《Under the Bed》


 Chapter 1: Under the Bed

    Blades. Such a simple yet devastating tool that has been the cause of many disasters. A tool that was originally used to slice apart ingredients, but its usefulness extended to something else. Something far more sinister.


    Oh, how I despise these blades. Just the thought of glancing over at one of these tools of death sends shivers down my spine. Fury boils up inside of me, my nails vigorously dig deep into my palm, sweat slides down into every crevice of my sinful body, and the intrusive thought of breaking every single one into a million shards takes control of my mind.


    I was angry. Angry at myself. Angry at the past. But most importantly, I was scared.


    The sharp refined edge that could pierce away at anything, its pointed tip effortlessly digging into pitiful slabs of helpless meat. The versatility of its size, small enough to be hidden from view, away from unsuspecting eyes, but sometimes large enough to make any bystander flee from just a moment''s glance. And its sturdy handle that can be grasped by anyone, even by cold murderous hands.


    I''m afraid, very much so.


    It may seem a bit of a stretch, but one thing led to another, and here I am now, alone in my room. A depressing room fit for a depressing person.


    The white oak floor creaks with every slight movement of the foot, rotting away, degrading from its former whitish-brown glory to a dull-yellow hue that looks as if it can collapse at any moment.


    The walls were stained with unknown spots of black and yellow, with a conga line of ants moving to and fro. They were as thin as paper. Everything was audible from the outside and vice versa. A simple drop of a book could wake every neighbor in my vicinity. That would be if I had neighbors in the first place.


    The ceiling was moldy, with dark spots scattered across every inch of the plane, damaged by water and the lack of care in maintaining it.


    It was a less-than-simple room. The only thing that I could be proud of was that it is my room. A place I could call my own. A safe space.


    I barely had anything to fill this place up. A simple bed smack in the center of the space with a pillow that could rival that of a concrete block and a blanket that puts tissue paper to shame. It was big enough for three but at the moment, only one-third of its capacity is being occupied.


    The door was just as moldy and falling apart as the floor and walls. It didn''t lock properly and had massive gaps that let the shivering air in, further adding workload to my blanket that already couldn''t accomplish its purpose of keeping me warm.


    A dusty dull red mat that displayed welcome was in front of the door. It no longer serves its purpose of welcoming a happy family inside their happy home, instead, it creates a cloud of dust that envelops the entire room whenever I step too hard on it.


    In the corner of the wasteland lies a single plant. I didn''t mean that it stood there. What I meant by lies was here lies¡ª, the common engraving on a gravestone. It used to be such a lively little spider plant with all its leaves spiked like an urchin. I was always a bit curious about what an urchin would look like if it had perished, but as I looked at my floral companion, I no longer sought an answer. Such a sad and tragic form. Its remains now serve as food for the invading ants and the only useful thing its corpse can do is catch dust.


    A lone TV was mounted on the wall. With the walls nearly caving in, it will only be a matter of time until its flat LED surface meets with the equally flat surface of the ground. I don''t really care if it does. I haven''t plugged this thing in ages. I doubt it even works. If in the case that it really does plunge to its demise, I''m quite certain that it would defeat the floor, conquering it and leaving a gaping crevice in the edge of the room as it finally rest in pieces down the very hole it created.


    On the other corner of the room stood a bookshelf. It definitely seemed like it belonged to the past century or two, but surprisingly, it still stood sturdy. The opposite could be said about the books it contained. They were all yellowing due to the humidity and every single one of them was caked in dust. A single sneeze would be enough to conjure up a sandstorm, trust me, I know from experience. I have read most of them, but these days, I just couldn''t gather enough focus to sit down and spend an hour reading.


    To the left of the bed, there was a window, the only source of light that could illuminate my room, but currently, the clouds were hiding the moon. Not even a single star was visible.


    As you can see, I am completely alone, surrounded by darkness with only the ravaging sound of rain accompanying me on this lonely night. Oh, and let''s not forget about the ants and my floral companion, if those still count.


    It''s cold, very cold. But after countless days and nights without the money to even afford a heater, much less payment for electricity, I grew used to the cold, just like how I befriended the dark. No amount of cold could send shivers down my spine and make my hairs go up. Even bathing with water that could almost form ice feels normal to me. You could say that I am quite cold-blooded.


    As a small hole formed in the middle of the rainy clouds, the moonlight pierced through and intruded into my room, shining upon the most important thing I have in my possession¡ªmemories.


    I stood up, pushing myself off the bed with my weak arms. Every day I feel quite sluggish as if every bone in my body was decaying, losing the strength to support my fragile self.


    I approached the light. The moon only illuminated the parts that were near the window. There stood a simple desk. Unlike the rest of the room, this piece of hardware was in pristine condition, as if it was the only thing that was being maintained, and indeed it was. Out of everything I own, this was the only furniture I cared about. It''s not because it was good looking, nor did it cost a pretty penny, but because it served as a base for my most precious possession¡ªa photo of my family, my family long gone.


    There it stood in the moonlight, reflecting the light, making its contents difficult to see. I grabbed the frame and swiped my hand on it, removing any dust. I refuse to let a single speck attach to it.


    It was a simple photo. There stood a man in the dead center of the space, smiling as if he had no care in the world, and indeed he didn''t, because by his side was his beloved and irreplaceable family.


    The man wore an expensive suit that could make any salary man jealous. His frame was large and even if his body was covered from the neck down, his muscles were easily discernible, bulging from the sleeves of his slick black coat.


    The wife stood to the left of the man, holding his hand, and with an equally happy smile that makes her look way younger in comparison to her age. She wore a summer dress that gave her an air of purity and grace. The picture was static, but you could feel the wind blowing on her dress.


    Their son stood to the right of the man. He was small compared to the two, most definitely within the age of five or six. He wore a child version of the man''s outfit, almost looking like he was the man from when he was a child. He held the man''s hand as well, and his smile could rival those of saints, with his sparkling white teeth blinding those who witnessed his joy, forming rainbows behind his small frame even if the image was only in black and white.


    The happy family stood in a grassy patch of land, with a modern house fit for celebrities in the background. They were the perfect family, a happy family that could never be replaced with another. But that family was now a thing of the past.


    Oh, how I long to see her face again. Staring at the photo no longer fuels my will to carry on, it''s no longer enough. The more that I stare into this captured moment of happiness, the deeper my sorrows become. I want her back, I want to feel her embrace, to see her smiling face one more time. But I guess that won''t be happening anytime soon. No matter how much I beg, even if I were to say sorry in every single language and buy gifts that could persuade even queens, it wouldn''t be enough. Nothing will be good enough to bring her back. If I were in her shoes, I would never come back. I''d rather find a new partner that I could spend every waking moment with, supporting my needs and enjoying life to the fullest, a hot guy with a future brighter than the sun, not some guy who can''t even get over past trauma, a failure whose future has been locked away and now lives in the muddied past.


    The rain worsened and the moonlight retreated. I could no longer see the contents of the photo.


    A deep sigh escaped my mouth.


    "I guess... today is the day. It needs to be done."


    I turned around from the window, turning away from the moonlight. With the picture frame grasped in my hand, I walked to the door, creaking came from the floor with each step.


    I opened the door with ease, not even needing to twist the doorknob. What awaited me on the other side was darkness, a darkness that makes everything impossible to see. With no vision and only muscle memory, I traversed down the stairs which connected my room to the living room, gliding my hand on the wall to act as some sort of navigational tool, which didn''t really help at all. Each step was unnerving, it''s as if a single mishap could send me falling into the dark abyss. Fear of sharp objects is one thing, but the fear of heights is probably rooted in every human being, which is definitely amplified when you can''t see the ground or anything at all.


    I made it to the bottom in one piece. Again, I couldn''t see anything. The windows were boarded up and the lights were cut off a long time ago. No light could reach this point.


    I continued to drag my hand on the wall as I walked. I''m now in my living room, but I can''t really call it "living" since it no longer supports any life, not human life at least. I''ll be glad if the ants could make use of this room, I certainly don''t have use for it myself. I mean, my bed would probably be a better alternative to a couch, even if my brick of a pillow makes it a tad unappealing, it''s just that there really isn''t anything to do in my living room. It was a space that was once functional but now no longer serves any sort of purpose. There were no guests to entertain and a family of only a single person, if you could even call that a family, wouldn''t necessarily need it. The living room is supposed to be where familiy gathers, but in this case, only dust gathers.


    With my hand, I felt a sort of gap in the walls, signaling that I was now in front of a door, a door to a very special room, or at least, a room that was once special.


    I placed my hand on the cold metallic doorknob. Just from a single touch, I could already feel the dust sticking to my flesh. It took me a minute before I could even twist it open.


    I felt strange. It was as if Jupiter''s gravity was crushing me, weighing me down to a point where I couldn''t even move an inch. I know what''s in this room, I know every detail, every single thing that was inside, but I''m nervous to see them again.


    With a bit of courage, and the roaring thunder cheering me on, I opened the door.


    A rush of frigid air bombarded me as the gap widened, not enough to make me shiver, but cold enough to stimulate my senses.


    My mind was now active, but I''d rather it wasn''t. I wanted everything to pass by like the wind from earlier, to be gone as fast as it came.


    The door fully opened, and I stood there, motionless as my eyes scrutinized every detail, every speck of dust in the room.


    It was empty, mostly empty. It was still a livable environment, but just not enough to be decent in the eyes of many.


    A broken drawer by the side of the door, just a useless piece of wood, not a single thing inside. A dresser stood at one of the corners, just one touch away from crumbling down. A lone spider plant decorated the room, but it wasn''t doing any better than the one in mine. The ants already called it their home, a home half eaten and will soon be non-existent, just like my hopes and dreams. Lastly, a bed stood in front of the boarded-up window.


    I approached the bed, not realizing that my eyes were tearing up. I longed to forget everything that happened so far in my life, but I also longed to get them back.


    I''m lonely, very lonely. This room is the only sort of reminder that someone other than me once lived here, but now, not even a single memento was left, only a lone photograph and some crumbling furniture.


    I kneeled in front of the bed. I rubbed the dusty mattress, deluding myself that it was still warm from someone''s presence. Maybe if my eyes were to water enough, I might just be able to see visions of him, heck, a hallucination would be a godsend for me, but I know that would just dig me deeper into the abyss. I just want another reminder of him, a single trace. I buried my weeping face into the bed, drying my tears while hoping to get a single sniff of his scent, but alas, I could only smell cotton.


    I calmed myself and sat on the bed. I imagined him beside me, accompanied by his wonderful smile. Just once, I want to see him once more in person.


    This needs to end now. I can''t keep going on like this. This will be the last, and after it, I will start my new life, free from these chains that bound me so.


    I looked at the photo one last time. With my shaking hands, I slowly gravitated towards my face and gave it a kiss, one final sentiment.


    I placed the photo on the bed.


    I stood up and walked away, away from my most important possession, away from my hopes and dreams, away from my happiness.


    I pushed the lock on the open door. I doubt that it works but it is the notion that counts. With the darkness enveloping the room, I couldn''t even see the photograph on the bed anymore.


    "Goodnight, my happiness. Sweet dreams."


    I closed the door. With no key or the will to go back, the room was now a time capsule, never to be opened ever again in the foreseeable future


    I took a deep breath, then carried on with my dreary day.


    With vision clear as a blindfold, I traversed through the darkness, walking through the dust-powdered floor, leaving footprints along the way while the dust sticks to my feet.


