Episode 1: The beginning and the ending (2)

I treaded carefully, blending into the surrounds. Thankfully no one noticed me as I walk towards the gate.

The blue sky was bright but something felt different. Was it always this warm? It's January.

I hurried down the streets towards a tall building I saw in the distance. The build was easy to recognise. The redness of the building walls stuck out like a sore thumb amongst the others - it was the private accommodation where Janda lived.

Along the way, I looked at my phone but still no signal. Why was that? It doesn't make any sense. The busy streets looked normal. I saw people reading from their phones while walking. Groups of student chattering and smoking. Why was I the only one without signal?

* * *

I arrived. The front entrance was there. Glass windows around double the height of myself stood firmly there. I walked closer and they open.

The receptionist wasn't there. I walked towards the elevators and the displays showed that the elevators were all on floor 20. I pressed the button and one of the 4 elevators began to head down.

I felt ominous and decided to hide behind the pillar near the door to the stairs.

*Ding*

The elevator door slowly opened.

*Beep* "No sign of anything here sir." I heard him say.

*Beep* "Are you certain?"

*Beep* "Yes."

*Beep* "...Move to next location."

*Beep* "Affirmative."

The figure walked directly out the front entrance and left. A soldier. He was holding a gun that looked like that mobile game I played before. The one where you drop down and fight in a battle royale.

Looking at the displays, the other 3 elevators were heading down. I quickly headed into the open elevator before it closed and pressed F20 with my trembling hand.

It felt like an eternity as I waited to arrive on the correct floor. The small display on top of the buttons played the latest news and weather forecast. But strangely, there was no news about what I saw this morning and it shows 10 degrees[1]. I felt the elevator shaking slightly as it ascended. It grew stronger as time passed.

*Ding*

The door opened and I dashed to the left, towards room 2020. Going down the hallway, I noticed a lot of the rooms were open and debris scattered everywhere. The entire place looked like ruins but one remained closed. Room 2003. This was the only room that wasn't open but the handle... it was broken.

It looked like somebody hacked it off with a blunt object and tried to force their way into the room but after a while, they gave up. The door was slightly open but nothing could be seen in the darkness. I tried pushing it but something seems to be blocking it from opening on the inside.

*Sniff*

What's that smell?

*Sniff* *Sniff*

"Is that... gas?" I thought to myself. It was leaking out from the dark gap.

Shivers fell down my spine. One spark and the entire place could go *BOOM*. I slowly reversed then...

*Thump*

I heard something drop on the other side of the door. Is someone inside? I looked into the gap and said, "Hey! Anyone in there?" but no response. I heard a few crackling noises as if something was moving inside. There's definitely someone or rather, something. Looking at the door to the left, it was relatively closer than the door on the right. Perhaps it's a twodio[2] not a studio[3]? I hurried my way into room 2002.

The inside was trashed like the others. The handle on the door was also hacked off but the door remained firmly closed; the broken handle was lying on the floor besides me.

There was a slight gap between the door and the room wall revealing the hidden bolt of the door that kept it shut. I picked up the handle and tried slide it in the gap but the curved edge stopped it from going in any further.

I threw the handle away and said, "I need to look for another... thing..."

The clothes hanger in the wardrobe was too thick, I tried a disc but it shattered after I put it in.

A ruler! That's what I needed. I searched the table, the drawers but why isn't there a single ruler?

"Damn it! Just 15 cm will do! Where is it..." I furiously said while stepping back.

*Snap*

The ruler... what I was looking for snapped in half. The jagged edge pierced my trainers popping the air cushion inside.

"Fuckkk."

I took the ruler out and looked at it. "7 cm left... with the pointy bit probably 7.5 cm?" I thought. Hopefully it's long enough.

I moved back to the kitchen door and shoved the ruler in while looking for the bolt. With a couple attempts, I finally opened the damn door.

"These thick ass doors... for what reason they have to be this difficult to open?" I muttered as the door slowly opened my way.

A gush of air came out and the door creaked open. I dodged aside and noticed the smell, it was gas.

"The stove!"

I took a pot, flipped it over covering the leaking gas. The windows had no openings. No wonder the gas couldn't escape. Typical 'safety' feature of private accommodations...

The door to room 2003 was wide open and I could see someone's leg.

*****

[1] Degrees: temperature measured in Celsius.

[2] Twodio: two separate rooms with individual bathrooms connected by a kitchen.

[3] Studio: standalone room with bathroom and small kitchen.