midnight
It was a dark and stormy night as Mark, a single man, walked past the newly built apartment building on his way home. He had always been curious about the building, with its sleek modern design and floor-to-ceiling windows that seemed to glimmer in the moonlight. But tonight, something about the building gave him an eerie feeling.
As he walked past, Mark noticed a figure lurking in the shadows. He couldn’t make out who it was, but a shiver ran down his spine. He quickened his pace, trying to brush it off as his imagination playing tricks on him. But then, he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.
He turned around to see his best friend, Jake, running towards him with his dog, Max, barking excitedly at his heels.
‘Hey man, what are you doing here at this hour?’ Jake asked, breathless.
‘I was just passing by. What about you?’ Mark replied, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling he had.
‘I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take Max for a walk. But then I saw you and thought I’d join you,’ Jake explained, his eyes scanning the building behind them.
Suddenly, Max let out a loud growl and pulled on his leash, trying to run towards the building. Jake struggled to hold him back as Mark noticed the figure from earlier had now emerged from the shadows.
It was a man, dressed in all black with a hood covering his face. He was slowly making his way towards them, his steps deliberate and calculated.
Fear washed over Mark as he realized they were in a dangerous situation. He grabbed onto Jake’s arm, urging him to run. But before they could make a move, the man was upon them.
‘Stay away!’ Mark yelled, trying to be brave.
But the man didn’t stop. Instead, he reached out and grabbed Max, who was still barking and struggling to break free. Jake and Mark both shouted and tried to pry the dog away from the man, but he was too strong.
Suddenly, the man’s hood fell off, revealing a face that sent shivers down Mark’s spine. It was the building’s architect, who had been reported missing for weeks.
‘Please, give us back our dog!’ Jake pleaded, tears in his eyes.
The man let out a sinister laugh before pulling out a knife. Mark and Jake froze in terror, not knowing what to do.
But just as the man was about to make his move, Max broke free from his grasp and lunged at the man, biting down on his arm. The man let out a scream and dropped the knife, giving Mark and Jake the chance to run.
They didn’t stop until they were a safe distance away from the building. Mark and Jake hugged each other, grateful to be alive. They could hear the sound of police sirens in the distance, knowing that Max had saved them from a terrifying encounter.
From that day on, Mark and Jake never walked past the new building again. And Max, their loyal and brave dog, was hailed as a hero. But the memory of that scary encounter would always haunt them, reminding them to always trust their instincts and never wander alone at midnight.