Best of 2024 | I Used to Work in a Fire Tower with a Strange Set of Rules

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Hello, my spookees. It's your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto

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here telling you that twenty twenty five is going to

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bring so many new scares, so many new stories, new authors,

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and so much more. But of course it's important to

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remember the old adage those who do not know the

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past are doomed to repeat it. So I've taken it

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upon myself to share with you all some of the

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best stories of twenty twenty four, and this one I

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really enjoyed. It was originally a two parter, but here

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we have them both married together. It's called I Used

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to Work in a fire Tower with a Strange set

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of Rules by Michael Kelso. So enjoy the story, make

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sure you subscribe on your favorite podcasting app, and I'll

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see you Wednesday with a brand new story I Used

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to Work in a fire Tower with a Strange set

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of Rules by Michael It wasn't all that long ago

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when I worked as a park ranger in a fire tower.

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You'd think it would be an easy job. You'd be wrong.

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Once I found a strange list of rules, it was

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all downhill from there. Suffice it to say I was

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lucky to get out with my life while still being

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a free man. There was an investigation into the matter,

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and I was questioned several times by the police, but

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they didn't want to hear the truth of the story

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that something strange and supernatural happened that night in that

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fire tower. Unfortunately, one of my fellow rangers wasn't so lucky.

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But that is another story. I never went back to

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that tower ever. I searched for a few weeks before

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finding a new job. It was just in the nick

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of time because I hadn't worked does a park ranger

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long enough to make much money at all, and switching

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back and forth between peanut butter sandwiches and mac and

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cheese wasn't the best way to stave off starvation. But

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beggars can't be choosers. So I applied for this job

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and went into the office building in town for the interview.

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The first question I asked was does it have any

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strange rules? The interviewer looked at me like I had

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just sprouted a second head. Like what kinds of rules?

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She said, I don't know, like don't answer the phone

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at a certain time of night, or if you see

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a glowing orb, look away for thirty seconds. Are you

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planning on seeing any glowing orbs inside our warehouse, She

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said hesitantly, I hope not. She held my gaze for

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a long moment before answering my question. I started to

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wonder if she was going to kick me out of

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her office. To answer your original question, she said, I

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don't know of any strange rules for the warehouse. To

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my knowledge, it's a standard night watchman job. You go there,

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you make sure no one breaks in and takes anything,

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and then you go home. That's a relief, just out

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of curiosity. Why did you ask about strange rules. My

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last job had some strange rules, and let's just say

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it didn't end well. Oh, all right, she said, I

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suppose that would be a good question for you to ask.

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Then the rest of the interview was standard stuff. Thankfully

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I hadn't blown it and got the job. She gave

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me my employee packet and the address of the warehouse.

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She told me I would be trained on the job,

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when to be there for my first shift, and the

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name of my supervisor, mister Larson. I thanked her and

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went on my merry way, happy to have a job

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that was and paid decently. The next couple of days

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went by slowly as anticipation built for my first shift.

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When I got in my car, the gas gage told

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me I would be pushing it to make it back

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and forth to work before I got my first paycheck.

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I drove to the address and found it in what

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looked like an abandoned business park. There were other warehouses

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along the drive, with weeds growing through the cracks in

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the pavement and up the sides of the buildings. There

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were street lights, but they looked old and decrepit. Only

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two of them were still emanating their putrid yellow light,

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fighting a losing battle against the darkness. I came to

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the end of the road and looming in front of

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me was a massive warehouse. The GPS on my phone

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told me I had arrived, but I wasn't sure I

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wanted to. It was all by itself, surrounded by woods

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on all sides except for the notch that had been

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cut out to make the road. I pulled around to

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the side where the main door was and was slightly

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comforted by the car that was parked in front. At

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least there was some other living soul out here. I

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got out, taking my bag of supplies with me. I

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started toward the door and hit the remote button to

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lock the car out of habit. The horn's chirp echoed

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through the trees, making me even more aware of their presence.

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I wasn't looking forward to doing security checks around the perimeter.

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There was only one security light that I had seen

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when I drove up, and it was near the entrance.

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I approached the door and tried to open it, but

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it was locked. I looked around for anything and found

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a key pad. I opened up my email on my

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phone and read the instructions i'd been sent. Your shift

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is from nine p m to nine a m. It read,

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you cannot leave between those hours. The code for the

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keypad is your employee code. That way we know it's

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you inside. I paused. There was something about that last

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sentence that gave me chills. I reread it and decided

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it was just a security thing. Your employee code is

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two zero five nine. It should open any doors you

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need to access inside. If you have any problems, call

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or text the number included in your packet. I didn't

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remember getting any number in my packet, but maybe I

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just skimmed over it. I entered my code on the keypad.

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The light above the numbers turned green, and I heard

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the lock click. I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

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When the door shut, I heard the lock click again.

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I stared at it as if the sound had some

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finality to it, Just out of curiosity. I typed in

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my code on the inside keypad, but the light stayed

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red and the door stayed locked. I tried to shrug

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it off, thinking it was like a time card thing

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that it wouldn't open again until nine am. I looked

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at my watch and it read nine o two pm.

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I turned toward the inside set of doors and punched

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in my code. The green light and click granted me entry.

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If I'm going to have to type in my code

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at every door, it's going to be a long night,

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I thought. I stepped into what looked like a small

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reception area. There was a desk and a couple of

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vinyl couches along the wall. It was sparsely decorated and

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dimly lit. The only painting I saw on the wall

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had a picture of a large gait that was dark

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red with words in some other language. I walked through

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the first set of doors after inputting my code. They

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opened up into a long, dimly lit hallway with doors

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on both sides. The first one I came to said security.

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It was no surprise when I saw a keypad on

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the door lock. I typed in my code and opened

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the door. Inside there was a desk with monitors in

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a computer. There was also a table with two chairs,

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another vinyl couch, a mini fridge, and a small bathroom.

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I set my bag down on the couch and got

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my water bottle out. I opened the fridge and found

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a lunch box with a bottle on the door. I

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guess it belongs to the guard I'm supposed to relieve,

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I thought, where is he anyway? I put my bottle

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in and closed the fridge, then looked around the room

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more closely. There were three doors on the far wall

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that I hadn't noticed. I opened the first one and

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found it was a closet. A light jacket hung there,

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and a small duffel bag sat on the shelf. I

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sat my bag beside it and closed the door. I

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opened the second one to find a weapons locker. Two

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handguns and two shotguns, along with tasers and pepper spray

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were locked behind a metal mesh door. I tried the

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door out of curiosity, but it refused to budge. Surprisingly,

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there wasn't a keypad to punch in numbers. It was

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an actual lock. I looked around for the keys but

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didn't find them. Maybe the other guard had them. I

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closed the door and tried to open the third one.

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It remained locked. Maybe it's a maintenance closet or something.

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I sat at the desk and looked at the computer.

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The monitor showed a login screen. I typed in my

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code and it came up to an email. I had

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three messages. I clicked on the first that read first

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log In. I opened it and read welcome to your

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first shift. I'm sure by now you have some questions.

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First off, you need to log into our Wi Fi.

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If you look at your phone, you'll see there's no

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cell service inside the building. I looked, and sure enough,

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my phone had no service. I followed the directions to

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hook up to their Wi Fi. Once I logged in,

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a strange symbol flashed on my phone. Then it went

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blank for a whole minute. I tried to go back

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or go to the home screen, but nothing happened. I

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was about to power off when suddenly the screen came back.

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Everything seemed normal and I was able to do everything

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but make calls. My phone dinged as I received a text,

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congratulations on setting up your phone on our corporate WiFi.

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Calling will be disabled while you're on shift. If you

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have any needs, text this number someone is monitoring twenty

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four to seven. I saw the number they sent and

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saved it as corporate. I opened the second email and

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read the message your duties monitor for any unusual activity.

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If there is unusual activity, text corporate immediately check to

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make sure all doors are secure. Do green patrols twice

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per shift. Do a red patrol once per shift. Do

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yellow patrols four times per shift. I was wondering what

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that meant when a video started showing the hallway floors

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that had different color stripes of paint. There was green, yellow,

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and red, and then there seemed to be another color

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beside them. Before I could make it out, the video ended,

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take make your brakes only in the security room. The

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email ended. I looked at the subject for the third

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one and it read open only after the first patrol.

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I hovered the arrow over the subject and was tempted

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to click, but just then I got a text. Have

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you done your first patrol yet? It read great? I thought,

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just what I need is to be nagged at work.

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Not yet, I texted back, better get to it. I

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sighed and stepped to the door when my phone dinged,

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don't forget your flashlight.

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Don't go away weekly spooky, We'll be right back.

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I read it and looked at the closet, realizing I

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had done just that. I slowly looked back at the phone,

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thinking many things I'd like to respond, but texted thanks.

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I went to the closet and got my flashlight out

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of my bag. I looked at my phone and thought

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anything else, wondering if it would respond. Thankfully it didn't.

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My phone literally reading my thoughts would be disturbing beyond belief.

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I opened the door and glanced at my phone to

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see if I'd done anything else wrong. It remained, thankfully silent.

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I stepped back into the hallway, where every third light

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was lit. I assumed it was the nighttime lighting and

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started down the hall. Looking at the floor, The lines

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were just like in the video. The fourth line was black.

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I paused at the ramifications of being guided towards something

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they didn't want me to check on. That either meant

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they didn't care about it or didn't trust me to

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check it out. Either one was disconcerting. I decided to

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get a yellow patrol out of the way. I followed

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the line down the hall, glancing at each door that

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was marked with a letter and a number. The first

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one said A one, the next said A two. As

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I continued, the letter remained the same as the numbers increased,

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odd numbers on the right side doors, even on the left.

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I reached the end of the hall and the yellow

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and green lines turned right down another hallway. The red

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and black went left. I glanced left, but stayed right.

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My curiosity would have to wait until later. I followed

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the lines down the next hall and read the first door.

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It said B one. This continued down the entire hall,

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just like the first. At the end, the green line

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turned left while the yellow went right. This hall started

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with C one. The entire time I'd been walking, there

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was total silence. There wasn't even the sound of air

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conditioners or anything. It was eerie. I stopped and looked

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around the hallway, and all the doors were pristine. There

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wasn't a bit of dirt or dust. It didn't look

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like a warehouse, at least not like I thought. The

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inside of a warehouse would look This was something else

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I would have to make a list of questions to

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ask when I got back to the security room. I

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continued my round and followed the yellow line as it

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turned right yet again. This hall started with D one.

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When I reached the end of the hall, the line

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dead ended at a door. I hesitated for a moment

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before opening it into another hall. I turned and looked

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at the other side of the door. It said A one.

241
00:14:29.759 --> 00:14:32.080
I looked to the left and saw the security room.

242
00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:35.600
The yellow line had taken me in a circle, or

243
00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:39.240
I suppose it would have been a square. I shook

244
00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:42.039
my head, stepped into the security room and sat down

245
00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:46.480
at the computer. The email sat waiting. I clicked it.

246
00:14:47.159 --> 00:14:51.080
Congratulations on your first patrol. I read the sentence and

247
00:14:51.159 --> 00:14:56.759
felt uneasy at the word successful. Why wouldn't it be successful?