    I reached the front door, the only thing separating me from the functional society, physically at least. There are still a lot of other components that don''t allow me to return to normalcy.


    I grasped the doorknob and made sure that every lock was still shut. I contemplated every day whether it was time to finally go outside or not, but I guess today still isn''t the time for that.


    Braving the darkness once again, I walked my way to the kitchen.


    There wasn''t really anything to be of note here, just a bunch of dirty dishes and mostly empty drawers.


    I wasn''t hungry. These days, I feel like I''m eating just to feel somewhat alive. My regular diet consists of five packs of biscuits and a crap load of coffee, with an occasional cup of tea. As you''d expect, my body rivals that of bamboo, yet even bamboo gets better nutrition from the soil it stood on.


    Forgetting where the coffee packs were placed again, I explored the drawers and cupboards.


    I didn''t know which was which. With no vision, and only the shape of the objects guiding me, it took me a bit before I found something, something sinister.


    It was a sort of wooden rod with curves that allowed for an ergonomic grip. I didn''t know what it was at first, but after feeling the cold, sharp, metallic portion of the object, I realized what it was.


    In my hand was a knife, an object that I despise more than myself.


    I felt like there was no oxygen left in the air. All my pores open to secrete a fountain of sweat. It was still dark but I could fully envision the object in my hand, fully focused on it, yet at the same time, I tried my hardest to look away.


    I could feel the beating in my chest, sending me signals to do what must be done, my brain said the same thing, screaming to be rid of this notorious piece of equipment.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    I clenched my teeth, veins must have bulged out from my entire body.


    With my other hand, I grasped the sharp blade, ignoring the pain it was causing me. I raised it above me, and with a swift, almost lightning-fast motion, I slammed the middle part of it on the edge of a countertop, splitting it in half and shattering the blade.


    The shards fell to the floor, and it was as if instinct took over, possessing me to repeatedly stomp all over the blade''s remains, even though it would do absolutely nothing.


    I took a deep breath. My breathing finally calmed down, and so did my mind.


    I refused to even touch the shards so I simply brushed them under a mat and tossed the handle back into the confines of the cupboard.


    I took another breather just to assess myself.


    With that out of the way, I finally found the packet of coffee. I didn''t have electricity to utilize the heater, but I did have a backup, well, at this point it''s more or less the primary. A gas stove.


    While the water slowly approached its boiling point, I washed my one and only mug, ready to be used yet again. If it could talk, it must be extremely tired of being used so frequently that it would rant about it in a screeching tone and free-fall off the counter afterward.


    At this point, I noticed the wound that the knife inflicted on me. It definitely started to hurt when I noticed it, but I didn''t really mind. I more or less don''t care. I wiped the blood on my pants and left it to my platelets to do their job.


    The water came to a boil and I made my coffee. With that done, I wandered back to my room, still alone, but at least I had coffee in hand.


    The skies roared even more, enveloping my entirety with frigid outbursts of cold. Even in this weather, I chose to open my window, never in the mornings but always during nightfall when no soul dared to wander. The rain was at an angle where it didn''t fall inside my room.


    It was the perfect time for coffee. As the rain indirectly spreads its reach into my abode, a sip of coffee perfectly counteracts it. It''s as if two opposing forces were fighting inside of me, ushering me toward peace or discomfort.


    Honestly, I do feel somewhat at peace. I''ve made a grand step in my journey towards recovery and now I''m starting to enjoy nature just a tiny bit more.


    Rainy days always seem like they bring upon the darkness, a void of hidden expanses, but as of now, it feels like it is an ambient tune preparing me for the road ahead.


    Just some time ago, the darkness felt like it was the end, a path with no destination, but at this moment, it''s now a journey that hasn''t begun yet, still waiting at a checkpoint to unlock the explorable landscape. With each next step, the world will soon reveal itself to me.


    I sighed.


    With all that said and done, I''m not a hundred percent confident in my rambling thoughts. With everything seemingly more positive than before, I start to wonder. Was letting go of that photograph all it took to start a new life? or was it just the caffeine hijacking my consciousness? Whatever it might be, once the coffee is out of my system, I''ll surely know the truth. One thing is for sure, I''ll forever hate knives.


    ...


    "Huh?"


    I lowered my coffee and took a quick glance behind me.


    It''s one of those moments where something small can garner all your attention, somewhat like a detail that seems off-centered or a note that seems off-key. This time, it was a sound. An unnatural sound that overpowered the melody of the rain for a split moment, allowing my consciousness to perceive it as something bizarre that quickly needs attention. With the event happening so fast, it''s one of those instances where I''m not really sure if it had happened or if it was just my mind getting tired of the background and yearning for a different stimulus.


    Indeed I was scared for a minute or so, who wouldn''t be? A lone apartment with a single occupant with no neighbors or even stray animals to boot. A haunting atmosphere where rain restricts one''s auditory and visual senses from the outside. And a dark history of regret and longing plaguing the image of that single tenant. It''s a perfect scenario for the start of a horror movie.


    I closed the window and paced around my room, further investigating the occurrence in my mind.


    ...


    I stopped for a bit. At first, I wasn''t sure, but now that I heard it for a second time, the intrusive thought of jumping out of the window and running away seemed more and more appealing.


    I tried to calm my nerves as I approached the source of the noise, to which I wasn''t even sure where it came from, but I''m certain that it was in this room. A sip of coffee for good luck.


    I took tiny steps around my room, waiting for the sound to resurface.


    To outsiders, it would seem like I''ve gone senile. My answer to them is that I''d gladly be diagnosed with a mental illness rather than have a monster in my room.


    I felt like I was getting close to it. The sweat building up on my forehead definitely wanted me to turn tail and run, but the scientific urge to explore the unknown messed with my survival instinct. As they say, curiosity killed the cat, but I really hope that it will stay as a metaphor, and not be the markings on my gravestone.


    I could feel it. A presence other than me exists in the vicinity. I walked closer and closer to the presumed source of the noise, which eventually led me back to my bed.


    "It should be around here." I whispered to myself.


    My nerves were kicking in, and the creaking of the floorboards added to the suspense.


    I''m close enough that I could touch my bed if I extended my leg.


    Where was the noise coming from? Was it under the bed or behind it? I''m not entirely sure that this is the source, but it''s the only suspicious spot for a supernatural phenomenon to occur.


    A deep breath and a gulp gave me a tiny bit of courage.


    I slowly knelt down.


    Under the bed definitely felt like the answer, an answer that could lead to my downfall, though I''ve fallen in life a lot so who''s to say that one more would be the final nail to my coffin.


    Looking at it now, my bed was somewhat higher above the ground, allowing for a gap large enough for a person to slide under.


    Another deep breath escaped my mouth.


    "Alright, here goes nothing."


    I slowly lowered my head, very slowly. I could almost see under the bed. I''m at an angle where I could see about twenty percent under. Just a bit more. I continued to lower my head, slowly, until...


    A loud thud came from the window, making me jump back in surprise. Even as dark as it was now, I fully understood what it was. With just its silhouette visible from the rain, the outline of a cat could be seen.


    "How did that tiny rascal get up here? I''m on the second floor!"


    Granted, the window ledge was a bit on the large side so creatures like that could easily land on it, but I didn''t expect that it would actually happen. The poor feline must be looking for refuge from the rain.


    A while ago, I did say that there were no stray animals in the vicinity. This was because the previous tenants installed so many traps and animal poisons in the area, claiming countless victims, and making the next generation of pests and even stray animals like cats and dogs alike instinctively avoid the area. But now, a brave cat broke through the landscape of fear.


    The cat didn''t stay for long. It scratched the window for no apparent reason and jumped out of the ledge.


    Now I get it. The sound of a cat scratching a surface was similar to the one that I heard.


    Phew. It was just that cat. All that nervousness just for a stray, talk about a disappointment. But I guess not being killed isn''t such a disappointment after all.


    With those events concluded, I felt my body getting pulled to the ground, similar to my eyelids wanting to shut closed. It wasn''t that big of an ordeal, but it was still an unusual occurrence that drained me both physically and mentally. Looks like the effects of the coffee had worn off.


    This is where another day ends in my dreary life. But this time, it seems things might start changing for the better. Things might be looking up. Granted, something bizarre did happen that nearly gave me a heart attack, but let''s just interpret it this way, the cat wasn''t black, so no bad luck there.


    I lay on my bed. After just a second of relaxation, I could already feel my limbs not wanting to move. I haven''t even returned the mug to the kitchen. I guess that will have to wait until tomorrow.


    The clouds dispersed, allowing the moonlight to visit my room once more, and the rain calmed down but still gave off a soothing ambiance.


    I closed my eyes and bid thee a fair night.


    ...


    ...


    A sound could be heard from a distance. It must be that cat again.


    ...


    Hearing it again, I noticed that it was different from the feline scratching the glass. It was rather silent, but I feel as though something unsettling was behind it.


    ...


    It started to echo around me, around my room, and inside my mind.


    Am I dreaming? Hopefully so.


    ...


    It was getting closer.


    ...


    I tried to open my eyes, I wanted to, but something... something was preventing me from doing so. It was as if a heavy pressure was forcing my eyes closed.


    ...


    The sound... it''s near me, a few feet away perhaps. What exactly is it? It''s a strange sound, yet it''s oddly familiar.


    ...


    As I heard it again and again, I still couldn''t conjure up words to describe the noise. All I could say was that it''s sort of mechanical. It was the sort that could irritate your ears, much like screeching, but it wasn''t that.


    Not quite sure what it is, but there is one thing that I am certain of. It terrified the spirits out of me.


    ...


    I can hear it. It circled around me, teasing me in my immobile state.


    Even as scared as I was, I still wanted to fight back, to not die a coward. But this just isn''t fair. At least let me move so I could sprint to my grave.


    .....


    The sound worsened. My ears throbbed more and more with each second. It was now too close to tell where it was coming from. If it wasn''t in front of me, then it was directly below.


    .....


    It sounded angry. I knew this by instinct.


    Suddenly, I felt immense pressure building up in my chest, as if I was being pinned onto the bed. I feel cold, very cold.


    Is this... what dying feels like?


    .........................................................................................


    I jumped out of the bed. My heavy breathing was all that I could hear. A second later and I can now see clearly again. I never once thought that looking at my rotting, ant-infested walls could relieve me this much.


    After a few minutes of breathing and looking around, I finally calmed down. With my breath no longer echoing in the room, the sound of rain could be heard once more.


    "Thank God it was just a dream... but curse him for putting me through that."


    I got up and wobbled my way to the window, opening it to view the outside again.


    It''s a bit of a stretch, but I think the rain sounds quite similar to the noise in my dream. Overpowering and constant, yet the sound of rain was soothing, and even if it seems the opposite, the rain fills me with warmth.


    "That''s enough sightseeing," I said to myself.


    I closed the window again and went out of my room, down into the abyss. Even if it seems dark and anything could potentially jump me from behind, I am confident that nothing will happen. But I am a bit paranoid. This feeling is quite normal since even people who don''t believe in ghosts feel spooked and nervous when walking in the dark after having watched a horror movie. The same thing applies to me.


    I traversed the darkness and went inside a room without a door.


    You can''t really see much from inside, it''s just as dark as everything else, but you can hear a few sounds echoing inside, all of it has to do with water.


    I am in the bathroom, and the sounds all come from leaking faucets and other things similar. Basically, every single one of my pipes may or may not be leaking.


