Saint-Akzena

Chapter Four

Now that he was at the second floor, Steve felt that he accomplished something in here. Seeing the eternal hallway that continued into the oblivion of darkness. The teenager continued with footsteps that were the only ones to sound in echoes into this silence.

His light illuminated where he walked on, showing the tiles in the small circle that his flashlight could only do. While not getting far away, not wanting to draw any attention.

He turned towards a door that was locked. At this, he broke the window with the bottom of the handle that made him hold the ceremonial dagger.

Unlocking the gate from the inside, Steve entered this new classroom and closed the only exit behind. Seeing the grand piano that had its black surface absorbing the light that he brought in this place. He checked the keyboard, where they began moving by themselves a symphony that he could easily recognize. As they did too, by hearing La Campanella composed by a Franz Liszt that made them all howl with his talent.

As Steve cursed this haunted instrument. He decided to run towards the only door that he could find. Where at his horror, one of them already was at the other side. With its eyes as deep than the night sky. And his mouth as screaming than the death of a dying sun. The teenager stabbed his face with his weapon. Making it retreating as it cried an inhuman sound.

Smiling at this little victory, Steve locked the door and took the edge of the piano. Pulling it towards him, he placed it in front of the door. Where a couple of footsteps began to be heard in the front.

The instrument got where the prey wanted to be. As such, he smashed the wooden legs on his side. Making it fall in half, barricading the entrance in a big BWOOONG!!!

-OK there must be an aeration trap here too…

He searched for one, and instead of finding what he looked for it. Steve saw a door in the back of the classroom that was hidden by a cabinet that didn't recover entirely the new exit. The obstacle got displaced by the one that pushed it. As they all tried to do the same to the blocked door.

The boy escaped from this discovery and he entered in another room. Were libraries filled the surface of the walls. 15-13-5 With books that were mostly the same's, but in multiple copies. He found a door that lead towards the corridor. Where he opens it in silence as his light got off. Steve, with the tips of his fingers as his eyes, walked alongside the row of lockers. As he heard them well just behind. All trying to get though the gate that they didn't even manage to open.

When he felt that the long row stopped. Steve turned on his right, touching another surface that also stopped. He knew he was in an end that continued towards the right or other ways he couldn't see. Hidden into the eternal blackness that he couldn't escape by closing his eyes.

He pointed his light in the front, turning on the circle that showed on what he walked on.

As he did the same to the sides that were recovered of exactly what you would think. Excepted for the part with the pamphlets on the ground that they were all saying; NO TO DRUG!

-Oh yeah! This place is on f*****g drugs. Hell, even an addict wouldn't believe this.

He continued, walking on a surface of reflective water that he was sure the school was going to scare him just with the liquid mirror that came from outside. With the thunders that continue to scold in here.

Curious to know where the water came from, Steve ran towards where a large curtain could be found. Being born into the ruined ceiling, it must come from the second floor prior to go down here. As it was cold as the winter when he put his hand under it.

He exceeded it by taking one of its sides. Not wanting to get wet again in such a cold place.

Behind where the flew came from, a large orange tool box stood near. The teen wondered what was in it and thus. He pulled the handle at one of the sides of the case and brought it towards him. Where he opened what had more value than any wealth's outside.

The tool that was still placed in the case shined at the illumination of his light. As Steve took the heavy nail gun out of the treasure box. His curiosity made him look at the large nails that were still in their clips. He remarked the huge end of the gun that was made for this kind of ammunition's. -3-15-13 With would have been present here only for repairing the ceiling. When they were humanity living their teenage life's here in all theses hallways. Innocents and naïve of their future and the world that they live in.

The tool was heavy to hold. As the old schoolhuge as a brick battery was already placed. He didn't know if any energy was left in it, after all theses years. A clip got placed into the ammunition chamber and Steve pointed in is front. Where a nail, big as a thumb was shot.

The sound of a slender, light-weighted object was made, as a drop of rain into the calmest of the lakes. Steve didn't even hear it, as only the cold water answered in this silence.

A smile was raised on his face, as he knew now that he could kill them as simple than a deer with a rifle in is hand. 19-21-12 Only again, this school and its eternal blackness was their home. Where they know which way to go and even with an absence of light. The demons of this hell could see into the invisible dark flames that made the void that could be seen.

