Cerulean waves swept forth, chasing after two brothers. Seagulls squawked above their heads with narrowed eyes and sharp cries. Bitterness cut through each bird as they circled around, desperate to find more food. The tuna sandwiches had been scarfed down by the boys so quickly, the seagulls had been left to fend for themselves. Humans needed to eat, too. They swung down with open talons and climbed back into the darkening skies. Stomachs grumbled, the tides shifted, and a newfound wind swept feathers and hair alike back.Β
Coconut sunblock slathered into skin and clung to bodies. Waterproof and untouched, it kept skin safe from the hidden sun. The waves rolled up the bank and the taller boy laughed. He spun around and ran back to the safety of the distant sand bank. His brother chased after him, struggling to keep up with his shorter legs. Foamy water nipped at his ankles, threatening to grab him and tug him back into the waves.Β
Hyunjin kept an eye on them through the dark lenses of his sunglasses. Arms tucked above his head, his bare abs sat on full display. Black swim trunks covered his lower half. Portable beach chairs had been the best decision he made. You hesitated, unsure if you should bring them along, but his insistence won in the end. The two of you laid a few feet from each other.Β
Your body mimicked his, legs sprawled out and resting over the woven fabric. Your ankles crossed over one another and a book laid on your stomach. You looked up from your fictional story when you heard the shriek of your younger son. The salt-scented ocean washed away most of your worries, but it was cut short when thunder rumbled in the distance. You pushed yourself to your elbows and glanced up.Β
If Hyunjin saw the worried look on your face, he ignored it. Instead, his eyes remained focused on your sons. "This is the happiest I've seen the two of them in so long. It's been a while since they've been this care free."Β
Your eyes flickered in the direction. Regret rippled around your heart and you swallowed the guilt. "Yeah, something like that."Β
As much as you hated to admit it, your family was on the verge of a structure collapse. You stared at the crumpled tower of cards, but you didn't know where it was going wrong. Everything between you and Hyunjin was fine until it wasn't. Nothing stuck out. No major life changes, no career changes, not another child, no death in the family, but something had changed somewhere. Faulty wiring sparked, threatening to burn down the entire family, but the two of you chose to ignore it.Β
Distance grew between the two of you. Your temper with one another grew shorter. You grew annoyed at Hyunjin over minor things and he resented you for it. He was still the most attractive man you'd ever laid your eyes upon, but the love you once shared sputtered and spat. The engine threatened to give out and once the two of you admitted it, you weren't sure what would happen.Β
Who took the kids? The house? Where would you live? Lots of kids have parents that divorce. The two of you would remain civil, you were certain, for the benefit of the kids. Your eight-year-old and sixteen-year-old didn't need to bear the burden of the split. You'd bring them together and tell them things would be different. It'd hurt and you could see the tears welling in your youngest son's eyes already, but what more could you say?Β
The golden wedding ring sat on your left ring finger, but it didn't bring you the same joy when you looked at it anymore. The love melted and drained, leaving nothing, but a hollow ache in your heart when you saw it again. Hyunjin's golden ring sat on his own hand. Life went on. The days passed, you kept putting it on every morning, but you didn't care about your wedding anniversary this year. It passed on by, just like any other day. No point in celebrating a loveless marriage.Β
"Should we pack up and head back?" You asked Hyunjin.Β
"Meh." He reached up a hand and tugged it through his onyx hair. "We should, but they're having so much fun. I've been worrying about them. The kids are different and they don't seem to open up as much." His lips dipped into a frown. "I wish we lived in a place like this. It'd be good for them to get out and enjoy the sun more."Β
You hummed in agreement. For the past two weeks, the two of your sons remained out of sight for the most part. When you called for meals, they came out of their rooms, practically salivating. Usual long conversations had been cut short. They didn't want to stick around and talk to either of you. You couldn't blame the pair. The whole house felt the tension growing between you and your husband.Β
A distant rumble groaned, reminding you that the incoming storm was nearly here. Hyunjin sighed and tugged off his sunglasses. "So much for finishing our nice beach day. It's not often you come to the beach and find it empty."Β
"Probably because of the storm. We can come back another day. We have the rental for three days. Maybe tomorrow it'll be sunny again and we can pick up where we left off."Β
"Yeah, I hope so." He shoved himself to his feet and adjusted the sunglasses to sit on the top of his head. The wire frame tucked behind the back of his ears. "Boys!" He called out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Get out of the water! It's not safe!"Β
You pushed your book shut and sat up as well. Both of your sons came running in your direction. They resembled their father in different ways. Suwon had been born first, without a head of hair. Nowadays, he keeps the thick strands of russet hair long. Bangs parted and swooped down, framing his face. As a teenager, he'd grown into his features. Thanks to Hyunjin's genetics, the sharp features sat in both kids. They'd been granted your eye color and the same way your mouth tugged into a familiar smile.
Haru was still a boy. His bangs lined half his forehead. His hair was shorter than his older brother's. He hated the way the summer heat made his head itch. The first week into summer, the eight-year-old walked to his father with a pair of clippers. "Can you cut my hair? Dad, I'm dying. It's too hot. My hair is too thick."Β
Hyunjin studied his son's face for a few seconds before shaking his head. He reached for his hand, tugging the electric clippers away. "Don't worry, we'll fix this." He locked their hands together, grabbed his car key, and drove him to the nearest barber shop. A trained professional would do much better than he ever could.Β
Haru came home with a buzz-cut, grinning ear-to-ear. You were caught off guard at first sight, but when Hyunjin explained, you understood the reasoning immediately. That explained why you came home and found the electric clippers on the counter. At least one of your kids wasn't running around with a horrible haircut.Β
You brushed off the memory and the bit of sand on your chair. As your sons approached, you reached down into the oversized tote bag you brought with you. "Here." You pulled out two matching blue and white striped beach towels. "Take these and dry off. We've gotta get back to the house."Β
"I didn't know it was supposed to storm." Suwon grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his shoulders. "What a buzzkill. We were having a blast."Β
"Did you see us?" Haru asked. "Dad, did you see that wave? It was huge!"Β
"Yeah, buddy, I saw it."Β
Thankfully, you didn't have to worry too much about your kids in the water. When the boys were younger, you and Hyunjin came up with strict rules about swimming and the kids always obeyed them for their safety and your peace of mind. They couldn't swim alone and if they were in the ocean, they couldn't swim too far from the shore. If there were lifeguards, they could swim a bit further from shore, but not much. You and Hyunjin did your best to ensure their safety.Β
When they were toddlers, the two of you took turns taking them to swim practice. Back when Suwon was younger, he refused to swim until he realized it meant he could screw around with his father in the pool. Each day, his limbs grew stronger as he cut through the water with his limbs pulsing. Before you knew it, he was keeping up with Hyunjin, grabbing at his feet and tugging him beneath the water in playful fights.Β
Your husband knew how to kick the theatrics into high gear. He dipped beneath the water with his hands above his head. He'd stay beneath for a few seconds and pop up, spitting out a mouthful of water. As you watched from the edge of the inflatable pool in your backyard, he'd tattle on his son, proclaiming Suwon was trying to kill him. Suwon would laugh and laugh, giggling at Hyunjin's narrowed eyes and dramatic huffs. You couldn't stop yourself from chuckling at his shenanigans.Β
That'd been years ago now. Haru was different. When he joined swim lessons, he jumped straight into the deep end without warning. Your eyes widened and the life guard jumped in right after him. When the two reached the surface, Haru rubbed his chlorine-filled eyes and started giggling. Unlike most kids that age, he didn't fear the water. His toothless grin nearly gave you a heart attack. By the end of the first lesson, he was doggy paddling around the community pool.Β
Electricity danced and fractured through the open sky. The four of you glanced up and watched it cut down over the water. Without anything blocking its view, fascination filled your veins. Despite the danger of electricity near water, you couldn't tug your eyes away. Danger lurked as thunder clapped, reminding you the rain was about to hit.Β
"Let's grab this stuff and go," Hyunjin called out. He grabbed his folded chair and laced his fingers around the top of the cooler. "I wanna get out of here before the rain starts."Β
Suwon grabbed his own bag and stuck close to Haru. Finally snapping out of it, you collapsed your own chair and slung the tote bag over your shoulder. Haru pulled his towel over his head and curled himself in it. "It was fun while it lasted, but I wish we could stay here longer."Β Β
"We'll try again tomorrow."Β
Hyunjin's words seemed to soothe Haru's stint of sadness. He waddled over to Suwon, nearly losing his footing in the uneven sand. "Can I carry something? I want to help."Β
Suwon shoved his bag into his little brother's arms. "Since you're so determined, this is all I have. I didn't want to carry it all the way back, so thanks."Β
Haru slipped back, struggling to carry the weight, but he managed. He shifted the backpack and threw a strap of the black fabric over his shoulder. "What's in this?"Β
"A bunch of stuff."Β
You lingered behind your family, glancing back to make sure you didn't leave anything behind. The only proof of your lounging were the indents along the sand where the chairs had been. You and Hyunjin came to an agreement a few weeks ago, both of you needed a break. Somewhere fresh, out of the chaos of work and usual parenting cycle, even your sons could use a break. After looking around a few places online, you found a place a few hours from home.Β
Someone listed their beach vacation home on Airbnb for a discounted rate and you jumped at the chance. For the next three days, you'd be tucked along the outside of a quaint town. Home to a couple thousand people, it was packed full of small museums, an art gallery, and plenty of small businesses. Cottage rentals, summer events, and family-friendly fun made it an ideal destination. From what you understood about the town, it was a hidden gem.Β
You walked for about ten minutes until you climbed back up the wooden steps to reach the front door of your rental. Hyunjin unlocked the door and you all ventured inside. As the kids pulled off their towels and Haru dropped Suwon's bag, you let out a sigh of relief. A sharp clap of thunder sounded and the sudden downpour of rain cut loose.Β
You made it inside just in time.Β
In the light casting from the TV, the Hwang family sat around the living room. You and Hyunjin sat on opposite sides of the leather couch. Your legs hung off the edge and Hyunjin curled up, keeping his arms around himself. Haru's head leaned against your bare calves. His eyes dropped with sleep whereas Suwon's attention focused on the salted popcorn in front of him. He scooped up another piece and popped it into his mouth.
The aroma of Italian spices and pepperoni lingered from the distant kitchen. The rain defeated all your plans for the day, causing you to spend the entire afternoon inside the beach cottage. It wasn't that bad. Despite the dreary skies and cold rain, the hosts kept the place painted with a plethora of soft blues, greens, and yellows. Upbeat quotes and beach decor littered the inside.Β
Light switch panels sat decorated with tiny seashells. One of the side tables in your room, the base had been created from stained oars, encapsulating a vintage look. In the kitchen, you got a kick out of a plastic blue crab. In its claws, it held a small salt and pepper shaker. Woven baskets, wooden fixtures, starfish, and seashells, there was always something to look at.Β
Instead of going out to eat, the four of you decided on pizza from a local pizza place. It'd been a while since your family held a family movie night. From the weather forecast, tomorrow looked better. A warmer temperature with partly-sunny skies, it'd be better than today. Your hopes for today's adventure washed out with the rain.Β
Haru busted into a fit of giggles at something one of the chipmunks said. You left the movie decision up to the kids and in the end, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked had won. It sounded good enough to you and Hyunjin. The singing chipmunks had their own beach adventure on a deserted island after their cruise went wrong.Β
"He's just like Suwon." Hyunjin spoke up.Β
"Huh?" Suwon's head turned in his father's direction. He paused eating his popcorn with a hand halfway to his mouth. "What?"Β
"Alvin is just like you, mouthy and a pain in my butt at times."Β
"Well, you deserve it sometimes, so..."Β
You laughed. Hyunjin wasn't wrong. Numerous times in the past, Suwon grew mouthy with both you and Hyunjin. You didn't mind it much. Teenagers were expected to have an edge of bitterness every so often. That was part of life, but Hyunjin didn't find it humorous. His brief lecture would be cut short with Suwon rolling his eyes or walking away mid-talk. Hyunjin's empty threats to ground him from video games were meaningless. He never meant what he said.Β
Suwon huffed and shifted, adjusting his spot. He sat criss-cross in a leather chair beside the couch. His weight shifted to the left and he stretched out his legs, propping himself up on his elbow. Your eyes went back to the screen, just in time to watch the talking chipmunks attempt to make a fire.Β
Your attention was cut short by the sound of knocking from behind Suwon's head. Your head changed directions and Suwon froze. Haru didn't pay attention to the noise, but Hyunjin heard it as well. He reached for the remote and hit the pause button, cutting out the film's volume.Β
"Dad!" Haru groaned. "What'd you do that for?"Β
"Did you hear that?"Β
"Hear what?"Β
You exchanged a glance with your older son. His brows furrowed and he gestured behind him, pointing to the sliding glass door. "Who would be here at this time? I thought the hosts said we'd be alone."Β
"They're probably just-"Β
Bang!Β
Glass shattered into spiderweb cracks. Haru jumped by your feet and you jerked yourself upright. Suwon rushed from his seat, immediately heading closer to you and your husband. "What the fuck was that?"Β
A single silhouette stood illuminated along the glass sliding door. Your heart skipped a beat and you tugged Haru up. Pushing him over to Suwon, you positioned yourself by Hyunjin. The two of you would do whatever it took to keep your kids safe.Β
Bang!Β
Glass continued to fracture, causing Haru to scream. Hyunjin shifted and nudged Suwon towards the stairs. "Take Haru and go upstairs!"Β
"But Dad-"Β
"Now!" He shoved his son and turned back to you.Β
Your fingers shakily pressed the emergency call button on your phone. Footsteps rushed up the stairs and you hit the dial button. The phone rang, but nobody picked up. Fear gnawed at your heart. You grabbed Hyunjin's wrist and the two of you stepped further back.Β
"What's taking so long?"Β
"It's not connecting! Nobody is picking up!"Β
Glass shattered. Your heart plummeted. Bloody fingers wormed their way through the fractured hole. Shards scraped along the skin, ripping it apart and causing blood to bloom. You ended the phone call and tried to dial again, but the same results awaited you. The wrist curled upright and fingers danced over the locking mechanism.Β
Hyunjin grabbed the back of your shirt and shoved you behind him. Just as he did, another hand tucked away the wrist from the open glass. Replaced by a non-bloodied hand, fingers slipped inside and glided to the locking mechanism with ease. A faint click sounded and the door slid open to reveal four figures. In what light flooded the room through the TV, you couldn't breathe.Β
Dark red jumpsuits covered each of them. They walked in and arranged themselves side-by-side. You weakly uttered Hyunjin's name, but he didn't respond. If you were seeing what he was seeing, you thought you might be losing your mind. In front of you, a family stood identical to yours, two parents and two kids. One child, old enough to fall into the teen category and the little one? The same exact face as Haru.Β
You studied your own face. Your doppelganger stared right back at you without blinking. Hyunjin's doppelganger's eyes narrowed and a smirk tugged along the side of his face, as if he knew something that you didn't. You wanted to be shaken awake from your nightmare, but no matter how much your brain screamed, there was no waking up. This wasn't a nightmare, it was real life.Β
Haru, whoever looked to be Haru, his bright, wide eyes scanned the room. Beside him, Suwon looked bored. Your eyes met for a brief moment and he scowled. The blob of a birthmark rested along the left side of his neck. Stomach acid lit a fire in your throat. You swallowed it, trying to rationalize the strangers before you. They mirrored your family. Whatever they were, they looked just like the people you loved the most.Β
Something creaked from upstairs and that's all it took. Long legs rushed forward and a body lunged at Hyunjin. Bloody fingers curled around his neck and shoved him along a side wall. His back bumped a decorative surf board, sending it flying to the ground.Β
Red flashed past you and headed in the direction of the stairs. You went after Suwon when you realized he was heading for your children, but before you could reach him, a hiss caught you off guard. In his shadow, Haru followed after him. Baby teeth bared, he snarled and snapped them at you. A hand jerked your wrist and, just like your husband, you were grabbed by your own doppelganger.Β
Your fist flew. A windpipe caved beneath your fingers. Someone squeaked. You jerked back with your fists raised, ready to defend yourself again. Hyunjin's fingers managed to grasp the fallen surfboard. He glared at his double. Fingers curled around his throat tighter and he swung. Hard. The surf board cracked and fingers loosened.Β
The real Suwon stood at the top of the stairs watching everything unraveling. His doppelganger glanced up, sending fear piercing his heart. Behind him, he left Haru in the master bedroom hidden in the closet. He worked quickly, giving him stern instructions not to come out until someone came to rescue him.Β
Suwon's doppelganger took the stairs two at a time. Behind him, Haru scurried up the stairs on all fours. In the living room, you and Hyunjin stood with your backs to one another. Hyunjin's double swung a fist. Your husband ducked, narrowly missing it. Your own double jerked something from their pocket. A knife flashed unsteadily. The blade glinted, but their grip was off. As if they'd never held a knife before, their jab didn't hold enough power to harm you. You dodged with ease.Β
Suwon stood at the top of the stairs, determined not to let the strangers past him. Fingers reached out for the front of his shirt. He sent his foot flying. Eyes widened and his double flew back. Fingers tried to grip the wooden banister, but they were seconds too late. Suwon's double flew, tripping over Haru and sending him flying backwards, too. They fell in a pile at the bottom of the stairs, clutching different body parts.Β
Haru's double let out a faint whimper. He grabbed his arm. When Suwon's double shot him a glare, the real Suwon's middle finger reacted before he could. Claiming victory at the top of the stairs, he didn't back down. Back on his feet, Hyunjin shoved his double into the TV. With his balance lost, arms flew and the screen flickered. You grabbed the nearest weapon that happened to be a lamp. As you threw it, it knocked the knife from your doppelganger's hand.Β
Multiple sharp tongue clicks came from behind you. You jerked around, prepared to fight, but instead, Hyunjin grabbed you. You let him tug you back. His double and your own retreated. Their eyes didn't leave yours. Their sons pulled themselves from the floor and approached their parents. Hyunjin, you, Suwon, and Haru. Tucked into red jumpsuits, their hands joined together, as if they were tethered.Β
They took one step back and then another. One more and yet again. Suwon's eyebrows furrowed on the stairs. What kind of sick prank was this? How did they look like your family? They retreated into the kitchen, never breaking their grip from one another. Hyunjin's fingers remained curled around you when they were out of sight. The moment they disappeared, Hyunjin nudged you in the direction of the stairs.Β
Scattering through the faintly illuminated walls, the two of you hurried up the stairs and joined Suwon at the top. Hyunjin stayed behind you, checking over his shoulder multiple times. Suwon led the way into the master bedroom. "Where is he?" You asked in a panic. "Where's Haru?"Β
"I'm right here." The double wooden doors slid open and Haru peeked out of the opening. "Are we okay?"Β
You rushed over, eager to grab onto him. He was real. You threw open the door and jerked him upright into your arms. Your fingers shook and curled into his t-shirt. The scent of the salted ocean waves lingered from earlier. A hand stretched out to Suwon and he cautiously approached you. "Who were those people? Why did they look like us?"Β
Hyunjin locked the door. His fear overpowered itself with anger. He searched the room and hurried to a side table near the bed. Without wasting time, he moved the lamp to the floor and pushed the table against the bedroom door. None of you could escape. Two stories up, it wasn't safe to jump out. You'd land hard on the unforgiving sand.
"I don't know."Β
"Suwon, help me barricade this door."Β
"What's going on?" Haru's head tipped up to face you. "What's Suwon talking about?"Β
You stared at your son, not sure what to say. Intruders shouldn't look so familiar. They shouldn't have the faces of your sons and their father shouldn't have the same golden wedding band as your husband. Home invasions shouldn't feel this personalized. It made everything that much more chilling. Who were they and why did they look like you?Β
"Shh. Listen."Β
You held your breath and looked to where Hyunjin and Suwon stood. They'd tucked a bookcase in front of the door as well. Downstairs, the cottage remained still. Shards of glass scattered along the living room floor. The imprinted image of the chipmunks glowed throughout the living room. It was the only thing continuing to feed the place with light.Β
The glass sliding door sat wide open. A gentle wind blew inside, rustling a few of the sheer white curtains. It rocked a distant canvas artwork, but didn't pry it off the nail the owner hung it from. The strangers slipped into the kitchen and never came back out. Not a creak or another noise sounded. They came, fear rippled, and then they were gone.Β
"Do you think they're thinking?" Hyunjin spun around to face you.
