Silent Dark

Chapter 2: Silent Dark

 Moving slowly and silently down the ladder Kevin steps on a solid floor. Turning on the flashlight from the menu, it’s a hallway with two paths. Staying close to the ladder, Kevin notices a lot of blood on the wall along with strange scratch marks. 

“What the hell is this place?” Kevin asked himself. 

 The next to come down was Mark who also turned his light on as he reached the ground. Kevin tells Mark to flash on one side, while he lights the other. When everyone leaves the attic, they wait for Kevin on the next step. 

“Alright, let’s go right as quietly as we can. Someone keep light behind us in case something comes from that side.” Kevin whispered high enough to where everyone could hear.

 Kevin taking the first lead, moving at a very slow pace together in a group. The light only had a 4-foot distance, giving them more anxiety on what comes out of the dark. Only hearing the noise of their footsteps, they stopped as they reached a separate path of another left and right hallway. Before arriving at the path, they hear unusual movements from the right path. 

“S**t.” Kevin signals everyone not to make noise. 

 Rachel did her best not to have screamed at that moment by covering her mouth. Kevin sneaks behind the wall and slowly looks out on the right path. Flashing his light he sees nothing from what is visible. 

“Go left,” Kevin whispered to everyone. 

 Doing what he said they slowly move left while Kevin stayed there keeping guard in case someone or something comes. When everyone passed to the left side, Julie lights the back from the path they come from just in case. 

“Let’s go,” Julie tells Kevin. 

 Not paying attention, Kevin seemed focused on being able to see something among the darkness. Something that was barely in range of the light. Having spaced out on trying to get a glimpse, Kevin didn’t notice that the flashlight battery was showing 1% in the bracelet and went out. In that instant, a sudden sound of impact alerted Julie and the others, when Julie had moved her light to where Kevin was she saw no sign of him anymore. Mark along with a few others tried to keep everyone not to panic and start running when they turned and realized that Kevin was gone. 

“Dam.” Mark looks at his battery, noticing his is at 4%. “Everyone who is at 10% and under turn off the light.” He suddenly takes command now, trying to keep calm in the unexpected situation. 

 The only ones who had a higher percent battery were Ashley and Greg with 31% and 29%. 

“Seems like the battery recharges somehow?” Mark notices from the Menu, as the flashlight goes up 10% every 10 seconds. 

 Greg takes the lead now, leaving Ashely the one to watch the back. The rest stay in the middle with their Menus open, using the light off that to keep some form of extra light. Not having time to grieve for Kevin, they only focused on trying to live. 

“Crap,” Jason said as he looked at the Status section seeing Lisa, Randy, and Kevin being crossed out with the word dead. 

“Are they dead?” Rachel still hoping it is a social experiment. 

“Does it look like we would know?” Robert is finally speaking, having been too scared to talk the whole time. 

“There haven't been any windows; I could hear the wind outside.” Julie points out. 

“For now, we just have to keep moving and try to stay together,” Mark said. 

 They continue on the dark pathways, switching roles of who goes front and back to keep light up. Until they eventually reach a set of stairs for a change. 

“Ready?” Mark is taking the front lead, making sure everyone would prepare for walking down stairs. 

 Everyone just shakes their head up and down. 

“Ok.” Mark begins to move. 

 The set of stairs sounds very ominous with each step taken like they could break at any moment. Being anxious about whatever happens they reach the end of the stairs, and in front is just a door. Mark grabs hold of the door knob and takes a big deep breath.