Building 5

In the quiet embrace of his small town, our protagonist, a twenty-something young man, embarks on a routine day. A leisurely stroll into the heart of the town center leads him to a quaint coffee shop, where the comforting aroma of freshly brewed coffee beckons. With errands in tow, he emerges into the daylight, only to be arrested by an anomaly on the sidewalk - a forgotten package abandoned near the street's edge.

He bent to examine the mislaid parcel, discovering an address on the shipping label: Building 5 in a neighboring town. A mystery now rested in his hands. A spark of determination kindles within him as he decides to embark on an unexpected journey, compelled by the desire to deliver a wayward package and unravel the enigma it carries.

The abandoned campus exudes an eerie stillness, with red brick buildings standing like silent sentinels beneath a shroud of gray skies. The well-maintained appearance only amplifies the unsettling absence of life. As he wanders through the desolate pathways, the echo of his footsteps seems to mock the once-vibrant atmosphere. The elusive Building 5 hides in the spectral landscape, obscured by the ominous emptiness enveloping the forgotten grounds.

In the young man's search, a lone campus security car emerges from the shadows, its presence unsettling against the backdrop of abandonment. The security guard, cloaked in a black weathered uniform, sits stoically as if tethered to the desolation surrounding him. Approaching, the young man musters the courage to inquire about Building 5, but the security man's responses are veiled in cryptic reluctance. With an enigmatic gesture, he points towards the elusive destination, cautioning against the forbidden allure of a one-way shortcut. Instead, he advises navigating the labyrinthine loop, leading the young man to the rear entrance where secrets may linger in the shadows.

Approaching the rear entrance of Building 5, the young man finds himself under the watchful gaze of security cameras, their unblinking lenses capturing his every move. Stark "No Trespassing" signs are posted everywhere, like clearance signs at a store. A tentative sense of relief washes over him as he spots a doorbell, a small beacon of hope amid cautionary warnings.

Bounding up the stairs, he presses the doorbell and waits. As moments pass in silence, he contemplates leaving the package at the threshold. Just as he resigns to this, the air is pierced by the mechanical symphony of sliding locks, the groaning protest of hinges, and the heavy steel door creaks open, revealing an obscure-looking man who is standing inside.

The middle-aged man has started to show signs of aging, with his hair graying at the temples. He is wearing a weathered red plaid shirt and jeans and looks at the young man curiously and cautiously. "What can I do for you?" he asks, his face revealing his countless experiences.

The young man, package in hand, explains the curious discovery and his quest to confirm the correct delivery location. A shared moment of intrigue binds them—the enigma of the mislaid package connecting two strangers on the threshold of Building 5.

As the young man stands before the casually dressed enigma, a wave of curiosity engulfs him. His eyes linger on the unassuming figure, and a silent question forms in his mind about the secrets concealed within Building 5. The eerie stillness outside contradicts the mysteries that might unfold within those walls.

With the absence of signs of life outside, the young man can't help but wonder about the purpose of this building - what unseen activities, clandestine or ordinary, might be transpiring behind its facade? The allure of the unknown tugs at his curiosity, forging a tentative connection between the inquisitive outsider and the guardian of Building 5's enigmatic realm.

Invited inside, a sense of unease creeps over him when he witnesses the deliberate closing and locking of the heavy steel door, the jingle of keys on a large keyring amplifying the finality of the barrier. The young man, torn between courtesy and discomfort, decides whether to stay or swiftly exit now that the package has changed hands. The mysterious air within Building 5 thickens as uncertainty looms in the confined space.

The older man smiles and breaks the tension with an unexpected revelation. "Welcome to our top-secret facility, dubbed "Building 5." We're excited that you've signed up for the Dullahan program," he announces, the words hanging in the air with a mysterious quality. The young man caught off guard, is left to grapple with the realization that the ordinary package he delivered conceals a connection to something far more enigmatic within the walls of this clandestine facility. The unfolding narrative turns unexpectedly, revealing secrets and intrigue he had never fathomed.

Caught off guard, the young man stammers, "I-I didn't sign up for any program!" Panic tightens its grip as he pleads to be released. The revelation of an unforeseen program adds a layer of complexity to the situation, leaving him desperate to escape the confines of Building 5. The once seemingly ordinary delivery has thrust him into a web of intrigue, and the urgency to go intensifies with each passing moment.

The older man's response sends a chill down the young man's spine. "You gave up your rights when you rang the doorbell. Didn't you read the fine print on the sign under the doorbell?" The weight of the revelation sinks in as he mentions the ominous terms and conditions. The young man, gripped by a sense of dread, realizes that the innocuous act of ringing the doorbell may have unwittingly bound him to an unsettling contract, relinquishing ownership of his body to the shadowy Dullahan program. The air in Building 5 thickens with the gravity of the unforeseen consequences, and the urgency to escape intensifies.

"With unwavering authority, the older man adds, "Inside the package that you delivered, you will find a pair of socks and a hospital gown that belong to you." The young man is left grappling with the realization that the unfolding events are intricately tied to his unwitting participation in a program with far-reaching consequences beyond what he could have imagined. As the surreal nature of the situation deepens, the young man's quest for escape becomes entwined with uncovering the truth behind the secrets that Building 5 conceals."

As the young man, overwhelmed with unease, attempts to flee down the corridor toward freedom, the older man, swift and calculated, discharges a taser with precision. Electricity courses through the young man's body, forcing him into an involuntary collapse, convulsing on the unforgiving cold floor. A sinister grin creeps across the older man's face as he coldly remarks, "It's remarkable that no one ever reads the terms and conditions." The young man's escape is foiled, caught in the consequences of an unintentional agreement, and the air in Building 5 is thick with deceit.