"No," you whispered, "they're planning."Β
By the time sunlight crept in, Hyunjin hadn't moved from his spot. He curled up a few feet away from the door, sitting with his legs tangled around one another. He waited for the faint sound of creaking footsteps or a thump, but nothing happened. His heart beat regulated itself in his chest, it'd been hours since the four of you took refuge in the bedroom.Β
Your back pressed against the wooden headboard. In the king sized bed, Haru sat tucked with his head against your chest. You relaxed enough to fall asleep. Haru's eyes shut tight and his fingers curled into your shirt. Suwon curled into a ball near your legs. His forehead pressed against your bare calf. No matter how fearless he tried to appear on the outside, he was still just a boy.Β
Hyunjin refused to sleep. He couldn't. Downstairs, the guy that looked like him punched through the sliding glass door with ease. He didn't flinch when the glass tore at his flesh. Shards punctured deep, but there was no fear. No reaction to prove he was entirely human and that was the scariest part. Why did they look exactly like his family? The same body shapes and heights. They moved with an unnatural silence.Β
He wanted to believe it was a dream, but blood dried along his throat and he knew it wasn't his. His double fought him while he bled. Each movement squeezed out more blood from the cuts. It didn't stop him from squeezing Hyunjin's throat and attempting to harm him. A sick and twisted dance, Hyunjin couldn't stop him without the help of the fallen surfboard.Β
His eyes left the door and lingered on his phone. He reached out once more and attempted to dial the emergency number. Yet again, it rang and rang and rang. Nobody picked up on the other side. The line refused to disconnect, providing him with false hope yet again. By the time the eighth rang hit, he ended the call. His eyes went back to the barricaded door and he swallowed. How long could they stay in here before they were found?Β
Anxiety pulsed in his gut. Thoughts swirled and after a while, he forced himself to his feet. As quietly as he could, he slid the bookcase to the side. Not too far, just enough to give himself space to leave the bedroom. He picked up the side table and shifted it in the same direction. Surely, they wouldn't still be here. It'd been hours since you'd trapped yourselves.Β
He took a final glance back at his family. All three of you remained sound asleep, unaware of the danger lurking ahead. Hyunjin shut his eyes, sucked in a deep breath, and unlocked the door. A faint creak sounded, but none of you stirred. He stepped forward once more, again, and then again. When it was said and done, he slipped into the hall and shut the door behind him.Β
He grabbed the wooden banner and took a cautious step. The old stairs let out a soft groan. He held his breath, waiting for something to scurry, but nothing happened. One-by-one, he took his time and slowly eased himself down the stairs. At the bottom, he looked left and then right. His brain screamed, begging for him to go back into the bedroom where his safety was a given, but he refused to return.Β
Fear flickered, dominating all of his senses, but he kept moving forward. In the entryway of the kitchen, he froze. His doppelganger sat in one of the oak wood seats. He could see everything so clearly now. It could have been a joke, but he knew it wasn't. He sensed himself. His double lifted his head and their eyes met. Hyunjin saw those eyes before. He saw them every time he looked in a mirror.Β
The other doubles were nowhere to be found. The kitchen sat as it had been left the following night. Two pizza boxes had been closed, but not yet put away. The scent of basil and tomato hung in the air. Hyunjin's fists curled at his sides, but his double remained impassive. The ceramic mug in front of him had been handcrafted, all the dishes were. The Airbnb host bragged about it on his listing. Airbnb host during the week, ceramicist on the weekend.Β
Steam steadily rose from the cup, drifting into tendrils and dissolving into thin air. Hands reached out and cupped the glass. A quiet sip, a single swallow, and nothing for the real Hyunjin to work with. His eyes scanned the area, searching for the real threat, but he found nothing.Β
"You fight so hard for a family you're afraid of losing."Β
"You don't know anything about my family."Β
"Oh, but I do. I know everything about your family. Our family. We are one and the same after all."Β
"Who the hell are you?"Β
The double smiled and gestured for him to sit across from him. Someone had already pulled out the wooden chair. When Hyunjin hesitated, his double chuckled. "Relax. I'm not a threat to you anymore. If I was still a threat, you'd already be dead."Β
The words pricked at his spine, sending shivers down his back. He finally walked forward and slowly dropped into the chair. The guy's words didn't make him feel much better. He let his eyes linger, only for a few seconds. "What's with the red jumpsuit?"Β
"We call ourselves the Tethered."Β
Your heart sank the moment your eyes fluttered open. You shifted, gently pushing Haru off to the side. Hyunjin wasn't on the floor anymore and by the shifting of the furniture, you already knew where he was. You moved quickly and as quietly as you dared. If your sons woke up, you weren't sure what'd happen. With a final look around the room, your heart threatened to burst out of your chest.Β
For a moment, a brief blip of hope bubbled to the surface and doubt knotted your stomach. A hand halfway to the brass doorknob, you hesitated. Shaky fingers stopped and you waited. Surely, if Hyunjin was in danger, he'd be making noise. Maybe he went downstairs to get help. That was it, the phone connected to the lines again.Β
The thought brought relief and then a brief panic. What would he tell the authorities? Would they believe what he said about them looking like his family? You reached out and flipped the lock open. Confidence grew and you stepped outside the room. Haru and Suwon remained asleep behind you. You switched the lock shut before shutting the door, doing everything possible to keep them safe.Β
You sucked in a slow breath, but nothing happened. The flame of your courage grew, but the moment you heard humming, your stomach dropped. Your head jerked to the side and you waited for the person to reveal themselves. Soft humming floated from a room down the hall. The door remained wide open and you didn't move.Β
You knew that tune. It was the same one you hummed when you were stressed out. It'd been passed down to you from your own mother. Every time she was stressed, she hummed the same song over and over again. It brought comfort and eased her worries. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star was an oddly specific song to be humming at this early in the morning.Β
Light flooded the cottage and lit up the second floor of the interior. From that open bedroom, it was the room Haru had been staying in. Before things went south, you and Hyunjin shared a bedroom, and your sons had their own rooms. You glanced around and searched for a weapon. A small side table sat between two of the bedrooms. You crept forward and grabbed the porcelain vase. As quietly as you could, you tugged out the fake hydrangeas and let them scatter along the table. Pink petals watched you move further down the hall.Β
You lifted up the vase, prepared to swing it like a bat. The hum grew louder and you kept walking. Haru hadn't slept in the bed yet. It remained freshly made like it had been. The eggshell comforter sat tucked beneath multiple duck-feathered pillows. The humming didn't stop, but you didn't see anything as a threat. No shadow nor person appeared. You ventured through the entryway and just as you lowered the vase, it was tugged from your grip. You gasped, but a voice that sounded like your own cut you off.Β
"Shh. You're stressed. Let me help you, you could use the assistance."Β
The vase left your hands. You watched your double as they took it across the way and sat it on a wooden dresser. They wore the same shoes you did. The only difference? Your shoes were downstairs and sitting beside the front door. You put them there yesterday after coming back from the beach.Β
"What do you want?" You uttered, terrified of the response you'd get.Β
They spun around and walked back your way. Affection didn't fill their face, only an empty blankness. They reached up a hand, awkwardly cupping your cheek. "I want to help you. Trust me, you need it."Β
Haru woke up first. He shifted, looking around for you and his father. What awaited him caused his blood to run cold. He reached over and shook Suwon's shoulders. "Suwon?" He mumbled. "Suwon?"Β
Suwon's arm stretched. He shifted, trying to ignore his little brother. "Stop it, Haru. It's too early to wake up."Β
"Did you let them in?"Β
"Huh?"Β
"Suwon, they're scaring me."Β
That was enough to snap him out of it. He jerked upright and groggily blinked. Across the way, their doubles stood in the same red jumpsuits as earlier. His double narrowed his eyes at him, judging him for letting his guard down. Beside him, Haru's double stayed close to his leg. The bedroom door was still locked, but they got in somehow.Β
"What's happening?" Haru whispered.Β
Suwon jerked upright and tugged his t-shirt down. He shoved himself off the bed and moved into protective mode. His double did the same thing. He moved in silence, strutting forward, nearly meeting Suwon in the middle of the room. Haru's double stood behind him, keeping far away from the confrontation.Β
"Stop copying me."Β
"Stop copying me," his double mimicked.Β
When Suwon's fingers clenched into fists, so did his double. He shot off a glare, but his double countered with the same exact look. Even their hair was parted in the same way down the middle. While the two focused on each other, Haru's double crept away from his brother and ventured towards the real Haru. Haru pulled back against the headboard, trying to stay as far away as possible. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he knew it made Suwon angry and he trusted his older brother.Β
His mimic sent him a shy smile and patted the edge of the bed, egging him closer. Haru shook his head, denying the mimic's attempt to befriend him. As the older brothers verbally assaulted one another, Haru pushed himself upright and quietly approached Suwon from behind. Suwon's mimic stepped back, grumbling beneath his breath. He glared at the floor, shifted to the side, and began to pace back and forth.Β
"I don't do that, either! Stop it!" Suwon snapped. He jumped at the feeling of fingers curling around the bottom of his t-shirt. He glanced back to find Haru and eased up. Haru kept his attention split between Suwon's double and the splitting image of his own behind them. "Enough!" He yelled.Β
The sudden sharp edge to his voice caused the boy on the edge of the bed to whimper in fear. Tears pricked up in his eyes, the same way they did when Haru was scared. Haru let go of Suwon and turned to face his double. He took quiet steps towards him, unable to bear the sight of his teary eyes.Β
"You always act like you're the parent. They don't even notice you, but I see you." Suwon's double jerked around and stepped closer to the real Suwon. "I can do your job better than you. I won't mess it up. Aren't you tired of carrying around all this anger?"Β
Something flickered across Suwon's face. He looked like he'd been slapped with the truth. His mouth opened, but no words came out. Ever since you and Hyunjin grew distant from each other, neither of you seemed to realize just how much your oldest son stepped up to fill the void when it came to Haru.Β
Haru's double reached out and gently curled his fingers around his wrist. "Why does Suwon always yell at you? We won't yell at you, we'll be nicer."Β
Suwon spun around upon hearing the words. Anger ignited in his veins and he grabbed Haru's free wrist. "Don't touch him!" He jerked his brother back, catching him before he could fall.Β
"Don't yell at him!" Suwon's double snarled over his shoulder. He grabbed the back of his shirt, causing Suwon to let go of Haru. He yelped and stumbled back. "What's wrong with you?!"Β
About that time, Haru's double stood up and lunged off the bed with his arms extended, causing him to gasp.Β
"A little slow to trust, a little fast to run. You hate conflict, so you avoid everything. I'm not here to fight, I'm here just to talk. To understand. To show you I can do better than you."Β
Hyunjin sat frozen in the seat across from his double. Every word out of his mouth was nothing, but the truth. It had to be because it was. Hyunjin's double didn't just look like him, it was him. Some twisted and unapologetic version that refused to back down from the horrors of the harsh reality that lay before him. Every word dug deep, pressing up against his insecurities, and destroying him from the inside out.Β
"You don't know me," Hyunjin started.Β
"But I do. I am you. We are one and the same." His double cocked his head, letting an unnerving tight-lipped smile appear. "You might not understand it now, but you will. You will understand everything. I'm here to help you whether you want it or not."Β
His fingers pressed against the wooden table until the tips turned white, bleached of their usual blood. He tugged them closer, causing his sharp nails to curl into the surface of the wood. "We might look the same, but you're a stranger to me."Β
"Not at all. We match, whether you want to believe that or not. Our brains follow the same neurological markings. We share the same DNA, you and I. Deny it all you want, but we're both Hwang Hyunjin. You're not special just because you're this version of me."Β
"I don't understand."Β
"So I'll make you."Β
Hyunjin's thoughts crashed and burned. He stared at his double, he saw the same moles that were on his own face. The pointed shape of his chin, the way the onyx hair draped over his ears, and he saw everything. He still didn't understand any of it. He leaned forward, attempting to intimidate the stranger before him.Β
"Who are you?"Β
"I'm the tethered version of you."Β
"We're not tethered."Β
He chuckled and curled his slender fingers around his cup of tea. Hyunjin caught a faint whiff of honey. His double hadn't just made himself tea, he'd made himself at home. He'd broken in with the others and ruined his family's summer vacation.Β
"We share pieces of the same soul."Β
"Where are the others?"Β
His double's head shifted. "My family? Don't worry, they are still around. I'd never abandon my family."Β
Hyunjin opened his mouth and slowly closed it. The distress squeezed his stomach and he squirmed beneath the double's gaze. His eyes fell to the table and he stayed quiet. He'd never abandon his family either, not really. Things weren't working out between the two of you, but just because it happened, he wouldn't let it ruin his relationship with his children. Both of you knew that. Keep it civil for the benefit of the kids, it's what the two of you believed in.Β
"What's with the sudden quietness? Are you unwilling to admit there's issues brewing in your family?" Green tea mixed with the sweetness of honey. In a single swallow, it seeped into the double's stomach and he took another sip. When he finished sipping, he used the back of his hand to wipe his mouth. "You don't have to admit it out loud, but we both know what's going on here."Β
"Leave my family out of this."Β
"You can't hide from the truth."Β
"You know nothing about me or my family."Β
"My family and I know everything. We are you."Β
"You look exhausted."Β
The brown bags beneath your eyes must have been more apparent than you realized. You slept next to Hyunjin every night, but most of those nights turned sleepless. The two of you used to sleep with your limbs curled around one another. An arm here and an arm there, but not anymore. Since your arguments grew over time, so did your usual love language. Instead, you turned away from one another and faced opposite sides of the beige bedroom wall.Β
You stared at your doppelganger without a word. Their eyes mimicked your own dullness. Did you really look like that? Sunken cheeks from the lack of appetite. You didn't realize you looked that bad. They didn't respond to you right away. Your heart kept an uneven pace, nerves riddled away at your sense of safety.Β
The bright red collar of the jumpsuit was neatly tucked around their neck. It reminded you of a prison jumpsuit, but tighter. It wasn't baggy and oversized, but rather cut neatly. The hems at their ankles aligned properly. Sleeves came down and curled around the arms. The waist tapered inward, adding to your confusion about the origin of the intruder.Β
"You're always the last one to rest, taking care of everyone, even now. You think you ruined his trip. It's not your fault you internalize things. Your family is crumbling. The kids are restless and your marriage is falling apart. Let me take care of them."Β
You froze. The back of a hand reached up, awkwardly pulling your cheek taut, as if they were attempting to comfort you again. Instead of comfort, you felt like a dog being petted by a toddler. The movements weren't correct. The hand didn't move properly, the fingers didn't curl upward to greet your face with warmth, only an uncanny stiffness.
"Be honest, you're scared you're not enough. You think you're failing them and you're terrified they'll realize it. You don't have to hold a breaking family together, I can take care of it."Β
You reached up and grabbed their wrist, tugging it back down to the side. "Get away from me. You don't know anything about my family and you know nothing about me."Β
They blinked, caught off guard by your sudden hostility. Instead of snapping back or countering your aggression with violence, they smiled. Fear stirred in your stomach and threatened to wreak havoc in your system. "I'll check on the kids, I think they're learning."Β
Haru's body went stiff at the feeling of his double wrapping him in an unnaturally tight hug. His heart rate spiked and he frowned. "You're hurting me."Β
"I'm being gentle."Β
"Get off of him!" Suwon snapped. He reached out and grabbed Haru by the back of his shirt. Jerking him back, he pulled him away from the bed, pushing him off to the side. He kept him along the side of his body that was furthest away from the intruders. An arm protectively wrapped around his younger brother.Β
"Oh, right. Big hero, huh?" The double's words came out like venom. Suwon's head jerked to the side as his double took a step closer. "That's all you ever do, right? Fix everything? Save the day? Take care of him because nobody else will?"
He pushed him and Haru back. "Someone has to. I won't let anyone hurt my brother and that includes the two of you!" Haru's fingers curled into his shirt again. His cheek found comfort along his brother's torso.Β
"No one asked you to. You only do it because you're scared. Scared no one sees you. Scared no one cares. Scared you'll disappear if you're not useful."
The words flung his way like darts and each one hit the dart board that sat on his heart. "Stop it," he weakly uttered. The protective instinct was still there, but he'd never felt more vulnerable before. Everything his double said, it was right on the nose. He'd never spoken his true feelings out loud and that's what frightened him the most.Β
"You feel it, too." Haru's double pushed himself up from the bed. His eyes found Haru and he mimicked his brother, taking a step forward. "Don't you? The quiet, the fighting, the way your parents don't look at each other anymore, you're scared."Β
Haru's face fell at the words. His bitten nails curled tighter into Suwon's shirt, but it couldn't hide him from the truth, either. "That's not true..."Β
"You hate the downstairs whispering, but you hate the empty silence more. No one tells you what's wrong. No one tells you what's happening, they think you're too young."Β
"Suwon, tell him to s-stop."Β
"I've got you, I'm here. I won't let them hurt you." Suwon's eyes darted between the two strangers. They were still trapped in the master bedroom. There wasn't anywhere else to go.Β
"You can't protect him. You can barely protect yourself. You can't fix this family, but we can."Β
"Shut up!" Suwon's voice rose. "Just shut up! You don't know anything about my brother and I. You're not part of this family."Β
The bedroom door swung open, causing Suwon to jump. Your double walked in with you rushing behind them, trying to check on your kids. Inside, your eyes met Suwon's and then drifted down to Haru. The two of them were curled around one another. "What's going on?" You asked.Β
Suwon shrugged. "Nothing. We're talking to one another, that's all."Β
"I heard yelling."Β
"A minor disagreement," his double finished. He chuckled and shrugged. "Teenagers, am I right?"Β
You stared at him and glanced back at your real son. He nodded in silent agreement. You opened your mouth, but Haru's doppelganger spoke first. "We were debating on what game we should play next. I was thinking hide and seek."Β
Your double smiled, but it didn't quite reach their eyes. "That'll be wonderful. The two of us will be downstairs in the kitchen if you need us."Β
The change threatened to give you whiplash. Your wrist was grabbed and you were tugged away from the room. Your eyes locked with Suwon's, but he didn't attempt to stop you. You wanted to fight and stay behind, but you couldn't do it. These strangers were up to something, you could feel it deep within your bones. Whatever it was, it wasn't good.Β
Hyunjin's double stood up, pushed in his chair, and headed for the living room. When Hyunjin realized what was happening, he paused and rushed after him. "Where are you going?"Β
"To enjoy some quiet time in the living room."Β
He really is just like me.Β
The thought struck a nerve deep within Hyunjin. He stood up and hurried after him. Back in the living room, items were still unorganized from the previous night. The surf board sat along the ground and split in half. Blood smeared along the glass from the side door, from where his double broke the glass. Realizing it, Hyunjin's eyes went down to the hands of his double.Β
One of the hands had been wrapped in gauze. Dried blood seeped through it, creating a pink tint. He stared at the hand for a few more moments. His double flopped onto the couch and sank into the cushions. Hyunjin kept his distance and slowly sank beside him. "What would you do if your family was in danger?"Β
"I'd do anything to keep them safe."Β
Hyunjin chuckled, leaning his head up against the back of the couch. His confidence suddenly bloomed. "I know you think you're me, but I know myself better than you ever will. You might look like me, but the two of us are strangers."Β
"And you truly believe that?"Β
"Of course."Β
The unnaturally wide smile that grew upon his mimic's face caused him to think he said the wrong thing.Β
Downstairs, you forced yourself to remain calm. Two voices came from the living room and both of them sounded like your husband. The bits of last night flashed through your head and you were suddenly reminded just how deadly these strangers could be.Β
"Have a seat." A chair was pulled out from beneath the table. "Go ahead, I insist." Your double waited for you to sit down. When you sat, they pushed your chair up to the table, causing your stomach to be pinched between the wood. "I'll make us some tea."Β
"Wait," you called out. You pushed yourself back and stood up again. "I've got it. You should be the one sitting down. I'm sure your night was... eventful," you finally settled on the word. Your mouth quipped up in a smile and you gestured to the seat. "I've been wanting to show someone how to sweeten their tea perfectly."Β
"If you insist," they finally sat down with ease.Β
You nodded and spun around to the cupboards. Glass doors revealed everything sitting inside the interior. You grabbed one of the wooden knobs and tugged it open to reveal an array of tea. "What would you like? Are you more fruity or herbal?"Β
"Well, I am you after all, so..."Β
You nodded, acted like you were going along with it. "Right, so tell me more about that. I'm certain there's a kettle around here that I can use to-"Β
"A microwave is fine."Β
"If you insist."Β
Their back sat turned to you, so they couldn't see what you were doing. You worked quietly and methodically, trying to do what you wanted to do without causing chaos. You used the fridge's water dispenser to pour water in a ceramic blue mug before placing it into the microwave. Numbers ticked down, increasing the anxiety within your heart.Β
"They call us the Tethered. My family is a carbon copy of your family, but we live underground. We were raised beneath the surface, along the tunnels scattered throughout the country. All the abandoned subways, the sewers that dig deep within the earth, there are thousands of tunneled miles beneath the ground full of connecting shelters. You walk on top of it daily and you don't know."Β
The microwave hummed and neon numbers counted down the seconds. You listened without a word, leaning yourself back against the granite counter top. Your doppelganger crossed their fingers together and folded their hands. A frown stitched into the edge of their lips. As they spoke, the memories of life beneath the ground came back.Β
"There is no sunlight. We are identical to you because we are you. The government took DNA swabs from every baby born for a span of thirty years. We were produced below ground, forced to survive in what was essentially a government run lab. While you were up here living your lives, we were below, forced to become lab rats. They watched us all the time. Documented our growth, controlled our lives, and forced us to exist against our will."
"You were just experiments?" You uttered softly, trying to understand.Β
"It's what we were produced to do. They raised us, gave us a place to grow up, and then they abandoned us." Their eyebrows narrowed, glaring daggers at the wall, the rage came back. "We were forced to survive on our own. There's so much opportunity out here. A life to live and every one of you takes it for granted."Β
The sharp beeping sound of the microwave cut through their words. You moved quickly, tugging open the handle. You mumbled an apology and tugged out a tea bag, unwrapping it from the paper, and dunking it into the tea. Their face softened and they once again centered their emotions.Β
"People protested in the end. The control was too much. They wanted to dispose of us. They said they learned what they needed to learn and that was the end of the experiment. The trial was finished. It was the end of us. They wanted to get rid of us, to kill us like we were nothing. We meant nothing to them."Β
"So that's why you showed up last night?" You guessed. "You came here to-"Β
"To experience life above ground."Β
"Then why can't you start a new life?" You silently tiptoed your way towards the kitchen sink. Cleaning supplies sat beneath it. "One away from my family. A place where you can be yourselves. Isn't that what we both want? Happiness for our families?"Β
"If the government finds out there's two of you in existence, they'll kill both of us. That's why we're here. We have to cut the tethered connection. It's either your family or mine and you already know I'll go to the extremes to keep my family safe."Β
You glanced over and slowly pulled out a bottle of cleaner. "I do," you uttered softly. "I know you'll do anything to keep your family. I'm just like you in that case. I'll do whatever it takes, too. Before it comes down to that, tell me more about your life below ground."Β
Comforting, nurturing, and kindness, it's what you'd always been known for, but the murdering aspect? That was new.
"You wanna play hide and seek?" Haru's double asked innocently.Β
Haru and Suwon shared a look. Suwon glanced at his double. His arms sat crossed along his chest. "Is it that hard to answer the question?"Β
"We'll play," Suwon announced.Β
"Perfect. Haru, you're it."Β
"Me?" Both boys responded at the same time. They shared a look before looking back to their respective brothers. Suwon frowned and his double pointed to the real Haru. He winked and spun around, heading out to the hallway. Suwon and Haru shared a silent look and Suwon hesitantly left after his double.Β
"Count to ten and no peeking!" His double insisted. "Close your eyes and cover them with your hands."Β
Haru's eyes shut. He reached up with his hands and covered them. "One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississippi. Four Mississippi..."Β
Quiet giggles filled the air. His double spun around and crept towards the closet door. Haru continued counting and slightly spread his fingers. Through the gaps, he watched a red jumpsuit inch open the closet door and sneak inside. The long brass handle slowly turned down and the door shut. Haru continued counting, as if nothing happened.Β
When he was finished, he jerked his hands away. "Ready or not, here I come!" He looked over his shoulder, making sure he was alone and ventured over to the closet. No sound came out. With shaky fingers, he reached up and clicked the lock shut, trapping his double inside.Β
He overheard you and Suwon talking about them last night. In your frantic exchange of whispers, he pretended to be asleep while overhearing the danger that they were in. If he could keep one of them trapped in the closet, he could help Suwon with his own double. You said they were dangerous and he wasn't going to let his older brother take down someone that looked like him alone.Β
Realizing what happened, Haru's double jerked upright, trying to open the door. He pushed down, but the knob wouldn't turn. "Hey! This isn't funny! It's not how the game works! Let me out!" A faint thud hit the door, but he knew it was useless.Β
Haru hid in that closet the previous night. There weren't any weapons, unless you counted the handful of a few plastic hangers. The banging grew louder. The shrill voice sounded, but Haru didn't turn around and unlock the closet. Instead, he walked towards the door to find his brother. He barely made it out of the entryway when Suwon practically ran into him.Β
"Haru, what is that-"Β
"What did your stupid kid brother do?" Suwon's double appeared with clenched fists.Β
"Suwon! Suwon!" His brother cried. Tears streamed down his cheeks within the closet. His fists banged up against the closet door. "Help me! I don't wanna go back in the dark! Help me!"Β
He rushed forward, but Suwon stuck out his foot. His doppelganger went down, crumpling on the floor. Downstairs, you glanced up when you heard the noises from upstairs. In the living room, a vase shattered. Your own double sipped the overly-sweetened tea without any idea of what you'd done. Anxiety already brewed in your gut, but the noises made it worse. Your eyes went back to the double in front of you.Β
One sip and then another. A few more and a smile. "How'd you do this? The taste is familiar. It's on the tip of my tongue, but I can't place it."Β
You shrugged, "family secret."Β
The words caused their face to fall. Finally, you'd one upped the person who kept claiming you were the same. They continued to drink their tea, but when they reached the half-way point, their face fell. When it did, you reached out and pushed the cup closer. "It does wonders for the digestive system. Drink it all while it's still warm, I insist."Β
Suwon's double struggled to his feet. With the wind knocked out of him, he tried to suck in air. Suwon grabbed him by the back of his jumpsuit. "Haru, look away." He did as he was told and Suwon acted. He threw the double against the wall and rushed after him.Β
A sickening crunch sounded upon impact. The bridge of his nose cracked. Blood appeared and gushed down his upper lip. Something resembling a growl came from the back of his throat, but Suwon was on him again. Tackled to the floor, he jerked a pillow off the bed and threw it over his face.Β
Hands swatted and nails fought air. Suwon jerked the wrists down and forced them beneath his knees. A body squirmed. The stranger screeched into the pillow, but it was muffled. Haru's own double cried louder from the closet. "SUWON! SUWON! DON'T LEAVE ME HERE! SUWON!" His eyes scrunched up and strangled sobs left his lips.Β
Haru tucked into himself, pressing his fingers into his ears. He squeezed his eyes shut, only imagining what was happening across the way. The double's air flow disappeared. Smothered by duck feathers and a cotton pillow case, he couldn't breathe. Feet kicked. Elbows pathetically attempted to jerk, but time was running out. With each movement he wore himself further and further down.Β
Bodies wrestled around one another in the living room. Hyunjin ducked as his double lunged after him. As the body came down, he came up. A shoulder slammed into a torso. With a sharp yelp, Hyunjin flung his double over himself. He landed on his back. Dizziness swept him up the second his skull crashed into the hardwood.Β
In the kitchen, you stood above your double with your fingers gripping the side of the table. A mixture of saliva and foam oozed from their mouth. It trickled down their chin and created a puddle along the oak wood table. Their fingers shook and curled against their neck. Everything burned. The stomach lining dissolved as acid worked through each fatty layer. It wasn't too long after they consumed the tea that the cleaner kicked into overdrive.Β
"Just fucking die already!" Suwon screamed at his double. He pressed forward with both hands. Cotton bunched further into his double's mouth. Anger and rage collided, creating a nuclear explosion within him. "You'll never touch my brother again!"Β
"SUWON! NO! SUWON!" A shoulder rammed against the wooden closet door. It did nothing.Β
"It's just a dream," Haru whispered beneath his breath. He ignored the violence occurring in every area of the house. "It's just a dream and we're at the beach. I'll wake up and everything will be okay. It'll go back to normal."Β
A fist slammed against Hyunjin's cheek bone. His vision cut out and he wobbled. The sharp pain sent him flying backwards. Beneath his weight, the glass coffee table gave out. It shattered into a thousand shards and pierced his back. He sucked in a sharp breath. Everything hurt. Above him, a zipper sounded as it was pulled down.Β
Back in the kitchen, you'd taken a seat in front of your double. Tears poured down your cheeks, but you didn't stop them. "Don't make this any harder than it has to be," you croaked. "In the next life, you'll get your family."Β
Sickening gagging noises filtered from the back of their throat. Vomit spewed from their mouth, covering the front of their shirt. Each time they threw up, the chemical cleaner came up as well. It ignited a new fire as it burnt the esophagus again and again. The thin layers of skin melted away, leaving nothing behind, but unimaginable pain.Β
"Please," you whispered. "I have to put my family first."Β
Their head slightly jerked to the side. Still dying, the defiance never died. You stared at them and shoved yourself back. "Fine. I offered you mercy, but have it your way." You walked to a lower cupboard and pulled out a frying pan. "No cast iron? This is gonna hurt."Β
Bloody fingers clawed at a t-shirt, but the other was stronger. The shirt jerked upright and colors blurred. The room tipped and swayed, a rocking boat without an anchor. Dark spots flashed and morphed. Everything hurt. It was the only thing they could think of as their eyes dropped shut.
