CASE #1 #2

The door to the building had no features at all, no handle, no windows to see inside, no anything. It was plain gray and had the texture of stone; and when I pushed against it there was heavy resistance, but I will note that I am not a very strong man. The open door was the only thing shining any light inside, everything beyond the small illuminated area was pitch black. Not a sound could be heard throughout the entire residence.

Leaving the door wide open I walked further inside. This is really shaping up to look suspicious now, as if it didn't have enough going for it as it is. I reached for my flashlight but found nothing, it had been left behind somewhere, most likely on top of a dresser back at home. Well, we're already too deep in this to back out now, the only path here is forward.

Everything felt so cold, the walls, the air. The more you walk in the colder everything gets. I desperately tried to find a light switch to properly analyze the building, but found none. This building was designed this way, for some sinister purpose; perhaps to disorient those who aren't used to it, I can't draw a conclusion just yet.

Using the walls as a guide I stumbled through the darkness for an unknown amount of time, you quickly lose sense of progression when you don't know exactly where you are heading. Over time my eyes adjusted to the darkness and my sight had gotten to a level where one could vaguely make things out. Just like the front door, all the others were as if heavy slabs of stone that were ice cold to the touch. The place seemed impossibly gigantic, no matter how far one goes in it seems as if they make no progress, perhaps tricking people into going in circles?

But then, there was a noise ahead. The noise of... Breathing? It wasn't very far off, but it was unnerving at the time. So many thoughts can rush into one's mind in this situation, who could it be? Someone that could hurt you? Or the person you are looking for? In these situations you can have a split second to react, or you can be killed. As I contemplated my actions I hadn't realized the door in front of me had opened, with a figure dashing through the opening. Needless to say I was caught unaware.

Before I could properly process what was happening, my arms was being pressed against the wall and my own gun was being aimed at me. My eyes could barely make out the man standing in front of me; a scrawny young fellow wearing a gas mask and casual wear, quite an odd fashion choice if I say myself. "Make even as much as one twitch and the walls will get a fresh coat of paint." The man said in a raspy and threatening voice.

"Here's how this will go down, I ask you questions, you answer them, simple enough for you? Great. First off, who are you and how do you know about this place?"

As the man talked I briefly contemplated my options. He has my gun and my arms restrained, but I reckon his grip could be broken. He looked frail and didn't feel as if he was particularly strong; however he did not seem like an enemy.

"David Booker, I was contacted to search for a man named Adam and given this location. Apologies if I interrupted something." My reply could've been without the sarcasm, but I was fairly certain that nothing bad could happen. The man quickly searched for more items on me and once he was finished loosened his restraint.

"Who told you to come here?" He asked as he continued to eye me, as if I was still a threat.
"Can't answer that myself, I presumed that it was someone close to you that was worried for your safety."
"Well that's wrong bucko, even if someone cared I never told anyone about this place."
"But here we are, someone found out anyhow. What are you doing here? This house is something straight out of a horror set."

Adam paced the room as we talked, he had no trouble walking in the darkness, I can only assume the mask had to do with that. Was he actually living here? How can anyone willingly stay in such a forsaken place?

"This is bad, really bad. Someone knows that I am here, and if they know, he knows. This was supposed to be more of a permanent relocation as I wanted to give up running away, guess that's not much of an option now. We need to get outside." As Adam spoke his voice got less hoarse and easier to understand. It seemed he hasn't done any talking for a long time. He lead the path back out of the large building, which was much easier when you have a guide. Seeing light again was heavenly, and all sense of claustrophobia left me.

We stared at each other for a brief moment, neither of us exactly sure what to do. Adam took the initiative and handed back my gun. "I didn't intend on staying here for long, but the Black Forest seems to protect those in it, and I knew of no other place to go" Adam spoke sincerely, it seems he wished to have been left alone.

"The Black Forest? Trees can't protect you, not unless you cut them down and build a wall." What kind of guy thinks trees can save him? Maybe being alone for so long has got to him.

"You'd believe a lanky long armed man with no face is chasing us but not that an area could be protected?"
"Those are two completely different things, just because one is true doesn't verify the other."

Walking back to where the car was parked, Adam suggested that we shouldn't run, and that finding another place like the "Black Forest" is necessary; however I didn't fully agree with him, being stuck in one place for a large period of time is bound to turn up bad news. I explained that before we talk any further we should go to a populated area, as this forest is far away from civilization and we have many things to discuss.