Post by Katherine Newcombe H4 on Feb 15, 2008 3:11:46 GMT
The hallway echoed with Katie’s favourite song as she hummed it quietly to herself, glancing around the darkened corridor with a smile. It had been hours since she had last taken a break from studying, so to give her eyes a rest she had decided to take a quiet walk around the school. So far, it had been wonderful. Every other student seemed to have somewhere else to be, whether it was their own studying or having an early night, so she enjoyed the peace while she could. Katie strolled further down the hallway, occasionally wondering about how she was going to complete her homework, but overall taking advantage of the time she had given herself. She had been cooped up behind her desk for too long! As Katie walked, her attention turned from her studies to how quiet the school was at night. There were no sounds of students laughing, whispering secrets, or even their heavy footsteps as they climbed the stairs for their next adventure. Katie pulled her robe even tighter around her body, and admired the grand walls surrounding her. There may be no students, but there was definitely life. She placed one of her hands on the cold wall, and traced her fingers around one of the many carvings. How many students had walked through these hallways? How many of their stories did this place hold? Katie was amazed whenever she walked through the campus. Students would come in one day, and then spend seven years of their life within these walls. In that time they would learn, grow and love. Some even lost. Then, they walked out again to live the rest of their lives, replaced by more students who had their own stories to tell.
She continued her journey down the hallway, deciding she didn’t really want to know where it would lead her. It was exciting to know she may end up at somewhere she had never been before, even if the thought of not being able to get back on time intimidated her slightly. Katie bit her lip at the thought of curfew being soon. She had no idea where was, and didn’t know whether she’d be able to get back to her dorm in time. Quickening her pace, she rushed through the hallway until she finally reached two doorways. Taken aback, she turned to where she had come from. The dark hallways seemed to mock her, and Katie whimpered softly. Where on earth was she? Gathering all her strength, she knocked gently on one of the doors. After nobody had answered for several minutes, she opened it slowly and poked her head around the thick doorway.
“Hello?” She asked timidly, trying to make out someone or something within the darkened room. All she could make out were a few unusual shapes, so she quickly shut the door. Leaning against the wall between the doors, she closed her eyes. It had seemed like a good idea to go exploring at the time. Ignoring the fluttering of her heart, Katie drew on her last ounce of courage and knocked on the second door. This time, she heard a distinct murmuring, so she slowly opened the door and peered inside. The room was just as dark as the previous one, but knowing there was someone inside, she opened the door wider.
“Hi, I’m sorry to disturb you. I was just wondering if you could possibly tell me how to get back to my dorm. I’m a Huffle… um, excuse me?” Katie asked after hearing the murmuring suddenly stop.
“If you’re busy, I’ll come back later,” she said quickly, before closing the door loudly. The murmuring began again, and Katie turned a questioning eye to the door. It definitely sounded like students, however she couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from. If the students were behind the door, why hadn’t she been able to see them? Squaring her shoulders, Katie glared at the door before bursting it open.
The silence was the first thing that Katie noticed. There were no whispers or murmurs, and there was certainly nobody hiding in the room. It was completely empty. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dark, Katie ventured inside, almost running into a door on the other side. The fact there was another door surprised Katie almost as much as there being no people inside, but not wanting to turn back now, she gripped the doorknob nervously and opened it. Peering around the doorway, she let out a relieved sigh at what she saw. Outside, there was another long hallway that was, unlike its predecessor, brightly lit. Katie closed the door behind her and walked through the new hallway curiously, her thoughts drawn back to the many students who would have wandered on this very floor. She turned her gaze back to the door of whence she came, and shook her head in confusion. What a strange place to put two rooms, especially since they had no apparent use. The only thing Katie had found remotely interesting about them was the strange sounds she had heard inside of one. They had certainly not been the mystery she had thought of them as. Shaking her head, Katie tried to keep her pace up as she walked through the hall. It didn’t seem very likely that her prefects would accept “hearing strange noises” for missing curfew; in fact, it would probably only serve for her being sent to the Hospital Wing. Katie was about to break into a jog when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The strange murmuring had started again, and was getting louder with each step she took. Katie’s mouth widened, but, unable to leave without knowing exactly what was making the noise, she pressed on.
Katie followed the corridor as it continued to change directions, lengthening her stride until she was in was in a run. The quiet murmuring had turned into a gentle roar, and she was determined to find out who was making the noise. Doors began to line the hallway, but Katie ignored them until she finally reached the one she was sure held the sound. Gripping the doorknob triumphantly, Katie opened it with a loud flourish.
“Ah ha! I caught yooouuu.” The last word fell softly from her lips as she looked at the dozen or so students that were inside the Student Lounge. Her cheeks blazing, Katie cleared her throat in embarrassment. She stole a quick look outside the door and found herself staring at the same hallway she had walked down hundreds of times, that in her excitement she had deemed unfamiliar. Katie gave a small laugh before straightening her robe.
