At the end of the corridor
the ceiling light had burned out
one of 6 on this floor
this made the last 10 feet extremely dark
until ones' eyes adjusted
and when the remaining light
slowly allowed her to see shapes
she noticed the still shadow
she wanted to use the stairwell at this end
as the elevator had been jumpy
and in her mind,
unsafe
she paused and considered what could make this shadow
other than her silly imagination
and as she continued to focus
the shadow became clear,
distinct
it was that of a man
tall and broad
and as she watched
he turned, ever so slightly
and began to move towards her
no window, no furniture nearby to cause this oddity
her inclination to find explanation
quickly dissolved
and fear was now the emotion that guided her
that led her to the elevator without a thought to look back
'OUT OF ORDER'
the sign screamed in large red letters
now she had to look
and there he was
in the lighted area now
the shadow standing out like black on white
and he was looking at her
no eyes, no face
but she knew he was looking at her
she ran to the other end of the 8th floor corridor
damning her insomnia along the way
opened the stairwell door and glanced ever so quickly
he was within 5 feet of the door
her scream echoed up to the 12th and down to the 1st floor lobby
loud enough for the single front desk agent to hear
followed by the sound of her body thud against the 1st floor stairwell concrete
first bouncing off several of the metal handrails on its way down
"Obvious suicide" said the first investigator on the scene to the hotel manager
"No signs of a struggle"
"But why would such a beautiful young lady like this want to take her own life?"
the manager queried
"That is not for you nor I to understand, my friend.
Only the shadows know"