Overtime is Hell

Overtime is never a fun time for any person, but there was one time I can remember that was worst than anytime you can come up with.

         I was sitting in my office finishing up some extra paperwork that had to be finished before the weekend. I was pretty well invested in the work so it made me jump when all the lights in the office went out. I was pretty sure I was the only person still staying late so it couldn’t have been anyone playing a joke on me. I stood up and made my way into the hallway. It was almost black except for one light at the far end of the hall that was flickering. I took a few steps toward that direction. That’s when the sounds started. A loud scrapping like a metal file cabinet was being dragged across the floor. It would stop for a second then start up again. It was getting closer to me. I stood my ground, ignoring the part of me that was telling me to turn and run like hell. I wanted to see what was coming, what exactly was making this noise. The scrapping stopped as suddenly as it had started. The light at the far end flickered some more. The air in the hallway grew warm and thick. I could feel beads of sweat form and trickle down the back of my neck. “Hello?” I shouted, not expecting any response. The light flickered some more. Only this time I swear I could have made out a shadow cast on the wall.
“Who’s there?” I shouted again, Once again no response. The light flickered once more and then grew bright. So bright I had to shield my eyes. Then it shattered and went out. I was engulfed in total darkness. I could not see a few feet in front of me. I stood still waiting until my eyes adjusted to the darkness. A shuffling sound came from the far end of the hallway followed by an enormous crash that shook the entire building. I stumbled but caught myself against the wall before I could fall over. Sounds suddenly started up from all around me. I could hear scratching coming from inside the walls, a high pitched shrieking came from my back. The walls shook and pictures fell off the walls. A ceiling panel fell and crashed to the floor a few feet from me. I spun around and ran back into my office and locked the door. The hallway fell silent. I stumbled thru my office trying to reach my coat. My cell phone was in the front pocket. I fumbled with the phone and got it open. Of course the phone had no service, but it gave out a good amount of light. I moved towards the door to my office and peered out the small window. The phone didn’t light up much of the hallway but I saw enough. Something was standing out side my door. Its back was to me. It was big standing almost 7 feet. It was slouched over with a hump in its back. It turned and looked at me. There was not much light but I could feel the thing staring straight into my eyes. Its eyes were blood red and shrunken into the sockets. Pieces of flesh were missing from parts of its face. I could see parts of bone on its forehead and some teeth on the right side of its face. Its skin seemed to crack and break as its mouth twisted into some wicked smile. I stepped back a way from the door as the creature reached back and slammed its palm into the door. I heard the door creak and crack but it held. It reached back again and the second time the door gave in. flying inward and slamming against the wall. The creature was too big to fit into the doorway so it leaned its shoulder in and stretched its arm at me. Its massive gnarled hand scrapped at me with long crooked nails. It left claw marks in the carpet on the floor of the office.
I jumped to the side landing behind my desk. The beast roared and reached out again. Its hand landed on the top of my desk knocking papers and my computer monitor to the floor. It curled its fingers around the desk and pulled it towards itself. I screamed and tried to back away into the corner. It pulled back for a second and looked in thru the doorway. Its eyes locked with mine and I could swear it smiled at me again. IT thrust its arm back into the room and grabbed me by my right ankle. I tried to kick it away but its grip was to strong. I was being dragged across my office trying to get a grip on whatever I could. I heard it laugh at me, a deep evil laugh that shook my soul. As I struggled to get free my hand fell on the letter opener that I had on my desk. It was gold plated piece that I was given by my boss as a reward for working for so long at this place. I gripped it tight and spun around. I stabbed the opener into the things hand. Its grip didn’t loosen so I kept stabbing, pieces of skin and blood where falling onto the floor. I could feel the letter opener hitting bone every time I thrust it into the things hand. Finally the beast flinched and its grip loosened. I pulled my leg free and stumbled to my feet. It had pulled its arm out of the room. I stood there; sweat flowing from my forehead, breathing heavily. I still held the letter opener in one hand. It looked at me and smiled again. The lights in the hallway flickered on and off again. My office lights turned on for a quick second I saw the entire beast. I took up most of the hallway. The lights then went out again and I was in total blackness. The building shook again and I heard the thing move. The lights flashed back on and it was gone. I let out a deep breath as I moved towards the door to my office. I peered into the hallway. There was nothing. I looked both ways. The hallway was brightly lighted and I could seem no signs of anything being in the hallway. I grabbed my coat and ran out of the building towards my car. As I reached the parking lot I looked back at the building and I could hear laughter. It was quiet and deep. Like a whisper. I jumped in my car and drove off, promising myself that there was no way in hell I would ever work overtime again.