248
00:14:56.879 --> 00:15:00.399
I thought, by now you probably have some questions, Jins.

249
00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:04.279
Perhaps we can answer them before you ask. First, the

250
00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:09.279
black line, do not follow it under any circumstances. Second,

251
00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.840
as I'm sure you've already noticed, you cannot leave until

252
00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:16.480
your shift is over. Third, make sure you close any

253
00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:20.360
door you open. These are some basic rules. There'll be

254
00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:24.799
more as your shift commences. I looked for any more emails,

255
00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:30.519
but there were none. Great, I thought, more rules. At

256
00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:35.320
least these ones aren't all weird and creepy. I opened

257
00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:38.000
the mini fridge and took a drink from my water bottle.

258
00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:40.720
As I put it back, I glanced at the lunch

259
00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:44.240
box and wondered where the other guard was. I checked

260
00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:47.320
my watch and it was almost ten. I figured I

261
00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.720
should do my first green line patrol. I went back

262
00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:53.080
out into the hallway and followed the green line to

263
00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.120
the point where it veered away from the yellow. The

264
00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.840
silence in the hall was starting to bother me. Listening

265
00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:03.919
to my own footsteps was unnerving. The green line led

266
00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:08.440
to another similar corridor. This one was e hall. I

267
00:16:08.519 --> 00:16:10.879
was starting to wonder just how big this place was

268
00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:14.440
when I heard a sound I didn't make. I slowly

269
00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:18.759
turned and looked back to find an open door. I knew,

270
00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:21.279
beyond a shadow of a doubt, it wasn't open when

271
00:16:21.279 --> 00:16:24.440
I went past it. I shown my flashlight around, looking

272
00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:29.639
for anything and anyone, but nothing was there. I approached

273
00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.919
the door and was about to close it and resume

274
00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:35.919
my patrol when I heard the sound again. My hand

275
00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.000
hovered over the knob as my curiosity overwhelmed my fear

276
00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:44.279
and common sense. Instead of shutting the door and moving on,

277
00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:49.639
I opened it enough to look inside. The room was dark.

278
00:16:50.159 --> 00:16:52.960
I considered turning on the light, but instead opted to

279
00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.960
use my flashlight. I showed it around the room that

280
00:16:56.039 --> 00:17:00.200
looked like a lab with plenty of workstations. I did

281
00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:03.000
a slow lap around the room, looking for anything out

282
00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:07.160
of the ordinary, which was laughable because I had no

283
00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:10.200
idea what went on in this room or this building

284
00:17:10.440 --> 00:17:13.160
on a day to day basis, so how would I

285
00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.759
know what was normal for this place. In the middle

286
00:17:16.799 --> 00:17:19.599
of my lap, I noticed a dim light underneath a

287
00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.839
door at the far end of the room. I slowly

288
00:17:22.880 --> 00:17:28.720
approached it, turned the knob, and peeked inside. I wish

289
00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:33.119
I hadn't. There was a large, glowing glass container that

290
00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:37.160
held an entity. Is the only thing I can think

291
00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:39.319
to call it. I know if I call it what

292
00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.799
I think it should be called, I'll go insane right

293
00:17:41.839 --> 00:17:45.119
on the spot. It was easily the size of a

294
00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.559
large human and then some. It was black and covered

295
00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:52.519
with what I could only describe as scales. There were

296
00:17:52.559 --> 00:17:56.000
sharp points sticking out of its elbows, knees in seemingly

297
00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:59.920
random spots along its head and torso. Its face was

298
00:18:00.519 --> 00:18:03.640
a nightmare, with horns sticking out of its forehead and

299
00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:07.039
curling up like a rams. It was hovering inside the

300
00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:10.279
container somehow, even though there was no liquid inside it,

301
00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:12.920
and holding its legs, making it look like it was

302
00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:16.680
curled up in the fetal position. I kept the flashlight

303
00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:20.960
down so as not to risk disturbing this thing. I

304
00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:24.640
panned around the room. There seemed to be controls of

305
00:18:24.680 --> 00:18:28.880
some sort near the container that were making occasional hissing sounds.

306
00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:32.839
It was as if the machine was breathing for it.

307
00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:36.079
How I kept from screaming and running out of the room,

308
00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:39.400
I don't know. Through some miracle. I kept it together

309
00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:44.799
and slowly backed away. I held the doorknob turned, then

310
00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:49.400
slowly released it. Once the door was closed, I breathed

311
00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:52.200
a sigh of relief and started toward the door that

312
00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:55.559
led to the hallway. I was almost there when I

313
00:18:55.599 --> 00:18:59.400
heard the soft scuffle of a foot on the floor.

314
00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:03.359
I froze and turned back to the room, panning slowly

315
00:19:03.440 --> 00:19:07.119
with my light. At first I didn't see anything, and

316
00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:11.119
then a tiny, pale hand reached up and turned the

317
00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.799
knob that led into the monster's room. I didn't want

318
00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:17.279
to know what was doing it. I just wanted it

319
00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:21.400
to stop. After a quick rundown of potential outcomes, I

320
00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:24.400
settled on getting out of that room as quietly as possible.

321
00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:28.799
I stepped toward the hallway door, while shooting furtive glances

322
00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:32.240
back at the other door that was slowly opening. I

323
00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:35.319
could see the creature in its container and the thing

324
00:19:35.359 --> 00:19:36.400
that had opened the door.

325
00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:41.720
You're not safe yet, weakly spooky will be right back.

326
00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:48.000
It was small, only a few feet tall, with gangly

327
00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:52.720
legs and arms. But what froze my blood was seeing

328
00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:57.480
its face. It was embedded in its torso. Two eyes

329
00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:01.720
and a mouth full of sharp, grinning teeth were right

330
00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:05.640
there where its belly should have been. It had no head.

331
00:20:06.240 --> 00:20:08.559
It was like someone had smashed all but a few

332
00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.000
inches of this creature's torso and left the face right there.

333
00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:17.079
It looked at me, and its horrific smile grew as

334
00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:21.160
it reached the controls in the room. I backed out

335
00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:25.920
into the hallway and closed the door quietly, then ran

336
00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.640
as I followed the green line to its ending underneath

337
00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:32.119
a door. I hesitated to open that door with my

338
00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:36.519
new knowledge that there were potentially dangerous creatures lurking behind

339
00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:41.480
every opening. Finally, I turned the knob and peeked out

340
00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:45.319
into a hallway. The first thing I saw was four

341
00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:48.279
lines on the floor, which told me I was once

342
00:20:48.359 --> 00:20:52.440
again in the first hall. I looked at the number

343
00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:57.559
on the door. It read a two. I jumped out

344
00:20:57.559 --> 00:21:00.279
and slammed the door shut, diving into the Secure Purity

345
00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:03.400
room and shutting that door as well. I leaned against

346
00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:06.079
it for a long moment, wondering how I was going

347
00:21:06.119 --> 00:21:09.160
to do another patrol, knowing that either or both of

348
00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:13.759
those creatures would be stalking the hallways. My attention was

349
00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:16.680
grabbed by one of the monitors. There were over a

350
00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:20.559
dozen images being transmitted onto different sections of a large TV.

351
00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:23.440
I looked at the videos for the first time and

352
00:21:23.559 --> 00:21:27.240
noticed there wasn't a single camera aimed at the outside

353
00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:32.440
of the building. They were all inside. My breath caught

354
00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:36.680
in my throat. That means they aren't afraid of what's outside,

355
00:21:38.119 --> 00:21:43.960
but what's inside. I watched the monitors. Fortunately they were

356
00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:47.119
in color. I focused on the cameras that showed green

357
00:21:47.160 --> 00:21:49.599
lines on the floor and waited to see if any

358
00:21:49.640 --> 00:21:53.039
of the doors opened. After thirty minutes, I hadn't seen

359
00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:56.119
any movement. I sat back in my chair, Feeling a

360
00:21:56.160 --> 00:22:00.799
little better. I decided to do another yellow patrol. I

361
00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.960
didn't want to. I would have rather stayed in the

362
00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:05.759
security room for the rest of my shift, but that

363
00:22:05.960 --> 00:22:09.279
wasn't an option. I comforted myself with the thought that

364
00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:12.079
I had been watching the cameras and nothing had moved.

365
00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:16.880
It wasn't much comfort. I picked up my flashlight, trying

366
00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:20.279
to keep it steady as my shaking hands showed my hesitation.

367
00:22:21.119 --> 00:22:23.680
I stepped through the security room door and out into

368
00:22:23.680 --> 00:22:28.480
the hallway. Somehow it looked different now. Before, when I

369
00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:31.400
was just checking a bunch of doors, I convinced myself

370
00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:34.079
that nothing of interest was in any of the rooms.

371
00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:37.799
Now I knew better. Now I looked at each room

372
00:22:37.839 --> 00:22:40.720
as if it were about to spring open, and I

373
00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.599
shook the thoughts away. I had to or I wouldn't

374
00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:47.440
take another step. I walked down the first hall ears

375
00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:50.920
a tuned to any sound. At my first turn, all

376
00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:54.359
I heard were my own footsteps. Even they gave me

377
00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:57.200
pause and had me whipping around to look behind me

378
00:22:57.640 --> 00:23:01.160
from time to time. By the second turn, I was

379
00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:04.759
beginning to feel a little less nervous. By the third turn.

380
00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:08.160
I was almost calm until I saw where the green

381
00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:12.319
line split off from the yellow. I stopped and stared

382
00:23:12.359 --> 00:23:16.680
down the green hall, wondering if that thing had slipped out.

383
00:23:17.680 --> 00:23:20.640
For an instant, I thought I saw a movement. I

384
00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:24.200
shone my light all around, but saw nothing. Even so

385
00:23:24.680 --> 00:23:27.200
I picked up the pace for my last hallway and

386
00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:30.960
quickly opened the security room door, then closed it. Feeling

387
00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:33.880
my heart racing, I looked at my watch and it

388
00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:37.599
was nearly midnight. I'd done three of my seven patrols.

389
00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:43.200
My phone dinged. There was a text. It's nearly midnight,

390
00:23:43.559 --> 00:23:48.119
it said. I wanted to reply sarcastically, but thought better

391
00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:53.319
of it. What's special about midnight? Didn't they tell you?

392
00:23:54.400 --> 00:24:02.480
Tell me what the rules? My heart hammered in my chest.

393
00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:06.920
Not again. They told me I couldn't leave before my

394
00:24:07.000 --> 00:24:11.279
shift was over, and to do different color patrols. That's

395
00:24:11.319 --> 00:24:14.799
not the rules I'm talking about. I knew it before

396
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:18.519
the text came. Do I want to know what they are?

397
00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:23.559
I texted, you need to What if I just sit

398
00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:27.720
in the security room. There wasn't an immediate text back.

399
00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:36.039
There are things that would happen like what like things

400
00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:40.880
that would destroy you or at least your mind, I sighed,

401
00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:46.279
So send me the list of rules. I shook my

402
00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:49.079
head in disbelief that I was doing this crap again.

403
00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:53.480
One at midnight, you must be in the security office

404
00:24:53.880 --> 00:24:57.799
and stay there until twelve thirty am. No matter what

405
00:24:57.920 --> 00:25:00.920
you see or hear, you must stay in the office

406
00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:05.839
and don't open the door for any reason. That doesn't

407
00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:11.319
sound ominous at all, I texted. Two. When doing a patrol,

408
00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:15.319
if you hear someone calling to you or screaming, ignore it.

