Cold Wind

Part #1

A storm was blowing out that night in the town of Emyn Myn. The thunder claps were heard in the empty halls of the house as they echoed in the building. James was sitting at his desk, doing overtime, with a heater at his feet, drinking a warm cup of coffee. The rumbling sound of thunder reached his door, rattling the door handle. He glanced at the handle, he thought there was something more to why it moved this way. Something more queer, something supernatural, perhaps calling him outside. He thought his mind was getting the better of him dialling in all these extra shifts but he heard a whistling in the halls outside his door, almost like the wailing of a person. He listened intently, contemplating what horrors lay beyond the door, until he got a grip on himself, emptied himself of childish thoughts and turned towards his work, not planning to get bashed by his boss the next day. He had to download a few files and sign off on the digital workplace, before he could be free. The office at this hour was empty as it was past closure time. The rain poured heavier now ‘thud thud’ outside his window. A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the room. Next thing you know, in a snap, the lights went off; it was a blackout. All pitch dark leave the crimson red quavering flame of the bashed coal heater sitting in the corner. In the deep dead silence, James palmed his head and just started towards the blank wall. Frustrated, he got up, packed his bag, took out his phone light (thanking The Lord for the phone light) and took the door out. The hall was of a high ceiling with doors and windows on both sides, he trotted along the path he knew led to the exit. Two flights of stairs down, taking the first two rights then going straight. The problem was he was new here and so unsure of the path, losing sense of direction in this dark. Going about the hall he realised he was the only person in this massive high rise building. Now he felt this obscene loneliness, trodding along the empty halls was not his favourite thing, he wished he could just be out of this place in any way; he was having second thoughts. Fear took a hold of him, he thought of all the worst things he could think of. Demons, Fiends, evil entities, with black, grotesque faces, those that appeared in his sleep paralysis. He thought they were peering at him from afar, from behind him and from every corner of the room. A few times he caught a glimpse of a shadow, lurking alongside the damaged walls of the building, from the corner of his eye. But such things he thought foolish: although he went to church, he did not believe in demons. He’d established those things remained in confines of movies and never existed outside them. Nevertheless, on this night his senses were sharp as he very presently turned around the corner towards the flight of stairs descending. There was a strange chill at this corner. He felt it reaching at him from the back of his neck, like a cold hand of mist, deep inside his bones. Relieved he was at the sight of the last set of stairs, he reached for the banister. In its reflection he saw a woman dressed in black. She had no face, except two black eyes. At this he choked, his foot slipped and he slid down the stairs crashing against the wall with a bang. The world seemed dark now and blurry, like a fever dream, he could hear voices, incantations in languages he could not determine. Dazzled, he shrank to a corner, eyes popping out looking left and right into the darkness searching for that wretched sight he’d seen. He thought he was in hysterics, losing his mind, when he saw her. The woman in black stepped towards him and stooped down, till they were eye to eye. He felt its cold, raspy breath, drawing near to him. Unable to face this hideous calamity incarnate, he turned sideways. And there it clicked to him, with a sudden burst of energy he leapt for the handle on the wall, and pulled the lever. Not knowing what it was or if it would work. He looked up, lights flashing red, followed by the discordant sound of the siren and rain sprawling over the halls. Gaping, he heaved himself and broke into a frantic run down the stairs.Two stairs he descended and took the first left that came in the halls, trusting his instinct. He arrived at a red door. It read ‘Exit.’ He reached for it, breathing a sigh of relief, hoping this would be the end of this nightmare. In the pouring rain he thought he heard a sound; the sound of a teenage girl crying. It sent chills down Jame’s spine. It was there he decided never to look towards this building again. But for some unexplainable reason he had a sudden urge to look back. Running away from the building he turned and saw it, the same woman he’d spotted in the building, its gaze intent upon him; it pierced through him and at that moment he wanted to vanish.

Part #2

Four days later James was lying in his bed, in his sweet home in Beetroot Circle Lane 21. It was pouring down as always. It was the norm in this town. A slate grey sky with clouds bursting half the time. ‘Ding Dong’ the doorbell chimed. Someone was outside. “Strange” James thought. No one visits each other much in this strange town, everyone is inanimate and leading unrevealing lives; also James had not many friends who would visit him even if he were sick, as he was today. Grunting James managed “Coming!” before he set out towards the door of his tiny home. “Hey James. Just wanted to check up on you” It was Jame’s boss. James knew that was a blatant lie, he only came here to see if I really was sick or just lying to escape duty. “Ah well boss, I’m fine I‘ll get by today. Just caught a flu” He didn’t think his boss would consolidate him if he told him that their office building was a nuthouse, rather he would have his job taken delightfully care of. “Oh wonderful to hear” he remarked with a beaming smile. “Strange” I thought, “this guy is always nitpicking to get me fired and now he’s wanting me to return”. After some brief small talk they decided that James would make his return to office in an hour. The office building was in front of him again. Cracked, jagged how this building had stood up for nearly 5 decades was incomprehensible to James. This was a sight hrchives e wished he wouldn’t see again but here he was, reporting back for duty. He took a step in. He smelled something. Pungent it was, like the rotting of corpses. It came from the room to his right. That was the store room where archives of documents were stored. Leaving all previous morbid thoughts behind he took up some courage: since it was daytime and the office was hustling and bustling with raucous sounds of conversation. He entered to see what was up. There was singular paper lying on the desk. It was empty, apart from two dark circles which were scribbled violently upon the page. He looked at them and his gaze was fixed on them and despite trying he couldn’t tear his eyes away. They were glued. It was then he realised these were the same as the black sockets in place of eyes he had seen 4 days ago. Transfixed on the spot his expression changed. He was gripped with fear. He knew it, he simply knew it. Something was present in the cupboard to his left. The door slammed shut and the room suddenly grew dark, so dark it was impossible to tell it was day. As if the little sunlight outside was being actively blocked by a forcefield of evil. Ceasing his trance, the cupboard door swung open then shut, then this kept repeating. James sprawled against the back wall. He knew it was hopeless to try for the door. The frames of the top employees shattered to pieces in synchronous fashion and fell to the floor with a deafening crash. It was going haywire in that room, and James lay there now huddled into a corner with his eyes shut. Something was creeping out the dark cupboard, clawing out, a wretched hand. Outside the door James's boss stood, mischievously smiling. He had completed his part of the deal, and now he would be rewarded.