28 Apr Conference Room D

Starting a new job can always be stressful. You know the score when you’re coming into a new role in a new company and must figure out the office politics, remember all the names and faces, learn new skills, and prove yourself to the boss.

It’s a challenge, especially when you enter a toxic workplace. I’ve had a few bad jobs in my time. But office work is rarely a matter of life and death, and nothing can compare to the nightmare I experienced during my brief stint at Deleo Incorporated.

What can I say about that particular company? On the surface, it’s an ordinary and rather mundane business that manufactures household and industrial-use cleaning products. The role I was accepted for was Quality Control Manager in their headquarters–a nondescript and unremarkable office located in the central business district.

It had been three months since I was laid off from my last gig. Bills were building up, my credit cards were maxed out, and my rent was overdue. Therefore, I was happy to receive the job offer. That’s not to say I didn’t do my due diligence on the company, making inquiries online and through recruiters.

I have to admit there were some red flags raised. People I spoke with didn’t recommend Deleo Incorporated as a good place to work. There was nothing specific I could get information on–no lawsuits or harassment allegations. However, there were dark rumors about the company and specifically the head office where I would be based.

Again, there was nothing concrete–only talk of a bad vibe about the place, along with a high staff turnover rate. Honestly, I did have some reservations. But frankly, I was also desperate, so I decided to take the job and make the best of it.

This, of course, turned out to be a mistake, but hindsight is 20/20. Still, my first couple of weeks in post went surprisingly well. My colleagues were decent folk for the most part. Mr. Hill was the CEO and my direct line manager. He wasn’t the worst boss I’ve had–not by a long shot.

I didn’t work there long enough to know him well, but Mr. Hill struck me as a fair man, a tough taskmaster with a no-nonsense approach, but a boss who treated his employees with respect. I can’t help but feel sympathy for Hill, especially given the dark secrets he’s carried on his shoulders for so many years.

Jean, a middle-aged mother of two, was the office manager. She was competent and efficient but prone to being overdramatic. Then there was Rachel, the perky and attractive receptionist with long, dark hair, sparkling brown eyes, and sultry good looks. She was flirty and fun, and I’ll admit to developing a crush on her.

The final character in my sad little story was Karl, a cocky sales rep with the kind of good looks and arrogant confidence you’d expect from someone in his line of work. I liked Karl for the most part, but saw him as a potential rival for Rachel’s affections.

I think I got the lay of the land pretty quickly, but it became clear there was a dark shadow hanging over that office, and this was all down to Conference Room D.

As its name suggests, Room D was one of the four conference rooms located in the head office. Conference Room D was indeed unique because it was located in an annex that otherwise seemed abandoned.

None of the office staff had desks in the annex, and the lights and radiators were always switched off. This struck me as odd, but honestly, I didn’t give the matter much thought, as I reckoned they just used the annex for storage or something. This was until I tried to book Room D and received a sharp rebuke from the powers-that-be.

I wanted to arrange a meeting with the department heads so I could hash out a strategy going forward. There was only one time that suited all attendees. Unfortunately, Rooms A through C were all booked out for client meetings. Naturally, I thought I could use Room D, which was just sitting there empty.

So, I tried to make a booking through the portal, only to find that Conference Room D was blocked out indefinitely. This was a mild annoyance, but I wanted to keep the meeting time, and so the next port of call was Jean, the office manager.

I went to her room on Wednesday morning, not realizing the storm I was about to cause. Jean was sitting in her office, a look of concentration on her makeup-covered face as she frowned under her beehive haircut. Pictures of her family were carefully laid out on the desk, and Jean smiled amicably and invited me inside when I knocked on her door.

“Come in, Daniel, and please take a seat,” she said, continuing to smile as she addressed me by my first name.

“Now then,” Jean continued after I was seated, “How are you getting on, Daniel? Is everyone treating you okay?”

“Yes,” I replied with a nod. “I’m finding my feet, and everyone’s been very welcoming.”

“Oh good,” Jean replied as her grin widened. “That’s what I like to hear. We consider ourselves one big happy family here at Deleo, and I know Mr. Hill really wants you to feel like part of the team. Now, what is it I can do for you today?”

“Well, Jean, it’s about the meeting I’m trying to set up. I’m having trouble organizing a venue. I was planning to use Conference Room D, but noticed it’s block-booked. So, I was hoping you could work your magic and get it opened up for me?”