It all hurts.Β
Arms dropped limp and stopped fighting. Haru's whispering didn't stop. Suwon pressed further against the pillow, forcing his entire body weight onto it. Nothing happened beneath him. No movement and not a single twitch. The body didn't fight back anymore. The weakened fingers of his double didn't move.Β
You dropped the frying pan, breathing heavily. Your arm ached, but you refused to let it stop you. As you hurried out of the kitchen, you found Hyunjin with blood on his hands. Before you could say anything, a cry from upstairs sent you rushing in that direction. He smeared the blood on his jeans and rushed after you. In the bedroom, Haru squeezed his eyes shut off to the side. Suwon tossed the pillow away and jerked upright. He stumbled back over to you and Haru, struggling to deal with the influx of emotions that tangled through his head. His double was dead and it was all his fault.Β
The banging continued across the way. Haru's double was uncontrollably sobbing. Both fists curled and slammed against the closet door. You curled your arms around both your kids. Neither of them fought it. You turned your head to face your husband. "We have to get out of here."Β
"SUWON!"Β
"Take them downstairs and into the car, I'll be right there." He stepped aside, letting all three of you pass by. "I need to get this blood off my hands. I injured my hand while fighting."Β
You placed your arms around your kids and hurried downstairs. As you passed by the living room, you caught a glimpse of a body along the glass coffee table. Shards of glass scattered in every direction and blood oozed out the back of Hyunjin's doppelganger. You reached down and placed a hand over Haru's eyes. "Just keep walking. Everything is okay, I've got you." With your other arm, you grabbed Sunwon's wrist and pulled him along.Β
When Hyunjin heard the front door open and shut, he waited for a few seconds. The screaming from the closet turned into another round of ear-piercing sobs. When he was sure everyone was gone, he walked over to the closet and tugged open the door. Haru's double jerked back at the sight of Hyunjin in casual clothes. His bottom lip trembled and a faint whimper sounded.Β
Hyunjin crouched down to his eye level. "Shh, it's me." His arms spread open. "I wouldn't leave you behind."Β
"But your jumpsuit-"Β
"Magic."Β
His son sniffled and wiped his eyes. Hyunjin smiled and pulled him into a hug. "Come on, let's get out of here." He stood up and grabbed his hand, tugging him towards the danger ahead.Β
The only living Hyunjin left was born in the shadows and his loyalty laid with the ones he loved the most.Β
Your heart banged against the inside of your rib cage. It curled its fist and demanded an escape. Itβd cost you everything, but the heart always wants what it wants. Tears slid down your cheeks and blurred your vision. Red and blue lights flickered, blinding you in the process.Β
The blood was still warm, slick between your fingers, and just starting to dry. Fingers shook as you pressed the numbers for the emergency hotline. Somewhere between the cops appearing and the muffled voice of the hotline operator, something disconnected. The scent of a pumpkin spice candle, burnt popcorn, and metallic blood appeared. What a way to ruin Halloween.Β
You woke up to the sound of shrill screaming. Too afraid to do anything, you laid in your bed and waited. It faded along with the courage to get up and go downstairs. By the time you made it to the first floor, it was too quiet. The popcorn had been put in the microwave and popped for too long. Golden kernels burst and scorched with black burn marks.Β
You stood in the emptiness, waiting for something to happen, but nothing ever did. Darkness corrupted the daytime and the sunlight snuffed out. Evil strolled down Maple Street around ten pm. All it left behind? The fluttering ghost-face mask without a face beneath it.Β
Sirens wailed. The sky blurred. By the time the cops showed up, youβd entirely disconnected. Eyes glazed over and lungs refused to cooperate with each breath you tried to take. Blood soaked the bottom of your bare feet. Bloody footsteps strolled throughout the kitchen and came to a stop right behind you.Β
Sometimes you watch horror movies, enamored by what happens in them. Other times, you experience them for yourself. The fear is uncontrollable. The danger brews and a killer walks away.Β
The only difference? When the stabbed victim is your older sister and youβre found with a bloody knife, life becomes a lot more messy.Β
βBoo!β A hand slammed the maroon locker beside your head. You stumbled backwards, nearly hitting the ground in the process. Laughter filled your ears and Seungmin stuck his tongue out. βGottcha!β
βShut up,β you grumbled as you spun around. Books tightened to your chest and you walked away from him.Β
βAw, come on, donβt be like that. Itβs almost Halloween! Canβt bear a little joke, can you?β Seungmin shifted his backpack along his shoulder and he hurried after you. βItβs one measly little joke.βΒ
βItβs not funny!β You snapped.Β
He rolled his eyes, but didnβt ease up. Ever since everything happened last year, you still couldnβt find peace within yourself. Every loud noise was a threat. Your sisterβs screams haunted you in the dead of night. Youβd jerk upright in a fit of tangled sheets and cold sweat. Fingers shaking, cemented lungs, and the feeling of coagulating blood between the thin webs of your fingers.
You worked your way through the crowds of students. People loved to linger in the hallway. Ever since another murder happened last night, your paranoia only grew. It strengthened each day the killer remained unfound. This time, you werenβt part of the murders, but they left a mark. When you heard about the slaying of the prom queen and king, you dialed your boyfriendβs number and choked up the moment he answered.Β
Thatβs where you spent the previous evening. Wrapped up against the warmth of Chan, the world felt a little safer. Even if it was merely blind love, it was better than spending the evening tense and alone. You waited for something to sneak out from beneath your bed. The loud sound of the closet door jerking open, banging against the wall, and the killer coming back and finishing what they started.
It haunted you all the time. Just when you thought you erased the memories of last year, they towered over your body and blocked out the present. The past roared and the future turned bleak. The only thing that seemed to snap you out of it was Chan. You couldnβt help, but cling onto him. After all, he was the one that helped you out of the murky funk right after it happened.Β
As the sheriffβs son, Chan spent time after school working at the local police station. Last year, when you walked into the station with an empty gaze and blood smeared everywhere, recognition filled Chanβs eyes. He knew you, practically everyone did. The schoolβs classes were small, so it was hard not to know most students in the upper grades.Β
The memories faded, but you still remembered looking up. Chan offered a container of wet wipes and paper towels. A soft dimpled smile and a quiet understanding that you hadnβt yet received from anyone else. Seeing a familiar face in the horde of unknown officers and deputies, it brought a slight peace to your hurt. By the time your parents showed up, they were devastated. Questioning took a toll on everyone, but you found something soothing in the Australian voice.Β
βPlease call the station if you need to. Wait, take this, too.β Chan held out a yellow sticky note with a phone number scribbled on it. βCall me if you need someone to talk to. I know the cops can be intimidating.β Your fingers brushed together as you took the note and you were smitten from that point onward.Β
Itβd been nearly a year since then and your relationship took off. Chan became a constant comfort in the storm. Through the paranoia and through the hurt, Chan was always there to wipe away your tears. Fellow students whispered. Rumors flew around the school. Maybe you killed your own sister just because you could. Was it jealousy? Rage? Nobody knew, but the speculations didnβt stop.Β
As Seungmin followed you outside, his eyes narrowed on the back of your head. Itβd been an entire year. Sure, the killer wasnβt found, but thousands of dollars had been raised for your entire family. To cover funeral costs, to fund the coffin, to hire a family therapist, to help with all the grief. Wasnβt that enough to get you the help you needed?Β
He hated who his friend had turned into.Β
She haunted this house better than any ghost could. The scent of jasmine-laced perfume and the untouched bedroom that everybody refused to enter. Three-hundred and sixty-something days since your older sister was brutally murdered. Knife wounds to the torso. Fingers stained with her own blood. A twisted mouth and cheeks still wet with warm tears.Β
You rubbed your eyes, trying to get the image out of your brain. Inside the house, you sat in the center of the floral couch. A TV sat across from you with its screen pitch-black. The unnerving feeling of paranoia came back and you reached for your cell phone in your pocket. You didnβt know why you were so paranoid. Nobody knew you were home alone. Your parents just left, leaving you to fend for yourself over the weekend.Β
Your mother begged, but it was your father that tugged her away from you. The married couple struggled to stay in town after the murder happened. The pair wanted nothing more than the killer to be found, but all the evidence that sat in a locked box at the sheriffβs department, everything came back inconclusive. No blood from the killer. Not a single fingerprint or hair follicle, just the mocking gaping mouth of an unworn ghost-face mask. Dust built up on top.
Life went on. The sheriffβs department busied itself with crimes they could actually solve. A bruised hurt sat in the center of your chest and covered your heart. How hard could it be? More interviews. New camera footage. A higher reward. Someone had to know something about that night.Β
Despite the earlier annoyance from Kim Seungmin, you dialed his number on your phone anyway. You shifted and leaned against the arm of the couch. After your parents left, you went through the house, making sure every window and door was locked and closed tight. You didnβt have plans to go anywhere over the next few days. Everything you needed was right here inside the double story house.Β
Night fall came quickly. Washed in the warmth of a distant orange lamp and paranoia, you waited as the phone dialed. Behind you, the curtains leading outside sat closed, keeping out the horrors that potentially lingered on the front porch. When was the last time you sat alone in the dark?Β
βWhat do you want, dweeb? I take it back. Iβm working on our English homework. Do you have the answer for number four?β
You scoffed and shoved a hand through your hair. βNo, I donβt. I called because I want to talk to you about something crazy and I want your opinion.βΒ
Back at his own place, Seungminβs head perked up. He dropped the pencil in his hand and leaned back. His chair creaked beneath him as he settled. βAlright, hit me with it. An opinion on what?βΒ
βMy parents are out of town for the weekend. They canβt stand being around after what happened last year.βΒ
βMhm.βΒ
βSo since Iβm alone and theyβre not here to worry over meβ¦β You sucked in a deep breath and shut your eyes. βI-I was thinking that maybe I could catch the murderer? I mean, Iβm not sure how Iβll do it yet, but IββΒ
βWoah, woah, woah. Hold on. You want to do what? Huh?β Seungminβs dark eyes narrowed at the white screen in front of him. A google document reflected off his face. βAre you insane?βΒ
βSeungmin, I canβt stand not knowing what happened. I have to figure it out somehow!βΒ
βAnd what do you expect to do? Announce it to your Instagram followers that youβre home alone and expect someone to get the hint to come murder you? Are you crazy?!βΒ
βI have to do something!β You jerked upright and shoved yourself off the couch. βI canβt keep sitting around and feeling useless! I need to figure out what happened! She was my sister! I owe it to her to do something! For fuckβs sake, Seungmin, sheβs dead! She was murdered in my own backyard! Everyone knows I was home when it happened! I heard her being attacked!βΒ
βWoah, what? I thoughtββΒ
βI lied!β Your voice raised. Your eyes squeezed shut and you collapsed onto the couch. βI lied to the cops, okay? I said I was asleep and woke up randomly. I went downstairs to get a drink of water and found the place trashed, but itβs not true. I-I didnβt wake up randomly. I woke up to her screams. I was so scared, I-I couldnβt move. I couldnβt think. I thoughtβ¦βΒ
βHoly shit.βΒ
βI could have saved her,β you whispered. βIf I would have called the cops sooner, if I went downstairs with something; I could have stopped her from being killed.βΒ
The weight of the silent guilt had bared upon your shoulders for far too long. Maybe thatβs why everything hurt too much. The pain of carrying this weight was unbearable. Every nightmare, every flashback, itβd been wrung with a silent guilt. Nightmares were cursed with your sister begging you for help. You couldnβt move, but you could see it all unravel.Β
The killer in the mask slashing away. Blood soared and splattered. High-pitched screams and the everlasting silence that followed. When you could move, when you barreled forward, trying to stop the bleeding, it was too late yet again. Blood soaked the strands of green grass. The killer disappeared and the only observer was the half-moon shining bright above. Blood glistened from every wound, never stopping. The knife lodged into her arm and you pulled it out, trying to stop the flood. None of it ever worked.Β
βListen to me, itβs not yourββΒ
A sharp click sounded and the orange lamp along your side turned off. You stiffened for a moment, waiting for an accompanying sound. Seungminβs voice continued speaking, but you couldnβt hear what he was saying. βIβve gotta go.βΒ
βWait! Donβt!β Before he could get out the rest of the words, you hung up the phone, leaving both of you in silence.Β
Your heart picked up pace. Alone in the living room, you were left with unsteady breaths and the quickened thump of your heartbeat. Tension wound throughout your body and you waited, for a thump, a bang, the sound of glass shattering. You waited for anything, but nothing sounded. Just as you were about to walk towards the circuit box, your phone flickered and lit up with an unknown number.Β
Without thinking, you lifted the phone and swiped to answer it. βHello?βΒ
βHi there.βΒ
The unfamiliar deep voice caused you to swallow. βWho is this?βΒ
A pause lingered. Nothing, but silence. When nobody responded, your thumb went to the end call button. Likely just a scammer that picked the worst time to call. Before you could press it, the voice appeared again. βSomeone familiar. Do you like scary movies?βΒ
βIββΒ
βOh, donβt think too hard. Youβll hurt your precious little head.βΒ
βWho the fuck is this?β Your fingers tightened around the phone.Β
His laughter mocked you, cutting deep and sending chills up your spine. βWhy donβt you go ahead and take a guess? Iβll give you three guesses and if you failβ¦βΒ
βIβm not falling for this stupid bullshit. Grow up and get a life, loser.βΒ
βYou cuββΒ
You turned off the cell phone, muted it, and shoved it in your pocket. Fear funneled into a murky anger. You flicked on the lamp switch, but it didnβt turn back on. βFor fuckβs sakes!β Storming across the way, you flipped the main light switch, but the lights stayed off. The darkness didnβt leave. βStupid old breaker box,β you grumbled beneath your breath.Β
You spun around, preparing to find the breaker box and reset the panel of electric fuses, but you stopped when something creaked upstairs. The same fear from earlier pulsed and your heart dropped to the pit of your stomach. βNo,β you whispered. βNo way. I should be alone. The house isββΒ
BANG!Β
The sound of a door slamming shut caused your body to instinctively jump. Before you could think through your actions, you took off towards the stairs. Rushing up them two at a time, you struggled to make out your surroundings. Your eyes adjusted to the darkness, but things were still hidden. Wide eyes glanced around nervously, down the side of an empty hall and then the other.Β
Your bedroom door, the one that you left wide open, sat shut. Nausea built in the back of your throat. The entire world stopped spinning and you stepped forward. One foot in front of the other. Shaky hands, an unsteady breath, and a pounding heartbeat; something was behind that door and you had to find out what it was. Your brain screamed, begging you to run away, but you couldnβt. You made sure everything was locked up, so how did someone get inside?Β
The moment the door started to open, a figure looked up from the bed they were on. A head cocked and the door flung open. You flipped on the light and thatβs when you froze. On top of the blue bedspread, a figure sat with a tube of black nail polish. Adorned in a ghost face mask, acid washed jeans, and a black t-shirt, they looked up.Β
You couldnβt move. Tears pricked in your eyes and your brain ignited with fire. The same mask that had been found when your sister was killed nearly a year ago. The same cheap mask sat on the intruderβs head. They placed the nail polish bottle on a side table. The sharp chemical scent cut through the air. They reached up to the side of their cheeks with fists. Right near the eyes, they flexed their curled hands back and forth, mocking your tears.Β
A scream cut through your mouth and you lunged forward. Bitter at the past, angry at the intruder, and full of resentment, you flung yourself forward, trying to take down the stranger. They flipped backwards. Rolling off the back of the bed with outstretched arms, they scrambled for the window. A foot caught along the leg of a nearby desk. You leapt from the bed and tackled the intruder on their back.Β
They squirmed, but you shoved. A knee punctured a stomach. Nails dug into sensitive pressure points. You reached out for the mask, grabbed it, and jerked it upright. The moment it was off, your eyes widened in shock. βM-Minho?β You croaked.Β
βGod,β he heaved through squished lungs, βyouβre a crazy bitch! Seungminβs right, you need a fucking shrink.β Brown tussles of hair scattered behind his head. βGet off of me, you psycho!βΒ
βWhy are youβ¦?βΒ
βBecause!β He jerked and shoved you off. Squirming from beneath your body, he spoke through gritted teeth. βCanβt you just take a joke?βΒ
βA joke?β You whispered. You blinked, staring down at him trying to understand. βYou think this is some funny joke? To sneak inside my house and wear the same mask that someone used to kill my sister?βΒ
βItβs been nearly aββ A fist flew. He yelped, grabbing his eye socket. βHey! You canβt just punch me because youβre mad!β
You jerked backwards and pushed yourself to your feet. βYouβre lucky itβs the only thing I did! I should beat the shit out of you! Whatβs wrong with you?β A hand jerked back through your hair and tears filled your eyes. You blinked rapidly, trying to fend off the tears, but they gathered, regardless.
βIt was just a dare! It was meant to be a harmless prank, seriously.β He shoved himself upright and carefully rubbed his tender eye. Skin throbbed and he wiped away one of his own forming tears. βYouβve been so upright and tense since your sister died.βΒ
βNo shit! A dare from who?βΒ
βSeungmin. He offered to pay me a hundred bucks if I scared you. You used to love Halloween, so we were trying toββΒ
βTo what?β You snapped. βUpset me? Make me mad? Remind me that my sister is dead?β Tears blurred your vision. You stumbled back, nausea swarmed, and you collapsed along the edge of your memory foam mattress.Β
βYouβre being dramatic. You werenβt even close to your sister. You never got along with her. She was away at college and now youβre acting like she was the best sibling ever.β He dusted off his knees and stood up. βItβs not that big of a deal.βΒ
Your bottom lip trembled and you shot a weak glare in his direction. He shook his head, rolled his eyes, and tugged out his phone. βWhatever. Iβm calling Chan so he can help you withββ He gestured in your direction. βWhatever this breakdown is.βΒ
He hit Chanβs number and waited for him to pick up. You laid on your back, staring at the wall. As your eyes drooped, that night came rushing back. Everything was so wrong and it didnβt make sense. Fingers curled through your hair and you sucked in a deep breath.Β
The blood was still warm. You still remembered the taste of soured iron. The memories buzzed. You shoved an arm over your cheek to wipe tears away that night. Blood followed, smearing it all over the side of your cheeks and your lips.
