Amiss

Chapter FIVE

Afterwards, when I decided to jump across to a different hallway to attempt to find something more interesting, I came across another room with a sign-board thing above it. Only this time, I couldn't read it. Still kinda dark.

This deemed importance, even when I couldn't find a doorknob; even when I couldn't find a button or switch; even when I had to pull from the bottom up. I wish I was stronger... but, heh, I am a little buff at least, right? Right?!

Once I was inside this other room, again I looked for a light switch. Thankfully, there was one right next to me, so I immediately flipped it with my most fabulous pose ever. Or, at least I wish so...

In reality, I punched the switch upwards, and I probably looked like a mess. However, I could care less at this point. Nevertheless, once the room was illuminated in a low yellow-tinted light, I could glance around and slightly tiptoe around.

The room had a total of five desks, three on one wall, two on the opposite sides; only one of them held an old desktop computer and a lamp, whilst the others simply contained stacks of papers, pencil holders, and 'private' documents. The computer looked the same, the only difference being that I heard the low whirr of the motor, yet the screen was black... must've been off, I guessed, so I stepped over and pressed the power button.

Same as the other monitor, four borders laid out on the screen, and on each side held the feed of what I assumed to be camera views. Cam 20, Cam 23, Cam 24, and Cam 19 were on each side, each of them seeming to be a little bit more static-y than the other one that I had watched above.

Since I decided to observe what the Cameras displayed, I might as well explain it to you. Detecting upon a stairwell, Camera 20 blinked in and out, and the view itself wasn't very useful; the lighting was terrible, any lights that had been intact were shooting out sparks, and the stairs themselves didn't seem to be in the best condition, also appearing short. Camera 23 seemed to materialize the image outside of a doorway, so basically it was showing a hallway. Nothing too interesting there. However, I couldn't exactly see what the hell Camera 24 was showing.... It was way too dark for me to differentiate what was what, but it seemed to be a vent. A very, very, very dark vent. Ahem. Anyways, Camera 19 was just the image of a room, filled with drawers and more desks. More basic boring nothing. A waste of time.

In the sudden, the ship made another shudder, but also more like a jerking motion at the same time. The force ended up in me stumbling back a few feet, trying to keep myself upright and intact, while I still can. In contrast though... I noticed that the floor, in one spot only, seemed to bend itself, like-like it bent my vision or something. I wasn't insane – the same effect was happening underneath a desk, and then in the corner. I didn't know what the heck was happening! It all looked so weird....

However, the vision-thing disappeared after a minute or so, with more rocks around the ship. Okay, honestly, even though he was a pretty big douche at the end, I wished that I could've hugged Argon. Just squeeze him, choke him, strangle him. That normal stuff.... I don't like him, I swear! Just a little touchy-touchy, you know...

When the vision stuff disappeared completely after a few minutes of me just standing there (probably looking like an idiot) and the ship slowing its much calmer purrs, I got the courage to step out into the hallway and peek around. Carefully sliding along the walls again, I only remembered about the stairway from the Camera feeds when I was half down the hall. However, I don't know where I am... ooh! Maybe a room around here has a map! It would be difficult to find, but it is way better than trying to be patient, that's for sure.

Finally, more minutes of sulking along the wall, something wrinkled along my shoulder, and I stepped back. Paper, lines, tape. Definitely looks like a map!

Squinting my eyes, I tried to focus the reflection of light onto the paper, as if by some chance a magical emperor would actually do that. But, I am not a child. I know that science is not on my side right now. At least, it is a very low chance, I think.

Still, I think I was able to trace the outlines and bents of the marks with my thumb, so I headed back to where I came from, and continued going that way until I passed by two separate hallways. On the third hallway, I slipped by the corners and looked for an open doorway, but with stairs instead.

I finally found it, but when I stepped inside and prepared myself to delve either upwards or downwards, I stopped when the blackness of the whatever was underneath the stairs lay. As in there are no stairway up or down, either looked chopped off. Also, it was way too squeaky for my liking. It creaked of danger, croaked of death, groaned of caution.

Looks like I'll have to find another way around. God damn it. I don't like big strolls in darkness!