The Waving Figure

    By Michael Abram Sr

    The Waving Figure cover image

    27 Nov, 2023

    a futuristic building with a clock on the top of it's tower and a stream of water running through it

    The storm was rolling in from the west, rapidly turning the evening into a pitch-black night. I was on my way home, crossing the Whipple Bridge inside of the State Museum when I noticed a peculiar sight.

    a man standing in a room with windows and a clock on the wall and a ceiling with lights shining in

    Inside the NCAA building, through a window, I saw a figure waving back and forth. It was strange because the building was supposed to be empty at this hour.

    a person walking down a hallway in a building with a clock on the wall and a circular window above

    I decided to investigate. Leaving the bridge, I made a left through the Institutional Achievement doors and moved towards the conference room by the Canal Terrace.

    a man in a uniform standing in a hallway with other people in the background at night time, with a neon light on his face

    I reached the window and peered through the blinds. The room was empty. I was shocked. I had seen someone there just moments ago.

    a man in a black jacket standing in front of a wave with his hand up to his ear and a lightning in the background

    As the thunder boomed, I looked again. The figure was there, waving slower this time. Was it a call for help or just a trick of the light?

    a man in a hat and coat standing in a dark room with a clock on the wall and a checkered floor

    I had been alone on duty that Monday night. The only company I had was the house music playing in the museum, a slow, eerie jazz score performed by Billie Holiday.

    a man in a futuristic suit standing in a room with a neon light on his chest and a helmet on his head

    I tried to turn on the lights, but they did not work. I presumed the storm was the culprit, which only added to the building tension.

    a woman in a futuristic suit is standing in a hallway with a red light on the ceiling and a man in the background

    As I looked through the blinds again, the figure was still there, waving with a hauntingly slow rhythm. The storm outside seemed to mirror my growing unease.

    a man in a uniform standing in a room with chairs and a piano in it, with a light shining on the floor

    I decided to approach the figure. I carefully opened the door and looked outside of the room. The figure was nowhere to be found.

    a man standing in a dark room with a clock on the wall and a clock on the floor behind him

    I looked around the room, but there was no sign of anyone. I felt a chill run down my spine as the mystery of the waving figure deepened.

    a woman in a long coat walking down a hallway in a dark building with a light on the ceiling

    Suddenly, the door behind me slammed shut. I turned around, startled. Was it the wind or was there someone else in the room?

    a man in a uniform is walking down a hallway with a suitcase and a suitcase bag on his lap

    I tried to open the door, but it was locked. I was trapped inside the room with the unknown. The situation was turning into a nightmare.

    a woman in a black dress standing in a room with a green ceiling and a window with curtains and a potted plant

    I looked around the room once again, desperately searching for any signs of the figure. But it was as if it had never been there.

    a man in a black jacket standing in a room with a neon light on his face and a neon light on his chest

    The storm outside was now at its peak. The thunder was deafening, and the lightning illuminated the room in bright, terrifying flashes.

    a man in a uniform standing in a room with other people in the background and a spaceship in the background

    I tried to calm myself and think logically. There had to be a way out of this room, and I had to find it before the situation escalated further.

    a man in a long hallway with a clock on the wall and a clock on the ceiling above him

    I started checking the room systematically. I looked under the furniture, inspected the walls, and even checked the ceiling. But there was no way out.

    a man in uniform standing in a room with a bed and a desk in the background and a woman sitting on a bed

    Just when I was about to lose hope, I noticed something peculiar. There was a draft coming from one of the walls.

    a man in uniform standing in a hallway next to a door and a clock on the wall behind him

    I rushed towards the wall and started inspecting it. After a few moments, I found a hidden door. I pushed it open and found myself in a hallway.

    a woman in a black dress walking down a hallway in a building with a clock on the wall and people in the background

    Relieved to be out of the room, I started moving down the hallway. But the mystery of the waving figure was still unresolved.

    a man in a long hallway with a coat on and a hat on his head and a coat on his shoulder

    I decided to explore the building further, hoping to find some answers. I moved through the corridors, each more eerie than the last.

    a man in a suit standing in a room filled with computers and other items, with a clock on the wall

    Eventually, I reached an office. On the desk, I found a photograph. It was of a man, whose face seemed eerily familiar.

    a man in a green coat standing in a hallway with a clock on the wall and a man in a black coat

    I realized with a jolt, the man in the photo was the same one I had seen waving in the window. But how was that possible?

    a room with a lot of windows and a lot of furniture in it and a lot of windows on the wall

    I looked around the office and found a diary. As I started reading, I realized that the man in the photo had worked here decades ago.

    a man in a uniform writing on a book in a room full of people and a desk with a lamp

    The diary entries revealed that the man had been trapped in the building during a storm similar to the one tonight. He had died waiting for help.

    a man in a uniform holding a pair of scissors in his hand in a room with lights and a ceiling

    The realization hit me hard. The waving figure was the spirit of the man, repeating his last moments in a desperate plea for help.

    a person in a dark hallway with a clock on the wall and a clock on the ceiling above them

    Overwhelmed by the revelation, I left the office. The storm had subsided, and the building seemed less menacing now.

    a man in a long coat is standing in a hallway with a lot of objects on the floor and a clock on the wall

    As I finally stepped outside, I looked back at the window. The figure was no longer there. It was as if the storm had taken it away.

    a woman in a black dress standing in a hallway with other people in the background and a clock on the wall

    I resumed my duty the next day, but the memory of the waving figure stayed with me. It was a reminder of the past that had lived within these walls.

    a woman in a black dress standing in a hallway with other people in the background and a clock on the wall

    I often look up at that window, half-expecting to see the figure again. But it never appears. I think the storm finally gave him the peace he deserved.

    a man standing on a city street next to a train track with a clock tower in the background and a car and a man in a hat

    The experience taught me that every building has a story, and sometimes, those stories reach out to us in the most unexpected ways.

    The Waving Figure

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