I felt uncomfortable walking through the snow towards the building. CRUNCH! CRUNCH! CRUNCH! Me being a new security guard at a government facility at 3:00 AM, taking the night shift was something I had never done before. The day being a cool, snowy, misty, and quiet Friday, December 13 made me even more reluctant to work. The worst part was that I was alone. My whole body tingled and shook every time the thought of isolation came up. This was no different.
My eyesight darkened as I walked into the bright facility. Two lonely elevators were right ahead. It felt as if one of these elevators could lead you to the right floor, and the other to death. I ignored my absurd assumption and continued, pressing the button for the left elevator. The doors opened abruptly with a CLANG! I slowly walked in and looked up at the light, then the wall, seeing its eerie glow on the wood. I turned and pressed L15, my floor. Being in a government facility, most of the floors are underground. The doors closed just as abruptly as they opened, and I felt the downward motion of the elevator.
BEEP! The floor indicator showed L15. I felt the hair on my arms stand up and my body start shivering. The doors opened, and I looked out into the hallway. It was pitch black, apart from one singular light, casting its eerie glow into the misty hallway. The arrow on the indicator went up, like a reminder of my last chance to leave – to go back up to the safe zone. I ignored that thought and stepped off. I really need to man-up. I’m a government worker! I thought. I began walking down the hall, and I almost fell from the sound of the doors slamming shut. There’s no return now. My footsteps echoed and scratched the floor, my breathing rapid and unstable. Right on my next step, the light turned red. All the other lights turned on, one by one, giving a horrifying red glow. What’s happening? Is anybody here? I kept walking down the hall, looking side to side at the rooms, hoping anyone would be there. I suddenly felt my heart beating faster, like there’s a presence behind me. I began to walk faster, and then started to run.
BOOP! BOOP! BOOP! Alarms started ringing everywhere, not changing in volume no matter where I ran. I slowed down by a door and took out my phone. I opened the security app and connected it to the closest security camera. With a very weak connection, I saw myself, and when I looked at the background, my blood ran cold.
Victor? Why is my supervisor just standing there? His whole body was shaking around and flopping, like he had no bones. He was walking closer to me, closer, closer! I began to walk backward, still watching the camera. I felt something slimy touch my elbow, making me flinch. I put my phone down and looked behind me, seeing a red substance glowing in the red lights. Blood. I dropped my phone and turned back around, with my mouth dropped open and hands up. There Victor was, stopped in an unnatural position, looking like a statue, just staring at me. My fatigued legs slowly walked up to him, begging to rest. Suddenly, his bloodshot eyes slowly looked down toward me, and he made an unnaturally wide smile. Ok! I’m out!
I felt my eyes bulging as I turned around and ran. I had never run that fast in my whole life! I swung my arm around and opened the closest door. Behind the doorway was the same hallway again, but with the elevator at the end. I ignored the fact that it was mathematically impossible to fit that long of a hallway into a small room. Instead, I reminded myself to push through, as this was my only escape. I closed my eyes, trying to distract myself from what was happening. “AHH! YEE!” Victor screamed, making my ears ring. I opened my eyes and the elevator was right in front of me. I rapidly pressed the button, counting the seconds I had left. I turned around and met my supervisor’s eyes, seeing the death in them as they moved closer towards me. I heard a clang, so I turned back to the elevator and ran into the open doors, hitting my face into a solid brick wall.