Your body fell back and bounced against the mattress. A shaky ceiling fan spun above you. Each time it circled around its rotation, wooden arms spun. A rusted piece, something squeaked out of tune, a minor mishap that caused the noise to become a familiar melody. An annoyance to most, that squeak lured you to sleep every night. Despite your parents always being a room away, the house still felt empty.Β
βYes, Chan, you heard what I said. Hurry up. Iβm not sticking around here all night because someone has a loose screw. Itβs not my fault they canβt accept death when it comes knocking.βΒ
Faint shuffling, a floor creak, and a soft thud. Something brushed against your arm and your head rolled to the left. Staring back, the ghost-face mask sat facing the same white ceiling. Bean-shaped eyes, an elongated gaping void of a mouth, and a faint nose hole where the wearer could breathe through the hole. The black fabric cloaking the plastic mask fluttered in the breeze.Β
As you stared, the same questions came back, but the answers still remained inconclusive. Speculations swarmed, theories grew, and the rumors spread like wildfire. The only one who really knew exactly what happened that night, she was tucked six feet below ground.Β
The moment Bang Chan appeared, you forgot about everything. Every worry drifted away. A steady pulse cycled through his chest, pushing blood to every limb. When you shook your sister, her body was stiff as a board and cold. Chan was different, warm and still pliable; full of life, a thousand different opportunities that heβd only pursue a handful of.Β
Buried in the side of his neck, his touch was all you knew. Tender and careful; full of ease and with such a gentle touch, it brought heaven knocking. Whereas everyone else kept their distance after the murder, Chanβs arms remained wide open. He was the only one you felt content opening up to. Even when it came to Seungmin and Minho, they were different after your sister died.Β
Caution laced their every word. Hesitation and uncertainty, never knowing if the next word spoken might unwrap another uncomfortable memory. The last time Minho elbowed you in the ribs, a few weeks after everything occurred, you flew into a panic. Shoving him away, you stood up, and rushed out of the cafeteria. A backpack thumping along your back, hair in the wind, and the rumors continued growing.Β
They said it was guilt. The empty gazes during class and the constant disappearance to the guidance counselorβs office. The guidance counselor called your parents so many times, he started to memorize their number. Each time one of them came to pick you up, you didnβt have the words to apologize.Β
You couldnβt. They sat stuck in the back of your throat. Apologizing for such a minor inconvenience, it made it all feel too real. You didnβt want it to be real, but nightmares never lasted this long.Β
You still expected to wake up and find all this guilt turning to dust. Guilt floated to the harbor and docked itself in the port. No matter how rocky the waves became, no matter how large the internal storm brewed, nothing severed the tether of a sailorβs knot. Nothing made sense. Days ticked by, but if anything, the hurt and distress only grew tenfold.Β
βYou wanna talk about it?β The warmth of Chanβs lips brushed against your earlobe. Familiar muscular arms wrapped around your waist and held you close. Minho disappeared twenty minutes ago.Β
βNo,β you whispered.Β
βHe told me what he did.βΒ
βHe can fuck off.βΒ
The hint of a smile tugged at Chanβs lips. Still at your worst, the attitude was cranked up to a hundred. His fingers traced invisible lines along your back. βShould I call my dad? Give him a criminal charge for trespassing?βΒ
βHe can rot in juvie and so can Seungmin.β A faint sniffle and sleepy eyes. The whirling fan accompanied your betrayal. βI donβt understand what I did to deserve that.βΒ
He reached up, letting a single finger trace along the side of your neck. When he found your pulse point, he let his finger linger. βThose guys are total asshats. Donβt let them ruin your life. Theyβre losers with short dicks, totally mad because youβre not giving them enough attention.βΒ
You pulled back with teary eyes. A small pout, red cheeks, and puffy eyelids. He reached up and used his thumb to wipe away your tears. βHow many times do I have to say crying doesnβt look good on you?βΒ
You shrugged.Β
βIt doesnβt,β he continued. βNobody should make my baby feel like this. What can I do to make you feel better?βΒ
βKill them.βΒ
He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. βBaby, letβs be serious, you know you donβt want me to do that.βΒ
βNo,β you croaked, βI-I just donβt understand what I-I didβ¦β Your eyes squeezed shut and a sob fell from your lips.Β
βHey, hey, hey. No tears. Donβt cry.β His arms wrapped around your back and he tugged you into his chest. His sleeveless white shirt sat speckled with tear stains from you, but he didnβt care. βWeβll figure out a way to get them back, but until then, let me take care of you.βΒ
βIβm so tired.βΒ
βI know, I know,β he cooed. He reached down and gently pushed your hair away from your head to reveal the side of your temple. βJust breathe and let me hold you, yeah? Iβve got you and nobody, not even your idiot assholic friends, are going to come between us.β He planted a warm kiss right beneath your hairline.Β
The weight of the world eased up just enough to make it easier to breathe.Β
Β ~ ~ ~Β
In your dreams, you were a kid again. Plagued by the magic of childhood; bright colors, sky-high dreams, and unpolished curiosity that leaked into everything. Picture books, gigantic skyscrapers, and a personal guardian that came in the form of the moon playing hide and seek in the dark sky above. Nothing felt better than being a naive kid.Β
Wrapped around an older sibling, a limp head slung against a warm shoulder. Fingers entangled, soft breaths, and a quiet stillness that made parents smile as their kids slept peacefully. No more bickering fights and raised voices. Parents slept better when their children were on mute.
Throughout the childhood arguments, there were bits of goodness, too. Matching swirls of chocolate and vanilla ice cream. Watching your sister perform in after school activities and sporting events, knowing that you wanted to be just like your sister. As siblings grow older, the need for one another changes and morphs. Your sister went to college and you stayed behind. A fork in the road led both of you down two different paths.Β
You still met up in your dreams. She looked different. A little emptier and a lot more bloody. Glazed eyes, shaky fingers, and garbles of unspoken words. They fractured and sputtered, losing their momentum before she was able to utter whatever she meant to say. You suppose it was the grief and guilt. It morphed together and blended into a murky madness in the dream world.Β
Yet when your eyes fluttered open and the dreams dissolved, seeing Chan took away that hurt yet again. Morning sunlight seeped through a closed curtain. The darkness disappeared and the sun came out to play once more. Chan slept with his dark lashes curled against the tops of his cheeks. Plump pink lips sat parted and soft snores tainted the entire room.Β
The pocket of emptiness sewed shut once again. Sensing a presence, Chanβs eyes fluttered open. βGood morning,β he mumbled with a groggy voice.Β
βHi.β You reached up and swiped your thumb across the far corner of his lips. βYouβve got a bit of drool here.βΒ
He mumbled something incoherent. Eyes fluttered shut again, his chest pulled and then he sighed. Arms extended and tugged you closer. You laughed, letting your body fall victim to his movement. βWhat? No defense?βΒ
βIβm tired and I donβt owe you anything.βΒ
βAt least a βthank you?ββΒ
His head shook and he snuggled closer. βGo back to sleep. Itβs too early for us to be awake.βΒ
βYou donβt even know what time it is.βΒ
βEarly enough. The sun beams are too low in the window. They should be higher.β His mouth stretched into a yawn and he leaned forward, planting his cheek against the side of your scalp. βTrust me, Iβll wake up fully when Iβm ready.βΒ
βSleep does sound nice,β you agreed. Your own eyes drooped. You sucked in a deep breath and let your body relax. βItβs been a few days since Iβve been able to sleep in.βΒ
βHigh school will do that to you.βΒ
βI love you.βΒ
βI love you, too. Go back to sleep and weβll exchange a proper conversation later.β He shut his eyes and soaked in the feeling of the mattress sinking beneath his body. It sank just right, providing support to the parts and pieces that needed it most. He hummed softly and let himself drift.Β
It didnβt take much before you both fell back asleep.Β
~ ~ ~Β
βWhat are you watching?β You asked a few hours later. Dressed in a black apron and standing near a counter, you whirled around at the sound of faint laughter coming from Chanβs phone. βThat sounds likeβ¦βΒ
He looked up from his spot at the table. βIt is. I have this video I saved from earlier last year. Itβs from one of our football games. Your sister was nearby. I was trying to catch a video of one of the football plays, but your sister wasnβt that far away. I didnβt realize she was your sister back then. It has been a weird year.βΒ
He turned off the video, clicked off the phone and placed it on the circular table. βSorry. I pressed play without thinking about it. I shouldnβt have.βΒ
βItβs okay. I justβ¦β You shrugged. βI havenβt heard her laugh in so long. I think I might have forgotten, but the moment I heard it from your phone, it all came rushing back.βΒ
He swallowed and glanced down at the plate before him. Mid-afternoon, you decided to make food when you both got up. If Chan was nice enough to spend the night unexpectedly, the least you could do was make lunch. After rummaging through all the ingredients in the kitchen, you settled upon pancakes and eggs. Behind you, a skillet toasted the bottom of a pancake. Too long against the hot surface, you didnβt realize it was burning until you caught a whiff of the unpleasant scent.Β
βAh, shit. My pancakeβ¦β You whirled around, grabbed the silicon covered handle and attempted to pry to spatula beneath the burning batter. Unfortunately, bits of burnt batter stuck to the bottom of the pan.
βBurnt?βΒ
βCanβt you smell it?β You grumbled. βI take my eyes off the skillet for a few seconds and I nearly burn the house down.βΒ
Chan chuckled. His elbow pressed against the table and he let his hand curl around his chin, holding it up in the process. βThatβs why your Prince Charming is here to save you.βΒ
βShut up.β The words came out, but the pink hue along your cheeks said everything you couldnβt utter out loud. He was an idiot, but thatβs why you loved him.Β
βJust donβt burn down the house. Iβll have to put my firefighter skills to work.β He grinned, enjoying the way you squirmed beneath his gaze.Β
You shook your head, waved him off and scooped the pancake into the trash. Black bits of burnt batter rained down from the metal pan and collected into the trash bin as you scraped them off into the trash.Β
Chan continued his teasing until lunch finished cooking.
You sat across from him and reached for the syrup. Too much of the sweet liquid oozed out of the bottle and spread over the top of the pancake stack. βDo you dip your eggs in the maple syrup?βΒ
Chan raised an eyebrow. His fork stopped mid-air. Mouth halfway to his own fried egg, he paused. βNo. Why would I?βΒ
βIt tastes good.βΒ
βNo.βΒ
βWhat about in ketchup?βΒ
βNo.βΒ
βSeriously? What do you like with your eggs?βΒ
βSalt and pepper.βΒ
You rolled your eyes and Chan laughed. The two of you continued talking and sawing through your food. The more you consumed, the memory of the previous night fell away. You forgot about Minho and Seungmin. So caught up in Chanβs words and laughter, you couldnβt even think about it.Β
It wasnβt until Chan ran the butter and syrup from his plate beneath a stream of hot water that your stomach twisted and dropped. βI hate to say this, but Iβve got to leave soon.βΒ
You paused, trying to comprehend his words. βYouβre leaving? I thought you said you could stay all weekend.βΒ
βI can. Kind of.β He finished rinsing off his dish, placed it in the sink, and spun around. βThe school is hosting their annual haunted house and Iβm the class president. Iβm expected to be there and help set up, partake, and tear it down afterwards.βΒ
You frowned, but you didnβt object. Chan took his class president role seriously. The haunted house had been planned months in advance. Twice a month, he hosted meetings, along with a few staff members and the rest of the class roles. They budgeted, discussed themes, and made plans with the rest of the student council. After electing a building crew and a list of volunteers that agreed to frighten anyone who walked through the building, they were set to begin building the set.Β
βIβll be back when itβs over, if youβre okay with that.βΒ
βI donβt want to stay here in the house alone. Can I come with you to help set it up?βΒ
βOf course. We could always use an extra pair of hands.β
βWhatβs the haunted houseβs theme?βΒ
He didnβt respond. Not right away. The silence that grew between you caused your stomach to tighten. βChan?β
βThe theme is Screamβ¦ like the horror movie series.βΒ
Your face fell immediately. βSeriously? Who decided toββΒ
βLook, I know itβs hard to understand, but the student council has been gunning for this theme before your sister was killed last year. With the ghost-face mask that was found at the scene of the crimeβ¦β He trailed off.Β
βItβs perfect,β you whispered. βA perfect way to freak out the town and take advantage of the fear lingering around.βΒ
He walked forward and gently grabbed your hands. βYou donβt have to come if you donβt want to. You know Iβd never ask you to do anything thatβd make you uncomfortable.βΒ
βI either go with you or I stay home and grow paranoid that Iβll be killed. Minho was right. I canβt live with this grief and trauma forever. I need to face my fears. Besides, my sister and I werenβt that close as we grew older, anyway.βΒ
The school turned into something unrecognizable. On the outside, the same red bricks sat faded and crumbling with age. The bell towerβs shiny bronze bell sat high above everything, still paying homage to generations past. Nobody used it anymore. Electric bells buzzed when classes started and ended. Theyβd been strung throughout the school a little over two decades ago.Β
The inside was another story. Chan held your hand and led you through the back door. The doors were usually locked throughout the school day, but today they were open. In the open gym, bright lights gleamed off the freshly waxed hardwood floor. Boxes of lights, banners, masks, and other props sat strewn about. Your hand tightened in his and he sent his thumb gently stroking along the back of yours; a simple reminder that you weren't alone.Β
βBang Chan, just in time!β One of the student council members appeared with a small black machine. βCheck out this sick purchase! Itβs a fog machine! I was thinking since people are going to come inside through the front door, this could be what theyβre greeted with.βΒ
βSounds perfect. We still have some time to work on decorations before we start. You can position it, but donβt hook it up yet. No use in wasting our visibility while we need it.βΒ
βRight on.β
βChan! Check this out!β A girl grabbed a mask and slung it over her head. Deep black eye sockets had been painted in the form of triangles. White face paint, a yellow grin, and a shiny red nose. Her hands went up and she growled.Β
He laughed. βWoah, youβre certainly scary. Save that energy for later tonight. It looks freaky. Whereβd you get that one?βΒ
She reached up and jerked it off her head. Strands of blonde hair scattered in every direction. A hand went up and brushed it back from her face. βThat local halloween store! Theyβre probably picked over now. They only had a few of these. I went the day they opened.βΒ
Your hand curled tighter in Chanβs. Regret started to pool in the bottom of your stomach. Maybe you shouldnβt have shown up, but it was far too late to step back now. Chan drove you here and unless you wanted to bother him, you were trapped. Chan squeezed your hand back and turned to face you. βAre you okay with helping out here? They said they were setting up a refreshment station here. Iβm going to have to help out with a few things.βΒ
You nodded, but deep down you didnβt want him to go. You wanted to stay right beside him and hoped he stayed with you. You couldnβt shake the growing paranoia. The crowd should have eased things, but it only made you feel worse. He took your hand and led you in the direction of a distant rectangular table. A black plastic table cloth draped around it.Β
By the time he left you alone, you were standing with a pair of plastic gloves and an open container of lofthouse cookies. Frosted with bright orange icing and purple sprinkles, the usual excitement about consuming one later faded away. Ever since Minho scared the living shit out of you the previous night, nothing sounded good.Β
Beside you, another member of the student council added popcorn balls into a large green bowl. He hummed softly and stacked them neatly. Freckles scattered across the tops of his cheeks. You recognized him instantly. Felix was one of the guys nearly everyone liked. You continued adding the cookies to the tray and called his name.
He looked up instantly. βFinished already? Nice job. Itβs taking everything in me not to lean over and snatch one of those.β He added a few more popcorn balls into the bucket and stepped back. βAlright, we can move on now. We still have a bunch of candy to add to bowls.β He looked over his shoulder at the three distant boxes. βThey probably shouldnβt have trusted me with the funds to buy snacks. I think I might have purchased a few too many things. Weβre just getting started.βΒ
You two continued working side-by-side. Felix added bags of multi-colored candy and chocolate into more plastic bowls. You were given fake spiders and webs to string around the table. You worked quietly while Felix continued to hum. After last yearβs events, you distanced yourself from multiple people. Too much judgement and rumors floated around the area.Β
Just as you placed the last spider, something hit your shoulder. Felix caught sight of the movement, too. He stepped back and looked behind you. There beside your feet, another mocking ghost-face mask sat facing upright.Β
βWhoops. Sorry about that.β A guy swooped down and grabbed it. βWouldnβt want to trigger any memories of your sister now, would we?βΒ
He laughed, waved the mask, and spun around. Your heart sank and you swallowed the forming lump in your throat. Felix glanced over, but you refused to make eye contact. You blinked rapidly and busied your hands with the fake strands of spider web. You tugged and pulled, but it was hard to build a fake web with tears in your eyes.Β
βIgnore him,β Felix offered. βHeβs a total jackass and heβs been one since the 5th grade. Heβs certainly one to talk, considering his own mom was killed in a drunk driving accident. Iβll never understand what the hell is wrong with so many people in our grade.βΒ
You weakly shrugged your shoulders. βAssholes,β you uttered. βTheyβre everywhere, not just in high school.βΒ
βI donβt know how you deal with all the bullshit.β He chucked a heath bar into a bowl. It hit another chocolate bar and bounced out, clattering along the table. He scooped it up and dropped it back into the bowl. βPeople in this school deserve to be taught a lesson.βΒ
βYouβre telling me,β you grumbled.Β
The sound of your name being called caused you to look over again. Seungminβs strong features came into focus through your tears. βI need to talk to you.β His thumbs sat tucked in the front of baggy jeans. A loose fitting maroon t-shirt hung around his hips.Β
βI donβt have anything to say to you.βΒ
βJust let me apologize for last night.βΒ
βFor being an asshole and encouraging Minho to be an asshole, too?βΒ
His lips tightened and fingers dug into the front of his pants. βFine. You want the truth? Thereβs something I need to tell you andββΒ
βScrew you, Seungmin.β You jerked around and stormed off.Β
Seungmin wanted to follow after you, but he knew heβd hear more of the same thing. Felix shook his head and dumped the last of the chocolate bars into the bowl. βIs everyone in this school caught up in drama?βΒ
βFuck off, freckles. This doesnβt concern you and it never will.βΒ
He held up his hands above his head. βItβs too bad we canβt serve alcohol at a school function because every single one of you needs it.βΒ
Distant voices fell away in the background. Further down the hall and around the corner, students plastered horror props along the halls. Someone opened up one of the metal lockers and propped a fake skull inside. Right when people came through the front doors, theyβd be met with fog and a few scare actors.
Meanwhile, you went in the opposite direction. You should have stayed home. It was far better than having to stay here and try to talk to Seungmin. You forgot both Minho and Seungmin were part of the student council. So caught up in Chanβs presidential role, you didnβt consider theyβd be here as well. No matter what either of them wanted to say, you refused to forgive them. Last nightβs prank was cruel. It was cruel of Minho to agree to go along with it and it was cruel of Seungmin to set him up.Β
You walked along the abandoned hallway alone. Arms curled around your sides and with your head down, you didnβt want to be around people. You wanted to find Chan and coax him into taking you home. If not, you wanted to be around him. You didnβt want to talk to anyone. You didnβt mind helping, but having people openly tease you brought back impossible feelings. The middle of a school haunted house wasnβt a great place to have a break down.Β
You turned a corner and looked up. The moment you did, you froze. Across the way, someone stood in a black robe. A ghost-face mask hid their true identity. They stood staring at you. A knife sat clutched at their side. The moment they realized who they were staring at, they waved the knife in your direction.Β
Blood roared in your ears and the lockers blurred. Classroom doors were shut and locked. Nobody wanted anyone to slip into the rooms and steal things. It was a community oriented event. Nobody should have, but the staff took appropriate steps to avoid it altogether. They took a step forward and the moment they did, the knife jerked upright and they lunged.Β
A shrill shriek escaped your mouth. You spun around and ran back down the hall. Footsteps chased after yours and bounced off the empty halls. βHelp!β You screamed. βSomebody help me!βΒ
The screams went ignored. Thinking it was people practicing their acting before the event opened, nobody bothered to seek out the problem. Blurry wooden doors, a foot slipped, and you stumbled. Hands shot out to stop yourself and another hand jerked out. You yelped as fingers brushed against the back of your shirt. They tightened, but you pulled forward and forced it away, nearly falling in the process. βGet off me! Help!βΒ
The cafeteria sat with empty tables covered in purple, green, and orange plastic tablecloths.. They were for enjoying refreshments and drinks. People could linger in the gym or come sit down to calm down their heart rate. The person behind you sped up. You grabbed a purple table cloth off of a table and jerked it behind your body. The moment you did, they slipped on the plastic fabric and hit the ground on their back. You sped up and hit the gym doors with full force.Β
A few people lingered around like usual. Felix continued dumping bags of candy into large bowls. A chocolate fountain was still warming. Marshmallows and strawberries sat next to skewers. He hummed and tossed another empty bag into a box heβd been using for trash, unaware anything was amiss.Β
The moment you spotted Minho and Seungmin on the other side of the gym, you took off after them. They stood facing one another. Minho gestured to a distant box, but you didnβt care. You jerked between them, cutting their conversation short and kept your eyes on the door.Β
βWoah, what the fuck?β Minho asked. βWhat the hell are you doing?βΒ
βSomeone just chased me down the hall!βΒ
βWhat?βΒ
Tears brewed rapidly and you blinked. βI-I thought it was you. They had a knife andββΒ
βProbably another prank and before you ask, no. Seungmin and I didnβt have anything to do with that one.βΒ
βAre you okay? Youβre shaking.β Seungminβs arms stretched out to grab onto you, but your head shook frantically.Β
βDonβt touch me! I-I wanna go home. I want my parents and Iββ The words didnβt come out. A sob suffocated all the words you wanted to say.Β
βWhatβs going on?βΒ
You jumped and spun around. Chan glanced between Minho and Seungmin. His eyebrow raised and his arms reached out for you. βWhat the hell did the two of you do this time?βΒ
βNothing, jackass.β Minho snapped. βSomeone decided to prank them again.βΒ
βHuh?βΒ
You stepped closer to Chan. He placed an arm around your back and tugged you closer to his body. βWhat happened, baby?βΒ
βSomeone in a g-ghost-face mask, t-theyββ The words wouldnβt come out. The unease filled every gap of the usual marrow. Your lungs squeezed and the air you craved, it didnβt appear.Β
βDeep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Itβs okay now, Iβve got you.βΒ
Your eyes squeezed shut and you gripped his t-shirt tighter. He kept an arm around your body, sharing a look with Minho and Seungmin. No matter what happened, it seemed that the school would never forget what happened last year.Β
You sucked in a slow deep breath. When your eyes opened, the darkness didnβt disappear. The lights had cut out and thatβs when the screams started.Β
βWhat the hell is going on?β Seungmin asked.Β
Stuck in a vat of darkness, nobody in the gym could move. Only a handful of bodies left in the gym, they had all scattered, finishing up the final touches of everything. The schoolβs front doors were supposed to open soon to officially start the haunted house walk-through. Your hands curled tighter into Chanβs shirt. He didnβt move from his spot.Β
βTurn on the lights, asshole!β Someone yelled. βSave your elementary school pranks for someone who gives a shit! Weβve got work to do!βΒ
βDoes someone have a phone flashlight?βΒ
Before one could click on, a scream filled the air, sharp and shrill. It was cut and turned into bubbling gargles. Blood spewed in every direction.Β
βChan!β You cried out in a panic. βThis isnβt funny!βΒ
βIβm not the one doing this!βΒ
βMinho?βΒ
βIβm still right here.βΒ
βSeungmin?βΒ
βMe too.βΒ
βTurn on the lights! Turn on the light!β Someone else screamed.Β
Footsteps rushed forward and squeaked across the hardwood floor. Without windows and light, they were all sitting ducks. Maroon bleachers sat tucked away on the left side. Something in the dark bumped into something and thudded. Another yell. A sharp cry and the sound of something squelching.Β
βIβve been stabbed! Call the cops! Help!βΒ
Another thud.Β
βBang Chan,β you croaked. Hot tears blinded you yet again. The fear from earlier only grew. It expanded and drilled itself into the floor around you. Shaking fingers and steady streams of silent tears. Prank or not, this was too far. Too much. Too real.Β
βHelp! Oh, god! Oh, god!β Screams from the side and a thud. Outstretched hands battered the floor. Desperate fingers curled, trying to grip the floor, but there was nothing to hold onto.Β
You screamed Seungminβs name when you heard his voice, but the only response was a fading cry. Skin-hit-skin and something sank into the darkness. Sharks swarmed the couple and there was nothing they could do.Β
βMinho?β You whispered.Β
βHe probably went to try and find the lights.β Chanβs other arm slipped around your back. βCome on,β he whispered. βLetβs see if we can find the back door.βΒ
βI canβt see.βΒ
βTrust me.βΒ
You clutched onto his t-shirt tightly and continued following him further and further back. Youβd entered the gym door earlier, so it had to be open, right? There were multiple people coming in and out. They must have kept it open, so people could come in. As long as you could make it outside, they could take off and get into Chanβs car.Β
Slow steps felt like they went on forever. In the background, screams cut in and out. Why wasnβt anyone helping? Where were the lights? The other staff members? Couldnβt people outside the gym hear them? You inched further towards the back wall, unaware of how close you both were to the door.Β
Besides faint shoe squeaks, the sounds around you died out. Other than an occasional gurgle, the sounds of your own heartbeats drowned your ears. The students stopped shrieking. Sounds died on their lips and their bodies went limp.Β
βI think I foundβ AH!β Chanβs body left your grip.Β
You shrieked and reached out, but your hand gripped empty air. A new hand joined and grabbed the back of your hair. You were yanked back and you cried out. Bright white light filled the room, causing you to squeeze your eyes shut. βChan!β The gym lights turned back on.
