Chapter 2: Dangers in the Dark

There is an immediate issue that I see as I walk down the relatively short concrete stairs. Rather, I should say that I don't see anything. The lights are dim and few and far between. Planning is going to be the only way I can get through this floor.

At the bottom of the stairs, the only thing I could see was incredibly long and dark hallways. The concrete halls were barely wider than my shoulders and I could already see problems with feeling closed in. As a child I always struggled with small spaces like playground tunnels.

I closed my eyes for a bit as I got to the bottom of the stairs, preparing myself mentally. There won't be anything down here. I spent a long time in front of the exit and never saw anything come through that door. If there was anything in these tunnels, they would definitely have gone up the stairs. I was confident in this fact, thinking no further on it.

With one last deep breath to calm my aching nerves, I opened my eyes. It was show time down in these creepy tunnels. Thankfully, even though the floor was also concrete, it was dry. I would finally have dry feet for a while. Not that my feet ever got wet again after I left the yellow zone, it just took them forever to dry, and only fully dried after I had let them rest in the gray zone.

I had three bottles of water on me and probably around fifteen granola bars of varying flavors. The gray zone was plentiful in its resources, and even seemed to restock after a day had passed and I wasn't actively watching it. Two pockets with water in them, stuffed with granola bars, water in my left hand, with my right hand free. My back pockets had also been stuffed, I was certain that I could survive for four days with these rations.

Four days didn't sound like long, but I had confidence in my navigation of this place. I was able to find the exit after trusting myself, and not falling into panic. Getting out of here will be simple, I just have to keep moving through these dark concrete halls with a clear mind.

I heard scratching noises as I neared the first junction. The sound of nails on concrete, a surely unpleasant feeling and sound. I ignored it, knowing that this place was just playing tricks on my mind to unnerve me. I wouldn't fall for its tricks, so I pushed forwards with confidence, as I began to get goosebumps on my arms.

Rounding the corner, it seems I was sorely mistaken about the fact that I was alone. It also seems that I was right about this place unnerving me, just not in the way I had hoped. I was frozen in place as I stared into the dark black eyes of the vaguely humanoid creature in front of me. Its arms drooped limply past its knees, back arched forwards in an angle that was honestly impressive. The long, sharp claws that extended from its elongated fingers were something more terrifying though.

Without giving me time to stare in shock, the creature swung its blackened claws at my throat. I managed to stumble away from the swing just in time to save my own life. It was close enough that I felt a breeze from where it had swung.

As if to cut my train of thought, the monster advanced on me, using the advantage of the intersection of halls to get better swings in on me. Looking for options I decided to run down a new tunnel, the monster immediately following me down it, blocking any hope I had of returning to the stairs. A truly stupid decision.

In the small halls, the creature struggled to get good swings on me. Which I immediately used to get a batter look at the creature. It had facial features, but there were all covered in a layer of rotting, gray flesh save for the eyes. It wore no clothing, all covered in the rotting flesh to such an extent that I couldn't tell if it had a gender, if such monsters even had them.

I turn my back to the monster as I try to make distance. The scratching noises speed up almost as soon as I turn my head away from it. The scratching was getting unnaturally close before I turned around to see the monster close enough to breath down my neck from above me.

The monster had stood up, straightening its back for me to be able to easily see that this monster was almost a whole torso taller than me when it stood straight up. I back away as it raises its arms to try and gore me. I managed to get back just far enough that the almost obsidian claws hit the concrete ceiling, causing dust to fall as the claws sink in.

My eyes went wide. It seems I was outmatched in every way when fighting this monster. So much so that I should have never thought I could fight this thing. Turning my back to this monster was a mistake, I thought it was a slow creature, and it was, right up until I made an assumption, another stupid one.

I begin to walk backwards away from the monster. Making sure I was constantly keeping an eye on it, I kept getting further away from it. It was struggling to remove itself from the concrete ceiling.

The dim lighting was starting to strain my eyes. I could feel the start of a headache, and having a headache that wanted me to close my eyes, while needing to stare down death, was not something I really cared for if I was going to be perfectly honest.

Suddenly an old, nostalgic feeling washes over me, but not a good feeling. Claustrophobia, a fear I struggled with when I was younger. With the last rational part of my brain I think to myself, what a fucking dreadful situation. A full blown hyperventilating panic attack during a chase from a monster easily able to kill me.

Needing to calm myself down somehow, I started running backwards, I needed to find an intersection and try something. Fast. I could feel my mind beginning to shut down.

