Seoul Object Story
Chapter 36: The Steel Tower (4)

My breath grew ragged as I sprinted through the dark hallway, having to strain my eyes just to see what lay just inches ahead.

The beam of my flashlight swayed to all directions as I ran, mirroring my state of mind.

All of my colleagues were caught by something and burned to death.

Just what in the world is that? A ghost? Or an Object?

Crash-!

Was it because the hallway was too dark?

Or was it because of some other reason?

In the end, I tripped over something sticking out of the floor and rolled over.

“Heok, heok.” I struggled to breathe properly, as I realized that the flashlight had disappeared from my hand.

Frantically, I searched for the dropped flashlight, but it was nowhere to be found.

Had it been damaged from the impact?

Finding it seemed impossible in this pitch-black hallway.

I desperately clutched my trembling knees, fighting off the waves of tension and fear. With great effort, I forced myself to my feet, and pressed on.

There were neither any windows nor was there a light.

It was a dark hallway with not a single source of light. Furthermore, the uneven floor riddled with dents and protrusions, threatened to send me sprawling with every step.

The extreme tension wracked my body, I couldn’t stop sweating.

As the dampness clung to my back, I cautiously moved forward.

Guided by the wall at my side, I shuffled along, my hands outstretched to prevent another fall.

But this hallway… it shouldn’t be this long!

Why on earth was it so long?

I couldn’t see even the end of the hallway, as if it stretched on endlessly.

Cough cough,I gasped for breath.

I feel dizzy.

!

Step-! Step-!

Suddenly, the sound of bare feet hitting the floor echoed through the hallway that was filled with only silence.

Walking with no shoes in a building like this?

I stopped, taking a deep breath, and turned my gaze towards the source of the sound.

There, I saw a flickering light, swaying like a ghostly Object.

Something… Something is coming!

“Heok, heok.”

I desperately covered my mouth with both hands, trying to stifle my breathing, but the sound persisted, refusing to be silenced.

Step-! Step-!

The footsteps drew closer and closer.

What should I do?

The end of the hallway glowed with an ominous hue, reminiscent of sulfuric flames that led souls to the underworld.

Should I run away?

Should I return to the place where my colleague burned to death?

Or should I hide somewhere?

Even as I tried to breathe, I kept feeling out of breath.

Even though I understood that I was hyperventilating, I still struggled to breathe properly.

My ears rang, drowning out all other sounds.

And the copious amount of sweat blurred my vision, making it difficult to keep my eyes open.

I’m… So out of breath.

Cough, Co-cough!

***

As I passed by the whimpering female ghost, who was scratching the walls, what appeared before me was an incredibly long hallway.

It was a messy hallway, littered with many dents as if the floor had been broken, while things like chairs and desks were haphazardly strewn about.

With no windows or light sources, the hallway remained shrouded in darkness, like a darkroom. To make matters worse, numerous obstacles littered the ground, making it a treacherous path to navigate.

Unless one could shoot light out of their eyes like me, a flashlight was a must!

About halfway down the hallway, I spotted a blue-faced man laying on the floor.

He appeared to be gasping for breath. However, as soon as he saw me entering the hallway, he fainted.

Upon closer inspection, I realized that the man was not breathing and his heart had stopped beating.

What the? Did he suffer a heart attack just from seeing me?

Reacting quickly, I jumped forward and stepped on the man.

I jumped again, this time landing a firm stomp on his chest.

Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!

After repeating it for a few more times, the man started to cough and breathe again.

I would have felt remorseful if he had died, so I did some basic first aid.

Although his condition seemed to stabilize, he remained unconscious, likely due to the hardships he had endured.

Leaving the peacefully sleeping man behind, his breathing steady, I resumed my journey into the depths of the hallway.

***

Letters written in blood were slowly materialized on the wall.