Therese in her dorm

Therese Lang trudged into her dorm; exhaustion written all over her face. It was the final week before exams, and though she was not overly anxious about failing, the looming pressure of maintaining her grades weighed on her. She was confident in her abilities but determined to do well, and slacking off was not an option.

Closing the door behind her, she sighed, the sound echoing faintly in the quiet space. The dorm was empty; her roommates were still at their classes or study sessions, leaving her alone for now. Normally, the solitude didn’t bother her much, but today it only seemed to amplify the hollow feeling in her chest. She tossed her bag onto the couch and ran a hand through her dark curls.

Her thoughts wandered to her history class, specifically to him. That quiet, awkward guy who sat across the room from her and spent more time staring in her direction than taking notes. She didn’t mind his glances, though. If anything, she wished he’d just gather the courage to speak to her. Therese could sense something genuine in him, something that intrigued her. But until he acted, all she could do was wait.

Her musings were interrupted by a faint sound—a subtle rustling that didn’t belong in the stillness of the dorm. She froze, her ears straining to pick up the noise again.

“Hello?” she called out, her voice hesitant. There shouldn’t have been anyone else here. Maybe one of her roommates had skipped their last class?

The noise came again, clearer this time, and it was coming from her bedroom. Her heart quickened, a mix of curiosity and unease taking hold. Against every instinct for self-preservation, she moved toward the sound. The door to her room was slightly ajar, the crack just wide enough to make her pulse pound in her ears.

Therese pushed the door open slowly, her hand trembling as she widened the gap inch by inch. The hinges creaked softly, and the sight that greeted her made her blood run cold.

A shadowy figure stood in the center of her room, their back to her as they rifled through her belongings. The intruder moved with unnerving precision, completely undeterred by the possibility of being caught.

“What the—” she began, her voice a mix of shock and anger.

Before she could say anything more, the figure whirled around with lightning speed. In a fluid motion, they reached into their pocket, pulling out a small, worn pouch. Before Therese could react, they retrieved a handful of fine powder from the sack and blew it directly into her face. The shimmering particles swirled around her, and she instinctively gasped, inhaling the strange substance.

Within moments, her body betrayed her. Her muscles stiffened, her limbs locked in place, and her voice failed her completely. She couldn’t even blink or breath. Therese stood frozen, her brown eyes wide with shock and confusion, locked on the intruder who had incapacitated her so effortlessly.

The figure stepped closer, their shadow falling over her immobile form. They examined her with a clinical detachment, as if appraising an object rather than a person.

Satisfied, they reached out, gently lifting her rigid body. Therese’s stiff form offered no resistance as they maneuvered her limbs so as to stuff her into a large sack they had brought with them, her weight easily supported by the intruder’s careful hands. Her clothes, hastily gathered from her room, were added to the bag as well before it was securely tied.

The intruder slung the sack over their shoulder and exited the dorm as quietly as they had entered. Outside, the world carried on, oblivious to the **** that had just taken place.

Everything had gone according to plan.