Up until that point, we’d been having a pleasant conversation, but the atmosphere inside the room changed in an instant following my request. The smile suddenly disappeared from Jean’s face, her expression changing to what I can only describe as a mixture of disgust and fear.

Her voice became stern and agitated as she spluttered out her uncompromising reply.

“No, no, no… absolutely not! Room D is not available for booking at any time! This is simply out of the question!”

I was taken aback by Jean’s heavy-handed response, but I thought I could talk her around and save the situation.

“I’m sorry, Jean, I didn’t mean to rock the boat. If Room D is used for storage, I don’t mind moving a few boxes and tidying up the place.”

Unfortunately, my attempt to calm the office manager backfired, as Jean stood up from her desk, pointing a finger at my face and shouting with unnecessary aggression.
“No, Daniel! This is not going to happen. You must leave my office immediately!”

I got up from my chair, raising my hands defensively and backing out of the room without saying another word, as Jean continued to glare at me from behind her desk.

Needless to say, I was rather shaken by the encounter with Deleo’s office manager. But this wasn’t the end of the matter.

That afternoon, I was called into a meeting with Mr. Hill, the company’s CEO. I felt anxious when I entered the boss’s office, feeling like I was in trouble even though I didn’t really understand what I’d done wrong. I found the boss sitting behind his large oak desk, appearing calm as he wrote an old-school memo using pen and paper.

He glanced up at me as I came in, nodding his bald, dome-shaped head as he silently motioned for me to take a seat. The tension inside that room was palpable, and it didn’t help that Mr. Hill kept me waiting before he eventually addressed the issue at hand.

“Well, Daniel,” he eventually said, looking up and meeting my eye with a stern and judgmental gaze, “Do you know why I’ve asked to see you today?”

I struggled to answer through my dry throat, but ultimately found the words.

“Honestly, Mr. Hill, I’m not entirely sure.”

My boss tutted dismissively and shook his head.

“Let me be frank, Daniel. I took a chance in hiring you. We’re a close-knit team here at Deleo Incorporated, and bringing outsiders in is always a risk. Still, I saw something in you. I thought you could make a valuable contribution to our business. And I still believe so, Daniel.”

He paused momentarily, looking me directly in the eye before continuing.

“I don’t want to hear anything more about Conference Room D. It’s a no-go area, and for good reasons… reasons that do not concern you. Don’t jeopardize your future here, Daniel. Let this matter drop. Now, am I making myself clear?”

I was still baffled by this whole debacle, but I didn’t want to go against my employer on an issue that seemed so trivial, especially since I was still in my probationary period. And so, I nodded my head submissively and said, “Yes, sir, Mr. Hill. Perfectly clear.”

“Good,” he replied with a thin smile. “Now, please get back to work.”

With that, I left his office and closed the door behind me.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been the end of the matter, but events took an unexpected and disturbing turn. It was the strangest thing, but I couldn’t stop thinking about that damned annex and the mysterious Conference Room D.

For the rest of the afternoon, I found myself staring in the direction of the darkened annex, as something down there was making me feel extremely uneasy. A cold chill ran through me, and yet I couldn’t look away.

I was glad to leave the office at the end of the day, but had no respite once I returned home. I struggled to sleep that night, and when I did finally drop off, my subconscious was haunted by bizarre and disturbing nightmares.

In my dream, I found myself standing in the forbidden annex, freezing and shivering due to an unexplainable cold as the malfunctioning lights flickered on and off above my head. I wanted to turn back and return to the ‘safe’ part of the office, but something was forcing me forward, pulling me towards the cursed Conference Room D.

I walked forward towards the door, my hand shaking as I reached out for the handle and slowly opened it. The room was shrouded in darkness, with a dim flickering light providing the only illumination. But my focus was on the shadowy figure standing at the far side of the room–a faceless entity that lived in the dark.

He had no face or eyes that I could see, and yet I knew he was looking directly at me. More than that, actually. This entity was staring directly into my very soul, infiltrating my subconscious and seeing every one of my dark secrets. I felt naked and exposed in front of this monster, and yet I couldn’t resist or even flee from his all-powerful, dark influence.

