Author's Note: So, this is a short story that I wrote a year ago for a contest. I was up late one night watching t.v. when a commercial came on advertising for a writing contest, it was called "What happens next?" it took place inside of a building and there is a loud crashing sound and everything is shaking a guy comes limping out of nowhere a girl screams and that's it, I was tasked with writing what followed. Unfortunately for me, I rarely watch t.v. and apparently this ad had been running for a while now and it turned out that the deadline was the following night at 10:00 PM. So I basically wrote and edited this whole story in one day. Before I could post this though, I had to write in a beginning since it wasn't required for the contest, because as I said the beginning was already set in the commercial. Oh, and it was a Halloween contest so the theme was supposed to be horror.

I don't know why, but this story seems to get a lot of hits, it's not really one that I like a whole lot, but maybe you could leave a review as to what it is that makes you want to keep reading, thanks.

Subconscious Nightmares

Jennifer casually walks along the small office hall, regretting coming in to work early since it turned out to be a slow day. She eventually comes up to the office she set out for and opens the door without hesitation. Inside Kyle and Chris are animatedly talking about a movie. They were strange all right, but Jennifer wouldn’t ask for different friends if someone offered.

“Oh, hey Jennifer, I take it you’re here to deliver my invoice?” Kyle asks, interrupting Chris in mid speech.

“Yes, all tallied and ready for inspection, but don’t let me disturb your Ebert and Roeper routine.” Jennifer responds with a hint of sarcasm edging her voice.

“Hey, those two make good money for watching movies and giving their opinions. I could get used to that.” Chris says indignantly.

“Well unfortunately for you, Chris, you have the vocabulary of a seventh grader, so I guess you’re gonna have to stick to an office job like the rest of us.” Kyle says amusingly as he reaches for the folder Jennifer is holding in her hand.

“Yeah, I can’t argue that.” Chris bemoans, sitting back in his chair. Jennifer gazes out the window at the summer day that waits on the other side of the glass. Kyle leans up against the wall and silently looks over the papers held within the manila folder. Standing back up Kyle opens his mouth to speak when the ground suddenly shakes violently and the quiet office is besieged by the thunderous sound of a powerful earthquake. During the chaos a ceiling tile is shaken loose and crashes hard on top of Jennifer’s head causing her to stumble down to her knees.

“Jennifer!” Kyle shouts, but his voice is barely audible over the roar. Jennifer blacks out for a second before opening her eyes again, everything is hazy but her eyesight quickly comes back into focus.

“I-I’m all right.” She shouts her reassurance to Kyle. As quick as the thunderous earthquake began, it ends just as fast. Kyle walks over to Jennifer but she holds her hand up to stop him, she is ok, just a little shaken with a slight headache. Chris is looking out the window and Kyle leans back up against the wall, eyes closed and breathing heavy. It is quiet once more.

It does not last long though as the silence is once again broken. Not by the earth shaking quakes happening outside the building, but from the scream let out by Jennifer. Everyone quickly turns around to see Steve limping forward, grasping onto Jennifer’s shoulder. His head is split open and blood is trickling down his face. Steve’s eyes are rolling into the back of his head when he begins to speak in a quiet voice.

“They’re coming, the ones below our feet, the ones below our cities. The Soul Reapers.” He says nothing else, only closes his eyes and collapses. Kyle quickly grabs him before he hits the floor, almost losing his glasses as he does so.

“God, Steve! What was he talking about?” Kyle Quickly asks as he sits Steve on the ground and leans him against the desk. He quickly adjusts his glasses.

“I don’t know, Soul Reapers? All I could see were the whites of his eyes.” Jennifer says, shivering as she recounts what happened. Kyle is knelt down wiping the blood from Steve’s face and trying to wake him up.

“Well the earthquakes have stopped, at least we still have...” Before Chris can finish his sentence the power suddenly goes out. “I guess I spoke too soon.” Chris says in a sardonic tone. Opening the blinds he peers back out the window onto the city streets. “Damn, that earthquake really tore things up, look.” Chris points out the window. Everyone walks over and looks out the office window. The streets are completely broken, bus sized cracks run up and down the road. Cars too close to the gaping holes are teetering and about to fall in, others have been completely swallowed up. Steam rises out of the thick cracks, creating a thin fog around the crevices.

“What a mess, and it will probably be several hours before we get the power back.” Jennifer says shaking her head as she stares out the window.

“Well I’m gonna get Steve some medical attention. He’s still knocked out, but the bleeding has stopped.” Kyle says as he turns around to grab Steve. He stops halfway, Steve is already standing up and staring off in a daze.