Chapter 1 – Chap 1

We all make mistakes in this world. Some get caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Some end up getting physical with their siblings. Everybody on this planet makes mistakes. It’s how you learn from them that will separate the men from the boys. My mistake? I was caught dumping illegal items into a river. Took them 13 years to find me and make the connection, but they did. I was guilty. There’s an old saying amongst criminals, that it’s the police’s job to catch bad guys, and it’s the bad guys job not to get caught. I love that saying. Makes the world feel even you know? Like i can go ahead and try to get away with crime but if i’m caught oh well. I had the opportunity…got no one to blame but myself. When they overtook me in my home I was cooking. The meat was almost ready. Smokey spices filling my kitchen. I had made roasted veggies and jasmine rice to go along with the meat. Once the officers knocked down my door and took hold of me..I noticed that these were not local government official officers. They were all dressed in black tactical gear but with no identification. The men behind the mask had eyes blacker than charcoal. I was picked up and hauled off to a facility to which I still have no knowledge of where it is.

Once in an interrogation room, I smelled a peculiar scent fill the air. Almost like a brimstone like smell. My focus was cut short when the interrogation room door swung open. I hadn’t realized how dark the room actually was until I caught sight of the blinding light from the lobby. A tall dark silhouette stood in the doorway. The second I blinked my eyes the door was shut and what was once a silhouette in the doorway now stood behind me. Hand on my shoulder. “Michael Provent. You’ve been ducking and hiding us a long time.” the voice rang out to me. The deep haunting voice nearly made me jump from my chair but I stayed quiet. A yellow file folder was plopped in front of me on the table. “Do you know what that is?” the thing asked. “I want my lawyer, Eric Goldberg, he’ll sort all thi..” “LAWYER?” the voice laughed becoming less and less human. “Son…there’s nothing a lawyer could provide to help you here”

The creature revealed itself to me. Walking around the table and having a seat in front of me, it looked into my soul. It was a grotesque looking creature. Head of an ox. But with a human-like mouth. Deep red eyes. Humans like hands with nails as long and sharp as freddy krueger. I took one look into its eyes and immediately began to cry. “Do you know what that is?” the creature repeated,his voice returning to its deceptive human voice as he pointed to the yellow file. I sheepishly shook my head no, tears still streaming down my face. “That is your guilt, Michael. All the crimes you’ve committed in the name of your selfish pleasures” “I’m sorry, please just let me go!” I screamed. The creature sucked its teeth, “tsk tsk, Michael, its too late for apologies. You are here now. You are guilty without the need of a jury, for I am judge jury….and executioner here” I could only cry in fear and agony as images of what this… thing was planning to do with me raced through my head. “Now Michael, you may be stuck here with me for now but…maybe i have a proposition for you”

“Anything! Please Ill do anything!” I blurted out. The creature smiled. Its enormous teeth crusted over in what looked like dried blood and pus. “Very well michael. Now, the rules to this are simple. When you leave here, you will be awoken in the middle of a structure on the base floor. All i need is for you to make it to the main floor. Floor number 5. Through each floor, youll have more rules to follow. You’ll find them taped to the elevator door. Thats it, simple..oh yeah.. There is one catch, you are one of 3 other….friends…working to get out of their “sticky” situation as well. Be careful not to let them get here first, if they do…you’ll be returning right back to me. Got it?” I looked at this thing…hoping I took some bad acid and i was just in a holding tank downtown…I reluctantly nodded my head. The creature gave me another large smile then with lightning speed grabbed my head and forced my eyes to meet his as his eyes let out a bright light that made me faint.

When I awoke, i was out of cuffs and sitting on a bench in the middle of what looked like a busy hospital. I nearly forgot about the whole interaction before seeing a security guard by the elevator, his eyes coal black. I made up my mind that if this was the only way to see my freedom, then id better get to work. I nearly ran off the bench towards the elevator, running smack into a nurse carrying her lunch. I apologized as she tried to get up. Her name was Claire. I didnt want to seem like a junkie or someone who would be a problem to the staff…last thing i needed was to be kicked out from here and sent back to that..thing. Once I arrived infront of the elevator, the security guard pressed the button…his dark eyes staring through me. It was almost as if no one else saw him…or this elevator. Groups of people just passing us by not even giving a glance. The doors opened. As i stepped through, I felt a noticeable change in the air. My breath is clearly visible. As i looked to close the elevator door..i noticed there was a key inserted above the second floor button. I wasnt sure what that meant…but i was already in too deep to back out. I pressed the second floor button and watched the doors shut. The elevator began to descend and i felt my stomach sink.

