I was returning to my room in a dormitory when I made what I thought was an innocuous suggestion to J. After becoming defensive and angry, he locked me out of my room — I realized too late that he had the key.

I didn’t want to call the police because doing so might affect a deadline he was trying to meet. In a panic, I climbed to the floor above my room and saw that it was completely open on top — there was no ceiling, just like in a dollhouse. I couldn’t imagine how I’d lived there without noticing or knowing that. As I looked down, I saw a figure dragging J. away while looking up at me and grinning evilly. It was someone I used to work for. I wondered about his new role as dormitory head.