I tried to scream but couldn’t utter a sound. Instead, I was paralyzed, as the shadowy entity used his black magic to slam the door shut behind me, trapping me inside that hellish room where I’d be at his mercy.

I went to work on Thursday, but barely made it through the day, as the vivid details of the nightmare remained etched in my mind, and the foreboding threat of Conference Room D hung over me.

I tried to tell myself that this was all caused by the stress of my new job and the tense encounter with the boss. I hoped I would enjoy a good night’s sleep on Thursday and get back to normal. But of course, this didn’t happen.

The nightmare was even worse that evening, as I was thrust back inside the cursed room, with the dark figure standing ominously above me. Once again, I couldn’t move or scream as the shadow man reached out, surrounding my physical form with his dark power, as every part of my soul was exposed and torn apart.

I woke up screaming and drenched in cold sweat, realizing that this was something deeper than workplace stress. I had to drag myself into work on Friday morning. The spooky office was the last place I wanted to be, but I couldn’t afford another black mark on my record by taking a sick day.

And besides, I wanted answers regarding what was haunting my dreams, and I was sure someone in the office had them.

I made it through to Friday lunchtime when I eventually got my opportunity. Entering the break room, I saw Rachel and Karl sitting together, chatting and laughing over their respective meals. Rachel was wearing the cute red top I liked, and when I walked in, she flicked back her hair and smiled sweetly, saying, “Hey newbie, how are you today?”

I smiled back at the pretty receptionist, momentarily forgetting about my woes as our eyes met. Karl wasn’t quite so welcoming towards me, however.

“Jeez, man! What happened to you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “You look like hell.”

I was annoyed by Karl’s frankness, but I had to admit he had a point. Two sleepless nights in a row and a series of vivid nightmares had left me tired and haggard. I was slightly irritated to be shown up in front of Rachel, as I hadn’t forgotten my romantic feelings towards her.

I couldn’t think of a response in that moment, but thankfully, Rachel broke the silence with an invitation.

“Grab yourself a strong cup of coffee, Daniel, and come join us.”

I felt reassured, helping myself to a hot beverage before I took a seat at the table.

“So, what’s bothering you, buddy?” Karl asked sarcastically. “Don’t tell me you’re burnt out already?”

I laughed nervously before responding. “Ha, ha. No, man. Just been having trouble sleeping, that’s all…”

I paused before continuing. “But while I’ve got you guys here, can I ask a question? What’s the deal with Conference Room D?”

I felt a sense of déjà vu as the atmosphere once again became tense at the mere mention of the mysterious room. Rachel and Karl exchanged knowing looks before Karl answered in a hushed tone.

“You don’t want to talk about Room D around here, buddy. Trust me.”

I frowned in confusion.

“I don’t understand,” I replied. “Why’s everyone so freaked out over a damn meeting room?”

“I’m not freaked out,” Karl shot back defensively.

“There’s some bad history with that room,” Rachel offered as an explanation. “Mr. Hill doesn’t like us talking about it in the office. He’s been known to fire people for bringing it up.”

“Seriously?” I asked in astonishment.

“Old man Hill won’t hear of it,” Karl confirmed.

“But hey,” Rachel added with a smile, as she placed her hand on my wrist. “Why don’t you come out with us for drinks after work? We can tell you the whole sorry tale at the bar.”

Rachel’s invitation seemed genuine, although Karl didn’t seem so keen, as perhaps he wanted the receptionist to himself that night.

And I was reluctant at first, saying, “Thank you, but I don’t think I’d be much company. I’m so zapped I’d probably fall asleep after one drink.”

“Oh, come on,” Rachel said with a sly wink. “You’ll get to bond with your colleagues and discover the office’s dark secret. How can you pass up such a great opportunity?”

“Yeah, man,” Karl added, changing his tune as he slapped me playfully on the back. “Come out to play. It’ll be fun!”

I guess I didn’t need much persuasion, because my next words were, “Sure, what the hell. Count me in.”

* * * * * *

A few hours later, the three of us were sitting together at a local bar, laughing and chatting as we downed cocktails. I temporarily forgot about my troubles whilst enjoying the company of my work colleagues, our inhibitions loosened by the alcohol.

My attraction to Rachel only grew as the evening went on. I wished it were just the two of us, but I will admit that Karl was good company, telling amusing anecdotes as the drinks went down.
We talked about a lot of things during our drinking session, but eventually the topic moved to Conference Room D.