βHelp!β He gasped and then groaned.
Your head jerked forward and a figure stood with Chan in the distance. A knife jerked from Chanβs stomach, causing him to sink to his knees. He cried out and slumped along the floor. The cotton shirt soaked with red wine blood. You lunged forward, but whoever gripped your hair wouldnβt let go. Your scalp screamed in objection. Blood dripped off the sharp end of a knife.Β
βChan! Bang Chan! No! No!β You bucked, but there wasnβt any use. A fist slammed your stomach and you stumbled backwards against the strangerβs chest.Β
Chanβs eyes drooped. His hands curled protectively around his stomach, but it didnβt help the bleeding stab wounds. Blood oozed and the organs had been punctured. Red puddled around Chanβs body as he flopped over against the floor. You screamed at the top of your lungs, but his eyes drifted shut.Β Β
When the figure turned around, the ghost-face mask was back. Fingers in your scalp jerked your head back. A few inches above, a similar ghost face mask mocked your fear. Your eyes squeezed shut and a sob fell from your lips. βLet m-me go! Please!β You tried to pull in Chanβs direction, but they wouldnβt let you budge.Β
The figure in front of you took their time wiping the bloody knife along the edge of their shirt. Wine red smeared along the cotton blue. Your bottom lip trembled and your eyes burned. They stepped closer, wielding the knife without a care in the world. Tears didnβt stop, but the figure did. The knife hit the floor with a loud clatter.Β
The figure reached up with closed fists and extended their arms to their cheeks. Without uttering a single word, they flexed their wrists back and forth, mocking your tears. The moment it happened, deja vu hit and your face fell. Bone-chilling fear slithered straight down your spine and ignited the trail of goosebumps along your arms. βMinho?βΒ
A hand reached up and tugged off the mask. Your eyes widened in shock. The betrayal cut deep. A toothy-white grin stretched across Minhoβs face. βTook you long enough. How do ya feel? Are you feeling good?βΒ
βYou monster!β
βMonster?β His head cocked to the side and he shrugged. βMaybe, but Iβm not as much of a monster as the one keeping you right there.βΒ
βNo.βΒ
βOh, yes. Say hello, Seungmin.βΒ
βNo, no, n-no.β Your head shook frantically.
βYes! Yes! Yes!β Minhoβs grin widened and he laughed. βTake off the mask and say hi!βΒ
Seungmin didnβt get a chance. You spun, reaching up, and jerked off his mask. Seungminβs eyes met yours. βIβm sorry,β he mumbled. βYou donβt understandβ¦βΒ
βIs thisβ¦?β You squirmed, trying to look over his shoulder to see what lay behind him. βWhere isββΒ
βOomph.β Minhoβs tongue tsked and he picked up his knife again. βI wouldnβt look back there. Thereβs a lot of bodies. Bodies, a lot of blood, and a big, big mess for whoever is on cleaning duty tonight. Thatβs just too damn bad. The annoying shitheads deserved it, anyway.β He reached down and grabbed the knife again.Β
βWhat did you do?βΒ
βWhat? Aw, come on. Donβt tell me youβre actually upset because I did a little killing? I thought you hated those guys?βΒ
βYou killed my boyfriend, you asshole!βΒ
βMhm.β Minho grabbed the back of his neck and shrugged. βHe might survive. Look,β he waved behind his back. βHeβs breathing! Itβs a miracle! Say amen, so we donβt jinx it!βΒ
βYou jackass!βΒ
βYouβre in no position to call me names, sweetheart.βΒ
βAnd you!β You jerked, trying to face Seungmin properly. βI trusted you! I thought we were all friends! You sick bastard!β Your hand went up to hit him, but he grabbed it.Β
βStop it.β He couldnβt meet your eyes. Guilt weighed heavily on his heart, but his desires outweighed them. The scale could never be balanced and deep down, he knew that. βJust stop fighting us, please.βΒ
Two fingers appeared and jabbed hard into his left eye. He yelped and stumbled backward. βHey!β Minho yelled. βGet back here!β He started forward, but you shoved Seungminβs body back. He stumbled and landed straight into Minhoβs arms.Β
The maze of bodies trailed blood everywhere. In the darkness, there was nothing they could do to defend themselves. No weapons, no light to see, and nothing to prevent the horror from unraveling. Your foot slipped in a growing puddle of blood, but you kept going, catching yourself in the process. Whatever this was, you wanted no part of it.Β
Shaking fingers grabbed the gym doors and pushed, but the door didnβt budge. Panic bubbled and you closed a fist. Rapid bangs sounded like gunshots. βHelp me! Help me! Please! Help me!β
Minho and Seungmin hurried forward, catching the end of your trail like snakes. βGive it up,β Minho whispered against the shell of your ear. βYou tried to outrun us, but we thought about that beforehand. We didnβt want to let a little piggy out of its pen, did we?βΒ
βNo.β Your head shook in disbelief. βNo, no, no.β Hands went up and slammed against the thick wood. βHelp me!βΒ
βThey canβt hear you,β Seungmin finally spoke up. βThe haunted house started ten minutes ago. Your screams sound like all the others that are playing over the loud speaker in the main halls.βΒ
Tears fell down your cheeks, catching the cotton collar of your t-shirt. Nausea swelled in your stomach and threatened to overpower you. Your head tipped forward and weakly slumped against the wooden door. Minhoβs hand reached up and gently petted your head. βThere, there. Poor thing. Youβre so scared and exhausted, just relax and let us make you feel better.βΒ
βNot if I can help it.βΒ
Before anyone could turn around, someone clicked the safety off. Two loud bangs. One in the back of Minhoβs head and another in Seungminβs. The pair dropped down at your feet. Seungminβs twitching fingers brushed against your sneakers. Bullet wounds seeped blood and brain. You spun around, barely able to comprehend it all.Β
Chan stood with a single pistol in his hand. Gun powder, blood, and glory. He heaved through the torn tatters of his t-shirt.
βChan?βΒ
He stumbled forward and headed your way. βIβm not dead. Not yet. Nobody touches you, but me.βΒ
Your mouth opened, but the words never formed. Lips slammed into yours and pressed you against the locked wooden doors. Your arms quickly wrapped around his neck and you kissed him back. His hands curled around your cheeks and he pulled away. You licked your lips. βYou taste likeββΒ
βCorn syrup?β He reached up and tucked a piece of your hair back behind your ear. Your face fell and empty eyes found yours. βYou look so much like her. I remember her fear like it was yesterday.βΒ
βW-What?βΒ
βYour sister,β he whispered. βShe was just as sweet. Soft skin and a year older than me. She went off to college and I was supposed to follow her later this year.β He bent his head down, pressing a soft kiss against your pulse point. βBut when she hooked up with one of the frat boysβ¦β The words trailed off. A shaky breath exhaled and brushed against the side of your sensitive neck. βI knew I had to make her pay.βΒ
βWhat are you talking about?βΒ
His fingers curled along the side of your head and tangled in your hair. βI didnβt know you were home that night. I didnβt know until you showed up to the station covered in blood. Imagine my surprise when I found you talking to my father.βΒ
Another twisted kiss and then another. He trailed them along the side of your neck as he recounted his tale of terror. βI was supposed to get away with it, but then you were there. So I worked my ass off to fuck up the paperwork and adjust evidence. God, youβre intoxicating.βΒ
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against yours. βYouβre so much like her. I missed her every night, but whenever I was with you, I could pretend she was still here. You learned all the touches that she knew best.βΒ
βNo,β you whispered. Your head shook. βNo, I love you. Youβre supposed toββΒ
βI love the idea of you. I love how much you look like your sister. You even make the same sweet noises.βΒ
βIββ You squeaked the moment his teeth latched onto your earlobe. He hummed and hooked his fingers through the loops on your jeans. Betrayal poured a bucket of cold water on your head. βSeungmin and Minho?β
βIf you were as smart as you claimed, youβd know those two have been worshipping you for years. Such men. They were so eager to get a taste.β He pulled back and chuckled. βSo when I offered to share you, as long as they went along with my little plan, they jumped at it like rabbits.βΒ
He watched your face contort with anger. An eye twitched and you looked at the bodies bleeding out below your feet. βTell me, do you like scary movies?βΒ
βYou were theββΒ
βAnonymous phone call? Yeah and then you hung up on me, but you canβt hang up on me now. I thought itβd be fun to pay homage to my favorite horror movie series. βΒ
βYou sick bastard,β you whispered. Anger ignited and then you yelled. βYou asshole!β Your hands shoved him back, but he barely stumbled back from the force.Β
βSuch a mouthy little thing, just like your sister. I met her at that football game last year. We started to talk and wellβ¦β He trailed off, enjoying the look in your eyes as you recounted the video on his phone from this morning.Β
He chuckled, but it was quickly replaced with a frown. βIβd love to stick around, but Iβm graduating in a few months. Iβm going off to college and that means I canβt stick around and waste my time trying to dismantle the paperwork that the cops and detectives have tried so hard to keep together.βΒ
βAnd Iβm afraid that means you,β he reached out and flicked your nose lightly, βyouβve gotta go. Youβre going down for the murders of everyone here and your sister.βΒ
βTheyβll never believe you.βΒ
He chuckled and pulled up the gun, pressing it against the side of your head. βDonβt be foolish, babe. Everyone always believes the sheriffβs son, especially when heβs breaking down about his unknown psychopathic lover.βΒ
βThatβs not my dominant hand, asshole. If you wanted to frame me for murder and make it look like a suicide, youβd make sure to press the gun against the proper side of my head.βΒ
βHow sweet. Even at the end of your pathetic little life, youβre still bossing me around. Tell your sister that Iββ He shifted the gun towards the other side of your head and thatβs when your foot slammed against his groin.
He jerked back, loosening his grip on the gun. You reached out and attempted to jerk it free, not wasting time. His foot caught Minhoβs stiff leg and he went down. His head slammed against the floor, causing him to groan in pain. βFuck!βΒ
You tried to tug but he didnβt let go. βYou stupid cunt!β He snarled. βYouβre going to pay for that!βΒ
In a panicked frenzy, you took off. If you could just make it to the back door, you could probably escape. Bodies remained motionless as you rushed by. The sight of a face down Felix in his own blood caused dots to fill your vision. Chan gritted his teeth and forced himself up. A knot formed along the back of his skull. βGet back here!βΒ
Heavy footsteps trampled in your direction. You kept running, but he was quick. When you glanced over your shoulder, he lunged, but thatβs when you dropped. He flew forward, slamming into the refreshment table that you and Felix worked so hard to create. The table buckled in the center and metal legs jerked outwards.Β
Buckets of candy spilled all over his body. Popcorn balls rolled in every direction. The warm melted chocolate tipped and soaked his face. He yelled and dragged his fingers over his eyes. You jerked upright, scanning frantically for the gun. When you found it in a disarray of strawberries and marshmallows, you grabbed it with a pounding heart.Β
Close enough to understand what you were trying to do, Chan grabbed your pants leg and jerked you down hard. You yelped, dropping down and landing on top of him. He waved a chocolate-smeared hand, but you jerked the gun away. Demanding fingers dug into your side, but you barreled through the pain and jerked the gun beneath his chin.Β
βWell, well, well. I guess weβre both in a little bit of a sticky situation.β He chuckled and reached up, smearing chocolate along the bottom of your lower lip. βCareful now, we wouldnβt want anyone to get hurt, would we?βΒ
You glared and curled a finger around the trigger. The gun shook and the unfamiliar weight of metal terrified you, but you didnβt loosen your grip. You kept the barrel pointed at him. His hands went up, but he didnβt move. Instead of begging for his life, his eyes found yours. Empty and without remorse. He didnβt beg and plead and he certainly didnβt apologize. Instead, he uttered the name of your dead sister. The gun fired once and only once. The name that once met everything to him died on his lips as his face blew apart.
You straddled him, letting the gun fall. It fell onto his chest with a hollow thud. The sound of ringing in your ears pierced the silence, sharp and shrill. Tears blurred the mass of brains and blood between your legs. You let out a single ear-piercing scream. The bodies of your friends sat oozing in the background. Acquaintances didnβt come running. Corn syrup and blood tangled together along your tongue. A thumb print of chocolate dripped down your chin.Β
Seungmin sat perched on the edge of his bed with two different options laid out along the bed before him. Empty eyes stared blankly at his reflection in the mirror. The two of you shared the stained caramel hardwood dresser. Bronze detailed hooks attached to each drawer. The oversized mirror attached to the back, you both regularly used it to check your outfits for the day.Β
Heβd brush back pieces of his hair and secure them with a baseball cap. Youβd add bits of hair spray or make sure your fly was zipped. He used to crack jokes about it, but those jokes were so far behind him now. His older sisterβs plea echoed in his ears. She didnβt ask for things often, but when she did, how could he say no?Β
Despite being a few years younger, he had a soft spot for her. After all, she had been a second mom while they grew up. When he didnβt have the courage to ask his mom, his bare feet would pad down the worn carpet and heβd stop outside his sisterβs door. Soft ballads played and other times, sheβd be perched back and laying on her bed, giggling with a friend on the phone.
Back before everything fell apart, he loved being home. He loved the sweetened scent of vanilla cupcakes that drifted throughout the house. His father bought his mother one vanilla cupcake candle for her birthday and she kept the scent close to her heart. She lit the three-wick candles so much, she was buying a new one every month. Fire flickered for hours and smoke drifted up into the air.Β
Things changed. The seasons grew warmer and despite it, the presence looming over Derry turned people colder towards one another. He missed what Derry used to be; the town where everyone cared about everyone. Not everyone was the best of friends, but it was nice to know your neighbors.Β
The city was much different. Everything was so fast. The traffic swarmed and clogged down interstates. The underground subway delayed itself due to items on the tracks. A malfunction of some sort that always occurred at the times you least expected it to. Bodegas full of strange faces and a constant stream of new cashiers. Now and then, heβd get a regular for a while. The only thing that never seemed to change were the bodega cats.Β
He shouldnβt be complaining. The city was where he met you. With a big smile and bright-eyed, you appeared in his sights; the swan to his ugly duckling. Every time he said he was ugly, youβd reach up and flick the center of his forehead. No matter how much it hurt, he never stopped. Maybe he believed it, or maybe he liked that kind of attention from you, you hadnβt figured him out yet.Β
After a year of dating, his lease was nearly up and he wasnβt sure he wanted to sign for another. When you offered to share your place, he hesitated, but you were so adamant. You presented him with your spare key in the middle of an ice cream date. Between bites of chocolate ice cream, you slipped the key into his hand and licked the dripping liquid before it hit your dominant hand.Β
He never thought heβd find love, but there you were. Life grew softer with you. Through the bumps and rough parts, he found himself eager to come home and curl up to your body. You with your oversized hoodies and the body that you insisted ran cold-blooded. Each time he slung his bare calves over yours, you grumbled, but quickly settled and moved closer when you realized how warm he was.Β
He sucked in a deep breath and fell back. Darkness brewed outside, sucking away the sunlight, and turning his marrow into misery. Shadows sank against the walls. With the comfort of silence, he was left with spiraling thoughts and a newfound anxiety. When he left Derry all those years ago, he never thought heβd go back. He didnβt want to go back. How could he?Β
So much happened back then. He didnβt talk about it with anyone, not even with his sister, so the mystery remained unsolved. Everyone wanted to know, but nobody poked the bear. Too afraid to trigger bad memories, not wanting to be the one that reminded him of what happened all those years ago, they kept quiet. The past sought vengeance, but Seungmin turned his back on it a long time ago. At least, he did until it came crawling back in the form of his sisterβs pregnancy.Β
βSeungmin!β Your cheerful voice cut through his self-pity. βWhere are you? I brought home dinner!β You kicked off your shoes, tossed your bag onto the couch, and went straight for the bar counter.Β
You opted to use your bar counter instead of buying an actual table to eat off of. Seungmin didnβt mind the arrangement when he moved in. Deep down, you were glad. Your apartment was nice, but it wasnβt that nice. City apartments have limits, unless youβre willing to pay an arm and a leg.Β
Footsteps approached and you glanced up with a grin. βHey, stranger!β You tugged a parchment wrapped sub from a plastic bag and held it out to him. βI got you your usual.βΒ
βYou didnβt have to. If I would have known you were going to buy something, I would have sent you some money for my half.βΒ
You pulled your own sub free. βHow many times do we have to have this conversation?βΒ
He frowned, but didnβt fight you on the topic. Buying things randomly and presenting them to Seungmin, it was part of your love language. You liked the soft look in his eyes. The upper tug of the corner of his lips when he grinned, revealing all of his pearly white teeth. Love wasnβt perfect, but in those moments, it felt like it was. You swore you won the lottery when it came to him.Β
The two of you slipped onto the stools and started consuming your food. He listened while you talked about work. When you noticed he wasnβt saying anything, you raised an eyebrow. βIs something wrong? Youβre really quiet today.βΒ
He shrugged, causing you to know immediately.
βWhat is it?β You tried again. You reached over and lightly punched his arm. βCome on. You can tell me all about it. Tell me while I get drinks. What do you want? Sparkling water? Dr. Pepper? One of my fancy orange sodas?βΒ
βDr. Pepper. My sister called today.βΒ
βReally? Itβs been a while since Iβve heard anything about her. How is her pregnancy going?βΒ
βThatβs the thing.βΒ
You glanced over your shoulder. The yellow light reflected from your eyes and revealed the messy strands of your hair that poked upright. βIs everything okay?β A frown fell upon your face. βDid something happen?βΒ
βSheβs a few days away from her due date and nothing has happened, sheβs still very pregnant. The doctor mentioned potentially inducing her labor if her body doesnβt fall into labor itself.βΒ
βAnd thatβs a bad thing?β Your eyebrow raised.Β
βShe asked if I could come over and watch her daughter, Samantha. Itβd be fine, but I donβt know how to watch a teenager. Sheβs thirteen now. Last I saw her, it was like two years ago. Plus, itβs Derry and Derry...β He glanced down at his sub, avoiding your eye contact. Colorful veggies piled on top of one another. Tomatoes oozed with sauce and bits of lettuce. Whoever created the sandwich placed a thick layer of green peppers on top. βDerry is home to a lot of things that I'd rather forget about.βΒ
You approached with a can of Dr. Pepper. You cracked it open and pushed it in his direction. βIf itβs okay with her, Iβd be happy to go with you and help out. Iβve never met your sister or your niece, but if you donβt want to go alone,β you shrugged.Β
βI canβt ask you to take off work. I donβt know how long weβll be there.βΒ
βWho cares? Jobs are replaceable. Families are forever. My boss has been up my ass too much, anyway.β You reached out, grabbed his wrist, and placed the drink in his hand. βDrink up. Dr. Pepper has prescribed your medicine. One can of medicine with your sub.β
βThis is sugar water.βΒ
βAnd sugar rushes release dopamine, itβs good for your brain.βΒ
βI think thatβs the opposite of what a real doctor would say.βΒ
βThen I guess itβs a good thing I donβt work in the medical field.β You smiled, leaned forward, and kissed the tip of his nose.Β
A shy smile started to tug up along the corners of his mouth, exactly like you knew it would.Β
The familiar welcoming sign to Derry caused Seungmin to glance away. You handled the curves with familiar movements and hummed softly to yourself. With your phone hooked up to his sisterβs address, a monotone voice told you exactly where you should go. It took a couple of hours, but you were happy to be in a place that Seungmin recognized. Familiarity flickered in his eyes, even if he didnβt say it out loud.Β
βAre you okay over there?βΒ
He nodded, but he didnβt respond. You were uncertain of what happened to Seungmin here. He talked about pieces of his past, but never his hometown. It wasnβt your job to judge and you didnβt push him. You figured heβd speak about it when he was ready. Until then, you were meant to stay by his side and be supportive.Β
βSo whatβs your sister like?β You asked, hoping to take his mind off things. βYou two seem like you get along pretty well. I donβt think Iβd trust my siblings to watch my kids, if I had one.βΒ
βSheβs a little overbearing, but sheβs my sister. I donβt hate her and we like each other. We bicker every so often,β he shrugged. βShe says thatβs normal and it happens between every set of siblings.βΒ
βSheβs right.βΒ
βSometimes I wish I was older. She reminds me that sheβs my elder all the time. Itβs so annoying,β he shook his head. βOlder sisters can be such pains in the ass, but they can be the best thing ever, too.βΒ
You smiled at his words. βThatβs a good way to look at it. I like that a lot.βΒ
βTurn right on Oakwood Drive. Your destination is approaching on the right. Coming to address 143ββ
He reached up and muted the GPS system. βWe get it. Weβre almost there. Yeah, yeah, whatever.βΒ
You chuckled and clicked on your turn signal. 143 Oakwood Drive was home to a single cream-colored house. Pale pillars flanked upwards, along each side of the door, and held up supportive beams for a small overhead awning. Dark shingles and wide open shutters revealed parted lace-white curtains.Β
Blossoming rose bushes lined both sides of the house and expanded outwards. Miniature square lights lined the sidewalk and led the way to the door. They werenβt lit up, but by the black solar powered tops, you knew theyβd flick on when the sun went down.Β
βThis place is beautiful. Your sister lives here with your niece?β
βYes. She used to have an on-again, off-again boyfriend, but you can see how that turned out for her. He impregnated her for the second time and left. So if I could ask you a favor, please donβt mention Samanthaβs dad. My sister said sheβs been going through a hard time with it. He wonβt answer her calls or texts.βΒ
βWhat a fuckwad, but of course. Iβll keep my mouth shut and my eyes peeled. You let me know if we come across the bastard in public and Iβll give him a piece of my mind.βΒ
Seungmin glanced over at you. βYou donβt even know Samantha.βΒ
βSo? Sheβs a child. Believe it or not, most kids want their parents to be involved with their lives.β You flipped down the mirror, pushed up the flap that hid it, and made sure you looked okay. βLeaving your kid without keeping in contact with them, thatβs loser behavior.βΒ
He shook his head and pushed himself upright. The two of you pulled yourselves from the SUV. Your arms stretched above your head and a soft pop slipped from your spine. Youβd been cramped in the driverβs seat for a while now. Your tailbone ached and the position kept your spine compressed in a way you found uncomfortable.Β
Pops and snaps littered throughout your body as you stretched. When you were sure you were content, you headed around the rounded front to find Seungmin. Before you could get far, the front door opened. A very pregnant woman tried to hurry out, but it turned into waddling. She beamed and waved in your direction.Β
βHi! Hi! Hello! Thank you for coming on such short notice.β She made her way down the straight sidewalk and towards the front of your car. βSeungmin! God, I feel like itβs been forever since Iβve seen you.βΒ
She threw out her arms and wrapped him in a hug. He stiffened, feeling her stomach between them. βListen, I love you a lot, but Iβm deeply concerned about squishing the baby.βΒ
She ignored him and hugged him tighter. βYou wonβt squish him, trust me. Hug me back! Heβs being pushed against my bladder and I can only maintain a hug for so long before I have to worry about soaking my shoes.βΒ
His face scrunched up, causing you to laugh. Hearing the sound, she let go and spun around to face you. She shared the same dark brows and espresso eye color as her brother. βYou must be who heβs dating. He speaks so highly of you, Iβm glad I can finally meet you. Pictures donβt do you justice, youβre stunning.βΒ
Warmth filled your cheeks. βThank you. Itβs nice to meet you, too.βΒ
She beamed and waddled over. βIβll spare you the torture I gave my brother.β She shuffled along your side and gave you a side hug. βDo you want some advice?β She whispered. βIf you know anyone thatβs going to get pregnant, make sure they have a sturdy pair of slip-on shoes.βΒ
βIβll make a mental note.βΒ
She patted your back and pulled away. βCome inside. You must be tired from the drive. I made banana nut muffins and I just pulled them out from the oven. You can meet Sam. Seungmin, when was the last time you saw Sam?βΒ
βTwo years and some odd amount of days ago.βΒ
βSheβs taller now. A lot mouthier, too.βΒ
βSeems like thatβs what happens when you turn into a teenager.βΒ
She swatted his shoulder, spun around, and waved you towards them. βCome on, donβt be shy. If I was to bite you, Iβd have done it by now. Come in and sit down. I have the best recliner in the entire world. I loved it so much, I bought a second one. Come on, Iβll let you try it.βΒ
With a shy smile, you picked up the pace. Inside, Seungmin kicked off his shoes. His sister walked past the neat stack of shoes and walked along the carpet with her socked-feet. βSam! Sam, come out of your room! Theyβre here!βΒ
To your surprise, a young girl with deep blue hair appeared. A bright yellow star clip sat on each side of her head and pushed her hair back. Hazel eyes shifted between the two of you, before they settled on you. You waved and smiled, still uncomfortable with the unfamiliarity between you and Seungminβs family.Β
βHi, Samantha,β Seungmin said.Β
βItβs just Sam now.βΒ
βOf course, it is.βΒ
βYouβre who Seungminβs dating?β She stepped forward, taking in your appearance of faded denim jeans and a dusty rose t-shirt. You nodded, causing her to hum. She finally looked back at Seungmin and flashed him a thumbs up. βGood catch.βΒ
βSam, your uncleβs significant other isnβt a fish. How many times do I have toββΒ
βIβm just being honest.βΒ
βHonesty must run in the Kim family,β you joked lightly. Thumbs in your back pockets, you shifted on your feet. βSeungmin here,β you nudged his side lightly. βHeβs always giving me a run for my money.βΒ
βYeah, that sounds like him,β Sam continued. βHeβs a real piece of work at times. Iβm not sure how you put up with him.βΒ
βHey!β Seungmin cried out.Β
His sister clapped her hands together. βOkay, thatβll be enough. Who wants muffins? Banana nut?β She grinned and nodded. βThatβll make it feel like home. Seungmin, remember Momβs banana muffins?βΒ
βThey were always blueberry, youβre remembering them wrong.βΒ
βAm I?βΒ
βPregnancy brain,β Sam mumbled beneath her breath. βSheβs lost her mind and Iβm always the one that has to deal with it.βΒ
She was like Seungmin in ways that youβd never imagined.Β
You groaned at the sound of your alarm going off at six in the morning. You grabbed a pillow and flung it over your head. The memories from last night swung back, only making you feel more and more exhausted. The music coming from your phone grew louder. You forced yourself to sit up and swipe the screen, making the alarm turn off. Your body flopped back defeatedly and you sighed.Β
Last night, you were sound asleep when Seungmin woke you up in a panic. A sharp wail sounded from the hallway and jerked you from your sleepy haze. Namsoo, Seungminβs sister, slumped back against the white wall. Lit up by the bright light high above her head, she tipped her head backwards, gritting her teeth, and trying not to let out a scream. At nearly two in the morning, she woke up to a searing pain in her stomach. It was a miracle the two of you arrived the previous evening.Β
Seungmin shook you awake frantically, trying to tell you what was happening. You could only nod and usher him to take her to the hospital. He left with an arm around Namsooβs waist and a mouthful of curses as she dug her nails into his wrist for support. Childbirth with Samantha wasnβt easy and it wasnβt going to be easy with her son, either.