Full panic was starting to cloud my thoughts as I stumbled, but never falling.

Panic was clouding everything, making it all a blur.

A corner, something, please.

Come on!

Eventually, I find myself at a three way corner. I picked a path, making sure the monster was still extremely distant.

I could feel my heart rate already lowering by just breaking eye contact with the monster. Something I'm sure my stressed heart was thankful for. Now though, I needed to try to reset the maze. I knew that doubling back didn't always mean the same path on the previous floor, so I had nothing to lose from trying it here.

I round the corner, do a small spin, and check the corner again. The hallway was different, and the monster was gone, I had escaped. I had escaped the monster, but had also sealed myself onto this floor for good. My odds of finding my way back were incredibly slim, and I knew that would happen coming down to this floor.

My heart was still beating a mile a minute, despite having left the presence of the monster. I was hoping that the monster was what was triggering the worst of the panic attack. It wasn't, it was my own fear of closed spaces.

I was leaning against a wall, but I refused to sit. If I sat down, I was worried that a monster would come out of nowhere and attack me. I wouldn't be able to defend myself, not that I could defend myself if I was standing up, but I could definitely run faster if I was standing.

Without closing my eyes, I take some time to calm myself. I forgot how best to deal with my claustrophobia, other than leaving the enclosed space that is. When I was younger, I had managed to overcome this fear somehow, but I don't really remember. If what I see in the distance isn't hallucination, I don't have time, either.

Another of the same monster that I just got rid of was sluggishly moving towards me. The monster was taking its sweet time wandering over to me, but I only knew it was like that because I could see it. I was curious about something, and I needed to know this to know how long I could look away from these creatures.

Currently, it was so far away from me that its outline was slightly blurry. I closed my eyes for less than one second, but it was still too much, the monster was already looming above me. It could move any distance instantly if I even blink.

I quickly backpedal, making sure not to blink. I was starting to get agitated with these monsters, they were more annoying than dangerous, all things considered. I could easily get away from them just by resetting the halls, and as long as I was looking at them, they weren't able to catch up with me.

So while backing up, I keep an eye on the monster so that it doesn't move on top of me. I reset the hallways and be on with my day. I took deep breaths to calm myself while I walked through the dark halls. My eyes were beginning to adjust to the low level of light, the headache from straining my eyes was starting to fade as well.

Unnervingly, I hear more nails scratching on the floor, so I decide to just turn around before the monster is even in sight. I hear it slowly move behind me, scratching its disgusting nails along the floor. Looking at the monster before turning away is what seems to make them move quickly, so if I can hear them before I see them, I can easily avoid them.

Avoiding monsters was not something I was really expecting to do in my entire life. It's something that some adventurous kids will dream up while playing their games. Becoming the hero of a story, able to slay monsters and power up.

I knew just looking at the monsters that I couldn't kill them with what I had on me, if I even could with the right tools. They probably had another way to counter that too, the monsters always seeming to be able to stop a direct confrontation from my side.

Alas, I had to keep moving and escape from here. The small tunnels were bad for my psyche, eroding away at any sanity I was still clinging to in the dark tunnels. For all it was worth, I was beginning to hope the exit would appear just as abruptly as the monsters. Just a bright green sign almost shouting the words 'EXIT' to me.

Reality, however, is cruel. There wasn't going to be an exit in sight for a while, if the previous floor was anything to go by. I was trapped in this hell for as long as it wanted me here, and it seemed to like holding on.

I kept falling back into my thoughts as I felt a routine coming on. The routine was simple. Walk whatever direction I wanted, followed by avoiding looking at any noises made by the monsters that lurked these halls with me. My thoughts were not so simple, an erratic look back on old memories from my childhood I had long forgotten.

Times where I would hide from the monsters under my bed, or in my closet. I really wonder if my claustrophobia stemmed from the fear of being trapped in a cramped space with the monsters I feared lurking in them. Almost laughing at the childishness of the memories was pleasant, a good distraction of current events.

Perhaps when I was younger, the world seemed more dangerous than it really was. I always feared a lot of things when I was younger, but I grew up almost jaded. I stopped caring about many of my fears, as I never experienced them in daily life, and even when they came up, I pushed back the emotions.

Now though, everything here was dangerous. A lack of supplies, insanity caused by any number of reasons, monsters lurking in the dark, or really anything here. I wasn't safe here and was always on my toes, expecting the next danger. I steeled a smile that was creeping onto my face, stopping a dangerous line of thought from even forming.