    I walked my way to the mirror and washed my face to clear my mind a bit. It is indeed dark, but when I squint and focus hard enough, I can see my reflection in the mirror, partially.


    I splashed more water on my face, and when I was just about to grab a towel hanging from beside the faucet, I saw something.


    I quickly focused on the mirror, turned back, turned to the mirror, and repeated. It was an endless loop until I finally concluded that it was nothing.


    I wasn''t even sure about what I saw. I caught a quick glance at the mirror while I tried to grab a towel when I noticed something by the corner of the reflection. It wasn''t a figure or a ghost, it''s just black. A shade of black that was a bit darker than its surroundings. Something that can go undetected but frightening once observed.


    I grasped the corners of the bathroom sink and sighed heavily.


    "It''s nothing, just my imagination." I whispered with my eyes closed.


    Curse that dream I had, scaring the crap out of me and now manifesting my fright into my peaceful living space.


    As I calmed down, I reached for the towel once again, but there was no need for it anymore.


    Without noticing how much time I had spent inside the bathroom, both my face and hands were already dry.


    I went back upstairs and retired back into my bed. Hopefully, pleasant dreams will visit me this time.


    ...


    ...


    Or not.


    I got out of bed again, looking around the room in search of that horrid noise.


    I''ve heard it so much today that it isn''t even scary anymore. True enough, I was frightened when I was sleeping, but that was because it felt so surreal at first. But now that it''s more of a bedtime menace than a supernatural occurrence, I now find it quite an annoyance.


    ...


    I heard it again.


    This time, the sound became clearer and I conjured up another hypothesis. This sound... it''s quite similar to something being scraped, like an object sliding on a surface, similar to the cat but somehow a bit different. Thinking of a normal scenario, I assume it is indeed an animal, more accurately, a rodent, presumably a mouse. It must be biting and scraping its filthy teeth into the just as filthy floor and producing that noise. This might be correct. It all makes sense to me now.


    ...


    "Aha! It came from that direction" I pointed with my eyes. It was the further half of my room. Normally I don''t speak out loud like this, but a sort of detective air was clouding my mind, allowing me to revert back into my teens where I still had a curious and playful mindset.


    However, playtime would surely be short-lived as there were only 3 places to look into: the drawer near the window, the bookshelf in the corner, and my bed.


    Since I had already checked under the bed last time, more accurately, was about to check, I decided that it was best to inspect it last.


    I walked over to the drawer first and slid open the top layer as slowly as I could. I was scared, not from fear of a supernatural phenomenon, but a fear of a rat jumping out from the drawer and biting me, infecting me with a virus that could start a second plague. And if you were to inspect my home, it would surely look like a place where an infection could propagate.


    The drawer was open. Piles of useless junk, a black flashlight with its lens shattered, a 20-sided die from when I played Dungeons and Dragons with my friends in the past, a bundle of bookmarks, a snicker bar from God knows when, more useless junk, paper, junk, and looks like that''s everything. I then inspected the lower layer, but seeing as it was filled to the brim with paperwork and other documents, I doubt anything else was in there.


    I headed over to my bookshelf. Mold was already growing over some of my books. Treasures of my past that provided me with intellectual entertainment now became a breeding ground of organisms. What a shame. I could spot a few titles that once served as the foundation of my adolescent years, but seeing them now, not even a spark of nostalgia came to me. The bookshelf was filled to the brim with no spaces in between. I knelt down and lowered my head to the ground, observing underneath and behind its wooden frame. A desert of dust and random debris met my vision, but no sign of life was to be found. All things seem to be clear here as well.


    The last location on the list, as well as the most nerve-racking, was the bed. I would be perfectly fine if the rat was in the drawers or shelves, but I don''t like the idea of sleeping with a vermin that doesn''t have the moral obligation to not bite the first moving creature that it sees.


    I took one huge breath in and out, grasped the edges of my blanket, and swiftly pulled it out like a tablecloth. Good, nothing out of the ordinary, just dead cells and hair. I then flipped over the mattress. Looks like nothing here either.


    With the local vermin still nowhere to be found, one location was left on the list to finally check¡ªunder the bed.


    I gulped as I prepared myself to kneel down and venture into the unknown. It would seem like it is the best hiding spot for pests, but even knowing that the worst that I will possibly see down there is a colony of rats, a fear of an unknown entity creeping up from under the bed was still bothering me in the back of my mind, much like a bedtime horror story that never left the crevices of my consciousness as I grew up into an adult.


    I knelt down and slowly lowered my head, my forehead sweating, while my feet and hands grew colder with every inch of my vision declining to the ground.


    I stopped for a moment and closed my eyes.


    "Fine, here goes nothing." I whispered.


    In a single swift motion, I lowered my head completely on the ground, almost bashing my head on the floor. I opened my eyes and captured the scenery in front of me.


    Nothing... there was absolutely nothing there. Not even a single trace of past vermin inhabitants. Just a flat plane of nothingness.


    I sighed in relief as I sat down on the floor.


    One conclusion came to mind. The rat probably scurried off while I was looking for it. What a nimble ninja it was. Either that or there wasn''t a rat in the first place, instead, something else. Maybe I''ll just stick with the former. That''s the best explanation that will put my mind at ease tonight.


    With all that out of the way, I hopped my tired body on the bed and slid back the blanket on me. Finally, time for some well-deserved rest.


    An hour passed.


    My body felt light, yet heavy at the same time, sinking into the bed. My mind grew clearer until nothing could enter the confines of my head. My eyes were tired, but as the seconds went by, I could feel the darkness enveloping them, closing them off from outside stimuli and rejuvenating their energy.


    Just when I thought sleep would come my way...


    ...


    I burst open my eyes.


    I sat back in the bedframe and groaned. "Fine, have it your way." I crossed my arms.


    ...


    ...


    "Tsk" I clicked my tongue as I got off the bed. "One more time and I''ll buy every rat poison in the market even if I don''t have the funds to do so."


    I grabbed the flashlight from inside the drawer, crouched down under the bed, and pointed the flashlight in every nook and cranny.


    "Come out!" I groaned, frustration could clearly be heard.


    There was still nothing in sight, but this time, frustration struck my nerves, so instead of calling it quits, I stuck my head deeper inside.


    My eyes were as focused as they could be, even without the constant aid of coffee, but maybe the caffeine from earlier was still alive and kicking. I left no speck of dust unturned, everything in sight was inspected. Alas, it was as clear as day. Nothing was there.


    A sigh rode my breath. "Fine, I give up." I dimmed the flashlight.


    Just when I was about to pull my head out from under the bed, something caught my attention.


    It was just like before, in the peripherals of my eye, I saw darkness... a different shade of darkness. Something difficult to spot, yet blindly obvious and frightening when observed.


    I peered into the darkness. This time, it didn''t disappear.


    A weird sensation intruded my body. I was scared, horrified even, but for some reason, I couldn''t take my eyes away from it. Jumping out of the window and running away was an option, but my consciousness opted for doing nothing.


    I moved closer in.


    The darkness swirled and grew.


    "Is it alive?" I thought in my head.


    It was first as small as a pebble, but as it twisted and turned, it grew to about a foot or two long.


    Fascination clouded my thinking. If before, I had the mind of a detective, now, I am a researcher. This "thing" of unknown origin was truly something to behold.


    But I was gravely mistaken in my choices. If I had a time machine, I would go back and run away the very second I hear that noise again.


    The darkness grew again and started to lose its opacity, looking more solid as it swirled around.


    It took shape.


    The second that I caught a glimpse of it, my mind finally went back on the right footing. I could now feel how cold my body was from fright, my knees weakening, and my hands shaking. It''s as if all these sensations were blocked off and now finally went back into me.


    The darkness... it formed two large hands.


    I hurriedly tried to get myself out of bed, clutching the bed frame with all my might.


    It was getting closer to my face, and the sound I kept hearing appeared again, this time, my ears felt like they wanted to bleed.


    I pushed and pushed but I couldn''t get out, it was as if my head could no longer fit in the gap. I didn''t care at this point. I vigorously pushed with all my might, not caring if I was scraping my face on the floor, and my dome on the bed frame, similar to cheese being grated, but two-way.


    All my efforts equated to nothing.


    The darkness came closer.


    Finally, I felt the helplessness of my situation, and even amid a deserted wasteland of a neighborhood, I screamed for help.


    "SOMEONE PLEASE HEL-"


    The darkness cut me off. It forcefully stuck to my mouth, blocking off my screams of distress.


    I wiggled and shook my head, but it wasn''t enough.


    I could feel the sweat dripping into my eyes while tears flowed from the other end.


    The other hand came closer, and I twitched as it grabbed the back of my head.


    I knew it was there, yet I felt no touch, just immense pressure.


    I closed my eyes. I wished all of this was just a dream, just a bad dream. And once I wake up, I''ll be a new man. An impeccable person who will blend in with society. Someone who will work for the sake of the economy. A functional human being.


    I opened my eyes again.


    In that split second, I felt my mind would burst like a bubble.


    The rotting floorboards of my room disappeared, and instead, a gaping void filled its place.


    I wanted to scream but it held my mouth. I wanted to run but it immobilized me. I wanted to call out to all the saints for their aid, but nothing could reach me now. There was nothing left to turn to.


    All I could do was watch in horror as it pulled me deeper into the dark abyss under the bed.

 Chapter 2: Beneath the Past

    "What... happened?" I asked myself.


    I had just woken up. It felt as though something terrible had occurred. I remember what happened to me, the sounds, the shadows, the way I was dragged under the bed, everything felt so surreal and horrifying.


    I opened my eyes hoping that everything that happened was all just a dream, but as I regained my vision, an unfamiliar ceiling met my gaze.


    "What?"


    I felt around me and realized that I was lying on the floor. I quickly stood up and looked around in confusion.


    It was dark, yet some sort of light bulbs lined up on the walls gave off a red lighting, an unsettling hue of red, much like the deep crimson of blood. It wasn''t powerful enough to illuminate the surroundings. It was quite dim and couldn''t even reach the other side of the wall. At the very least, It allowed me to navigate the area.


    Based on how many lights I could see in the distance, I realized that I was sleeping on a hallway, quite a long hallway, in fact, I couldn''t even see the end of it due to how dark it was.


    I looked around a bit. Nothing looked familiar to me. I''m not quite sure because of the lighting, but I believe both the walls and ceiling are white, while the tiled floor is some hue of brown, a bit close to that of chestnuts.


    "Just where the hell am I?" I muttered.


    I was still scared. One moment I was dragged into a void by some creepy shadow hands, next thing I''m in a dark hallway without any clue on where I am. What a great night this was.


    I walked around a bit, keeping close to the left wall with the red lights.


    There were a lot of rooms in the hallway, each room was about 20 feet from each other. I went in front of a random room, a white sign plate to the right of the just-as-white door displayed 208. There was a sort of black smudge below the numbers. I could tell that there was writing behind it. I tried to wipe the smudge off with my palm, but it did nothing.


    I grabbed the doorknob but suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my hand. It was my wound from when I shattered the knife. It wasn''t bleeding anymore but it hurt quite a bit. I placed my wounded hand inside my pocket. With my other hand, I tried to open the room again but failed as the doorknob didn''t budge an inch.


    I went to the opposite room and tried there, but it was locked as well. The numbers 209 and the same black smudge under the numbers were displayed on the sign plate.


    "Is this some sort of hotel?"


