Chapter 17: Exit [3]
"Shit!"
I jumped up from the seat the moment I felt the hot breath from behind me and reached for the chair, throwing it directly at the shadow behind me.
Bang!
A loud crashing sound reverberated throughout as I looked behind me.
'There!'
This time, I saw it.
The instant I turned around, the air turned frigid. A towering shadow, vaguely human but warped, loomed before me. Its form writhed like smoke given shape.
Black, sinewy arms slithered toward me, fingers stretching rapidly toward my neck, grasping it.
I didn't even have the time to react before it grabbed me.
".....!?"
I couldn't breathe. I couldn't scream.
All I felt was dread as my right hand reached towards the hands on my neck, trying to peel them away. However, regardless of how much I tried, its grip was too strong.
My strength was slipping away, drained by the previous exhaustion. Each second felt heavier than the last, and soon, the fight in me began to fade. My limbs sagged, and the darkness crept closer, waiting to swallow me whole.
"Uekh—!"
Desperation kicked in. I fumbled behind me, hand brushing against something hard.
Computer...?
My fingers wrapped around it. I lifted it, ready to smash it against the shadow—until a memory flashed.
The corridor. The light.
An idea struck. No time to think.
With the last of my strength, I flipped the computer in front of me, screen aimed at the creature.
"....!?"
An immediate reaction!
The moment the screen of the computer moved before the shadow, it vanished from sight, the grip on my neck vanishing as well.
Thump!
I collapsed, gasping, dragging myself backward with the laptop clutched in front of me. Only when my back hit the corner did my breathing begin to stabilize.
"Haa... Haa..."
Every part of my body screamed as I struggled to maintain the clarity of my vision. My chest rose and fell in rapid motions, like the pistons of a car in motion.
I could hardly think properly as my lungs burned in pain.
I was on the verge of passing out, but I knew that I couldn't.
'I... still can't pass out.'
I took another deep breath and tried to manage my mind.
It was difficult, but soon, I was able to think properly again.
It was then that I finally assessed my situation and looked around me. It was dark, with the faint light of the computer casting a dim light over the surroundings, the shadows around me sending chills down every part of my body as every little motion left me unsettled.
'....The monster, or whatever that thing is... it can't come to life as long as there's light.'
The prior events proved this to me.
That meant that as long as I held onto the laptop, I was safe.
But was I really?
I glanced down at the screen.
'13% battery..'
I licked my lips, swallowing nervously.
The battery was a lot less than I had anticipated. I pressed the battery tab and looked at the time it had left.
[15 minutes of battery life left]
"Fifteen...?"
I looked at the laptop and almost cursed. What sort of shitty battery was this? Usually, they'd be able to last at least an hour.
'...I guess this is part of the setting.'
I stopped questioning the battery and started to think of a way to get out of the situation.
'Since the monster only shows up when it's dark, that means that as long as I have the computer with me, I'll be able to keep it at bay. The only issue is finding the exit.'
I thought about the corridor from before.
'Turning corridors won't lead to anything anymore. That means that the way out is between one of the six doors. I've tried the first five doors, with the first four locked. Could the exit be on the sixth door? ...Or could it be in one of the previous four doors?'
My mind squirmed as I thought about all possible scenarios. The best-case scenario was clearly the sixth door opening and me finding the exit. But would things really be that easy?
I hoped so.
But if it wasn't?
My heart sank.
A thought crossed my mind, and I started to shiver.
"Don't tell me I'll have to defeat that thing, right...?"
My chest felt heavier at the thought.
However, pressing my lips together, I let out a long breath and increased the brightness of the computer.
The room grew brighter, and I turned the laptop to face my way.
Without hesitation, I started to type on the laptop.
Takakaka—
Within the silence that pressed over the room, the sound of the keyboard strokes echoed across the entire room as I got to work.
The entire process took no longer than a minute, and by the time I was done, I checked the time left.
[7 minutes of battery life left]
"....I'll make do."
I turned the computer around and lowered the brightness again.
Then, taking another deep breath, I stood up.
"Alright."
I nervously looked around me.
'....I hope this works.'
With my back facing the wall, I kept the computer screen turned away from me as I moved sideways, towards the entrance of the room.
Eventually reaching it, I leaned my head forward to stare at the computer and at the same time reached for the knob.
The moment the lights on the corridor switched on, I turned the knob and moved into the corridor.
Without wasting a single second, I moved towards the sixth door and reached for the knob.
Click!
But as expected.
The moment I tried to open the door, it refused to budge.
'Shit.'
My heart sank at the realization.
'....As expected, things aren't that easy.'
I quickly looked at my surroundings before shifting my attention towards the computer. The cameras were still working, and I saw myself standing in the middle of the corridor with my gaze locked on the computer.
And then eventually—
Flick!
The lights turned off.
A faint humming sound echoed in the air as I stared at the computer.
But the silence was soon broken.
Takakaka!
The heavy sound of steps echoed in the air, sprinting my way at rapid speeds. In that moment, staring through the cameras, I saw it.
Appearing by the end of the hall was a shadow.
The moment the lights turned off, it stared in my direction and sprinted towards me at full speed.
By the time it took me to breathe, it was already upon me, and I quickly moved the computer in its direction.
".....!?"
A bright light manifested, and the shadow disappeared.
I was just about to sigh in relief when...
"Haaa."
I felt a hot breath running down the back of my neck.
My entire body shivered.
But at the same time—
"Got you!"
I slammed my finger down on one of the laptop keys, activating the code I had previously typed in, then whipped it behind me in one motion.
The laptop flared to life.
Flick! Flick!
The screen stuttered—light, then dark. Light, then dark.
I spun around.
It was there.
The shadow stood inches away, arms reaching for my throat—its body twitching in and out of existence, trapped in the strobe of flickering light like some sort of glitched out character.
'Now!'
I didn't hesitate.
I clenched my free hand into a fist.
And drove it straight into the shadow's face.
Bang!
Timing it perfectly with the darkness, my fist hit something solid, and the shadow quickly fell to the ground, its features distorting.
I didn't stop.
I moved forward, adrenaline drowning out fear.
I kicked down on the shadow—again and again—timing every strike with the flicker of the screen.
Bang, Bang—!
I didn't know how long I kept going.
Blow after blow, each timed with the flicker of the light. My body moved on instinct, drained yet unwilling to stop.
By the time I collapsed to my knees, gasping for air, the shadow was no longer fighting back.
It twitched weakly on the ground, its body glitching on the ground.
I stared, chest heaving.
"Haa... Haa..."
Flick.
The ceiling light flicked once more, casting the room in a dull, sickly glow.
An ever present humming sound lingered in the air.
I slumped to the floor, my mind barely registering the situation.
"Did... I do it?"
I turned my head slowly, eyes scanning the place where the shadow had been.
Still.
Silent.
'Gone?'
I moved forward, just barely.
And then—
FLASH.
A notification flickered across my vision.
: [Basic Node : Containment Vessel Activated!]
Ranked Spirit: Wandering Nightwalker Acquired.