CORRUPTION

Chapter 1 - Unseen Things

"Mason you still with me?"

"Yeah, I'm up man." I said as I yawned and stretched.

We had finally made it to Pripyat the city caught in the nuclear meltdown of Chernobyl. I felt the fresh breeze of the air when I stepped out of the car and I had admiration, but also grief for the ruined city. It was a great hassle to get a pass into this city and it took a substantial amount of money to convince a couple of hotshot higher-ups to allow us access into areas of the city in which are normally off-limits for whatever reason. George and I, we are best friends. We went through middle school, high school, and college together and he's always been by my side. He got into videography in college and ever since he's sorta been my handy cameraman and I got into investigating and reporting so our skills compliment each other.

"Get the camera from the back seat and lets take some shots of the area. Also pass me an empty bottle I gotta take a leak."

George grabbed his camera and turned it on and handed me the empty bottle as he shook his head laughing. "You're a doof Mason Miller, you're such a doof."

We made our way to a building and the look from the outside gave off an old, gray, dullish feeling, but George and I thought we could take some good shots of the inside. On top of the building was an old reminisce of the Soviet Red Star, this city truly was lost in its time. The inside of the building was eerie. There was destroyed furniture, posters, and what looked like paintings of officials from the former Soviet Union scattered all over the floor. There was even vegetation growing through the cracks of the corroded walls. The atmosphere was enough to give chills down our spines.

"Man, all of this is depressing. Come on lets see if we can find any sort of documents, and take some video."

"I really don't like the feeling this building is giving me. I don't know why, but I feel like I'm being watched. Can we just hurry this up and get out of this building. This place gives me the creeps Mason..."

"I think you're getting a little paranoid, George. It's just a really old and abandoned building. Nothings watching you, nothing is watching us so chill out. Why are you getting so paranoid all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. It's probably nothing. Sorry."

Looking around for any sort of documents that were destroyed or not was a bust. We called it quits and decided to just take video and pictures of the building. We had climbed at least 4 stories up the building and were now heading back down to the main floor. George seemed to be growing more of a worried expression on his face as we headed down the stairs and I didn't know what was creeping him out.

"Dude, why are you so creeped out? You look like you saw a ghost or something. Are you okay?"

"I don't know man. I just don't feel right." he replied

We had finally reached the main floor and opened the door to the outside and stepped out of the building. George took a fresh breathe and walked down the buildings front step I followed behind him. George turned around and looked at me slowly then looked back up at the building at the old Soviet Red Star sitting on top of the building. His eyes were examining all of the building, but then he looked through one of the top floors windows and his eyes widened and his mouth opened. He stood frozen in fear and pointed up at the window he was looking at.

"Mason! Mason do you see that? There's something there I see it! Right there Mason look its looking back at me!"

"What are you talking about? I don't see anything George" I put my hands on his shoulder and shook him a little. "Seriously are you okay you're being extremely paranoid!"

"No! I'm not being paranoid, I see something right there! I see it Mason! Why don't you see it!?" 

"George there's nothing there! Come on lets go we got to get you out of here." 

George was shaking violently and panting heavily. I don't know what he saw, but whatever it was it was enough to send him into hysteria. Clearly something right wasn't going on with George, he's a man with a strong mind and complete control over his emotions. He wouldn't have let himself act this paranoid of what he saw in the building. As I lead George back to the car I sat him in the back seat and set his equipment in the trunk. I looked at him and felt sorry for him. I placed my hand on his shoulder and he looked at me he was crying.

"Mason, I don't know what's going on. My head..It hurts so badly. I don't know whats going on! I feel so much pressure on me. I don't feel right. Mason I'm hearing voices in my head! Why am I hearing voices in my head? What's happening to me Mason!?"

"George calm down it's okay! You just need to rest."

"I'm hearing things I shouldn't be hearing Mason!" 

Suddenly George pushed my hand off his shoulder and started to run from away the car. I chased after him shouting at him to come back, but he wasn't stopping. He was sprinting and I was trying to my best to keep up with him. George was literally out of his mind, he was screaming and yelling like a deranged person. I begged him to stop running and to come back to the car, but he refused to cooperate with me. We had sprinted a good far distance from the car before George finally stopped and turned around and looked at me as we both tried to catch our breath. He placed both his hands on my shoulders and looked at me with an extremely terrified look on his face.

"Mason. I'm sorry.." He said breathless.

Before I could respond back to him I felt a presence around me and I also felt the ground below me tremble and shake. The floor was sinking in and the ground collapsed beneath us and we were falling into an abyss.

End of Chapter 1