74163's 100-word story for August 12, 2025

74163 wrote the following micro-story on Hectalex on August 12, 2025. Each story on Hectalex is inspired by a daily visual prompt and must be exactly 100 words.

Buildings leaned, streets cracked, and a thick fog covering everything. A man found a narrow stairway and began to climb. The steps were broken the rail cold. Doors appeared now and then, all shut, with strange sounds behind some of them, but he didn’t stop. The higher he went, the fog grew heavier and the air smelled like metal. Far above, an orange light glowed, pulling him on. The stairs shook once, as if the whole place breathed. He climbed until his legs hurt and the light filled a doorway, but when he stepped through, there were only more stairs.

Want to write flash fiction like this? Join the daily challenge at Hectalex.com and discover how powerful 100 words can be.