Whispers of a Dead Empire

Chapter 1

Finally, I was finished here. My fingers deftly danced across the touch screen as I typed my employee number into the system and clocked out. I have been here since eight-thirty, and it was going on midnight now. I wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and forget the day. My patience was quickly growing thin, and I had no real desire to be here anymore. I walked into the back and grabbed my sports bag hanging from a green rack next to all of the other chef's coats. 

  I started to carry this with me since I lost my car a few weeks back. I usually had a phone charger, a notebook, and a few other items that I would carry around just if I needed them. I quickly removed my chef's coat, placed it on a hanger and back onto the rack, and placed my hat right above it. They were clean enough, and besides, I would be back here early in the morning anyway, so it's not like it mattered too much where I put it. 

  I threw the sports bag across my back and let out a large yawn. I ran my fingers through my long hair to work out the build-up of knots. I was so tired, and I didn't want to be here in the morning. I opened up the back door and entered the night. It was a bit colder than it was earlier in the day, but that was okay. I walked over to the fence that enclosed the back dock and pushed open a small door hidden in the corner. The metal groaned in protest as it swung open, and I stepped out into a large driveway. I scratched my head once more and followed the narrow concrete path down to the sidewalk before finally hitting the main road. There were dozens of stores that filled this small commercial district. It was a pleasant area and easy on the eyes. I would easily describe it as being very upscale, if anything. 

  I halted at the stop sign and was so enthralled with my thoughts that I almost didn't see that a car blazed past. It was probably a good thing I decided to stop here. Let that be a reminder to look both ways before crossing the street. I clenched my teeth and hissed at the idiot, and just kept walking.

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 I would have usually ordered a ride or something, but I honestly didn't feel like doing that right now. It was a decent night, and I wanted to clear my mind. I walked up the gentle slope of the hill and onto the main road into the city. The road was reasonably empty tonight, and it's something I appreciated. There wasn't a soul in sight and nothing that could annoy me. I mindlessly walked through town, basking in the deafening silence, broken only by the occasional roar of a vehicle. 

  I pulled my phone from my pocket and glanced at the time. It was going on two-thirty, which means that I have been walking for almost two and a half hours. I was close to getting home, finally.  I lived near the city center, right next to the park. I could be home in five minutes, but I think a little detour would be lovely to clear my mind. I turned from the main road and went into the local park. The grass looked to be freshly cut, and the night was tranquil. I meandered over to a bench and sat down, and stared across the park. Small groups of trees were clustered around in small groups, and concrete walkways cut through the ground like veins on a body. It was a beautiful park during the day and even more so during the night.

I let out a sigh of content and settled on the bench. My long sleeve shirt did wonders to keep out the bite of the cold air. It was moments of complete silence like this that made me question my life. I was stuck as a line cook, with prospects of becoming sous, but I honestly don't think I want to stay in this field much longer. I love my job, I do, but man, was it grating at times. 

I also decided not to go to college, so really, my options were limited in that regard. A dejected sigh escaped my lips, and a small cloud of condensed air hovered in the air around my lips for a moment before it dissipated. I had no clue where my life was going, and I refused to remain a line cook for the rest of my life. I put my phone to sleep and crossed my arms, and sunk into the bench. This was a thought for another day. I was too tired to think now. Maybe it was time I went home and tried to get some sleep while I still could. 

I pushed myself off of the bench, keenly aware of the dull ache that resonated in the soles of my feet, and started the final trek home. However, a strange sight caught my attention. It was a flicker of light that sat behind a small grouping of trees tucked away in the far corner of the park. It was something that I only just barely noticed. A part of me was saying that I should probably turn around and completely ignore whatever that was. Another aspect of me was just curious about what was going on. It was a bit of a mental struggle, but sadly, the irrational part won. 

