Link to part 1 https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/s/LP4egC6RWN
Cold. Bitterly cold. That’s what I’m feeling as I step off the ship that I arrived at Alaska in. I walked down a ramp that led to a pier…but that can’t be right. Shouldn’t the boat stop by a pier and you take the ramp down? I shake my head and walk down the pier where two people are standing there waiting for me. I look at them both and they seem strange.
I mean they seemed normal on the outside at first. It was a man and a woman. The man wearing a neat suit while the woman wore a very pretty dress. Their eyes tho is what I took notice of. They were glossy almost doll like and their smiles were…fake. Almost as if they were painted on rather than being genuine.
They both introduced themselves as Tyler and Maggie. They both had soft voices that almost ring out in your head when you hear them. They told me that the rest of the group was down the stretch a little far down the road and it wasn’t a far walk from here so I picked up my bags and walked towards the rest of the group but I noticed two strange things as I turned back around one last time.
One: The man and woman who introduced me just a minute ago…was staring at me. They were staring with those painted smiles and it gave me the creeps. Two: I looked back at the ship to maybe see a captain and ease the throbbing thought in my mind that I was in a technical ghost ship but what I saw didn’t comfort me. There was a row of ships likely what the others took as well but they were in 10x better shape then mine but I took notice of the crew. None of them had a captain suit on and it was almost as if they looked exactly the same but not quite.
What I mean by that is that some wore the same clothes but had completely different faces and some and very similar faces but completely different clothes. It was almost as if they wanted to be the same person but wasn’t allowed to be.
I turn around towards the group to see if they see what I’m seeing at the moment. All of a sudden I was on the snow. My ass was freezing as it instantly hit the snow and a hand reaching out to help me up. When I turned around this guy was suddenly in my face smiling and it scared me lifeless for a moment. I was already creeped out by the other people so I was on edge and he easily got me.
He introduced himself as Army an alias no doubt so I gave him my alias. Book. It seems like everyone will have an alias so I’ll stick to using the name Book. After all I can’t remember my real name.
Army: Hey bud sorry for scaring ya.
He had a southern twang to his accent and I noticed he was from the south.
Army: But ya gotta watch out for strangers fella.
Book: I appreciate the hand but please don’t do that again. Hey quick question do you see those people over there?
I stepped to the side so Army could see the same people I see.
Army: I’m sorry friend but there’s no one there.
I quickly snapped my head to the spot where a line of ships stood but the strange thing was there was no one standing there at least from what I could see. My mind raced as to find a solution to what happened. My mind fixated on a simple yet a finite solution to what I had seen. It was snowing pretty hard as a short blizzard was coming through at the moment and the snow made it hard to see anything more than 20 ft ahead of me. However the ships were pretty close. Close enough that I could see them just barely through the falling snow. Yet there was no crew at all. Almost as if the ships themselves were abandoned. Something touched my shoulder.
I spun around quickly to see Army with his hand on my shoulder wearing a look of worry on his face as if he was concerned if I was going crazy. Not to seem crazy to him or even more to myself I shook off the thoughts that permeated in my mind. I turned one last time at the dock and chills went up my spine as there was one thing I could see through this snow. It was a sign on the side of the ship that I rode in that wasn’t there before or after i got on and off. It read: Welcome to Alaska your final journey.
Day 1: I’m writing in this format now as to help count the days we spend here in Alaska as I might forget easily if it was the first day or the 67th. The snow falling started to lessen as the group gathered around each other. The tour people grabbed a megaphone and spoke through it as to help their voice overcome the snows own yell. A woman with a British accent spoke clearly even through the snow we could hear every word she was saying.
Maggie: Hello everyone! My name is Maggie and Welcome to Alaska!
She spoke enthusiastically as if this was the best day of her life. I could imagine that her voice could be heard by people all the way in the US. It would’ve been unbearable had it not been that her voice was soothing and calm. Maggie spoke once more with the same energy as before as she started to give instructions.
Maggie: I know some of you are confused and that’s somewhat understandable however all will be answered in due time please if you all will follow me as we head to our main place of residence for your trip!
She puts the megaphone down and hands it to what seems to be her assistant or maybe boss. I say maybe boss because she passes him carefully as to not bump into him which I would imagine would set him off on her. She motions for us to follow her through the snow. I did happen to take note of the snow or rather lack there of because now there was barely a speck of snow that could be seen falling.
By the time we got to our destination I took careful notice of an object in the distance. A building covered in snow and darkness. It was so far away from where we were that at a glance it looked like a sort of box of some kind but upon closer inspection it was much bigger than a box. And much more darker. From here I couldn’t really see anything much of detail about the building in question however I did note in my personal small notepad I rarely ever used before today. I bought the notepad at some dollar store as a mean for me to write small almost minute details about…well…anything really. I took note of the snow covered seemingly abandoned building and I picked up my pace behind the group.
