It was stupid idea. I just wanted to see what was inside, and what it was all about.
It was scheduled for demolition, it had been plenty of times before, but it had always got delayed or cancelled. I just wanted to know what was behind all the rumors. No one else wanted to come with me and I had to go alone. Well, I didn't really want to go by myself but what was the worst I was going to find? Hobos? Crazed junkies? A feral dog? I figured I could handle anything but I brought a knife anyway. The stories were just that - stories. There's no such thing as ghosts or monsters.
I decided to start out at mid-day, so I had plenty of time to explore the building while there was still daylight. Even so, I wasn't going to stay in there during the night. There was something off about that hospital and I had to know what.
It was hard to get in, but I managed to find a broken window on the first floor on the west wing. The room inside was a huge mess; things had been smashed and thrown around everywhere and a bed was lying on its side. Sheets were strewn about, a small table had fallen, and various medical utensils were scattered across the room. A scalpel was embedded in the far wall. I concluded that it had probably been some stupid kids messing around thinking they were cool for destroying things in an abandoned hospital.
It was darker than I had first imagined. I cursed my poor memory, wishing I had remembered to bring a flashlight. Just in case, I decided to try one of the light switches by the door on the left, much to my relief and surprise, they worked.
I didn't spend much time wondering why. The door next to the switches was hanging half off of its hinges. Pushing out of the way I headed into a corridor. It was even darker with very little light at all. There was a strange smell and it was slightly disturbing. I couldn't put my finger on what it was exactly. I felt my courage leaving; this place was creepy. No, I told myself, there's nothing scary here, if there is anything else, you can probably kill it.
With that, I took in my surroundings, to my left (the north) there was an emergency exit and to my right, the hallway continued into the building in complete darkness. I felt myself shudder as I looked down it. I asked myself if the emergency door still worked. Checking around in the dark, I could not find any switches nearby and I did not want to leave the comforting light of the first room. I was just about to head back when the lights in the corridor flickered on. Scared me half to death. I decided that the lights in the other room were some how connected to the hallway lights and there has been some sort of delay.
I moved down the corridor and further into the hospital. I saw a few dark empty rooms on the way, there were a few creaks and little noises, but I was certain that were just the building expanding in the afternoon heat. What was strange was that the corridor just went on like this for an impossibly long distance. I was sure that I should have reached the end.
I turned back to see how far I had come. Some six doors down was the room I had entered and the same emergency exit beyond it. That's when I'd had enough. I went back to the room. But it wasn't the same room. There was blood smeared all over on the wall as if someone had painted it with their hands. The light seemed to have no source. I glanced around for the window. There were none. I couldn't understand; the room had just been there a minute ago. I stumbled out of the room and heard a door further along the corridor slam. I slowly turned and looked behind me. Nothing there. Panic gripped me and I ran from the blood-drenched room. Trying to find a way out of the hospital, I ran and got nowhere for a long time.
After sprinting for what could have been minutes or hours I stopped, leaned against a wall, took a breath and I managed to calm myself down.
There must be some sort of reasonable explanation for all this. Maybe you took a turn without realising, I thought to myself.
Suddenly there were a series of loud groans and creaks behind me. To my right there was a new corridor. I walked over and investigated it. No more than ten metres away was a spiral staircase. It occurred to me that spiral staircases aren't usually found in hospitals. But with all the other weird crap going on, I wasn't going to question it. I went over to it and check how stable it was. I shook the hand rail. Seemed sturdy enough. The whole thing seemed to be made of some sort of black metal. I looked back at the corridor. I knew if l went back there I would be trapped forever. I didn't take a turn and forget about it - it was this place.
The stairway was probably the most normal thing there. Nothing strange happened as I climbed up. It ended where I'd excepted and I walked off onto the second floor. It was another corridor. almost exactly like the last one. Only it went west to east. Looking behind me, I saw that the stairs had disappeared.
I need to get out, there has to be a way, I thought.
I searched all the rooms in the hopes that I could find some way to get out. Some of them were ruined with objects thrown everywhere. Some of them filled with blood and disturbing symbols. Some of them were just empty. Eventually I came across a room with only a chair inside. It was standing upright in the centre of the room. It was odd, but I thought it was not important.
I continued my search for some sort of escape. As I was checking the next room, I heard something wooden scrape along the ground several metres away. I turned back and saw the chair just sitting there. Spooked, I hastened my inspection, putting distance between me and the chair. I had just finished two more rooms when I heard it again. It was closer this time. I stared at it and backed away. I blinked. I heard the noise again. behind me this time. There wasn't even a metre between me and it. I blinked again. It was almost pressed against my legs.
“What the fuck!" I screamed at the chair, at the hospital, at everything. The chair vanished. I was alone again in the never-ending corridor.
“Let me out of here!" The whole building was silent. I waited for a second. Nothing happened. I went back to searching the rooms. I had an awful feeling that I'd made a huge mistake. It took me a while. it must have been hours before I worked it out.
Slowly the lights were dimming. Hour by hour they grow more dull. Soon there will be no light, only me and whatever controlled this place. Whatever liked to paint with blood.
Trapped forever in the hospital.