1 Intro 1

Jade slowly ascended the winding and decrepit staircase up to the top floor. A serene smile stood permanent on her remarkable features. Long straight brown hair reached beyond her back and sharp gray eyes looked up.

She had a simple and worn, but neat, small white dress on. It flowed with the breeze as Jade patiently walked toward the new apartment she had finally gotten for herself. After living in an overstuffed and large building, this was the perfect breath of fresh air. The countless hours of tireless work and saving would be worth it now that she could finally live on her own.

A space she could claim and fill with her items, without the worry of tampering. Nothing could be a better 18th birthday gift. Though a room on the top floor with no elevator wasn't ideal.

She reached the top of the stairs and approached what would be her new home. The paint was chipping off the walls and the floor was stained. Overall it was shabby and run-down. However, this was all Jade could afford. And Jade didn't seem to be bothered with the appearance. Her serene smile still stayed put.

Her steady hand reached for the door and slowly turned the knob. A horrendous squeaking noise ensued when the door scraped on the floor.

Her unfaltering smile slipped a bit when she saw what lay on her apartment floor.

Apart from some moving boxes stacked against the walls and a layer of dust covering all surfaces, a large pitch black hole took up most of the floor. If Jade took two steps forward she would fall in. There was no clear indication where this hole led as the only thing that could be seen as a strange pit devoid of color.

She stared at the void for a few long seconds. It seemed as if it was trying to suck her in. For a small moment, she started leaning forward as if she intended to jump.

However, she suddenly slammed her back against the door as if she had snapped out of it. She grabbed the knob of the door and urgently twisted it, but it didn't budge. She would have thought someone had locked her in, but she hadn't heard the sound of a key. She continued trying the door for a short bit before it was obvious it wasn't opening. She tried yelling;

"Hello?!"

"Can someone open the door?"

Unfortunately, silence met her attempts. Apparently her new neighbors weren't very social. She very quickly gave up and sat down in the space between the door and the void. She stared at the black hole and it gave a similar feeling as before. As if it was convincing her that she wanted to jump.

Her smile that had faltered earlier had now resumed its place as she slowly leaned in.