I needed to escape this hell. I just need to get to the exit and I'll be back where I want to be. I can make some calls to my parents to tell them I am safe, I can apologize to my friends and arrange another meetup myself.

Lost in my thoughts, I barely notice a leather book, lying on the ground in front of me. The book was undamaged by time, looking as if it was bought yesterday and left here by accident. There was a small leather strap holding it closed with a pen being held firmly in the strap beside the pages.

Something to write with. I drink the small amount of water left in my first bottle, and set it on the ground. I didn't need to hold on to an empty bottle. I dusted off the dirt from the bottom of the leather backing of the book. Once I opened it, I saw writing on the first few pages.

'To whomever reads this, I'm sorry, I can't help you escape.

But I can help you survive.'

Well, that's not a good sign. I take in my surroundings and make sure to give a good listen, I know I have a tendency to space out when I am reading, that could get me killed.

'I've left books on every floor I can get access to. This book is for Floor Two.

Let's get straight to the point, you've probably encountered the most common monster of this floor, the Rotting Angel. It is an admittedly easy monster to deal with, just do not look at them, you can even walk right past them in the halls if you close your eyes.'

I don't trust that for a second. Are you telling me that I can just close my eyes and they'll never attack me, even if I am right beside them? I won't try that unless I absolutely have to… but I guess I've been able to dodge their attacks plenty of times because they always breathe on me before they attack. Wait, they don't have a visible mouth, how do they breathe on me?

'If you are unfortunate enough to look at the putrid monster, stare at them, and do not blink. They can move faster than sound itself, and will not hesitate to gore you with the long claws they all possess. Randomize the hall, and pick a different path, you'll never encounter that monster again, or it loses the will to fight after you disappear. Either way, it is the only way to ensure safety.'

Randomize? I've been calling it reset. The more I read of this though, the less comfortable I am. This is the book for Floor Two… How many floors are there? I'm guessing more than two at the very least, but it seems there is an easy way to travel through floors if the author of this is leaving books around everywhere.

'There is a second monster on this floor, it is exceedingly rare, and you should pray you do not see it. It is called a Blinder. The monster will force your eyes open for fifteen minutes, and while your eyes are forced open, it fills them with a blinding light, so you can't see anything.

Thankfully, the light from the Blinder won't do permanent damage to your eyes, but your eyes are forced open for fifteen minutes while you can't see. This is a dangerous combination that the Rotting Angels don't pass up on. You will pull aggro from them as well as them going full speed. A Blinder attracts Rotting Angels in hordes, they can seemingly smell the Blinder.

The ONLY way to survive this is pick a wall, any wall, and stare at it for the full duration of the Blinder's attack. The Blinder will only attack you once, it won't attack you again, so you just have to wait it out. If you find a dead end while blinded, stay there and stare into a corner, it will be better than just a single wall.

You can always try laying on the ground and staring into the corner where the floor meets the wall, but if you are in a wet section it can be mildly uncomfortable. After a Blinder attack you will always find an exit nearby, but you can also find the exit without encountering a Blinder. Pray you don't find one.

See you on the next floor. Godspeed, friend.'

I finish the book, and reconsider taking it with me for something to write in. What happens if there are other people down here who need this information. Paper by itself surely will fade with time in this place. Hopefully not regretting it, I close the book and am about to set it on the ground, when engraved in the side in small text, I read:

'There is freedom in death.'

Not ominous at all. I refuse to die, thank you very much. I have lots of my life left to live, even if I am trapped here for I guess the foreseeable future. Either way, I will put the book back on the ground, and if someone comes after me in this hell, they can have the information they need to survive.

I trust the book.

I shouldn't, but I think that if any of this is remotely true, the Blinder would have killed me immediately. I would not be able to tell that it was attracting Rotting Angels, nor would I have known to just stare at a wall. I would have assumed since my eyes were forced open that the Rotting Angels would have been kept slow like staring at them when you can see them.

I needed to test the theory of walking past them without looking at them. If they straight up ignore me, it's going to be a lot easier to make some good distance in these halls. I begin laughing to myself as something truly insane comes into my mind, a thought I would never normally have.

The way to get past these monsters is like growing up, you don't have to look at the monsters, but you need to know they are there and they can't hurt you if you don't let them. A stupid lesson from a stupid monster, I could think of nothing more fitting, and it put a smile on my face.

Thinking about it, I had been smiling more since I was trapped here than I had in months while I was living what I thought was a happy life. It was horrible down here and it sucked, but the good moments always seem brighter now, a distinct change I was not expecting after what was happening even just a floor ago.