409
00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:20.599
Do not attempt to find the source of the sound. Three,

410
00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:24.359
if the doors start changing, follow the lines back to

411
00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:28.559
the security room. That should actually take care of you

412
00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:32.359
for now. Just remember, do not follow the black line

413
00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:36.480
and don't go into any rooms. Are you kidding me

414
00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:39.599
with this? I texted, I don't want to do this again.

415
00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:44.000
Let me out. Sorry, not possible. Nothing can open those

416
00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:47.039
doors until your shift is over. And what did you

417
00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:53.720
mean again, I worked in a fire tower with weird rules. Interesting.

418
00:25:54.279 --> 00:25:59.079
I'd like to hear that story someday. Good luck, Thanks

419
00:25:59.079 --> 00:26:01.559
a lot. By the way, where's the key to the

420
00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:06.319
weapons locker? Just in case didn't the guard you relieved.

421
00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:10.519
Give it to you. I haven't seen him. That's not

422
00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:15.839
good news. Is there a spare key somewhere? No return?

423
00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:22.240
Text came, Hello, is there a spare key? No response.

424
00:26:23.599 --> 00:26:26.839
I checked my watch and it was twelve oh one.

425
00:26:27.039 --> 00:26:30.720
As if on cue, there was a knock at the door.

426
00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:33.839
I took a step toward it before I remembered the

427
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:39.599
rules i'd been texted. The knocking became more insistent. Next,

428
00:26:39.640 --> 00:26:42.640
the doorknob began rattling, as if someone was trying to

429
00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:46.920
tear it out of the door. Who's there, I said,

430
00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:52.119
cringing at my own words. The doorknob stopped rattling. There

431
00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:55.000
was a silence that was only broken by the pounding

432
00:26:55.480 --> 00:27:00.160
of my own heartbeat. It's mister Larson, A voice said,

433
00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:03.480
I've misplaced my key. Could you please let me in.

434
00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:07.680
I took another step and reached for the doorknob. When

435
00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:12.079
I remembered there's a keypad on the door, I said,

436
00:27:12.839 --> 00:27:15.079
if you are who you say you are, just punch

437
00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:18.759
your coat and and the door'll open. There was silence

438
00:27:18.799 --> 00:27:22.119
on the other side of the door. It lasted so

439
00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:25.440
long that I wondered if whoever it was had gone away.

440
00:27:26.720 --> 00:27:29.119
I leaned against the door and put my ear up

441
00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:34.039
to it. That's when I heard the loudest, most blood

442
00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:39.079
curdling inhuman scream I'd ever heard in my life. I

443
00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:41.599
threw myself on the floor, trying to get away from

444
00:27:41.640 --> 00:27:46.279
the door as quickly as possible. The pounding continued. I

445
00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:48.960
wondered how long the door would hold up and what

446
00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:51.440
I would do when whatever it was broke it down.

447
00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:55.759
I held my flashlight like a baseball bat, looking all

448
00:27:55.799 --> 00:28:00.000
around the room for a better weapon, and not finding any.

449
00:28:00.519 --> 00:28:03.799
My eyes fell on the weapons locker, wishing I had

450
00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:07.799
a key. The door started bowing inward with every blow.

451
00:28:08.440 --> 00:28:10.359
It was so bad I got one of the chairs

452
00:28:10.359 --> 00:28:13.160
from the brake table and wedged it against the doorknob.

453
00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:17.839
I stepped back and looked at my handiwork. The ludicrousness

454
00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:20.319
of a folding metal chair trying to hold off an

455
00:28:20.319 --> 00:28:23.200
assault that was bowing a solid door was enough to

456
00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:27.640
make me laugh. I knew it wouldn't last long. Sawdust

457
00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:31.279
was raining down on the floor. I considered locking myself

458
00:28:31.319 --> 00:28:34.319
in the bathroom, but save that for a last resort.

459
00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:42.440
And then suddenly the assault stopped. The last few remnants

460
00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:46.319
of sawdust floated to the floor. In silence, I gripped

461
00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:51.119
the flashlight tighter, not trusting this respite. Sweat dripped from

462
00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:53.519
my forehead. As I waited for the assault to resume.

463
00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:59.400
Nothing happened. I stood there, staring at the door, dumbfounded,

464
00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:02.160
not knowing what to do next. I glanced at my

465
00:29:02.279 --> 00:29:07.599
watch and it said twelve thirty two am. The text

466
00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:10.960
said to stay in the office from twelve to twelve thirty.

467
00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:16.359
I thought, maybe it's okay to go out now. I

468
00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:22.880
grasped the doorknob and slowly turned, taking a deep, cleansing

469
00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:27.519
breath before pulling it open. I'm not sure what I

470
00:29:27.599 --> 00:29:32.839
expected to be there, but what I found was nothing.

471
00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:36.279
The hallway looked the same as it had before.

472
00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:38.559
No.

473
00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:45.119
Wait, the lines on the floor, they were wrong. Every

474
00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:47.480
other time I came out of the security office, the

475
00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:51.240
lines stretched down the hallway to the right. Now they

476
00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:54.279
were going to the left. I looked to the right

477
00:29:54.359 --> 00:29:56.640
and saw the doors that went to the reception area

478
00:29:56.680 --> 00:30:01.400
and eventually the outside doors. This, this is impossible, I thought,

479
00:30:02.039 --> 00:30:05.640
my breathing becoming erratic with panic. I pulled out my

480
00:30:05.720 --> 00:30:09.559
phone and texted, the lines are reversed. It took a

481
00:30:09.559 --> 00:30:13.640
moment for the response. Did you break any rules? No?

482
00:30:13.839 --> 00:30:16.559
I did everything the way you said. Someone was trying

483
00:30:16.599 --> 00:30:19.160
to beat down the office door, but I didn't open it.

484
00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:22.039
Have you gone in any rooms?

485
00:30:22.519 --> 00:30:22.599
No?

486
00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:26.759
I wait. On my second round, I found an open

487
00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:30.480
door and went inside to check it. Not good. What

488
00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:35.799
did you see? Nothing? I lied? Are you sure I

489
00:30:35.839 --> 00:30:39.200
didn't see anything but an empty room? Then why are

490
00:30:39.240 --> 00:30:43.200
the lines switched? I have no idea. You're the one

491
00:30:43.200 --> 00:30:47.079
who's supposed to know this stuff. Okay, do a yellow

492
00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:49.680
line patrol when you get to the end instead of

493
00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:52.319
going through the door. The line ends at open the

494
00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:55.519
first door on your right and go through it, and

495
00:30:55.759 --> 00:30:56.799
that'll fix things.

496
00:30:57.720 --> 00:31:03.519
Hopefully you are scarce to come weekly, spooky, We'll be

497
00:31:03.640 --> 00:31:04.319
right back.

498
00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:12.200
What do you mean hopefully? No return text came. Come on, man,

499
00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:14.920
you've got to be kidding me with this. I texted,

500
00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:19.200
but still got no response. I looked left, then right,

501
00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:22.720
then back at the security room. I sighed and turned

502
00:31:22.759 --> 00:31:26.440
left down the hallway, following the lines. It was shortly

503
00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:30.759
after my first turn that I noticed a difference. The

504
00:31:30.880 --> 00:31:35.279
place was still silent except for my footsteps, but something

505
00:31:35.400 --> 00:31:39.480
felt off. It was like I was in a different place,

506
00:31:39.599 --> 00:31:42.920
but it looked the same. It was almost like I

507
00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:46.839
was walking through a replica of the warehouse, but different.

508
00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:49.480
Aside from the fact that I was going in the

509
00:31:49.480 --> 00:31:53.079
opposite direction, which defied the laws of physics because this

510
00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:59.440
hallway didn't exist, there was something else. I found out

511
00:31:59.440 --> 00:32:04.319
what it was when I stopped, my footsteps kept going.

512
00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:08.160
I stood there halfway down the hall, listening to my51300:32:08.240 --> 00:32:12.720



own footsteps continue on without me. I looked down and51400:32:12.799 --> 00:32:15.680



my shoes were still on my feet, so that was51500:32:15.720 --> 00:32:18.920



some comfort. I stomped my shoe on the floor, but51600:32:19.000 --> 00:32:23.559



to my surprise, it made no sound. I stared at51700:32:23.599 --> 00:32:27.119



my shoes as my footsteps rounded the corner and faded.51800:32:27.880 --> 00:32:31.599



I rushed to catch up, but the sound was gone.51900:32:31.839 --> 00:32:34.680



I looked down the dimly lit hall before me and52000:32:34.799 --> 00:32:38.079



saw nothing. My nerves were getting a workout as I52100:32:38.119 --> 00:32:42.359



resumed my patrol in total silence. My shoes no longer52200:32:42.400 --> 00:32:47.599



made any sound. I tried stomping again, but nothing happened.52300:32:48.400 --> 00:32:50.640



When I turned the next corner, I was greeted by52400:32:50.920 --> 00:32:54.920



the worst sight imaginable. The little thing that had been52500:32:54.920 --> 00:32:57.279



in the room on my green patrol was standing in52600:32:57.319 --> 00:32:59.960



the middle of the hall, staring at me and smiling52700:33:00.119 --> 00:33:04.400



that disturbing grin on its belly. But that wasn't the52800:33:04.440 --> 00:33:08.599



worst part. Behind him was the black, scaly creature from52900:33:08.599 --> 00:33:12.359



the glowing container. It stood at least eight feet high53000:33:12.359 --> 00:33:15.799



and was breathing smoke. It looked at me in extended wings.53100:33:15.839 --> 00:33:19.759



I didn't know it had. They reached both walls easily.53200:33:20.839 --> 00:33:28.960



It was also smiling. Neither smile was comforting. I found53300:33:28.960 --> 00:33:31.880



my feet rooted to the floor and my knees shaking.53400:33:32.440 --> 00:33:35.839



The smaller creature made a chittering sound as it started53500:33:35.880 --> 00:33:39.480



toward me, and the larger took its first step. Its53600:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.920



foot landed with the force of a jackhammer. The sound53700:33:43.000 --> 00:33:46.880



was debilitating. I covered my ears as they approached. I53800:33:46.960 --> 00:33:51.759



turned to run back to where I came from, but somehow, impossibly,53900:33:51.839 --> 00:33:55.599



the same creatures were approaching from that very hallway. I54000:33:55.680 --> 00:33:58.079



glanced back and forth at the mirror images of the54100:33:58.160 --> 00:34:02.079



unearthly threats closing in on me from both sides. I54200:34:02.119 --> 00:34:05.559



had no choice. I dove into the nearest door and54300:34:05.680 --> 00:34:10.440



slammed it shut. The pounding began right away. I backed away,54400:34:10.480 --> 00:34:13.639



but my foot stepped into empty air. I turned to54500:34:13.679 --> 00:34:16.079



find I was at the top step of a stairway,54600:34:16.840 --> 00:34:20.119



but only for a moment. Gravity took over and I54700:34:20.159 --> 00:34:23.679



tumbled down the stairs. Fortunately there was a landing that54800:34:23.760 --> 00:34:26.519



kept me from falling the rest of the way. I54900:34:26.599 --> 00:34:29.320



slowly stood and made sure of my balance while looking55000:34:29.360 --> 00:34:33.079



around at my new environment. The stairs I had fallen55100:34:33.159 --> 00:34:37.599



down looked like concrete and had no railings. I glanced55200:34:37.639 --> 00:34:39.840



over the side at the darkness that seemed to go55300:34:39.920 --> 00:34:44.320



on forever. It reminded me of the Moria Mine staircase55400:34:44.639 --> 00:34:47.679



in Lord of the Rings. I looked up the stairs55500:34:47.719 --> 00:34:50.719



at the door that was still under assault, then looked55600:34:50.760 --> 00:34:55.280



down the stairs that disappeared into darkness. Looking around the room,55700:34:55.360 --> 00:34:59.760



