The Empty Building
by Raymond Paquette
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Table of Contents parts 1, 2, 3 |
conclusion
“Anyway, I’m going to try the man on the ninth floor again. Do you want to come?” The last time I asked her, she freaked out, but she’s all I have.
“There’s a man on the ninth floor? Are you sure?” She tilts her head to the side and sticks out her tongue. It’s cute this time.
“Yes, I met him once. He was able to leave this place so maybe he has the secret.”
“Sounds good. I thought I tried all the doors, but I could have missed that one.” Standing, she’s not much taller than me, and while I couldn’t tell before, her hairstyle is old, like last-century old. Maybe there is something to her being in the building for twenty-five years after all. I don’t want to think about that and push that thought away. We both make our way back up to 903.
I could hear the sounds of the outside world at his door again. It’s strange how much just hearing the noise makes me feel better. I ring the doorbell and wait, but there is no answer. Makes sense. I did see him leave.
“He’s probably not home,” she said. “We could come back later.” She sounds nervous, but she’s saying just what I feel; I don’t want to be here.
I try the door, but it isn’t locked. One quick turn, and we are inside. Looking around the entrance I can see all the usual things. Shoes, an umbrella stand, and more of the same stuff I’d find in my own house. I know this is wrong. There’s no way that anything in this building could be normal.
I take off my shoes and go through the hallway door. Stepping into the main room I’m struck again by how vanilla it is. There is nothing out of place. No knick-knacks, no pictures, no decorations anywhere. It’s like it was chosen from a catalogue without any attempt at personal input.
“Wow, this place is nice. I should have come here earlier. Hey, what’s this?” She turns around and holds up a tablet.
“It’s a tablet. You use it to go online, surf the internet.”
“Really. How?”
Then I remember: twenty-five years ago the internet wasn’t that big or convenient. Most places didn’t even get good access till about ten years ago. I turn it on, it wasn’t password locked, and show it to her. She’s amazed by the thing and goes into the corner to try it out. Good.
While I’m glad she’s here, I don’t want her near me. I have to get to the bottom of this place, and she’s just one of the mysteries.
I want to find some way out of here. I go to the window and see my building across the way. My mother is outside pulling in the clothes. After everything that happened in this place, seeing her, even if she usually ignores me, is too much. I can feel my knees buckling.
The door opens. Spinning around, I see the same man who left this building a few minutes ago.
“What are you doing here? How did you get in? Hey, give me that!” He rips the tablet from Aoi who hides behind me.
“Sorry. The door was open, and you were the only other person in the building. I can’t find anybody else.” I force my knees to stop shaking. The sweat is running down my back, but that is invisible. Maybe if I pretend enough, I can become Chihiro.
“I told you; I just saw your friend yesterday. They’re downstairs.”
“They aren’t there! I’ve been there. Now, I want your help getting out of here. If you could take us to the front door, we’ll be out of here, and I won’t bother you anymore.” I hope I hide the shaking in my voice. Just demanding that, scares the hell out of me.
“I don’t think so. I’m going to call the police and have them come and pick you up.” He reaches for his phone. Of course, he didn’t believe me. I’m just a kid, but I can’t let this happen.
“Please do! Then Aoi here can explain to them why she thinks it’s Heisei 3 and why I can’t find anybody on any floor.”
“They’ll just think you’re some screwed-up kid who broke into my place.” He’s still dialling the police number. I have to get him to stop.
“I’ve already checked out Chihiro’s house. There is nobody there, but why do I have the key, and why is there evidence of me being in there.” I pull the key from my pocket and wave it in his face. I didn’t need it before, but it’s useful. I smirk. He can’t run away now.
He stops and puts the phone down. He turns his head, looks at me and harrumphs.
I wasn’t expecting that.
“You’re too early. You weren’t supposed to come here just yet. That’s what I get from leaving the course to amateurs. Giving you a key. They had to spoil everything.” He starts pacing the floor, holding his hands behind his back. “What should I do with you? I can’t kill you. There’s still too much that you have to do. Besides, you don’t want to leave Chihiro alone now, do you?”
He knows what is happening here. He knows what happened to my friend. Damn, his smile. He knows everything, I’d bet my life on it. I clench my fists tighter, the key digging into them. If he was closer, I’d hit him.
“Tell me!” I demand, but he just chuckles. He shakes his head and stands in front of the window.
“Now, now. This isn’t the place or time for you to be telling me what to do. Not with me being the only way out of here, and you having almost nothing to bargain with. You’ve stumbled on something important here Shinji, but you’re not ready for it yet. Maybe never.”
How did he know my name? I have to get out of here. There’s no way I can pretend to be like Chihiro anymore, and even trying to channel A-ko would be impossible. All I’m left with is just me. I know that’s not enough. The fear is going to destroy me.
“However, because you made it here so quickly, I will give you something, a choice, if you will. It will still cost you, but not the same way the full truth would.” The man said that, as if it was an afterthought, like he didn’t care one way or the other.