He slipped his dagger at the side of his right leg. Feeling the cold from the blade of his first weapon. Steve knew that

-I've gonna make a scabbard if I don't want my leg with this in it…he thought, as the tool box had all its contents extracted.

Having another clip in his pocket, Steve hold by his right hand is a new form of defence. As the left directed his third eye that showed the two others were to walk.

When the corridor ended, it turned towards both sides and straight forward with the door on the wall that was naked of lockers. -5-4-9 He took the entrance to what he knew it was behind it. But when the handle refused to turn by being locked, Steve renounced.

Ackers turned to his right and walked into this new hallway. Exceeding many doors that should take him into theses same classrooms. At the end, a double door stood closed. Rusted to the core and recovered with tons of sheets. Steve wondered what was written on all theses copies and read;

After he had influenced the beings of the planet that he finished to learn. The Influence was exiled from his learners.

Flying the black sky filled with stars, it wandered in the cosmic winds until he found a new world.

Coming from the where the night rules, he crashed on this world, only to still be in his cell.

And as this world wanted to, the Saint got buried under his prison into the underground.

He could still influence those that came over his cell, as he brought them here when Man discovered fire.

Showing the knowledge that came from his world; he taught them how to learn from everything.

As such, the influenced build the foundation that was made for the same purpose they once were the children's.

-Black sky…Influence…Children's…what that f**k ?!?...

At this, he folded the poem and placed it carefully in his backpack.

The other sheets had the same thing written on it, over and over again. However, they each had their own handwriting being written black on white here. On this entrance that the teenager opened one of the doors. Which he closed behind without making any noise in this silence that was cold as our inevitable death.

The floor was wet here, as Steve remarked it. He also made the same with the walls at both sides that were also naked of lockers. -8-5-1 But the doors were there as the same they are everywhere.

Ackers exceeded one with a broken window. He took his steps back and saw the bullet impacts that had perforated the door. Knowing who did this, Steve continued on his way. Where he found a human form that was on the floor. Lying there, face on the ground and a back with holes that recovered her in this little lake of dark « ink ». He turned what he knew it was and had his confirmation.

Not wanting one of her brothers or sister to come lurking here just to find her. Steve didn't take any chances and opened the nearest door. Only to grab its arms and pull the body into a good hide. Where one of those things will never find it by the time he's in. Thus, saving his position from those that would surely howl the fresh corpse.

The floor of the corridor continued to reflect his light as he walked on. Ackers looked at the gates that made him think he was in the psychiatric yard with all those cells for the inmates that threw their tantrums. Only one, made him reach the other side. As it was open, but barricaded with a few desks that were improvised in how they were put.

-Wow…a three-month blind infant would have put it better he thought as the easily passed thought it.

Without surprise, it was indeed a classroom. But this one, was half the space the others had. With all theses doors in the hallway, it was easy for him to understand the reason of such a small place being occupied inside these walls. However, what picked his curiosity was the cabinet at the corner that faced him. Due that note padlocks were protecting was would be in it. Ackers hoped that a body wasn't there, like a warning told him before. And instead of this fear, it was a few pieces of junks that were present. Along them was a big tape roll that is hand immediately took.

Going straight towards a table, he sat on the chair and placed his flashlight at the end of his new workplace. Where he pulled a lot of tape to surround his nail gun and thus, connecting it with his flashlight.

Having now a weapon that could kill from a distance and showing him the way. Steve smiled of his new crafting. Sure, it was heavier to hold but this time, both his arms were doing a job that the problem got cut in half.

After placing the tape in his backpack, Steve explored the rest of this place. Where at his surprise, an old film projector was found on the teacher office. With the reels empty and a big car battery at his sides. Steve remarked the large white screen that was unfolded from the ceiling.

He saw the OnOff interrupter of the machine and couldn't resist himself to turn it active. Even if no films were placed and that the battery still had energy. After all theses decades in the cold of all theses long Canadians winters.

Remembering he had two film canisters in his backpack. Steve grabbed them and placed the first he took into the wheels. Grabbing the nearest chair, he sat down and placed his feet on the surface of the teacher office.

With the bottom of the image that shake and the few cue marks that are on screen. The image is only a dark blackness that is show. With some bright spots that forms themselves on what is now recovered with little stars of many colours. At the centre, you can a long diagonal of dust on what is revealed to be the night sky.