“I seem to find to myself in the wrong room,” she explained to those who were staring at her in surprise. Even she had to admit she was the last person they would’ve expected to have charge into the room. The “murmurs” were just people talking in the Lounge, Katie thought in exasperation. I was chasing after students in the Student Lounge. The two rooms had probably just been places to store utility equipment, and I simply found myself where I had never been before. Hence, I overreacted and am now paying the consequences. Unsure of what to do, Katie continued to stand in the doorway awkwardly. One thing was for sure: the next mystery she found herself on, she was going to enter each room carefully.
She continued her journey down the hallway, deciding she didn’t really want to know where it would lead her. It was exciting to know she may end up at somewhere she had never been before, even if the thought of not being able to get back on time intimidated her slightly. Katie bit her lip at the thought of curfew being soon. She had no idea where was, and didn’t know whether she’d be able to get back to her dorm in time. Quickening her pace, she rushed through the hallway until she finally reached two doorways. Taken aback, she turned to where she had come from. The dark hallways seemed to mock her, and Katie whimpered softly. Where on earth was she? Gathering all her strength, she knocked gently on one of the doors. After nobody had answered for several minutes, she opened it slowly and poked her head around the thick doorway.
“Hello?” She asked timidly, trying to make out someone or something within the darkened room. All she could make out were a few unusual shapes, so she quickly shut the door. Leaning against the wall between the doors, she closed her eyes. It had seemed like a good idea to go exploring at the time. Ignoring the fluttering of her heart, Katie drew on her last ounce of courage and knocked on the second door. This time, she heard a distinct murmuring, so she slowly opened the door and peered inside. The room was just as dark as the previous one, but knowing there was someone inside, she opened the door wider.
“Hi, I’m sorry to disturb you. I was just wondering if you could possibly tell me how to get back to my dorm. I’m a Huffle… um, excuse me?” Katie asked after hearing the murmuring suddenly stop.
“If you’re busy, I’ll come back later,” she said quickly, before closing the door loudly. The murmuring began again, and Katie turned a questioning eye to the door. It definitely sounded like students, however she couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from. If the students were behind the door, why hadn’t she been able to see them? Squaring her shoulders, Katie glared at the door before bursting it open.
The silence was the first thing that Katie noticed. There were no whispers or murmurs, and there was certainly nobody hiding in the room. It was completely empty. Once her eyes had adjusted to the dark, Katie ventured inside, almost running into a door on the other side. The fact there was another door surprised Katie almost as much as there being no people inside, but not wanting to turn back now, she gripped the doorknob nervously and opened it. Peering around the doorway, she let out a relieved sigh at what she saw. Outside, there was another long hallway that was, unlike its predecessor, brightly lit. Katie closed the door behind her and walked through the new hallway curiously, her thoughts drawn back to the many students who would have wandered on this very floor. She turned her gaze back to the door of whence she came, and shook her head in confusion. What a strange place to put two rooms, especially since they had no apparent use. The only thing Katie had found remotely interesting about them was the strange sounds she had heard inside of one. They had certainly not been the mystery she had thought of them as. Shaking her head, Katie tried to keep her pace up as she walked through the hall. It didn’t seem very likely that her prefects would accept “hearing strange noises” for missing curfew; in fact, it would probably only serve for her being sent to the Hospital Wing. Katie was about to break into a jog when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The strange murmuring had started again, and was getting louder with each step she took. Katie’s mouth widened, but, unable to leave without knowing exactly what was making the noise, she pressed on.
Katie followed the corridor as it continued to change directions, lengthening her stride until she was in was in a run. The quiet murmuring had turned into a gentle roar, and she was determined to find out who was making the noise. Doors began to line the hallway, but Katie ignored them until she finally reached the one she was sure held the sound. Gripping the doorknob triumphantly, Katie opened it with a loud flourish.
“Ah ha! I caught yooouuu.” The last word fell softly from her lips as she looked at the dozen or so students that were inside the Student Lounge. Her cheeks blazing, Katie cleared her throat in embarrassment. She stole a quick look outside the door and found herself staring at the same hallway she had walked down hundreds of times, that in her excitement she had deemed unfamiliar. Katie gave a small laugh before straightening her robe.
“I seem to find to myself in the wrong room,” she explained to those who were staring at her in surprise. Even she had to admit she was the last person they would’ve expected to have charge into the room. The “murmurs” were just people talking in the Lounge, Katie thought in exasperation. I was chasing after students in the Student Lounge. The two rooms had probably just been places to store utility equipment, and I simply found myself where I had never been before. Hence, I overreacted and am now paying the consequences. Unsure of what to do, Katie continued to stand in the doorway awkwardly. One thing was for sure: the next mystery she found herself on, she was going to enter each room carefully.