I saw no other option. I reached into my pocket55800:35:00.039 --> 00:35:03.920



pulled out my phone. I had to go in a room. Sorry,55900:35:04.239 --> 00:35:08.800



I texted, no response, come on, don't be like that.56000:35:09.159 --> 00:35:12.760



Answer me nothing. I looked at the phone and it56100:35:12.800 --> 00:35:18.239



showed no Wi Fi signal. Great, I said, hearing the56200:35:18.280 --> 00:35:22.280



word echo back to me, I sighed and started down56300:35:22.320 --> 00:35:26.239



the stairs. Fortunately there was a landing every thirty steps56400:35:26.320 --> 00:35:29.880



or so. Each landing started the next set of stairs56500:35:29.880 --> 00:35:32.519



in a different direction. Looking down through the middle of56600:35:32.519 --> 00:35:36.599



the staircase, I could see them disappear in an elongated square.56700:35:37.559 --> 00:35:41.719



After a few landings, I found myself thinking the strangest thought,56800:35:42.239 --> 00:35:46.079



what about the rest of my rounds? The unending stairs56900:35:46.119 --> 00:35:50.440



didn't answer. As I continued down my squared circle, I57000:35:50.519 --> 00:35:54.320



found myself getting tired. More than once. I stumbled and57100:35:54.360 --> 00:35:57.239



nearly rolled down the stairs, only catching myself in the57200:35:57.280 --> 00:36:01.800



nick of time to avoid falling into the abyss. I'd57300:36:01.840 --> 00:36:05.039



been walking for what felt like hours. I checked my57400:36:05.159 --> 00:36:09.559



watch and it said two twenty two am. I was57500:36:09.679 --> 00:36:13.079



tired and thirsty. I sat down on a step above57600:36:13.119 --> 00:36:17.880



a landing and contemplated my non existent options. I could57700:36:18.000 --> 00:36:21.119



keep going. I leaned over and looked down at the57800:36:21.199 --> 00:36:26.199



continuing endless stairs. I could go back. I looked up57900:36:26.199 --> 00:36:29.920



at the seemingly endless stairs above me, knowing the creatures58000:36:29.920 --> 00:36:34.320



were somewhere up there waiting. I wondered if I would58100:36:34.360 --> 00:36:37.039



be fired for not doing my patrols, and if I58200:36:37.119 --> 00:36:41.360



truly cared. My first hunger pang ripped through my stomach.58300:36:42.519 --> 00:36:47.079



I know, I said, looking at my belly. The foods58400:36:47.400 --> 00:36:51.400



somewhere up there. I pointed in some random upward direction,58500:36:51.920 --> 00:36:59.920



having no idea where the security office was. Out of58600:37:00.119 --> 00:37:05.480



sheer boredom, I glanced at my now useless phone for58700:37:05.519 --> 00:37:10.079



an instant. The Wi Fi signal showed up, then disappeared.58800:37:11.119 --> 00:37:15.000



A bolt of hope shot through me. I texted, I58900:37:15.079 --> 00:37:19.400



got chased into a room by some creatures. I clicked59000:37:19.440 --> 00:37:24.280



send and waited. The signal stayed dead. I got a59100:37:24.280 --> 00:37:27.000



beep saying there was a text, and excitedly read it,59200:37:27.519 --> 00:37:30.559



only to find it was the failed to send notification.59300:37:31.719 --> 00:37:35.280



I tried again, with the same results over and over.59400:37:35.360 --> 00:37:38.760



I kept trying to send. It was my only option59500:37:38.880 --> 00:37:43.599



other than continuing down the endless stairway. My phone dinged59600:37:43.639 --> 00:37:47.320



again and I prepared to hit resend when a message59700:37:47.360 --> 00:37:51.760



showed up. It said, we'll deal with the consequences later.59800:37:52.360 --> 00:37:56.920



Describe the room to me. I was so overjoyed I59900:37:57.039 --> 00:38:02.559



kept misspelling words dark, room, endless stairway. It took five60000:38:02.719 --> 00:38:04.679



tries for it to send, and it was a few60100:38:04.719 --> 00:38:09.599



minutes until a response got through. Okay, do nothing. Set60200:38:09.639 --> 00:38:12.920



your phone down and lay perfectly still for five minutes.60300:38:14.159 --> 00:38:18.000



I didn't bother to try repeatedly sending Okay. I lay60400:38:18.000 --> 00:38:21.199



on the platform, I set my phone beside me, and60500:38:21.280 --> 00:38:27.119



I closed my eyes. I counted out five minutes very slowly.60600:38:28.039 --> 00:38:31.000



Just to be sure I didn't end early. When I60700:38:31.079 --> 00:38:35.639



opened them, I gasped. I was laying on the floor60800:38:35.679 --> 00:38:38.559



in the middle of a square room. The pattern on60900:38:38.599 --> 00:38:42.480



the floor looked like the endless staircase. I stood and61000:38:42.599 --> 00:38:45.840



walked over to the door. I reached for the doorknob61100:38:45.880 --> 00:38:50.000



and opened the door very slowly. The hallway appeared to61200:38:50.000 --> 00:38:54.280



be empty. I stepped tentatively out into the hall and61300:38:54.440 --> 00:38:58.000



started back, following the yellow line. I hoped I was61400:38:58.039 --> 00:39:01.199



going in the right direction. At the end of the hall,61500:39:01.519 --> 00:39:05.199



the line turned left. The green line separated off to61600:39:05.239 --> 00:39:08.159



the right, and I stayed with the yellow. One more61700:39:08.199 --> 00:39:11.119



turn in the yellow line dead ended at a door.61800:39:12.480 --> 00:39:15.760



I reached for the knob, then remembered and turned to61900:39:15.800 --> 00:39:19.039



the right. Opening that door, I peeked through and saw62000:39:19.039 --> 00:39:22.280



the security room across the hall. I lunged for it62100:39:22.320 --> 00:39:25.559



and dove back into the relative safety of the office.62200:39:26.199 --> 00:39:28.719



I went straight to the fridge and grabbed my water bottle,62300:39:28.880 --> 00:39:32.039



then opened the closet and pulled out my sandwich. I62400:39:32.159 --> 00:39:34.519



lay on the couch and chugged half the bottle while62500:39:34.559 --> 00:39:38.960



inhaling my sandwich. It wasn't long until I was asleep.62600:39:40.159 --> 00:39:42.960



I woke to the sound of my phone dinging. I62700:39:43.039 --> 00:39:45.519



read the text, Are you still with us?62800:39:46.760 --> 00:39:49.760



Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your doors?62900:39:50.440 --> 00:39:52.800



Weakly spooky. We'll be right back.63000:39:54.280 --> 00:39:58.400



Yes, thanks to you, I texted, take a break before63100:39:58.400 --> 00:40:01.800



you do any more. Patrols way ahead of you, and63200:40:01.880 --> 00:40:05.679



don't break any more rules. I'll do my absolute best.63300:40:05.960 --> 00:40:11.480



Trust me a couple more rules. Really, if you see63400:40:11.519 --> 00:40:15.239



any more creatures, don't go in a room, stand on63500:40:15.280 --> 00:40:18.280



the line and be still. As long as you're on63600:40:18.320 --> 00:40:24.719



the line, you'll survive. Can they hurt me? Next rule? Yes?63700:40:25.599 --> 00:40:28.960



The next text didn't come. I set down my phone63800:40:29.320 --> 00:40:32.039



and set a timer for an hour. I thought he63900:40:32.039 --> 00:40:35.079



would text the rest by then. I woke an hour64000:40:35.199 --> 00:40:39.440



later to my phone's alarm, but no text. I tried64100:40:39.480 --> 00:40:42.920



again and waited, but got no response. What do I64200:40:43.000 --> 00:40:46.280



do now? I looked at my watch and it said64300:40:46.760 --> 00:40:52.199



three forty seven am. Okay, let's evaluate, I said, sitting64400:40:52.280 --> 00:40:54.519



at the desk in front of the cameras and computer.64500:40:55.639 --> 00:40:58.039



I have a little over five hours left until I64600:40:58.079 --> 00:41:05.079



can leave this. I've done one green patrol and three yellows,64700:41:05.559 --> 00:41:07.880



so I have one ech of red, yellow and green64800:41:07.920 --> 00:41:12.039



to do yet. There's some kind of monstrous creature roaming64900:41:12.039 --> 00:41:15.840



the hallways with his deformed sidekick, and I still don't65000:41:15.840 --> 00:41:17.639



know where the other guard and the keys to the65100:41:17.679 --> 00:41:21.880



weapon locker are. The laws of reality seemed to be65200:41:21.960 --> 00:41:24.920



subjective and depend greatly on whether or not I open65300:41:25.000 --> 00:41:30.280



any doors on my patrol. Somehow I decided to do65400:41:30.320 --> 00:41:33.719



another patrol. I was more worried that the building itself65500:41:33.760 --> 00:41:35.719



wouldn't let me out on time if I didn't do65600:41:35.800 --> 00:41:39.320



all my patrols. For a fleeting moment, I wondered if65700:41:39.320 --> 00:41:42.000



that was what happened to the guard I was supposed65800:41:42.000 --> 00:41:46.480



to relieve, if he was sitting on some endless staircase,65900:41:46.559 --> 00:41:51.519



trapped forever because he missed one patrol. It wasn't a66000:41:51.559 --> 00:41:55.239



comforting thought at this point. It was all that kept66100:41:55.320 --> 00:41:57.639



me from laying on the couch and sleeping the rest66200:41:57.679 --> 00:42:01.360



of my shift away. I took another drink and went66300:42:01.400 --> 00:42:04.639



to the bathroom, then stuck my phone in my pocket,66400:42:04.880 --> 00:42:09.039



grabbed my flashlight, and headed out the door. When I66500:42:09.079 --> 00:42:11.760



looked down, I was surprised to see the lines going66600:42:12.400 --> 00:42:16.119



to the right. Maybe I reset things when I reset66700:42:16.159 --> 00:42:20.000



the room, I thought. I headed down the hallway, hearing66800:42:20.039 --> 00:42:23.960



my footsteps. Once again, I stopped, and the sound of66900:42:23.960 --> 00:42:28.119



my footsteps stopped as well. It was a comforting return67000:42:28.199 --> 00:42:31.239



to some normalcy. As I made the first turn, I67100:42:31.320 --> 00:42:33.800



paused and peeked around the corner to see if any67200:42:33.840 --> 00:42:38.280



creatures were waiting for me. The hallway seemed empty. I67300:42:38.320 --> 00:42:40.679



looked at the doors to make sure none were cracked67400:42:40.719 --> 00:42:44.880



open waiting for me to pass. They all seemed closed.67500:42:45.679 --> 00:42:48.320