Happy thinking was good, but it seemed I needed to focus, as I started to hear the scratching of nails on the concrete floor. I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, it was time to test a truly stupid idea, something that is most likely going to get me injured or killed.

I closed my eyes slightly before I rounded the corner with the Rotting Angel. Nervously shaking, I don't hear a single change in movement. It just keeps walking rhythmically forwards, not even acknowledging I was there.

I walk to the right of it, and we just pass each other harmlessly. The Rotting Angel ignores me and continues on its way, scratching its claws on the ground looking for a victim. I get some distance from the monster before I try to open my eyes again, just in case I am tempted to turn around.

I open my eyes and jump back in pure horror.

Immediately in my vision is a horrid toothy grin that is wider than any human face I've ever seen. Its creepy elongated fingers reach for my eyes as I reach for my head to throw the creature off, but my hands slide right through it as I feel its cold touch on my eyelids.

Next thing I know I can only see white while I am unable to close my eyes. Oh no.

Oh please no!

I didn't want to believe this thing was real!

Think, think!

What did the book say?

Um, um…

Stare at a wall!

I hear the scratching of the Rotting angel I had already walked past. It had turned around already, probably attracted by the Blinder, just like the book had said. I now had complete faith in the book. If I find any others, I'm not going to think twice about what they say. The book is definitely going to save my life at this moment. I just wish that it would have told me about the horrible appearance of the Blinder.

The toothy grin haunts me as all I can see is white nothingness. While staring at the wall, I drop to the dry ground and stare at the corner where the floor meets the wall. It was safer than just staring at a flat wall, just in case I twitched or was pushed by a Rotting Angel. I hear them gathering around me, and it has only been less than a minute.

I hold still and do my best to make no sounds as the minutes pass by. I can hear the hall filled with monsters. There are easily more than thirty Rotting Angels stuffed into a small area. They step on me and drag their claws across me. I swear some of them pet me as they walk by. The thought of them just waiting there for me to look at them is making my blood run cold.

I shake like I was trapped out in the middle of winter in just my underwear. My fear was at an all time high, but I knew I would be safe… I just needed to wait it out. The monsters weren't that heavy when they stepped on me, no heavier than a young teenager on a good diet plan. The claws felt smooth when they were dragged along my bare skin. Thankfully the sharp ends never went anywhere near me or my clothes.

This was probably the longest fifteen minutes of my life… Unless. This is where the book lied to me? Was I supposed to run?

Is this it? Is it just going to keep me trapped here forever?

Was I going to die?

No. Not here.

I will trust the book, it just hasn't been fifteen minutes. I just need to have patience. I was going to be fine, and I was going to find the supposed nearby exit, even if I now had to do it with my eyes closed. Fuck my eyes anyways, I don't need them for the rest of the floor anyways.

Finally, after an eternity filled with gut wrenching anxiety, my vision is returned to me slowly. I also completely regained control of my eyelids with the Blinder completely gone. I close my eyes tightly, hearing the sounds of an uncountable number of Rotting Angels.

From my awful experience with the Blinder, I know that as long as I do not see them in any way, I can touch and push the Rotting Angels away from me without them fighting back. I force myself to stand up. It was time to leave, there is supposed to be an exit nearby, hopefully I wouldn't pass it with my eyes closed.

I pushed aside the Rotting Angels. Their rotting skin felt like a powdery mess, an unfortunate thing as I moved through. Unpleasant experience after unpleasant experience. I couldn't wait to be done here. The book told me that there was a next floor, so I guess I won't get to go home even if I find the exit.

I find a split in the path and randomize the hall behind me, enter it and walk to the next split all with my eyes closed. I then randomize the hall behind me again, the sounds of the monsters completely disappearing, I open my eyes.

I see a small slightly transparent creature run past my feet, flinching, I recognize it as the Blinder. Its hideous smile turns towards me as I look at it. I could swear it smiled wider than before as it turned away to wander the halls of this cursed floor. I laugh lightly at how correct the book was, it really did ignore me after the first encounter.

I take a quick look around while at the three way junction to see if any of the halls contains an exit, when I see the green glow of my savior down the hall to my left. I move slowly through the hall while I take a sip from the second bottle of water I had. The bottle was already half empty, and I was down a few granola bars as well.

Seeing a door that looked like it would belong on the interior of a house after staring at flat concrete for what felt like a full day was odd to say the least. Whatever, a door is a door, and I am going to open it.

Opening it, a set of old wooden stairs with a railing on the left side. It was time to see Floor Three.