It's gigantic to see, as the Milky Way shows a part of itself and its cosmic infinity. With at the bottom of the screen the end of all the firs that are show. The camera go down and the image of a path into the forest is seen. It approach's as the one that hold what you see seems to walk. Just by looking at the movements at each side of the squared screen. The path turned on the right was the cameraman continues to walk on...Oïbu...Seeing at the end of the forest a large football field. Where the sounds of chanting could be hear alongside the crickets that signs their nocturne symphony. When the holder arrives at the end of the forest. A sign nailed on a tree can be seen. The camera turns towards it and you can read;

Entrance of the Akzena Forest

After you read, it turns where the sports field lay…yaésèvr Coranak…and at its centre, far away of where both of you and Steve can see from. A violet light illuminates the centre of the place, like a standing sun that was lost here on this foreign world…buwywaèspm...The image zoom towards that sphere of self-made light and you can both see the flaming arcs that came out of it...wuwysphäçésè...Only to return into its massive being.

With a few humanoids figures that reflect their transparent bodies over the small sun…ztuwu vrtu…The image returns to its grandiose take on the field. With the gigantic school far behind all that you both see. The violet fire burns even more and are now tall into the air and at the edge to the ground…zoïm èhäçtuspés...And it vanishes, just like that. They are no longer reflected and the field fell into its own darkness. As all the greyish silhouettes that stand here are dancing an unheard music. Then, the camera rises towards the sky that shows the infinite vacuum of space. With his armada of comets. That let multiple colours that made a cosmic rainbow in the night sky.

The camera returns to the football field, where they all point their finger at the one that made the cinematic view towards the ground. Which begins to awkwardly move in a chaotic sense. As the cameraman flee this place. Thus, the final image of the projection light show itself on the screen and

Steve, shaking with the terror that filled his veins. Didn't want to know that happened to the one that took this event on film. He didn't even bother to take back what he placed. As he ran towards the exit and continued to flee into the corridor. Not knowing that the projector behind began once again to show what can be unseen!

As he was driven by the fear of the unknown. The teenager froze when a monstrous roar howled into the echoes in this darkness. He stopped while holding his weapon in front of him. With hands that were shaking by the terror that flew in his blood.

Close in the blackness, a tall silhouette that made half the hallway stood. With the sounds of wheels that drives towards him. Steve almost had an attack, when he saw at the end of his light was seemed to be an innocent wheelchair that came towards him.

It passed at his side, as Steve didn't even flinch or moved his body. But only his eyes followed the movement of what disappeared behind in the eternal shadows. Where the silence ruled over all, until a few gun shots echoed to the bottom of this dark hell.

-John!

He raised his head towards the ceiling, where a final blow thundered beyond the ruined ceilings and the old walls. -18-20-8 After, the absence of sounds, mixed with some unhuman laughs, returned among side the outside winds.

Steve didn't know what to think. He simply, didn't.

At the end of the corridor stood tall and double door that instead of being recovered with papers. It was this time painted with a fresh « ink » that was as dark than everything that was hiding where the light didn't conjure his way on. He took the handle and turned it, smiling that it was unlocked. The left side got pushed and the tops of the firs trees could be seen under the last sunlight's that disappeared behind the mountain. Alongside the dark clouds that screamed with thunder and cried its eternal sadness as the rain continued to drop on the long window.

-Holy f**k…he whispered to himself, as he ran towards what could be seen outside of this large window that made the entire wall. To the far left that continued endlessly, which was the same for the other side.

He walked forwards, seeing the gigantic sea of trees that were dancing with the violent arms of the wind. -5-9-18- With the lightning that illuminated all, for not even a second. As the thunder made the silence tremble with all it touched.

Grunting that he could see where he wanted to be. Steve turned to his left and continued his journey where the natural light of the night was.

He didn't know how much time he spent walking inside the edge of an impossible freedom. The double doors that could be found at only are left side was rare. Unlike the lockers that were non-existent here, and the shoals that were on the long wall.

-For sitting down in front of the sun in where the air conditioner was always on…kissing, laughing and probably living a life…ah damn I'm thinking too much…

19-3-18 There was one entrance that stood at his side when he stopped to sit down. Facing the outside world that was into a tempest as violent that was in. Unlike all those that were not here, Steve at least could be with the sound of silence. Here, alone with death that awaited him as an omniscient element that could be found in their unreal eyes and mouths.

