Chapter 1 - Distance

CRAAASHHHH

A sudden noise wakes me up out of my slumber.

I rub my eyes and try to recollect my bearings despite the distant yells in the background, slowly rising from my bed. I pick at the bandages on my arm for a moment before stretching and opening my door slightly to peer out of the small crack.

“They’re really fighting again…”

Afraid of being seen and dragged into their shouting competition, I close my door and open the blinds of my window to inspect the weather outside.

It’s cloudy, but there’s no signs of rain. Faint rays of sunshine shine down from gaps in the clouds and illuminate the ground below. The sounds of birds chirping and dancing around the branches of trees can be heard, and I quietly open my window to hear them.

A warm, earthy breeze flows into my room, and I breathe in deeply to take it all in.

“I was worried it would rain today. Guess I should hurry just in case it does… and so I don’t get caught…”

I grab my bag and rummage through its contents. A flashlight, my notebook, an extra pair of shoes, my camera, and a few snacks just in case.

Slinging the backpack over my shoulders, I squeeze out of my window and head towards the woods. It’s a bit dark today due to the clouds, but I’m sure I’ll be fine. Anything’s better than being cooped up in my room all day, or having to deal with my parents…

I dream of the day I make it out of this place and live on my own, and start my own adventures.

I guess this is why I find myself exploring the woods and what’s left of abandoned structures all around. It’s a taste of the adventures to come, but aren’t fully in my grasp yet.

Withered leaves crunch under my feet as I walk through the woods, quietly thinking to myself.

Countless times I’ve heard of a huge abandoned lab of some sorts, deep in the woods. I’ve heard other urban explorers mention it, and how it extends far underground, but as far as I know, nobody else has actually ventured it.

So today’s a special day for me! I smile and continue my walk, pushing out the negative thoughts and focusing on what lies ahead.

The backpack on my shoulders weigh me down a bit, and I don’t usually pack this much, but I may as well prepare in case something goes wrong. But I’m just taking a little peek… maybe snap some pictures, find some cool stuff, and then get out before the sky turns dark. No big deal.

According to my research, this place closed down a few years before I was born. Since then, I haven’t heard anything else about it. There’s almost no information online about what happened to the scientists or where everything inside went… so maybe I’ll be the first to solve the mystery! Or, at least, gather a couple of clues…

I walk for a bit longer, looking at the crumpled map I printed out at school when none of the teachers were looking.

Let’s see… it should be right…. here?

I look around for an opening of sorts, digging through leaves until I trip on something metal and faceplant onto the ground. I pick myself back up and brush off all of the overgrowth of plants, revealing a rusty, metal handle.

I pull on it with all my might, almost ready to give up, until it pops open, revealing a lengthy ladder underground. I find myself hesitating, the distance underground seemingly unrelenting, but I grit my teeth and begin the long climb down.

The air grows colder and thicker with each step I take downwards, the sunlight from above growing more faint, until eventually, I reach the pitch black bottom.

I fumble through my bag and turn on my flashlight, to reveal…

An ordinary looking workplace, completely intact. A little dusty here and there, but man, I thought this place would be more interesting. A sign next to the ladder reads “FLOOR 0”, implying this place goes deeper underground. Strange.

I look around to find nothing of interest. Just empty tables, chairs, and clocks on the walls that stopped ticking years ago. Usually I like to take small objects I find with me as memorabilia, but I don’t see anything left, and it’s not like I can carry an entire chair back up that ladder.

“What a bummer.”

My voice echoes slightly throughout the room, and I pull out my camera to take a few pictures.

Maybe I’ll go down another floor. I shouldn’t stray too far, though…

Opening doors scattered about, I find a set of elevators. All of the doors are jammed, as expected, but one at the end lights up when I walk near it, and opens its doors like nothing was wrong.

Weird.

I slide my fingers across the buttons, carelessly pressing every single one to see if it does anything, and sure enough, they light up, and the doors close as I feel it slowly descend.

I could’ve sworn this place had no power… there couldn’t be someone living here, right?

No, no, there was dust everywhere. There’d at least be footsteps or fingerprints left somewhere. I mean, honestly, who woul-

CLUNK

The elevator jerks to a stop, and the lights flicker.

I nearly lose my balance but hold on tightly to the rails. Did it just get stuck? No no no, why did I risk it… No, no no no no… I can’t get stuck here, not in this place… I’m gonna be in so much trouble… who’s even gonna find me?

Panicked, I look back at the buttons but there’s nothing that resembles a “Call For Help” button.

I’m trapped. I’m really trapped and I’m going to die alone in an elevator and rot away and nobody will even find my skeleton for ages. I’m done for. What do I do? There has to be an exit somewhere- someone, please–

My breathing picks up as I try to find a way out of this cramped space, and just as I do, a loud snap and screeching noise fills the air as the elevator begins rapidly descending downwards with no end in sight. I can feel my body start to float upwards, and in a panic I start to scream.

“H- HELP!!! CAN ANYONE HEAR ME??? ANYONE?? HELP!!!!!”

I lay on the elevator floor as flat as I can and brace for impact, fully prepared to die. I never expected my life to end so suddenly. What should I do? What can I do? What will people think? I’ll go missing and never be found, and become just another mystery in the end–

The elevator slams into the ground, the force hitting my body like a train. And just like that…

I blacked out.

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