You were left alone to comfort a sleepy Sam. She stumbled out of her room after you shut the front door. You made sure she was aware her mom was likely in labor before she went back to sleep. You promised Namsoo youβd take Sam to school in the morning. Despite giving birth, she didnβt want Sam to miss school. From what you understood, Sam didnβt like the idea of being around when her mom was giving birth. Not that you could blame her. Pregnancy is hard and giving birth can be harder.Β
Rubbing sleep from your eyes, you laid in the bed. Fog clung to your brain, but you knew you had to get up and go. Laying here in the bed, you were wasting time. As if the universe agreed with you, your second alarm clock pierced the room. You sighed, sat up, and turned it off. The world demanded more of you and you werenβt going to back down from the tasks you were given.Β
So you got up and fumbled through your suitcase half-asleep. You barely remembered everything you did up until the ice water caused you to yelp in the shower. You hissed and shoved the extended handle to the side. Within seconds, the water turned scalding. You jerked your hand back and shook it, trying to limit the sting. βFor fuckβs sakes!βΒ
You knew you should have asked Namsoo how to use her shower the following evening, but you didnβt. Caught up in a cut-throat game of Uno, the four of you played until late. It was nearly eleven when you packed up the game.Β
Namsoo made sure Sam went straight to bed. Seungmin demanded a kiss for being the champion. Heβd won six rounds. You grumbled and huffed, enjoying the way he whined and complained. Despite someone who said he didnβt care that much about you, he was awfully dramatic when you denied him simple affection.Β
You loved the way Seungmin loved. He denied being in love, he pretended not to adore your every move, but you caught glimpses of him in the bathroom mirror as you brushed your hair. With toothpaste leaking around your lips, sleep crusted in your eyes, and the ghost of sleep haunting you, he looked at you like you hung the stars. A soft gaze with a small smile. Heβd love you in a thousand different lives, if he could.Β
Fortunately, Sam was already up and around by the time you headed to her room. She gave you the name of your school while she popped two slices of wheat bread in the toaster. A glass jar of almond butter appeared. βDo you want something to eat? I can make you toast.β
βNo, thatβs okay. What time do you have to be at school?βΒ
βMom usually leaves here around 7:30. Weβre at school by 7:45 and that gives me plenty of time to go to my locker before school starts.βΒ
βPerfect.β You typed quickly along your phone, finding the location. βDo you need anything before we head out soon? A packed lunch?βΒ
She shook her head. She parted her blue hair in half. Fishtail braids hung freely down her shoulders and stopped near her torso. Tied with small black bows, you found yourself admiring the style. βI buy lunch in our cafeteria. They have a salad bar that I visit regularly.βΒ
βSalad?β You raised an eyebrow. βYouβre how old again?βΒ
βWhy are you acting surprised? Is this the first time youβre hearing that a kid likes salad? Surprised I eat my vegetables?βΒ
βA little, yeah.βΒ
You watched her as she continued spreading the almond paste along her toast. On and on she went about all the toppings she placed on her salad. Sunflower kernels, sliced tomatoes, and thinly chopped cucumbers. If only you would have liked vegetables as much as she seemed to, maybe your body would lack the occasional stomach problems.
When she finished, you grabbed your keys and let her lead the way outside. Her hand went back to her jean pocket and she tugged out a house key. βHere, youβll need this to get back inside. I assume youβre coming here after you drop me off.βΒ
βThanks. Will you need to be picked up after school?βΒ
βYep. Iβll be exiting out the front entrance. There will be a ton of parking spots, so pick one. Iβll find you and your car. It finishes at three.βΒ
βGot it.β You unlocked your car and tugged open the driverβs door. Despite everything that happened last night, you were glad you could assist in some way. You planned to visit the hospital before coming back to the house. From a text message you received an hour ago, Namsoo had already given birth.Β
She was stable and, despite Seungminβs hand nearly being crushed, he said the birth went smoothly. Already nearly fully dilated when they came to the hospital, no wonder she mentioned she was cramping last night. Despite not realizing what was going on, her body must have been transitioning and readying itself to give birth.Β
The engine of your car rumbled to life. You let it idle while you pulled up the GPS function on your phone. Beside you, Sam tugged a zipper down along one of the pouches on her backpack. A Sanrio plushie key-chain attached through the zipper. You were pretty certain it was Cinnamoroll.Β
βIβm surprised Seungmin came back to Derry after everything that happened here when he and Mom were kids. She was worried sheβd have to take me to the hospital with her and Iβd miss school. She didnβt want to drop me off with one of my friends.βΒ
You paused and glanced up. βHuh?βΒ
βSeungminβs childhood. Donβt tell me you donβt know. He told you, right?β She shifted, so she could see you better.Β
You locked eyes and wondered what she was talking about. Seungmin didnβt mention much of his childhood. βYou should put on your belt. Iβm sure if it was important, heβd tell me about it.βΒ
Her belt clicked with a faint snap and she leaned back. βYears ago, Mom said he was young. I donβt know how old. Derry was different back then. A lot of people didnβt keep a close eye on their kids like they do now. He had a group of friends and they all went missing. When the cops found him, he was bloody and terrified. He kept mentioning a clown and tearing up.βΒ
βA clown?βΒ
βMhm. It was pretty freaky. A lot of people are worried because we have another town curfew. Two twins, theyβre a year younger than me, they went missing. No signs of being runaways, they just vanished after dance rehearsals. Kids are supposed to be inside by nine in the evening.βΒ
You shouldnβt have questioned her further, but your curiosity won. βDid they find Seungminβs friends?β You assumed they did, but her answer made your heart sink further.Β
βNope. They found Seungmin shaking like a leaf in the tunnel entrance that led to the sewers. My mom said he never talks about it. She was worried about asking him to visit, but sheβs missed him. Since my grandparents are dead, they pretty much have themselves as family members and thatβs about it.β
βI see.βΒ
You straightened up and shifted the gear. Questions brewed, but you didnβt ask them. Sam didnβt seem bothered by what she said. Her eyes scanned the streets as you followed the monotone GPS voice to get to her school. By the time you reached the parking lot, most people knew exactly where to go. You flipped on your turn signal and slipped into the extended drive.Β
βKeep driving until you reach the second road. Turn right and itβll take you to the right door. You can pull up at the curb.βΒ
βIf you need anything, you canββΒ
βText or call you?β She looked over her shoulder and smiled. βI know. My mom gave me your number last night. Thanks for the ride.βΒ
Your heart softened at her words. When Seungmin mentioned his niece, you were a little nervous. Some kids could be stuck-up and you didnβt know if sheβd fall into that category or not, but it seemed like the latter. You pulled up to the correct door, leaned over, and unlocked the vehicle.Β
βHave a good day! Iβll be here to get you later.β
βOkie-dokie.β She slipped out of the car and slammed your door shut. With a final wave, she spun around and followed the bodies that headed into the school.Β
You watched her disappear and headed out of the parking lot. The hospital awaited and you were eager to see how Namsoo was holding up. Not to mention, she just gave birth to another baby. Sheβd be needing all the help she could get and you were ready to do whatever it took to help ease the burden from her shoulders.Β
βI look ugly.βΒ
βCut yourself some slack. You just delivered an eight pound human. Of course, you look ugly. Anyone would look ugly after having their holes stretched ten centimeters.βΒ
βItβs called a cervix!βΒ
βYeah, itβs serving all right. Popped out such a big baby, heβs practically a navy seal already. Should we award him with a medal of honor?βΒ
βFuck off!β
The conversation drifted in Seungminβs mind as he fell asleep. Around him and Namsoo, delivery nurses tried not to laugh. Her doctor spun around, covering her mouth with her hand. It was hours ago, but the scene stayed on repeat in his head.Β
The anger in his sisterβs gaze and her narrowed eyes caused him to chuckle. Despite his teasing, he paid for it dearly. Tender bruises curled around his left palm. Namsoo dug her fingers tightly into his skin. When he complained, she squeezed harder. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to deal with the pain. If it was only a quarter of what she felt pain-wise, he didnβt know how she was staying conscious while pushing.Β
Piercing wails of his nephew filled the room. Tears streamed down her cheeks. The doctor handed the baby to the nurses, so she could deliver the placenta. Everything happened so quickly and then it was over. The baby was taken away to have the vitals and measurements taken. Namsoo practically fell asleep instantly, physically and emotionally exhausted by the weight of childbirth.Β
They were supposed to bring Daehyun back into the room. Namsoo made Seungmin promise heβd wake her up when they brought him back. She originally wanted to hold him before they took him away, but with the lingering exhaustion in her eyes and collapsing against the back of the bed, her doctor wanted her to rest.Β
Seungmin was supposed to stay awake, but his own eyes fluttered shut. Most of the night, he tossed and turned. Namsooβs guest room had a full queen-sized bed. Despite the Egyptian cotton sheets and the welcoming honeydew walls, it was strange to be back. At eighteen, he hurried away to college and never looked back to Derry. Namsoo stayed behind, finding solace at a local office job, but he couldnβt find peace in Derry.Β
The clown still haunted him. Peeking around corners with pointed yellow teeth and an uncanny stretched smile, he was paralyzed. His friends noticed it, too. At first, he assumed he was paranoid, but they were all falling victim to similar things. Red balloons silently floated towards them. Unseen eyes lingered as they walked down the street.Β
He still remembered the fear in their eyes as he recounted the clown thatβd chased him down his street. Maniacal laughter and a squeaking horn. It taunted him as he ran as fast as his eleven-year-old legs could run. The clown mocked him as he sprinted for his life.Β
The horn sounded louder. He screamed, but nobody came to his rescue. He rushed the front steps of his parentsβ house. White-gloved fingers wrapped around his ankle and squeezed. If it wasnβt for his foot slamming hard into the clownβs nose, he was sure he would have died.Β
Glowing yellow eyes, an oblong forehead, and receding red hair. There was nothing in those eyes. Every time he made eye contact with them, he couldnβt breathe. Darkness clawed itself into his chest and threatened to choke him. He rushed into his house and locked the door, but that didnβt stop the clown from peering through the glass window that was attached to the door.Β
Tears pricked in his eyes. The clownβs mouth extended wider and wider. Teeth dripped with drool. An unnaturally long tongue flung out and licked the window panel from top to bottom. He burst into sobs. Fear fueled whatever it was. It jerked back with wild eyes and fell into a fit of giggles.
He forced the memory away at the sound of footsteps and gentle hums. Tucked in a nearby hospital chair, the sterile scent of the halls clung to his nose. He shifted and let his eyes flutter open. If Daehyun was here, heβd wake up Namsoo. If he didnβt, heβd get an earful from her later. As much as he wanted to let her sleep, she would have likely killed him.Β
He sat upright and blinked a few times. Someone had partially closed the hospital blinds, so the light wasnβt blinding them. A yawn stretched at the corners of his mouth and he pawed at his eyes. Movement came from across the room. He lifted his head up and the terror came back.Β
Dressed in blue scrubs, the clown hummed softly. Receding red hair and white face paint; a red tipped nose, red lines that lined their way from the corners of his mouth, up his cheeks, and towards his eyes. Seungminβs mind turned to static. In his arms, Daehyun sat in a swaddled blue bundle. A tiny blue cap had been tugged over the headful of black hair along his head.
βYou are my sunshine, my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. Youβll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please donβt take my sunshine away.β
The clownβs voice came out raspy. Every few words, his voice broke apart, sounding like knives trailing down an old chalkboard. His body shifted side-to-side as he rocked Namsooβs son. Despite it, the yellow eyes didnβt leave Seungminβs face.Β
Thatβs when Seungminβs screaming began.Β
The sound of yelling and the shrill scream of a newborn reached your ears before you found the Kim siblings. You froze with your fist halfway up to the door. The wooden panel did little to mute the sound bursting through it. Despite the yelling, you couldnβt hear what words were being said.Β
With a sharp rap, you knocked three times, waiting for them to get it together. The voices cut out, but the wailing didnβt stop. The door swung open to reveal a pale, wide-eyed Seungmin. His fingers tightened around the brass knob. Your eyes met his and then went over to an angry Namsoo.Β
βIs everything okay?βΒ
βPeachy,β Namsoo uttered sarcastically. In her arms, she rocked a blue bundle. Purple half-cresents sat beneath her eyes. βTake him home and tell him to sleep. He woke me up screaming at the top of his lungs and woke up my son in the process.βΒ
Your fingers stretched out and curled around Seungminβs forearm. He didnβt look up and meet your eyes. Instead, he pulled his arm away and pushed past you. You watched him walk further into the sterile hall. His shoes squeaked along the freshly mopped floor. You turned back to Namsoo. βDo you need anything?βΒ
She rocked the warm bundle in her arms and shook her head. βJust some peace and quiet.β As if her son could sense her distress, his sharp cry turned into a whimper and faded altogether. Her lungs expanded with a deep breath and then she exhaled. βThank goodness.βΒ
You stared at the pair for a moment before speaking again. βI took Sam to school this morning. She was right on time. Iβll pick her up when school is over. Do you want me to bring her to visit later?βΒ
βIf it wouldnβt be too much of a hassleβ¦βΒ
βOf course not. Iβd be happy to bring her by. Are you sure you donβt need anything?βΒ
βIβm okay.β
βDo you want me to have a nurse check on you?βΒ
She shook her head. Fingers reached out and gently peeled back the blanket swaddling her baby. βI think I just want to spend some one-on-one time with Daehyun for now.βΒ
βOf course.β You stepped back. βIβll leave you to it. Try to get some rest. Donβt worry about Seungmin and Sam, Iβve got everything under control.βΒ
βThank you.βΒ
βDonβt worry about it. Weβll be back later.βΒ
She sent you a grateful smile before you tugged the door shut. Seungmin stood off to the side, pressed up against the wall. Arms locked around his chest, he stared at the floor blankly. You reached over to grab his hand. He flinched and jerked his hand away. βDonβt touch me!βΒ
You move your hands above your head instantly. βWoah, easy there. I didnβt mean to startle you, I just wanted to hold your hand.βΒ
He didnβt respond. Instead, he spun around and walked down the hall. You frowned. It took a few seconds before you hurried after him. βSeungmin, whatβs wrong? Did something happen with Namsoo?βΒ
He didnβt respond again. Eyes straight ahead, he walked towards the exit like he was on a mission. Nurses glanced at you as you headed down the hall. You waited for his response, but none came. It wasnβt like him to shut you out. Whatever happened, it was serious.Β
βSeungmin?β You tried again.Β
βNot here. Itβs not safe here.β He kept walking without another word. He didnβt spin around to make sure you were keeping up with him. Instead, he trusted that you kept the pace and you were following him.Β
Samβs words from earlier floated back to your head. At first, you doubted her, but now you wondered if her words held unspoken truths. Seungmin had been strange since the two of you arrived in Derry. In the pockets of silence, he glanced over his shoulder. Tucked in the depth of the guest bedroom last night, he stared at the ceiling fan, and he waited for the closet doors to fly open.Β
The clownβs breath smelled somewhere between a mix of skunk spray and spoiled meat left to rot in the heat. The warm breath, the dripping saliva, the constant taunts, and unnaturally long grin. The memories had worn away, but they reappeared the moment he came back to Derry. They slammed into him hard and knocked his breath away. He remembered everything.Β
The white jumpsuit hung with the weight of sewer water. It dripped off the ruffles around the clownβs wrists. Back before his friends went missing, they all screamed. Splashing and running, they sprinted for their lives from the mouth of the sewer. Murky brown water rippled and splashed in every direction. The unnerving laughter continued from behind them.Β
Seungmin and his friends went to find the truth. Surely, they could defeat a single clown. They vowed to be heroes. Armed with metal baseball bats, a slingshot, and one BB gun. Theyβd figure out what happened to the missing kids. They were going to be heroes.Β
Deeper and deeper, they strayed further from the light. Seungmin stood in the back, nearly up to his waist in the water. The scent of sulfur stirred pressure along the sides of his head. Each mouthful of air caused his stomach to swirl. Goosebumps came, but when he reminded himself his friends were with him, the relief flowed through his lungs. The pressure released and he could breathe properly yet again.Β
Oozing with pride and carrying the heavy burden of arrogance, they didnβt know what they were in for. When they found the clown, it seemed like it was so easy. He remembered the way one of his more confident friends stepped up with a baseball bat.Β
βWhat did you do to them? Whatβd you do with the missing kids?β
The clown just stared. He blinked once. Twice. Three times. Then the grin grew. Wider and wider, his cheeks pushed upright and scrunched his eyes; razor sharp and cigarette-overlay-yellow. They thought it was special effects, a person screwing around. It was only a person until the clown lunged forward, expanding his mouth wide open and gripping his teeth shut over his friendβs head.Β
Screams and slipping. A horn honked and taunted from the clownβs pocket. Bouncing bright red puff balls that looked like buttons sewed onto his clown suit. He chased after them like an out of control crocodile. Bones crunched. Children screamed for help. Bodies tipped forward and disappeared beneath the depths of the murky water. The clown fed off their fear.Β
He dived into the water and propelled with supernatural speed. Yellow eyes peeked above the top of the water. When one boy turned back, a mouthful of sewer water was spat in his face. Coughing and gagging, he fell backwards. Seungmin caught a glimpse of it, but he never stopped running. Heβd always had a fear of clowns and whatever that thing was, it relished in it.Β
It haunted him and, now that he was back in Derry, it was back to capture the boy it left behind all those years ago. Seungmin threw open the door to the parking spaces. He didnβt hold the door open for you, but you continued following him. He shoved his hands in his pockets.Β
βI parked in the third row.βΒ
He didnβt respond. Instead, he tipped forward and let out a spew of vomit. You rushed forward, eager to grab him to ease the dreadful feeling of vomit forcing itself upright. As you checked him over and patted his back, a red balloon observed you in the distance.Β
When Seungmin pulled himself together and wiped away the lingering vomit with his sleeve, the red balloon came to a stop across the way. He stared at it. His nostrils flared and he couldnβt suck in air.Β
βWhat are you looking at?βΒ
Thatβs when the harrowing realization kicked in for him; you couldnβt see it.
Black numbers stared back at Sam in comic sans font. Around her, pencils scribbled and her teacher typed away at yet another email from another staff member. Despite the brave front she put on this morning in front of you, sheβd been anxious about the math test all night. Algebra problems seeped into the paper. The previous lessons slipped away from her brain and she couldnβt remember anything.Β
They had a little less than fifteen minutes left. Six problems sat unanswered and as the analog clockβs hands ticked along, she wondered if sheβd even finish in time. The directions were relatively simple, solve the following problems, and yet, she still couldnβt get her brain to function. Her mind went back to you and Seungmin. Her mom would be bringing a baby home, too. Did that mean endless nights of little sleep for her?
