El Último Turno
(The Last Shift)
Marcos llevaba tres meses trabajando como vigilante nocturno en el antiguo hospital de San Julian.
Marcos had been working as a night watchman at the old San Julian hospital for three months.
El edificio habia cerrado hacia años, pero la empresa propietaria necesitaba que alguien lo vigilara.
The building had closed years ago, but the owning company needed someone to watch over it.
Al principio, Marcos pensaba que seria un trabajo tranquilo.
At first, Marcos thought it would be a quiet job.
Sin embargo, desde la primera noche, sentia que algo no estaba bien.
However, from the first night, he felt that something was not right.
Los pasillos eran demasiado largos, las sombras se movian de maneras que no deberian, y a veces oia pasos donde no habia nadie.
The corridors were too long, the shadows moved in ways they shouldn't, and sometimes he heard footsteps where there was nobody.
Esa noche de noviembre, Marcos estaba sentado en la garita de seguridad cuando la radio emitio un sonido extrano.
That November night, Marcos was sitting in the security booth when the radio emitted a strange sound.
No era interferencia normal.
It was not normal interference.
Era una voz.
It was a voice.
Habitación... trescientos... doce..., susurraba la voz entre la estatica.
Room... three... hundred... and twelve... the voice whispered through the static.
Marcos se quedo paralizado.
Marcos froze.
Sabia que esa habitación existia en la tercera planta, una zona que siempre evitaba.
He knew that room existed on the third floor, an area he always avoided.
De hecho, su compañero anterior le habia dicho que era mejor que nunca subiera allí.
In fact, his predecessor had told him it was better that he never went up there.
No obstante, algo le empujaba a ir.
Nevertheless, something was pushing him to go.
Se levanto, cogio la linterna y camino hacia las escaleras.
He stood up, grabbed the torch and walked towards the stairs.
Cada escalon crujia bajo sus pies.
Each step creaked under his feet.
El aire se volvia mas frio a medida que subia.
The air grew colder as he climbed.
Cuando llego a la tercera planta, el pasillo estaba completamente oscuro.
When he reached the third floor, the corridor was completely dark.
La linterna parpadeo dos veces y se apago.
The torch flickered twice and went out.
Marcos intento encenderla de nuevo, pero no funcionaba.
Marcos tried to turn it on again, but it didn't work.
Entonces, al fondo del pasillo, vio una luz palida que salia de debajo de una puerta.
Then, at the end of the corridor, he saw a pale light coming out from under a door.
Era la habitación trescientos doce.
It was room three hundred and twelve.
Marcos abrio la puerta lentamente.
Marcos opened the door slowly.
Dentro, la habitación estaba vacia excepto por una silla en el centro y un espejo roto en la pared.
Inside, the room was empty except for a chair in the centre and a broken mirror on the wall.
En el espejo, su reflejo no se movia con el.
In the mirror, his reflection was not moving with him.
Le miraba fijamente, con una sonrisa que Marcos no estaba haciendo.
It was staring at him, with a smile that Marcos was not making.
Llevas mucho tiempo aquí, dijo el reflejo.
You have been here a long time, said the reflection.
Pero no te preocupes.
But don't worry.
Ya no tendras que irte nunca.
You won't ever have to leave.
A la mañana siguiente, la empresa de seguridad llamo a Marcos, pero nadie contesto.
The next morning, the security company called Marcos, but nobody answered.
Enviaron a otro vigilante, un hombre llamado Diego.
They sent another watchman, a man called Diego.
Diego encontro la garita vacia.
Diego found the booth empty.
La radio emitia estatica.
The radio was emitting static.
Subio a la tercera planta y abrio la puerta de la habitación trescientos doce.
He went up to the third floor and opened the door of room three hundred and twelve.
La silla estaba en el centro.
The chair was in the centre.
El espejo seguia roto.
The mirror was still broken.
Pero ahora, dentro del espejo, habia dos figuras que sonreian.
But now, inside the mirror, there were two figures smiling.
Diego se dio la vuelta para salir, pero la puerta ya se habia cerrado.
Diego turned around to leave, but the door had already closed.
Key Vocabulary
el vigilante nocturno the night watchman
la garita the booth, the guard post
la linterna the torch, the flashlight
parpadear to flicker, to blink
el reflejo the reflection
quedarse paralizado/a to freeze (with fear), to become paralysed
crujir to creak, to crunch
darse la vuelta to turn around