It started with a dress—a bright coral one my niece had never owned. After preschool pickup, I noticed she wore unfamiliar clothes and mentioned a “hallway girl” who’d swapped with her. The teacher, Ms. Leena, was confused too, especially when we discovered a mysterious velvet purse in her cubby with a note: “She wanted to be princess today. I consented.”

Strange notes kept appearing, and the mysterious “hallway girl” always seemed to vanish when spotted. When I mentioned the name Lydia, Ms. Leena went pale. Years ago, a girl named Lydia had tragically choked on gum at the school. That night, my niece whispered, “She says it’s my turn forever now.” I promised to protect her and watched the next day as another girl entered the school’s long-abandoned storage room.

Inside the dusty space, I found a little girl—Lydia—sorting through forgotten clothes and toys. She tearfully explained she just wanted to be remembered. With calm words, I helped her let go, and she vanished. We donated the items and placed a kind note in the coral dress. The strange occurrences stopped. My niece returned to her happy self.

Weeks later, the school began renovations and discovered Lydia’s old belongings. A new reading nook replaced the hallway, and the coral dress now hangs in a shadow box with the plaque: “She showed her magic. We remember.” My niece still sometimes says she feels like a princess—and now, I know exactly why.