Staircase to Vastness

Staircase to Nowhere? Students Report Vanishing Passage at Midnight.

Seventeen students insist the stairs lead to nowhere from the upper floors of the Red Stone University library, after midnight – though details differ by witness.

Can you trust a staircase to take you where you need to go? The night-owls of Red Stone University claim the opposite after spending Tuesday night at the 24/7 study hall.

Although exam season has yet to begin, a few professors have already set their deadlines before Christmas. Originally intended as a relief from the rigid February finals, it has now become the cause of a night that students will never forget.

“I was really scared!” said Alexa B., 21, a medical undergrad, the first to attempt leaving the building from the front exit, just after midnight.

“It was my first time in the night study room, and bam, everything went dark, the lights just went down, totally creepy!” – a function the University calls its automatic dimming system, meant to save energy.

Unfortunately, the lack of light turned out to be a significant factor in the incident that occurred.

“I wanted to leave at around 2 a.m. Yeah, my roommate stayed behind to work on his thesis, so I went down the stairs alone.” Lilly S., 22, an economics student, reported: “Yet when I got to the bottom, I wasn’t near the lockers. Just this arch into nothing.”

This incident became a practical problem for several undergraduates who wanted to leave, as the University enforces a strict "no-backpacks" policy. This meant that "my keys, wallet, jacket" were out of reach for everyone who had previously placed them in one of the now-inaccessible lockers.

"I straight up ran into a wall down there." Theo M., 24, a law student, actually walked through the arch: "It was like a glass wall, engulfing me, slowly shifting – pushing back, as if to carefully return me to the lowest step. Yet I saw absolutely nothing."

The other sixteen witnesses shared similar accounts. While descriptions vary, six out of the 17 described the barrier as “liquid, with a sensation similar to touching molten glass – cold as ice, yet in motion.”

At the same time, 11 recalled it as an insurmountable brick wall. Depending on which form of barrier they faced, other undergrads had to lend their cardigans, which were permitted under library rules.

Ezra M., 21, one of the medical students, however, remarked, “It was like descending into a black vortex; no light passed the arch.”

Regardless of how they described it, the result remained the same; all students were trapped inside the building due to the main exit being inaccessible.

After searching for other options to “escape,” as Theo M. mentioned, an elevator on the opposite side of the building, still on the upper floors, was operational. This allowed them to leave through an "emergency only" exit, surprisingly without triggering an alarm.

"We went and searched in groups, after all of us realized we faced the same issue," Theo stated, while we followed him to the – at least during daytime – accessible lockers.

"Thankfully, my roommate," Lilly S. added, "and other fellow students had brought their keys upstairs, so everyone wanting to go to sleep was able to do so, even if some spent the night on strangers’ couches."

Those present, like Ezra M., say that having to bunk in other flats led to unexpected friendships, because “after that, none of us could sleep instantly; it’s only natural to talk.”

The roommate of Lilly S., wanting to stay anonymous, pointed out the astounding difference between the lively study room and the silent staircase: “Honestly, after 1 a.m., there’s just this random break where everyone starts talking and shares snacks. After my roommate left with my key, I went down the stairs myself. It was just eerily quiet, you know?”

Still, some who stayed past midnight preferred to wait until sunrise; “the quietness was nice.” The only downside for them was "the lack of vending machines, like, they’re in the locker room," shared Sally R., 19, a first-year biology student.

In line with the University's anti-theft regulations, Sally R. further mentioned the drapes surrounding the glass parts of the building closing at 8 p.m. “I tried leaving the room to get a book on mitosis, but the door was locked, though. It reopened at 8 a.m., when the main front doors were unlocked for entry.”

According to library rules, students may leave through the main gate at night, but cannot return.

So far, University officials have denied all allegations of this being the case; the lockers are still where they are supposed to be. Yet when entering the library, there are seven stone arches in total near the staircase. In fact, the lockers are between three of them.

As a conciliatory gesture, the University is planning to make the lockers located in the cellar accessible directly from the night room. The elevator will transport those prone to late-night studies directly to these lockers, which are connected to an alternative exit.

Though sources indicate that this lift will also not allow students to access the lockers located between the stone arches.

Diving into the news archive of Red Stone University’s old newspaper, dating back to the 1800s, reveals that similar incidents have occurred in the past. Students back then claimed some staircases to be "bricked over" during nighttime.

Over time, this led to another study room in a different university building, now known among students as the "dungeon" near the medical faculty.

According to Prof. Dr. Newton, head of the historical faculty, the library building was constructed in 1683. Unfortunately, "due to the fire in 1744, the original construction plan is incomplete." Yet, "some stylistic elements are similar to renovations in the Markus Church in the city centre."

Furthermore, Newton refers to "undergrads at this time of year" being "usually overworked as well," and notes that "the constant studying through the night, no matter when in history, would not benefit the sleeping habits of the students," which could also "allude to altered mental states."

Similar notions can be found in articles from previous centuries, in which sightings of the black arch were directly linked to those working instead of sleeping.

In contrast, dozens of student newspapers throughout the centuries mentioned "the black arches" obstructing passageways past midnight.

Interestingly, these arches are not always connected to the staircases. One article from a library worker in 1903 refers to the blocks in place as a "natural safety zone for some of the books" (University Archives, Box 14/32).

The books claimed to be sources for this article have yet to be found. Nevertheless, the recurring unease on the stairs seems to support the idea of potential hidden barriers. Notably, nine of the witnesses disclosed to “being more and more terrified the closer I got to the arch.”

Currently, other university students have attempted to “pass the night arches, pushing further through the glass wall," according to Leo S., a 23-year-old biochemistry student. Meanwhile, hashtags like #BlackArches, #VastLibrary, and #GoToSleep are trending.

Most of them are posting obscure, shaky videos of the staircase, while others have already found the cellar that the elevator is supposed to lead to.

Still, several posts can be seen mocking the incident, like "If you’re on the stairs at 11.59 p.m., you vanish" or "I’m sorry, I was locked on the stairs #NoClass." Others seem to be more annoyed by the issue, while essentially agreeing with Prof. Dr. Newton’s statements.

Meanwhile, a current staff member of the library, who has worked there for over 30 years, said, "The staircase has always felt funny during nighttime, but you know... I’m on the other side, with the books." Whatever this exactly means, the staff member was not willing to share.

So, in the next edition of our newspaper, you will find an article by a reporter who will have visited the Red Stone Library at night.

Whether the library hides another passage, something in the dark, or nothing at all, the reporter will attempt to descend the midnight staircase. Some students have already volunteered to join, claiming that "no one should go alone past midnight."

Whether myth or malfunction, the truth lies in the dark.