THE RULES ON THE WALL
1428 Words
The next morning, Elena woke before her alarm.
For several seconds, she lay still, staring at the ceiling while the events of the previous evening returned one by one.
The photograph.
The newspaper.
Adrian's answer.
Yes.
She rolled onto her side and checked her phone.
6:18 a.m.
Too early.
She closed her eyes again, but sleep refused to return.
Her mind kept circling the same question.
If Adrian Vale had died sixteen years ago, who had she spoken to?
She had spent half the night searching for information about him. There wasn't much. Most of the articles she found were old and brief. His death had received attention at the time, but the details were strangely limited. Some articles described him as a successful businessman. Others mentioned an investigation. None explained what had actually happened.
There were no recent photographs.
No interviews.
No social media accounts.
Nothing that connected the man in the articles to the person sitting behind the desk at Vespera.
Except the face.
The face was identical.
Elena finally got out of bed.
She showered, dressed and left earlier than necessary.
She told herself it was because she didn't want to be late.
It wasn't.
She wanted to see whether Adrian would be there.
When she reached Vespera, the lobby was already busy.
Employees moved through the entrance with coffee cups and briefcases. The security desk was occupied by Marcus, who looked up the moment Elena entered.
His eyes remained on her for a second longer than necessary.
"Morning," Elena said.
Marcus nodded.
"Morning."
She clipped her identification card onto her blouse.
As she walked toward the elevators, she noticed the photograph again.
Her steps slowed.
The picture had not changed.
Adrian stood among the other executives, expressionless.
Elena studied the date beneath the frame.
Sixteen years ago.
She looked toward Marcus.
"Can I ask you something?"
He glanced at her.
"What?"
"Why is Adrian Vale's photograph still here?"
Marcus's face became unreadable.
"Company history."
"He died sixteen years ago."
"I know."
Elena stared at him.
"You know?"
Marcus looked away.
"Everyone knows."
"Then why did I see him yesterday?"
The security guard's jaw tightened.
For a moment, Elena thought he might finally tell her the truth.
Instead, he said, "You should get upstairs."
"Marcus."
"Go."
His tone ended the conversation.
Elena entered the elevator.
When the doors closed, she leaned against the wall.
She wasn't imagining things.
Other people knew.
They knew Adrian was dead.
They knew he still appeared around the building.
And somehow, nobody seemed willing to talk about it.
The elevator stopped on the executive floor.
Elena stepped out.
The office was already busy.
Nina was arranging documents.
Ethan was standing beside the printer.
Clara's colleague, Sophie, was carrying a stack of folders toward the conference room.
Nobody greeted Elena.
She walked to her desk.
Her computer was already on.
She hadn't left it that way.
She stopped.
The screen displayed her login page.
Nothing unusual.
Then she noticed something beside the keyboard.
A folded piece of paper.
Elena opened it.
There were four handwritten lines.
RULE ONE: DO NOT ENTER THE OLD WING.
RULE TWO: NEVER ANSWER THE PHONE AFTER MIDNIGHT.
RULE THREE: IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME, KEEP WALKING.
RULE FOUR: NEVER FOLLOW ADRIAN VALE.
Elena read them twice.
Her stomach tightened.
She looked around.
Nobody was watching her.
She turned the paper over.
Nothing.
"Morning."
Elena nearly jumped.
Ethan stood beside her desk.
He glanced at the paper in her hand.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get that?"
"It was here when I arrived."
He took a step closer.
"Who left it?"
"I don't know."
Ethan reached for the paper.
Elena pulled it away.
"What is this?"
"Nothing."
"That doesn't look like nothing."
His eyes moved toward the corridor.
"Keep it."
"What?"
"Just don't show anyone."
He walked away.
Elena stared after him.
That was becoming a pattern.
Everyone knew something.
Nobody wanted to tell her.
She slipped the paper into her drawer.
For the rest of the morning, she tried to work.
She succeeded for about twenty minutes.
At 9:42, the printer began making a strange noise.
At 10:15, the lights above the conference room flickered.
At 11:03, someone called Elena's desk phone.
She answered.
"Hello?"
Silence.
She waited.
"Hello?"
A faint sound came through the receiver.
Breathing.
Slow.
Close.
