It was another late-night adventure for the four friends-Corey, Jake, Colby, and Sam. The night air was cool, and the city lights barely reached the desolate street where the old abandoned building loomed. They'd spent hours exploring forgotten places like this, filming the eerie creaks and dusty corners, all while cracking jokes and teasing each other. This building was just another stop on their endless list of creepy locations.
Sam, the shortest of the group, had always been the one to find the most ridiculous things. Tonight was no different. He had a camera in his hand, grinning as he pointed it toward the others.
"Hey, Jake, you ever think we might be in the next season of Stranger Things?" Sam quipped, ducking under a low-hanging pipe, "I mean, it's basically the set!"
Jake rolled his eyes. "If you keep making that joke, Sam, I'm gonna start calling you Dustin."
They laughed as they wandered deeper into the building. Corey was always in the front, scanning for anything useful for their videos, while Colby followed, always the voice of reason, though he couldn't resist sneaking in a few jokes of his own.
"This place is seriously sketchy," Colby said, snapping a shot of the graffiti-covered walls. "Feels like we're gonna find a body in here, or worse-a haunted vending machine."
"Yeah, one with expired Mountain Dew and stale Cheetos," Jake added.
The guys moved through the halls with the same mix of humor and cautious curiosity. They explored the crumbling structure, their footsteps echoing off the broken tiles and peeling paint. The air smelled like mildew and dust, but it didn't deter them; if anything, it just added to the thrill.
They found an old office at the end of a long hallway. Sam, always the one to push ahead, opened a heavy door, his voice muffled with excitement.
"Guys, check this out! This room looks-"
He stopped mid-sentence, the camera still pointed toward him. His eyes widened.
The others didn't hear him at first, caught up in their own banter, but when Sam backed away from the door, his face pale, they followed his gaze.
A small, ticking device sat on the desk, a red light flashing ominously. A bomb.
"Holy crap!" Sam shouted, his voice high with panic. "Guys, there's a bomb! We need to go! NOW!"
Colby's heart slammed into his chest. The sound of the ticking was sharp, and each second felt like it was stretching longer than it should. The group didn't need another word. They bolted down the hallway, adrenaline taking over.
"Ten seconds!" Sam screamed. "Run!"
Jake led the way, darting down the stairs. Corey wasn't far behind him, and Colby was right on their heels. But Sam, always a step slower due to his smaller stature, struggled to keep up. Colby glanced back, his pulse racing, to see Sam trailing behind, his steps frantic.
"Sam! Come on, man, we gotta go!" Colby shouted.
Sam stumbled, but he pushed himself harder. He was only a few steps away from Colby when-
BOOM.
The explosion rattled the building, sending a shockwave that knocked everyone off their feet. Colby's ears rang with the deafening blast, his vision spinning as the heat and force of the explosion threw him into the air. His body slammed against the ground, pain shooting through him like a wave. His eyes burned with the thick smoke that filled the space, and he struggled to get to his feet.
Through the smoke and dust, Colby's eyes adjusted. He saw two figures rising from the debris-Corey and Jake. They were shaken, but they were okay.
"Sam!" Colby yelled, his voice hoarse. His heart thudded as panic surged. He scanned the area, desperate. He had to find Sam. They had to get out of here.
