You were sitting at the kitchen table, like usual, hunched over your phone while absentmindedly scrolling through TikTok. Most of the feed was the same recycled stuff, but then one video caught your eye — a guy exploring an abandoned factory. The shaky camera, the echoes of footsteps, the peeling paint, and the way the flashlight beam cut through the darkness instantly pulled you in. As you watched, a thought struck you. It had been a long while since you and Spooky had gone urbexing together.

Without thinking twice, you set your phone down and went to tell her. When you brought up the idea, her eyes flicked toward you, curious but cautious. She asked if you even knew of a place worth checking out. That’s when it came to you like a jolt, the abandoned asylum on the edge of town. Just the mention of it made her shift uncomfortably. She admitted it sounded creepy, like the kind of place horror movies used as a setting, but she wasn’t about to back down. Not wanting to look like a wuss, she finally said “yes.”

The two of you started gearing up. Mold masks for the rot and mildew. Flashlights with backup batteries. A first aid kit, because experience taught you never to be too careful. And of course, Spooky grabbed her club, a familiar, worn piece of wood she always brought on risky ventures. It wasn’t for show. If something jumped out, she wanted to be ready.

Soon after, you climbed onto the back of Spooky’s bike. The ride out was long, the cool night air rushing past as the streetlights faded and the roads grew emptier. The asylum sat far from the bustle, swallowed by weeds, cracked pavement, and the smell of damp earth. When you finally rolled up, its silhouette loomed in the dark — tall, hollow, and broken.

But there was a problem. The front gate, corroded with rust, was wrapped tight with a thick, heavy chain. It looked ancient, but still solid enough that brute force alone wouldn’t be easy.

Spooky leaned her bike against the gate, pulling a Pocky stick from the crinkling packet. She bit down on it, chewing slowly as her eyes flicked over the chain, then back at you. She looked half irritated, half amused, her body language casual in contrast to the eerie setting.

She tilted her head, her voice calm but sharp as she asked “Now what?”