#WritcoStoryChallenge
The footsteps following me sounded closer. I ran through the empty corridors of the hospital, my heart pounding with terror.
I turned a corner and stopped short. I had reached a dead end.

I could really feel the thundering throbs of my heart now. Sweats profuse all over my skin. And my breathing is getting heavy. I terribly feel the aching thirst deep down my dried throat.
" No, I have to keep myself steady" I mumbled inside my head.
" This is not true! I must have been dreamin!" I continued to reaffirm myself in-between my shivering hands.

Gasping for breath, I decisively make a sudden turn around to face the harrowed darkness. I can barely see anything but I need to grope for another bend.
"There must be a way somewhere else in here," I told myself while stepping forward with earnest courage.

Slowly in a tip-toed march, and hopeless groping hands, I started my way back to where I must have been running from. All around me is like a disgrace. I can smell a stinch and awkward smell coming from just a few meters away.

"Why am I here?" the stabbing question of dismay crawl upon my senses. I know it's a senseless thoughts to take heed of them because here I am in the middle of nowhere.
Something is on me now, but I don't know yet what couid that be. It's just making my goosebumps up. And, it's drawing near me. We will surely meet on the way any moment now. Sweats are beginning to spring forth all over my skin again.

"But, no! I have to face that thing." I kept telling myself.

"Whatever it is, I will not let it swallow my spirit. I've got to face it now!" my thoughts rolled in like an unbeatable knight.
Candidly moving forward to meet that thing aiming towards me, I swing my hands hard to capture anything I could grasp. Then, I heard a long hauled but soft grunting sound. I can see pair of eyes with head trying to move fast me.

To my relief, it's just a deer!
My heart sinks like in the cold water while it continues running away from me to wherever it wants to go.

I could almost break my heart in nervous . I have just realized this hospital is surrounded by a thin forest.
The sudden black out that eats up everything in darkness may have turned some animals out there in horror too. They used to see glowing lights in the night. And, this must be a firsthand experience for them to see total darkness from this place.
"Hmm..." was the only word left in my mind as I climbed back upstairs. The light has come back like a savior. My breath is beginning to get back to its normal rhythm.

I realized I have run this far. From the hallway to the ground floor as if I know the whole place around, until I bumped into a dead end corner.

I remember, I was supposed to get back to my car when electricity was completely out. All generators were down and looked like having some repair issues since few days ago. It nust be the reason why it's been almost an hour of groping in the dark.
But yeah, when I heard those things like footsteps drawing near me, my mind began to think oddly. Now, I finally know how the figments of our imagination can flourish like a sandstorm, creating horrible thoughts.

But I am also glad to know that I do have a fighting spirit, anyway.😀