Floor 13

[Stacisaur]

As a teenager, with the lovely stage of rapid hormones and awkward scenes, Daniella had lucked out, really, in the acne department. Her skin had gone without much of any mark, due to her mother's genes, which she was very grateful for. She had plenty of friends who had to suffer through the physical, and emotional stages their body took on them, so she did understand what was so bad about having blemishes, in that way.
However, these boils before her, bubbling up, twitching almost as shining liquid trickled out, kind of seemed a tad worse than the occasional zit.
Just a tad.

". . ."
Staring straight ahead at the wall, one would think by now she would be curled over, heaving to the badly carpeted floor of the hallway. Though, Dani did not feel any pain in her gut, nor her head. The stench had numbed over her sense of smell, and something made her want to keep her eyes on the manifestation before them. It grew, it moved, it.. seemed to.. live. Wasn't that kind of fascinating to anyone besides her? Just.. a little?
Despite the fact that it was probably deadly in some way, with this black liquid just gradually filling up around their feet, it was biologically interesting to her. How could this even happen? How did it come to be so quickly? Were they imagining things, so that it came to be, like the thought-form theory? So.. many questions. Burrowed deeply into her thoughts, Danielle didn't realize how closely she was standing in front of one of the boils, pulsating in a rhythm. Like the beat of a heart, it was kind of mesmerizing, more visually than audibly. Drip by drip, the black ooze collected onto the floor, thickening it's reach.
Dani came to, blinked, and stepped back slowly. Her head hung to watch as the blackness became overwhelming, and soon was a little stream, wiggling down to make a trail. It reminded her of a snake.. though, ...worse. Glancing to the wooden spoon in her left hand, she peered up again straight at the boil. Carefully, her body hinged a bit to reach out, pointing the head of the utensil near a droplet about to follow suit with it's brothers and sisters puddling up the floor. Closer, and closer still, until the spoon touched with the drop.
A sizzle sounded out, sharp, stinging her ears as Danielle shuddered, dropping her 'weapon' to the ground. A little splash gave off as she jumped backwards, watching with widened eyes. The entire spoon disintegrated in the puss-like, ghastly liquid, as if it was hungry, eating away like bacteria at the wooden mass. It reacted like acid would to the skin, or, how she had read about in some sort of college class a few years back. She.. clearly hadn't experienced that kind of thing first-hand.. nor was she anxious to.

Clearing her throat, Danielle brushed her palms off against the front of her nightshirt. Well, that cleared up one question she had: what if they came in contact with the black 'stuff'. Good, she had at least one answer. Shuffling quickly over to where the rest of the group was, her arms closed in around to hug at her own waist. Hey, a hug was a hug, even if it was from her own arms. It comforted her in such.. odd, horrifying times, as these were turning out to be.
"So, uh. Yeah. Don't.. don't touch that there liquid-y.. stuff. M'kay?"
Speaking to really anyone who was listening, she trailed off once more, her eyes drifting to look up ahead, catching view of the rusted metal along this suddenly formed entrance. As her face warped into a confusing expression, lips kind of twisted, brows furrowed intently, she began to wonder if it really would be safe for any of them to go into this unknown place. They.. didn't have a choice, other than exploring the new corridor, which was the sad, yet true part.

A sigh left Dani as she held her head back, staring at the ceiling. And now, she was defenseless, without a spoon. Super.​

 

[Macakie476]

Marzia walked down the corridor until she had gotten to the exit. She remembered the man that came to save her. She thinks his name was Tom, if she could remember. But Marzia was so terrified; all she could think of was just run.Once at the end of the hallway, Marzia rushed to grab the handles. But as she was pulling them, the doors wouldn't open.

"No, please no." Marzia muttered to herself, with her eyes widening in fear.

Why won't the doors open? Did that mean she was trapped in the building? She groaned in feeling anger and stress coming to her.. She decided to look for another exit, and hope it wasn't locked.

 

[Hecatoncheires]

[size=+1]An exit has been found at last.

Probably the most unappealing exit I've ever laid eyes upon, but I really can't afford to be picky in this situation.

Rusted steel shards jut out from it, piercing through flesh that's been blackened by fire. The smell coming from it isn't as bad as the flesh that covers the doorway, but it's a close second. I shine the light down the narrow passage, but the darkness is too thick to be able to see far; the light is practically swallowed up by the gloom.

"Tom, judging by the horrific structure of this doorway, I feel like if we decide to go down it..I'll lead..Since I'm a guard." Once again I'm grateful to have Ernest on-side in this situation; I had thought him to be a nervous, fidgety sort of guy, but as it turns out he's got balls crafted from brass.
"You sure, man?" I ask, trying to keep the fear out of my voice, "Thanks."

