Chapter 2 – Chap 2

I awoke in a panic. Unsure of what my fate was. I darted upwards. I was in the elevator. No sign of the little girl. As i stood up, i noticed that i didnt have any blood on my shirt. As strange and pleasant as that was, I was well aware of how close i was to becoming one with that cursed floor. This game to keep my soul was taking a toll on me. I was questioning whether it was worth it. However, I couldnt justify staying in this elevator for eternity either. I looked at the buttons and there was now a key over the third floor…Interesting how it might have gotten there. I pressed the third floor and again was taken down another level. When the doors opened, i didnt wait for a goon to come drag me out…however no one was awaiting me at this level. What was awaiting me was an area much smaller in comparison from the previous area. As the doors shut, i stood eagerly waiting for the rules. On this level all that was on the paper was

3RD Floor:

Last man standing gets a ride to the 4th.

I didnt understand at first…but that soon changed. The area i was in was covered with large boxes..like maybe it was a storage area. I turned to face the enclosure and thats when i saw the man standing there. He was wearing an orange prison jumpsuit. In his hands he held a knife. He screamed like a hardened warrior and made a mad dash towards me. I did the only thing i could do, and ran away. With so little rules I slightly hoped this floor would be the easiest. Apparently it might be the opposite.

I ducked behind boxes ran around corners. All the while i had that psychopath with the knife chasing me. It finally occurred that i should have taken the weapons from the 2nd floor. Idk how i could have been so stupid. I was gonna he well prepared for this floor. Then, like out of no where …it was quiet. I stopped only able to hear the panting of my own breath. So silent i could hear the mice running within the walls. I began to find out that being in this position was vastly scarier than having him chase me. I now couldnt gauge where he was…what was  i to do. Walk into a potential trap. Or stay put awaiting a man with a weapon to find me. Every step i took felt like a leap towards my death. I retraced my steps backwards. Keeping my eyes 360 degrees. As i walked, the silence became unbearable. Every sound made me jump. I realized i was near the elevator again. I took a look around. There was a foul stench in the air. That of a rotting animal.  Thats when i felt it. A drop of liquid on my head. I peered upwards. There were more bodies hanging from the piping above. All with cut throats. Dripping blood from their various puncture wounds. I nearly screamed. One of the bodies seemed to react to me looking up. Through the darkness i could see eyes that didnt look dead. Eyes that were focused right on me. Knife in teeth. He jumped atop of me and wrestled me to the ground. In coming down, he lost the knife. We began to roll around, trying to out muscle each other. Why? This made no sense. Why would i go through the trouble of completing a task and having to battle to the death with ogre of a man….then it hit me.

There were some rules that beastly ox man gave me. I was one of 3 other people fighting for their situation. Of course he was trying to escape this hell too! I knew with all my heart i had to over come this bastard. I began to rip at his flesh. I used my nails, teeth, anything i could possibly use to hurt this man. Eventually, I jammed my thumb into his eyeball.  He backed off for a second, then we both went for the knife. As if in total sync, we jumped for the weapon. Again wrestling around, trying to gain control. I knew he had the strength advantage. So i did what i had to do..I latched onto his nose and began to bite down as hard as i could. With ease i ripped his nose off. Blood trickling out of his face he screamed. Putting his hands over his face, I heard nothing but fuck yous and pleading for his life.  I grabbed the knife and i walked up to this man. I looked into his eyes…and i did something ive never done…”Im sorry sir, you know this has to be done.” I apologized before cutting his throat clean open. His eyes had a mixture of fear and contentment. He bled out on the floor as the doors to the elevator opened back up.

Covered in blood, i walked back through and came to see the light for the 4th floor awaiting my presence. For someone who was a sobbing mess ameer 3 floors ago..i was doing quite well. I pressed the fourth floor button…again feeling the dreaded descent further into what i could only imagine was my personal hell. On the way down i could only imagine the horror this floor could hold. When the doors opened…I was back in the main hub…not the one with the devil children and creepy surgeons. The main hub where I had originally come from! I nearly collapsed on the floor. Was it over? Was i finally able to escape the hell id been forsaken to? I cautiously walked out.

The guard standing by the elevator looked towards me and ive never found someones eyes so beautiful in my life. They were crystal blue. He reached out his hand. “You okay son? You look pale as a ghost.” i nearly collapsed in this mans arms. Tears of joy welling up in my eyes. “You dont understand, ive been in a horrible nightmare! I….” I paused. Over his shoulder I watched the doors to the elevator close, revealing a piece of paper with writing on it. I watched on in horror as the paper stared me down. Almost mocking me. I raised my body from this mans shoulders…and i once again was greeted with a security goon. Cold dead black eyes back in his sockets. He stood emotionless. Pointing towards the door. I looked around the hub…once glowing with life and activity, was now desolate and empty, Much like my first encounter. I stepped away from the goon and made my way to the door. The rules read

4th Floor:

This area will constantly change. You will not find your way back alone. The only one who can help you is the nurse with her surgical mask on.