    It had quite an eerie atmosphere, almost like something could pop out at any moment, and remembering everything that happened so far, it might just happen.


    I felt a slight chill in my legs, yet no breeze passed by, just pure nervousness.


    "Hello? Is anyone home?" I knocked frantically.


    There was no response. Not even a single sign that there was life inside.


    I took a deep breath and looked towards the hallway.


    "I hope this nightmare ends soon." I said to myself, even though I had evidence that this wasn''t a dream. Deluding myself was my only escape.


    I traversed the dark hallway, trying all the rooms as I went. With no luck, all of them were closed shut.


    "This is normal. It''s night so everyone must be asleep." I assured myself.


    After a few more locked doors, I finally saw light at the end of the hallway.


    I rushed towards the light, running as if something was chasing me from behind. Finally, a way out.


    As I got close, I observed that it was indeed night time and the light that I saw was coming from the moon.


    From the window, I could only see the dark sky and a dense forest in the surrounding area. There were a few buildings in the far distance, but I couldn''t recognize any of them. I''m practically in the middle of nowhere.


    I was on the second floor but seeing as my courage keeps getting drained with every second of being in this unfamiliar settlement, I decided it was best to jump from here.


    I used to do a lot of physical exercises back in the day. This included mountain climbing so the height from the second floor wasn''t that bad, not unlike the dark bottomless void a while back.


    My plan quickly failed as I couldn''t seem to move the window. I pushed, pulled, slid, and punched with all my might, but it didn''t even move or crack a bit.


    "Is this bullet-proof or something?"


    As I caught my breath, I only realized now that sometime must have passed from when I was unconscious. It wasn''t raining anymore. A few hours must have passed or this is in a completely different area, far away from my apartment.


    I looked back into the dark hallway where I came from and felt another chill creeping up my legs.


    "I have to get out of here quickly."


    To my left were the stairs that lead to the floors above and below. There was also an elevator but based on my experience of watching horror movies, that''s something to be avoided.


    But before those modes of vertical transport, there was a sort of receptionist desk next to them.


    I scavenged the area for anything useful.


    There wasn''t much here, just an office chair of some sort, a long counter that curves near the railing of the stairwell, and a wall of drawers at the back.


    Many stationaries were scattered on the counter. They could definitely be useful for self defense, but seeing as the only sort of weapon that can be used is a pair of scissors, I passed on it. Who knows what I would do once I get near that thing. Instead, I grabbed some pens and stashed them in my pocket. It''d be nice if I found something blunt, much like a fire extinguisher, but I haven''t seen one around.


    I opened one of the drawers and found that it was stocked to the brim with folders. I grabbed a random one and opened it. Inside was paperwork, a lot of them. On the top left of the paper was a symbol of a stethoscope that formed the shape of a heart. On the other side was a small 1x1 photo of someone but it was too blurry to see their face. The paper was filled with black smudge just like the ones below the room numbers near the doors, but some words were still readable. Patient.. Diagnosis.. Symptoms..


    "Is this place... a hospital?"


    Looking at the logo again, it does seem sort of familiar, but as of now, nothing comes to mind.


    I looked into the file a bit more to try and discern some more words on it but suddenly the black smudges moved around, much like they were wiggling.


    I let go and dropped the file in surprise.


    Another chill went up my legs as I crouched down to grab the file.


    As I slowly turned it towards me, fear filled my mind once again.


    SAVE HIM SAVE HIM SAVE HIM. These words replaced the black smudges.


    They were still moving around on the paper. After a second or two, the words started to swirl and grouped together in the middle of the paper, forming a circle of black smudge. It was like a black hole, trying to suck me in, draining my courage away. I was about to let go of the paper when suddenly, the black smudge scattered and formed one large message on the page.


    HE''S DEAD.


    Reaching the peak of my fright, I threw the file on the ground and ran to the stairs.


    "I need to leave now!"


    I was now on the stairs, ready to go down to the first floor, but I couldn''t. I took one step down and then something prevented me from going deeper into the stairwell. It was as if a wall of air was pushing me back up into the second floor. I tried to brute force my way down, but I wasn''t strong enough.


    Leaving me with no choice, I tried the stairs up instead. Luckily, nothing was blocking my way. I''m now on the third floor. Instead of being near the exit, I''m now two floors away from it, two floors deeper into this nightmare.


    Directly in front of the stairs were the restrooms. I knew this because of the male and female sign that separated the two doors. Wouldn''t get more obvious than that.


    I went inside, thinking that it would be a good place to hide and wait out the night, which is a good option seeing as something is preventing me from leaving. Things might just get a bit less scary when daylight comes around, If I can survive the night that is.


    I pressed a switch on the wall. The lights turned on.


    The restrooms were pretty clean. The floors were sparkling white while the walls and ceiling were just as clean and white.


    In spooky situations like these, I expected it to be a tad more dirty, something to add to the atmosphere.


    I looked in the mirror mounted on the wall to the left of the doorway. I could see myself just fine, unlike a certain mirror I''m very much familiar with.


    I went up to the stalls and tried to open them, but they were locked.


    "Damn it. It would have been such a good place to hide." I sighed.


    The stalls were a bit too tall to climb, plus, there weren''t any ledges that could help me.


    In front of the stalls, there was a much larger mirror, one that spans across most of the wall with the sinks just below it.


    "A nice face wash should brighten the mood." I whispered to myself.


    At this point, any sort of distraction would do good for my sanity. Just a minute break from all these frightening things would be very much appreciated.


    I washed my hands and face. The water was frigid, enough to give me a boost of energy, something that will be helpful when I need to start running from whatever is in this place.


    I didn''t have a towel on me and there wasn''t any sort of fabric in the vicinity so my clothes were my only option. I wiped my hands on my pants and then pulled the bottom of my shirt to my face. My face was now a bit dry and the second that I uncovered my face, the lights suddenly went out.


    I immediately looked in the direction of the light switch.


    In my mind, I hoped that it was some sort of blackout, but seeing that the light switch was toggled off, someone or something had pressed the switch.


    I was about to leave when I caught a glimpse of the mirror.


    It was here again, that.. black thing. I could see it clearly, it''s in front of the stall by the corner. This one was the same as the one under my bed but instead of two spectral hands, it was an entire person. It didn''t have a face nor any feature that can show its identity. It''s just a silhouette of a person, and basing off on its height, it was probably that of a young boy.


    I turned around to look at the creature, but as my eyes wandered around the room, it wasn''t there anymore.


    "Enough with this disappearing act!" I yelled in frustration and fright. All these phenomenons were slowly getting to me, and I could very much feel that my remaining courage was nearly diminished. Anymore of this and surely I will lose my sanity.


    I turned back to the mirror when suddenly, my eyes widened. WHY WAS IT ME? was written on the mirror in black. It spanned across the entire mirror with each letter in uppercase, making it seem like it was written with anger.


    I stepped back in fright, my eyes frantically explored the room.


    "Please, let this nightmare end!" I pleaded in mind.


    I stepped back some more and felt my back hit something. I thought I had bumped into a stall but as I turned around to look, it was the shadow.


    My entire body shook and I fell to the ground in front of it. I gazed into the shadow while it gazed back. It just stood there, unmoving.


    "Why?" It said in a whisper-like questioning manner. Its voice was distorted, as if a low and high voice were talking at the same time, but I could very much hear what it said.


    In the next heartbeat, I regained my stance and bolted to the doorway, leaving the restroom with my entirety quaking in fear and my clothes drenched in sweat.


    "Someone get me out of here!" I yelled as I approached the stairwell. I felt my face get squashed as I ran into something. Yet again, there was an invisible barrier that prevented me from going down.


    "What the hell!"


    I could no longer take refuge on another floor. I couldn''t go down and there weren''t any stairs left to go up. All I could do now was dash across the hallway to find somewhere to hide or another set of stairs.


    I ran as fast as I could, all the while twisting all the doorknobs along the way, trying to find a room to hide in. All of them were locked.


    Upon twisting another doorknob, my carelessness bit me in the ass as I took off in an unstable step, twisting my ankle, causing me to tumble down to the floor.


    "Tsk, that hurts!" I held my ankle.


    Suddenly, a horrible chill went up my entire body. Without looking anywhere, I knew there was something behind me. In just a split second, my entirety was sweating in fear while my nerves trembled.


    I was in no condition to get up and run at the moment so all I could do was slowly turn around to meet my fate.


    It was the shadow. It stood there staring at me. It had no eyes but I knew that it was looking right into mine, piercing into my soul.


    I crawled a few feet away trying to escape, but as I glanced back, it wasn''t following me. It just stood there looking at me.


    At this moment, I was able to catch a bit of a break. It didn''t seem like it was coming for me. I felt no hostility at all but I still couldn''t shake the feeling that something bad will still happen. Looking at the shadow now, it really does look like a young boy, seeing as how its proportions were suitable for that of a grade schooler.


    The boy started to walk again, taking slow careful steps in my direction. With each step of the boy, I dragged myself a few inches back. This continued on for a few seconds.


    Because I was still on the floor, the boy inevitably caught up to me, around seven feet behind. My ankle felt a bit better and I was confident that I could start running again. Before I could even form the urge to stand up, the boy took a turn and phased through a door, leaving me alone in the hallway.


    I finally stood up. A sharp pain struck my ankle but I knew it wasn''t anything serious. I''m sure I could just walk it off.


    I gathered my thoughts about everything that happened. Was that boy really not going to attack me? It would seem so. Looking back, even from that time in my bathroom, it hasn''t really done anything to physically harm me... well, not directly at least. Seeing as how that boy appeared in a restroom, I figured he was the same entity that appeared in mine back home.


    But then what about those shadow hands? And how the heck did I go from my home to some creepy hospital?


    Well, standing here and doing nothing wouldn''t be the best idea. The only clue that I have about this place and whatever the hell is happening lies on that boy.


    I walked over to the door that the boy phased through. Playroom was written on the signplate.


    I grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. To my surprise, the door opened. I thought for sure I had tried this one when I was running around trying to open doors. Either I missed it or it was the boy that opened it from the inside.


    I gulped as I pushed the door open.


    The lights automatically turned on and revealed the inside of the room.


    The boy was here. He stood directly in the middle of the room facing away from the door. He turned around and I saw that he was holding something. It was a rubik''s cube and it looked as if all his attention was focused on it, not even minding me entering the room. He repeatedly twisted the sides of the puzzle, pausing for a second here and there. The more that I observed the boy, the more harmless he seemed. He continued to fiddle with the puzzle. I''m quite certain that he doesn''t know how to solve it.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    I walked deeper into the room and looked around.


    The inside was colorful. It was as if a rainbow had vomited and sprayed the walls with random patches of vibrant colors, filling the room with a kindergarten aesthetic. Shelves lined the walls with random toys scattered throughout them, while the rest were piled in a box at the corner. I could see a few toys that were the foundation of my childhood. Seeing them all really takes me back. I remember the first time my father bought me one of those toy basketballs. I''ve never developed an interest in competing in sports but it was still quite fun to play around with them as a kid.


    I took a step forward but I accidentally stepped on something. I lifted my foot to see what it was and in that same second, I felt my heart rate increase.


    I took a deep breath.


    "Calm down, it''s just a toy." I said to myself.


    On the floor was a toy knife, presumably from a kitchen playset or some other cooking game. It might have just been my eyes deceiving me but for a second, I saw a real knife.


    I continued on my way and approached the boy. As much as I didn''t want to interact with the unknown, he was the only thing I could turn to.


