Arjun hated staying late after school.
That evening, rain poured heavily over Kolkata. Thunder rolled across the sky as the corridors of the old school building grew darker. The lights flickered once… twice… then stabilized.
Only one classroom still had its lights on.
Arjun sat on the last bench, finishing his homework. Everyone else had gone home. Even the security guard's footsteps had faded downstairs.
Tap… tap… tap…
He froze.
It sounded like someone knocking softly on the classroom window.
But his classroom was on the third floor.
Slowly, he turned his head.
Nothing.
Just rain hitting the glass.
He exhaled nervously and looked back at his notebook.
Tap… tap… tap…
This time it was louder.
His throat went dry.
He stood up and walked toward the window. Outside, there was only darkness and rain. No balcony. No trees close enough to touch the glass.
Then he noticed something strange.
On the fogged-up window, words slowly began to appear.
As if someone was writing from the outside.
"SIT BACK DOWN."
Arjun stumbled backward, heart racing.
"This is a prank," he whispered. "It has to be."
Suddenly—
The classroom door slammed shut.
The lights flickered again.
The room felt colder.
He turned around slowly.
Someone was sitting on the last bench.
Right where he had been sitting.
A dark figure. Head tilted. Completely still.
"I… I was sitting there," Arjun whispered.
The figure didn't move.
He reached for the door handle.
Locked.
But he never locked it.
When he looked back—
The bench was empty.
Relief flooded him for half a second.
Then he felt it.
A slow breath.
Right behind his ear.
A voice, soft and cold:
"You left your seat."
The lights went out.
The next morning, when the teacher entered the classroom, she frowned.
Arjun's bag was on the last bench.
His notebook was open.
On the final page, written in shaky handwriting, were three words:
"It sat beside me."
And the last bench?
It was slightly pulled back.
As if someone was still sitting there.