In My Skin

CH 18 || Halloween Part II

A long, narrow hallway opened up before me. Moonlight shone through the barred windows, painting the floor and walls in a silver mesh. My nose twitched at the dry, slightly musty odor hanging in the air. The moment the door clicked shut; a deafening silence enveloped me.

Why was I doing this again?

Ah, right, because Suzy thought it was a good idea for me to practice being brave. And now, here I was. Alone. Walking through an abandoned asylum at one in the morning.

I couldn't help but wince each time my sneakers let out a faint squeak. With every corridor I passed, my nerves seemed to stretch tighter. Hadn't Rosalyn said there was a moving door?

A low rumble cut through the silence, and I jumped, a scream caught in my throat.

On the other side of the dirty glass, the clouds had drawn nearer.

Just great. What a perfect day to visit a "haunted" building.

My back broke out into a cold sweat. I stood perfectly still, listening, watching, but aside from the rustling leaves and distant thunder, there was nothing. The overwhelming lack of life was more disturbing than any possible encounters with the deceased.

Should I turn back?

No. Suzy was right. Maybe this was good for me. To face my fears. I could definitely use a bit more bravery in my life.

A shuffling noise came from an open doorway on my left and I jerked to a halt.

Holding my breath, I carefully peeked into the small room. A hospital bed was thrown on its side, the metal frame now twisted and out of shape. On the opposite side, a dusty, old desk stood in front of the window lined with thin curtains that swayed gently.

Not creepy at all.

Shit. I should just speed-run this. The faster I walked, the less I would see. Easy, right? Yet my feet remained rooted to the spot.

This whole place reminded me of a game I'd played about a year ago. Thief. One chapter led you into an abandoned asylum. It had taken me ages to progress, because even on screen, navigating those spooky hallways had made the hairs on the back of my neck rise. And of course, there had been ghosts. And worse.

But this wasn't a game.

The rustling sounded again and I tensed. My eyes darted around but the only things I could make out were spider webs and my weak, ghostly reflection on the faded glass.

A small squeak disrupted the stillness, and I lurched back. A rat skittered out of the bed and darted into a hole in the wall and out of sight.

Breathing out, I grasped at the edges of my shirt.

Just a rat. Nothing special.

I gritted my teeth and kept going. The walls seemed to emanate an icy breath that made me shudder. A wide staircase rose ahead, its washed-out concrete riddled with small cracks.

I carefully made my way up to the second floor, each sound causing me to flinch and freeze for a second. If Killian saw me now...Wait. Why the hell was I thinking of him? I shook my head.

Get a grip, Tay.

Besides, Cody had told me he was fine. That had to be enough. I should be glad the whole thing was over and dealt with.

My shoulders squared and I hurried my steps, rushing through the next corridors. After another turn, I stopped at a connecting passage that crossed over to the next building. At least I was going the right way.