    Just when I was about to talk to him, he suddenly turned around and walked to the box filled with toys. I observed him for a bit to see what he does. He rummaged through the pile and pulled out some toys. A plastic tomato, a plastic cabbage, and a toy spoon and fork. He sat down and with the fork, he motioned in the air, pretending to cut the tomato and scooping it into his mouth. He repeated this for a bit, switching to the cabbage after around a dozen spoonfuls of pretend eating.


    I caught a glance of the plastic knife on the floor and seeing as the boy was pretending to slice it with a fork, I thought it would be a friendly gesture to hand it to him. So I did just that.


    I grabbed the plastic knife and walked closer to him. He still didn''t look in my direction. I began to doubt if he even knew that I''m here. I got right in front of him and crouched down. He still didn''t bat an eye. I tapped on his shoulder, surprised that even though he was a shadow, I felt like I was tapping on an actual living person. He stopped what he was doing and finally looked up at me. I slowly brought the plastic knife into view, holding it on the handle, and I extended my arm to give it to him when suddenly, the lights were cut off.


    I couldn''t see anything and all I could do was look around in surprise. The door slammed shut, leaving us in complete darkness. I felt a chill go across my neck, it''s as if a pair of cold hands had grabbed my nape.


    A second later, the lights were back on. Everything seemed to be alright.


    I turned to face the boy but something was wrong, very wrong. My eyes widened in surprise and I froze like a statue.


    My arm was still extended and I was still holding the knife. I didn''t know how this happened but for some reason the boy wasn''t in his earlier position, instead, he was a few feet closer to me while an object was lodged in the middle of his chest, the knife, the very thing that I was holding. I stabbed him.


    An immense pressure sunk in my heart, making me drop down to the floor. My body couldn''t stop shaking and all I could do was nervously hold out my hands, the very hands that committed such an unforgivable crime.


    "I-I didn''t d.. do it! P-please.. b-believe me!" I tried to yell out, but all my voice could do was stutter and crack with each breath.


    The boy stood there motionless, no emotions, no pain, not even a flinch in response. It''s as if he died standing up.


    I groveled on the ground.


    "Damn it! Why.. why do this again!" I slammed my fist on the floor repeatedly, not giving a damn about bruising.


    I felt my eyes watering but haven''t completely broken down in tears, instead, I was frustrated.


    "I''m so goddamn stupid!" I slammed my forehead on the floor. A sharp pain spread throughout my head and when I lifted my head up, blood was smudged on the brown floor. I had injured myself, but I didn''t care. All I had in mind at this moment was how I''m going to beat myself up from everything that I have done. My mind was filled with self-hatred and frustration. After all this time, I haven''t changed one bit.


    I looked at my hands again. Suddenly, a vision clouded my eyes. For a split second, I saw my hands covered with blood, blood of the innocent, but after I blinked, it was clean again. Who the hell am I kidding? no matter how spotless my hands were, even after years of being rid of these felonious weapons, they would never be clean. Even if I were to wash them tirelessly or even subject them to the guillotine, they will never be rid of blood, for the memory of it all stays within me, haunting me for the rest of my life.


    My self loathing was cut short when I saw movement in my peripheral. It was the boy. He raised his head and looked at me.


    "You''re.. alive?" I stood up in disbelief.


    I approached the boy slowly, a few seconds passed with each step. My hands were still shaking while my eyes observed the boy from head to toe.


    The knife was still lodged in his chest. From the moment it happened, I deluded myself that it was a real knife stabbed in the boy. I had forgotten that it was just a toy. Now that I got a closer look, all my worries and anxiety were fading away, but my hatred for myself still stayed, and it will follow me to the grave.


    Confusion replaced my earlier emotions, confused on how the toy stabbed the boy with such a dull edge.


    "I was cured." said the boy. His voice was still distorted.


    I had stopped my approach.


    A few emotions resurfaced in my mind: nervousness, anxiety, and worry about what might happen next. The second that the boy spoke, I remembered my situation. I was in a nightmare, a nightmare where I am fully awake, and happy endings certainly aren''t favorable.


    "I wanted to live. Why?" yelled the boy. He wasn''t actually yelling, it was more like his voice got louder without putting force into it, much like increasing the volume of the TV.


    I took a step back.


    The boy started to levitate. He got up into the air slowly until we were at the same height.


    From behind the boy, a black swirl of black emerged and it quickly imprinted itself into the walls. The black smudge swirled around and dispersed into every direction on the wall, each particle forming a single word¡ªWHY.


    My instincts kicked in, more accurately, it had already gone haywire a while ago. It was only at this moment where I got the courage to take off into a frenzy flight. I bolted to the closed door, pulling the handle with all my might, but it wasn''t budging a single bit.


    The words multiplied and started to cover the entire room bit by bit, slowly approaching me, while the boy was still in the air.


    "Why?" asked the boy. The loudness of his voice was almost enough to burst my eardrums.


    The words increased in speed and the boy slowly levitated towards me.


    I panicked, making me repeatedly kick and punch the door. It would seem unlikely to open that way, but as millions of dangerous things were approaching me from every angle, it was the only thing I could do. There''s no way I could fight against those things. Running away, even as cowardly as it would seem, was the only option.


    The boy was only around twelve feet away while the words were now spreading across the wall of the doorway, almost to where I am at.


    I mustered up all my strength and walked two steps back. The boy extended his arms to grab me, his hands were just a ruler away. With a loud yell, I dashed to the door and used my entire body to slam into it. A loud thud and crack echoed in every direction of the hospital as I slammed into the wall outside of the room, breaking the door down on my way out.


    With my efforts rewarded by allowing me to escape, but also counteracting it with pain, I shrugged everything that I was feeling and quickly stood up, booking it for the stairs across the hallway.


    I ran with all the speed that I could muster. A frigid chill went down my spine as I knew that the boy was still approaching me, both him and the words.


    The boy started to speed up, he could now match my speed and we were now in close reach of each other.


    The words were no longer spreading in every direction, instead, it merged into a line on both sides of the wall. After a moment, the line thickened and detached itself from the wall, forming two large black hands.


    I leaned forward and tried to run faster. The terror of my room was here. I knew from instinct that they were the same black hands that dragged me into this mess, and it would seem like the boy was its summoner.


    "Why me?" asked the boy.


    The right arm swung at me but I outran it by a hair.


    "It could have been anyone!" I yelled back.


    "Why did you do it?" his voice increased a bit more.


    "I.. I don''t know, I couldn''t control it!"


    Both arms swung at me at the same time. I could see them both in my peripherals and they definitely seemed like they would hit their mark.


    I ducked my head as I ran and managed to barely dodge them. Because of this, my footing became a bit unstable but I managed to recover in a split second. But because of this, the boy managed to catch up a bit. He was now close, dangerously close. If his fingers were to double in length, he''d be able to touch me.


    I tried to run faster, but this was all that my legs could manage, and I was definitely starting to get tired. Any more of this and I''ll start to slow down soon.


    "He''s dead, but I was alive." said the boy.


    I ignored his words even though they pierced my ears like nails drilling into them.


    "To hell with this!" I yelled. The hallway wasn''t normal anymore. I''ve been running for a while now but the end doesn''t seem to be in sight. I must have passed a hundred of those red wall lights but the window on the other side was still nowhere in view.


    "I wanted to live!"


    The arms swung again.


    "I''m sorry!" I yelled as I barely dodged them again.


    "Out of all the children..."


    My feet were starting to hurt, I could feel myself slowing down.


    "Why did it have to be me?"


    "I''m so sorry!"


    "Why..." his voice softened.


    He stopped moving and so did the hands. I got a good distance away when I noticed his absence behind me.


    I looked back and saw the boy, motionless, but a faint whisper could be heard from him. The shadow hands loomed behind him and his head was looking straight down as he levitated.


    He was whispering something repeatedly but I couldn''t hear him from this distance.


    Just as I thought it was over, the boy''s head slowly raised up, and his voice became audible, too audible.


    "Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why!" he yelled repeatedly. This time, I could feel bloodlust behind those words. His voice became gruff and its distortedness worsened.


    I ran again, not looking back this time. I could hear his vengeful yells approaching me from behind, echoing across the hallway and shaking the entire hospital.


    I wanted to cover my ears. The sheer volume of his voice was almost enough to make my ears bleed. But I needed to focus solely on running.


    A light pierced through the darkness of the hallway. It was the window. I was close to the stairwell.


    I gathered up the last of my strength and powered up my legs for a final sprint. I dashed through, slicing the wind in front of me. I was almost there, my hope of survival was almost in reach.


    Suddenly, the boy appeared in front of me, seeming to appear out of thin air while the shadow hands were about to grab me from behind.


    The boy held out his arms and tried to grab me. He now had eyes and both of them were blood red with veins almost bursting.


    All my hopes of escape were crushed in this split second. I didn''t know how to survive this situation and everything seemed to be against me at this point. There was no hope left.


    My eyes roamed the surroundings before death. Because of this, I realized that the stairs were just directly to my left.


    Before they could ensnare me, I jumped to the stairs. I could feel their hands graze my skin, sending shivers into every part of my body.


    A loud repeated thud echoed in the stairwell as I fell down. I was able to barely escape. I didn''t fall all the way and all my strength seemed to have left me, but I pushed on, rolling myself down further.


    My face almost landed on the floor. Good thing I was able to raise it just in time, but my body did receive the full force of the fall. I managed to get all the way down to the first floor. Thank God there weren''t any sort of barriers this time.


    I slowly stood up but once I got my posture correct, the pain suddenly flooded from every part of my body.


    It hurts so bad. It''s a pain that could make me burst into tears and go limp on the floor from pain. I did indeed want to do it, but I had to stay strong. I endured the pain.


    I''m almost there. An escape from this nightmare seemed a bit more plausible.


    I continued forward and didn''t look back. I walked slowly due to my injuries, taking it easy so I could recover some energy for when I need to run again.


    The boy didn''t seem to be chasing me anymore which was a relief. Who knows what would have happened to me if I was caught by them. Either a painful death or something else more sinister. I don''t want to even think about it anymore. Even just remembering how his eyes looked in those last moments could give me nightmares for the rest of my days.


    Up ahead I saw a sort of counter. I dragged myself there, still feeling the pain from the fall. A sign was displayed on the top, it read Pharmacy.


    "Looks like things might just be looking up." I said to myself.


    Every pharmacy should have the essentials and at this moment, pain killers were my number one priority.


    I peered through the glass above the counter. There doesn''t seem to be anyone inside and luckily, the shelves were stocked full with various medications.


    Just when my luck was turning around, it ended up being taken away in seconds as the door to the pharmacy was locked.


    "Damn it!" I groaned in frustration. Just when I was this close, it ended up unreachable to me.


    I quickly formed a fist and swung at the door, but I stopped at the last second. I got a bad feeling all of a sudden and causing a ruckus wouldn''t be a wise choice. It was best if I stayed cautious. Who knows where that boy could be lurking.


    I peered through the glass again, desperate as I looked for any container which looked like painkillers.


    And as if lady luck was finally smiling down upon me, many bottles of painkillers were placed conveniently near the counter. They were in the corner of the pharmacy right next to the counter. If I hadn''t peered through the side then I would have never seen them.


    I reached my arm in to try and grab one. The counter top was digging in my stomach as I struggled to reach. The process of getting the painkillers resulted in more pain, but hopefully my efforts will bear fruit, fruit in the form of painkillers that will save me from suffering.


