The clacking continued without end. Someone outside kept trying to get in, but seemed to be having trouble. The key wouldn't go into the lock, so they couldn't open the door.
Someone picked up the DV, moved it to the bed, and set it on the upper bunk, angled toward the doorway.
Wu Ling's face appeared on the screen.
After adjusting the DV, she turned to open the door.
The moment Wu Ling's hand closed around the doorknob, the sounds outside abruptly stopped.
With a click, Wu Ling turned the lock and pulled the door open. In her other hand, she held a talisman. She struck like lightning, slapping it directly against the person's chest.
A clatter rang out. A string of keys fell out of view and landed on the floor.
Wu Ling glanced down and bent over. When she straightened, a string of keys was in her hand.
A fuzzy rabbit doll dangled from the key ring. It was grayish yellow and looked a little dirty. Its two shiny black eyes were glass beads, cheap-looking things like the ones sold at street stalls. But something about those eyes seemed to radiate a dark aura, making people uneasy.
Wu Ling's gaze shifted from the keys to the person outside. She reached out and pulled them into the dorm room.
The door slammed shut.
The camera showed the two of them standing face-to-face.
It was a girl, plainly dressed in a shirt and trousers with an old-fashioned cut, even more dated than the dorm room's furnishings. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she had a few pimples on her face. She looked like a high school student.
She seemed frightened, and a little confused.
Wu Ling took out her phone and made a call.
"It's me. I