Chapter Text
Enid Sinclair had a mystery.
Okay, well, technically, she had a few.
Like, why did her wolf senses work great for locating cute sweaters but not douchy guys?
Or why did her phone keep managing to call people she hadn't spoken to since middle school in the middle of the night while she slept blissfully unaware of the betrayal?
And why Taylor Swift kept showing up as her number-one artist on Spotify Wrapped instead of Phoebe Bridgers, when she was pretty sure she only looped Folklore for, like… a week or two back in January. Probably two…
But there was one mystery in particular that was slightly bigger than the others.
One that kept her just on edge every time she left her cozy dorm room, a small part of her wanting to spy through the peephole at all hours of the day, setting up camp just so that she could catch a glimpse of her mysterious dormmate.
To really understand the amount of obscurity that clouded the mysterious girl's existence, you’d have to go back, all the way back to Enid’s first day moving into those dorms.
She was starting her sophomore year at Nevermore University, her top college choice, one she had worked tirelessly to get into. It also helped that the location of her dream school was all the way across the country, a luxurious distance away from her family, especially her mother. Far enough away, she could excuse the lack of visits, revel in her peaceful life away from such a suppressive home. Of course, there was still the summer, where after Enid had to return home after the semester's end, gritting her teeth through the two months where she felt herself slipping back into their picture-perfect puzzle, becoming smaller to fit, to belong.
Honestly, she had been counting down with glee the number of days until her move back, the only caveat being that her dad insisted on road tripping her all the way back to her real home. It wasn’t that she particularly minded him; rather, he was a saint compared to her mother, but his inaction, indifference towards her constant mistreatment, robbed him of her respect.
Thankfully, she managed to enjoy the seven days in that car, surrounded by just her luggage and her dad, taking in the views, adopting a diet of gas station and diner food that would probably make any health professional shake their head in disappointment. She could lose herself in the beautiful landscapes they drove through, her mind adrift.
Even so, she was relieved when she finally got back to the small college town of Jericho, one she had missed dearly. It was just quiet enough for her, without being a ghost town. Despite being a college town, it carried more of an air of small-town community and safety than anything rowdy.
This year, she was staying in private accommodation, one where, according to her bestie from freshman year, Yoko, many students opted to stay in their second year, despite the price being a little steep. Though she didn’t worry too much about it, considering her parents were “generously” offering to pay for her expenses, something she knew would be held over her head for an eternity. It wasn't as though she had much choice, being 19 and flat broke.
Yoko and Enid had gone through the trials and tribulations of trying to find an apartment near the campus that they could rent together, but it had fallen through at the last minute, with a few girls pulling out as they transferred.
Divina, Yoko's perpetual crush since orientation, had already been living there since her freshman year, as she was a last-minute acceptance and there was no room left in the dorms. And so, mere weeks before the semester began, Yoko had somehow talked the place up to Enid, and at a slight discount with Divina's referral, they had settled the matter.
According to Yoko, it was a strict contract, one that you couldn’t just get out of once you signed. To get out, you’d have to find someone to take your place.
Though Enid hadn’t encountered as much when she had completed the payment online. It had been such a last-minute thing that her memory of the whole process was a giant blur, if she was being honest, but easy enough since she just had to search ‘Ravens street student accommodation’, and click the first thing that popped up.
Though now that she was looking at it up close and personal, Enid was surprised Yoko would have been so eager for this choice. The building she now gazed at was definitely old, dark and especially gothic, with its large towering presence over the rest of the buildings on this peculiar street. It seemed out of proportion somehow, long but not quite wide enough, crookedly leaning to one side just enough you could overlook it. There were long windows overlooking the street on each floor, and Enid counted thirteen floors in total. Stained with grime and soot, the building was a murky colour, but still managed to carry a grand air. And that was nice and all, but Enid got the feeling this place was definitely haunted. She shivered a little as her gaze drifted over to another building not far off from this one, registering surprise.
You see, the quite old building was directly next to a newer building, one with a vibrant design, all pops of colour and sharp edges. It was really an odd sight. The rest of the street was also sufficiently modern, with a small convenience store opposite both buildings, no doubt overpriced to the moon, but Enid already knew she would be a frequent customer.
Some things were impossible to resist.
The sight of the modern building made her frown a little, as she hadn’t realised there was another accommodation building on this road. Enid didn’t remember seeing it when she had googled the place. Sure, she had found it odd when Yoko suggested rooming in such an ancient building, but she figured it tied into her goth aesthetic or something.
She couldn’t have possibly mixed them up, right… Nahhhh….
Enid reassured her, pushing thoughts of misbooking out of her head. This had to have been the accommodation she meant. A snarky goth girl would definitely want to live somewhere like this…
She turned her thoughts instead to disappointment, realizing she could have also chosen such an extravagantly modern building instead of the creepy old one she was stuck with for the rest of the year.
