It Will Always Be A Game

12: Transform

Monsters aren't born.
They're created.

I keep clicking on random keys until the guard comes along and tries to fix it. "What is happening?" I could hear the sound of my heart beating wildly.

"Some error..." he says as he exits and tries again.

"No no," I shake my head frantically, "try again," my palms turn cold and sweaty. He clicks on the footage again and I watch it keenly. Only it crashes again at the same time I walk into the restroom.

I look at the guard in question. "Fix it," I demand him, motioning towards the screen.

"Don't tell me," he shrugs. "It's a network error." I look at him with a straight face. "A networ— how stupid could you be?" My brows knit together as I feel my blood turning cold. "What can I do if it's not working?!" His voice raises.

"Fix it!" I shout.

"The footage is damaged, woman!"

"Oh my God," my hands reach for my forehead as I look up in panicked disbelief. My blood runs cold as the realisation starts to hit. I turn around and look at the guard. "What-what does it mean?"

"Why's it not working?" I stare past him, lost in thought.

He looks at me, puzzled.

"No," my head shakes vigorously. I leave the room and rush back to the elevator. Please no. I click on the third floor where the restaurant is. Anxiously tapping my foot, I unfold my coat and put it on as fast as I could.

This can't be happening.

As the doors open, I rush out and stride down the hallway to the restaurant. Arley&Rivens is a labyrinth of exits and hallways, leading to the basement, various offices, and countless hotel rooms. Hurrying through the restaurant, I push open the large door leading to the restrooms and other exits. As soon as I enter the empty hallway, my head snaps to the CCTV camera.

My stomach drops when I see the shattered lines on the screen.

I take a step back.

No.

I walk back into the restaurant and try to search for anyone. My eyes land on Scott, who's sitting at the bar table, counting and writing down. I walk up to him, my legs unsteady and my heart racing. "H-hey," my voice stammers and I clear my throat. His head lifts, and when he sees me, a look of confusion crosses his face.

"Hey!" he yells. "What are you doing here? Came back to work all the shifts you missed?" he snorts.

"No, I want your help, do you—" I look around restlessly, "do you know what happened to the CCTV in the hall?" My thumb points to the other door. He gives me a tedious look. I force him up and take him to the hall.

I wait for him to come as he walks up lazily to where I am. He aloofly glances up at the camera at the corner of the hallway entrance.

"What about it?" he asks in a dull voice.
"Scott, wear your glasses."
He rolls his eyes in annoyance and picks up his glasses.

☽

"Scott you run this place, you can't blame us for something we had no hand in," I explain to him as he looks at all of us with fury. After he saw the broken surveillance camera, he gathered all of the employees who were working the night and started yelling at all of them. They all look at me as I voice him down.