I work as a security guard for a company that takes jobs no one else will [Part 9]

Originally Posted by: rikndikndakn123

Originally Posted on: https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/e4m8ko/i_work_as_a_security_guard_for_a_company_that/

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One veteran guard told me about the time he spent guarding a mansion. The mansion itself supposedly belonged to a late rich man and his family was trying to sell the place, but apparently no one wanted it, even though it was dirt-cheap. The guy who told me the story had been there for almost a year before he got a new partner, a rookie who had just joined the company. Apparently there were no rules or anything like that, except one – don't open any doors.

Well long story short, the rookie messed up. During his patrol on the second floor, he heard a little girl crying. Now I don't know if he stopped to think rationally for a moment or his hero instincts just kicked in, but he decided to check it out – just a quick peek. The sobbing was coming from one of the rooms on the left, so carefully and quietly, he turned the knob and opened the door. As soon as he did, the crying stopped. Not like someone had heard him and then stopped crying, no. This was like someone had pressed the mute button in the middle. 

Anyway, he poked his head in and saw nothing, so he went back to his patrol. Not a minute later, he hears the crying again, once more from the left, but different room. He checks it out again and once more, the crying stops. He continues his patrol and just then realizes – the corridor is on a loop.

He continues walking through, hoping it's just a really long corridor, but every dozen steps or so that he takes, the crying follows him in one of the rooms in the left. He tries running back, but again, there's crying on the left and the corridor goes for much longer than he remembers walking. He continues, fully aware that he should have been out by now, but the exit is nowhere in sight.

He was now in full-blown panic, so he contacted his partner via radio, telling him he fucked up. When the veteran asked him how and the rookie told him the corridor is on a loop, the only thing the veteran guard was able to mutter was 'oh fuck'. A moment of silence ensued, before the veteran said:

"You opened the door, didn't you? I told you not to open any fucking doors, what the hell were you thinking?! Alright, listen. Just walk forward. Don't run, just walk. And don't turn around at any sounds behind you, just keep walking, got it? Just pretend you're on your patrol and ignore anything you see or hear. But if you see the crying girl in front of you, you turn around and run for your life, you got it?"

The next few minutes were a mixture of deadly silence and eager anticipation. Ten minutes later though, the rookie stumbles into the security room, pale as a sheet of paper, but alive. He was unable to speak properly due to the trauma, but was uninjured. The veteran called the medical team and they escorted the rookie out of there. He never came back to that place again. Whether he was fired or decided to quit, we never found out.

*

Back when I worked in one of the office buildings that our company guards, I had a partner on duty who would help me in my patrols, since the building was too big. Usually we'd divide patrols with one of us starting from the top floor and moving down and the other guard going from the bottom up until we met on floor 10. To make things interesting, we made it like a race. So this one time I started from the bottom and made my way up and met my partner on the 9th floor. At first, I found it odd that he was on this floor, when we always met on floor 10.

He said he got tired of waiting downstairs and decided to make his way down and do my work for me. I found it odd that he got there so quickly, since he usually takes his time checking every nook and cranny, but dismissed it as unimportant. There was something else off here though, but I couldn't put my finger on it. All I know is I suddenly got a really bad feeling and the hairs on the back of my neck stood straight. Again, I dismissed it as my imagination.

He suggested we return downstairs and head outside so he can have a quick smoke. I told him we were forbidden from doing so, but he said he'd be quick, 2 minutes tops. We were about to make our way down, when I heard a voice shout from upstairs:

"Hell yeah, beat you to it! Running late tonight, are we?" 

It was my partner's voice. I stared at my partner in front of me, who looked equally scared and begged me not to go there and that the voice was fake.

It was then I realized what was so wrong with the person in front of me. He had completely black eyes. I remember thinking how the fuck didn't I notice that before and bolted upstairs to floor 10.

My partner was there, visibly confused by my state. I explained what happened and when we went downstairs, the impostor was gone.

We spoke to HQ about it a bit later and here's what the chief said:

"Ever heard of those black eyed kids?"

My partner and I shook our heads. The chief continued:

"Well apparently there are these kids with black eyes that knock on your door and ask you to let them in. You're not in any danger, so long as you decline their invitation. Now there have been sightings in that building of black eyed adults. They usually ask you to go outside with them, so our assumption is they wanna get out, but can't do it without permission or escort. That's why you're not allowed outside during your shift."

"So what if we let them out?" – I asked.

"Don't." – is all the chief said.

*

Another place my company has a contract with is a big botanical garden. Four guards worked there in shifts and the rules were simple – carry a flamethrower with you and kill anything found on trails. That includes squatters, stray animals, etc, but the biggest concern were the plants. The guards were told that if they so much as hear something or see a stray root or branch on the trail, unleash hell until everything is sterile again.

Each section of plants was separated in a way that flames couldn't spread. This story was shared to me by one of the former guards who retired recently. He said he spent about ten years working there and had seen all sorts of things, but most commonly he'd just have to burn the plants that have grown over the trail.

He said that often he'd see a tiny piece of root sticking towards the trail and two hours later on his patrol, overgrown green tendrils would cover the place. He said the tendrils would writhe when burnt and there'd be a hiss of some sorts that sounded like the plant was screaming in pain.

He ended his career when one day a stray tendril wrapped itself around his ankle and started dragging him off the trail. He managed to burn the tendril off, but a sharp thorn had found itself in his foot. He plucked it out and continued working, but the following day, he had bulging veins all over his foot. Upon closer inspection, he realized those weren't veins, but tiny tendrils emerging from the wound where the thorn had pricked him and slowly growing, reaching higher, first towards his ankle, then knee. 

He had to have his foot amputated and retired after that with a handsome compensation. When I asked him if he regretted working there, he said he'd give both his feet for this job without a second thought