THE HALLWAY

No one moved right away after the lecture was over. The sound of zippers echoed like small thunder, and the chairs scraped against the tile. Notebooks snapped shut. Elena sat still, her phone face down on her desk and the note in her hand. The app had blinked one last time before the screen went black:

Distance: 0 meters.

Professor Wells closed his folder, looked at the door, and then at her. The look wasn't the cool, distant look she was used to. It was sharper, almost like it was begging. He said something to the students who were closest to him, but she couldn't hear what he said because her ears were ringing. She got up slowly, trying to blend in with the crowd. The dean's assistant was still standing by the door, holding a clipboard to her chest like a shield. She looked at the students as they left. The assistant's hand shot out when Elena got close.

"Miss Torres? Dean Crawford wants to talk to you. Elena's heart sank.

"Right now?"

The assistant's eyes moved from Elena to the front of the room.

"Right away."

Elena looked back. Professor Wells had his back to the board while he erased it. His hand stopped mid-swipe, and the chalk dust swirled like smoke. He didn't look up.

"Okay,"

Elena said softly as she slipped past the assistant and into the hallway. Her legs felt heavy. At this time of day, the hallway outside was oddly empty. There was a hum from the fluorescent lights above. There was no noise here, but you could hear students' voices echoing from far away stairwells. The assistant said,

"Dean Crawford's office is down the hall, the second door on the left."

"He's waiting."

She turned quickly and walked away, her heels clicking down the other hallway. Elena stood there by herself, her heart racing. Her phone rang.

A.W.: "Don't go to him. Meet me at the exit on the east side”.

Now. She looked at the message, then at the long hall in front of her. Dean Crawford lives two doors down. The east exit is just around the corner. The note in her hand got wrinkled. Don't see him again or you'll be sorry. Her stomach turned. This was the kind of thing that got students kicked out of school. She could go to the dean, say she didn't know anything, and give him her phone, but if the dean already had proof, she would look guilty. Another buzz.

A.W.: "Please."

Believe me. It's not what you think. She heard footsteps, which scared her. Heavy, slow, coming from the other end of the hallway. She raised her head. A man in a grey hoodie was walking towards her with his head down. He slowed down as he got closer. She held on to her phone more tightly.

"Elena,"

he said in a soft voice. She couldn't breathe. She couldn't see his face because of the hood. He said,

"Elena" again.

“We need to talk before this gets worse."

Her thumb was close to the emergency call button.

"Professor?"

she said softly. The man raised his head a little. Not Adrian Wells. Not the assistant to the dean. Someone else, maybe in their late twenties, with pale eyes that seemed to flicker in the fluorescent light. He stepped closer and said, "You're not supposed to be here."

"You're making this more difficult than it needs to be."

She hit the wall with her back.

"Who are you?"

He smiled a little.

"Think of me as a... messenger."

You have been talking to the wrong people. He put his hand in his pocket. Elena's heart beat hard against her ribs. Her mother's warnings about deserted hallways and strange men came back to her in a flash.

"Don't,"

she said softly.

"Take it easy."

He took out his phone, which had the same dating app open and A.W.'s profile lit up.

"He's not who you think he is."

Footsteps echoed from behind her before she could do anything. A voice that was deeper said,

"Elena!"

She looked around. Professor Wells was walking down the hall with his dark jacket unbuttoned and his eyes blazing. The man in the hoodie looked annoyed for a split second. He said,

"Too late."

Professor Wells moved closer, his voice low and urgent.

"Leave her alone."

The man stepped back, still holding the phone.

"Adrian, she has a right to know."

Elena's head spun back and forth.

"What's going on?"

Neither of them answered. It was like a stage in the hallway, with the three of them frozen in place and everyone's secrets just below the surface. Professor Wells reached out his hand.

"Come on, Elena. Now. The man in the hoodie smiled more.

"Or come with me."

I can show you everything he doesn't want you to see. Her heart raced. Two men, two sets of secrets, and two ways to get out. Down the hall, Dean Crawford's office was still waiting. Again, her phone buzzed.

A.W.: "You're in danger."

"Pick wisely."

The fluorescent lights above flickered, and for the first time, Elena felt like she was really stuck.