Some secrets crave silence. But this silence was as terrifying as ice-cold hands tightening around a throat.
"Asmo, run slower!" Layla's voice came out muffled and breathless.
"Hurry up, we're late for class!" Asmo shouted back without looking behind her.
The two girls were sprinting down the school hallway. Suddenly, from the very end of the corridor, an unearthly scream echoed. The sound was so sharp and horrifying that Asmo stopped dead in her tracks. Fifteen-year-old Asmo was incredibly curious, a girl who lived for adventure. Her round, wide eyes grew even larger, and she turned around, consumed by intrigue.
"Layla, did you hear that?"
"Hear what? Hurry up, we're late!"
"Someone screamed..." Asmo's voice trembled.
"What are you starting now? Come on, let's go!"
But Asmo felt as if her legs were no longer obeying her. Involuntarily, she began walking toward the source of the scream. Her steps, initially bold, became smaller and heavier as she approached the restroom. When she reached the door, a sudden wave of panic and a foreign sense of dread she had never felt before washed over her. She decided against going in and turned back in fear.
"I must have imagined it..." she whispered, trying to comfort herself.
"You wasted so much of our time!" Layla grumbled angrily.
Asmo hadn't even fully turned around when that same horrific scream echoed again! This time, it was louder and much closer. Hearing it, Layla jumped in fright. The blood drained from her face, and she fell into an instant panic.
"Asmo, let's get out of here! We need to call the teachers! Come on, let's just go!" Layla spoke frantically, but Asmo was now completely stunned.
Asmo's feet felt as if they were nailed to the ground, yet some unseen force dragged her toward the door anyway. With tiny steps, she reached out and gripped the handle, freezing in place. Her heart was filled with unease and terror; neither courage nor curiosity remained. At that moment, a teacher, whom Layla had rushed to fetch, came running toward them.
Layla, despite being an Asian champion, was extremely timid by nature. She had led the teacher there in such a state of panic that the teacher immediately pushed Asmo aside upon arrival. Asmo stumbled but didn't fall. The teacher flung the restroom door open and froze in shock. The room was completely empty. No one was there.
"What, are you playing games with me?!" the teacher roared in anger. "I left twenty children alone in class for this!"
While the teacher was shouting, Asmo rushed inside, gripped by fear. Indeed, there was no one. But she had heard it clearly—some girl had been screaming in agony. Asmo stood in the middle of the room, pale as a ghost, frozen like a statue. Outside, Layla was trying to prove to the teacher that what they heard was real.
Two weeks passed...
The spring sun was shining, but the air was still cold. Asmo entered that same restroom to wash the chalkboard eraser. Suddenly, her eyes fell upon a large book with a thick black cover and golden borders lying under the mirror.
"Hey!" Asmo shouted, rushing after an older girl who was just leaving the room. "You left your book behind!"
"Oh, really? What book?" The girl stopped and approached Asmo.
"The black-covered one..."
"I didn't have a book like that," the girl said, looking confused, and continued on her way.
Asmo went back into the room, puzzled, but the book was gone! It had vanished as if the earth had swallowed it. This was incredibly suspicious. It stayed that way until she saw the book again—sitting right next to her on the seat of a taxi...
Then, the horror truly began. She couldn't find the book at the bookstore on Saturday, but when she returned home, she saw a terrifying sight in her wardrobe mirror: that same black book was sitting right behind her on her bed! Asmo screamed and lost consciousness.
The book began to haunt her every step, making her feel as if she were losing her mind. But she endured; she lied to her family, telling them, "I don't see the book anymore." In this manner, three years passed... The book was still with her.
Asmo has already turned eighteen. She is still not free from the book's pursuit. Recently, she has been preparing for her state exams to enter the Institute of History. However, I can say that it is not easy to study with a book that only she can see. She has grown accustomed to her mysterious stalker, of course, but it is true that from time to time, her thoughts drift toward the book and its secrets. Yet, she does not dare to open it. Asmo is not a great student; she knows well that with this level of preparation, she might not get in. Nevertheless, she studies day and night. But she isn't a true seeker of knowledge.
