Marcus stepped into the elevator, the flickering light casting shadows that danced along the walls. The silence was oppressive, as if the building itself was holding its breath. He pressed the button for his floor, watching the numbers light up as the elevator began its slow ascent.
The elevator jolted to a halt, and the doors slid open to reveal a hallway cloaked in darkness. Shadows seemed to pool and slither across the floor, their movements almost sentient. Marcus felt a chill seep into his bones as an indistinct figure appeared at the far end of the corridor, watching him with eyes that glinted in the faint light.
The elevator closed and moved again, stopping on another floor. This time, a woman stood directly in front of the doors, her face blank and expressionless. Her eyes seemed to look through Marcus, as if he were invisible. "Can I help you?" he asked, his voice echoing strangely. She remained silent, her gaze unblinking, until the doors shut once more.
When the elevator stopped again, a small child stood in the hallway, pointing directly at Marcus. The child’s eyes were wide, filled with something akin to fear or perhaps accusation. "What do you want?" Marcus whispered, his own fear mounting as the elevator doors closed once again, the child's finger still pointing.
The elevator continued its relentless journey, stopping at another floor where the walls were lined with mirrors. Marcus saw his reflection, distorted and twisted, as if the glass itself was mocking him. Laughter, faint and echoing, filled the space, though he was alone. "This isn't real," he murmured, trying to steady himself against the mounting confusion and dread.
Finally, the elevator came to a stop with a heavy clunk, and the doors opened to reveal the chilling sight of Marcus himself, lifeless and sprawled across the floor. His own eyes stared back at him, glazed and vacant. A paralyzing fear gripped him, the reality of the scene sinking in. "Is this... me?" he asked the empty air, the elevator's light flickering ominously as if in response.