The Storage Closet.

On December 15, 1973, the employees were hard at work. The birds chirped at the fresh snowfall, the sun barely shone through the cracks of the clouds, leaving rays of sunshine throughout the small town. As they were all hard at work, the announcement system went off.

"Attention employees! I am so sorry for the inconvenience, but as of right now, please gather your things and evacuate to the interview rooms downstairs. A snowstorm alert has just been announced. Please stay in the rooms until we hear otherwise. Thank you!"

As everyone gathered their things, you could hear the faint sounds of wind gusting and hitting the building. The employees rushed to the elevator hall, but when they got there, the signs above were not on. When the signs were not on, it showed everyone that they were not to be used at the time. A loud groan weaved around the group, they all slumped over to the stairs and made their way down.

"Hailey, you think we'll be here long?"

Rachel said, looking at her friend.

"No, Rachel. We never stay here long."

Hailey replied, sighing.

As the large groups trampled down the steps, they eventually go to the rooms. Rachel and Hailey stayed together and walked to the same room with some other coworkers. Most of the genders sticked together in groups, gossiping about their home lives. An hour later, the lights started to flicker and eventually burned out.

"Rachel! Rachel! Come on!"

Hailey excitedly whispered.

"What>"

Rachel asked, wondering what she had to say.

"Lets go explore the backrooms!"

Rachel looked at her confused. She knew they were not allowed back there.

"No! Are you crazy?"

"No, I am not, Rachel!"

Hailey grabbed Rachel by the arm, dragging her across the room until they say the door. They cracked it open and quietly tiptoed down the dark hallways.

"Look! There's on-"

Hailey got cut off by a concerning noise, a cackle sounding noise. They both jerked their heads back to see where the noise was coming from, nothing.

"What was that?"

Rachel said, gripping on Hailey.

"It was nothing. Chill out!"

Hailey and Rachel continued down the hall carefully. Once they finally got to the door, Hailey put her ear to the door, listening to hear any noises.

"I don't hear anything, let's go in here!"

Hailey whispered, carefully touching the door handle.

"Hailey, be quiet!"

Hailey continued at the handle. She couldn't seem to open it.

"I-It's stuck!"

Rachel face palmed herself, disappointed.

"Move, let me get it!"

Rachel grunted.

"Wow, it really is stuck, isn't it?"

Rachel asked, continually pulling on the door. Eventually, the door finally broke open and Rachel fell over.

"Rachel! You did it!"

Hailey yelled, jumping up and down.

"Hailey, shush."

Hailey giggled, helping Rachel off of the ground. They both stood there, in awe of the... empty room. They looked at eachother and sighed. They decided to walk in, just to see if there were any secrets. Just as the walked in, a loud crash formed. They both jumped, startled.

"Hailey? The door!"

Hailey looked back to see the door secured back on the frame. Minutes later, they heard the speakers blast with yet another announcement.

"Attention employees! The snow storm has passed! The doors have been unfrozen, meaning you are free to leave! Thank you for your patience."

The two girls looked at each other rushing to the door. They both worked together to try and get the door open again, but they couldn't. After minutes of trying, they heard the rustling of people rushing up the stairs, pressing the elevator buttons, and sighing of relief.

"HELP! HELP!"

Rachel called, banging on the door.

"Rachel, no one can hear us. We may just have to stay here until morning."

Rachel sat down, sighing. They looked at each other and started to talk to pass some time. They heard a creaking, thinking it was the door opening, but they found out it was the announcement speaker turning on.

"Rachel, Hailey. You made a bad decision coming in here. The sign clearly states that you are not to enter in here. For this action, you will receive a punishment."

Rachel and Hailey looked at eachother, frightened.

"What's our punishment, then?"

Hailey asked as she looked over to Rachel.

"Well, I want you to meet Tom."

A tarp from the ceiling, and there lay a dead, frozen body.

"30 years ago, Tom made the same dumb mistake you did. Tom Anker, a five star employee. He explored too, and this is what he paid for it."

Rachel started to bawl her eyes out, regretting her choices.

"Okay, sir, or ma'am; whatever you are, please let us out! Please!"

Hailey begged.

"I can't die! My children need me."

The room just got colder, their begging seemed to make the coldness worse. The two stared at the body, feeling their own bodies slowly turn into a cold, har, ice brick. As they cried, you could hear the room freezing, the cracking and creaking of the ice freezing slowly made their ears ring. They never expected this to happen.

"I told you both on the signs to not enter this room. You didn't listen, you pay the price. You think I have any pity or mercy for you? HA, no. You both are so stupid, thinking you can come in here and just escape?"

Rachel kept crying, making the situation more dreadful. Hailey started to tear up, but not enough to show her full emotions. As the two sat there in freezing cold misery, the speakers kept blasting, now playing horrid music.

"Make it stop!"

"Make it stop!"

The two girls yelled, plugging their ears. As the music played, it slowly got louder and louder and the room got colder and colder.

Hailey and Rachel felt their eyelids slowly freeze, their lungs and throat closing up. Hours later, the room was -20 degrees. They both could barely breathe anymore, and as their body slowly froze, the announcer made one more remark.

"So, next time you want to explore, don't go where the signs are."

The coldness was getting stronger. The music was getting louder. Hailey looked over at Rachel, she was breathing heavily.

"Rachel. Rachel!"

Hailey yelled, watching her friend fall. Rachel lay there, frozen.

"NO!"

Hailey cried, she was so upset that she was the one to put them in this position. She watched herself slowly fall as well. Her eyes slowly closed as she felt her eyelids getting heavy. As she breathed, she saw the air getting foggy with her breath. Hailey looked over at Rachel, and she cried.

"Why."

Hailey said, before slowly freezing to death. Her body was rock solid.

"I warned you with the sign I gave you. This is your punishment."