… At least it was cooler on the inside of the building than it was outside on the streets. Which was surprising 'cause it looked like this place could heat up like a barn, nothing but a wooden complex, sparce of windows or brick walling. How did a studio like this keep its support? Wouldn't it be better to build with sturdier material for larger structures? Sure, your profession wasn't in Construction, but you are working in the trades. You could even write to ask a colleague what they thought about its safety, right? 'No, no – this isn't your business!'
Burtrum purposefully bumps your shoulder on the way around you to lead the way, and you realize embarrassingly you'd been gaping the whole time, mouth formed into a little 'o' shape, while taking in the... oddly decorated lobby. His hat has been placed on one of the coat hooks near the front door so he brushes his hand through his graying gelled hair. Without spending too much more time inside you hurry after him anxiously moving one foot hurriedly after the other wrestling with the fear of tripping over one of the many bags or boxes cluttered about, following without a second thought into a nearly pitch-black hallway and leave the still mail room behind.
When seeing your surroundings suddenly doesn't become on option any longer you rely best you can on your other senses, like the strong scent of cigar smoke so you know Bertie is still close by or when you hear the click of that familiar lighter making a reappearance. Poor Bertie sounds to be struggling with it a bit in the dark surprisingly. 'With how many times he uses the thing I'm surprised he can't light it without looking' you roll your eyes at the thought since he can't see you at the moment. Now that you think about it... its odd for the power to be out; Did he get instructions to come in this early for the interview? Or were we too early that the studio hasn't been opened by any of the managers yet? Do the employees just have another entrance way? 'Yeah, yeah... that could be it. We could have just taken a difference entrance to stay out of the way of workers!'
Suddenly, the lighter flicks to life! Casting shadows that bubble around you two and blanket its small area with a warm glow. Now that you can see, you don't waste another moment to take a look around at what's in view to find where walking in the dark had let you two just fit in the honestly claustrophobic feeling thin hallway, that's- you freeze, absolutely and completely, when suddenly another scent assaults your scenes. Something smelled. Not like the old dead oak plants, or the humidity's weather sweat, but something new, strong enough and off beat. You were facing just behind you but not looking and swipe your eyes around to find the source of whatever that close could be. Was it... Plastic? Or burning trash? Like when you've left the spatula over the stove top, or food in the pan to long that the meats gone hard and crumbled like ash OR—something solid reaches from the dark.
A burning hand,
The ground below groans loudly, so hard that it shakes the walls that you flinch violently as the terrible awful ambiance passes. The shadows move with the rumbles that they shake like curtains caught in a windy breeze and seem to split completely to make room for the thing poking out of the darkness.
A Human hand,
Its 5 whole dainty and claw like digest attached to a thin hand only just detailed enough with the current amount of light, where it reaches out and out till its wrist and arm disappear into the void behind its reach-
An inky-
Someone grasps your shoulder and you don't even fight the scream of fright. Great uncle Piedmont does NOT look amused, the lighter close up to his face to broadcast his glare with the only source of light nearby. He grumbles to himself for a bit while shoving you In front of him quickly stomping on his way again hopefully out into an open room again soon. Thankfully in no time at all you're quickly greeted by a much brighter and natural source of light. You enter the lively room by yourself first, absolutely lost for words to find it filled with nice and dresses up looking people similar to yourself. Dead center of it all is a confident and beaming man just oozing charisma and high stature with the others completely enraptured by whatever crap he's spouting. But, just as soon as you've entered the room the next beat that passes, he's suddenly got his attention on you, just you, like not of the crowd is even present any longer and gives a beaming smile like the dang cartoon characters them self they're so endearingly proud of and says "Mx. Reader, how lovely of you to make it! Oh, and you too Bertie!" Burtrum comes out from behind where he's caught up from just outside the hallway to shake hands somewhat stiffly with the man center stage. Mr. Drew doesn't waste any time and strides up offer you his hand...
No matter what now, there can't be any turning back.