“It’s a really sad story,” Rachel said, with a tear in her eye.

“Yeah, tragic…” Karl added with considerably less sympathy.

Rachel ignored him and continued her account in between sips of her daiquiri.

“Steven Banks was the boss before Mr. Hill. He ran the company for ten years, but when the economic downturn hit, Deleo was on the verge of bankruptcy. Mr. Banks did everything in his power, but couldn’t turn things around. I guess the poor man hit his breaking point.

One Friday night, he locked himself in Room D and ended his life. They didn’t find his body until Monday morning. The business recovered in time, but the tragedy was never forgotten, and Mr. Hill insisted that Room D remained closed and locked up.”

“Wow,” was the only response I could muster.

It was a tragic story to be sure, and I could understand why a dark shadow had been left over the office. But Karl scoffed before adding his two cents.

“Sure, that’s the official story, if you choose to believe it,” he said sarcastically.

“Now, Karl, behave yourself,” Rachel said playfully whilst shooting him a look.

“Hey!” Karl replied defensively. “I’m just giving Danny boy all the facts… he can make up his own mind.”

The sales rep shot me a wink. I played along, saying, “Well, Karl, why don’t you enlighten me?”

He smiled, took another gulp from his glass, and launched into his story.

“Sure, Banks was desperate. But he didn’t kill himself. Rumor has it he became obsessed with the occult. Thought he could make a pact with the devil or some demon to turn the business around. On the night he died, Banks was trying to perform a satanic ritual. I guess it didn’t go as planned, because he ended up dead… and that damn room has been cursed ever since.”

I felt my stomach drop after listening to Karl’s account, and I guess it showed on my face. Karl had delivered the story with a straight face, but he could control himself no longer, bursting into laughter at my reaction.

“Jesus, man!” he exclaimed whilst slapping me on the back. “You really believed that load of crap?”

He continued laughing as my face turned bright red with embarrassment. Once again, it was Rachel who came to my rescue, lightly punching Karl in the arm whilst chastising him.

“Quit teasing him, Karl. It’s not funny.”

The rep held his hands up defensively before replying.

“I’m sorry, buddy. Couldn’t resist. But seriously, this whole business with that room. It’s crazy… total BS!”

I shook my head, taking a drink before replying nervously.

“The thing is, guys, I’ve been having some weird dreams these last few nights. Dreams about Room D…”

Karl snorted dismissively.

“We’ve all had the nightmares,” Rachel confirmed solemnly. “Even tough guy Karl.”

“I have a theory about that,” Karl added. “I think of this as a shared delusion. This urban legend’s been drummed into us for so long. Everyone who’s worked in the office has heard the stories, and they’re all scared witless by that damn room… But you know, the only way to fight your fears is to confront them…”

“What do you mean?” Rachel asked in confusion.

“I mean, we need to go into the room and prove it’s all hokum,” Karl said.

He glanced at his watch before continuing. “Security will have gone home for the night, and you can get us into the office, Rachel. Why don’t we do it tonight?”

I almost spat out my drink at the suggestion.

“You want to break into Deleo’s head office after hours?” I exclaimed.

“Come on, man, don’t be so dramatic,” Karl responded with mockery. “We’re Deleo employees, and we’re not planning on stealing anything. So it’s hardly a break-in! Besides, no one will ever know we were there.”

I felt a nervous energy running through me as I considered Karl’s proposal. I was still a probationary employee, and any misdemeanor would likely result in my dismissal. And besides, I wasn’t keen to break into Conference Room D after the vivid nightmares I’d suffered.

I glanced over at Rachel, hoping for some support. I believe I saw some anxiety in her eyes, but she reached across the table and placed her delicate hand on my wrist before saying, “I don’t know, Daniel. It could be fun. What do you say?”

I looked into her deep brown eyes and felt myself falling. It was a stupid decision. I should’ve walked away. But I guess I was intoxicated, full of drink, my attraction to Rachel, and a macho bravado, because I didn’t want to back down in front of Karl. And so I agreed to the foolish plan, saying, “Okay, I’m in.”

Rachel smiled whilst Karl whooped in triumph. And we downed our drinks and left the bar, making our way back to the empty office.