He knew that taking a break just to that here was a waste of time. And that sleep will take him one hour or the other. As such, he stood up and continued walking. While he always looked at the outside.

The path finished, only to continue at his left. Knowing that he was at the corner of this epic foundation. And that was where the back of the school were. Steve knew that if he took the entire way. He was getting closer to a path that could lead him towards the exit. And where a promise that was made too. Inside her prison that protected her from the world outside of her own.

He looked at all the double doors that were closed. None were open. That didn't make him stop walking. Until when a simple single one was found on the wall. Engraved in her large badge plate;

Paulina Shelley

Psychologist

-Goddamn that's what I would need right now…Hell that's what I'm going to need after getting out…

He turned the handle that was unlocked and he entered in which showed to be a small room. At first, his light illuminated the floor, thus the office and then, the legs that were hanging by themselves from the ceiling lost in its own darkness.

Taking some steps backward, Steve slowly raised his light that showed him a skeleton in her dress. With some last parts of her long's red hair that hanged too, in silence of any movements.

He got to the office, where he looked that what the drawers had.

-Paperwork, paperwork and paperwork. Goddamit, why does nobody don't have any evacuation plan !!!

However, even in his angriest moment of frustration. Steve looked at the medical reports. With he read as key words; Auditory hallucination about numbers, Visual Hallucinations on « Entities » that had appeared in their nightmares;

-As a lot that were about an angel that was destroying an indiscernible world. -Even so, I don't know how. But it's been a good month since I had the same symptoms that my students have. I'm always waking up in the night due to the nightmare that are similar to those that they explain to me. Also, there's this that got stuck in my memory. Since my last meeting with Samira.

Steve looked at the drawing at the bottom of the page. Seeing what looked like one of those Chinatowns in the metropolis like Los Angeles or New York. But with streets as empty than the blackness of the night. With an heavy storm above all that rains on all the cheerleaders that crawls on the buildings walls.

I have no idea what it means. I know my imagination can't create something like this. Also, I showed it to one of my students, Sharon. She collapsed in tears and fled my office. I don't know what took her. But tomorrow I hope to have an answer. I asked Samira into a meeting tomorrow and I will ask her about this text.

Maybe she could help.

Looking at the hanged corpse, Steve put the sheet on her office. He didn't want to think on how she could arrive to the point of killing herself. -5-1-12 As such, he ran towards the door that let him leave this sorrow place and he continued in the long hallway.

The storm outside didn't even calm itself. As the wrath of the nature still roared with thunders and lighting that touched the tip of the mountain far away. Hoping that one of them will touch the tip of a tree, just to make a gigantic fire that would bring something here with its vehicle.

He saw another pair of gates. But this one was different; with a large poster at his side, protected in his window, showing the illustration of a student-made Dante Inferno. With a river of black flames that had the faces of them in the current.

-Abandon all hope ye who enter here…he read the tagline. Thanking the unknown artist that he cursed aftermath for such a false light of escape.

At this, he knew that simply being here outside the labyrinth wasn't good for him. The blackness wasn't where he was and it was surely not at the borders that he could find a way to escape. He was at the first floor and even this close to the earth-ground. The windows showed him the tip of the firs. Not their base where the common ground of the outside was to be found everywhere.

The rain that played its chaotic symphony on the window got reduced to a role in the background. As their howling's made all of what the teenager could hear here. Thus, making him running even deeper into this corridor. Where he looked for the nearest double door that he took its entrance. Being back into the complex labyrinth of paths that putted him into this eternal blackness.

It was there when he exceeded all the doors that lead to the hideouts in forms of classrooms. He escaped those that their screams became a melancholy in the echoes. As such, the long path ended and his light showed at the side of his circle what seemed to be the edge of cafeteria-style tables.

Steve placed himself under the nearest and turned off the illuminating device of his weapon.

Closing his eyes as his ears heard that they were here among side. With their inhuman gurgles that came deep from their inexistent mouth. Ackers prayed his belief in the universal creator in his parents’ tongue of the Hebrew. Even if he knew only a few sentences that he learned by hearing the coven reciting the sacred texts back as a child. With his parents that he began to cry of their absence. Here, alone in the darkness that touched all with its own absence of life.

They left, making footsteps that were far away when he released back his light in this place.