I’m front of us was a large wooden cabin. The lights drew warmth to our bodies that we haven’t felt for about an hour as we had treaded through the cold. This was our home for the duration of the trip and it was beautiful. The wood on the cabin itself looked brand new like it was built just today and the smell of wood filled the air. Maggie opened the door and a new smell and sound filtered out. The smell of a fireplace and the crackling of the wood burning. Everybody filtered into the main room which I could barely see over Army’s shoulders as he was at the top of the stairs before I was. He finally entered and I was about to when I stopped dead in my tracks. Someone was watching me.
I turned quickly to look behind me expecting to find some straggler from the group finally catching up but I knew I was last. I scanned the my surroundings as quickly as I could only to find nothing but snow, some dead trees, and darkness on the horizon.
I felt a tug on my heavy jacket as someone pulled on it from the cabin front door. It was Army. He pulled me into a tight headlock and dragged me inside the cabin where the others were. The sense of someone watching me never left.
As I pulled away from army’s gripping headlock I could see everyone staring at us. I felt embarrassed but Army was laughing.
Army: This guy scares easily everyone. A real weirdo if you ask me but a companion on this journey nonetheless.
I put my bags on on the floor and looked around a somewhat cozy cabin. I looked at all the people who was in the room. They already took their big jackets off and I was the only one with one still on so I quickly took mine off and threw it on my stuff. I walked over to an empty chair and sat down. I have to say this was the most comfortable chair I have ever sat in. The leather was real and provided some much needed warmth that the fire couldn’t reach. I was the coziest I have ever been. Maggie walked over to me and handed me a cup of hot chocolate which I thought was strange until you figure the fact that everyone doesn’t like coffee but also everyone doesn’t like hot chocolate so I’d say it was strange. Maggie perched up and began to speak.
Maggie: Well…now that everyone seems comfortable and cozy shall we get started? (Everyone nodded including me) Ok good. So welcome to the remote estate of researchers and scientists that do tend to stay here when they’re doing research. However it has been…quite a while since anyone has used the research facility or even this place rather for a long long time. But let’s not dwell on the past. First before I explain why you are all here let’s get to know each other. As you know my name is Maggie but you should also know that isn’t my real name. You all have an alias that was given to you for a reason and i would advise you stick to your aliases and your occupations a secret.
She went around the room asking everyone’s names which doesn’t seem odd however the odd part was that she asked us to keep our jobs a secret from one another. It was odd indeed yet it somehow felt…normal and reassuring. I will go in the order she pointed in. I need to write these names as to not forget them.
She first pointed at a woman named Georgia. She had a southern twang to her accent just like Army yet it was more apparent than his. She had a blonde set of hair and green pair of eyes behind glasses. She looked more southern than Army did as well. Next Maggie pointed towards a man named Ford. He was more a stockier build almost as if he lifted weights as his occupation. He sounded Australian as he spoke his name. Next was a man named Holbeck. He was a short timid looking guy who also had glasses and seemed to really like the hot chocolate.
After that was a woman named Paris and another woman named London. You could probably guess why. Paris had brown hair and was pretty short in her height and London had red hair and was actually pretty tall. Then came Army who told a joke after he introduced himself. It seems Army is an outgoing person and loves to make people laugh. Then it was Marc who sat next to me. He wore a warm smile as he introduced himself. He was a nice guy. And finally she pointed at me. I said my name and gave a nod as I did it looking quite embarrassed in the process. Then finally it was Hilton. She didn’t say anything past her name. After we all introduced ourselves Maggie stood up from her chair and said:
Maggie: Well it looks like we have been talking for quite awhile I think it’s about time we all head to sleep don’t you?
One after the other everyone put their cups down and headed to where Maggie was going. She went down a large open hallway with 5 doors on both sides of the hallway leading down to another door which was labeled staff only. I assume that’s where Maggie will sleep. She directed each of us to a room.
Maggie: Now 2 to each room!
She pointed Marc and Ford to one room, London and Paris to another, Army and Holbeck were directed to a room. Georgia and York to a room, and that meant it was me and Hilton in a room. Hilton was already inside when I tried to enter but something strong grabbed my arm and stopped me. It was Maggie.
Maggie: Be careful sir any wrong moves in there with a woman and you will be promptly and immediately “escorted”.
I understood what she was saying as I am a man and Hilton was a woman so the warning wasn’t what was so alarming. It was her grip. Maggie’s grip was almost as tight as army’s headlock from earlier and it did hurt a little more than his did as his was playful and jokey hers was anything but. Her eyes were dead serious and all I could do was stare and nod in agreement. Her smiling warm face returned almost immediately and she let me go at once. I hurriedly went inside the room and Maggie closed the door behind me.
Me and Hilton didn’t say a word to each other the whole night even if I wanted to there was nothing really to talk about that could reassure me to sleep. However I have found an astounding peace in writing this journal entry and so as tired as I am from all the traveling it was time I headed to bed so good night and I hope to god that this would be all cleared up in the morning and all my questions would be answered. Some like why was I invited alongside geniuses and army members? What was this place? And most of all what’s up with that abandoned building nearby? I kept thinking these questions as my eyes heavily dropped and I drifted into sleep.