* * * * * *

There was a certain degree of excitement shared between the three of us when we entered the abandoned Deleo office using Rachel’s spare key. I felt like a naughty schoolboy breaking the rules, and I think the others shared my enthusiasm.

We were all more than a little tipsy, and this only added to our boldness. The three of us sniggered like children as we crept past the reception and cubicles. The atmosphere only changed once we reached the annex.

I can’t explain what happened exactly, but I think all of us felt it as we switched on the lights and crept down the dusty corridor. Looking back, I guess the fear I experienced was something primal. There was a voice inside my head screaming at me to walk away. I should have listened, but instead, I followed my companions as we made our way to the locked door of the conference room.

Rachel hesitated, the door keys shaking in her hand as she stood in front of the door. She turned towards me with fear now evident in her brown eyes.

“I don’t know. Maybe we shouldn’t do this,” she whispered.

I didn’t respond, but Karl did, tutting loudly before grabbing hold of the key.

“For crying out loud, guys! What the hell’s wrong with you both? We can’t back down now!”

He was playing the tough guy, but I noticed how Karl was also trembling as he put the key in the lock and took a deep breath before turning it.

The door slowly swung open, and we saw what lay inside for the first time. What struck me was how dark the room’s interior was. Obviously, the lights were off, but the darkness was more than the absence of illumination. Still, I didn’t have much time to dwell on this before Karl fumbled for the switch and turned on the lights.

I felt better upon seeing the inside of the room because it seemed so ordinary. There was a long, plywood desk in the middle of the carpeted floor, with chairs on either side. On the far wall facing us was a flat screen television for video conferencing. The room had a musky smell and was obviously in need of vacuuming and dusting, but otherwise it was unremarkable.

But when I looked down at the floor, I was shocked to see a dark stain on the carpet.

“Oh my God!” Rachel exclaimed. “That’s a bloodstain!”

Karl laughed nervously. “Don’t be so squeamish. Let’s go in.”

The sales rep led the way, while Rachel and I shared a worried look before entering. To this day, I don’t know why we went along with it. Sure, Karl could be persuasive… but it was more than that, like something or someone was pulling us inside.

Stepping across the threshold was a significant moment, and we were all hit by an icy cold as soon as we entered.

“It’s freezing in here,” I muttered.

“Yeah, because the heating’s off,” said Karl.

He had an answer for everything, but the confidence in his voice was faltering.

“Come on, let’s sit down and soak up the atmosphere,” Karl added.

We all sat around the table, maintaining a tense silence for a moment before Rachel asked a question through trembling lips.

“What time is it?”

I frowned, looking down at my watch before replying.

“It’s just coming up on midnight. Why?”

She looked me square in the eye, her face turning pale as she muttered, “Midnight. That’s when Mr. Banks died.”

In the next moment, several things happened at once. Firstly, the meeting room door slammed shut, even though none of us were near it. Rachel let out a panicked cry while Karl shouted, “What the hell!”

We all jumped up from our chairs in shock. Karl made for the closed door, but a second later the lights went off, leaving us in total darkness.

“Jesus!” I cried out, fumbling for the desk in front of me.

“Daniel, where are you?” Rachel called out.

I stumbled clumsily towards her voice, but then the lights flickered before coming back on. And when our eyes adjusted, we discovered we were no longer alone.

All hell broke loose when we saw him. Rachel screamed in terror whilst Karl collapsed onto the floor, his bravado gone as he cowered in the corner. I’m glad to say I showed more courage, lifting a chair in an effort to defend myself and my companions. But the being before us could not be defeated by physical means.

The ghostly entity had appeared out of nowhere, emerging from the darkness to confront us. The man–if you can describe him as such–was sitting casually on the chair opposite us, dressed in an expensive but clearly soiled suit, with his tie undone and his shirt ruffled. But that’s not what drew my attention and horror. His face was as pale as milk, his eyes black and lifeless, and worst of all… his throat was sliced open from ear to ear.

“Oh, God!” Rachel screamed. “It’s Mr. Banks! He’s back!”

The entity opened his bone-dry lips and spoke in a deep, inhuman voice, saying, “Actually, dear, I never left.”

“No!” Karl cried, his previously cool composure melting away. “This isn’t possible! You can’t be real!”

