Narrator

the man stopped mid-swing he turned slowly toward us revealing a gaunt face pale and grimy his eyes wide and unsettling in the flashlight beam his mouth curled into an odd humorless grin yes he said simply his voice scratchy almost amused I stepped forward slightly, struggling to sound calm. Can you please unlock it? It's the only way out. His smile faded abruptly.

the man stopped mid-swing he turned slowly toward us revealing a gaunt face pale and grimy his eyes wide and unsettling in the flashlight beam his mouth curled into an odd humorless grin yes he said simply his voice scratchy almost amused I stepped forward slightly, struggling to sound calm. Can you please unlock it? It's the only way out. His smile faded abruptly.

No, he growled, low and threatening. Marcus cleared his throat, his voice trembling slightly. Look, if you don't unlock it, we'll call the police. You can't just... The man abruptly raised the hammer, his knuckles white from gripping it tightly. You kids better leave this building quick, he snarled. The menace in his voice was undeniable. Fear exploded inside me.

No, he growled, low and threatening. Marcus cleared his throat, his voice trembling slightly. Look, if you don't unlock it, we'll call the police. You can't just... The man abruptly raised the hammer, his knuckles white from gripping it tightly. You kids better leave this building quick, he snarled. The menace in his voice was undeniable. Fear exploded inside me.

Without another word, Marcus and I turned and ran blindly back the way we'd come, the man's chilling laughter echoing behind us. We sprinted deeper into the building, pulse hammering in my ears, flashlight beams darting frantically around as we descended toward the pitch black, partially flooded lower floors, desperately hoping to find another exit.

Without another word, Marcus and I turned and ran blindly back the way we'd come, the man's chilling laughter echoing behind us. We sprinted deeper into the building, pulse hammering in my ears, flashlight beams darting frantically around as we descended toward the pitch black, partially flooded lower floors, desperately hoping to find another exit.

The shadows seemed to deepen with every step, and the echoes of our footsteps sounded louder, sharper. Behind every corner, I half expected to see him standing there, waiting with that hammer raised, ready to strike. We stumbled down the stairs, breath ragged, hearts thumping painfully in our chests.

The shadows seemed to deepen with every step, and the echoes of our footsteps sounded louder, sharper. Behind every corner, I half expected to see him standing there, waiting with that hammer raised, ready to strike. We stumbled down the stairs, breath ragged, hearts thumping painfully in our chests.

Marcus's flashlight beam danced erratically over rusted metal rails and stained concrete walls, leading us deeper into the building's belly. Each turn took us further away from the man with the hammer, but deeper into darkness and uncertainty. My throat felt tight, my hands clammy. Think he's following us? Marcus whispered, his voice unsteady. I listened intently, pausing for just a moment.

Marcus's flashlight beam danced erratically over rusted metal rails and stained concrete walls, leading us deeper into the building's belly. Each turn took us further away from the man with the hammer, but deeper into darkness and uncertainty. My throat felt tight, my hands clammy. Think he's following us? Marcus whispered, his voice unsteady. I listened intently, pausing for just a moment.

The silence felt absolute, broken only by the steady drip of water somewhere ahead. I don't know, I finally said, but we need to keep moving. We pressed on through corridors that gradually sloped downward, the air growing colder and more humid. The floors beneath us grew damp, slick with condensation. Soon shallow pools of water appeared, collecting in cracks and uneven dips in the concrete.

The silence felt absolute, broken only by the steady drip of water somewhere ahead. I don't know, I finally said, but we need to keep moving. We pressed on through corridors that gradually sloped downward, the air growing colder and more humid. The floors beneath us grew damp, slick with condensation. Soon shallow pools of water appeared, collecting in cracks and uneven dips in the concrete.

Marcus shone his flashlight down a long corridor and swallowed hard. It's flooded. Ahead lay a passage partially submerged in stagnant water. A faint, acrid smell hung in the air, making my stomach churn. We hesitated, glancing nervously behind us. The way back was blocked. The only option was forward.

Marcus shone his flashlight down a long corridor and swallowed hard. It's flooded. Ahead lay a passage partially submerged in stagnant water. A faint, acrid smell hung in the air, making my stomach churn. We hesitated, glancing nervously behind us. The way back was blocked. The only option was forward.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the water, cringing as it filled my shoes and rose swiftly to my ankles. Marcus followed reluctantly, murmuring curses under his breath. Each step stirred the thick muck beneath, releasing a musty, sulfurous odor. My imagination ran wild. I tried not to think about what might be lurking unseen beneath the murky surface.

Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the water, cringing as it filled my shoes and rose swiftly to my ankles. Marcus followed reluctantly, murmuring curses under his breath. Each step stirred the thick muck beneath, releasing a musty, sulfurous odor. My imagination ran wild. I tried not to think about what might be lurking unseen beneath the murky surface.

Something brushed my leg, Marcus whispered suddenly, his voice sharp with alarm. He froze, flashlight beam wavering. It's probably nothing, just keep moving, I urged quietly, fighting the urge to panic. Ahead, a doorway led into a room cluttered with ancient equipment, now rusting and decayed.

Something brushed my leg, Marcus whispered suddenly, his voice sharp with alarm. He froze, flashlight beam wavering. It's probably nothing, just keep moving, I urged quietly, fighting the urge to panic. Ahead, a doorway led into a room cluttered with ancient equipment, now rusting and decayed.

Marcus's flashlight swept across the walls, revealing graffiti intermingled with strange symbols I didn't recognize, sharp lines, circles, and jagged angles. I'd seen plenty of tags before, but these marks felt intentional and unsettling. Marcus stopped abruptly, his flashlight fixed on a cluster of small objects arranged neatly atop an old metal table. I joined him, staring down in confusion.

Marcus's flashlight swept across the walls, revealing graffiti intermingled with strange symbols I didn't recognize, sharp lines, circles, and jagged angles. I'd seen plenty of tags before, but these marks felt intentional and unsettling. Marcus stopped abruptly, his flashlight fixed on a cluster of small objects arranged neatly atop an old metal table. I joined him, staring down in confusion.