By shift’s end, Nathan felt drained, like a zombie. But the morgue awaited. Reluctantly, he shuffled down the cold, dim hallway. It wasn’t glamorous, but it promised quiet—and he desperately craved silence.
Seated at the desk, his back aching from hours on his feet, Nathan felt the strange stillness press in. The hum of fluorescent lights was the only sound. He stretched, trying to shake the fatigue, willing his eyelids to stay open. Morgue duty was simple: sit, wait, and be ready if called to assist. For now, he watched the clock tick slowly, sinking deeper into the chair as exhaustion claimed him.
Suddenly, a rustling noise pulled Nathan from the edge of sleep. It wasn’t the air conditioning or the lights—it was faint but unmistakable movement somewhere in the room. His heart skipped a beat. He was alone. So where was the noise coming from?
He listened, but the sound vanished as quickly as it appeared. The silence that followed felt suffocating. Shaking his head, Nathan blamed the noise on his tired mind. “Just tired,” he muttered with a forced chuckle, closing his eyes again.
For a while, peace returned. The cold air, the hum, and silence lulled him back toward sleep. But then the rustling came again—louder, closer. Nathan’s eyes snapped open. His heart pounded as the sound seemed to circle him. He was definitely alone, wasn’t he? Alone in this cold, desolate place.
Unease crawled up Nathan’s spine as he stood. The noises seemed to move around him, coming from different directions. Taking a cautious step forward, he scanned the room. Stillness. No one was there. Everything seemed in place.