Chapter 2 The hidden passage

The next day, Samuel arrived at school, his mind wandering until he almost walked straight into Seth and his gang blocking the entrance. Sammy felt a twinge of anxiety but took a deep breath, trying to compose himself.

"Bastard!" Seth spat out, his eyes narrowing as he zeroed in on Sammy. He took a threatening step closer, his posture daring Sammy to respond. When Sammy just stared back, his silence defiant, Seth's frustration grew. "What? You got something to say, loser?!" Seth blurted out, his face contorted in anger.

Just then, his girlfriend, Layla, a popular cheerleader, came crashing into him with a high-pitched giggle. "Babe!" she purred, wrapping her arms around him. Seth smirked, shooting Sammy a knowing look before pulling Layla into a deep, exaggerated kiss, squeezing her waist possessively. His gang burst into laughter, their mockery ringing in Sammy's ears as he turned away, rolling his eyes. He quickened his pace, eager to leave the scene behind.

During recess, Nana came running up to Sammy and Ryan, her face flushed with excitement. "Guys, please come with me to the library," she begged, her eyes pleading.

"I haven't been there in ages!" she continued, trying to convince them.

"And so?" Ryan said, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you know about the rumors? That place is haunted. It's cursed or something."

Nana huffed, crossing her arms. "C'mon, you guys don't believe in those silly ghost stories, do you? Besides, even if there is something spooky, we can handle it. We've dealt with worse," she argued, trying to sound braver than she felt.

Sammy and Ryan exchanged uncertain looks. The library was notorious, its reputation tainted by the story of a student who had supposedly seen an evil spirit and hadn't spoken a word since. Sammy had only been there once since he started at the school, and even that was a nerve-wracking experience.

"Should we just go?," Ryan asked, turning to Sammy for guidance.

Sammy hesitated but finally nodded. "Okay, let's go," he agreed, shrugging. "But we don't stay long, alright?"

•••

Inside the library, Nana practically skipped between the rows of dusty books. "See? The library is actually a really cool place," she chirped, her voice echoing slightly in the vast space.

"Cool and creepy," Ryan muttered, eyeing the towering shelves warily. "Seriously, how can a school library have this many books? It's like half the world's books are in here."

"Come on, let's explore!" Nana said eagerly, heading deeper into the maze of shelves.

"And what exactly are we looking for?" Sammy asked, trailing behind her.

"Cool books, duh!" Nana replied, rolling her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"This girl," Ryan sighed, shaking his head with a grin. "Your wife," Sammy smirked, nudging Ryan playfully before he continued walking ahead.

"What?!" Ryan exclaimed, his face turning a shade of red.

They wandered deeper into the labyrinth of bookshelves, discovering old tomes filled with mysterious languages and strange symbols. The atmosphere was heavy with dust and the scent of aging paper.

"Looks like I might actually come here more often," Ryan admitted, his voice tinged with genuine interest as he flipped through a particularly ancient-looking book.

"Yeah, right!" Nana scoffed.

Ryan reached for a seemingly ordinary book and he began to flip through the page.

But suddenly, the entire shelf suddenly shuddered and moved, the trio jolted in surprise.

The shelf slide away to reveal a hidden wall behind it. The trio gasped in unison.

"How did you do that?!" Nana asked, her eyes wide with shock.

"I didn't do anything!" Ryan said, equally baffled.

"Interesting," Sammy murmured, stepping forward. He noticed a peculiar stone embedded in the wall and, without thinking, gave it a twist. The wall parted with a slow, grinding noise, revealing a dark passageway.

"Sam!" Nana scolded, her voice a mix of fear and curiosity.

Sammy peered into the darkness. "Let's see what's inside," he suggested, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Yeah!" Ryan agreed, his face lighting up with excitement as he stepped into the passage.

"Guys!!" Nana called after them, but they ignored her. She sighed, shaking her head before reluctantly following them into the unknown.

They ventured through the dimly lit passage, Ryan's phone flashlight casting eerie shadows on the damp walls. At the end of the corridor, an ancient book rested on a stone pedestal, covered in cobwebs.

"Why would they hide a book all the way back here?" Ryan wondered aloud, his voice echoing in the confined space.

"Let's just go back," Nana suggested, feeling uneasy. But when Sammy touched the book, a sudden cold breeze swept through the passage, sending shivers down their spines. Creepy, whispering sounds began emanating from the darkness around them.

"Run!" Nana screamed, her fear breaking the spell of curiosity that had held them in place. She bolted, and the boys quickly followed, their footsteps pounding on the stone floor as if a demon was chasing them.

They burst out of the passage and back into the library, slamming the hidden door shut behind them, panting heavily.

"What the heck was that?" Ryan asked, his voice shaking.

"I don't know, but we're never coming here again!" Nana said firmly, trying to catch her breath.

"Says the one who almost got us killed," Sammy shot her a look, still catching his breath.

"You were the ones who got so curious and went in the cave!," Nana shot back. "But hey, at least we're safe now, right?"

The guys nodded, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through their veins. Whatever secrets the hidden passage held, they were not eager to uncover them anytime soon.