She blinked, trying to push the thoughts away. Theyβd be there later, but time ticked down for math. She pushed her wooden pencil against the paper. Is three the correct answer? Did it matter anymore? Surely, if she asked her teacher for more time and explained her momβs unplanned labor the following night, sheβd probably be able to have a bit more time to continue.Β
Crack.Β
She pulled back her pencil to find the lead broken. Snapped in half, there was no way she could continue writing with it. A faint sigh escaped her nose, she reached out to grab her pencil pouch, and a crumbled ball of paper landed on her desk. She paused and slowly reached for it.Β
Over at her desk in the corner, her teacher didnβt glance up. Peering over the top of her glasses with narrowed eyes, she stared at the screen without looking at the keyboard. Words filled the screen as her slender fingers flew across the memorized keys.Β
Samβs fingers stretched outward and she slowly unballed the crumpled paper. If Mrs. Figs found out someone was passing notes, sheβd spend twenty minutes on a lecture. Red marker scribbled out a simple message:Β
Youβll float too.Β
She raised an eyebrow and glanced up. To her surprise, the guy in front of her sat in his chair the wrong way. He curled back, staring at her with a blank face. She mouthed something, but he didnβt respond. Her eyes went to the left, but more students sat in the same position. Glancing over her shoulder, everyone behind her sat motionless. Glass eyes and nothing to imply what they were thinking. A simple line for mouths. Hands sat limply on their desks.Β
The analog clock stopped ticking. She shifted in her seat, wondering if Mrs. Fig was aware of it all. To her confusion, Mrs. Fig sat staring at her, too. Thick eyeglasses caused her toffee eyes to triple in size. Pale fingers paused over the laptop keyboard, but they didnβt pull away.Β
Chills trailed down her spine. She looked another way, but students wouldnβt stop staring. The last time Sam gave a presentation at the front of the class, she nearly threw up. Public speaking had never been her forte. As she sat in her chair and waited, she remembered the panicked thoughts that trickled through her head.Β
What if I stumble over my words and embarrass myself? What if I didnβt follow the correct directions and I did the assignment wrong? Everyone is going to stare at me. Are my pants fully zipped? What if I forgot and I walked to the front of the room and humiliated myself? What if? What if? What if?Β
Everyone said nerves were normal, but Samβs nerves were never just nerves. Anxiety brewed in her gut daily. Before she walked into school, she always had to make sure her face looked good in her momβs visor mirror. There was always a fear that something would look wrong. An eyelash along her cheek, uncleaned white smears of toothpaste in the corners of her mouth, breakfast stuck between her teeth. Something could always look wrong and she was constantly aware of it.Β
Across the way, someoneβs arm stretched out. An index finger pointed at her and the laughter began. Her heart squeezed and she forced herself to swallow. She opened her mouth to say something, but more laughter came from her right. Another pointing finger, added high-pitched laughter, and then it grew louder.Β
Over and over again, it didnβt stop. She looked to Mrs. Fig for assistance. Sheβd say something and the class would stop. Sam stopped in the bathroom to make sure her face looked good this morning. Nothing was amiss. Her hair remained in neat fishtail braids. The black and green plaid flannel she put on had no holes. Each of the buttons sat sewed tight to the fabric.Β
Despite everything, they pointed and laughed. Eyes filled with amusement and faces contorted with grins. She couldnβt breathe. Why were they doing this? Tears brewed and burned. A lump expanded within her throat and she couldnβt do anything.Β
She shoved herself upright, grabbed her books, and rushed from the room. Head held down, arms curled around her chest with her books, she reached out for the door handle, but bumped into someone instead. She jerked upright, expecting to be mocked and ridiculed to her face.Β
Instead, she found yellow snake-eyes hidden behind clown makeup and a growing grin.Β
βSeungmin,β you uttered softly, reaching a hand out for him to grip.Β
βYou donβt believe me?β His hands balled into fists. βYou donβt believe me? Youβre supposed to love me! Why donβt you believe me? He was there!β His voice grew louder. βI saw him!βΒ
In your car, you struggled to find the right words to say. His words came out jumbled and frantic. Half-fragmented thoughts and a story that didnβt quite make sense. Missing friends and a demonic clown. He chased after them with an unhinged jaw. Crushed bones, fallen bodies, and children that never had the chance to come back home.Β
He talked about the funerals. Oh god, the funerals. His black tie and the white dress suit his mother forced him to wear. He was taken from funeral-to-funeral. The families wept. Fingers flew and the damage left one hell of an impact.Β
βJust tell the cops what you know!βΒ
βWhat did you see?βΒ
βHow tall was the clown?βΒ
βDid he look like anyone you know? Did he say his name?Β
βThat poor kid is traumatized. Hell, interviewing him, Iβm traumatized. The whole goddamn community is traumatized!βΒ
Whispers of the past turned into screams. In your passenger seat, Seungminβs fingers shook. The memories hit his brain again and again. The pitcher of the past stepped forward, swung his arm, and released each ball. Vomit rose up the back of his throat, but he forced himself to swallow it.Β
You hadnβt moved your car from the hospital parking lot. Not yet. You saw Seungmin get emotional at times, but never like this. His chest rose and he struggled to inhale. Eyes squeezed shut, nostrils flaring, and fingers digging into the faded denim on his thighs.Β
Before you could speak, his phone vibrated on the side of the door. Again and again, it buzzed. He sucked in a deep breath and answered the unknown call. βHello?βΒ
High-pitched screams pierced his ear drums.
He gasped and jerked the phone away. It slipped out of his hand and landed on your lap. You quickly grabbed the phone and placed it to your ear, trying to understand why he threw the phone. βHello? Who is this?βΒ Β
He squeezed his eyes shut and shoved his fingers in his ears. You ignored him and frowned. βWhat? Yeah, Iβm with him right now. Weβll be right there. Weβre on our way. Weβll be there soon. Is she okay?βΒ
Seungminβs body fell forward. He rocked back and forth, trying to erase the memories. Rotting nails dug into his ankle when he padded his way to his front door all those years ago. One of them embedded itself into the side of his bare ankle. He remembered bursting into sobs as he ripped it out.Β
When his parents came home that day, they didnβt understand his cries. Slender fingers clutched onto the front of his motherβs shirt. She exchanged a look with his father. Namsoo was only a few years older. She didnβt know why Seungmin stood with sewer water soaking his clothes. Blood splattered and seeped into the fabric. DNA tests stated none of it was his, just a few of his missing friends.Β
You hung up the phone and looked over. When you saw Seungmin curled over, you reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder. βSeungmin? Seungmin? Can you hear me? Babe?βΒ
He jerked upright and stared at you with wide eyes. A hand gripped your wrist and tightened. βDid you hear it? You heard it too, right?βΒ
βSamβs guidance counselor? Yeah, I heard him pretty clearly. She had an outburst in class. Theyβre not sure what happened, but sheβs in the office in tears. Something about a prank gone wrong or something. Nobody knows what happened, she wonβt talk.βΒ
βHuh?β
βDidnβt you hear what he said?βΒ
βItβs back,β he whispered. Tears pricked in his eyes. βIt came back.βΒ
βBabe?βΒ
βDrive.βΒ
Sam sniffled in the back seat. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she recounted the incident in math class. βThey wouldnβt stop pointing and laughing. There was a clown. It came out of nowhere. I-I donβt know! Everyone says none of that happened, but I know what I saw. Iβm not crazy!βΒ
You sat in the passenger seat, staring into the distance. You and Seungmin both ventured to the office to pick up Sam. Full of watery eyes and busted capillaries, she was an emotional and physical wreck. Distressed and bubbling, she curled a hand around Seungminβs and she refused to let go.Β
Back in the car, Seungmin wanted to drive home. His fingers turned ghost-white around the steering wheel. He squeezed harder and harder. You looked over, waiting for a reaction. For the first time today, you were at a loss for words. What did any of it mean? What clown? The same one Seungmin mentioned earlier?Β
βItβs back. The clown, it came back. Itβs making itself known because it must know Iβm back in town. It started with me and now it went after Sam.βΒ
In the backseat, she clutched her bookbag tighter. βThe red and white face paint? The red smile lines?βΒ
βWhat was he wearing?βΒ
βA w-white clown outfit.βΒ
βThatβs him.βΒ
You cleared your throat. βI-I donβt mean to say either of you are lying, but I find it difficult to believe thatββ
βWhat I saw was real!βΒ
βStop,β Seungmin mumbled. βYou sound like they did all those years ago. He knows Iβm back and we have to get out of Derry. He wonβt stop until everyone is dead.βΒ
He flipped the key and the carβs engine rumbled to life. You tipped your head to the side. Students remained in the dark-brick building. The office staff members had been pleasant to the two of you. Seungmin was one of Samβs emergency contacts. They cast concerned looks upon you as Seungmin and you walked out with Sam.Β
He followed the drive out of the school and back onto the main road. Derry wasnβt as large as you thought itβd be. You didnβt bother to ask where Seungmin was taking you. With a clenched jaw, he flicked on your turn signal and steered through familiar streets. It wasnβt until you passed a small family diner that you realized you were en route to the hospital.Β
The line of cars you trailed disappeared upon a left turn. Your fingers idly tapped along your thighs. You sucked in a deep breath and shifted your head in Seungminβs direction. βSo if you two can see the clown, why canβt I see him? I mean, Iβm here as well. Shouldnβt something be happening to me, too?βΒ
βI donβt know.β
You clicked your tongue and nodded. βGood answer.β Teeth bit into the side of your cheek. It wasnβt that you didnβt necessarily believe the two of them, but you struggled to understand. What were they talking about? It didnβt make sense. It was hard to believe it wasnβt a freaky prank. You took one look outside your passenger window and jerked upright. βWhat the fuck was that?βΒ
βWhat?β Sam croaked from behind you.Β
You shifted, craning your neck, trying to see behind the car. The seat belt tugged along your neck and cut inwards. βDid you see that? I swore I saw a person along the edge of the road.βΒ
Seungminβs determined gaze remained on the street ahead. βI didnβt see anything. Weβre going to the hospital to check on my sister.βΒ
The silhouette you swore you saw was nowhere to be found. You spun around in your seat with a frown. Just as you did, your eyes widened and you screamed Seungminβs name. The car jerked, something clicked, and your passengerβs side door yanked open. The car was still speeding as the familiar tug of the seat belt along your body disappeared. You shrieked and flew towards the pavement with nothing to stop your fall, but your arms.Β
You resisted gravity, but it was much bigger than you. Your body rolled along the pavement and yanked in the direction of overgrown grass. Friction hit skin and grass stains seeped in. Brakes squeezed and the world tumbled along with you. When you came to a halt, you cried out and squeezed your eyes shut.Β
Car doors jerked open and footsteps hurried your way. Seungmin screamed your name. Adrenaline forced the pain to ebb away. You shakily inhaled, trying to catch your breath.Β
βAre you okay?βΒ
βWhy would you do that?β Samβs voice followed Seungminβs. βWhy would you jump out of a moving vehicle?βΒ
βJump?β Your eyes widened. Your head shook frantically and Seungmin dropped beside you. βI-I didnβt jump. The door opened and my seat belt failed. I felt it. I saw everything happen. It happened so fast andββΒ
βBut youββΒ
βI didnβt,β you mumbled. You slowly circled around your left wrist. The throb was faint, but it was still there. Inhale and exhale. Another shaky breath followed. βI swear, I didnβt.βΒ
Seungminβs hands cupped your cheeks. βYou gave us both a fucking heart attack. Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do we need to call an ambulance?βΒ
βI-I donβt think so, Iβm justββΒ
The sound of a baby crying caught all three of you off guard. Your head instantly turned in the direction and thatβs when you knew the two of them werenβt lying. The clown stood parallel to the three of you. You jerked yourself upright.Β
In its hands, a small bundle sat wrapped up tight. Seungminβs heart sank. Sam froze. Gloved hands rocked the bundle tight. Snake-eyes stared at you without a soul behind them. Goosebumps formed and crept down your arms. The wailing grew louder. He shushed the bundle, reached down, and tugged the blanket back to reveal a small infant with its eyes closed.Β
Seungmin stepped forward, but you jerked out an arm to stop him. βYou donβt know what itβs capable of.βΒ
βHe has my nephew.βΒ
Your other arm reached out to Sam. You grabbed the back of her cotton shirt and tugged her in your direction. The unnerving feeling lining the bottom of your stomach grew. Dread cast overhead and morphed with the graying sky.
βNice day for a walk, hmm?β Red lips grinned, revealing two yellowed buckteeth. βI could go for a snack, Iβm starving.βΒ
The three of you didnβt budge. Seungmin knew what he had. That bundle was his nephew. He just knew it. Family knows family, even if theyβre barely a day old.Β
βWhat do you want?β Seungmin forced the words out. βWhat do you want with me?βΒ
The clown chuckled and shrugged. A gloved-finger reached down and curled around the infantβs hat. Slender fingers adjusted it. βNot much. Just to finish what I started all those years ago. Youβve really grown up, havenβt you, Minnie?βΒ
βDonβt call me that, you clown bastard!β
The baby wailed at the sharp words. The clownβs smile turned upside down. βOh no. You made him cry. You made the baby cry.β As soon as the frown came on, it jerked back up to a wider grin. βThatβs okay. I can fix that.βΒ
You screamed and shielded Samβs eyes. Seungmin gasped. The clownβs mouth widened and the buck teeth pushed out, forming into razor sharp fangs. Yellow eyes rolled back to reveal rotten whites and his jaw unhinged with a sickening crunch. The pale, wet tongue fell out, the baby was yanked closer, but nobody could move. Fear is such an ugly thing.Β
It happened so fast, you were certain youβd faint. His jaw unhinged and snapped shut like a viperβs. He clamped down and a stomach-churning snap filled the air. He spat the infantβs head in your direction. It rolled across the road, rushing your way, and it didnβt stop until it bumped into Seungminβs shoe and tipped back.Β
He jumped back and lightly nudged it. Plastic. It wasnβt an actual head, it was the top head of a plastic baby doll. You could see it clearly now. Glass eyes that didnβt fully close. The blue hat slipped off, revealing the small imprint along the back of its head, revealing the location of the manufacturer.Β
The clown returned back to its normal form and let out a high pitched giggle. His hands reached forward, fingers intertwined, and he stretched them. When he pulled them apart, he wiggled them. βNot if I kill you first.βΒ
He rushed forward and Seungmin tried to move forward, but you shoved him in the direction of the car. βRun!β You dragged Sam along and hurried back to safety.Β
Your heart skipped beats. The scrapes along your forearms screeched in objection, but you continued to move. Car doors opened and slammed shut. You landed in the back with Sam. Seungmin jerked open the driverβs door and barely hit the lock button inside. The clownβs head slammed into the side window and bounced off again. Saliva spattered the glass and the vehicle rumbled to life.Β
Samβs body shook as she pressed against you, gripping on for dear life. You held her close, trying to acknowledge the reality unraveling in front of you. Every morsel of doubt you held earlier, it dissolved. Seungmin slammed the gear shift into reverse and hit the gas. Arms extended and the clown chased after you yet again.Β
βCome back! Minnie! Come back! Donβt you wanna play with me? Donβt you wanna see your friends again?βΒ
Anger coursed through his veins. Itβd been years, but the clown never aged. Whoever he was, whatever he was, the monstrous being looked the exact same. He yanked the gear forward and slammed the gas pedal. You screamed Seungminβs name, but he didnβt hear it.Β
He lined the wheel with the center of the road. The engine roared, Sam buried her face in your chest, you squeezed your eyes shut, and you waited for the impact. None of you had time to pull on your seat belts. Time froze and you waited to be thrown forward, consumed by the sickening thud, and sharp screams from the clownβs body. You dreaded the resistance of the clown being dragged beneath the carβs lower body. You waited, but what you were expecting didnβt happen.Β
The clown grinned and his body disappeared before impact. Seungminβs foot didnβt ease up on the gas. The outline of the clown morphed into multiple red balloons. The moment the car hit, they scattered in every direction.Β
Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!Β
Latex stretched, helium burst, and deflated rubber flattened along the road. Sam burst into a sob, tears blurred Seungminβs eyes, and you turned around to see the road. Behind you, the only proof of the clownβs presence was the fading body of a headless plastic doll and mangled bits of popped balloons.Β
With a single sudden gust of wind, they were swept off the road and into a ditch.Β
βStay here.β Seungmin commanded. He swung open the driverβs door and stepped out.Β
Sam shook in your arms. She refused to let go of you, but you pulled yourself upright. βWhere are you going?βΒ
βTo get my sister and my nephew before that evil thing kills all of us. Just stay here and keep the doors locked. Donβt open them for anyone. Iβll be right back.βΒ
You reached out for his hand, but the car door slammed shut. He shoved his hands in the pockets of his navy hoodie and hurried to the main door. You shifted further away from Sam and hit the lock button on the doors. The car continued running, but you refused to take any chances.
On the inside of the building, every fluorescent light glared down at Seungmin. He pushed himself onward, but they didnβt let up. Each one felt like a spotlight, highlighting the shame of everything; the past, the present, and what could potentially become of his future. He moved quicker, letting the blur of hospital staff pass him by.Β
When he reached Namsooβs room, he knocked a few times and slipped inside. She faced the opposite direction, curled up on her bed. The blue bundle in the crib let out a soft whimper.Β
βNamsoo?β He called out. βNamsoo, I know this is crazy, but you have to get up. Weβre not safe here. We have to go.β He stepped along the side of her hospital bed.Β
A paper-thin sheet laid over her legs. Right before she gave birth, she complained about the pale blue hospital gown. βItβs not my color,β she insisted. βItβs ruining my darker complexion. Didnβt anyone think of how to design hospital gowns based on skin tone?β
Seungmin had laughed at her. It was absurd to see her on the verge of labor and complaining about such a trivial matter. The point of hospital gowns had never been about fashion, but rather what was easier for the doctors and nurses to access your body with.Β
βNamsoo, can you hear me?β
βI donβt feel so good, Minnie.βΒ
The words struck fear into the pit of his heart. Namsoo never called him Minnie. Not even as kids had he ever been called such a name. He stepped back, curling his hands into fists. The voice was off. Too high-pitched and certainly not Namsoo. Fake coughs hit his ears.Β
He didnβt speak. He couldnβt move. Fear won over rationality and it paralyzed him. The sheet shifted and the body moved. Dressed in a black wig, the clown makeup gave the clown away. βMinnie?βΒ
βWhat the fuck did you do with my sister?βΒ
The clownβs mouth dropped into an exaggerated frown. βDonβt you think you should know my name? Why havenβt you asked? Iβm Pennywise the dancing clown!β The smile reappeared, causing Seungminβs skin to crawl.Β
βI donβt give a fuck what your name is. Where is my sister?βΒ
βWaiting for you, with all your other friends. I only wanted to be friends, Minnie. All Iβve ever wanted is a big group of friends. A family.β He pushed himself upright. The wig slipped back and sprouts of red hair poked out. βCanβt blame a lonely clown for being jealous, can you?βΒ
Seungmin rushed to the crib to pick up the baby, but when he tried, he realized something was wrong. The bundle was too light. He jerked a blanket away to reveal a red balloon wrapped up and swaddled. βWhat did you do?βΒ
βYouβll float too.βΒ
He spun around and rushed out of the room. Pennywiseβs laughter chased him down the hallway. A doctor brushed past him in a hurry to get to a coding patient. Streams of nurses followed. Others sat scattered around the nursing station. Did any of them understand the horror unmasking itself in Derry or were they blind to it, too?
Sliding glass doors slid open and the breeze caught Seungminβs hair. He rushed to get into his car and the moment he did, he nearly collapsed. The front and back seats were empty. Another red balloon sat tethered to the back wiper. Bold letters had been written in neat sharpie across the surface and left for him to find.Β
Try again.Β
There was only one thing Pennywise wanted and that was human consumption. The flesh of children was far sweeter than the hardened hearts of adults. Children were easier to scare. With forming brains, their imaginations ran wild. So easy to read and exploit, anything was possible with the kids.Β
Seungminβs fear tasted the sweetest. Pennywise still remembered the taste. His friends feared a variety of classics. The fear of being plucked off the streets and tortured. The fear of being tugged beneath water and choking and sputtering, unable to catch a breath of oxygen. The fear of slipping off a high rise building and filling with an immense amount of pain as the bones cracked and splintered.
Seungminβs fear? Clowns. Pennywise never had to morph and change when it came to Seungmin. All he had to do was follow him. Giggling and swaying, the fear oozed out of every pore. Seungminβs shrill screams turned into a melody that Pennywise never forgot. As he aged, so did his fears. Clowns are a rarity in the city. Theyβre hard to come by, but the fear of losing the ones you love the most? Thatβs everywhere.Β
You see the face of loved ones in strangers. You look once and then twice, just to make sure you werenβt seeing things. The moment Seungmin stepped back into Derry, Pennywise had to have him. Every person around him, they were just an added bonus. He had to survive somehow and what better way to survive than consume everyone Seungmin had ever loved?Β
βWhat do you think, Minnie? Should we venture inside and find the supposed clown?βΒ
βI bet Kenzie Black tasted like french vanilla perfume if she was eaten. Do you remember when she got it for her birthday? She wouldnβt stop bragging about it. I nearly died because she sprayed it every class.βΒ
Seungmin stood in the opening of the darkened sewer. A gaping jaw and nothing beyond the darkness, but pitch black. He remembered this opening a little too well. Conversations from years ago came flooding back. His friends and him had no idea what was waiting for them inside.Β
He pulled up his flashlight and clicked it on. In the distance, a single red balloon floated in his direction. He shut his eyes and sucked in a deep breath. If anyone needed courage, it was him. When he opened them, he took a step forward. Gray water already seeped into his sneakers and soaked his socks. There was nothing he could do about it.Β
When he wanted to stop, he remembered your terrified face in the car earlier. The grumbling from his older sister. Samβs bright eyes and his nephew's newfound ability to wail. No matter how much he wanted to turn around and sprint with his tail between his legs, he couldnβt. Family members counted on him and so did you.Β
A backpack sat on his back. Youβd all been missing for nearly two hours. When you vanished with Sam, when he couldnβt find his sister and her baby, he knew exactly where heβd find all of you. Itβd end in the same place it began all those years ago.Β
Water sloshed and trickled, seeping into the denim fabric of his jeans. The gun felt uncomfortable in his hands. Heβd never been the kind of person that enjoyed guns. He only knew Namsoo kept one in her house because she mentioned it months ago. A series of break-ins left her terrified. She was pregnant and it was only her and Sam. Sheβd do anything to keep Sam and her unborn son safe.Β
If she would have known Seungmin was the reason theyβd eventually all be in danger, would she have invited him back to Derry? He was weak when it came to family. He was even weaker when it came to you. When you happily asked to come with him with stars in your eyes, a soft smile, and an eager voice, he couldnβt turn you away. He wanted you to be there with him.Β
βSeungmin, I miss you.βΒ
As if the clown could read his thoughts, the real fear had finally begun. He didnβt know where any of you were. He didnβt know where the sewers led, but he knew the last time he saw his friends, they were all here. Laughter turned to screams. The murky water morphed from gray to red. His friends haunted him.Β
He destroyed the pictures he owned. Arms slung around one another, toothless smiles from previous years, and boys being boys. They were heroic and everything boys were supposed to be; fearless and stupidly brave. Riding bikes off ramps and popping wheelies, despite falling in the process.Β
Summers were filled with triple-dog-dares and grilled burgers. They ran throughout the neighborhood like a pack of feral dogs. Bare feet stained with green grass stains. No matter how much they scrubbed before bed, itβd stay there. Too many times to count they were lectured by their parents. Scrapes turned to scabs. Bleeding was the passage of boyhood.Β
Bleeding palms from smacking the pavement too hard, flying over the wheels of a speeding bicycle. Seungmin remembered the time he cut open the side of his forehead. On a razor scooter, he got distracted by one of his friends yelling at him. He slammed into a rusted mailbox head first. Blood poured and despite it all, he laughed.Β
Namsoo rolled her eyes. His mother nearly had a heart attack, but he never once complained. She spoke with his father and in the end, he was dragged to a nearby clinic for a tetanus shot. With the rusted mailbox and the open wound, they couldnβt be too sure of what could occur because of it.Β
Life was so simple back then. Things changed. His friends died. They were ripped apart in front of him. The clown devoured them, preyed upon their fears, and then nothing. Everything fell apart and the skies never felt that sunny again. When he sat in the pockets of silence, he remembered everything. How could he forget?Β
Water sloshed as he rounded the bend ahead. The gun sat loaded and all he had to do was aim and pull the trigger. How hard could it be?
