Narrator

Marcus's flashlight illuminated a hatch set into the floor, crusted with moss and corrosion. It looked like it hadn't been opened in decades. Help me, Marcus whispered urgently, his voice trembling. He knelt beside the hatch, gripping the rusted handle and pulling with all his strength.

Marcus's flashlight illuminated a hatch set into the floor, crusted with moss and corrosion. It looked like it hadn't been opened in decades. Help me, Marcus whispered urgently, his voice trembling. He knelt beside the hatch, gripping the rusted handle and pulling with all his strength.

i joined him fingers slipping against the cold metal desperation fueling every movement behind us came a sound that made my blood freeze the slow wet slap of bare feet moving steadily across the concrete the footsteps sounded distorted uneven nothing like the purposeful strides of the man with the hammer

i joined him fingers slipping against the cold metal desperation fueling every movement behind us came a sound that made my blood freeze the slow wet slap of bare feet moving steadily across the concrete the footsteps sounded distorted uneven nothing like the purposeful strides of the man with the hammer

Marcus froze, staring wide-eyed into the darkness behind us, his flashlight wavering unsteadily. What is that? He hissed, voice breaking. I don't want to find out, I said through clenched teeth. Pull. Together we strained, muscles burning, panic growing as the footsteps drew closer. Finally, the hatch gave way with a sudden grating screech, revealing another dark passage below.

Marcus froze, staring wide-eyed into the darkness behind us, his flashlight wavering unsteadily. What is that? He hissed, voice breaking. I don't want to find out, I said through clenched teeth. Pull. Together we strained, muscles burning, panic growing as the footsteps drew closer. Finally, the hatch gave way with a sudden grating screech, revealing another dark passage below.

Marcus dropped through immediately, landing roughly on damp ground below. I followed, pulling the hatch closed behind us as quickly as I could. We found ourselves in a partially collapsed loading area. Rusted machinery lay strewn about, partially buried beneath piles of bricks and splintered wood. The air here was fresher, hinting at freedom nearby.

Marcus dropped through immediately, landing roughly on damp ground below. I followed, pulling the hatch closed behind us as quickly as I could. We found ourselves in a partially collapsed loading area. Rusted machinery lay strewn about, partially buried beneath piles of bricks and splintered wood. The air here was fresher, hinting at freedom nearby.

Marcus pointed frantically toward a sliver of fading daylight visible through a gap in the collapsed wall. Over there! We scrambled over rubble, scraping palms and shins on jagged metal and broken concrete. desperate now to reach the outside.

Marcus pointed frantically toward a sliver of fading daylight visible through a gap in the collapsed wall. Over there! We scrambled over rubble, scraping palms and shins on jagged metal and broken concrete. desperate now to reach the outside.

The gap was narrow, barely large enough for us to squeeze through, but we forced ourselves through anyway, jackets snagging, skin tearing against the sharp edges. Finally, we emerged, gasping, into a dim, weed-choked alley behind the power plant. Cool air filled my lungs, painfully sharp but incredibly welcome. Marcus bent over, hands on his knees, coughing violently.

The gap was narrow, barely large enough for us to squeeze through, but we forced ourselves through anyway, jackets snagging, skin tearing against the sharp edges. Finally, we emerged, gasping, into a dim, weed-choked alley behind the power plant. Cool air filled my lungs, painfully sharp but incredibly welcome. Marcus bent over, hands on his knees, coughing violently.

I leaned against the building's crumbling exterior, breathing hard, my entire body shaking with exhaustion and fear. When I raised my eyes again, my stomach sank. Across the alley parked facing toward us sat the same white van from inside the power plant. Standing beside it was the old man, hammer still in hand, watching us silently.

I leaned against the building's crumbling exterior, breathing hard, my entire body shaking with exhaustion and fear. When I raised my eyes again, my stomach sank. Across the alley parked facing toward us sat the same white van from inside the power plant. Standing beside it was the old man, hammer still in hand, watching us silently.

His expression revealed nothing, no anger, no urgency, only a chilling stillness. He didn't move forward, didn't call out. He just watched us with those cold, unsettling eyes. Marcus straightened slowly, noticing him too. Without a word exchanged, we backed slowly away, eyes never leaving the figure at the van. He made no attempt to follow, nor did he shift his stance.

His expression revealed nothing, no anger, no urgency, only a chilling stillness. He didn't move forward, didn't call out. He just watched us with those cold, unsettling eyes. Marcus straightened slowly, noticing him too. Without a word exchanged, we backed slowly away, eyes never leaving the figure at the van. He made no attempt to follow, nor did he shift his stance.

He simply stood there, hammer dangling loosely by his side, watching as we stumbled backward into the fading twilight. We didn't stop moving until we reached the main street, illuminated by streetlights and passing cars. Only then did I realize how badly I was trembling. Marcus looked pale, shell-shocked, his eyes wide and haunted.

He simply stood there, hammer dangling loosely by his side, watching as we stumbled backward into the fading twilight. We didn't stop moving until we reached the main street, illuminated by streetlights and passing cars. Only then did I realize how badly I was trembling. Marcus looked pale, shell-shocked, his eyes wide and haunted.

Days later, another friend of ours, Jules, insisted on exploring the plant himself after hearing our account. He emerged safely but mentioned he'd seen the same man. Jules said the old guy didn't speak or chase him, only followed quietly, hammer swinging loosely at his side. I reported everything to the police, but they dismissed our account as just another exaggerated urban explorer story.

Days later, another friend of ours, Jules, insisted on exploring the plant himself after hearing our account. He emerged safely but mentioned he'd seen the same man. Jules said the old guy didn't speak or chase him, only followed quietly, hammer swinging loosely at his side. I reported everything to the police, but they dismissed our account as just another exaggerated urban explorer story.