The spirit of Mr. Banks didn’t answer; instead, he merely glared at Karl with his deadpan eyes. At this, the sales rep broke, abandoning us as he sprinted for the door and desperately tried to escape from the haunted room, only to find we were locked in.

“I suggest you all calm down and take a seat,” the spirit ordered. “We have matters to discuss.”

Why I cannot say, but as terrified as we were, all three of us complied with the spirit’s instructions, nervously sitting opposite him across the conference table whilst he coolly observed us.

“It has been some time since anyone has dared enter my cursed prison,” Banks announced, “Why have you three disturbed my slumber?”

“We’re sorry,” Rachel blubbered. “We shouldn’t have come. It was a mistake. Please let us go, and we’ll never disturb you again.”

Banks formed his crusty, colorless lips into what could be considered a smile before answering.

“I am sorry, my dear, but it’s not up to me. We must all answer to him.”

He pointed towards the far wall with his bony finger. And, as if on command, the television screen burst to life, revealing a vision of inexplicable horror.

Set upon a background of burning crimson red was the shadow man I’d seen in my nightmares–a humanoid figure of pure black without any discernible physical features. He had no eyes, and yet I could tell he was staring straight at me. Worse, the monster could see through my outer skin, invading my psyche and infiltrating my very soul.

I tried to move but couldn’t. I wasn’t even able to open my mouth to scream. I guess my companions were in the same horrifying predicament, because all three of us were frozen in our chairs, entirely at the mercy of this shadowy beast.

Because the demon was more than just pixels on a screen. He was there on the far side of a porous membrane, apparently on the brink of breaking through.

“I’m afraid I did something quite reckless all those years ago,” Banks explained solemnly, as we three remained trapped in our seats. “In my desperation, I opened a portal to his world, leading the beast straight to this little room. Thankfully, he cannot leave here, and I remain as a gatekeeper of sorts–my soul doomed to dwell between these four walls until judgment day.

Conference Room D is kept under lock and key for good reason, because anyone who enters is at the mercy of the beast. You shouldn’t have come here.”

His statement was an obvious one. We’d been very foolish, ignoring all warnings and placing ourselves in extreme danger. But Banks wasn’t quite finished.

“Believe it or not, the beast is not entirely unreasonable. He is willing to forgive transgressions up to a point. But there is a price to pay. Three of you entered, but only two can leave. The choice is yours.”

At that moment, we regained some level of control over our bodies. I was able to turn my head and lift my arm, and instinctively I reached out to Rachel and took her hand. She met my gaze and squeezed my hand, and in that moment, we made our joint decision.

“Very well,” Banks said firmly. “Leave now, both of you. And don’t look back.”

We stood up together, our feet shaking, and slowly walked hand in hand towards the door, which was now wide open.

I didn’t want to look back, but Karl shouted after us in fury and terror.

“No! Come back! You can’t leave me here!”

Karl had regained control of his vocal cords but couldn’t move from his seat. I made the mistake of looking into his wide eyes and felt a pang of guilt, which made me pause.

But Rachel pulled me forward, whispering in my ear, “He got us into this, Daniel. There’s no other way.”

And I knew she was right, so I pulled myself away and continued towards the exit. The last vision I had inside that room was horrifying, as the shadowy beast exited the screen and tore forward, attacking a screaming Karl with his dark form.

Karl’s tie tightened around his throat, cutting off his airflow and slowly throttling him. That was the last thing I saw, as we retreated out into the hallway and the door slammed shut behind us.

* * * * * *

We reported the incident straight away, but it was already too late. Karl was dead by the time the paramedics arrived.

There was CCTV footage of the three of us entering the office together, but no coverage of the events in Conference Room D. The cops questioned Rachel and me about Karl’s death, but there was no evidence of foul play, and so we were both released without charge.

We didn’t get off entirely, however, as Mr. Hill fired both of us without hesitation. I can’t say I blamed him.

Rachel and I have met up a few times since the incident. We alone know the truth of what happened that night. But our relationship will never recover, and we’ll both carry the guilt to our graves.

I often think of Conference Room D, as the shadowy beast continues to haunt my nightmares. I fear Karl is still trapped in there, his soul forever stuck between this world and the next.

Sadly, I can’t turn back the clock, but I pray that no one repeats our fatal mistake and the door to Room D remains firmly locked.