After parking across the street, Murray Sinclair and his daughter stepped out into the cold September air, shivering a little as the greyish hue of the sky heightened the miserable weather. With her luggage in tow, they made their way the short distance to the entrance, Enid having to redirect her dad, who instinctively had moved to the colourful building.
The door was a little creaky as her dad opened it, twisting the old-style doorknob, remarking how cold it was to the touch. What came next was a narrow hallway which led to an opening in the wall, where a small reception area had been cramped, covered partially by plexiglass. An older woman with a harsh, perhaps unkind look about her sat behind the desk, her white hair tied above her head in a tight bun, sharp eyes peeking out from behind horn-rimmed glasses.
“Name?” She questioned drily, maybe fed up with the moving-in rush, though Enid didn’t see any other people around as she would have expected. There was a steady stream of people entering and leaving the other building, while this one seemed deserted.
“Enid Sinclair,” she blurted a little nervously, the scrutinizing gaze of the woman eliciting a cold sweat on the back of her neck. “Dorm 501, Room 2, my move-in slot was at 1:30, but there was a lot of traffic, so-“
“Documents?”, the woman cut her off with disinterest thick on her tongue, mouth fixed in a displeased line.
Sheepishly, Enid handed over her papers, which she had stowed in her trusty tote bag, slung over her shoulder.
The woman took a few minutes, reading through the documents meticulously, often stopping to make a face, almost as if she was reading something particularly interesting. It was really just her passport and the forms she had been instructed to fill out and sign. When she had finally finished her appraisal, the woman wordlessly slid over the counter a bare, old-fashioned key, attached to a small loop of wire. The key itself was heavier than it looked, with an ornate three-loop handle attached to the end. It looked weathered, like the key had survived tooth and nail through time.
Enid’s eyes caught on the little bird design carved into the side, thinking it was strangely cute, but still a little creepy. With a polite thank you and nod, Enid hightailed it out of there, continuing further down the corridor as her dad trailed behind her, still holding all her luggage.
They approached a very strange-looking elevator, even though Enid would say it looked more like a cage, one with a black intricate design, curling and twisting. Honestly, Enid was surprised that her dad, herself, and her luggage all managed to squeeze in. Her discomfort with the elevator only heightened as it took them a long moment to locate the control panel. Her dad chuckled a little when he finally spotted it, so far up the wall it was almost on the ceiling. There was a pause as they puzzled over how on earth they could press that button, how anyone could. Eventually, Enid got a knee up from her dad, finally managing to reach the panel.
And then the strangest thing happened.
Just as her hand started to reach up to the button, it pressed itself. Enid swore it did; her hand was still decently far away from actually touching anything. And it was almost like… the elevator was mocking her?
Nonetheless, the elevator started moving, and her dad motioned for her to come down, assuming all was well. Enid was still frowning when she came down, eyebrows furrowed as she looked around the elevator conspiratorially. But of course, there was nobody but them;
Enid was still absorbed in thoughts of motion-activated buttons and sentient elevators when the chime to signal they were at their floor rang out. And then all of a sudden they were on the thirteenth floor, when Enid could swear on every pastel accessory she owned that the button pressed had been for the fifth floor. The patient man her dad was, all she got was a chuckle in response to her frustrations and another leg up. This time, she was quick, jabbing her finger out to beat the button, but yet again it pressed itself. The fifth floor again.
She couldnt have imagined it twice… right?
Stepping back down in a huff, Enid kept careful watch of the small screen displaying the floor number they were on. It seemed like they were moving downwards, for less than a minute, but when the doors opened up, they found themselves right back on the bottom floor, where the moody receptionist simply flicked them a judgmental stare and resumed her typing.
Mother fucker-
‘No’, the saintly and diplomatic side of Enid intervened, taking over her body in smooth autopilot, suppressing the urge to… some thoughts shouldn't be verbalized…
And so eerily calmly, she stepped back up to the control panel, ignoring the press of a smug little button that clearly was fucking with her.
“No,” she spoke steadily under her breath, “you don’t get a third turn.”
She slapped the fifth-floor button this time, after the elevator had already begun moving upwards, ready to fight the building owner, the electrical grid, and the entire concept of vertical transportation.
The elevator paused, almost like it was thinking about it, then lit up the ground floor button again, which she hadn’t even looked at.
Her dad blinked, finally speaking up.
“Sweetie, maybe it’s voice-act-”
“It is NOT voice-activated, Dad,” Enid whisper-yelled, “It’s just EVIL.”
*******
Suffice it to say, it took a fair few more tries to get to the fifth floor. The evil, wretched metal contraption finally yielded on the 13th try, maybe having grown bored of torment. Enid would definitely be taking the stairs, even if it was five floors up.