    I reached in further but something felt odd. Something cold touched my hand, making me flinch. Then in the next moment, an object fell right into my grasp without me even noticing, it''s as if someone or something handed it to me. I was in a position where I couldn''t see what had occurred.


    I quickly pulled out my hand in a panic and walked backwards from the counter. There was definitely something inside there. I could imagine the shape of what had touched me. It was only for a second but those were definitely fingers, I''m sure of it.


    But luckily, I got what I came for. In my hand were two things, the bottle of painkillers and something else. I am sort of grateful for that thing or whatever that gave me the painkillers, but what''s with this packet?


    I brought the packet closer to my face to inspect it. Inside of it was a white powder of some sort. Upon opening the packet, I felt strange, as if my body knew something that my mind hadn''t registered yet. I took a pinch of the unknown substance and looked at it closer in my hands, but nothing still came to mind. I didn''t know why, but the next logical step for me was to smell it, so I did just that. I sniffed the inside of the packet and just from the split second of its scent entering my nose, I knew what it was.


    I immediately threw the packet which was still open. The packet flew across the hallway, through the counter window and somewhere inside the pharmacy while some of its contents spilled out from the throw and landed on the floor of the hallway.


    "What the hell! Drugs!?" I said with disgust. I obviously meant that they were a different kind of drug, not the ones that save lives. The ones that I threw away were the opposite. They were the addictive ones, the kind that could both fuel an addiction that could harm the individual, and also others. A force that could rival that of weapons of war, but in this case, the user is also the victim.


    I walked away from the scene, chugging the painkillers as if they were a drink to forget what happened. I didn''t want to get further into that mess, never again.


    Another room came up. The sign above displayed Operating Room.


    I pushed the two large doors open, going inside the dark room. The lights immediately turned on as soon as I took a step inside.


    This was horrible, beyond horrible. The scene that I saw was the very definition of hell, to me atleast. I wanted to puke, scream, run, and everything else that could voice the emotions I''m feeling.


    The room was almost empty, there were no tools or anything to show that this was an operating room. The floor was barren. But the horrible part of it was the walls. Around the entire room, in a literal 360 degree sense, various blades were displayed. Knives, saws, swords, and every other blade imaginable were mounted on the walls, as if the room was an arsenal.


    I would have definitely ran the first moment my eyes laid upon this horrid scenery but something caught my attention. In the back wall of the room, the very middle of it, sat a lone shadow person. It was like the boy, but this one was taller and a bit curvier, showing signs that it was a woman, a full grown one. It hadn''t done anything yet, it just sat there and by the looks of it, it definitely knows I''m here. But one thing that I am confused about was why the shadow lady was shaking, as if it was scared by something.


    After a moment of staring at each other, the lady started to move. With its shaking hands, it reached for something behind her and seeing that there was nothing else in this room other than weapons, I knew nothing good will come out of this.


    I took a step back and was prepared to run. The lady then pulled out a large blade, something so large that it could very much be the killer''s main weapon in a slasher film. I didn''t know exactly what it was. The handle was pretty much a wooden rod of about six inches while the blade was much longer and curved like a katana. It''s more or less a slightly straight sickle.


    I knew what would happen next. She was going to stand up and attack me like every other shadow person that I had encountered, but this time, things went differently. Instead of using the blade as a weapon, she instead held it flat on top of her hands and brought them forward, as if she was motioning me to take it.


    "Take it... take it... take it..." The woman whispered repeatedly.


    I could hear her faintly from this distance, but I could very much hear the nervousness in her voice.


    "What the hell is going on?" I unconsciously mouthed a rhetorical question.


    "Take it... take it... take it..." The girl continued to repeat.


    It would have been smart to just take the blade and run. It would have been great to have something to defend myself against creatures like her. But this was me that we''re talking about, someone who freaks out in the presence of such an object and doesn''t even have the courage to hold one.


    I still didn''t know what the deal was with this lady but I refused her offer.


    I walked out of the room, still wary about the countless blades adorning the walls. I closed the doors, the lady who was still repeating her line slowly disappeared from view. Once the doors were fully closed, I noticed from the gap on the bottom that the lights inside turned off.


    "Just when will this end?"


    The long journey continued. I walked further along the hallway and something hopeful finally came up. Light was seen from the very end. I ran closer hoping that it was an exit and to my surprise, it was the very front door of the entire hospital.


    Two glass doors stood between me and survival. The outside was just as barren. It seemed like directly in front of the hospital was its parking lot, but not a car or even a bike was in sight. Only the dust wanders the landscape.


    It was still the dead of night. I thought that I''ve already been here for quite a while but looking at the distance now, the dark hue of the night hasn''t changed much. Dawn was still far away.


    I pushed the glass pane doors and to my absolute horror, they wouldn''t move an inch. Absolutely nothing has gone right today hasn''t it? All these locked doors are seriously getting on my nerves. I pushed with as much force as I could muster, even punching the goddamn glass with my bare hands. But nothing that I did worked. I''m starting to not like the idea of bullet-proof glass anymore. This technology certainly saved many lives, but now it''s endangering mine.


    I continued to repeatedly bash my fist on the glass. Safety was right there, a few millimeters away, just a few millimeters of this godforsaken glass but I still couldn''t do anything about it. If only I could be flattened like a pancake and squeeze myself through the gap. I''m this close, but close never really mattered, it''s either death or survival. I longed to breathe the fresh air outside. Even just sticking my hand out into the safe open world could fuel my drive for survival, but I couldn''t even have that. Instead, I''m stuck inside here like a mouse in a cage, more accurately, stuck inside my soon to be grave.


    I want to drink coffee while enjoying the cool melody of the rain. I want to lay on my bed and not think about what I will do the next day. I want to goof around in my home without having to be productive. I want to eat biscuits alone without being concerned about my health.


    I... I want to go back to how things were. I want.. no, I need to see the picture again. If only I could get out alive.


    With no luck, I continued to walk aimlessly.


    The hallway finally came to an end when I arrived at another set of glass doors. It wasn''t an exit but a rather large room. Above the doors was a plate that displayed Waiting Area.


    I still didn''t have anywhere to go so I might as well look here. It''s a bit nerve-racking to do so but there really isn''t any other way to escape but to explore and find a way out. Standing around here wouldn''t benefit me, rather, I''ll only be a sitting duck to those shadow things.


    I pushed the glass doors inward and this time, they opened. Guess this was something predetermined. I realized that whenever a door was open to me, something would definitely happen, and as of now, nothing good has yet to come.


    I looked around inside. It was a large space with around a dozen rows of steel chairs. Mounted on the wall in the front side of the room was a large TV, its size puts mine to shame. There were lots of decorative plants at the corners of the room with many other ornaments scattered on the shelves and cabinets on the sides of the room. But none of these mattered because at the very end of the room, I saw another door that leads outside.


    I almost took off in a hurry, desperate for another chance of an exit, but my dash ended in fear as I had just noticed that there was another shadow person near. Sitting on the chair at the very corner of the room, to the right of the exit, was another shadow. This one was a large man, its frame was muscular, and it looked as if it was nodding off with its head looking straight down.


    I tried to sneak around him silently to get to the exit. Without me even making any sort of noise, the man noticed me. He had no eyes but his gaze made me freeze in fear of what he would do.


    The man stood up and slowly approached me. His steps looked quite weak as he struggled with every step, as if something was wrong with him. I took a step back with every step the man did. After a few exchanges of steps, the man dropped to the ground in a kneeling position.


    This shadow was quite confusing. I still have no clue on what it can do. Is it hostile like the boy? or is it like the lady shadow back in the operating room? Whatever he is, I''m not letting my guard down, never again.


    "Why... why... why..." I could hear the man mutter. "Why, Why! Why!!!!" He yelled, each one louder than the previous.


    I started to walk back. This doesn''t seem good.


    The man slowly stood up, and while he did, he started to change. His shadow skin gradually changed to red, taking on a deep shade similar to the crimson of blood. He still had no sort of facial features but based from experience of being surrounded by creatures like him, I knew he was angry.


    I began to run back to the hallway. I wasn''t going to just wait for it to chase me. I took a quick glance back as I ran and saw the fully red man pointing at me.


    "You don''t deserve to live!" the man yelled.


    I turned the corner and was now back in the straight never-ending hallways of the hospital.


    His footsteps could be heard in the distance. Its frequency was quick and the loud thuds it made with every step echoed across the hallway.


    I didn''t look back anymore. I knew it was angry and is now chasing me in this desolate hospital. All I could do now was run.

 Chapter 3: Relived the Truth (End)

    Thud! I punched the main door. I thought this time it would open, but seeing as it was more like a wall than an openable door, I continued to run. The red shadow was still chasing me, he''s just a bit behind.


    I could hear his loud footsteps echo across the hallway. He was getting close.


    I dashed through the entire hallway, gasping as my breathing couldn''t keep up. My energy had already been drained a while ago plus my body still hurts from falling off the stairs. It''s a miracle that I can still run like this.


    I stood at the base of the stairwell. All I had in mind was to go up to higher floors. Beyond that, I have no idea what to do.


    I didn''t climb just yet. The red shadow''s footsteps could no longer be heard from here which confused me.


    "Is he gone?" I muttered nervously.


    Suddenly, a faint red speck appeared in the distance. I was mistaken. The man was still there but he wasn''t running to me anymore, he just walked casually.


    The man then turned right and seemed to have phased through the wall.


    Damn these shadows. Using the door couldn''t be that difficult. I know these guys can hold stuff so just use your hands.


    If I remember correctly, that should be the operating room. Why would it go in there?


    While waiting on what the man was up to, I proceeded to walk up the stairs a few steps, just so I have a bit of a leeway to climb up. Obviously, running now would have been the best choice, but as they say, curiosity killed the cat. I can see those words more clearly now in my grave marker.


    A minute must have passed by when the red shadow finally came out. It didn''t phase through the wall but instead, opened the door. Wow, he must have read my mind then. Congratulations on learning how to use the bloody door. But I was mistaken yet again. It seemed to have used the door because it carried something that he couldn''t phase through the wall with. In the red shadow''s hand was a blade, the same blade that the lady shadow was trying to give me.


    Sensing the danger of the situation, I hurried up the stairs, the loud stomping of the shadow''s feet could be heard again. I now know his full intentions. He wants to kill me.


    The chase had resumed. I was now on the second floor but didn''t know what to do next. As I approached the middle of the hallway something caught my attention, an open door. I quickly headed inside and locked the door.


    The red shadow''s rapid footsteps now rang on the second floor. It continued for a bit, growing louder as it got close to me until it stopped all of a sudden. Sweat built up on my forehead and I could feel the cold inching up my legs. The shadow was near. It''s literally just outside this door.


    Thud! I flinched. The man banged on the door. Fear surrounded me as I realized that it knew where I was at. How did it know?


    It continued to bang on the door while I was helpless inside. Suddenly, an idea came to mind. It was risky but it''s the only thing I can think of at this moment.


    The banging continued. Crash! The door burst open, violently slamming the door to the wall. Its hinges were on the verge of breaking.


    The red shadow entered the room only to see complete darkness. It moved closer inside, inspecting every corner of the room. It raised the blade and slammed it on the floor. It was either threatening me or furious from not finding me.


    While the red shadow was doing his thing, I saw an opportunity. I got out from behind the door. Yes, it did hurt a lot when the door slammed on my face, very much so. All I could do was tank it and not make a sound. I almost felt like yelling when it slammed into me. Being as quiet as I could be, I tiptoed out of the room and ran away.


