*Thud! *

That was loud. I wonder where the noise came from. But I don't care, and I think no one would...

 I thought as I continue to smash the buttons in my controller. 

These buttons are hard to press and losing is a problem in a ranked match. 

*Thud!!! Thud!!!*

The neighbor downstairs is annoying today.

 I smashed the wooden floor as hard as I can to let them know. 

Couples these days are just full of themselves. 

*Thud!!! Thud!!! Smash!!!*

"What!? What is it now?!" I shouted, and threw my controller violently to the side. The sound of glass shattering seemed to come from the window, and I checked it. 

"Huh? My window did not shatter. What in the-"

*Thud! Thud! Smash! eoeoeoeo! * 

"A car alarm!? From outside?!" I shouted.

I heard all the noises playing in unison.

Wtf?! 

 I rushed through the door and stopped. 

My heart pounded. My nervousness got through me when I gripped the metal doorknob, but I slowly twist it.

*Click!*

I slowly opened the door.

"What... is... happening?" confusion is visible in my eyes.

Beyond the old wooden door, there is nothing but white. No buildings, no cars, no stairs. There is nothing but white. All the noise that I heard disappeared, and the only thing that remained is what is behind me, my darkroom. I looked back and saw a room full of trash, dust, and dirt. 

I was about to puke from disgust, and memories from the past came back to me. I am thirty-six years old, but I locked myself in this room for almost twelve years. Why? Because I'm a failure, everybody sees me and I see myself as one. What use am I in this world? 

Seeing the white space, I got drawn to go to it, but my heart palpitates faster, my lungs tightened, my sight blurred. I immediately shut the door violently, but even after a while, I am still terrified.

"The noises disappeared again!" I sighed in relief and felt that my body was heavy, tired, and sleepy. I looked at my bed. 

"Then... I can sleep now, right?" I asked myself. 

I approached my bed and slept. 

----------------------------------------

 My superior asked me to keep the useless files in the underground storage room. A room, since I started working for this company, was dusty, old and it was a sign that they did not use it for a long time.

"why there?" I asked. I got curious, why would my superior suddenly ask me to use the storage room underground when there is a storage room near here? 

"You'll see." he smiled and walked away. With that vague answer, I did what he told me to do and carried the files to the underground. 

The door. I tried twisting the doorknob. And guess what? It was locked.

"Where are the keys?" I said, while checking my pockets.

*Jingle*

"I found it!" I enthusiastically said that. 

I used the key, and it made a clicking sound. I twisted the doorknob and opened the door slowly.

"It's dark," I said

I tried searching for the switch, but it's too dark. I brought my phone and used its built-in flashlight. I walked inside the room and then-

A person is hanging. I saw the rope connected into something on the ceiling, and the rope wrapped around her neck. Her eyes and mouth are open. The body was swinging from left to right. 

"Agh! Argh!! AAAAAAAAAARGH!!!" 

It was my best friend, a person full of positivity, or so I thought. 

"What happened?! Sir! Are you alri-" the person who heard my scream rushed here and saw it? 

"Ca... Call 911! Call the police!!" the person screamed, and people came.

I didn't scream because I feared the body. But because I was angry, and in agony, to see my best friend like that. 

A week after the incident, I got called by the team leader.

"Mr. Doyle, you will take the responsibility as the Department Team Leader starting this week. I expect you to yield better results than the previous leader." a man in a suit said

"Yes..." The only answer I could give. It's Mayleen's position, my best friend. 

Over time, errands, insults, physical assaults, and blackmail, this company does these all to me. And there is no doubt in my mind that they treated Mayleen like this. 

Stolen story; please report.

I am sick of this. Many have already tried to report something, but there is no legal action.

I quit. But with a cost. 

----------------------------------------

*Thud! Thud! Smash! * 

The glass shattering is so loud that it woke me up before the car alarm starts. The noises are back, annoying as ever. No, it is more irritating than before. 

"Aghh!" 

I hurriedly approached the window and saw that everything is in there, the building, cars, streets, and many others. 

"This situation is so ridiculous that..." 

I picked my chair up.

"That it makes me ask so many questions!!!"

I swung the chair as hard as I can to break the window. 