I was glad I hadn't run across the creatures, but67600:42:48.480 --> 00:42:50.880



every step I took made me wonder if they were67700:42:50.960 --> 00:42:54.400



lying in wait for me at the next turn, silently67800:42:54.440 --> 00:42:57.880



waiting to jump out and do unspeakable things to me.67900:42:59.079 --> 00:43:01.039



I glanced down at the lines where the red and68000:43:01.079 --> 00:43:03.880



black went left and the green and yellow went right.68100:43:04.880 --> 00:43:07.760



There was something on the floor. I'd bent down and68200:43:07.800 --> 00:43:11.800



shown my flashlight to get a closer look. There was68300:43:11.840 --> 00:43:16.960



a small drop of something red. I touched it with68400:43:17.000 --> 00:43:21.119



my finger and it smeared on the floor. Whatever it68500:43:21.320 --> 00:43:25.800



was wasn't dry yet, it hadn't been there long. I68600:43:25.880 --> 00:43:29.400



brought my finger up to my nose and smelled it.68700:43:29.400 --> 00:43:35.039



It had a metallic scent. My eyes went wide with68800:43:35.079 --> 00:43:39.880



the realization it was blood. I jumped up and looked68900:43:39.880 --> 00:43:42.760



all around, searching the floor for where it came from.69000:43:43.360 --> 00:43:46.800



The yellow and green hallway looked clean, but the red69100:43:46.800 --> 00:43:50.920



and black hallway I saw another drop three feet down69200:43:50.920 --> 00:43:54.159



the hall. I shone my flashlight at the yellow and green,69300:43:54.960 --> 00:43:59.400



longing to do a quiet patrol. Then I looked over69400:43:59.480 --> 00:44:02.079



at the red d black lines that were punctuated with69500:44:02.159 --> 00:44:07.679



drops of blood every few feet. I sighed and turned left,69600:44:08.400 --> 00:44:11.639



following the blood and the foreboding red and black lines.69700:44:12.760 --> 00:44:16.320



My senses went on high alert. I could hear my breathing,69800:44:16.519 --> 00:44:19.639



I could smell my perspiration as my stress level rose.69900:44:20.400 --> 00:44:23.960



Every step sounded louder than the one before. Even the70000:44:24.039 --> 00:44:28.280



doors seemed to somehow menace me. When a light in70100:44:28.320 --> 00:44:32.000



the ceiling flickered, I froze nothing, jumped out of a70200:44:32.079 --> 00:44:35.119



room and dragged me to hell. I paused and took70300:44:35.159 --> 00:44:39.760



a deep, cleansing breath, then continued my patrol, keeping an70400:44:39.760 --> 00:44:42.679



eye on the blood on the floor. I came to70500:44:42.760 --> 00:44:46.880



another turn and checked carefully before stepping into the new hallway.70600:44:47.800 --> 00:44:51.480



The problem was it was a fork. The red line70700:44:51.519 --> 00:44:56.159



went right and the black line went left. The blood70800:44:57.480 --> 00:45:01.559



followed the black line. I thought back to the repeated70900:45:01.599 --> 00:45:04.960



warnings not to follow the black line. I remembered being71000:45:05.000 --> 00:45:08.000



trapped for hours when I disobeyed a rule and went71100:45:08.039 --> 00:45:11.559



into a room. I stood there at the fork, looking71200:45:11.599 --> 00:45:16.119



at each line in turn back and forth. It came71300:45:16.199 --> 00:45:20.079



down to a choice. Obey the rules, follow the red71400:45:20.119 --> 00:45:24.559



line and play it safe. Disobey the rules, follow the71500:45:24.599 --> 00:45:29.000



blood and see if the other guard is hurt. One71600:45:29.119 --> 00:45:33.920



choice was selfless and the other was selfish. Another thought71700:45:33.960 --> 00:45:37.360



pushed to the front of the line. I've already broken71800:45:37.400 --> 00:45:40.320



the rules. True. I was trapped on the stairway to71900:45:40.400 --> 00:45:42.760



hell for a while and wasn't sure if I'd make72000:45:42.800 --> 00:45:46.960



it out, But I did. This thought tipped the scales,72100:45:47.280 --> 00:45:49.360



and I stepped off the red line and onto the72200:45:49.400 --> 00:45:53.199



black one. The moment I did, I felt a chill.72300:45:54.679 --> 00:45:58.320



I looked around, but nothing else seemed different. I kept72400:45:58.360 --> 00:46:01.280



following the trail of blood, and the hall got darker.72500:46:02.159 --> 00:46:05.480



I looked up and every third light was still lit.72600:46:06.199 --> 00:46:10.920



It was like something was snuffing out the lights. The72700:46:11.039 --> 00:46:13.840



chill got more intense, to the point where I could72800:46:13.880 --> 00:46:17.320



see my breath. The doors in this hall were fewer72900:46:17.360 --> 00:46:21.360



and farther apart, and there were no turns. I looked73000:46:21.360 --> 00:46:23.199



at the doors to try to figure out how far73100:46:23.280 --> 00:46:28.119



I'd gone. When I noticed they were blank. I shone73200:46:28.119 --> 00:46:31.079



my light at the half dozen doors. Not one of73300:46:31.119 --> 00:46:34.840



them had a letter number or any markings on it.73400:46:36.039 --> 00:46:40.039



I decided my selflessness had reached its limit. I turned73500:46:40.079 --> 00:46:42.800



and started back towards the fork where the red line was.73600:46:43.679 --> 00:46:46.559



I walked for five minutes, and the red line was73700:46:46.639 --> 00:46:51.000



still nowhere in sight. In fact, the chill hadn't gone73800:46:51.039 --> 00:46:54.400



away either. The drops of blood were still there, though.73900:46:55.400 --> 00:46:57.719



I broke into a light jog for a few minutes,74000:46:57.760 --> 00:47:01.440



which soon became a flat out run. After a few74100:47:01.480 --> 00:47:06.039



more minutes, I stopped to catch my breath. That's impossible,74200:47:06.199 --> 00:47:09.559



I thought, realizing even as I thought it, that I74300:47:09.559 --> 00:47:14.599



had already seen impossible things tonight. Once I was breathing74400:47:14.639 --> 00:47:18.079



normally again, I decided to break out of this loop.74500:47:18.400 --> 00:47:21.239



I reached for one of the doors, but it was locked.74600:47:21.840 --> 00:47:27.840



I tried another, and another, all locked. I pulled out74700:47:27.840 --> 00:47:32.440



my phone and texted, I'm stuck again. We told you74800:47:32.519 --> 00:47:35.760



not to follow the black line. The return text said,74900:47:36.599 --> 00:47:40.199



it sent chills down my spine. How did you know75000:47:40.280 --> 00:47:43.440



I was following the black line? I only said, I75100:47:43.519 --> 00:47:46.559



was in trouble. We know exactly what you're doing the75200:47:46.679 --> 00:47:50.039



entire time you've been in the building. Then why didn't75300:47:50.079 --> 00:47:53.559



you tell me not to follow the black line? We did?75400:47:54.039 --> 00:48:00.320



You ignored it? So what do I do now? A75500:48:00.360 --> 00:48:04.039



single word came back, making me wish I'd never come75600:48:04.079 --> 00:48:14.000



to this place die. As I was still staring at75700:48:14.000 --> 00:48:17.440



the three horrid letters on my phone, I heard a75800:48:17.480 --> 00:48:21.920



noise behind me. It was just the shuffle of a foot,75900:48:21.960 --> 00:48:25.119



and I knew I wasn't moving. I looked up and76000:48:25.199 --> 00:48:28.960



there stood the hideous creature with no head and its76100:48:29.000 --> 00:48:33.280



face on its belly. It was staring at me and grinning.76200:48:34.159 --> 00:48:36.800



I turned to escape the other way, but the massive,76300:48:36.880 --> 00:48:41.320



scaly creature was standing there, blocking my path. They had76400:48:41.360 --> 00:48:43.920



me boxed in and none of the doors would open.76500:48:44.719 --> 00:48:47.480



I was out of options. The only thing I could76600:48:47.559 --> 00:48:50.840



think of was the text that told me to stay76700:48:50.880 --> 00:48:54.480



on the line. I stepped away from the door and76800:48:54.559 --> 00:48:57.400



out to the middle of the hallway and stood on76900:48:57.400 --> 00:49:01.679



the black line. As they approached, I could see smiles77000:49:01.719 --> 00:49:05.880



on each of their grotesque faces. The big one was77100:49:05.960 --> 00:49:09.679



flexing its claws, and the small one's arms were outstretched77200:49:09.679 --> 00:49:13.000



as if wanting to give me a hug, but I77300:49:13.079 --> 00:49:18.880



knew better. They had me, and they knew it. With77400:49:19.000 --> 00:49:22.320



nothing to lose, I ran towards the smaller one, and77500:49:22.400 --> 00:49:25.119



right before I got to him, I swung my flashlight77600:49:25.199 --> 00:49:28.719



with everything I had it smacked him right in the teeth.77700:49:29.400 --> 00:49:33.280



I dove over his falling body as he crumpled to77800:49:33.360 --> 00:49:36.960



the floor. I kept running as hopes sprung up in77900:49:37.039 --> 00:49:40.679



my chest and fueled my escape. It was short lived,78000:49:40.679 --> 00:49:44.320



as I heard massive wings flapping behind me, and the78100:49:44.360 --> 00:49:47.599



next thing I knew, claws grabbed my shoulders, tearing through78200:49:47.639 --> 00:49:51.000



my uniform and into my sides. I tried to escape78300:49:51.000 --> 00:49:54.880



its grasp, but its grip was like iron. I stumbled78400:49:54.920 --> 00:49:56.679



and fell to the floor. With the weight of that78500:49:56.880 --> 00:50:00.360



thing landing on top of me, I felt I heard78600:50:00.400 --> 00:50:04.239



pops in my back as pain raced down my spine.78700:50:04.360 --> 00:50:06.800



It matched the pain in my face. As my skull78800:50:06.880 --> 00:50:11.280



bounced off the concrete floor on impact, I knew instantly78900:50:11.760 --> 00:50:15.320



my nose was broken. It released its grasp so its79000:50:15.320 --> 00:50:18.440



claws could stand on the floor, but it still kept79100:50:18.480 --> 00:50:22.280



me pinned down. I heard it cackling as it relished79200:50:22.320 --> 00:50:25.920



in my helplessness. I felt hot liquid run down my79300:50:26.079 --> 00:50:29.719



back that I hoped wasn't my blood. I tried to79400:50:29.760 --> 00:50:32.159



break free and squirm my way out of its grip,79500:50:32.599 --> 00:50:35.159



but it was too strong, and all I ended up79600:50:35.159 --> 00:50:39.159



doing was causing myself more pain. I felt its claws79700:50:39.239 --> 00:50:42.000



tearing at my back, ripping cloth and skin.79800:50:43.280 --> 00:50:48.639



Are you afraid? Good? Weakly, spooky, We'll be right back.79900:50:49.880 --> 00:50:52.679