 I quietly crept over the grass and towards the cluster of trees. I pressed myself against the closest one and peeked out from around it. A small distance from the trees was something that looked like a portal. It flickered as it rotated and would fade away before coming back to full intensity. However, there seemed to be no real rhyme or rhythm to it. It was a mesmerizing sight to behold. I rested against the tree and quickly thought over my next course of action as I watched it. I could turn around and pretend nothing was there. I could live my life and be perfectly fine or investigate further and sate the growing sense of curiosity growing in my mind. I mean, it looked to be a portal, so would it be that bad if I were to investigate? 

 Sadly curiosity got the best of me, and I approached it carefully. Everything should be okay if I don't touch it. Right? I got closer to it, and a low thrumming sound emanated from the surrounding air that pulled on the edges of my soul. A very faint blue light radiated from it and cast a soft light onto the surroundings.  Through the portal, I could make out something that looked like a ruined stone hallway of some sort. Torches that have long been extinguished lined the dilapidated halls, though what bathed it in light for me to see, I couldn't even begin to guess. I pulled my gaze away from the portal and looked around to see if anyone was nearby, and an idea struck me. I could walk through this now, and no one would ever know. It could be a chance for me to start over and work towards a better life than what I was living right now. But even then, it wasn't a guarantee either. It was a risk; what if I crossed over this portal and I died? 

  I toyed with the idea for quite a while before I eventually decided to push through and see what's on the other side. I mean, what were the chances that I would have something like this happen to me ever again? And on top of that, I honestly just wanted to get away from my life. I wanted to start fresh somewhere. I steeled myself as I realized what I needed to do. So with my choice made, and before I could think twice about it, I pushed a hand into the portal. It resisted at first before it gave way and wrapped itself around me. It felt like I was trying to go through a wall of syrup. 

 I forced myself through the last bit of it and fell to the ground in a crumpled heap. A groan escaped from my lips as sharp pain resonated through my body. I pushed myself off of the stone ground and looked behind me, and saw that the portal vanished. I had a feeling that was going to happen. I dusted off the slate grey dirt that gathered on the knees of my black dress pants.  In front of me was the same hall that I saw on the portal. Water dripped from the ceiling and impacted small puddles with soft plinks. The stench of musk and stone penetrated my nose as I took a deep breath. Though it wasn't overly unpleasant, it was still very pungent. I looked around the hall and couldn't identify any light source that caused the hallway to be lit. I stepped over some debris and grabbed one of the torches that sat in a rusted sconce and immediately regretted my choice. The torch was soaked and covered my hand in some strange slime. I threw it to the side and tried to suppress a gag as I looked for something to wipe away this gunk.

  Sadly there wasn't anything but the stone wall or my clothing at my disposal. Immediately I ran my hand across the wall since I didn't want to cover my pants in whatever that filth was. Yes, I know the wall was dirty, but it's better than rubbing slime over my only pair of pants. I wish I would have run home and grabbed a change of clothes, but this was a spur of the moment thing. Besides, I had no clue if that portal would have still been there or not by the time I got back.

I followed the hallway down. The path stayed the same for the most part, though the further I went in, the worse condition it became. Stone debris lay strewn across the floor, and the wall was caving in some spots. The more I walked, the more uneasy I felt, and I couldn't help but think I made a wrong choice. I don't even know where I was. I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone, and tried to turn it on. I pressed the button on the side, intent on turning it on and using the flashlight. Unfortunately for me, the screen stayed black. There was no way it was dead; it still had half a battery left when I was on that bench. I hit the back a few times with my hand and tried again. To my dismay, it didn't change anything. I put the phone back into my pocket with no small amount of disappointment. I was officially out of a phone and still had no clue where I was and now without a light source.

I pushed further into the hall and came to a decaying wooden door. I reached out and grabbed a rusted metal ring that sat where a doorknob would be and gave it a hard pull. The hinges squealed in protest, and the door shuddered as it opened slightly before coming to a complete stop. I repositioned myself and gave it another hard pull, this time putting my entire body weight behind it. For a few seconds, the door refused to yield before a loud crack echoed through the hall, and the door flung open, revealing a corridor that was  clothed in writhing darkness.