When they finally stepped out onto the fifth floor, Enid observed it was a bit different from the others (the lift had stopped on every single floor by then except their own).
The other floors had been entirely empty, save for the ground floor occupied by the receptionist, leaving Enid to wonder if she had arrived earlier than everyone else.
While this floor also had no people in sight, Enid felt a little relieved, almost able to sense the fact that someone did live on this floor. She could certainly smell someone, characterized by the scent of ink and perichor.
The floor itself was divided into two blocks of rooms accessible by doors on the left and right. Blocks 501 and 502.
There was also another door, which, to Enid's relief, led to a stairwell. She popped her head through that door for a second, only to observe the most narrow, creepy and undoubtedly haunted stairwell she had ever laid eyes on. The steps were lined with an ancient, bottle green carpet, imprinted with tiny symbols she didn't care to get closer to identify, accompanied by a rickety-looking banister of paint-chipped, black wood. The air was colder out there somehow, like a sharp drop in temperature cold.
Enid suppressed a whimper of both disgust and fear as she quickly made her way back to her dad.
Finally, at the door, after what felt like a harsh voyage, Enid took in the ornate brass letters reading ‘501.’ Dutifully, she pulled the odd key out of her pocket, inserted it into the keyhole, and waited as the mechanism of the door whirred away for several seconds before swinging open.
Her dorm was… strangely normal compared to everything else. Well, sort of…
From where Enid stood, she could see three doors, two opposite each other and one
towards the end of the small hallway. The carpet here was jet black, with walls similarly painted a dull shade of grey. The only light entering the space shone in through a large window at the end of the hallway, likely one of the ones she had observed from the street.
Not exactly her vibe… but it had… potential?
Stepping forward, Enid picked up the presence of someone in room 1 with her werewolf hearing. The slightest rustle, then silence.
Her own room, room 2, was just opposite, so Enid snuck a peek subtly as she approached it.
This door in particular was painted black, almost darker than the carpet, and was bare apart from its grey handle and a small peephole. Honestly, this place was more like a haunted hotel than dorms…
Dutifully, Enid’s dad stood behind her as she fiddled with the key, finally unlocking her door, which appeared to have not been opened in a while. Internally, Enid was grateful it was her Dad who had been here, not her mom. She could already hear that judgmental voice laced in fake concern, rushing ahead of her, looking for any reason to discount this place.
But maybe in this case she would have a point…
Thankfully, it seemed to be smooth sailing from that point forward, her Dad helping out as she unpacked and set up her space for the next year, though she left the main decorating for after he left. Poster arrangement needed serious concentration.
When they had finally made their way back to the car, braving the stairs which totally gave Enid the creeps, she could tell her dad was a little apprehensive about leaving her there. But he wasn’t one to voice opinions, more like a pliable companion. And so she got the good ol’ goofy dad routine and goodbye, feeling more and more empty as she watched him drive away. She’d rather have just been kicked out of the car on entry and left in the dust than have to listen to superficial bullshit as if they weren’t family. Or at least they were supposed to be.
She tried not to dwell on that sentiment as she trudged back up to her room, clinging to the paint-chipped railing as she climbed the stairs, hoping and begging under her breath that it wouldn't break. One time, she actually made the mistake of looking down and swore she saw the blur of a figure, dark and looming. She walked faster after that. So fast in fact that she ended up on the wrong floor, floor 9. See, the thing with this staircase was, you needed to be counting, as there was no useful signage anywhere. All it took was one daydream that ran over or a miscount, and suddenly you were 3 floors off from where you were supposed to be. And climbing up those stairs was definitely easier than climbing down.
Enid had actually only realised her mistake once she entered the entrance area, noting the numbers 901 and 902 with exasperation. And then she jumped right out of her skin at the sight of a pale woman exiting block 902. This woman was far too old to be a student, Enid guessed, somewhere in her 40s. But she was a beauty nonetheless, silky black hair cascading around her shoulders, blending in with the equally noir palette of her long, flowy dress. It was her eyes really that drew you in, the depth of that gaze giving Enid the sensation that this woman already knew all her secrets.
“And who might you be? Lost perhaps?”, the woman questioned softly, and Enid noted a vague accent, as well as the overwhelmingly maternal energy she radiated.
“I- sorry! I just moved in. Yeah, I’m on the fifth floor, so I think I climbed a few too many stairs.”
The woman's lips curved in not quite a smile, but something with the idea of one, dark and elegant and mildly amused.
“The fifth floor, you say? It is quite a journey from here. One could get lost for hours in these hallways… or distracted.”
Enid really didn't want to hear how she could get ‘distracted’ in a place as creepy as this.