The teenager removed his tears, as his eyes now saw the room that had a path correctly in each wall of his squared place. With old distributors at the corners and tables to eat during the break. When the zenith blessed the place and its forest outside of his internal hell.

Due to his panic of escaping, Steve didn't know by which way he came by. Frustrated to being lost once again, the boy simply takes the one that was in front of him. Where he walked on a path filled with photographic portraits of all the old football teams. Where they all tried to have the Presley haircut of the time.

He let the pictures behind, as he continued to walk on this path, only to being in front of a

single door. The handle got took and turned, making him passing from a way to another one. Which it already ended after three steps and continued into two different paths at both his sides.

But what made the teenager scared here, was the simple chair made of wood, which stood by

itself in the middle of the way. With its cute little teddy bear that wears its reddish bow tie. The eyes made of black glass looked at the ceiling, with his head being placed like a bored being that had no other purpose in life than looking at where the stars should have been. Steve passed to the right side, being the closest to the wall than the little toy for kid that stood there. -19-1-13 being at its own business, as the teenager ran away from it.

The path that he took didn't have any lockers at are sides, nor doors that could be found, only a few benches were there.

As Steve decided to close the door behind the doll. He sat down on one of them, taking off its packed back. While putting a cigarette between his lips. His lighter burned the tip, making a reddish spot of warm into the blackness of the place. -4-8-5 Where only half of it was illuminated by the flashlight that was at his side. On the bench towards the closed gate.

Not taking any chances, Steve turned it off. Being recovered by the darkness of this place, only the orange ember glow in all of what couldn't be seen.

-But seriously, who's the f*****g dumbass that they hired for planning on how to make this school. There's not enough staircases that leach lead to all the floors…they must be some…

He raised his head over the ceiling, rusted in some parts, clean on the others. Where the decades and centuries shall take over anytime soon over the coming years.

-I can still take the aeration conducts and being careful enough not to fall into an abyss. But again, the risk of breaking my legs if I ever fall will be important to consider. Crap…why didn't they make enough staircases in this forsaken hell?

His cigarette burned to the edge of his lips, it felt as dead ashes on the floor. Where it stayed there even after you will finish reading this book. He then, took the butt and threw it away. Not knowing where it landed with all the darkness that got conjured by a light that was suddenly turned on.

Steve taught that it will illuminate the rest of the corridor. But it was firstly a gaseous being that showed herself. Having the form of the shadow from a non-existent little girl. Only to disappear the next second that Ackers blinked. Seeing now the empty hallway.

The terror that took him like lightning in the night sky, made the teenager paralyzed. He tried to understand what he saw without finding any sense for an answer. At this point, the girl made her being seen back at the corner of his view. As a flash that quickly footed her way towards the exit of this corridor. Where Steve decided to follow her advice.

Taking up his backpack and holding his unique weapon in front of himself. The prey opened the door and closed it behind. Putting back the long path into an eternal blackness that still never tasted back the presence of light.

The sound of their distant howls were back. 18-14-1 Here in a corridor that was closer to the centre of the school. With a flash-like spectre at the end of the path, that awaited the one that exceeded many doors to see her. When he was getting closer, she took the right side of the way and disappeared. Due that it was a dead end, without any doors, stairs.

A chair was placed in front of the boy and under the ceiling that had a conduct trap on it.

-OK well…Thanks…

He rose on the chair and his weapon was placed between his legs. -21-7-8- Seeing the illumined protection, he took its borders with his bare hands and take it off with the surrounding silence.

It got placed inside the conduct and Steve grabbed back his weapon, only to do the same. After, he lifted his body up into the ceiling and replaced the trap where it was. Making the chair being alone in his own darkness. As the teenager continued his escaping, crawling all the way he found and took in this labyrinth that was already in one.

When Steve got used to only hear the sounds of his own movements. -21-18-13 His ears heard the first notes of music that was playing far away, somewhere in this nowhere place.

-…♫ no more sailin' so long sailin'bye bye sailin' move on out captain ♫…

That was what the voice of the girl sang. Only to fall into the abyss of the silence that tortured the mind of the boy. Who could still hear their long presence with sounds that weren't made by a human tongue. All being strangled by the floors and walls that made them even more ruined to be heard.

