The Abandoned Building

         While exploring the abandoned building, its walls covered in graffiti and dust, my flashlight flickering, suddenly--the sound of the floorboards creaking caught my attention. I quickly turn toward the location of the sound frantically shining my flashlight, aiming at the ground first, then the graffiti-covered walls, and finally I shine the light towards the ceiling. My heart begins to beat quickly as I fear the worst. I hope that whatever made the noise was simply the sounds of the abandoned building or the fear that ran through my body playing tricks on my mind. I close my eyes and shine the light above. A reflex that I cannot help. I slowly open my eyes and to my relief, all that lines the ceiling are various cobwebs and spiderwebs.

         "That's all it was, just my mind messing with me," I say to myself forcing out a laugh as I continue deeper into the abandoned building. For a moment I ponder on the choices I made leading up to this point. Normally I would never have been brave enough to traverse the confines of such a structure. But sadly my own bravado got the better of me. I needed to show that I wasn't the scared kid that people believed me to be, and it was the only I figured I could impress--her. As my mind started to trail off at the thought of the girl I so desperately wished to impress, the sound of a loud bang snapped me back into the situation I was in.

         "Who's there!" I yell without thought trying to scan the area. Like the previous room, this one also had graffiti smeared across its walls. But unlike the room prior this room contained the remnants of what could guess were old machinery. Covered in dust and rust, I tried to ponder what the building once did but I for the life of me couldn't remember. I slowly made my way towards one of the machines I believed the bang to come from. Each step caused the wooden board to creak and failed to help the already nervous feeling that hung over me. Carefully peering behind the machine I saw a large metal cylinder rolling away from the machine.

         "Guess it must have fallen," I say softly examining the cylinder. Like everything else in the building, it was covered in rust and dust. I forced out another laugh attempting to make light of the situation when I heard a laugh echoing through the building. Only the echo had not come from my laugh.

         "Shit. Shit. Shit" I muttered to myself frantically trying to shine my light on everything surrounding me. Out of the corner of my eye though, I saw something. I snapped my body back towards something I believed to have encountered only for the light to flicker and die. I quickly hit the flashlight up against the palm of my hand cursing to myself.

         "Come on. Come on." I grunted doing everything in my power to revive the flashlight. I slowly started to walk back away from whatever I thought I saw. But when I felt my back up against something I froze in place. I could only hear the sound of my heartbeat and my heavy breathing. Even the flashlight turning back on didn't bring me relief. I slowly turned and shone the flashlight at whatever was behind me.

         "AH!" I screamed. Only--it was preemptive. What was now in front of me was one of the many machines. I had simply backed into one of them without realizing it. I laughed through my heavy breathing. "Well fuck me" I laughed leaning up against the machine and catching my breath. A beeping sound emitting from the watch on my wrist lifted my spirits. Lifting my arm I eyed the watched and smiled. The time was 3 am. I had lasted long enough.

         "Finally," I said to myself standing up proudly at what I had accomplished. I kept my head raised as I made my way toward the exit. "I can't believe I made it this long. She will have to say yes to a date now" I chuckled, blushing slightly. I could see my flashlight shining off the large metal door that allowed me to enter the building. Only--I froze in place. The door was now closed. I had made sure to keep it open in case I needed to rush out of the building. I even placed a large brick as a doorstopper. I once again could hear the sound of a heartbeat and heavy breathing. Only this time it knew it wasn't my own. A creak came from behind me.

         "I can't believe you made it this long either," A voice from behind me said. My body refused to move. My eyes stayed focused on the door in front of me. I watched as two fingers the size of my head moved in front of the rays of light. The fingers snuffed out the light like a match.

         In the darkness, I could sense its presence. I could feel it's breathing on my head. I hear its heartbeat. "I shouldn't have ever come here" I whisper

         "No. You shouldn't have" The voice said. {/center}