Completely Alone

Thomas lived alone at a research compound in Antarctica. His usual schedule usually consisted of reading or just pointlessly watching the computer monitors that always showed the same damn blizzard outside.

He was a subject of an experiment. What were the effects of extended isolation on the human mind? Similar tests had been done before in vacant compounds and empty rooms, but none could quite carry across just how absolutely secluded you were staying in an Antarctic compound hundreds of miles from any civilization. He had been given enough food and drink for two years, even though he'd only be staying there for one. Thomas had been warned about possible hallucinations before accepting the challenge for the sole purpose of the money he so desperately needed.

There weren't many unusual noises thanks to the constant sounds of the air conditioning and snowstorm outside, and for the past three months Thomas had lived an extremely boring but bearable life. He had also been given many books and an old TV with some VHS tapes of movies to watch, which was quite a good thing.

After two months in the storm began. And never ceased for even a moment. Thomas knew little of weather, but was beginning to think this was unnatural, but eventually he just got used to it. For now he sat down at the bay of computer monitors that each displayed areas that video cameras outside were covering. The computers also had videogames, but they were all horror. And not just run of the mill slightly disturbing horror either. Come to think of it, the movies were all horror as well. And on top of the pile was 'The Thing', a movie about an arctic compound and a horrifying alien creature. The people who had sent Thomas here must have had quite sadistic minds for doing that to him...

The books were also quite creepy as well, even containing poetry like the Telltale Heart. More than likely these were here to ready him for the hallucinations.

And since he had been forewarned of them, and given all of these frightening things to fuel his imagination, Thomas knew for certain that the horrific creature standing motionless in front of camera five wasn't real.

It's huge, black eyes that were wide open and staring right into his own weren't real.

It's grey, flaky skin that looked like that of an old corpse wasn't real.

They were no more real than its needle-like teeth that stretched across its gaping mouth.

Its long, hands that looked like a pitchforks with fingers for points, attached to its thin, tall body were simple figments of his his imagination.

No, Thomas wasn't frightened. He simply stared at the monitor with a blank expression on his face as he realized that the screen had been frozen the whole time in addition to the others. Thomas wasn't the least bit afraid when the door to the small cubicle began to open. And there was no fear in Thomas as he felt a cold breath on his neck coming from behind him. But everything was fine. Because Thomas knew for a fact he was alone.

The extraterrestrial beings who had been observing him appeared satisfied with their research.