Behind the Lens: contos, #1

By Ricardo Almeida

Embark on a riveting journey into the mysterious world of a night watchman, where the humdrum task of monitoring security cameras transforms into a heart-pounding odyssey of secrecy and anomalies. In this compelling narrative, the author, bound by legal constraints and personal safety, unravels the enigmatic layers of their occupation.

As you delve into the shadows of an old government building, witness the author's meticulous dance with danger as they navigate through a labyrinth of confidentiality. The narrative is a tantalizing blend of caution and curiosity, offering a glimpse into a realm where every detail holds significance.

From clandestine offer letters to vague administrative dealings, the author's pursuit of legitimacy sets the stage for a tale that transcends the ordinary. Discover the captivating rhythm of a night watchman's life, where the mundane facade crumbles to reveal a reality tinged with suspense and apprehension.

Feel the pulse quicken as the author recounts eerie encounters captured by vigilant CCTV feeds. The seemingly routine task of monitoring entrances, elevators, and hallways takes a chilling turn when a chair's inexplicable shift becomes a harbinger of unforeseen events. Gripped by the urgency of secrecy, the author meticulously documents every detail, weaving a narrative that draws you into the unsettling cadence of their nocturnal existence.

As you journey through the author's experiences, each chapter unveils a layer of the building's mysteries—a lobby that defies incidents, a dumpster that breaks its nightly routine, and the haunting quietude that amplifies the significance of every keystroke. The story crescendos with an unsettling realization, as the author's heightened senses detect an ominous silence broken only by the faint echo of their own heartbeat.

Join the night watchman on this immersive odyssey, where the boundaries between the ordinary and the extraordinary blur, leaving you breathless in the face of the unknown. "Silent Sentinel: Chronicles of a Night Watchman" is more than a tale; it's an exploration of the fine line between fear and survival, revealing that sometimes, the right amount of fear is what keeps us alive and whole.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ricardo Almeida
• Release date: Nov 18, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223290278

Book preview

Table of Contents

Behind the Lens (contos, #1)

I have an idea of what you might already be thinking.

How could something as boring as watching security cameras in an old government building for

8 hours a night be worthy of a post on these strange experiences blog?

Well, let's just say that there's more to my occupation than meets the eye.

For legal, personal and common sense reasons, I can't give out my personal details or any

specific information about the organization that I'm employed with.

In doing so could legitimately jeopardize my job and even put me in danger.

So my name and other personal details I do divulge will either be modified or made up

simply for the purpose of preserving my own security.

However, I have some things that I want to get off my chest, things that I'm going

to type up and throw out into the void that is the internet.

I just want people out there to know that things in life aren't how they seem at first glance.

To start off, I've been working at this current branch for the past 3 years and I had an apply

through indeed, word of mouth or any sort of official job posting.

Now I simply received a detailed offer letter in the mail from my current supervisor, outlining

the duties and salary for the position.

I went out of my way to call the phone number and visit the location of the building to

make sure that it was legitimate, but they were pretty quick to prove that it was.

Although I have to add they were purposefully vague on some parts here and there and the

reason as to why it will become more clear later on.

A few members of higher up administration handed me what amounted to a stack of paperwork

and contractual documents, which I was required to read through and sign if I desired to obtain

the position.

Most of it was your typical liability and benefit things with a bit of NDA stuff thrown in there

as well, but it was never really clear on what it is that I wasn't supposed to discuss

publicly, just the general operations of my position were to be kept on the Diala.

As I stated before, it's my job to keep a close eye on CCTV feeds and to cycle through

security cameras that are set up throughout the building that I work in.

What I failed to mention earlier however is what I'm supposed to do when I notice something

that isn't quite right.

You see I'm not a security guard, nor am I supposed to even leave the office that I'm

barricade inside of whenever I'm on duty.

Not until my shift is over, and not a minute sooner, instead I'm supposed to take detailed

notes and documentation of what I'm seeing and how it is affecting the surrounding environment

of whatever is within the frame of the camera.

There's the usual stuff of trespassers and to animals finding their way onto the property,

but there are also things that you wouldn't usually see in your average day to day.

I'll start with an experience from my 12th shift or so.

I had come in like any other occasion hung up my coat, prepared my documentation book

as well as getting myself clocked in, locked up, and to barricade it inside the office.

The area in which I conducted my work was a large metallic desk against a wall that had

seven different monitors mounted on it.

Each one displays a feed from one of these seven cameras as set up throughout the building.

I'll be someone vague in my descriptions of the layout of the building for my own safety.

Number one watched the entrance to the building area as I called it the lobby, which was a

30 by 30 room that mainly consisted of the reception desk and array of couches and chairs,

as well as an unlit fireplace whose usage was reserved for the winter months.

Camera two was focused on the inside of the building's elevator, which is what you would

expect.

Number three was set up at the beginning of the main hallway, with three doors along it,

two on the right wall, and one on the left.

The one on the left being a bathroom while the two doors on the right led into an administrative

and entry level office.

Both are separated by a simple wall between them.

Cameras four and five sat in the corner of these offices while cameras six and seven

watched the exterior of the building.

Next was in the front while seven was focused on the back.

The first couple hours of the night were rather uneventful and mainly consisted of me listening

to music while doodling in a notebook that I had brought with me.

The previous night leading up had been pretty much the same, and it seemed like it was going

to stay that way, until I noticed something strange on camera four, which was the camera

that had watched the administrative office.

My first glance, especially if somebody wasn't too familiar with the details of the room,

I had trained for days on end and I was tested on my memory of the details of the layout

and the furniture arrangement of each room.

It wouldn't be anything noticeable but to me, it was more than clear that something had

changed.

There was a chair that was previously pushed in under a desk towards the corner of the

room, but it was now pushed out and turned at a 90 degree angle.

I know how it sounds.

How could something like that even matter?

I probably mis-remembered how it was positioned during my imagination was playing tricks on

me.

Now, this was something that I needed to be reported and nipped in the bud by the right

people.

So I documented what I saw down to the second when I first noticed the change, and I kept

it front and center of