2:43 am

Summer leapt out of the way as something in the shape of a rat leapt out towards her. It landed on the floor and hissed. She spun towards it and quickly shone her torch on it.

It’s tar black coat made it look a bit like a snake. It’s ears were sharp and pointed. It’s face was filled with little black bumps, some of which had puss oozing out of little craters. Summer saw it’s eyes turn from red to white under the light of her torch. It bared large red fangs and hissed again at her, while backing away. It’s flicked its black tongue out, and out from it sprang little sharp prongs, all over the tongue, making it look a bit like an evergreen tree. Then it turned tail and scampered out of the room.

Summer lost her balance and fell backwards on her butt. She put her hand around her neck, thinking about how if she was a second too late, that thing would have got to her. That spiky tongue and teeth would have ripped out her throat in seconds. She couldn’t dwell on it much longer though. What else could be hiding in dark corners?

She pulled herself together and rushed to get off the floor. But her mind continued to race as she picked up her bag and ran out of the room.

That wasn’t the big monster. That wasn’t the… There’s more than one. But how many more? Are they all big or are they all small? Big and small or, medium… wait… a second.

She turned to look at the break room door.

I closed that door.

Goosebumps ran up her arm. She was torn being thankful the rat monster thing could escape from her and was not forced to attack her instead… but she didn’t know why the door was opened in the first place.

I closed that door, I know I did. Why is it open? Was there something else that made its way into the breakroom while I was inside looking for things? Or was it already in there?

She couldn’t stop imagining she walked backwards slowly, keeping her eye on the door. The room within was still in shadows.

I don’t see anything… right? I should get to daddy’s office, I can lock myself in. I have enough food. Help will come soon, I’ll be okay…?

Then she heard an unmistakable roar.

The thing from last night... The same one from last night? I got to go, I got to go…

She didn’t know it was near or far. She darted into the nearest room and shut the door quickly but silently behind her.

Summer shivered. She paused for a moment, then slowly pressed her ear against the door and listened for footsteps.

A minute passed before she heard it. That thing. Stomping down the hallway where she just was.

Her heart beat faster and faster.

The creature made the carpet it trotted on sound like a concrete. It was loud. Summer felt it’s breathing vibrated through the door.

Is it trying to lure me out? Is it? What is it doing? Why doesn’t it just go away?

She heard it sniff along the hallway and fortunately, she heard it pass her room. But then, it turned around and walked back up. Sniffing and growling.

Can it smell me?

A wave of worry and panic flooded Summer. She gripped her bag tightly to her chest, and prayed that it would not find her in this room.

She heard it stumble it’s way into another room, sniffing all the more.

The breakroom? Does it … smell my football stuff? What’s it doing?

She heard its massive roar, and she knew one thing was for certain.

It really was the same creature, and it was looking for her.

All of a sudden Summer heard a noise that sounded a little like coughing just outside her door. It had moved out of the room and stood outside the hall. She heard scratching noises and thumping noises against the wall next to her room.

Just then, unexpectedly, the overhead lights flashed back on, blinding her with a flood of white light. She shut her eyes tightly, but the room lights sparked, fizzled and died down. Summer looked up. The overhead long florescent light bulb was badly damaged. It blinked again and fizzled. Darkness fell upon the room.

A large metal door descended down on her. She leapt backwards as to not get crushed, happy for the protection that it would offer from the monster outside.

It wouldn’t protect her from the monster inside the room though.

The instant the noises from the door stopped, Summer heard a loud grating cough from right behind her and every bone in her body froze.