“Sorry to disturb you, I’ll be going now! Nice meeting you… uhhmm?”
“Morticia. And if you are heading to the fifth floor, I insist on accompanying you. It can often be treacherous.”
“You mean like… metaphorically right?” Enid laughed nervously, almost sure that was not the case.
Morticia did not answer her question, simply gesturing to the elevator, which Enid immediately tried to protest.
“I really prefer taking the stairs here if you don't mind, I think the elevator is ...faulty.” Enid protested weakly as Morticia herded towards the disobedient machine with her presence alone.
“Faulty? Do tell?”
Well… when I got on earlier, it wouldn't take me to the right floor no matter how hard I tried, and the control panel was all the way…”, Enid trailed off as if on cue, the elevator slid open.
It revealed a perfectly normal interior, the control panel exactly where it should be. Enid sputtered in confusion as Morticia calmly pressed the button for Floor 5 without the slightest difficulty. Her mouth remained agape until the elevator chimed at their destination.
Enid was jolted from her stupor when she approached the door, suddenly aware that her key was not in her pocket. She could have sworn that she had just had it, though….
As if already aware, Morticia pulled out a loop of heavy keys from a pocket Enid literally could not fathom the existence of, unlocking the door easily. When Enid turned to face her, the question was written all over her face.
“Oh, my apologies. I forgot to mention I own this building along with my husband. We handle maintenance from time to time if we are at this property.”
Enid blinked at her. Once. Twice. Her brain stalled like a car in winter. She was so glad she had not complained about this building like she had been secretly dying to. Where was Yoko when you needed her?
“Oh my gosh! Sorry if I was rude earlier, I’m just super tired. I’m Enid Sinclair. L–lovely building you have here.”
“How nice of you to say. House will be pleased.”
Morticia opened the door, holding it open so Enid could step through, smiling again at the girl's nervous demeanour. She kindly let her back into her room, where inside Enid found her key neatly placed on her desk, which was impossible since the door had been locked from the outside! She’d had half a mind to mention it to Morticia, but decided against it at the risk of sounding rude.
“Thank you for all the help, M-Mortica!” Enid now stood in her doorway, stumbling over the woman's name a little as it felt so strange to call her by a first name. It almost felt disrespectful. But calling her Mrs landlord seemed like it would kill her by second-hand embarrassment, so she decided against it.
“Not at all, dear. If you ever have any problem, feel free to visit our office on the thirteenth floor. We take maintenance requests very seriously.”
“Of course! Have a lovely day!”
Morticia's face dimmed in confusion a little at that, as she waved goodbye and closed the door, letting out a quiet sigh as she waited to hear retreating footsteps. But there were none. Morticia remained where she stood moments before. Though she felt guilty, Enid took advantage of her peephole and spied on the scene outside.
The door to room one was open, though Morticia's tall figure completely obscured the person standing in its doorway. From inside her defying physics pocket, Morticia retrieved a small pack of cloth, clearly bound around something. Through her spying angle, Enid could just about make out a small hand taking the package from Morticia and unwrapping it eagerly. As the cloth fell away, the glint of silver came into view, causing Enid to gasp despite herself. She held her breath, waiting to see if either of them had heard her, but it seemed she had finally gotten lucky today.
Eventually, the figure closed the door, and Morticia retreated, leaving Enid to wonder if she was going to be offed with a silver knife in the near future in her sleep. It was at this point that she decided to call Yoko, ask her where the heck she was and get some emotional support.
This place was absolutely nuts.
The call took 2 rings to connect, Yokos' voice blaring out a little too loud on the speakerphone, so Enid rushed to turn it down.
“Yoooo, Enid. What’s up?” Yoko greeted, and Enid was sure she could hear the sound of voices in the background, Divina laughing in particular. She had a very distinct, dolphin-esque laugh.
“What do you mean ‘what's up’? Where are you??? I don't want to be in this creepy place you picked, alone another second!”
“Hold on- slow down! What are you talking about?”
“I mean, these dorms! I knew I shouldn't have trusted your judgment….”
“Oh? You’re here? I didn't hear you come in or anything.”
“Wait… what? Yeah, I’m here, but where are you?”
“You're in block 501, right?”
“Yeah…”
“Come out into the hallway.”
So Enid did, finding nothing but uninviting grey walls and the sense that she was being watched by that creepy Door 1 again.
“Oh no,” Yoko said suddenly, sounding as though something had just clicked.
“What? What is it?”
“Enid… what’s the name of the accommodation you’re in?”
“Corvus House.”
“Dear lord. You poor, sweet, doomed girl.”
“Yoko, quit joking around! What is going on?!”
“Enid… I’m at Ridgeview Towers. Next door.”
And with that single sentence, Enid finally realized what had happened.
She had booked the wrong place.
She was so, so screwed.