 I don't really know how or what to make of this, or what's happened. I'm 20 years old currently, and this whole dilemma started when I was 18. I'd recently graduated secondary school and had no intentions of pursuing further education. I was quick to leave my parents' love and support, and I moved in with my girlfriend. Things seemed to be going great. I lived off my girlfriend's parents, had no job, and got to spend all day with a love of my life. The haven was short-lived when I got into a wrangle with my girlfriend and her parents kicked me out. From there, I bounced around from homeless shelter to shelter. I'd pawned off all my possessions and had gotten barely enough to survive a few days. From there was a slippery slope, and I was unable to keep a steady job. I gave up all hope of ever piecing up my life when I was offered a job by the company. I was given a letter addressed to me, which stated that my time was valuable, and they were willing to pay me quite a bit a night to watch their office building from 8pm to 7am. This caught my eye, and I was quick to attend the interview. Now I am running out of time, as it's getting louder and closer, so I'm going to skip the first night there. All had gone smoothly since the interview. I was given an apartment and clean clothes to wear. I'd been given a gun and flashlight upon arrival to the building. The daytime guard showed me the security office and left. The office building became eerily silent, and that's when I noticed a sheet of paper on my desk. It was a list of rules. Number 1. Make sure the security room door is locked at all times, whether you're in it or not. You don't want unwanted guests. Number 2. Check if anyone's in the security room. If there is someone in there, do not look at their eyes under any circumstances. Ask them if they're okay, and if they know the office building is shut now. Open the door for them, and don't lock it until they've left the hallway and turned. Number 3. Check that all the cameras are on. If any of them are off, make sure to avoid those hallways. Number 4. At any point during the night, you hear shattering or banging. Head to the security bathroom mirror and say, I'm busy now. Come back another time. Number 5. If anyone knocks on the door and asks you to let them in, under no circumstances let them in. All members of staff have a key. Number 6. If you come back from your round and find one of the hallways you entered is now static on the camera. Hide under the desk and hope it doesn't come for you. Number 7. Do your rounds every hour. Number 8. Do not enter the 8th floor. The building only has 7 floors and there's no guarantee if you enter that you'll be able to leave. Number 9. Do not leave the building before 7am the next day or else you'll end up in the middle of nowhere and you'll be as good as dead. Number 10. During your rounds, if at any point you hear footsteps behind you, run into the nearest room. Number 11. If you enter any offices and the computers are on, do the following. If they have text on in black, follow the task. However, if the text is red, leave as quietly as you can. If it's anything else, turn off the computer. You are safe. Number 12. From the hours of 11 to 12.30, do not enter or leave any room. If you're already in a room, you're safe. Failure to not complete this task could cause the door to bring you anywhere. Number 13. Between 1 and 1.30, do not leave the security office. Number 14. Between hours 3 and 4, things in the security office may go missing. Hold onto your handgun and flashlight. You will need them later. Number 15. From 4 a.m. to 7 a.m., creatures wander around the building. An exact description of what these creatures look like or are is impossible. However, note a single bullet to the head should knock them out. Number 16. Do not make any loud noises unless completely necessary. You don't want unwanted attention. Number 17. If at any point in the night you get a phone call, don't answer it no matter who it's from. At number 18, from 2 to 3, be careful to not eat any meat as during this time anything dead will come back alive. I was obviously chilled by these rules, but nonetheless I had a job to complete and the money would surely suffice for the so-called monsters. I checked the cameras and two were static on the fifth floor hallway leading off the lift and the second floor office. I took out my phone and made a note to avoid these floors. I also set an alarm for 10.50 p.m. so I wouldn't be late to come back. I took my handgun flashlight and the list of rules and left the office. The building was eerily quiet and seemed to fill me with a sense of dread. I lit my flashlight and began to search the building. I dragged myself against every wall in case I heard footsteps. It remained eerily quiet as I returned to the security office. I entered and immediately checked the cameras. The same two were static and I felt a tang of relief. I checked my phone 9.27 p.m. I was so ready to get this shit over with and seemed to sporadically jump around the room. And then there was a knock at the door. I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard it. Hello? I said. Hey, it's me, Martha. I left something in here. Can you let me in, please? The voice said. I instinctively got my key and was ready to open the door. But as I inserted the key, I had a look at the camera one more time. Just outside my door, there was a creature maybe seven feet tall. With dark blackened skin, its hair and body were charred. Its eyes were dotted blankly on its head as it stared hollowly at the door. I withdrew the key quickly and I held the handgun firmly in my hand. John, please let me in. I need my key. The voice said. I dared not open the door or even get close to it. I stayed there in the office for I don't know how long until the thing slowly disappeared. Before leaving, I glanced at the cameras and noticed the office on the seventh floor was static. I did a quick check on the first floor, then the second. However, nothing was out of the ordinary. I just been about to go to the third floor when my phone alarm rang. To follow rule 16, I put it on vibrate and tiptoed like a silent ballerina to the security room. I arrived and checked my phone to see if I'd made it in time 1057. I fiddled with the key before entering. Then once in, I decided whether to stay in the camera room or the bathroom. I figured following rule four about the mirror, I'd stay there. Look, I'm running out of time currently, so I'm gonna have to say how I got here. The next few months were uneventful. I followed the rules religiously and soon enough this whole paranormal idea was just something I had to live with. I had a few close calls and stuff that even scarred me, but nothing I couldn't handle. Well, that was until I'd said bye to the daytime security officer and entered the security room. I locked it immediately as if I was in a trance and I checked for any people. In the office bathroom was a woman. I looked at her feet and repeated the same nonchalant speech before leading her out. I watched as she left down the hallway and figured it was time for my rounds. This was when I broke my first rule. In my chilled disposition, I failed to check the cameras. The last few months had been barely any static screens and eventually I'd forgotten to check. However, when I returned, I would always be fortunate enough to have nothing changed. Today, however, I hadn't been so lucky. I continued on my rounds with nothing out of the ordinary. However, I did have this feeling as if something was watching me. The building was dark and I moved my flashlight around sporadically. And then I heard it, run. I thought I was imagining it at first, but then I heard it again, run. It's set again, this time with more glee in its voice. Hello? My voice croaked, expecting whatever was around me to say something. And then the voice screeched so high I feared the windows would shatter and I bolted out of my skin to the elevator. I pulled out and I cocked my handgun as I ran towards the lift. I could see its ghostly silhouette in the darkness and I pushed the buttons. I slammed the elevator buttons harder and harder until the old rackety elevator grumbled and shut its doors. The creature's body thudded against the door as the elevator took off. I sighed and finally felt a trace of relief. I pressed the button for floor one. The elevator dinged as it reached my stop and the hallway that opened in front of me was dark and ominous. I knew that too much noise might attract unwanted attention. I tiptoed silently to the security office. I could hear heavy running in footsteps all around me and I quickly ran to the room and shut the door. When I got inside, it was darker than I'd remembered and something felt off. And that's when I realized that all the cameras were static. I don't remember much from there apart from being out of my mind scared. Following rule number six, I hid under the desk as I was shaking uncontrollably. And that's where I am now. So if you ever find yourself with a very strange job, whatever you do, make sure you follow the rules.