There was nothing I could do. It was digging into80000:50:52.679 --> 00:50:56.000



my spine. Once there, I was just a piece of meat.80100:50:56.760 --> 00:51:01.440



Whoever had texted me was right. I was about to die.80200:51:01.519 --> 00:51:05.239



The rules had finally been my undoing. There was a80300:51:05.280 --> 00:51:09.320



flash of light and an explosion from behind me. I80400:51:09.400 --> 00:51:12.239



felt the pressure release as the creature's weight lifted off80500:51:12.320 --> 00:51:17.079



of me. I wondered at this new development, feeling grateful80600:51:17.119 --> 00:51:20.239



but cautious, as I painfully rolled to my side and80700:51:20.320 --> 00:51:23.119



attempted to get up. I got as far as my80800:51:23.199 --> 00:51:27.199



knees when I felt and then heard at presence. I looked,80900:51:27.679 --> 00:51:30.480



and there stood a man with a uniform on similar81000:51:30.480 --> 00:51:34.360



to mine, only not as destroyed. He was older than81100:51:34.360 --> 00:51:37.039



me and looked like he had been through a rough81200:51:37.079 --> 00:51:40.679



time as well. He had several scratches on his cheek81300:51:40.719 --> 00:51:44.000



and his uniform was ripped in several places. He also81400:51:44.039 --> 00:51:46.760



had a bandage on his hand that was red and dripping.81500:51:47.679 --> 00:51:50.400



I tried to get to my feet but struggled. He81600:51:50.400 --> 00:51:52.280



helped me up and we stared at each other for81700:51:52.320 --> 00:51:58.679



a moment. Mister Larsen, I presume, I said. Finally. He81800:51:58.760 --> 00:52:02.199



looked surprised when I said his name. Do I know you?81900:52:02.800 --> 00:52:07.440



He said, I'm your new trainee. I just started tonight.82000:52:08.599 --> 00:52:11.719



What are you doing out here on the black Line?82100:52:11.840 --> 00:52:13.800



I saw the blood and followed it to make sure82200:52:13.840 --> 00:52:18.079



someone was all right. He looked at his hand. Yeah,82300:52:18.239 --> 00:52:21.079



got into a bit of a scrap. He said, we82400:52:21.119 --> 00:52:24.400



should probably head back before Ugly decides to show up again.82500:52:25.400 --> 00:52:28.800



I agree, I said, starting to walk away, but my82600:52:28.920 --> 00:52:32.519



left leg didn't want to cooperate. I started to fall,82700:52:32.559 --> 00:52:35.960



but he caught me. You all right there, son, my82800:52:36.119 --> 00:52:38.840



leg seems to be having a bit of a problem.82900:52:39.400 --> 00:52:41.599



He grabbed my arm and pulled it over his shoulder.83000:52:42.400 --> 00:52:44.679



Let's get you back to the security office and take83100:52:44.719 --> 00:52:47.719



a look at that. We started back down the hall,83200:52:47.760 --> 00:52:50.039



and within a few minutes came to see the fork83300:52:50.360 --> 00:52:53.480



where the red Lion split off. I was never so83400:52:53.599 --> 00:52:56.239



glad to see anything in my life as that line83500:52:56.280 --> 00:52:59.639



of paint on the floor. We started to turn back83600:52:59.679 --> 00:53:03.920



towards the yellow and green lines, but I stopped. Do83700:53:04.000 --> 00:53:07.480



you mind if we do a red line patrol, I said.83800:53:08.400 --> 00:53:11.840



He looked at me, puzzled. I'd rather have someone with83900:53:11.920 --> 00:53:14.239



me anyways, and we do have to go all the84000:53:14.280 --> 00:53:19.840



way back. Sure thing, kid, he said. We kept going84100:53:19.880 --> 00:53:22.840



straight on the red line. The farther we went, the84200:53:22.880 --> 00:53:26.039



more my back seemed to hurt. Do you mind if84300:53:26.079 --> 00:53:29.920



I ask you some questions? I said, keep my mind84400:53:29.960 --> 00:53:37.000



off the pane? Shoot, what is this place? Well, now84500:53:37.079 --> 00:53:39.360



you asked one hell of a question to start out with,84600:53:39.960 --> 00:53:44.440



he said, It's hard to explain. Let's just say it's84700:53:44.480 --> 00:53:49.360



a form of a testing facility, testing what. He seemed84800:53:49.360 --> 00:53:51.880



to struggle with that for a moment and was silent84900:53:51.960 --> 00:53:56.239



as we walked, testing all sorts of things. Obviously you've85000:53:56.280 --> 00:54:00.079



seen some of the more incredible subjects, but there there85100:54:00.079 --> 00:54:05.760



are also simpler tests going on, like what mostly dealing85200:54:05.800 --> 00:54:10.920



with reactions? How different subjects deal with stimuli. How do85300:54:11.000 --> 00:54:14.840



you know so much about this place, he chuckled, When85400:54:14.840 --> 00:54:17.239



you've been here as long as I have, you learn things.85500:54:18.360 --> 00:54:21.400



Just then a door burst open, and three ugly troll85600:54:21.480 --> 00:54:25.840



looking creatures lumbered toward us. He stopped and tapped his watch,85700:54:26.239 --> 00:54:29.400



then fiddled with controls for a moment. As the trolls85800:54:29.440 --> 00:54:32.679



advanced on us. Suddenly there was a wave of light85900:54:33.000 --> 00:54:35.519



and they froze in place, right as they were reaching us.86000:54:36.400 --> 00:54:39.920



I looked from him to the trolls and back. That's86100:54:39.960 --> 00:54:44.159



a handy gadget you have, I said, When do I86200:54:44.239 --> 00:54:49.760



get one of those? He smiled. Can you keep a secret? Sure?86300:54:50.880 --> 00:54:54.400



I'm technically not supposed to have it, but I find86400:54:54.440 --> 00:54:59.039



it makes patrols a lot easier. Nice. Maybe I could86500:54:59.039 --> 00:55:01.599



borrow it once in a while, if you don't quit86600:55:01.679 --> 00:55:06.480



after tonight. He said, that's a mighty big if, I said,86700:55:06.840 --> 00:55:10.920



feeling the pain getting worse. We continued past the frozen86800:55:10.960 --> 00:55:13.760



trolls until the red line dead ended at a door.86900:55:14.320 --> 00:55:17.840



I reached for it, but he pulled me back. I'm87000:55:17.880 --> 00:55:21.920



guessing you didn't get all the rules yet. Apparently not.87100:55:22.760 --> 00:55:25.239



He touched his watch and a light shone from it87200:55:25.280 --> 00:55:27.599



onto the door. It had a red X on it.87300:55:28.280 --> 00:55:30.519



He showed it on the door beside it, and it87400:55:30.599 --> 00:55:34.039



also showed a red X. The third door showed a87500:55:34.039 --> 00:55:38.039



green circle. It's this one, he said, opening the door87600:55:38.280 --> 00:55:41.360



and helping me through it. To my surprise, we came87700:55:41.400 --> 00:55:43.800



out in the main hallway. I looked at the number87800:55:43.840 --> 00:55:47.280



on the door and it said a five. We walked87900:55:47.320 --> 00:55:49.880



down to the security room and I reached for the88000:55:49.960 --> 00:55:53.639



number pad to enter my code. I stopped and withdrew88100:55:53.719 --> 00:55:58.239



my hand. Why don't you enter the code? I said, what?88200:55:59.000 --> 00:56:02.400



Because I'm holding you up so you don't collapse. I88300:56:02.519 --> 00:56:06.199



painfully reached over and leaned against the wall. I'm good,88400:56:06.639 --> 00:56:09.920



Go ahead. He looked at me for a very long moment.88500:56:11.239 --> 00:56:13.519



This isn't a very polite way to treat someone who88600:56:13.519 --> 00:56:16.840



helped you out. No, it isn't. But I'd still like88700:56:16.880 --> 00:56:19.880



to see you enter your code. He glared at me88800:56:20.000 --> 00:56:23.840



with fiery intensity. Is this the way you're going to88900:56:23.880 --> 00:56:28.639



treat your superiors? Not if they really are my superiors?89000:56:28.960 --> 00:56:32.519



What are you saying? I'm saying I'd like to see89100:56:32.559 --> 00:56:35.320



you punch in your employee code to show me you89200:56:35.400 --> 00:56:38.400



are who you say you are. Who else would I be?89300:56:39.559 --> 00:56:43.800



I don't know, let's find out. He stood there, looking89400:56:43.880 --> 00:56:46.719



every bit like he wanted to deck me, and then89500:56:46.800 --> 00:56:53.079



suddenly his expression softened. Good job, kid, he said, then89600:56:53.199 --> 00:56:58.440



faded away to nothingness. I let out of breath. I89700:56:58.440 --> 00:57:01.719



didn't realize i'd been holding and punched in my coat.89800:57:02.679 --> 00:57:05.840



The door opened, and I found myself once again looking89900:57:05.880 --> 00:57:09.199



at this room as my place of refuge. I limped90000:57:09.199 --> 00:57:12.000



into the bathroom and painfully peeled off what was left90100:57:12.000 --> 00:57:15.800



of my shirt. I wetted some paper towels and tried90200:57:15.800 --> 00:57:18.280



to pat down the gouges and scrapes on my back.90300:57:19.119 --> 00:57:21.599



I looked in the mirror at my broken nose and90400:57:21.719 --> 00:57:24.519



patted it with wet paper towels to get as much90500:57:24.519 --> 00:57:28.039



of the dried blood as possible. I wasn't looking forward90600:57:28.119 --> 00:57:30.400



to getting it set if I ever got out of90700:57:30.440 --> 00:57:33.519



here alive. That is, as I stepped out of the bathroom,90800:57:33.679 --> 00:57:38.960



something was different about the room. The weapons locker was open.90900:57:39.519 --> 00:57:41.639



I stepped over to it and found the metal door91000:57:41.800 --> 00:57:46.599



hanging wide open. There was a shotgun and a handgun missing.91100:57:47.840 --> 00:57:50.639



I didn't want to think about the ramifications of someone91200:57:50.719 --> 00:57:53.239



being in what should have been the most secure room91300:57:53.280 --> 00:57:57.199



in the building, not only that, but taking weapons as well,91400:57:58.039 --> 00:58:00.400



and the fact that they thought there was enough danger91500:58:00.440 --> 00:58:03.840



to need the weapons in the first place. I'll admit91600:58:03.960 --> 00:58:06.239



it would have been nice to have the shotgun on91700:58:06.360 --> 00:58:10.400



the last patrol. But I grabbed a shotgun and loaded it,91800:58:10.800 --> 00:58:13.960



then through some extra rounds in my pants pocket. Then91900:58:14.039 --> 00:58:16.000



I took a holster and put it on my belt,92000:58:16.400 --> 00:58:19.039



loading a handgun to put in it. I grabbed a92100:58:19.079 --> 00:58:22.519



taser and pepper spray as well. It was strange, but92200:58:23.119 --> 00:58:26.880



being armed didn't make me feel more secure. Maybe it92300:58:26.960 --> 00:58:29.119



was the fact that I had no idea who had92400:58:29.159 --> 00:58:33.280



the other guns. I hoped it was my supervisor, but92500:58:33.400 --> 00:58:37.280



this place had taught me to expect the unexpected. The92600:58:37.360 --> 00:58:39.719



other difference in the room was the locked door that92700:58:39.800 --> 00:58:43.360