At this point, Steve was that both sides had their own path. As the same that continued forwards, which he chooses because he didn't really know where to go. But whatever the ways he decided to take, the teenager could always hear them beneath him. Alone in their classrooms and corridors, doing nothing other than waiting for itself.

He always continued forwards, until the path couldn't let him. Only to turn at the left side, where a human skull was placed at the middle. Making him shooting a nail in the empty hole that would have an eye in it. But it didn't flinch; it was just a part of a skeleton. Being there for no reason, as Steve finally taught to himself.

He putted it at his side and exceeded it in his crawling. Tossing the skull behind even more with his feet as the object was far behind.

The presence of such an image didn't seem to be good for him. And it was confirmed when he saw that the aeration forwards took a dramatic descent.

-Ah not again…he complained, as he turned his body into a position ready for slipping the conduct that made him going down. Taking more speed at each second, he was on the slide. Having fun like a child, only to have his feet are punched the end of it. That was thrown off the wall and him too. Thus slipping from the intern slide towards the outside of the walls and falling straight lying in the air. Into a corridor that was filled by the din of his crash here.

Steve quickly grabs himself up, holding his weapon straight forwards are views on this that weren't there. As the silence retook his place here, in the darkness that he was getting used too.

Ackers looked for the closest door that could lead him to a classroom. Which he found quickly, and he checked for its number identity;

1033

-Bingo !!!

His joy got cut, as the sounds of loud footsteps were getting closer in the end of the hallway. Where blackness could only be illuminated.

He still looked at what was coming, his finger ready to make his target a pinhead. Which the boy did as the thing showed up with his skin as whiter than paper itself. It collapsed at his front, its inhuman eyes were not closed and its chest stopped breathing from an wide open mouth.

He didn't bother to know if it was really dead. Knowing that these beasts were not smart enough to fake being deceased. Plus, the nail as big as his thumb was well placed between the eyes of the thing. As such, Steve walked towards where it came front and found that the path that beganended with stairs that led up.

Frustrated to see a way that was going where he didn't wanted to go. Steve returned and ran to the other end of the corridor. Where it was the same, but it was going even deeper into the ground.

It was a double door that faced him at the end of this descent into this darkness. He opened the gates and entered where the floor was larger than anything he had ever walked into.

-Is that…ah come on!

At this view, Steve recognized the place and knew he returned into the basement of the school. Where at the other side of this great place stood two doors that led to the changing rooms that were linked to a well-know pool. Just like this little corridor that began in the other wall. Where it goes into the grounds to an unknown location. He moved to where Scarlett took the way to meet him. Imagining her escaping those things by taking the same path behind. While discovering that what had been killed by him wasn't there anymore. He knew well that it was one of those things he bashed its head with the steel pipe. But it was no longer here, nor for any drop of its black blood. He looked at the wall on his left. Where another epic painting was, with its protection of glass and its great framing that was made by a talented carpenter.

On the great painting, a humanoid figure stood. Naked of clothes while it filled its pure naturally. Due that it didn't had any s*x between its legs nor on its face or the rest of its body. It couldn't have been human too, with all theses tubes that came from the tanks on its back that were plugged to the arms, chest and legs. Its skin as white as winter, made the figure as the same as them in this darkness.

But it was worst, with what looked like a weapon that made the rest of his right arm. With the silencer at the end of the assault rifle that was a military engagement signed for life.

He walked close to the humanoid being that was painted in real size. Its eyes were completely white and didn't have any iris. The strangest too, was that they were on the vertical instead of the horizontal.

-This painting is freaking me out…

He retreated from the cyborg and took the time to take a picture of the thing. He placed the squared frame into his pocket alongside the others. And his exploration continued into the deep of this gigantic space. Where he found at the same wall a grouping of pamphlets. Prevention against drinking when they were driving. Wearing protection when they had s*x or again, when they were driving too fast, resulting in the death of many. The wall was only recovered with this meaningless for the teenager that walked away. All were old fashioned made and none date were written on.

At another place, they were some lists that showed the best players in each of their fields. Baseball, volleyball, football, etc. At this, he knew that this floor, made under everything else above, was the sports sector.

-And that's not where my goal is…he thought, as they walked his way back towards the stairs that he ascended. At this he returned into the hallway where the body was still there. But this time around, he remarked something he missed. At the centre of the corridor, on the middle of the long wall stood a pair of doors. Above them was written the word; EXIT.