Chapter 7: Footsteps From Behind

Chapter 7: Footsteps From Behind

Miles felt his vitality draining rapidly, his legs shaking as he swayed on the verge of collapsing. His chest heaved, each inhalation deeply etching the harsh sting of cold sweat that traced its way down his face.

Just moments before, he had found himself precariously close to the edge of death.

I cannot afford to stay here, he gasped out, his words punctuated by labored breaths. I need to get away immediately.

Still reeling from his heart-stopping encounter with a ghost, he had barely had a moment to grapple with his chilling brush with death.

He scrambled for his phone in haste, clumsily activating the flashlight feature before forcing his trembling body upright.

In the oppressive gloom, a spectral apparition lingered, its ghostly presence pulling him closer to deaths door the longer he tarried. As fear crept insidiously into his very marrow, he steeled himself and ventured deeper into the enveloping darkness.

As his feeble light pierced through the darkness, he caught sight of Duan Peng and Zheng Fei. Their faces were etched with pure terror as they pounded frenetically on a dilapidated wall overgrown with age-old mold.

Whos there? Zheng Feis voice wavered, unable to conceal his dread as he noticed the faint glimmer of light.

Miles, his expression hardened, lifted his phone high, announcing with a resonant voice, Its me, Miles.

Miles? You youre still alive? Zheng Fei stuttered, his words laced with disbelief.

And you, along with Jing, intended for me to meet my end, didnt you? Miles retorted.

His nerves worn, Duan Peng lunged forward in desperation, clutching Miles in a vice-like grip fueled by terror and panic. Why drag me into this? We had no disagreement, so why harm me?

Miles responded with a swift punch, growling, You wished for my demise too, didnt you? You blame me for the sins of your past. I made a promise not to face death alone. My only regret is not dragging Jing into this nightmare. He should experience the dread of being stalked by a ghost.

Stunned by the punch, Duan Peng collapsed to the ground, momentarily oblivious to his pain. Amid his tears, he whimpered, I I just want to survive. Jing forced my hand. If I had not complied, that entity would have killed us all. Better one life than all of us.

So, I am to be your scapegoat? Miles hissed. If youre such a martyr, why not offer yourself up? Instead, you manipulate others to take your place. And dont delude yourself. Even if you had offered me up, do you believe you would have gotten away? Remember, the ghost is still out there. And Jing has wanted me dead right from the start. He must be concealing something, or he wouldnt have singled me out. If I live through this, I will make him rue the day.

Before he could complete his sentence, Duan Peng trembled uncontrollably. A look of sheer terror washed over his face as he spun around to look behind him.

Amid the pitch-black void, he felt a bone-chilling hand grasp his wrist, although he could see nothing. With an eerie strength, the freezing grip pulled Duan Peng backwards.

Help me, Miles, please! Duan Pengs scream echoed in the eerie silence, his voice saturated with raw fear.

Miless heart pounded in his chest, his eyes instantly drawn to the ghostly white hand that had latched onto Duan Pengs wrist with an unyielding grip.

A feeling of dread washed over him. There was no doubt it was the same specter they had encountered before.

Almost mechanically, his hand reached for his phone, his mind contemplating the audio file that had previously deterred the ghost.

But he froze midway through the motion.

Could he justify risking himself to save Duan Peng?

He pondered the question momentarily before concluding.

Absolutely not.

His current dire circumstances were a direct result of the machinations of Jing, Duan Peng, and Zheng Fei. Now, as they found themselves in the clutches of danger, why should he rush to their aid? They had thought nothing of leaving him behind when they sought out their individual escape paths. Even if he chose to intervene, the audio file could merely frighten the ghost; it didnt possess the ability to inflict actual harm.

It had all been a grand bluff.

This cant possibly be a restroom, he concluded, a sense of impending doom settling over him.

The unfathomable darkness stretched endlessly before him, and the distance he had covered far exceeded the dimensions of any restroom.

Glancing at his phone, he noted with growing unease that twenty minutes had already elapsed.

To have spent twenty minutes trying to navigate through a restroom without encountering a single wall or stall was absurd.

The only logical deduction was that he had somehow ventured into an unexplored domain.

Damn it, what is this confusing labyrinth? Why wasnt this discussed during Rights lecture? Miles grumbled, his anxiety mounting.

Devoid of substantial information, he could not form any valid theories, let alone contriving an effective escape plan from this ghostly domain.

Drip, drip.

The rhythmic sound of falling water droplets echoed throughout the encompassing darkness.

Hang on, the dripping noise had ceased for a period, why has it suddenly resumed?

A lightbulb went off in Miless mind, and he promptly sought out the origin of the sound.

If indeed the water was dripping from a faucet, then the vicinity of the restroom must be near, suggesting that he could extricate himself from this haunted maze by locating the exit within its confines.

Cursing his previous obliviousness, Miles sped up his pace.

His stride faltered as his phone emitted a low battery warning. After a moments indecision, he reluctantly turned off his phone.

Contrarily, the looming specter evoked a more profound fear in him than the encompassing darkness. With his phone as his only line of defense, it was essential to preserve the remaining battery for a critical moment.

He continued his journey, threading his way cautiously through the pitch-black surroundings.

In the ensuing silence, only the consistent sound of the dripping water could be heard, effectively magnifying the sound of his own breathing.

Just as he had adjusted to the impenetrable darkness, a series of footfalls echoed from somewhere behind him.

The footsteps were confident and steady, growing ominously closer with each passing moment.

Feeling the imminent threat, Miless body stiffened, a chill running down his spine. He swiftly activated his phones flashlight, casting a furtive glance over his shoulder.

The beam managed to penetrate a meter into the obscurity, revealing nothing but a cloak of undiluted darkness.

Regardless, the sound of the approaching footsteps was unmistakably drawing nearer.

It couldnt be Zheng Fei or Duan Peng, Miles reasoned, his expression taut with tension.

No living individual could trace his path with such precision through the pitch-black void.

If it wasnt Zheng Fei or Duan Peng, then the most likely suspect was the relentless ghost haunting the restroom.

I need to run.

As the footfalls continued their steady approach, an overwhelming sense of dread bore heavily on Miles, compelling him to quicken his steps.