Before

Sleepless Night

I fumbled through the pages, not caring what hour of the morning it was, and how I spent all of the time I could've been using to get a good night's sleep, reading through a diary of a missing man.
Jumping from my bed, I quickly threw my hoodie over my head, pulled on my leggings, and high tops, and raced downstairs.
Achingly making every move I made silent, concealed, unnoticed. If my parents caught me sneaking out at five in the morning they'd cage me up in hell somewhere. Making sure not to forget my bag, I cradled it under my clothing.
Finally making it outside, I pulled out Stone's journal, the last place he left off, was the city jail.
But that was torn down ages ago, hurrying along to the bus station I braced myself for the journey. Although I found myself questioning what exactly I was on a journey to?
To find Stone, or to find a clue on if he were still alive and where he could've gone to.
Catching the train downtown, I anxiously waited as I reached my destination. The chilling blur of the atmosphere was numbing, as I rubbed my arms together in a haste.
Pulling out the map my mother constantly packs in my bag I kept my eyes asunder, as I concluded the exact location of the city jail.
"Ma'am." Startled, all of my belongings left from me quickly, panicked I watched as they scattered about the cold brick below.
"What is wrong with you? You don't just bombarde a woman like that! I could push you in front of a train, in fact I should! What do you want from me?"
The man snickered, an evil one. "Ma'am. Some change ma'am."
"Give me information and I'll see what I can do." Adjusting my coat, and my shoulder bag, I squinted my eyes. Surprisingly I was wide awake, despite being up and running like an overflowing faucet for a complete twenty four hours.
I suppose for a rookie I was holding myself up pretty well.
Holding out his hand still, he waited for me to give him the questions that he could provide the answers for.
"Alright then,"
Questionably taking a step back he followed. "Don't do that! When I take a step back you stay, understand? Stay there. Do not come any closer."
I held out my arm in caution, I had pepper spray, a knife, and a phone. And there were a few random rocks along the sidewalk that I was prepared to chuck, duck, and run myself away if it came to it.
"Tell me about this place."
"The old city jail. They moved it, crime was increasing, the holding amount of them criminals was decreasing. Nobody's there now."
Tossing him the leftover coins I had left, I ran towards the door of the building, breaking the caution tape and entering without second guessing.
Stone was in cell forty-two.
And that was where I was going to spend the night, hopefully this place isn't haunted.
It didn't take much of an effort to break in, I managed to crawl in quickly, and quietly. Despite the creepy man watching my every move intently, almost as if he were planning to actually tell on me.
Grabbing my flashlight as I entered the abandoned building I flicked its glimmer to all surrounding me in hopes that if anyone or anything jumped out at me I'd at least be somewhat prepared.
My mother said I'd be the one to be killed in a scary film, she says I just don't know my limits, and I'd actually agree. But what's the point in being extremely conservative and cautious your entire life?
We are all dying anyway, some in much more worse ways, others more calm and sound, the body is a temporary place.
Sometimes the thrill, the rush of adrenaline is worth every risk you put it through. It is an instrument, to incur happiness, it's just our choice to be miserable, dull and unfulfilling.
As of now my heart was running around the world in a flash over and over as I made my way to cell 42.
And there it was in its glory, dark, lull, and empty, to my luck it was opened, squeezing my way through the crack I heard a sound.
Contemplating on if I gained a hell of an amount of weight, I froze in the midst of my squeezing. Slightly questioning if the old man followed me inside, I lifted the lighting, and pushed my way out. And instead directed my destination to the entrance that by which I had came in.
"What do you want? I've already given you money!" And there he was, but in a light that wasn't caused by my measly flashlight, it was bright, blinding, and as I watched him run away with my bag, that I could have sworn I had held tightly on my shoulder.
In panic, I chased after him. "I bloody hope you get hit by a-," Entering the light, everything went completely dark.
The rotting ceiling, covering the floor I slipped on, I was alone. And in pain, my eyes fluttering shut I fought to keep them open, but I was failing by the second.