*Thud! * The chair just bounced off, making me lose balance and fall. 

I can't believe it! The metal chair failed to break the window. 

I gripped the chair again and furiously hitting the window repeatedly. 

*Whack! Whack! Whack! *

"COME ON! BREAK!" 

Again and again, I hit the window. The noises are still loud, and my mind is going blank from rage. It didn't take long for me to lose my stamina, and I stopped, dropping the chair in my hand. 

"This glass is so hard that it might be something else..." I spoke. But it is supposedly a glass that easily breaks because I shattered it once before. 

I looked at the door again.

 It became quiet when I opened it before. Will it work the second time? 

I thought.

I have no choice. 

I approached the door slowly, and once again, I grabbed the doorknob. 

"This should work." 

I open it, and it is still the same all-white place.

"Huh?" My eyes widened because I noticed someone standing in that place. That... someone...spoke. 

"Connor, how are you?" This voice, and that face. 

It is a woman with a crooked neck. She is smiling at me with blood in her mouth. 

"What is with that expression? Your face is pale, you must be tired from work. Come, let's have dinner." the woman said. 

It was bizarre. I should be afraid, but I felt comfortable. Gone are the noises and silence there is. 

"Mayleen..." was the only name that came into my mind.

She reached out her hand, and her eyes show compassion. 

But I can't! 

I don't want to!! 

I don't want to!!!

I rushed inside and closed the door as fast as I could, pushing down the button to lock it and carry the nearest cabinet to block it. My heart is beating fast, and I am slowly losing my mind.

"This... situation is madness." I said as my tears fell and while covering my face with one hand. 

Ugh... And again, I am sleepy...

I looked at my bed and went and sleep. I hoped that for the last time, that I can rest. 

----------------------------------------

"You are going to regret it if you quit your job! Stop being arrogant and clean these accounting statements!" 

I ignored him and stayed quiet. 

Why would I give attention to a prick like him? How did Mayleen deal with these bastards?!

 I thought as I turned around and walked away, leaving the company behind. 

Three months later, I got arrested. I did not expect this. Am I the only one in prison? No, they caught the company red-handed. Why was I included? Simple, because I worked there and did orders blindly. I didn't know that it was illegal. But luckily, the court found me not guilty due to lack of evidence, but the public despised me. 

I tried searching for new jobs, but no one accepted me. I guess this is my new life, a failure. Everybody sees me as one, and I see myself as one. 

I checked my bank account and learned that capable I am of sustaining myself for a long time with these savings.

It looks like those stupid bosses are generous enough to pay me a fortune to handle their scam.

I smiled bitterly.

 I found an apartment that allowed me to stay and lived a life secluded from society. It's not worth it, no more. I am already tired. I have no family, no more friends, and no one trusts me. 

----------------------------------------

*Thud! Thud! Smash! *

Again, I woke up from the glass shattering. I panicked and realized that the noises are back, but it is much worse than before. 

*Drip*

I touched my ears and noticed blood coming out. 

"IT HURTS!" I am in pain. 

I curled, covering my ears, hoping for it to end. But it's not going away. 

"If that's the case!" I looked at the door and ran as fast as I could. 

"Huh?!" 

I am baffled. I can't carry the cabinet that is blocking the door, and it won't move. 

"WHY?! WHY WON'T IT MOVE?! AAGH!" I covered my ears.

It hurts 

Please... help me!

Make it stop!

I collapsed on my knees while covering my ears.

And then, suddenly, the noises stop.

"Wha-" I looked around, wondering how it stopped. 

"What is going on? Am... Am I saved?" I smiled.

*Clomp! *

A footstep? I thought,

*Clomp!!* 

"Who... is it?" 

*Clomp!!!*

The last footstep I heard is loud. I nervously and slowly look back.

A dark figure, a bloody smile, and a crooked neck are what I saw. But it was just for a split second because I am now down on the floor, lying with no clue how it happened. I did not recall falling.

What is this? I... I can't move my body. I can't speak as well. What is going on- AAGH!

I feel my chest tightening, and I can't breathe. My chest is pounding, and my vision is fading.

So, this is how I end? My life? Oh, how I wish I could've changed everything. I wish I could've died in a place other than this darkroom.