Footsteps

He heard them in the following again,

just the faintest thud in the darkness

of the maze is storage buildings,

those feet always waiting until he walked

before they would move.

 

His heart pounded so hard

when he summoned that memory

about the first time he was aware

those black figured beings had watched from a distance,

how he could feel them so close

saw them in nightmares,

but they stayed out of sight.

 

It drove him insane with fear,

any second they could suddenly become abductors

then like his co-workers

none would hear of him again.

 

Inside his stomach juices burned

the paranoia and anxiety were eating like an acid,

if only he hadn’t looked in the file

where the formula was located,

it was too late for that,

there was only one escape

by drinking one of two formula versions,

one promised possible psychotic episodes

afterwards the chemicals would metabolize

into maggots that devour your organs

a second offer a chance to become invisible,

finally free from his stalkers.

 

That door knob would barely turn

on the warehouse building,

at midnight it was eerie enough in this alley,

which was made it so much more terrifying

when the sounds of those feet were now racing towards him.

 

Body shaking out of pure panic,

fingers fumbling to force the door open,

sweaty hands struggling to get a decent grasp on the knob,

lips fighting the urge to scream,

mercifully he was at least able to make it inside.

 

Then he slammed the door shut,

locked the bolt

just before he could hear them pounding outside

to try and break it down,

a few steps and he made it to the shelf,

on it was his only hope,

however the two blue vials had no labels,

no way to know which one contained the transparency serum,

only there was no time to wait,

right hand grabbed the vial on the left and swallowed its contents

and then….