Today is just another ordinary day, past 1:00 AM. Asmo is studying. Fatigued, she stretches her arms and makes herself some coffee. Reluctant to return to her lessons, she sits on her bed. And there it is again—the book in front of her.
"What do you want me to do?" she sighed, talking to the book. "Fine, come here."
She finally took the book in her hands. Closing her eyes tight, she pulled it open. Peeking with one eye, she looked inside. In the book, there was a QR code drawn with large golden borders. Asmo's curiosity piqued, and she immediately began flipping through the rest of the pages. Nothing. There was nothing else. In a book of about 700 to 800 pages, not a single thing was written. She was so shocked she didn't even notice the coffee spilling onto the floor.
Then, she scanned the QR code with her phone. She didn't expect anything terrifying from computers or phones. She sent the link from her phone to her computer and entered the site. A site named Black Cover. Even though the name was Black Cover, the site was a hideous green color. A bright green, reminiscent of the color of a swamp. She entered the site and saw various questions.
* Do you like reading books?
Asmo: Yes.
* I can recommend a book to you. How many books do you want? (Choices: 6, 12, 24). Asmo chose the middle option, 12.
* Select a character for yourself in the first book.
"This is interesting," Asmo thought, selecting number 3. She had completely forgotten about the pitch-black cover, the golden QR code, and the three years of being haunted. Her entire mind was on the site before her.
* Which genre do you choose?
Asmo selected Fantasy, Horror, and History.
At that moment, a notification arrived on her phone from Gmail. The sudden sound made Asmo jump in fright. Her heart raced as she broke into a cold sweat. When she opened the message, it was from the Black Cover site. Asmo tried to remember—she hadn't registered on the site. "But how? I never entered my Gmail address," she thought, freezing in fear. She opened the email.
> "Dear user, a package has been sent to you. Please receive it."
>
Asmo looked left and right, paralyzed. She waited for five minutes. No message, no package. Then, gripped by terror, she decided to sleep in her sister Marjona's room. Without touching anything—not even turning off the computer or the lights—she slowly reached her door. Just as she opened the door, she saw an old, thin, faded paper book at her feet with the title "Dark Academy" on it. Though the book was white and old, it was drenched in blood. Crimson bloodstains were clearly visible on the edges.
Asmo felt as if someone was standing behind her, watching. She stood frozen, unable even to turn around. Her breath quickened, then slowed until she doubted she was breathing at all. Certain she couldn't move, she gathered all her strength and called out in a low voice, "Brother."
Her brother, who usually stayed up late studying, heard her and came to her. Seeing Asmo as pale as marble, he grew worried.
"What happened?" he asked with concern.
"There was a mouse here," Asmo said, pointing to where the book was, just to see if he could see it or not. As expected, her brother did not see the book.
"What would a mouse be doing in the house?" he laughed at her fear.
"Really!" she insisted, as if trying to prove herself with irony.
"Fine, we'll bring some poison tomorrow," he said, trying to calm her down. "Go to sleep now, it's late."
"I'm sleeping in Marjona's room," she said, her eyes never leaving the book.
"Fine," her brother said, walking her right to her sister's door.
The next morning, Asmo woke up with bloodshot eyes, having barely slept. She stepped out of the room and felt a wave of relief when she didn't see the book at her door. She even got a scolding from her mother for the coffee spilled on the carpet the night before. But this couldn't dampen her mood. In high spirits, she packed her things and went to the mountains with her family for a break. The vacation went exceptionally well. Neither the bloody book nor the black-covered one haunted her. She returned home feeling much lighter and happier—until the night before her exam.
The exam was the next day; she had to go in the morning. She prepared her clothes, and just as she returned to the door to turn off the light, there it was—the same bloody book in its previous spot. She slowly picked it up. A feeling washed over her: this was fate, and if she didn't accept it, she could never escape.