๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1324 points ยท Posted at 20:10:15 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
It has been said that the definition of insanity is โdoing the same thing over and over and expecting different resultsโ. I understand the sentiment behind the saying, but itโs wrong.
I entered the building on a bet. I was strapped for cash and didnโt buy into the old legends of the hotel to begin with, so fifty bucks was more than enough to get me do it. It was simple. Just reach the top floor, the 45th floor, shine my flashlight from a window.
The hotel was old and broken, including the elevator, so that meant hiking up the stairs. So up the stairs I went. As I reached each platform, I noted the old brass plaques displaying the floor numbers. 15, 16, 17, 18. I felt a little tired as I crept higher, but so far, no ghosts, no cannibals, no demons. Piece of cake.
I canโt tell you how happy I was as I entered that last stretch of numbers. I joyfully counted them aloud at each platform. 40,41,42,43, 44, 44. I stopped and looked back down the stairs. I must have miscounted, so I continued up. 44. One more flight. 44. And then down ten flights. 44. Fifteen flights. 44.
And so itโs been for as long as I can remember. So really, insanity isnโt doing something repeatedly and expecting different results. Itโs knowing that the results will never ever change; that each door leads to the same staircase, to the same number. Itโs realizing you no longer fall asleep. Itโs not knowing whether youโve been running for days or weeks or years. Itโs when the sobbing slowly turns into laughter.
[deleted] ยท 118 points ยท Posted at 22:02:53 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Definitely the best story in a month or so.
SJCavanagh ยท 36 points ยท Posted at 22:51:31 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Yep. I've seen the concept plenty of times before, but the voice and the ending really nailed it.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 13 points ยท Posted at 21:47:00 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
ProcrastinHater ยท 47 points ยท Posted at 22:51:33 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
That's fucking terrifying.
StaciaMarine ยท 39 points ยท Posted at 23:12:58 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
The last line gave me chills. Great job.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 21:47:10 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
Sherlockiana ยท 21 points ยท Posted at 07:32:11 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Brilliant. I love creeping horror like this. No jump scare, no maniacs in the closet, just unexplained terrifying occurrences.
Great job. Write more!
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 21:47:45 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks! I definitely am looking forward to writing more!
ThatsLovelyWow ยท 12 points ยท Posted at 07:01:36 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Does this remind anyone of the Myth of Sisyphus?
EtTuTortilla ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 19:42:30 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
The town of Boulder, Colorado was named after that myth.
badavetheman ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 11:38:51 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
I was uneducated on that subject until I saw Triangle
[deleted] ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 00:59:09 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Try jumping out of the window.
RampanToast ยท 24 points ยท Posted at 02:11:19 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
If they're in a stairwell, it's likely that there aren't any windows, or that they are on the smaller side.
RampanToast ยท 15 points ยท Posted at 02:11:48 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Also, jumping from the 44th floor probably wouldn't be a good idea to begin with.
Von_Moistus ยท 96 points ยท Posted at 02:38:54 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
I imagine that after a few dozen years, jumping out of a 44th floor window starts to sound like a great idea.
RampanToast ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 07:15:58 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
A very valid point!
HotTyre ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 07:18:50 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Jumping out is always a great idea. Ask fire victims.
you_killed_my_father ยท 7 points ยท Posted at 14:33:14 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Chills man as this story reminds me a bit of Grave Encounters.
the_itch ยท 5 points ยท Posted at 17:03:05 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
I think you're in the stairway of The Grand Hotel.
dastard82 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 19:23:55 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
I'd just throw myself down the steps at that point and hope I snap y neck.
ctoan8 ยท 4 points ยท Posted at 13:29:18 on December 4, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Just discovered this subreddit, 5 months late but I'll leave a comment anyway: this story is very good OP, short but terrifying.
RoachGirl ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 01:40:05 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Best in a while, I really dig this one.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:48:13 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
neocommenter ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 19:19:16 on July 20, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Did this remind anyone of the staircase from the book House of Leaves?
[deleted] ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:24:29 on December 22, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
That last line topped it all off for me
Motrok ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 23:24:02 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Really liked it. Good job.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 22:18:34 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
MexPistol ยท 6 points ยท Posted at 23:59:21 on June 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
I agree. Best story in a while.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:47:55 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
HardlyImpressive ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 01:50:29 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Echoes of 1408
i7acoz ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:30:20 on October 2, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Definitely reminds me of Grave Encounters
garlicpickle ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:29:57 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
This is amazing.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:48:26 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Glad you enjoyed it!
this_raccoon ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 03:32:33 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Excellent work.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:48:39 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
JMFargo ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:10:38 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
This is fantastic.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:49:00 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
EtTuTortilla ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:41:05 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Dig it.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 21:49:28 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
echoes007 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 20:03:11 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Fuck, this was amazing! GREAT job!
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 21:49:18 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
hahaha, thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it!
RebeccaOTool ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 14:42:05 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Reminds me of King's 1408. Nice job!
SSG_Sack ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:16:06 on July 7, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
wooooooooooooooow. mind=blown
lordcarnage ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 16:03:19 on July 10, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Just found this incredible story....you very well captured the insanity here! Well done!
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 2 points ยท Posted at 23:04:42 on July 10, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
HalfCatWerepire ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:14:57 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
GG
keekeetaylor ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 04:48:46 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
44th comment
halfwayxthere ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 02:25:27 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Creepy, I like it!
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 01:47:02 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Thanks!
Renholder5x ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 19:21:03 on June 26, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
What happens if you try to jump out a window?
SunshineOceanEyes ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 18:59:40 on July 25, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
If there are no windows on the staircase of the 44th floor... Then why couldn't he have gone into the 44th floor and jumped out of a window?
indefort ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 09:44:49 on October 5, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
[deleted] ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 02:45:48 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)*
[deleted]
[deleted] ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 23:22:45 on July 11, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
in that story, the levels changed and I assume would get harder. OP was stuck in a Groundhog Day like state, but a place instead of a day
nstuder17 ยท -1 points ยท Posted at 16:32:15 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
So presumably this person is not walking back down the stairs (for some reason they can't?) if they're not attempting to walk back down the stairs then that implies that the person is assuming that the next floor will be the 45th since they continue to climb. This means that the definition of insanity is correct. The person looks back down the stairs and counts up to 44 which means he can see the bottom and a rational person would climb back down, this person isn't doing that so their insanity fits the normal definition.
๐๏ธ Lloiu ยท 3 points ยท Posted at 17:01:02 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Actually, after going up two more flights, he goes down 10, sees the number is still 44, goes down another 15 and realizes that it's always 44 no matter how far he goes up and down.
nstuder17 ยท 1 points ยท Posted at 17:08:25 on June 27, 2014 ยท (Permalink)
Indeed, I misread the story as going up 10-15 instead of down. My mistake, nonetheless I enjoyed the story quite a bit.