I couldnt understand what it meant when i felt the elevator descend. Had i been fooled? Had i been killed and this is me living a metaphorical hell? I wasnt sure until the doors opened to the “second floor”. When they did, I saw an open area like the one of the hospital base floor. This area, however was abandoned…littered with medical equipment all over the floor. Blood splattered across the reception desk. I caught some AK-47s and hand guns strewn about whoever was holding them, were long gone.. My blood ran cold. Heart rate spiking. I couldn’t decide whether to leave the elevator or crawl into a ball and sob my eyes out. My time for self loathing was cut short by an arm reaching through the doors and pulling me out. It was one of the security goons. Dressed in their best whites. Eyes dead black as ever. I nearly shit myself out of fear. Once out, the elevator doors closed…revealing a list of rules to follow. The list read,

2nd Floor:

There is a child in one of the offices that needs guidance back to the elevator, find her and bring her back.

If you hear a little boy crying, never go to the area you hear the tears, run in the opposite direction and hide, continue for the little girl after it stops.

If you come across a surgeon with bloody gloves, offer him your shirt to clean up, if he accepts, give him your shirt and put it back on when hes done. Do not skip putting it back on. If he refuses apologize 3 times and never look him in the eyes while you walk away

Finally, if you find yourself getting overwhelmingly tired, pick up the pace and find the girl, if you take too long, the elevator will disappear and youll become one with the second floor forever.

Idk what was worse…eternal hell with that beast, or this bullshit right here. In any case I began my search for this little girl. Id be lying if i said i wasnt creeped out by the scenery. There was so much blood that all that filled my nose was a metallic smell. Soon i began to taste it. I went about room by room. God…there must of been a dozen corridors, all containing about 10 rooms each. I kept popping open each room. Most of them were empty besides a couple of patient beds and some general tools. I had been down about 5 corridors when i popped open a door and to my horror, a large man in a white coat covered in blood. His face was masked and i couldnt make the whites of his eyes. I gasped in horror. As i backed away from the door i fell on my ass. The man was just standing there. Finally i realized all the blood on his gloves. I quickly removed my shirt and offered it to him to clean off. He approved by taking the shirt and wiping down all the blood from his face, gloves and arms. He returned my shirt. I looked with a grimace as the blood soaked shirt dangled in front of my face. Smelling of death. I noticed he seemed impatient. I rushed to throw the shirt back on, and as my head went through the hole, The surgeon had disappeared. Not a sound made. He just vanished. I nearly threw up wearing the moist shirt covered in blood but i continue to make the trek through the facilities.

 Door upon door flung open with little to no sign of the little girl. I began to feel uneasy as if id never find her. Until i stumbled upon a door with small bloody hand prints coating the inside of the glass window on the door. I nervously gripped the handle of the door. Slowly turning it before taking a moment to take a breath. With all my might, i flung the door open. I was greeted by a little girl crying. Back to the door. “Little girl, i uh…im here to help you” i squeaked out. She stopped crying and turned to face me. She had a smile carved from ear to ear. Terribly bruised and cut all over. Blood staining her dress. Where her eyes should have been, there sat deep empty sockets. I was taken aback by her appearance but before i could react, i heard a horrible sobbing sound. Child like in pitch but with a hint of evil in it, At first i thought it was her, returning to her crying, but when i looked at her, her mouth was sealed. She was noticeably shaken though. All of a sudden it hit me. I grabbed the little girl, and threw her over my shoulder and began running down the hall back to the main hub. The crying wouldn’t get any further, in fact, it was gaining on us. At this point i could hear the thumping of footsteps behind us. I made a call and dived into one of the rooms. Luckily there was a desk inside. I took the little monstrosity with me under the desk and sat idle as the crying was coming closer to the room we were in. I could hear the crying right outside the door. Howling louder and louder. All i could think was what horrors awaited me once that door opened. But then as soon as it came…it went. Fading like an echo in the night.

I nearly forgot about the girl tucked underneath me. I rose up from beneath the rotted desk. Allowing her to rise up as well. She looked to me with that smile carved across her face. I couldnt help but feel terrible. Here i was judging her about how she looks…and never considered the hell shes been through to end up that way. She never spoke. Ive never heard her other than the crying. I started towards the door to make sure it was safe, when i crashed onto the floor. A wave of exhaustion overtook me. It felt as if a bolder had been strapped onto my back. I barely made it to the door. As i opened the door i ran back for the girl. With exhaustion gripping my soul, i began running to the elevators. I could feel myself fading to sleep. At the same time the wailing crying of the boy continued. Only this time, the running was more rapid, gaining faster than before. I knew i had no time to hide, for if i did, i could be trapped here forever. I ran with everything in my power towards the elevator. The crying was now beginning to sound like high pitch screams. At one point, sounding right behind us. I saw the elevator. The boy..or creature was literally on our ass. Idk how i kept running, my legs were on fire. My body was done. As I neared the elevator i threw the girl inside and made a leap for the open doors. I heard the doors closed as i allowed my eyes to shut.