    Darn! My plan failed.


    I thought that I could steal the blade from him, even though it would mean confronting my fears. That weapon was the only leverage it had over me, that and his muscular build. If I had something to protect me then it would give me a burst of confidence to survive this mess, but now I''m left empty-handed. The plan failed when the man slammed the blade on the floor. It may not be much but it frightened me too much and made me ditch the plan right there and then. What a coward I am.


    I looked back and luckily, the red shadow hadn''t caught on yet. Only one thing came to mind at this moment, the door out. I dashed down the stairs, crossed the hallway and arrived in front of the main door. I gave it another push and a kick, but nothing still seems to faze it.


    I then entered the waiting room where another exit lies. Wasting no time, I dashed to the door. I''m this close yet again. The exit is right in front of me but I knew too well that this wasn''t going to go well. I took a deep breath before holding out my arm and trying to push the door open.


    It was locked.


    "Goddamnit!"


    The door then received a flurry of my kicks and punches, even tanking multiple body slam. It still stood sturdy. Its durability was comparable to the walls around it, heck, I might have better luck in breaking down the walls.


    I was slowly losing my temper. Nothing good has come my way yet. It''s as if this nightmare of a reality was toying with me, treating me like a mouse that can''t escape, giving me false hope of survival.


    I took another jab at the door but a sharp pain piercing my fist stopped me from doing any more. Both my hands were bleeding and black on every knuckle.


    My feet are tired, my legs are shivering, my body is beat up, my hands are bleeding, my forehead is also bleeding, and my mind is going crazy. Any more and I would succumb to this insanity. I need to get out of here immediately but there''s just nothing here that could help me. Not even a sign of help. I''m completely alone, and looking back, I was always alone, ever since I lost everything that day.


    I slapped myself repeatedly.


    Fuck, I hate myself. If only I was different. If only I didn''t do it. If only I didn''t give in to my horrible emotions then none of this would be happening right now. I could be cozy in bed, watching late-night TV shows next to my child and wife but no, I''m stuck here dying alone.


    My grievances were cut short when a footstep sounds behind me. All I could do was take a chair and prepare to use it as a weapon.


    Suddenly, my jaw dropped and sweat poured from my neck. I can hear it again, that.. sound. It was the exact same sound that came from my room, from under my bed. The same sound that brought upon this mess.


    The red shadow''s footsteps mixed with the sound. I could hear them both approaching from the hallway.


    A second later, the inevitable happened. The red shadow appeared in view, but it was doing something. With the blade in his hand, he was holding it out and it pointed to the wall, scraping it as he walked.


    "What the hell?" I blurted out from nervousness.


    That thing that he''s doing.. It''s making the same sound. It''s the same exact sound. So this was the source. After all those unfruitful investigations and hours of sleep lost, I finally found out what that sound was.


    But even after all this, nothing still made sense to me. I do get that the sound was coming from my fear of blades, which is indeed terrifying, but what of it? What is this whole nightmare all about? I''ve had enough of all these cryptic happenings, just say it straight to my face.


    I guess I won''t get an answer. It was almost over


    The man slowly walked towards me, purposely adding weight to its steps to further agitate me, and it was definitely working.


    With my shaking hands, I repeatedly bashed the chair on the door.


    This is the most crucial time in my life so please just break already.


    But not even a crack formed.


    The man continued his approach.


    I tried everything in my power, even punching the door again even when the bones in my fist already felt like they were cracked. I''ve never been more desperate in my life.


    As I took a look back, the sight of death awaited me. The red shadow was right behind me.


    In a panic, I raised the chair that I was holding and swung it at him. To my absolute horror, it caught the chair''s leg. I couldn''t do anything else other than to try and retrieve the chair, my only weapon, but he wouldn''t let go. Instead, he forcefully pulled it from me and threw the chair across the room. I had nothing left.


    The man raised the blade and was ready to split me in half. My legs finally gave in and I crumbled to the floor, desperately trying to get away from the red shadow but my back was already on the wall.


    This was it. It''s all over. For the first time in a while, I shed a tear, and even more followed after that. I cried as I witnessed my execution. It was the only thing I could do.


    I closed my eyes, awaiting for my escape, an escape by death.


    Slash!


    I opened my eyes. I expected that I was now either in heaven or hell, most definitely hell. But as I took in the view around me, I was still here, right in front of my killer.


    "What happened?" I muttered, confused as to how I''m still alive right now.


    As I looked up, I saw not one, but many shadow people, around six or seven. All of them are black and it looks as if they were all trying to stop the red shadow. Two were grasping the hand with the blade, one was trying to pull him from behind, and the rest of the shadows were holding down the rest of the red shadow''s limbs.


    My confusion doubled.


    I turned my head and saw the slash on the wall just a few inches above me.


    "It.. missed?"


    I frantically touched my head and neck. Yep, I''m still alive.


    I sighed in relief.


    I have no idea what''s going on and why those shadows are helping me escape, but I took advantage of the situation. I slid out and ran for the hallway.


    I took a quick look back. The red shadow was still struggling to break free from the black shadows'' grasps. Well... guess I''m indebted to them now. I''ll thank them when I get the chance later, if I survive that is.


    Suddenly, just as I was about to turn the corner, I heard a loud thud from behind, followed by a few sounds of slashing.


    I turned to look back again and horror morphed my expression. The man was already free and had killed a few of the black shadows in such a short time. The black shadows'' corpses didn''t spill any blood, but I knew they had died because they laid on the floor sliced into pieces.


    The red shadow then faced my direction and started to sprint towards me.


    "No, no, no!" I yelled as I ran away. "Get away from me!"


    I ran frantically, looking for anything I could use. My legs didn''t feel good. I was already drained a while ago, now, my will to survive was the only thing fueling me. The pharmacy caught my attention. I quickly went there and reached my hands in, grabbing everything that was in reach. I didn''t even care if the thing that was in here a while ago appeared. All I had in mind was to survive, using everything at my disposal.


    The red shadow had caught up from behind. It ran quickly, holding up the blade, ready to slice at any moment.


    Does this guy have a grudge against me or what?


    As the red shadow got a bit close, I immediately threw everything at him in a single throw. Various medical drugs and apparatus came flying at him. Some bottles flew straight into his head, the tray that I used to throw everything at him hit his arm, and some other things hit his torso. All of these did no sort of damage to him and had not slowed him down at the very least, but I wasn''t aiming for that.


    A second passed when it finally happened. The man accidentally stepped on a medicine bottle and came tumbling down. The bottle was quite thick so it didn''t break when he stepped on it. It was quite lucky that he stepped on one, any other and it would have just shattered in his step, foiling my plan. Yes, I basically relied on luck in this one, but that''s basically all I had. Not putting my gained time to waste, I dashed up the stairs.


    It was silent. It was best if it continued this way. It would mean that I finally escaped that red shadow''s grasp. Well... it''s not entirely silent here. I can hear the faint dripping of a faucet somewhere, probably due to faulty piping like mine back home.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I was in the bathroom. This isn''t the one that I went into last time. It''s still on the third floor, but on the other side of the hallway. I''m literally in the furthest possible room from where I met that red shadow.


    I''m currently sitting on a toilet in the stall at the very back of the restroom. My body hasn''t calmed down yet and I could still feel the fear that I felt as the blade missed me by a hair. If I survive this mess, I''ll for sure get nightmares about it.


    Thud! a bang sounded on the restroom door.


    Shit! No, no, no! How did he know I was here?


    I did lock the restroom but that wouldn''t really point to me hiding in it. I mean, almost every goddamn door in this hospital is locked.


    The banging continued until the inevitable happened. I could only hear the door burst open as the red shadow''s footsteps stomped on the restroom floor. I tried my best to hold my breath, not making the slightest noise.


    My nervousness burst out of the roof as the shadow''s steps came closer to me. There were literally almost a dozen stalls here, but he didn''t stop for any other one of them. It''s as if he already knew where I was at the very start.


    His steps grew louder and louder the closer he got to my stall until... it stopped. A minute must have passed when I finally heard the shadow''s steps again, but luckily, it sounded like it was getting farther.


    Another minute has passed. No sound could be heard whatsoever, even the leaky faucet somehow stopped. Just complete silence.


    I was about to exhale in relief but I tried to hold it in. I''m still nervous to move even an inch.


    Suddenly, a chill went up my spine as I saw something change in my peripheral vision. I turned to see what it was and was horrified when black writing appeared on the wall of the stall.


    WHY DID YOU KILL ME?


    As I finished reading it in my mind, the word started to multiply. It was the same thing as what happened with the shadow hands before it morphed into hands. The words expanded to every side of the stall, surrounding me.


    I wanted to run. I was almost ready to stand up and leave the stall but then my fright skyrocketed. I got a quick glimpse of the bottom of the stall and I''m positive that someone is standing right outside, and seeing that its feet were red, It wouldn''t be any more obvious as to who it is.


    Knock! Knock! The red shadow knocked even if it already knew that I was here, he wouldn''t have stood here the whole time otherwise. It''s as if it''s toying with me.


    Its knocking evolved and turned to that of banging. It was now angrily trying to get to me.


    I had no idea what to do. Was this really it? Those black shadows helped me and died because of me, but all their efforts will be in vain since I''m also going to die from the hands of this red demon. Why does it want to kill me so badly?


    The banging stopped.


    I looked down to see if the shadow had left. I was expecting to see two feet when I ducked down but was immediately taken back when a whole hand was reaching for me.


    "Shit!"


    I stood up on the toilet. What the hell can I do in this situation!? The words were bouncing and swirling around as if they were mocking me while a lunatic shadow was about to be the death of me.


    I just then remembered the pens that I nabbed from the receptionist desk. I quickly pulled them out of my pocket. Due to my shaking hands, most of them fell to the floor but I did manage to grab one.


    Without hesitation, I got down and slammed the pen into the shadow''s hand. It twitched as the pen dug deeper into its shadow skin. Just like the dead shadows, it didn''t splatter any blood.


    "I''m not done yet!" I exclaimed.


    I held the shadow''s hand tight so it couldn''t pull it out. Then, I grabbed the pens that fell and stabbed his hand some more.


    "When I''m done with you, your hand will be a porcupine!" I yelled at it.


    My words must have not fazed it at all. Instead, it grew angrier. The shadow lunged the blade from the bottom of the stall, trying to hit me. I had no choice but to let go of the shadow''s pen-pierced hand as I barely dodged the attack, but it had still nicked my leg.


    The shadow then repeatedly banged on the stall door. It''s banging on it even louder now than any other time. It will only be a matter of time until the door finally succumbs to it.


    From the shadow reaching inside the stall, an idea came to mind.


    I got on the ground, bracing myself for what''s to come. Then, I dived straight into the gap of the stall next to mine. I tried to push my head in, but it wouldn''t fit. This wasn''t the time to give up now. I forced my head through, even if doing so felt like my head was scraped on a cheese grater.


    I successfully made it to the next stall. It didn''t end here just yet. I still have a few more stalls to go.


    Alright, here goes nothing.


    I exited the final stall through the gap. The door was near so I didn''t waste any time dashing outside. If I was bald right now, I could see how much damage it did to my head, but actually, I would probably go bald from what I did. The throbbing of my head continued as I crossed the hallway.


    I got down to the second floor and was about to head down some more when something familiar caught my eye.