Elena pulled the phone away from her ear.
"Who is this?"
The breathing stopped.
Then a voice whispered her name.
"Elena."
Her fingers tightened around the receiver.
She remembered the note.
If you hear your name, keep walking.
She hung up.
The phone rang again.
Elena stared at it.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
She didn't touch it.
It stopped.
A few seconds later, Adrian's office door opened.
He stepped out.
His eyes went directly to the phone.
Then to Elena.
"Did you answer?"
She hesitated.
"Yes."
His expression hardened.
"Did you speak?"
"Someone called my name."
Adrian walked toward her.
"Did you answer them?"
"I said hello."
He stopped.
For the first time, Elena saw genuine anger on his face.
"Don't do that again."
She stood.
"Who was it?"
"Doesn't matter."
"It clearly matters."
"Not yet."
Elena crossed her arms.
"You're going to have to start explaining things."
Adrian looked at her.
"Then listen carefully."
His voice was quiet.
"The building has rules."
"I know."
"No. You don't."
He glanced toward the corridor.
"Some rules are written for employees. Others are written for things that aren't."
Elena felt a chill move through her.
"What does that mean?"
"It means that when someone gives you a rule, you follow it."
"Who makes these rules?"
Adrian didn't answer.
"Adrian."
His gaze returned to her.
"Where did you get the paper?"
"My desk."
"Did anyone see you read it?"
"Ethan."
Adrian's expression changed slightly.
"Ethan?"
"Yes."
He looked toward Ethan's desk.
Ethan was no longer there.
Adrian's eyes narrowed.
"Don't trust him."
Elena's heart skipped.
"Why?"
Adrian didn't answer.
He simply walked back into his office.
The door closed.
Elena stood there, irritated.
She was beginning to hate those words.
Don't trust him.
Don't go there.
Don't ask.
Don't stay.
Everyone seemed to think warnings were explanations.
They weren't.
Around noon, Elena went to the cafeteria.
The moment she entered, the conversation at one of the tables stopped.
Three employees looked at her.
Then looked away.
She took a tray and walked toward an empty table.
Someone pulled out the chair opposite her.
It was Sophie.
"You should stop asking questions."
Elena looked up.
"About what?"
"Everything."
Sophie lowered her voice.
"You're new. You don't understand how this place works."
"Then explain it."
"I can't."
"Why?"
Sophie looked around.
"Because you're already involved."
Elena stared at her.
"Involved in what?"
Sophie stood.
"Just leave before you become like the others."
She walked away.
Elena sat there, her appetite gone.
When she returned to her desk, she found another paper.
This one was shorter.
TONIGHT. 11:00 P.M.
Nothing else.
She looked toward the clock.
12:46 p.m.
Her stomach twisted.
She immediately stood and went to Adrian's office.
The door was open.
He was reading.
Elena placed the paper on his desk.
"What is this?"
Adrian looked at it.
His face became still.
"Where did you get it?"
"My desk."
He picked it up.
His fingers tightened around the paper.
"You're leaving at five."
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Is something happening tonight?"
"No."
The answer came too quickly.
Elena noticed.
"So why does someone want me here at eleven?"
Adrian looked directly at her.
"Because they know you'll come."
"And if I don't?"
"Then they'll come looking for you."
Silence.
Elena stared at him.
"You make this place sound insane."
"It is."
He stood.
"Go home."
"You're coming too?"
Adrian's expression became unreadable.
"I don't go home."
The words settled heavily between them.
Elena looked at him.
Then at the old watch beneath his sleeve.
For the first time, she noticed that the second hand wasn't moving.
She pointed toward it.
"Your watch stopped."
Adrian glanced down.
"No."
"It isn't moving."
He covered it with his sleeve.
"Some things don't."
Before Elena could respond, the lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the hallway outside went dark.
Adrian's entire posture changed.
"Go to the lobby."
Elena didn't move.
"Why?"
"Now."
Something crashed somewhere beyond the corridor.
Elena flinched.
Adrian stepped around his desk.
Another sound followed.
A long scrape against the wall.
Then silence.
He looked at Elena.
"Do not leave my sight."
She stared at him.
"Why?"
His eyes moved toward the dark corridor.
"Because the first game has already started."
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