There are two office buildings in Midland, TX that I have been keeping my eye on for quite some time, looking for a POE to develop. To my utter shock, amazement and delight I found one today! I ran back to my car, grabbed my gear and paused. Do I really want to lug that tripod around? Normally I leave it behind but today I figured I may use it to do some bracketed shots from the roof or the top floor so I slung it over my shoulder and went in.
Overall the first two floors were pretty unimpressive. Typical high-rise offices, mostly empty, and shitty graffiti. I found the stairs and made my way up to the 3rd floor. Below are the only pics I got. But this is where things got interesting.
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As I opened the door from the stairs, I was in a small hallway that went left and right so I turned left and there was a door on my right. I could immediately smell that stale urine smell that you get in a lot of abandonments. As I opened the door, the first thing I noticed was a sleeping bag on the floor. I looked up to see the rest of the room, and noticed movement out to the corner of my eye to my right.
I was pretty startled, but just as I turned my head I saw a black guy dressed in dark clothing lunging at me! Call it instinct, call it fear, I have no idea but my left hand swung around just as this guy grabbed me and I hit him in the side of the head with the tripod.
I swung a few more times, I think a couple connected, but I was absolutely terrified! I ran back down the stairs and could hear the guy chasing me and yelling as I made my way back to the open door. Being a fat, middle-aged smoker, I cannot believe I made it out so fast. When I got back to my car I was shaking for 30 minutes and literally lighting one cigarette with another.
I have never been more scared in my entire life. Needless to say I will NOT be going back to that place again.