Monica

In 2023, an incident at Jose Rizal Memorial State University-Dipolog Campus shocked students and professors alike. While returning her students' quiz papers, a professor was surprised to find one paper that appeared to have no owner. She checked her class records, the list of officially enrolled students for that academic year, and even searched social media, but found no trace of the mystery student. The discovery caused quite a commotion across the campus. Rumors spread, and countless theories emerged as people tried to answer one question: Who is Monica? In early 2025, I wrote a flash fiction story inspired by the mystery as part of my horror collection, *Polished Bones and Other Stories*. In July 2025, I expanded the idea into a short story exploring who Monica might have been, later adapting it into a script for my Speech and Theater Arts project. Now, I am publishing this work of creative fiction to share Monica's story with you, dear readers. Is she a ghost wandering the halls of JRMSU-Dipolog Campus? A forgotten student whose name vanished from every record? Or is there a more terrifying explanation behind her existence? Step into the story and decide for yourself. (I am also posting this story on Royal Road.)