The viscous substance oozing from the flesh-wall is beginning to seep down the corridor now; time is running out. Turning to the others, I decide to do my best to steer us all in the safest direction again. "Alright, we need to get off this corridor. Which means passing through… whatever that passageway is. Unappealing, but beats staying here. Everyone grab what you need from your apartments as fast as you can and then we'll move. I'd recommend shoes; that passage doesn't exactly look like it'll be safe for bare feet."

Yeah, Tom. Jokes will help at a time like this.

Returning to my apartment quickly, I slip on my outdoor boots and snatch up the knife from the hiding place I'd tucked it into next to the door before looking around the place one last time. It'll be flooded with that fluid soon enough. The thought upsets me; this is my home, and the idea of it being filled with dark ooze feels like a violation.

A violation of my home, my private little sanctuary.

Stepping back out into the corridor, I spot Abigail still slumped against her doorway. She's not moved an inch since I entered my apartment, slowly rocking back and forth whilst muttering to herself. Poor girl was clearly unstable before all this; I think this is proving to be just too much for her. "Abigail?" I say quietly as I kneel down next to her, "Abigail, we need to get moving. It's not safe here." She responds with a manic giggle.
"No, no, nonononononono…" is her only response, continuing to rock back and forth, "Voices in the dark, can't go in there. The dark is where the nightmares live…"

Yeah, this girl's clearly long gone. Not much I can do for her now. Yet as I rise back to my feet her head suddenly snaps up and she's staring straight at me, eyes wide and bloodshot. "Twenty-one nightmares lurking in the dark, Tom. And the number thirteen rises highest of all." I stare back for a moment, at a loss for words. Suddenly her eyes droop again and she goes back to rocking back and forth whilst muttering to herself. It was as if for a moment there was a terrible lucidity to her madness, only for it to vanish the next second.

"Tom?" comes a voice from behind me; I whirl about to see Jonathan approaching me. He kneels down next to Abigail and I remember that he's a psychologist of some kind. Examining the girl for a moment he looks back to me. "Tom, I think I'm going to stay put in my apartment. Board up the door as best I can and wait it out. The prospect of going down…" he glances over at the passageway and shudders, "…going down whatever that is really doesn't thrill me."
"You sure?" I ask, though I know he's probably already made his mind up. Sure enough he nods.
"I am. Someone needs to look after Abigail, after all. Can't leave her on her own whilst she's like this."
"What about that ooze stuff?"
"If I block up the door that should stop it for a time. Hopefully the flow will stop soon enough."

'I doubt it', I think to myself, but say nothing. It's his choice.
"Alright, Jonathan. Just… take care of yourself, yeah?" He flashes me a quick smile.
"Of course. I think I'll be more worried about the rest of you more than myself, considering what you're about to do." I let out a half-hearted chuckle before moving back down the corridor towards the passageway, turning my back on Jonathan and Abigail.

There is a horrible certainty in me that I will never see them alive again.

Stopping just before the passage, I peer into it again. Again, that same oppressive darkness, thick and choking. Again I resist the urge to just run and hide in my apartment, hope to shut out this madness.

"Everyone set?" I call.[/size]

 

[Phi Chisym]

Naomi Scott

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Tom took command of the group, throwing out orders that only made Naomi feel more confident that they will see the new day. Nodding after his list of orders, Naomi ventured back into her apartment - taking every precaution necessary.

She opened the door to find things – back to normal. There were no glowing little eyes, not heavy sense of impending doom... Normal? That word has become a farce now. The past hours had been anything but that. With her knife in hand, she followed the hallway to her kitchen, flinging draws opened blindly until she was able to find the one with the Mac10 Flashlight. Light illuminated everything, giving her some relief for the moment as she entered her bedroom.

Her books were neatly stacked beside her bed, the things she'd kicked over in her heated rush were returned to their rightful places. She almost giggled at how these apparitions were so – neat. Ignoring her dead humor, she quickly dressed in a pair of jeans, boots, and tee shirt with a long sleeve jacket around her waist. She grabbed another large flashlight and her small compact camera. Yes, if she survived this nightmare, she's going to have the high-resolution digital photos to prove it. Unfortunately, when she turned it on all the lights and whistles didn't respond.

"Damn, I know I'd charged those batteries recently."

No time for that now… She tossed it to the side and checked her cell phone. It was charged enough, but now it was just as dead as the camera. She grunted and tossed the phone on her bed. She tried to think of the necessities, stuff that would be helpful to carry, but not take so much space. Grabbing her backpack, she placed the extra flashlight, a first aid kit, batteries, a small household tool kit, and a few small bottles of water and nonperishable foods. Naomi was not a camper, but she was a damn good self-appointed girl scout.

Several times she had to stop herself from packing a few books and magazines, journals and other things she had accumulated over the years… Her habit was beginning to confront her, talking her into staying – in fear that someone may try to steal her things…

"I've got to get out of here… they'll be – okay." Taking her time, she left her apartment with a sense of loss.

