ep 3
[1st Floor – Elevator Area]
Xavier notices the watchman standing nearby. Relieved, he calls out.
Xavier
Hey! Why isn’t the elevator moving to the ground floor? Is it broken? And don’t tell me this building doesn’t have another one.
Office watchman 2
/Smiling politely/
Sir, there’s only one elevator in this whole building. It’s a bit old and temperamental. If you want it to go to the ground floor, press the button and jump a little. That usually works.
The watchman waves at Xavier and walks off down the hallway, whistling a faint tune.
Xavier
/Staring after him in disbelief/
Jump? What kind of maintenance is this?
[Elevator – Moments Later]
Xavier steps back into the elevator, muttering under his breath.
He presses the ground floor button and hesitates, feeling slightly ridiculous.
Finally, he jumps lightly, and with a sudden jolt, the elevator starts moving. It descends and halts at the ground floor.
Xavier
/Stepping out, looking around the empty lobby/
Unbelievable.
Xavier gets into his car, starts the engine, and follows the exit signs.
The lot is dimly lit, with the occasional flickering light casting long shadows. He drives carefully, looking for the exit, but something feels off.
After several minutes of driving, he realizes he’s passing the same spots repeatedly.
Xavier
/Frowning, gripping the steering wheel tightly/
What the hell? Am I going in circles?
He stops the car, steps out, and surveys his surroundings.
The parking lot seems unnaturally vast, stretching endlessly in all directions. The exit signs seem to lead nowhere.
Xavier
This doesn’t make any sense.
Reaching into his pocket for his phone, he freezes when he realizes it’s not there.
Xavier
/Panicking slightly/
Oh, no... I left it in the office!
Xavier receives a call from his phone. The screen flashes a familiar name, and he answers while stepping into the elevator.
Xavier
/Chuckling into the phone/
Yeah, yeah, I know! That was hilarious.
/He presses the ground floor button/
As the elevator descends, it halts at the 8th floor. The doors open, and a man steps inside silently.
？？？
/Presses the button for the 3rd floor but says nothing/
Xavier, engrossed in his phone call, doesn’t bother to look at the man.
He continues giggling at his friend’s jokes, unaware of his surroundings.
When the elevator stops at the 3rd floor, the doors slide open. Xavier glances up briefly but notices no movement.
Xavier
/Still on the phone, chuckling/
Wait, what? That doesn’t even make sense!
Suddenly, he pauses mid-laugh, his expression shifting.
He looks around the elevator and realizes no one is standing beside him anymore.
Xavier
/Murmurs, half to himself/
Wait… didn’t someone just press the 3rd floor?
He glances outside the elevator. The hallway is empty, dimly lit with a faint hum from the lights. Confused but brushing it off, he steps out to look around.
Xavier cautiously walks down the corridor, his phone still to his ear but his conversation trailing off.
Xavier
Bro, hold on. Someone got in here earlier, but... they're not here now. Let me check.
His voice echoes slightly in the eerily quiet hallway. The air feels dense, and the faint hum of flickering lights adds to the unease.
Xavier
/Calling out/
Hello? Bro, are you there? You dropped off at the wrong floor.
He shrugs it off and turns to head back toward the elevator.
As he walks, the sound of footsteps echoes behind him, perfectly synchronized with his own.
Xavier
/Pausing mid-step, his heart pounding. He glances behind him but sees nothing. The hallway stretches long and empty/
He starts walking again, faster this time. The echoing footsteps persist, matching his pace.
Xavier
/Muttering/
Okay, this is not funny.
He abruptly turns around, expecting to catch someone, but the corridor is empty.
Far at the end, under a flickering light, a figure appears. It’s the man from the elevator, standing completely still.
Xavier
/Gasping, his voice shaking/
Hey! Who are you?!
Waiting for a response, Xavier feels a chill run down his spine.
He bolts back to the elevator, his footsteps loud and panicked.
Xavier rushes into the elevator, slamming the ground floor button repeatedly.
Xavier
/Panting/
Come on, come on!
The doors close, and Xavier exhales in relief.
But instead of descending to the ground floor, the elevator starts moving upward.
Xavier
/Eyes widening/
What the—? No! Ground floor! I pressed the ground floor!
The panel displays "9" as the elevator continues its ascent. The lights inside flicker, and a faint, distorted laugh echoes through the small space.
Xavier
/Backing into the corner, frantically pressing buttons/
Stop! Stop this thing!
The lights in the entire building suddenly shut off, plunging Xavier into pitch blackness. The elevator creaks and halts, suspended between floors. Xavier fumbles for his phone, his breathing quick and shallow.
Xavier
/Nervously, his voice trembling/
Why... why now? Why does this have to happen now?!
Just then, his phone rings loudly, startling him. The caller ID shows his friend’s name. Trembling, he tries to answer the call.
But the phone freezes. No matter how much he swipes, the call remains unanswered.
Xavier
/Muttering, half-annoyed, half-terrified/
Seriously? Now?
Frustrated, he curses under his breath, only to suddenly feel a strange vibration coming from above the elevator.
Faint footsteps echo, as though someone—or something—is walking above the elevator car.
With shaky hands, he manages to turn on the flashlight feature. The dim beam illuminates the claustrophobic space of the elevator.
The strange sounds grow louder, interspersed with metallic creaks and taps.
Without warning, Xavier’s flashlight shuts off, plunging him into complete darkness.
Xavier
/Panicked, his voice rising/
No! No, no, no! Not now!
He suddenly feels a chilling presence behind him, sending a shiver down his spine.
His instincts kick in, and he stumbles toward the elevator doors, banging on them with all his might.
Xavier
/Screaming/
HELP! HELP ME! SOMEBODY! SECURITY!
From behind him, faint, muffled noises start—almost like someone knocking on the walls of the elevator. Xavier freezes mid-knock, his heart pounding in his chest. Turning his head slightly, he listens closely.
The sound echoes ominously. He whips his phone around, the flashlight flickering back to life. There’s no one there.
Xavier
/Breathing heavily/
No, no, no… This isn't real...
Determined to escape, he continues banging on the doors.
The moment he knocks, a synchronized knocking sound comes from behind him again, closer this time.
His voice cracks as he yells.
Then, a soft TAP TAP comes from the wall beside him.
His breath catches.
He slowly reaches out with a trembling hand, his fingers inches away from the cold metal surface.
His heart pounds so loudly he can barely hear anything else.
The moment his hand touches the wall, the lights flicker back on.
He quickly presses the ground floor button, his fingers trembling.
Xavier
/Desperate/
Come on! Get me out of here!
The elevator begins moving, but instead of descending, it once again rises toward the ninth floor.
Xavier’s breathing quickens as he notices something in the corner of the elevator.
Polished leather shoes, standing still, as if worn by an invisible figure.
Xavier backs into the opposite corner, his eyes fixed on the shoes.
Slowly, they begin to shuffle forward, inching closer to him. His chest heaves as he struggles to scream but can’t find his voice.
The elevator arrives at the ninth floor, the doors sliding open with an eerie creak.
Without a second thought, Xavier bolts out of the elevator, running into the empty office space.
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