The comnts weren’t very nice.
—...I didn’t co here to watch you go into so sort of abandoned factory!
—Fuck, I’m going to leave if you don’t talk about the incident. Also, why is he wearing sunglasses again?
—Lmao! The maniac is back!
—Did you do it or not?
—Fucking answer. Agh, shit! This is so fucking annoying!
—I feel scamd.
I looked at my phone and put it away a mont later.
That was also the mont when I turned my attention towards the drone hovering right before .
"You can all leave if you wish. I know a lot of you are interested in other things, but I’m not going to answer them. At least, not now. Perhaps, I might reveal a few things here and there during the stream. Who knows...?"
I suddenly paused.
"...There might even be a chance that sothing might happen during the stream that might give away the answer."
Since I didn’t have my phone with , I couldn’t see the chat’s reactions firsthand. But judging from the startled yelp that ca from Jamie’s side, I could tell whatever had just happened definitely made an impact.
I gave him a look, and he put the phone away.
"Ehm."
He cleared his throat, turning his attention towards the drone.
"Should I get started then? I think it’s best if I give a bit of a description of where we’re at, so that everyone has an idea of the setting of the place."
Clearing his throat again, Jamie started to give the background of the place.
"This place used to be part of Millwall Steel Production. Yeah, that Millwall. They’re still around, with three other plants running across Malovia Island, but this one’s different. This one shut down about ten years ago after a series of incidents that no one ever fully explained."
He tilted the drone upward, capturing the towering brick structure looming above us as we moved toward the main entrance. Weeds pushed through cracks in the pavent, and faded flyers clung to the walls, their edges fluttering in the breeze.
"Officially, it was labeled a ’containnt failure’. A sort of industrial accident, gas leak, a couple of workers unaccounted for. But the weird part is that the company never demolished the site. They just fenced it off and left everything inside, like they planned to co back... but never did."
He walked slowly toward the main gate, boots crunching over gravel.
"So locals call this place the Dead Forge. They say it still hums at night... like the machinery’s running underground, even though there’s no power feeding into it. And, uh..." he gave a nervous laugh, "so of the old staff swear that during the shutdown, the higher-ups were running so kind of ’experintal refining process.’ Sothing that had nothing to do with steel."
There was no questioning Jamie’s abilities.
The mont he spoke, he was able to capture a perfect picture of the situation. His tone was neither too fast nor too slow, and his voice was extrely controlled.
’He’s improved a lot since the last ti I saw him.’
"Of course, all of these are rumors regarding the place. As many of you know, there have been others who have done streams in this area. Nothing has shown up just yet, but I’ve got a good feeling about this."
Jamie smiled wickedly as he rubbed his hands together.
"...We might just be able to find sothing absolutely earthshaking! Sit tight and watch the two of us do the exploring for you."
Jamie’s introduction stopped there.
For a mont, I was almost tempted to check my phone, but I decided not to. The comnts were still probably going to be negative.
Still, Jamie’s introduction was praiseworthy.
’I’ll wait a little bit more before checking. I’m sure they’ll calm down after.’
I didn’t really care too much for the number of viewers. The goal wasn’t to have a large stream. It was more like... a sort of protection.
I was one of the cult’s main targets.
Normally, if soone were here, they’d try to stay quiet... erase any trace of themselves. But I was almost certain that this ti was different. They knew I was here, and I could feel it. They wouldn’t go overboard and risk revealing too much, but they were definitely planning sothing.
That was my goal.
I planned on finding their true ’base’ this way.
’There’s also the compass that will help , but I can’t guarantee it will lead in the right direction.’
Of course, there was also the lamp I’d acquired a while back in the Hourglass gate.
That would help identify footsteps.
’Not that I can show it to the viewers. I’ll have to be more subtle when using either item.’
"Okay, we’re about to enter."
The two of us ca to a stop in front of a heavy white tal door, its surface streaked with rust and gri. A small, faded sign was bolted to the wall beside it, the letters barely legible under the dust and peeling paint.
===
MILLWALL STEEL PRODUCTION — FURNACE DISTRICT C
[Authorized Personnel Only]
===
Exchanging glances, Jamie reached for the doorknob before pulling.
Creeaaaaaak!
A long, strained sound that echoed through the empty yard and sent a faint shiver down my spine. Rust flaked off the hinges, scattering onto the ground like old ash.
A stale, tallic scent drifted out the mont the door opened. It was the kind that clung to the back of your throat.
The air inside was cold and stale.
Jamie lifted the drone higher, its light cutting through the dark. The beam revealed a narrow corridor stretching deep into the factory, the walls lined with rusted pipes and peeling paint. The floor was littered with tal fragnts, cables, and sothing that looked suspiciously like dried soot.
"Christ."
Jamie muttered under his breath, his nose scrunching up.
"Slls like sothing died in here."
"You’re not wrong," I replied automatically. The sound of my voice bounced off the walls, distorted by the emptiness.
The air reeked. It was an awful mix of rotten and tal, layered with a thick, oily stench that clung to the back of my throat.
Besides the sll, there was also a thick silence.
For a second, there was nothing. Just the faint whir of the drone. Then, from sowhere deep within the factory, a low vibration rolled through the air. It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t even distinct. But it carried through the air, like the faint hum of a machine waking up after years of silence.
Jamie froze mid-step, his expression tightening.
"...Did you hear that?"
"I did."
My heart grew heavy. There was no denying the sound.
Jamie tried to laugh it off, but it ca out strained.
"Guess that’s the hum the locals were talking about. Probably just so loose tal vibrating sowhere. Echoes travel weird in old places like this."
"Right..."
Deep down, I knew it wasn’t loose tal or whatever he was talking about.
The drone’s cara whirred softly as it adjusted, its light sweeping across the walls. Under the pale beam, faint black markings began to erge. The sight made my breath co to a stop as long, curved lines carved into the surface, half-buried beneath years of gri and dust, beca visible.
"Jamie..."
I said slowly, trying my best to keep myself calm.
"Move the light back for a second."
"Eh...? Sure?"
He did, and as the beam passed over the wall again, the carvings ca into focus. Interlocking circles. A spiral. An eye made of rings.
My stomach dropped, and I took off the glasses for a mont.
Just to make sure I wasn’t seeing things. But glasses or not, the symbol remained.
’It’s that symbol...’
The one that had been following for quite so ti.
Jamie let out a quiet curse.
"This looks pretty fresh, doesn’t it?"
"....."
I didn’t reply, but there was no need to reply.
The symbol did indeed look fresh.
But soon, Jamie laughed.
"Kids... Ay."
He focused his attention back on the cara.
"Look at this, ya’ll. What do you think about this graffiti? It’s pretty unique, isn’t it?"
Jamie didn’t seem the least bit scared. To him, the symbol was probably just graffiti... sothing left behind by kids who’d snuck in for a thrill. But I knew better. This wasn’t so random drawing. Not at all.
This symbol...
’It’s a greeting.’
Rattle! Rattle!
The hum within the factory deepened for a mont, just enough to rattle the loose bolts along the doorfra, as if the building itself was reacting.
Jamie glanced at , his face growing uneasy.
"What was that?"
I didn’t answer right away. I didn’t know myself. Instead, I looked deeper into the corridor, where the darkness seed to pulse faintly in rhythm with that sound.
Eventually, my lips parted.
"I don’t know, but I guess we’ll soon find out."
Step—
I took a step towards the distant darkness.
For so reason, the mont I took a step forward, sothing within stirred.
I couldn’t explain what it was, but it felt uncomfortable.
User Comments
0 comments from readers