlyn noticed the change in tense and looked down. It helped her understand a little, but she wondered if that was the reason why the person was always staring at her. Could it be related to their past? Ashlyn felt conflicted by these thoughts. "Well, okay..." she thought to herself. She then turned her head and said, "If that's the reason, then I don't mind."

Y/N's eyes widened slightly when Ashlyn said that. She started to feel a bit of doubt, but after explaining her reasons, she felt the urge to touch it. Ashlyn, on the other hand, was hesitant about someone else touching her hair, but she felt at ease when she realized how gentle Y/N's touch was. Y/N started working on the hair, realizing it had been a while since she had done hair, especially hair with the same texture as her mother's. Memories of her mom came flooding back, teaching her to handle hair with care and gentleness.

FLASHBACK

"Don't forget, you need to handle hair gently. Y/N's mother emphasized the importance of being kind while dealing with hair. "It's a way to demonstrate your ability to care for this type of hair. Remember to treat everyone's hair with the same level of respect and gentleness."

"Mommy, why is hair so important? It's just hair," Young Y/N asked while sitting in front of a small mirror on a chair.

"Well, I know you enjoy playing with my hair, and I'm okay with that. However, it's important to handle hair gently to avoid hurting the person. I'm sure you wouldn't want to accidentally cause any pain, right?"

"No, I don't want to hurt you! I just want to play with it," the girl said as she turned her head to look at her mother, who responded with a kind smile.

"I understand that you care, but it's alright."

Y/N turned around slowly, her face showing sadness. She didn't want to hurt her mother.

"Just remember to handle everything gently, and nothing bad will happen. Can you promise me that you will be gentle?"

"I promise!"

Y/N's mother smiled and said, "I'm glad. Your hair looks great now." She leaned down a bit to encourage Y/N to look up. Y/N slowly lifted her head to see her reflection in the mirror. A big smile spread across her face as she saw the cute hairstyle her mom had created. Overcome with joy, Y/N hugged her mom tightly.

"I love it! Thanks, Mom!"

FLASHBACK END

It only took Ashlyn less than two minutes to finish braiding her hair. She always wore these braids every day. After looking at her completed hair, she got up.

"Thanks."

After finishing, the two unexpectedly started a conversation and seemed to enjoy each other's company. However, they didn't openly acknowledge this due to their personalities. Ashlyn wasn't initially trying to talk, but she found herself getting involved in the conversation. They both shared a bit about themselves, their hobbies, and interests, and silently realized they were both introverted. Eventually, they went their separate ways to continue with their activities. Y/N continued sketching, her mind drifting back to the Sorrel house.

Despite her efforts to distract herself, the topic kept resurfacing in her mind, bringing along more questions that she wanted answers to. Y/N felt a strange pull towards the subject, even though she tried to resist it. An unsettling feeling crept over her, sending chills down her spine as if trying to convey a message.

Her thoughts kept going back to the peculiar event that had occurred earlier that day. What they had witnessed seemed too good to be true, yet deep down she couldn't shake the feeling that it was real. This made her wonder if it was all just a prank to deceive them, or if there was some truth to what they had seen.

However, the sight of Ashlyn's shadow confirmed her suspicions. The shadow she had seen at the house matched the arm of the entity that had attacked her before disappearing.

Everything seems absurd to her, even though it's as complicated as it could be. She starts to wonder if it's all in her head, but she knows speaking up would make her seem crazy. Y/N shakes her head, trying to push the thoughts away. Luckily, their attention is diverted when someone else enters the room. The two girls stop what they're doing and look up at the newcomer.

Taylor's focus is on Ashlyn, who is in a strange position with her body bent in the air, arms on the ground for support, and legs bent mid-air.



Taylor is startled by the sight and it gives her a bit of a scare. Y/N didn't even realize how flexible Ashlyn was until she saw the position she was in, as she was lost in her own world.

"Ah sorry, are you ready to get to sleep?" Ashlyn asked the girl as she finished stretching. Upon hearing that they were going to sleep soon, Y/N started packing up her things.

"Y-Yeah, I wasn't expecting you to still be awake. You're pretty flexible, do you do gymnastics or something?" Taylor asked, placing a hand on her chest to calm her racing heart.

"I do ballet."

"Really? That's pretty cool!"

"I guess."

After packing her belongings into her bag, Y/N noticed the room had become very quiet. Taylor and Ashlyn were standing at the doorway, looking like they had nothing to say to each other. The silence was broken when Y/N stepped into the awkward conversation.

"Alright guys, the bed is all yours."

Taylor looked puzzled and said, "Huh?"

"I don't think the bed is big enough for all three of us, but don't worry, I have a sleeping bag in my other bag. You guys can have this room. Night." As Y/N started to leave, Taylor stopped her with a pleading look, holding her hand.

"Don't say that, I'm sure there's enough space. How do you know if you don't try, right?" Taylor turned off the light and, without Y/N saying another word, she was pulled onto the bed before she could protest. To her surprise, they were able to fit on the bed.

Taylor smiled at her and said, "See, I told you we'd fit." Taylor was on the left side of the bed, Ashlyn was on the right, and Y/N was lying in the middle between the two girls, feeling like she was sandwiched between them.

"This feels… oddly strange." She felt a bit embarrassed that she didn't just leave quietly. She was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling out of boredom.

"Do you think what we saw today was real?" Taylor inquired. Y/N remained silent, feeling as though any response she gave would sound absurd.

After a brief pause, Ashlyn repeated the girl's question by asking, "Do you?"

"...I'm not sure Haha. I didn't really get a good look at it. Ty insisted it was fake and ranted the entire way back to the bus. You were the closest one to it, so I thought you might have seen something we didn't."

"...Not really," Ashlyn said, leaving Y/N to wonder if she should respond. "But it doesn't have anything to do with us anymore so it's best to forget about it."

"...Okay."

Y/N was the only one awake, as the other two slowly drifted off to sleep. She couldn't stop thinking about the incident, her mind filled with thoughts.

"What if what I saw was just in my mind, but we all saw it, didn't we? How could I have imagined something like that? Maybe it was a prank to scare us, because who would believe something so strange just happened in front of us? How can something vanish into thin air? Maybe Tyler is right, there might have been a projection that we couldn't see. Maybe..."

The girl had many thoughts running through her mind, questions she wanted to ask, but then she recalled Ashlyn's words.

"I shouldn't dwell on it for too long. It's nothing to worry about, and it's out of our hands now, so I shouldn't think too much about it. I'll probably forget about it in the morning anyway." Y/N then starts closing her eyes, thinking that all her thoughts will be gone once she falls asleep.

With that, she fell asleep like Ashlyn and Taylor. The three girls slept peacefully, unaware that the real danger was just beginning.



Sorry if I made any mistake or grammar mistakes, I read it twice and changed it up a bit. So, if there isn't something that doesn't make sense it's because my thing changes itself, I don't why or how to explain it, so just bare with me. 😭😭