    In the middle of the hallway was the shadow boy.


    Despite having a deadly encounter with it, it wasn''t red like the man, which I assume meant that it wasn''t seeking for blood. I must have just angered it a while ago because I accidentally stabbed him.


    I ran to the boy and immediately went down into a kneeling position.


    "I''m sorry for what I did earlier! Please help me! There''s this red shadow that''s chasing me and I have nowhere else to run to! Please, you''ve got to help me, I beg you!" I pleaded to the boy.


    It didn''t even look at me. Instead, it just walked away.


    "Please help! You''re my only hope!" I reached my hand forward.


    The boy continued to walk. After a few feet, it turned to the right and phased through the wall.


    I got up and ran to where it went. It didn''t phase through a wall, it''s actually a door. Was this some sort of sign?


    I nervously reached for the doorknob. It was open.


    "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I exclaimed as I entered the room. Thanking him even when he wasn''t in sight.


    The split second that I got a glance of the room, both shock and confusion mixed in my face.


    "Is this... real?"


    Around me was the most familiar sight in my mind. A creaking floor that could collapse if I jump on it, yellowing walls with ants moving to and fro, a bed with sheets that looks as if they haven''t been washed in ages, a dead spider plant at the corner, and degrading furniture that belonged to the past century.


    Am I really back here? Is the nightmare finished?


    I walked forward and noticed something different. Bathing in the moonlight on top of the drawer was the single most important possession I had. The photograph.


    Why is this here? I thought I left this downstairs.


    I grabbed it and held it to the moonlight. A sad smile formed in my face.


    "Finally, I got to see you again." I muttered as I placed my fingers on the image of my son.


    Suddenly, it hit me. Everything that happened up to this point. I finally understood what it all meant.


    I had unconsciously let go of the photo as my thoughts spiraled around.


    "No... this can''t be." I said in disbelief, placing both hands on my face to assess if this was reality.


    "Is this... about when I k-"


    Thud! A loud bang sounded from the door.


    I slowly turned around, fear reignited in my mind.


    Another bang sounded, another one, and yet another, until the banging became constant. Something was outside my door, and from everything that happened, I knew who it was.


    I looked around frantically, thinking of my next move. When my eyes caught sight of the window, I knew the time had come. It was time to jump. I quickly went up to it but something was wrong. It wasn''t opening even an inch. The streak of unopenable exits continued even in my personal space.


    The knocking worsened.


    I quickly turned around in search of another solution.


    I wiped the sweat off of my forehead and gulped as I realized the only thing I could do next¡ªhide.


    Without another thought, I went down low and dove straight under the bed.


    The door burst open. This time, since it was my degrading rotten door, it broke off of the hinges and smashed on the floor across the room.


    I placed my hand on my mouth, trying to silence my nervous breathing.


    Footsteps wandered the room. They were just simple footsteps but I knew who they came from. The intruder''s feet came into view. Normal shaped feet but enshrouded with the deep color of crimson. It was the same entity that massacred its kind and almost became the death of me back in the hospital. The red shadow. It must have followed me here to finish the job.


    I watched in horror as its red feet wandered around the room. My shaking worsened every time it came close to the bed.


    It knows that I went here but can''t seem to find me.


    Just please go away. Leave me alone and bring back my normal life. As horrible as I am, I still want to live. I want to enjoy the rest of my life, even if hell awaits me in the afterlife.


    My life hasn''t been easy and it certainly won''t improve even after I survive this, but because of all the events that had transpired today, I gained a new appreciation for staying alive and enjoying my fleeting time in this realm.


    I closed my eyes and awaited for my final verdict, taking up a fetal position while my hands remained blocking my mouth.


    Silence enveloped the room.


    A few minutes must have passed by with me motionless under the bed. I opened my eyes and looked around from underneath. No feet could be seen nor footsteps could be heard.


    Did I... survive?


    I let out a long sigh as I removed my hands from my mouth. After all the hardships and all the horrors, I''m finally safe. All it took was falling off the stairs, bashing my body against every door, bludgeoning my fists to try and get out, and even almost getting my head sliced off my body.


    I''ve had a long day. A very long one.


    The moonlight receded and as the light brightened from the window, dawn came.


    I crawled out slowly from under the bed, forcing my head through the tiny gap. My body felt weak and it took all my strength to simply push my head through. I managed to get my head out. I could smell the fresh air again, quite different from the one back at the hospital. It was refreshing, as if it was ushering me towards a new stage in my life. A new day of change. I can now move forward.


    But I was wrong. The horror didn''t stop here.


    As I rotated my head to see the ceiling, I saw a monstrous red figure instead. It was the red shadow.


    It stood on top of the bed, the reason why I couldn''t see his presence. I thought that he had already left. I was dead wrong.


    The red shadow slowly raised its blade, its tip pointing downwards. It laughed as it did so, laughing at the vulnerable state of its prey before butchering it.


    I couldn''t do anything else but squirm. Sadly, I was unable to move any further.


    The red shadow slammed down the blade.


    The split second before its impact, I caught a glance of my television. Something was different. The reflection it showed was truly horrifying.


    It was the scene of the red shadow before it stabbed me to death. But before everything came to an end, the vision changed. Instead of the red shadow, I was the one standing on the bed. I held the blade downwards, a mad smile was imprinted on my face while my eyes were bloodshot and flowing like fountains. It definitely looked like me.


    And the one below the bed wasn''t me anymore, it was never me. Below it was a child, a sweet innocent child whose name I didn''t know.


    In that split second, I had remembered everything. I tried to delude myself all this time, trying to not think about the events of the past, but now, everything replayed in my mind.


    It all started when my son caught a deadly disease. He began to undergo treatment but all the procedures cost a fortune. We had to sell everything including the mansion, the cars, everything. We were forced to move to a much humble settlement, the one that I''m currently living in. His treatment spanned across all his childhood years, but sadly, his condition didn''t improve.


    My wife couldn''t take it anymore. She has gone through a lot with me and couldn''t bear seeing her child in such a miserable state. She left us, disappeared from our lives without saying a single word. I was left alone with my dying child in my care.


    Due to all the misfortune and stress that it came with, I searched for an escape. I started to use drugs, quickly developing an addiction to it. I had no other choice. I had to find a way to escape reality for a moment. I also didn''t want to see my beloved child slowly dying, but I didn''t know what to do. I''m not just going to leave him like his mother. Even if I disregarded my health and turned to dangerous substances, my feelings never changed. I did it all for him.


    The most unfortunate day came. I was stuck in the receptionist area of the hospital. I wasn''t religious at all, but I was praying earnestly. My son is currently undergoing surgery. They said a heart transplant was necessary.


    As I sat there, the world seemed to have weighed upon my mind. I had nothing left. All that remained was my beloved son. Nothing was going well for me these past few years. I was miserable, and the drugs slowly deteriorated my mind. I felt like I was going insane.


    A child and her mother entered the hospital.


    "Am I really healthy now, mom?" asked the child.


    "Yes, and I won''t allow another bad thing to happen to you ever again. Mommy will protect you from danger." The mother said as she patted the boy''s head.


    "Hey don''t forget about me." A man came rushing from behind and held the boy''s hand. It was the boy''s father.


    "Can we go to the mall after this, please?" asked the boy.


    "Sure, just make sure to behave when you see the doctor," said the father.


    "Yippee! I love you mom and dad!"


    The father also patted his head.


    For some reason, the sight infuriated me. They were such a perfect family. If things didn''t go the way it has, then those people could have been us. I could be enjoying my life with my healthy child while my lovely wife stands by my side. But fate wouldn''t let me have that. Instead, I have a wife that hasn''t shown her face in months, and a son that''s nearing death''s door. I''m deprived of happiness.


    The drugs further ruined my thoughts. I stood up and began to do the most unthinkable things a human could possibly do.


    I first went into a different operating room and threatened a nurse to give me a weapon. She wept on the floor, shaking in fear.


    "Take it! Just please don''t hurt me!" she pleaded.


    Later on, I learned that the blade was used for amputations during the 18th century. This hospital had it displayed since it had a history of performing amputations with the blade in the past.


    I took the blade and ran to the waiting area. The family was still there and I approached them. My eyes were bloodshot while I pointed the blade towards them.


    The father immediately knew my intentions and told his family to run away. He tried to tackle me but I was able to dodge him, running straight to the boy. I had him pinned on the wall with no way of escape. Just as I was about to seal the deal on his life, the bystanders including the father and mother had stopped me, holding on to every limb and pulling me back. The child was able to escape.


    Because I was still muscular back then. I was able to get out of their grasp. Without mercy, I slashed at every single person that I saw, spilling blood on the hospital''s brown floor. Most of them escaped, but I must have killed around five.


    I then chased the boy in the hospital. He went inside a room, but as I got in, he managed to outplay me and ran out without me noticing him. After a few minutes of searching, I eventually found him inside a bathroom stall. I tried to reach for his feet from beneath the gap of the stall but not only did the boy escape by crawling through the other stalls, he also had the audacity to stab my hand with a pen.


    I angrily searched for him in the entire hospital. I can hear the police sirens getting louder in the background. I didn''t have much time left.


    I searched downstairs room by room until I finally found him. Upon entering the room, I could already sense the boy''s presence. It''s as if I could smell his fear in the air. There was only one possible hiding spot in the room. Without wasting any more time, I hopped on the bed and pointed the blade downwards. As the boy peeked out, confused whether or not I had left, a smile spread across my face and smashed the knife into the bed, piercing the frame and stabbing the boy straight in the chests. I then escaped through the window and hid in my home.


    As the drugs ran out of my system, everything that I''ve done finally sunk it.


    "What the hell did I do..." I muttered over and over again. I must have said this line over a thousand times before I regained my sanity.


    But the madness didn''t end there. Just when I was almost normal again, horrible news appeared on the TV.


    The son of the murderer on the run has passed away this afternoon. Investigations believe that it was a suicide.


    My jaw dropped, but my spirit and sanity dropped even lower.


    The details of the news stated that my son had survived all the operations and was now recovering smoothly. But as he eavesdropped on two nurses discussing my crime, he didn''t believe that his beloved father would do such a thing. He jumped off the second floor window an hour later.


    It''s as if my world had stopped.


    I had truly lost everything that was important to me.


    But I did gain something from it¡ªa phobia of blades.


    I used up the rest of my money on paying corrupt cops and politicians to wipe all the records that point to where I''m living. I decided that I would live in solidarity from now on. I didn''t know why I still cling to living. I did think about joining my son in the afterlife but I just couldn''t bring myself to tighten the rope around my neck. I still had a grain of hope that my life will take a turn for the better.


    My wife learned of the news a few days after. She shouted at me even from across the phone. Her reaction was understandable, seeing the horrible things that I had done. But suddenly, her voice took a turn. She was crying. In the middle of her angry rant at me, her voice cracked and her nose sniffled. Even after leaving us, her love for our son never left.


    I ended the call abruptly. I then pulled the bed sheet over me and burst out into a cry of my own.


    And the rest was history.


    As the pages of my past came to an end, the blade pierced through the frame and stabbed me in the chest. I didn''t feel any pain, it''s just a bit... cold. I could only stay still as my vision gradually darkened. The last thing that I saw was the mad smile of the red shadow. It had copied me through and through to the very end.


    The pages of my present had been ripped out, and its future forever lost. My soul was consumed by the flames of hell and the only memory left behind was me getting killed under the bed.