Naomi was determine to just stay where she was, with the others... Safety in numbers has been proven the smarter choice than standing alone. She reframed from that choice, but regardless of this fact, a few others have decided to remain behind. She followed Tom to where Abigail was still glued, shaking and rocking in place. She tried to be a womanly figure for consulting, but the girl wasn't budging.

Jonathan opted to stay with her...planning on boarding up in this apartment. Naomi wasn't sure if that was a good option, but it might give him a few minutes - to prepare for what was coming. Her skin crawled with an ominous shiver for them, conscious of their conclusions... Hoping she would not see hers any time soon.

"Everyone set?"

"As well as I can be," she responded, while tying a bandanna around her neck.

 

[Anglkate]

[DASH=green]

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[dash=darkred]ELEANOR MCARTHUR
So it's back to my apartment I go. I turned to look back at my dark apartment that I had just quietly stumbled out of to meet with the strange group again. None seemed to notice the flicker of my candle yet, but the darkness seemed to eat away at the light anyways. I continued to hold it as I listened to what everyone had to say with trained ears. Finally I left to go gather what I would need, which really wasn't much. I had a small satchel that I piled a few things into (notebook, pens, batteries, lighters, few small candles). Slipping a pair of socks and shoes on I didn't bother to change my clothes, what was the point? tying my hair into my typical side pony I took up my candle again when my eyes fell upon the small camcorder my brother had gotten me for my last birthday. I never was a good camcorder user, but...what would it hurt? i felt almost as if it were my JOB to take it with me. Grabbing it I hurried out of my apartment, but not before attempting one last look out the opaque window down my hall. The same distorted image and I swear I saw a faint reflection of two red eyes leering at me.

"Just stay quiet and follow like you always do. No one needs to notice me there" I said softly to myself as I slipped back out. Despite my obvious horror, which mirrored the others, I was actually slightly excited! This was a thrilling suspense horror in real life! This was PRICELESS!

My senses seemed to start to dull to the horrors going on about me as mere curiosity and the writing spirit within me is awakening. How couldn't it? This was the PERFECT set-up for an award winning best selling novel! Now all I had to do was survive the night, change some names and facts, and wa-la! I would have myself my FIRST novel of any shape and form that might sell well. It beat having to do the piddly stuff I was now. It is amazing what one will and can do when greed/money is on the mind. Hell if a few people died it would just make my story that much more thrilling sans my own death of course. Best part, now I had a camcorder to record all this! My lips curled into a faint smile as I joined the others again. i fell in line with the others to await our fate.
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[Jukujin]

"Yeah..I-I'm sure, Tom..It's my duty."

No I wasn't sure. Damn it, I just wanted to go back to sleep and pretend this was all one giant fucking nightmare. But, no..it already was a damn nightmare, not just one with myself, it was one that everyone this floor was going through. Seriously how the hell did this all happen? I'm beginning to think about getting the hell out of here and moving some place sunny and warm, if I make it out alive that is, through whatever is through that passageway..No! NO! Don't talk like that Ernest..You'll be fine. Plus, who is going to keep these people calm if you're dead?..No one. I looked at each person who was going to embark on this journey through this abyss, and then down abyss itself. I was completely freaking terrified, but standing in this hallway would be the death of us all.

"Guess..I'd better head back home and find something useful then.."

I waited til the others left to get whatever they wanted or needed from their apartments, I'll just go last. That way if something happens to someone, I'll be there to stop it.

While everyone was moving about, I began to think back to Rufus and that dreadful day at the aslyum again. Not like I was doing it on purpose, this darkness and fear of not coming back must be really playing a toll on my mind somewhere. Rufus would not want me to worry about him now, and to just do my job. "Damn it, Rufus..Why'd you have ask me what time it was?.." Bringing up my wrist to look at the watch I was given for my birthday three months ago. This watch is not just some gift given to me by my best friend just so he could know the time, it was something that gave me strength everyday after his passing and I needed that courage and strength more than ever.

Finally, my turn. I rushed back into my apartment and placed the cane back where I got it from. No scratches or anything, excellent quality. I figured I should take my pistol just in case things got way out of hand and needed to neutralized right away. I looked on the table, in my closet, under my bed, and even on top of the cabinets..No pistol. Damn it, I must have left it back at the station. Great, guess I'll have to resort to the night stick then. It was a sturdy, but effective tool that packed quite a punch. Let's see anything else I could possibly use?..Hm..Huh?...My belt from work. I feel I'll be able to use this too, along with the protective vest in my closet. Might as well grab my flashlight too, just in case someone else's dies.

I caught back up with Tom and the others, making sure I was fully ready, my vest and belt were tight enough. I secured the flashlight in one of the holders and grasped the nightstick tightly.

"Ready."​