Lauren shivered, watching a small roach creep across the cement floor. She was deep in the Watson Library stacks. The lights flickered. The smell of aged books and Lysol smothered her nostrils. She leaned her body against the shelf. It was the only thing to rest against anyway.
She hadn’t seen another person since the elevator. From there it took her two flights of stairs, eight turns and sixteen minutes to finally arrive at her destination.
Creepy, she thought to herself. Someone could die in here and it’d take weeks for anyone to notice.
She pulled her cellular from the front pouch of her backpack and breathed a sigh of relief that she had a signal. She considered it a small miracle.
Matt was already on speed dial. “Pass the time with me,” she said when he answered.
They talked politics and about the reconstruction on the West side of town. To Lauren, it was a welcome distraction to the chilly, damp air.
Matt asked, “So, do you have a death wish or what?”
“What do you mean?”
“Most people don’t wait in the stacks for a study partner.”
“I’m doing a paper on Jack the Ripper. This one book is important, but it’s been past due for weeks. So I left a note with my digits and five bucks. Then I get this note back to meet here to exchange the book tonight. Call me an adrenaline junkie.”
After a long pause, Matt said, “Lauren, you should get out of there.”
“Don’t be scared, Matt. Besides, this whole experience is great research for my novel.”
“It’s weird, though. Why wouldn’t he just return the book?” Matt said.
“I’m leaving now,” Lauren sighed. She’d spent twenty minutes on the no show and was disappointed. “Do your research online.”
The lights flickered out. Lauren thought she heard the sound of slow footsteps in the distance. She sunk her body to the ground and listened, holding her breath.
“Matt?” Lauren whispered.
“Hang up and call the police.”
“No! Don’t get off the phone with me.” Lauren rose to her feet and flew down the last set of stairs to the elevator, where the red EXIT sign illuminated the way.
“Why didn’t you just listen to me, Lauren?” Matt hollered.
“I’m at the elevator. I’ll be out of here in five minutes.” Lauren stretched her fingertip to the elevator button, giggling at her own naivete. “You’re going to die now along with all the others who never listen,” Matt said calmly.
The elevator beeped, signaling the doors would soon be opening. Lauren was frozen.
“Matt, if you think this is funny…”
It took a moment for Lauren to realize the footsteps had stopped. She heard breathing, close by. Too close. She felt hot breath move the hair above her left ear.
The man behind her spoke in the voice that the also echoed through her the cellular against her ear.
“The name actually, is Jack.”
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© 2010 T. Michelle
T. Michelle is a software engineer by day and die hard horror fanatic by night. For more, see her website: http://cometothia.blogspot.com/
Tags: T. Michelle
December 21st, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Nice story. I also liked the zombie story on your blog. It was awesome!