~Julius~
When I arrived at the principal's office, I saw him there attending to some official documents. The dim light from his desk lamp cast a soft glow on the papers, creating long shadows across the room. It still impressed me how much he loved his job and that he would stay up late in school, leaving his wife and children at home.

I knocked on his door and waited patiently for him to open. The sound of my knuckles rapping against the wood echoed down the empty hallway. When the door was opened, his curious gaze met my anxious one, and the soft hum of the air conditioning filled the silence. He stood wondering what a student would be doing by that time of the night.

"Julius, what brings you to my office that your hostel parent can't handle?" he asked, curiosity lingering in his eyes. The faint scent of coffee wafted from his office, mixing with the musty smell of old books and paper.

For a moment, I remembered that something like hostel parents even existed. "Why complain to them, when they would just redirect the complaint to the principal? I should go straight," I thought. What brought me here was something serious, and I had to report it fast.

"Sir, it's just that one of us is missing - Sam," I answered hurriedly, my voice breaking the stillness of the room. The principal's expression changed from a curious one to an annoyed one. "What do you mean that he's missing?" he asked, his tone a bit high. The sound of his pen tapping against the desk added to the tension in the room. "He left with us but he isn't in the hostel. We must have left him behind," I answered, my gaze down at the floor. "Clap for yourself. What a good friend you are," he said ironically, the sound of his chair creaking as he leaned back.

That brought pain to my heart. I claimed to be his friend but I couldn't look after him. I couldn't protect him. I wasn't there when he needed me the most.

"I'll do my best to go there tomorrow morning", the principal's voice came again, disturbing my thoughts. His deep voice resonated in the quiet office, filled with concern. "But in case it appears to be that you're making things up, you find him later on in the hostel. Come back tomorrow and inform me," he said. The sound of his chair creaking as he leaned forward was the only other noise besides his voice.

I thanked him and dashed out of the office. I felt the cool rush of air hit my face as I stepped out into the night. I couldn't blame him. It was too late to take any action now. He would have to wait till morning.

As I walked towards the hostel, the faint scent of night blossoms hung in the air, mixing with the distant sounds of crickets. My thoughts were centred on what Sam would be going through there. Each step felt heavier than the last as I pushed through the heavy, humid air.

"Was he being tortured?" Whatever they were doing to him, I just prayed that he hung on till we got him. The image of Sam's pale face flashed in my mind, driving me to quicken my pace.

When I entered the hostel, the dim light revealed the sadness in his roommate's eyes. "Did you find him?" Dominion asked, his voice filled with worry, echoing in the stillness of the hallway.

I just shook my head in disappointment. I felt his concern, but I was not in the mood for a long talk. The weight of the day clung to me like the oppressive humidity, pressing down on my shoulders.

I lay quietly on my bed, the creaking of the old springs accompanying my troubled thoughts. I pondered on today's problems till sleep finally took hold of me, offering a brief respite from the worries that plagued my mind.

~Linda~
It was incredibly difficult for me to fall asleep, the weight of unresolved issues making my heart race. As I lay in bed, I couldn't help but picture Sam's smiling face and feel the warmth of his hands around my waist, which evoked a flood of thought-provoking memories. "I just pray he's inside the hostel as Julius had assured me," I thought before finally drifting off into uneasy sleep.

In the dead of night, I jolted awake from a terrifying dream. In the dream, I could vividly sense the struggle as someone attempted to drown Sam. I could almost feel his tied hands and muffled cries for help, struggling to catch his breath.

Fear gripped me, and I immediately resorted to fervent prayer. Some of my roommates hissed in annoyance, and others buried their ears in their pillows, but I was undeterred. I knew something was amiss, and prayer was the only powerful weapon against the looming evil.

~Sam~
I woke up to the sound of someone crawling out of bed. The creaking of the floorboards grated on my ears, and it annoyed me to face the reality that I was still in this place. My heart skipped a bit when I saw something white moving in the air. The soft rustling sound of the handkerchief as it billowed through the air sent shivers down my spine. No one needed to tell me that it was that same handkerchief that made me unconscious earlier.
The person tiptoed to me, and I could hear the faint sound of their footsteps as he approached. My breath caught in my throat as the cloth covered my nose. I held my breath, praying it wouldn't last long on my nose.
Fortunately, he finally removed the handkerchief, and I felt a wave of relief wash over me. I pretended to fall unconscious, all the while acutely aware of every sound and movement in the room.

Titus grinned to himself when he saw my unconscious body. He had an ulterior motive that he didn't want his roommates' to know about. "If I could just drown this boy and get his dead body out of here. I would be satisfied.", he said.
Slowly and quietly, he unchained me and carried me outside. My heart was beating faster when he lifted on his shoulders.

"Should I jump down now and start running? No, I will have to let him put me down first", I thought.
I was shocked by what he said earlier.
"So, he wanted me dead. Human beings could be this wicked", I thought, fearfully.
However, I couldn't deny the fact that this was my last chance and my escape depended on what I did next.