Do not question the nurse, questioning can lead to death.

Watch out for the wall people down the halls, they can reach out to you and you will become one of them.

If you see a man staring at a painting in one of the halls, ask him his opinion on the piece. Never leave before hes done explaining, he may want to feed you to the wall people if you do

There is a grieving mother crying within the halls, do not make eye contact with her, or be prepared to face a terrifying demon.

Great. A changing labyrinth…that ill need to get through by trusting another one of these freaks. Some deal. Without a moment’s notice I turned around to begin my journey…the area now resembled the hub again. Teeming with life. My excitement died instantly, remembering that this area will consistently change. I looked back at the elevator. And it was gone. No where to be found. As I began my search I had many people looking in my direction. Probably because i was covered in a mans blood. I came to a cross roads in the lobby. I opted to go right. As i was walking down this hall i noticed that the lighting began to flicker. The area had become more grim. I hadnt seen a staff member since the hub. Just then i looked back. The hub was once again gray and dead. I kept my focus forward and continued on my search, Half way down this hall, I heard a sobbing woman.

I took it as the grieving mother and played it safe and decided to walk back towards the hub. On my way back i felt a pull on shoulder …when i turned around there was no one there. My heart racing, i suddenly felt more vulnerable. I began to pick up my pace. I was nearly to the hub when i was pulled by my left ankle towards the wall. What i saw was a hand wrapped around my ankle. But not a regular hand…almost like if the wall was made of rubber and a hand reached out through it. The wall people. I pulled and pulled until that thing let me go. Soon i saw more hands reaching out from the walls. Each one grabbing without purpose. Violent swings of punches and grabs. As i calmed my breathing…I could hear the silent wimpers of desperation within the walls. Maybe these werent monsters. Maybe they were unfortunate souls who lost their battle here on this floor. Standing tall, I found that if i hugged the middle of the hall these things couldnt reach me. I came to the hub where things seemed to be back to normal again…no elevator though.

No nurse in a surgical mask. I looked around taking in the seemingly normal sight…even though i knew it was all horse shit. I went to look down the other hall when i saw a man staring at a painting across the hub where the elevator was originally. I remembered the rule so i went up to him. “Nice piece huh?” i started. “This? This hunk of shit? Pftt. I tell you, slap some paint on your hand and hit the wall and theyll call it art. Garbage. Absolute garbage.” The man replied. I was beginning to walk away when he continued, “and another thing, why so much red? I mean couldn’t they have picked more color? Absolute disgrace.” I felt my nerves start to be tested. The man kept stopping and continuing. What should have been a 3 minute conversation was going on forever. I was just near ready to cut him off and be thrown into the pit of wall people when i heard him finish, “Well…I just cant believe the time. Im late.” He then removed the painting on the wall and walked into the wall. I guess he was more than a spectator. After that side action, I continued my search for this nurse. Funnily enough the area has stayed pretty consistent since i talked to the man

I decided to see if there was anyway another nurse could point me to maybe a lounge area or nurses station. I walked up to one of them standing at the corner. I tapped her shoulder “Excuse me miss could you..” I stopped mid sentence when i noticed the woman wearing a nurses outfit turn around. Tears streaming down her face silently sobbing. I looked right into the eyes of the grieving mother. No one fucking told me these bitches were tricksters too. I immediately bolted. I could hear her shriek in anger as she began after me.

Running through the halls trying to find any shelter, I came upon a loose chair leg from a bench. I ripped it off and immediately turned around to face the woman, she snarled and looked at me with demented eyes. A mixture of pain and anger projecting from her mouth. She then lunged for me, hands ready to tear through my flesh. Before she could, I slammed the bench leg over her head. I began to beat her head in. Each pounding her cries and shrieks became less and less vocal. Until her mouth shut. Once again covered in fresh blood, I huffed and puffed trying to shake off the the nerves from this cursed place. I nearly felt like crying once i looked down the hall to see the hub once again desolate, in the total opposite direction from where i had come from. Everything was backwards. Left blended in with right. I began to feel anxious.

I couldnt breath like my throat was shutting tight when i heard “Can i help you sir?” a sweet voice pierced my misery. I looked up to see a beautiful young nurse…wearing a surgical mask. I nearly kissed the poor woman, when i screamed “YES please i need to get to the elevator please!” She laughed and said ok and to follow her. She took me by my hands and we walked through several doors. Ones on the right and coming out to the same hall way from the left side. We went upstairs just to end up back at the hub. Though it felt repetitive, i never dared questioned her. We reached the hub once again but this time…the elevator door was there and open. I nearly dropped to my knees. I thanked her as i boarded the elevator. I was finally on my way to the final floor. I was finally on my way to my life again. As the elevator doors shut, she removed her mask. And before the door closed she exposed her sharpened fangs, full of blood and flashed a disturbing smile at me. I quickly pressed level 5 in a state of shock and horror. I was beginning to imagine what that thing could do to me if it wanted to…when all of a sudden…I started going up.