I had assumed was a maintenance closet. It was open.92800:58:44.159 --> 00:58:46.800



I chambered around in the shotgun and peeked around the92900:58:46.880 --> 00:58:50.360



corner into the open door. It was dark. I was93000:58:50.400 --> 00:58:53.320



tempted to close the door and walk away, but my93100:58:53.440 --> 00:58:57.480



curiosity wouldn't let me. I turned on the shotgun's flashlight93200:58:57.960 --> 00:59:01.800



and started through the door. I jumped as my phone dinged,93300:59:01.880 --> 00:59:05.039



saying I had a text, don't go in that room,93400:59:05.480 --> 00:59:08.840



it read. I stuck the phone in my pocket and93500:59:09.000 --> 00:59:12.679



continued into the room. The light wasn't much help against93600:59:12.679 --> 00:59:15.360



the total darkness. I could only see a few feet93700:59:15.400 --> 00:59:18.840



in front of me, the passageway was cramped. I had93800:59:18.840 --> 00:59:22.679



to walk a little sideways. Claustrophobia crept up on me93900:59:23.000 --> 00:59:25.559



and had me fighting off panic. As I continued down94000:59:25.599 --> 00:59:29.280



the tiny corridor. The light from the shotgun didn't do94100:59:29.360 --> 00:59:32.880



much to stave off the darkness. There was little to see,94200:59:32.920 --> 00:59:34.719



but it would have been nicer to see it much94300:59:34.800 --> 00:59:39.480



more brightly. Suddenly the corridor opened up into a large room.94400:59:40.320 --> 00:59:42.760



I made sure there weren't any steps to stumble down94500:59:42.840 --> 00:59:46.960



like before. I flashed the light around, but didn't see much.94600:59:47.800 --> 00:59:50.800



The room was empty except for something small in the corner.94700:59:51.679 --> 00:59:55.519



I cautiously started towards it, shooting glances all around as94800:59:55.519 --> 00:59:58.320



I went. When I got close, I could see it94900:59:58.400 --> 01:00:01.559



was a small box. There were bars on the front95001:00:01.559 --> 01:00:06.639



of the small door, and fingers were sticking out. Hello,95101:00:06.880 --> 01:00:11.199



said a raspy voice, barely loud enough to hear. Who95201:00:11.239 --> 01:00:11.599



are you.95301:00:13.280 --> 01:00:16.800



U sh it was only the wind. You are safe,95401:00:17.199 --> 01:00:19.280



weekly spooky. We'll be right back.95501:00:20.920 --> 01:00:24.880



My name is Kevin Larson. Who are you and why95601:00:24.920 --> 01:00:28.320



aren't you wearing a shirt? I looked down, and sure95701:00:28.400 --> 01:00:31.119



enough I forgot to put my shirt back on when95801:00:31.119 --> 01:00:35.639



I was tending to my wounds. That's not important. I95901:00:35.760 --> 01:00:39.360



need to get you out of here. You can't. They're96001:00:39.400 --> 01:00:42.079



waiting for someone to rescue me so they can capture them.96101:00:43.119 --> 01:00:47.480



I'm nothing more than bait, and I fell for it,96201:00:47.880 --> 01:00:51.039



I said, looking at the lock that prevented his escape.96301:00:52.239 --> 01:00:55.480



Go back and report that I'm missing. The other security96401:00:55.480 --> 01:01:00.239



guard said, I did that several hours ago, and they96501:01:00.239 --> 01:01:04.960



haven't sent me one unless they're invisible, which for this96601:01:05.119 --> 01:01:09.039



place that might not be much of a stretch. Who96701:01:09.079 --> 01:01:14.599



are you again? I started last night. I'm your new trainee.96801:01:14.760 --> 01:01:19.039



You say you started last night? Yes, and you called96901:01:19.039 --> 01:01:24.320



in that I was missing. Yes, you're not my trainee,97001:01:25.039 --> 01:01:29.000



you're my replacement. What do you mean If they haven't97101:01:29.000 --> 01:01:33.599



come looking for me yet, that means they think I'm gone. Wow,97201:01:34.559 --> 01:01:38.239



talk about job security. I kept fiddling with the lock,97301:01:38.320 --> 01:01:42.880



but it refused to open. Step back, I said, what97401:01:42.960 --> 01:01:45.800



are you going to? I fired the shotgun at the lock.97501:01:46.239 --> 01:01:50.280



It hit but didn't break it. Stop, he yelled as97601:01:50.360 --> 01:01:53.559



I chambered and fired another round. This time the lock97701:01:53.639 --> 01:01:56.519



broke and came free. I opened the door in time97801:01:56.559 --> 01:02:00.239



to receive a punch to the jaw. You idiot, you97901:02:00.280 --> 01:02:03.039



could have killed me. He came out of the box98001:02:03.079 --> 01:02:06.000



and wrapped his hands around my neck. Get off me,98101:02:06.480 --> 01:02:09.239



I yelled, twisting out of his grip. He knocked me98201:02:09.280 --> 01:02:14.079



to the floor and we rolled around trading punches. Your welcome, asshole,98301:02:14.519 --> 01:02:18.280



I said, for what? Trying to give me a buckshot milkshake?98401:02:19.159 --> 01:02:22.320



I stopped rolling when I heard the sound. It was98501:02:22.400 --> 01:02:27.119



like a rushing wind coming toward us. What is that?98601:02:27.519 --> 01:02:30.639



I said. He jumped up and ran toward the corridor.98701:02:31.760 --> 01:02:35.079



What is it? I said to his rapidly disappearing back98801:02:35.320 --> 01:02:38.199



as I ran as best I could behind him. It98901:02:38.280 --> 01:02:41.239



didn't take long for me to find out the large99001:02:41.280 --> 01:02:44.239



creature I'd met last in the back hallway must have99101:02:44.280 --> 01:02:47.239



had a lot of family, because they were all flying99201:02:47.280 --> 01:02:51.360



toward me. I kicked into high adrenaline gear, running faster99301:02:51.440 --> 01:02:54.599



than my injured body wanted to. The wave of black99401:02:54.639 --> 01:02:57.719



wings was almost on me. I turned around long enough99501:02:57.760 --> 01:03:00.599



to fire a shot at the closest one. I was99601:03:00.639 --> 01:03:03.679



rewarded by seeing him not only fall, but take a99701:03:03.679 --> 01:03:07.719



couple of his brothers with him. Encouraged, I fired again,99801:03:07.920 --> 01:03:12.079



watching three more go down. I fired again and again,99901:03:12.760 --> 01:03:15.159



feeling like I could take them on. As I squeezed100001:03:15.159 --> 01:03:18.880



into the corridor. I aimed one more time, but the100101:03:18.920 --> 01:03:22.639



gun only clicked. I had fired my last shot and100201:03:22.760 --> 01:03:27.239



needed to reload. The problem was I was running backward100301:03:27.280 --> 01:03:29.960



in a corridor that had no room, and my arms100401:03:29.960 --> 01:03:33.239



were nearly pinned to my sides. I started hacking at100501:03:33.280 --> 01:03:34.840



them with the butt of the gun when they got100601:03:34.840 --> 01:03:38.239



close enough. It wasn't as effective as a buckshot blast,100701:03:38.280 --> 01:03:41.880



but it still worked. They were almost on me. I100801:03:41.960 --> 01:03:45.519



felt claws scratch at my head and face. Suddenly I100901:03:45.559 --> 01:03:50.280



fell backward onto the floor of the security room. Help me,101001:03:50.880 --> 01:03:53.199



Larson said, as he tried to slam the door shut.101101:03:53.880 --> 01:03:56.159



I had the wind knocked out of me. I stumbled101201:03:56.159 --> 01:03:58.039



to get up and rolled over to press my weight101301:03:58.039 --> 01:04:01.159



against the door. They were still holding it open enough101401:04:01.159 --> 01:04:03.880



that it wouldn't latch. I reached into my pocket and101501:04:03.920 --> 01:04:06.760



pulled out a shotgun shell. I loaded it and stuck101601:04:06.800 --> 01:04:10.079



the barrel into the opening. Before I could do anything,101701:04:10.119 --> 01:04:13.239



it was nearly ripped out of my hands. By some miracle,101801:04:13.280 --> 01:04:16.039



my finger was already on the trigger. It went off,101901:04:16.159 --> 01:04:20.280



knocking them back just enough to close the door. He102001:04:20.360 --> 01:04:25.119



collapsed beside me, breathing hard, and offered his hand now102101:04:25.159 --> 01:04:28.840



I'll thank you for the rescue. You're welcome, I said,102201:04:29.159 --> 01:04:33.760



sitting there, trying to catch my breath, not to sound ungrateful.102301:04:33.840 --> 01:04:37.639



But how did you get in there? Anyway? I pointed102401:04:37.679 --> 01:04:41.679



my thumb over my shoulder. Door was open. He fixed102501:04:41.719 --> 01:04:46.639



a hard stare at me. That's impossible, I shrugged. I102601:04:46.639 --> 01:04:49.000



don't know what to tell you. I walked in after102701:04:49.039 --> 01:04:51.679



my last patrol. The door was open, and so was102801:04:51.719 --> 01:04:56.599



the weapons locker. Was anything missing? He said, suddenly, alarmed102901:04:57.440 --> 01:05:00.480



a shotgun and a handgun. He grabbed my arm and103001:05:00.559 --> 01:05:05.519



yanked We have to go right now. Why The word103101:05:05.559 --> 01:05:07.840



was barely out of my mouth when the floor erupted103201:05:07.880 --> 01:05:10.639



beside me. I jumped up and followed him toward the door.103301:05:10.840 --> 01:05:13.719



A shotgun blast hit the wall behind me. A chunk103401:05:13.760 --> 01:05:15.840



of the door blasted out in front of us just103501:05:15.920 --> 01:05:19.280



before we reached it, causing us to duck. Who the103601:05:19.320 --> 01:05:23.840



hell's doing that? I said, Oh, come on, A voice103701:05:23.840 --> 01:05:26.559



said from the other side of the room. You've forgotten103801:05:26.599 --> 01:05:30.519



your rescuer already. I glanced around the corner and saw103901:05:30.559 --> 01:05:33.679



the fake Larsen aiming a shot at my head. I104001:05:33.800 --> 01:05:36.400



ducked back just in time as the blast tore a104101:05:36.480 --> 01:05:39.440



hole in the wall. Does this kind of thing happen104201:05:39.880 --> 01:05:43.199



often on night shift? I said, loading more shells into104301:05:43.239 --> 01:05:47.079



my shotgun. Only when you break the rules, he said,104401:05:47.119 --> 01:05:49.960



fixing me with a pointed glare. If I would have104501:05:50.039 --> 01:05:52.599



known this place had all these freaky rules, I never104601:05:52.639 --> 01:05:56.519



would have taken the job. Neither would anyone else, he said,104701:05:56.559 --> 01:05:59.960



peeking around the corner and being rewarded with a shotgun blast,104801:06:00.119 --> 01:06:02.920



nearly hitting him in the face. I don't get it,104901:06:03.119 --> 01:06:07.000



I said, all these rules are stupid. Maybe we could105001:06:07.039 --> 01:06:10.320



discuss it when we're safe. I fired off a blast105101:06:10.320 --> 01:06:13.840



when I saw fake Larsen peek around the corner. And105201:06:13.920 --> 01:06:16.760



when will that be? I shouted over the return shot.105301:06:17.320 --> 01:06:20.679