“What choice?”
“Nothing big, just Chihiro. You can rescue him or leave him. However, I need a trade for him. That girl over there would do. There is no way I could give you something for nothing.”
I don’t like his smile, but he promised to give me Chihiro. I don’t quite know what he means, but that’s all I want. What should I do? Nothing good ever comes from making a “choice” like this.
No, I can’t do it. “You can’t kill us both. Just let us go.” Be careful here, don’t let him know how eager you are. I have to stall. Maybe I can still get what I want.
“Kill you, no, I won’t do that,” he said, waving his hand in front of him. “But your friend over there is already dead. She died twenty-six years ago right where you found her.” His voice was ice.
I shiver as I look at Aoi and push her hand off my arm. She is strange, and I can’t believe that she had been here for twenty-six years, but dead? She feels real. I could see her and talk to her. I even smelt her. She couldn’t be dead. Could she? That would explain the rotting smell from the first time. I just met her, and I don’t owe her anything. Maybe I can use that. No! That’s wrong. He said he wanted a trade. Maybe something else.
Now Aoi shows some spirit. “No way! You must be joking. My mother is waiting for me.” I just stay quiet.
“Your mother left. I don’t know why she killed you, something about a boy. Or was it school? Anyway, she did it. She let you rot in the apartment with nothing. I should know. I helped her move everything out. She left you there.”
“No! She wouldn’t do that. She wouldn’t. She loves me,” Aoi says, backing up.
“I still remember that summer was a hot one, and the smell coming from the room was quite pungent. She died in prison a year ago, if it makes you feel any better.”
“Aoi?” I reach out and put my hand on her arm.
“NO! Get away from me!” She puts her hands on her head and starts screaming. I can’t understand any of her gibberish, but she pushes me out of the way and runs out the door, still babbling.
“Aoi!!” I lower my hand as the door closes. She’s gone. At least that probably explains why she didn’t like this place. There goes my best chance.
“Let her go. She’s not important.”
“She’s real! She’s not a ghost.” I so want to believe that, even though I know it explains everything.
“No, she’s not real, and if you’re not going to take the trade, this is finished. It’s time for you to leave.”
“Yes, but not with you. I’m sorry I came here. Goodbye.” I don’t like him but maybe I can convince Aoi to come back here and complete the trade if I find her.
I stop. That was wrong. I can’t believe I even thought that, but I just have to squash all the guilty feelings and live with it. I don’t think I could do it, even if I want to. I start to leave when I feel a sharp pain course through my body. “What the hell.” Things go dark. The bastard did something.
When I wake up, I’m at the lobby entrance on the floor. “How?” I stand and try the door to the apartment building, but it’s sealed tight. I ring the bell for 903, but nothing. I even try Aoi’s room, but still nothing. I put the key into the lock, but it doesn’t work. I pound on the door but there is no way I could break this thick glass. I can’t even get a rock to scratch it.
Dejected, it’s time to go home. “Dammit.” I pound the wall, hurting my hand in the process. “So close. If only I could have given her to him.” I didn’t like myself, but I knew I spoke the truth. I wasn’t scared of him any longer, just disgusted with myself. No way was I giving up. I promise Chihiro I will find him.
“I’m home,” I say as I walk through the doorway. I try to hide the sadness I feel, but I can hear it infect my voice. My mom’s head shoots out of the front. I see the shock on her face from where I’m taking off my shoes then I remember I only have one sock on.
“SHIN!” She runs to me and pounces on me, picking me off my feet. She’s never done this before. Maybe she’s drunk. I try to push her away, but it’s no use. She’s holding me too tight. “Where have you been? It’s been three weeks.”
Shocked, I can’t say anything and look at her face. She’s not lying. She missed me. How is this possible? I push her off me and run to the bathroom.
“Shin! Please! Where were you? Tell me?” My mother pounds on the door. I just cover my ears with my hands. I pull out my phone and check the date. It’s working. She’s right. Nineteen days have passed.
Ignoring the pounding on the door, I also check out Aoi’s story. What the man in 903 said is true. It isn’t that apartment building, but the one that stood there before. She had been left in the room by her mother, starved to death twenty-six years ago. So, the girl I met couldn’t have been her, unless she was a ghost. That doesn’t change anything. I still would have given her to him. I’m not sure how I feel about that. Even remembering that I wanted to trade her for Chihiro leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
The pounding stops, but I hear my mother sobbing outside the room. I think I like it better when she ignores me. I need to go back there.
But what can I do?
The sobbing stops. I inch open the door, but she’s gone.
“Mom? I’m sorry.” Stepping out, I check the kitchen, the bedroom, and the toilet. I’m alone. The pit drops in my stomach, and I race to the door. Yanking it open, I step into the corridor and see Chihiro’s apartment across the hall.
“No!” I turn back and look at my place. It’s empty of everything. It’s not even my apartment. I fall to the floor and start wailing like Aoi.
I never left.
Copyright © 2024 by Raymond Paquette
