Welcome to The Annex.
The taxi pulls away before you can ask the driver if he's sure this is the right address. The building looms in front of you — a brutalist concrete tower, maybe fifteen floors, with windows that don't seem to line up properly. Some are dark. A few flicker with warm light. One, near the top, pulses a faint blue.
The lobby smells like old carpet and lavender. A single fluorescent bulb hums overhead. There's a worn wooden desk with no one behind it, and a guest book open to a fresh page. A pen on a string dangles beside it.
Taped to the desk is a laminated sheet. It reads:
WELCOME, NEW RESIDENT — PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
- Your room has been assigned. Keys are in the envelope on this desk.
- Nightly wall protocol begins at 10:00 PM sharp. Do not be late.
- Meals are communal. Dining hall hours: 7–9 AM, 6–8 PM.
- The Owner is not available for casual inquiries. Submit requests in writing to the desk.
- Do not enter the hallway on the 13th floor after midnight.
There are a few more items on the list, but they've been smudged beyond legibility.
You notice your name is already written in the guest book — along with your room number. Someone knew you were coming.
What do you do?