Listen to the doctor

Leanne didn’t trust the doctor but at the same time she had no desire to wander too far. Even if he wanted her to stay on that floor for some reason, going further up would surely only lead to more trouble. Instead she pressed on down the corridor.

Once she was a safe distance from the doctor’s office Leanne began to feel a little more comfortable. The hallway was silent. There was an eery calmness to it with no sign of either the staff members or residents. It would soon be early evening and Leanne shuddered as she imagined being there late at night. She looked about her as she tried to plan her next move. However, as she stood there in the dim light of the hall she began to feel a creeping sensation like she was being watched. She shuddered and quickly turned around to find herself facing a tall shadowy figure looming over her.

“Good evening, miss,” he grinned as he stepped forward, a set of bright white teeth gleaming in the gloom. Leanne leapt back against the wall and clutched her chest in fear. “Forgive me. I didn’t mean to startle you. I only wondered where you might be going.”

Leanne stared at him in silence. Her heavy breathing slowly subsiding as the stranger stood watching her in return. His gaze locked on her as his lips curled into a smirk that seemed to suggest he could see more than her long dress allowed him. He wore a long, dark cloak, while the off-white of his shirt stood in contrast with his otherwise black ensemble. His hair too was jet black and appeared to run as far down as his broad shoulders. In contrast his face was pale, almost white, with angular features. His nose and chin both sharp and jagged. There was a strange accent to his voice that Leanne couldn’t place, but as she gazed into his eyes she felt her initial fear slowly subsiding.

“I’m… I’m Leanne,” she declared eventually.

“Delighted to meet you, Leanne,” replied the stranger. His teeth showing once more as his mouth spread into a wide grin. There was such intensity in the way he stared at her that it made the young woman squirm awkwardly against the wall of the corridor. She knew he couldn’t see anything but still pressed her thighs together and pulled her arms across her chest in an attempt to help her feel less exposed. “Is there anything I can be of assistance with?”

“Um, n-n-no,” she answered nervously, hoping to end this encounter as quickly as possible. She began easing herself along the hallway with her back pressed tight to the wall. Despite the feeling that this mysterious figure was somehow comforting, she couldn’t help but sense a deeper fear that was being subdued.

“Are you afraid of me?” he asked. Moving nearer each time Leanne tried to slide away.

“Of… Of course not,” she responded with a **** smile. “I-I-I just have to…” Leanne looked along the corridor. It was almost pitch black and she had no idea what awaited her. But could it be worse than this stranger? With his intense gaze and the disturbing aura he was projecting.