You walk alone down the deserted hallways, your footsteps echoing emptily off the pristine white walls. At times, the sound of an extra step seems to find its way into your ears, and at those times you stop uncertainly and listen.
But there is nothing. Nothing except the slight, constant hum of the lights. In the end, it could just be the acoustics of the empty building playing tricks on you.
And it is empty indeed: you see no signs of any other living being as you walk around the wards. 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211… all of these rooms, and the corridors connecting them, are devoid of life. Each of the placards at the doors of the wards are blank. All of the beds are cleanly made, ready to receive a patient, yet you see no one lying there. There are no nurses and no doctors. No misplaced trolleys or cups to indicate that anyone has been around. There are no open windows or windows that
can be opened. When you switch on the computers, their screen flares to life, but there is nothing you can do with it except to stare at a black screen with a blinking cursor. The televisions only display soundless static and nothing else. There is nothing to find. Nothing, except for that single extra step from time to time, playing on your nerves.
The last ward lies before you. Ward 212, one of the VIP wards located on this floor. The door opens with a gentle creak, swinging back to allow you entry. This is a room with its own dedicated bathroom and a separate living area for guests, where comfortable couches face a large television. There is only a single bed in the ward.
The covers of the bed are pulled up fully, over a vague bulge that could be a sleeping person.
The bulge moves gently, slightly, up and down, as if breathing.
Suddenly, you hear footsteps walking – no, tottering past the door behind you, a pair of high heels making a loud and unsteady clacking noise. You whirl around to face the closed door, but just as you do so, you spot movement out of the corner of your eye.
When you turn back, the mysterious bulge has flattened. The bed is flat and cleanly made, as if it were never there. Had you just been imagining it? The footsteps too? Maybe. You are unsure. Just then, you notice something that had not been there before, at your feet.
It is a piece of a
page that appears to be torn off from a magazine:
Urban Legends #12
The Crossroads of Omori
Without a doubt, one of the most fa us l nds in the gr ter Tok o ar a, the C hosp of ri is . It is ured that if you perform you w ll be able see your dep rt d lov one again
The print is smeared in places and illegible.
On the reverse side of the page someone has scribbled a single name in black ink.
From the handwriting, whoever did it must have been highly agitated.
Still nowhere closer to understanding why you are here, you leave the room after doing a cursory inspection. You have been in almost every room on this floor except the toilets – perhaps you will have to take a peek in there next. Down the corridor, on your right, is where you thought you had heard the footsteps vanishing towards. There is no one standing there... though you are not sure whether you would prefer if there was. From the floor plan, that route should end in another emergency staircase. The left leads you back to where you came.
There
is a boy standing at the end of the left hallway. A girl is behind him. The both of them are wearing high school uniforms, though at this distance you cannot make out their features clearly. He seems to spot you, and after a moment’s hesitation, raises his arm and waves it strongly.
“Hey! Hey! You there! Can you hear me?” shouts the boy. There is a hint of joy in his voice. When you do not respond, he begins running towards you, waving all the while.
***
00:17
A. A sudden feeling of unease pervades your body. You have to wonder… who are they? Why would high schoolers be in this place… are they real, or are they
something else? Perhaps it is better that you keep your distance for now, until you find out what is going on. You run away from him.
B. What a relief! You have finally met other people in this strange, desolate hospital. You greet them in a friendly manner. It is good to know that you aren’t alone here, and you are looking forward to talking with them.
C. You are feeling a bit uncomfortable at the boy’s strong approach. You do not seem to respond well in social situations, but on the other hand, it might not hurt to talk to them. Although you are sure the situation will be awkward, you attempt to strike up a conversation.
D. You do not trust them, but the most logical course of action right now would be to keep calm and see just who these people are. They do not appear to mean you any harm and you might be able to find out more information from them… you will take a calculated, measured approach in your dealings with these students.
E. You meet the boy’s approach with aggression. You do not take kindly to stupid kids running at you in such an impolite manner. Who does he think he is?