His eyes darted around the room, as if searching for something.105401:06:21.320 --> 01:06:24.280



He grabbed the shotgun from me and fired the buckshot105501:06:24.320 --> 01:06:27.159



pierced the fire extinguisher, instantly filling the room with a105601:06:27.199 --> 01:06:30.159



cloud of white powder. He grabbed me and dragged me105701:06:30.199 --> 01:06:34.000



toward the door as the other Larsen fired. Blindly. We105801:06:34.039 --> 01:06:37.760



fell into the hallway, barely staying upright, coughing powder out105901:06:37.760 --> 01:06:40.840



of our lungs. I turned and slammed the door shut.106001:06:41.719 --> 01:06:44.800



Will that hold him? I said, How many more patrols106101:06:44.800 --> 01:06:47.400



do you have to do? He said, looking at his watch.106201:06:47.840 --> 01:06:50.199



Are you nuts? Why would I do any more patrols106301:06:50.239 --> 01:06:54.400



with that psycho running around? Believe me, he said, looking106401:06:54.440 --> 01:06:57.360



me in the eyes. There are worse things than him106501:06:57.400 --> 01:07:01.000



in this place. I thought for a moment, I still106601:07:01.039 --> 01:07:04.400



need to do one yellow and one green. Do you106701:07:04.440 --> 01:07:07.239



have any more shells for this thing? I felt in106801:07:07.280 --> 01:07:10.320



my pocket and pulled out two more shotgun shells, then106901:07:10.440 --> 01:07:13.840



handed them over. I pulled out the handgun and chambered around,107001:07:14.320 --> 01:07:18.239



then turned on the safety. Let's go, he said, heading107101:07:18.280 --> 01:07:19.000



down the hallway.107201:07:20.440 --> 01:07:24.159



Don't go away weakly, spooky, We'll be right back.107301:07:26.159 --> 01:07:28.480



I was still shirtless and feeling the effects of the107401:07:28.519 --> 01:07:31.440



attack in the black hall, but I did my best107501:07:31.519 --> 01:07:34.559



to hide the pain and let the adrenaline carry me along.107601:07:35.400 --> 01:07:38.519



We walked side by side, each alert for anything that107701:07:38.599 --> 01:07:41.599



might pop out at us. Surprisingly, we made it all107801:07:41.599 --> 01:07:44.800



the way through a yellow patrol without a problem. I107901:07:44.840 --> 01:07:47.079



looked at my watch as we emerged back into the108001:07:47.119 --> 01:07:51.880



main hall, near the security room eight eleven. I said,108101:07:52.440 --> 01:07:55.760



we'd better get that last patrol in quick. The first108201:07:55.800 --> 01:07:58.840



hallway was no problem. When we turned the corner however,108301:07:59.280 --> 01:08:03.320



my large daily friend made an appearance. I didn't even hesitate.108401:08:03.519 --> 01:08:05.760



I shot him in the torso, then in the head.108501:08:06.159 --> 01:08:08.880



He screamed an inhuman shriek and ran the other way.108601:08:09.519 --> 01:08:11.880



His little buddy took one look at me, pointing the108701:08:11.880 --> 01:08:15.639



gun at him, and followed suit. Larsen grinned and nodded108801:08:15.679 --> 01:08:18.640



at me. When he turned the second corner, I couldn't108901:08:18.640 --> 01:08:24.239



believe my eyes. The floor was suddenly made of lava.109001:08:25.319 --> 01:08:29.000



You've gotta be kidding me, I said, Okay, I know109101:08:29.039 --> 01:08:32.319



it looks bad, but stay single file, and whatever you do,109201:08:32.560 --> 01:08:36.640



stay on the line. He started walking, keeping his feet109301:08:36.680 --> 01:08:40.079



on the line like a tightrope walker. I followed after him.109401:08:40.399 --> 01:08:43.319



The heat from the floor was tremendous. I was sweating109501:08:43.359 --> 01:08:46.359



buckets and didn't even want to think about the consequences109601:08:46.399 --> 01:08:50.039



of toppling over without a shirt on. We continued as109701:08:50.079 --> 01:08:53.800



quickly as possible, looking every bit like two kids trying109801:08:53.800 --> 01:08:56.960



to walk the yellow curb on a sidewalk. Right in109901:08:57.000 --> 01:08:59.920



the middle, I stumbled and lost my balance. I stepped110001:09:00.079 --> 01:09:02.840



one foot into the lava to regain my balance and110101:09:03.000 --> 01:09:07.279



was instantly rewarded with pain. I screamed in shock and agony.110201:09:07.760 --> 01:09:10.680



It felt like my foot was literally on fire. I110301:09:10.760 --> 01:09:13.479



got it back on the line, sucking wind through my teeth,110401:09:13.680 --> 01:09:17.600



trying to stay on, limping with one foot. You okay,110501:09:18.159 --> 01:09:24.119



Larson said, Define okay, I said, I'm in some madhouse110601:09:24.159 --> 01:09:28.239



of a not warehouse with demons and ghostly employees chasing me,110701:09:28.479 --> 01:09:32.439



and I literally just burned my foot on lava. I110801:09:32.520 --> 01:09:35.479



know it's a lot to process, he said, but we110901:09:35.560 --> 01:09:38.680



need to keep going, focus on the job, and save111001:09:38.800 --> 01:09:42.159



going crazy for later. I took a deep breath and111101:09:42.199 --> 01:09:46.840



immediately began coughing from the fumes. I hopped along, staying111201:09:46.880 --> 01:09:49.720



on the line as best I could. I was ecstatic111301:09:49.760 --> 01:09:52.359



when we turned the corner and left the lava behind.111401:09:53.159 --> 01:09:55.880



I nearly ran over Larson, who had stopped and was111501:09:55.920 --> 01:09:59.279



staring down the hallway. I was about to ask why111601:09:59.319 --> 01:10:03.560



he'd stop, when I saw for myself. At the end111701:10:03.600 --> 01:10:08.439



of the hall stood his doppelganger, and he wasn't alone.111801:10:08.680 --> 01:10:12.680



There were five of them. What do we do? I111901:10:12.720 --> 01:10:15.840



said quietly in his ear. He jumped at the sound112001:10:15.840 --> 01:10:20.680



of my voice. So close, I don't know. I looked112101:10:20.720 --> 01:10:24.840



at my watch and it said eight fifty one. We112201:10:24.920 --> 01:10:28.720



only have nine minutes, I said, just go straight at him.112301:10:29.880 --> 01:10:32.520



I ran ahead as fast as I could hobble. They112401:10:32.560 --> 01:10:34.880



came at me in a crowd. I fired and hit112501:10:34.920 --> 01:10:36.960



the first one in the knee, taking him out of112601:10:36.960 --> 01:10:40.039



the fight. I fired again, hitting another in the shoulder,112701:10:40.319 --> 01:10:43.319



then again hitting his knee. Foe Larsen had fired his112801:10:43.359 --> 01:10:46.359



shotgun at me and thankfully missed, although I did feel112901:10:46.359 --> 01:10:49.479



a burning in my leg. I would worry about that later.113001:10:49.960 --> 01:10:53.800



Another shot another Larsen down. I was nearly halfway when113101:10:53.800 --> 01:10:56.880



his shot hit me in the shoulder. It erupted in pain,113201:10:57.439 --> 01:10:59.720



but I kept going, shooting down the last of his113301:10:59.720 --> 01:11:02.800



twin fans. I fired a shot at Larsen and somehow113401:11:03.119 --> 01:11:06.079



hit him in the chest. He was wobbly, but still113501:11:06.159 --> 01:11:09.239



raised his shotgun and aimed at me. We were close113601:11:09.359 --> 01:11:12.800



enough now I could tell he would hit me. Suddenly113701:11:12.800 --> 01:11:15.880



a blast came from behind me. It passed so close113801:11:15.920 --> 01:11:18.960



I could feel the heat from the buckshot. It hit113901:11:19.039 --> 01:11:22.319



him in the neck and he stumbled back. I added114001:11:22.319 --> 01:11:24.800



my last round into his chest before he could pull114101:11:24.840 --> 01:11:28.680



the trigger again. He collapsed in a heap, his hand114201:11:28.720 --> 01:11:32.079



reaching out toward us as we stumbled past, through the114301:11:32.159 --> 01:11:35.800



door and out into the main hall. I paused to114401:11:35.840 --> 01:11:39.039



catch my breath and leaned against the door, checking my watch.114501:11:39.840 --> 01:11:43.199



Eight fifty eight, I announced. We hobbled up to the114601:11:43.199 --> 01:11:47.239



reception door and stood silently like two people waiting for114701:11:47.279 --> 01:11:51.600



an elevator. The daytime staff began arriving and punching in114801:11:51.680 --> 01:11:55.239



through the door, throwing furtive looks our way as they entered.114901:11:55.840 --> 01:11:58.199



The last one was the security guard for the day.115001:11:59.319 --> 01:12:02.800



What the hell happened to you two, he said. We115101:12:02.840 --> 01:12:05.279



looked at each other and laughed as we punched in115201:12:05.319 --> 01:12:08.600



our numbers and walked out. He stood next to his115301:12:08.640 --> 01:12:12.880



car and I stood next to mine. Will I see115401:12:12.880 --> 01:12:17.560



you at work tonight? He said, absolutely, No way in hell,115501:12:18.039 --> 01:12:23.560



I said. He smiled and nodded, understandable. He got in115601:12:23.600 --> 01:12:28.079



his car and drove away. I took an extra moment115701:12:28.159 --> 01:12:31.600



to look around at the building, which looked completely normal115801:12:31.960 --> 01:12:35.920



from the outside. I breathed in the clean forest air115901:12:36.399 --> 01:12:39.600



and listened to the birds singing their merry oblivious song.116001:12:40.680 --> 01:12:44.520



I got in my car slowly and gingerly, knowing there116101:12:44.560 --> 01:12:46.880



was no way I could afford to go to the hospital.116201:12:47.960 --> 01:12:50.920



I hoped I had some gauze and some antibiotic ointment116301:12:50.960 --> 01:12:55.000



at my dingy apartment. I started my car and hoped116401:12:55.000 --> 01:12:58.199



I had enough gas to make it home. Driving away116501:12:58.199 --> 01:13:01.760



from that building was the best feeling. I started wondering116601:13:01.800 --> 01:13:04.600



if there was any place around here that didn't have116701:13:04.680 --> 01:13:09.960



some strange rules to protect their weird secrets. I knew116801:13:10.000 --> 01:13:13.239



I would have to find a job in quickly. Maybe116901:13:13.239 --> 01:13:16.479



I could do fast food. There's no way anyone could117001:13:16.520 --> 01:13:22.960



have dark secrets in a burger joint, right,