βYou came?βΒ
He paused at the words and slowly tipped his head back. Above him, Pennywise clung to the overhead tunnel on all fours. His head turned the wrong direction, the yellow eyes glowed. Seungminβs fear grew tenfold, but he forced himself to respond. βI did. You took my family and Iβm going to get them back.βΒ
βThe same way you tried to save your friends years ago?βΒ
The words drove a knife through Seungminβs heart. He never tried to save his friends. The fear engulfed him and set his head ablaze. His brain screamed at him to run and it was the only thing he could do. Run away from the underground sewer entrance. Try to stay upright while climbing up the sloped bank. Sprint down the street as fast as his slender legs could carry him, trying not to misstep and eat the pavement.Β
βWhy did you go after Sam?βΒ
βMhh. Samantha.β White fingers curled against the warped bricks. βAh, yes. Her biggest fear lies within her insecurities. I couldnβt help myself when it came to her. She was so scared, so fresh. She reminded me of you from all those years ago.β
βDonβt call her that!β Seungmin snapped. βIf you want to talk to me, get down here and talk to me properly!βΒ
And then the water hit his face. A loud splash and the water soaked dripped down his bare skin. He squeezed his eyes shut and spit out the grainy water. Pennywise tipped his head and chuckled. βDelicious, isnβt it?β High-pitched giggling appeared and vanished. βStill laced with the blood of your friends. The water never forgets.βΒ
βAsshole.βΒ
βI thought we were friends.βΒ
βWeβll never be friends.βΒ
βPennywise doesnβt like the sound of that.βΒ
He towered over Seungmin by a few extra feet. It was almost comedic, a clown with slumped shoulders and a glum face. A dirty white jumpsuit, smeared face paint, and gloves housed with smears of residue from above.Β
βYou can have me, just let my family go.βΒ
βI can have both.βΒ
βEat my shit.βΒ
Confusion flashed through the clownβs eyes. A click and a single bang. Blood oozed down the hole in the center of his forehead. Thin lips trembled, trying to speak, but the words faltered. He dropped and landed face first in the water. The remorse never came as Seungmin side-stepped him.Β
He ventured further and further into the darkness. Unease crept beside his heart, but he didnβt understand why. The worst part was over. All he had to do was find the people he loved and get out. Heβd purge everyone he cared about from Derry. Theyβd leave the town behind and never come back. Appliances could be replaced. Home would be found elsewhere. Everything would restart and theyβd try again.Β
On and on, he trudged. Water sloshed. Something dripped in the distance and the silence continued. It ate away at his hollow heart. Emotions previously threatened to drown him, but not anymore. To survive this, he couldnβt allow himself to feel anything. Not for you, not for his sister, not for his niece, and certainly not for his newborn nephew. Pennywise gorged on his fear, fueling his veins, and growing his hunger. Seungmin wouldnβt let him win this time, he forbade it.
βSeungmin?βΒ
The voice came down between his legs. He hesitated, before his gaze dropped. There you were. Hair soaked in gray water, teary-eyed, and lips barely floating above the waterβs surface. He forced his lips to stay in the thin line he drew them into earlier.Β
βStop,β you pleaded him. βYouβll kill me if you keep going. Youβll kill us. Youβll kill everyone you love all over again.βΒ
The backpack weighed him down along with memories from the past. You begged, but he trudged onward. Shrill babbles coaxed him forward. Sulfur invaded his nostrils, but he didnβt give up. Further and further, he pushed onward. Every time something tried to stop him, he ignored it.Β
It wasnβt until the tunnel sectioned into three different paths that he stopped. Straight ahead, left, or right. None of them looked correct. There was no inkling, just an emptiness that sat like concrete in the bottom lining of his stomach. He picked the left path and continued trudging through water.Β
Heβd never get the scent off without scrubbing. He imagined thereβd be rings of dirt around the tops of his ankles. Heβd wash once, twice, and then a few more times, trying to get off the feeling of gritty water. His friends joked that the water was full of nothing, but human feces. The further he ventured onwards, the more he wondered if his friendsβ words held some sort of truth. The scent grew sharper. His eyes watered, but he refused to turn around. The price of loneliness and guilt was far too much to handle.
The tunnelβs mouth expanded at the end. It opened and expanded, morphing into something Seungmin never imagined heβd find. Baby wails echoed in the darkness. He swept around his flashlight and held it in the direction of the cries. He wasnβt stupid. That bullet might have pierced the clown, but it didnβt kill him; it wasnβt human.Β
βSeungmin?βΒ
βSeungminβ¦βΒ
βMinnie?βΒ
βHelp me!βΒ
βHelp us!βΒ
βHelp!βΒ
The yellow glow of the flashlight trailed upright and Seungminβs flashlight dropped. It hit the ground and rolled in a distant direction, cutting out the horror of what heβd laid his eyes upon. Despite it, it was far too late to pluck out the memory of what lay before him.Β
Bodies hung lifeless. Mouths contorted, limbs hung down, and the rotten egg-whites of each set of eyes stared back in his direction. They reflected the light back to him, reminding him of the potential of his future. Bodies piled upon bodies. Hundreds of them strung upright, floating upright to the ceiling. Nothing sat attached to them and yet the structure slowly shifted in a circle, as if the human carousel refused to come to complete halt.Β
His fingers shook. The gun slipped from his hand and disappeared with the darkness. It wasnβt possible. Missing posters flashed through his head. The pink and purple polka dot dress covered Cindy Williamβs body. He remembered staring at the tooth gap in her smile as his father read the Sunday morning paper. It was years ago, but he always remembered her face. Itβs hard to forget the face of the first person you fall in love with.Β
Her arms hung down at her sides. Head tipped upright, she stared at something he couldnβt see without her pupils. The gap between her teeth poked out the top of her upper lip. She was the first body he recognized, the one heβd never forget.Β
Hhhhnnnkkk! Hhhhnnnkkk! Hhhhnnnkkk!
He jerked back, slamming into someoneβs body. When he whirled around, he didnβt have to worry about his flashlight leaving him in the dark. Pennywiseβs body sat illuminated by the bright white that seemed to pulse from his skin. The bullet hole in the center of his forehead oozed a single drop of blood. Pennywise squeezed the clown horn again, mocking him.Β
A high-pitched giggle spilled from his stomach. βAre you scared, Minnie? Are you afraid of me?β He reached a hand out, trying to cup Seungminβs face, but he blocked his arm.Β
βGive them back to me you fucking asshole!βΒ
βShhh. The baby is sleeping. Youβre going to wake up Daehyun.β A gloved finger pointed across the way.Β
Seungminβs fierceness dissolved instantly. He jerked around to find Daehyunβs outline in a car seat. A faint whimper floated his way. Despite nobody being around, the car seat rocked. Seungmin wanted to deny it, but then he saw the tiny arms move. Fingers curled into fists and a toothless yawn appeared. His heart sank.
He took one step forward, but stopped when he saw the floating bodies up above. His scream shattered the silence and he dropped to his knees. He fell forward and crawled their way, but it didnβt matter. Everyone was already gone. Hung with empty eyes and limp bodies. The promise ring on your finger mocked him. He promised to be yours forever. He promised until death do the two of you part, but you found death without him.Β
Tears blurred your outlines. Shaky fingers stretched out in Namsooβs direction. She was still in the ugly hospital gown. The same one sheβd moaned about the previous morning. Samβs backpack hung on her back. Blue hair hung in sleek strands, as if nothing had ever happened, despite her face looking wrong.Β
βNo!β Seungmin cried out. He scrambled to get closer. βNo! They canβt! You canβt!βΒ
βTheyβre already gone, but theyβre not as sweet as you.β Footsteps joined Seungminβs side. βIβve wanted to consume you and your fears for a long time now. A clown has gotta eat, too.βΒ
Seungminβs fist jerked in the direction of the clownβs groin, but the gloved hands moved with an unnatural speed. Oxygen depleted from his throat as he was dragged upright and pulled from the ground. His mouth opened wider, trying to grab air, but there wasnβt any. Rotting meat filled his nostrils, threatening to overpower him.Β
Fingers dug into the gloved fingers, but Pennywise had just consumed more victims. They all tasted different. Namsoo was too metallic. Adults werenβt his normal victims unless they had to be. She screamed and fought like a madwoman, but there was nothing she could do as his jaws expanded.Β
Samβs shrill screams echoed in his ears; the sound of a future thatβd never be. Some teenagers never get the chance to follow their dreams and thatβs just how it is. Reality hurts and life is never fair.Β
Then there was you. You squirmed and snarled. Hissing and spitting, you were the fire that refused to snuff out. The gloves along the clownβs hands hid the bite marks. You bit down and refused to let go. With blood between your teeth, desperation in your eyes, and love fueling your fight, you were the one that put up the biggest challenge. Samβs punches were frail. Namsoo was still weak from childbirth.Β
Even when he slammed you onto the ground to release your jaws from his hands, you didnβt stop fighting back. Sweet as sugar, as sticky as honey, Pennywise was thrown back to Seungminβs childhood shenanigans. No wonder he was drawn to you. You wouldnβt back down from the challenge and as death knocked at your door, you fought until your last breath.Β
βIβve been so hungry, Minnie. So, so, so hungry and nobody tastes like you.β A bright red tongue poked out between the clownβs cracked lips and licked them. βI remember salvaging the taste of your fear years ago. Iβve been waiting for you to come back ever since. I always dreamed of you.βΒ
Seungminβs eyes squeezed shut. His legs pathetically kicked, but the clown didnβt let go. His windpipe narrowed and his vision faded inward. A squeak appeared, but the clownβs hand didnβt loosen.Β
βYou canβt fight me. You can curse, you can scream, you can plead, but Iβve been starving for so long. I promised youβd float too and I always keep my promises.βΒ
Wails cut through the air. Seungminβs struggle temporarily faded. The sounds of Daehyunβs cries shattered his fight. His body froze and Pennywiseβs yellow eyes darted behind him. A single look appeared in Seungminβs eyes when Pennywise stared back at him. Mercy. Not for him, but for the baby.Β
βYou humans are all the same. That thing canβt even take care of itself and you want me to take care of it. Donβt worry, Minnie. One day, Daehyun will join his family, but it wonβt be anytime soon.βΒ
Seungminβs lips slurred into an unspoken word. Dizziness pulsed against his temple and nausea hit him again. Pennywiseβs mouth stretched open and continued stretching. Two razor-sharp rows of yellowing teeth opened and peeled back, revealing rotting gums and an unhinged jaw. The back of his throat morphed into an empty bottomless pit.Β
Saliva glistened and dripped. The scent of rotting flesh grew stronger. Distant bright lights cut through the cosmos in the abyss. Seungminβs vision was cut out and white blinded him. It burned. Every inch of his body filled with fire. His eyes widened. Feet dangled and twitched. The fingers curled around Pennywiseβs hands loosened and dropped to his sides.Β
Fear filled every vessel and oozed out every pore, satisfying the clownβs carnivorous hunger. It never ended. The cycle would always continue. Pennywise dubbed them Deadlights; the final strike of a viper before the poison leaked into its prey. Seungminβs fear seeped into the clownβs body, satisfying his twisted hunger, proving yet again that no human would ever be capable of unleashing the same amount of terror that he had.Β
His pupils softened and oozed, searing into an unnatural white. Fire brushed through his chest, crackling beyond his eyes, engulfing his brain, and then it went quiet. His lungs inhaled and shakily exhaled. Oxygen depleted and everything went still once more.Β
Pennywise dropped his hands from the manβs neck and his mouth snapped shut. The bones in his jaw snapped back into place with a loud clatter. He licked his lips and brushed a gloved hand over his mouth. Seungminβs body remained motionless mid-air as he stepped back.Β
βYouβll float too,β Pennywise whispered. The usual grin stretched across his face and Seungminβs body floated upwards, joining the rest of his family.Β
Before he could fully appreciate the scene before him, Daehyunβs wails started again. Tiny fists waved and his eyes scrunched shut. Crocodile tears slid down the orphanβs face and Pennywise shot him a glare. He opened his mouth to complain, but he froze upon the prepubescent voice of a young girl echoing along the sewer tunnels in the distance.Β
βHello?β She called out. βIs anyone there? Hello?βΒ
Daehyunβs wails grew louder. Pennywise reached down and clicked off Seungminβs abandoned flashlight. Water splashed and Pennywise waited. He grabbed the handle along Daehyunβs car seat and began walking in the direction of the voice.
He left Seungmin, Namsoo, Sam, and you floating together in a line. Soon, youβd float up and join the empire of empty bodies he built. Youβd be more reminders that Derry couldnβt escape his hold. Town curfews would never defeat the lure of an evil clown that fed upon the fear of children.Β
Every steak dinner needed to be paired with dessert and, fortunately for Pennywise, dessert walked right into the spiderβs web.Β
You leaned over and let your head fall against Felixβs shoulder. The two of you stood outside the double-story house. The triangular frame stood much brighter than you remembered. Lemon-curd siding, Felix dubbed it as a joke. The color stuck out like a sore thumb along the road.Β
The mini van sat behind you. Packed with far too many boxes, this was the first trip of many. You could have hired movers, but in the end, the two of you agreed to pack necessities first. Over the span of the next few weeks, youβd bring more over.
Loud laughter cut through the sound of a shriek. You glanced over to find your daughter sprinting from behind the back of the house. βHelp me! Daddy!β She rushed forward and grabbed the side of Felixβs denim jacket. Stepping behind him, she distanced herself from her older brother and the open threat of his nerf gun.Β
βSuho, we talked about this on the drive here,β Felix started. He reached an arm down around his daughterβs neck and pulled her closer to his side. βYou canβt keep threatening to shoot your sister with your nerf gun.βΒ
βBut thatβs the point of it!β He waved the plastic gun around. Bright blue merged with neon orange. Itβd been a birthday gift from his best friend a few weeks ago. It wouldnβt have been bad, but he could be reckless when he aimed it at his sister.Β
You werenβt happy when Sunni came to you cupping her eye one day. Tears filled them and her bottom lip quivered. You spun around, nearly knocking her over, and steadied her before she could topple. Beneath the safety of her hand, you found her left eye red and irritated. Angry at something she said, Suho raised the gun and fired the foam bullet. The rubber edge caught her eye before she could react. It ended with the gun being confiscated for a few days.Β
βSuho, stop picking on Sunni and come help me.β Felix patted Sunniβs back and walked towards the mini van. White doors glistened in the golden sunlight. The underbelly kicked up with newfound dust. The driveway leading up towards the house was nothing, but loose dirt.Β
It hadnβt rained in nearly two weeks. Good for moving without getting soaked, but not great for the nearby crops. Behind the house, deep green stalks swayed. It wasnβt your cornfield, but someone owned it. Most of the roads paving the way to your new house were full of fields. Wide open fields that stretched out forever. Steady green stalks swayed and blew in the wind. Ears of corn drifted in the warmth of mid-summer. Tall and alive, leaves gathered and brushed against one another. Connecting roads felt hidden by the height of the corn. You were certain it was taller than you this year.
You pulled away from Felix and extended your arms out to your only daughter. She rushed into them and wrapped her own around you. At age nine, moving wasnβt the most exciting thing for her. You knew she struggled with it, even if she didnβt say it. As you helped her pack pieces of her life into boxes, she frowned. Soft pink lips turned downwards and then shifted into a simple pout.Β
Silky black hair fell down her back. This morning, you braided the strands and tied them off with white bows. Recently, her latest phase included bows. She wanted them in her hair all the time. You didnβt mind taking the extra time to tug fabric into loops and pull it into a knot. Ever since she started placing bows in her hair, her self-confidence seemed to sky-rocket. You were grateful for that.Β
Suho was different. He viewed this move as a chance to attend another school and make new friends. You gathered numbers of his former friendsβ parents and added them to your phone. All they had to do was say the word and youβd take him the hour drive back home, so he could spend time with his friends. Every eleven-year-old needed friends. Sunni didnβt like keeping up with his rambunctious personality and high energy.
His hair sat spiked up along the top of his head. Much shorter than Sunniβs, he poked it up with gel every morning. Ever since he watched one of his friends come into school with a similar hair style a few months ago, itβd been his own obsession. The moment he figured out how to do it, he ushered you away and insisted he didnβt need your help. You respected his need for space.Β
This move provided you with mixed feelings. You liked the idea of packing up and starting somewhere new, but you also hated it. Back home, you were closer to Felixβs parents and your own parents. Having two sets of grandparents around for your kids, it was nice. They spent the weekends shifting back and forth and staying at their houses.Β
βDo I have my own room?β Sunni asked. She looked up from your waist. Golden freckles scattered along her cheeks and nose, mimicking her fatherβs. Suho had them, too.
Both of your kids were blessed with Felixβs freckles and his dimples. Sun-kissed skin, jet-black hair, and two deep dimples that appeared when they smiled. Every time you saw them, you were reminded of him. You reached up and pushed back a loose piece of hair from her braid.Β
βYou and Suho both have your own room.βΒ
βYes!β Suho cried. He whooped and fists jerked into the air. βIβve been waiting for this day since forever! Did you hear that dad? Iβm getting my own room!βΒ
Felix chuckled and tugged open the truck. βI heard you, bud. Youβre getting your own room. Before that, we have to take stuff up there. Sunni, you think you can help?βΒ
She glanced at you and you nodded. βCome on, letβs help them.β Her fingers curled around your hand and you let her lead you in the direction of the boys.Β
You shuffled boxes around with Felix. Handing the lighter options to the kids, the two of you took on the burden of heavier stuff. You carried a box of pans and followed the crew down the sidewalk and through the front door.Β
It wasnβt just a house anymore, it was about to be a home.Β
βTheyβre taking this better than I expected them to.β Felix made the comment from beside you. He slung his upper half over the edge of a black and speckled white countertop.Β
A cardboard pizza box wasnβt fully closed. The lid had been pulled down, but the flaps werenβt tucked in along the sides of the pizza. Felix didnβt care. He leaned over a paper plate and chewed another bite of the cheese pizza. Pizza sauce squirted along the cheese and smeared across his upper lip.Β
βItβs easier if weβre not sad about the move. Suho is pretty happy, but I think Sunni is going to need some extra time to cope.β You reached over, grabbed a napkin from the stack the pizza place included in your order, and wiped the sauce from Felixβs face.Β
His cheeks flushed red and he mumbled a thank you. He took another bite of his pizza and you picked up your own. After unloading all the boxes and taking them into the right rooms, Felix called a nearby pizzeria and ordered two pizzas to be delivered. The kids practically inhaled theirs before taking off out the back door. Suho found another nerf gun, so Sunni could play with him.Β
You told them to be careful, but you werenβt sure if they heard you or not. Laughter and footsteps rushed away, leaving you and Felix alone in the new house. The door slammed shut and that was that. The open yard around the back was huge. It extended multiple square feet before the cornfield took over.Β
You took small bites of the pizza, appreciating the taste of the garlic butter that you dipped your crust in. Some of the sauce dripped onto the counter. You used a napkin and quickly wiped it away. βSo how are you feeling about the transfer?βΒ
He continued chewing for a few moments and swallowed. βI think itβs for the best. At the university Iβll be working at, Iβll have so many more options to continue my work.βΒ
βSeed developer,β you wiggled your eyebrows.Β
βOh, shut up.β He playful rolled his eyes and folded his pizza in half. βSay what you want, but Iβm doing important work here. Agriculture is important and farming is the backbone of society. If people like me didnβt exist, crops would fail.β
βI canβt believe you breed seeds.βΒ
βItβs much more than that.β He stood up a little straighter, diving into his job. βI test soil and plant new seeds. I use genetics to create the best seeds possible for our farmers. Thereβs science in everything I do at my job. Pest resistance, drought tolerance, andββΒ
βHave I ever said I love it when you get all nerdy?βΒ
His mouth opened and then shut. Words formed, but his voice didnβt come out. βYouβre crazy,β he finally uttered. βIβm excited and I canβt wait to see what happens next. Plus, this job comes with a pay raise. Thatβll be nice, since we just invested in a house.βΒ
βYou could breed seeds or you couldββΒ
βDonβt finish that sentence.βΒ
βBreed me,β you joked with a lopsided grin.Β
βGet over here right now.β He walked over and placed his fingers into your belt loops. You laughed as he tugged you closer. βHow many times are you going to make the same joke?βΒ
βUntil you consider it.β You reached up and lightly flicked his nose. It twitched and your grin widened. He swatted your hand away, you opened your mouth, and the sound of the wooden back door swinging open destroyed the playful mood. You jerked back and separated yourself from him.Β
βDaddy!β Sunni cried out. She appeared with messy braids and a twisted beige dress. One of the white bows you tied into her hair this morning was coming undone. βSomeone took Suho!βΒ
βHuh?β Felix spun around, rushing towards Sunni. βWhat do you mean? What happened?βΒ
βIn the corn! They got him in the corn!βΒ
His eyes widened and he took off outside. You grabbed Sunniβs hand and followed him out. He took off towards the edge of the swaying field. You glanced left and looked right. Suho was nowhere to be seen. Two nerf guns sat off in the distance, abandoned by both your children.Β
βSunni, where?β Your voice came out in a panic. Her index finger shot in the center of the field. βSuho!β You yelled. βSuho! Where are you?βΒ
Felix rushed forward, pushing past stalks, and letting the greenery swallow him whole. Suhoβs name came out louder. The field was so big, you had no idea what direction he could possibly be in. βSuho? Suho! Suho!βΒ
βWhatβd they look like? A guy? A woman?β You spun to face Sunni. βWas there more than one?β Your hand jerked into the back of your pocket. Fingers shook as you tried to unlock your phone, so you could call the emergency hotline number.Β
Felix pushed himself deeper into the corn. There was no sense of personal space. Corn brushed up against the sides of his body and tangled around his light hair. He pushed tall stalks aside, only to be met with more of them. βSuho!βΒ
βIβm right here, Dad.β He spun around to find distant stalks shifting. βI got distracted.βΒ
βSunni said you were kidnapped.βΒ
Suho pushed himself further and appeared in Felixβs line of vision. βNah, Iβm fine. I found an empty pocket of space in the corn. Itβs a really big field. Do you work with this much corn at your job?βΒ
A hand ran through Felixβs hand and he sighed. βNot always. Sometimes we test plants and grow them, but itβs not a big field like this.β He reached out and grabbed Suhoβs wrist. βYou just gave everyone a heart attack.β
βSuho!β You cried out again. Tears streamed down Sunniβs cheeks and splattered onto her dress. Her fingers curled into your pants and she refused to let go.Β
βI found him! Weβre coming!βΒ
The sound of your husbandβs voice sent relief through your veins. Sunni sniffled and used the back of her hands to wipe away tears. βHe scared me.βΒ
βItβs okay, honey. Dadβs got him and he wonβt let him go. Here, letβs step back. I think theyβre almost out.β As the two of you stepped back, Felix and Suho appeared. βGod, Suho, where were you?βΒ
βI was exploring the corn.βΒ
βNo more playing in the corn, I thought I nearly lost you.β You forced him into a hug. He grumbled, but he didnβt pull away. You shot Felix a grateful look. He placed a hand on your shoulder and another on Sunniβs.Β
If something happened to one of your kids, you didnβt know what youβd do.Β
βBabe?β Felixβs voice cut through the soft sound of bristles hitting your teeth.
You spun around to find him leaning against the bathroom door frame. βMorning,β you mumbled through minty foam. The morning breath dipped further and further away as you continued to brush.Β
βIβm sorry to ask, but can you go pick up some medicine from the pharmacy? Suho woke me up earlier. Sunni doesnβt feel good and Iβm pretty sure sheβs running a fever. She doesnβt want me to leave, but we didnβt bring anything here medicine wise.βΒ
You leaned forward and spit the white foam into the sink. βYeah, of course. What hurts? Stomach pain? Nausea? Body aches?βΒ
βI donβt know. She keeps saying everything. You know how she feels when she gets sick.β He frowned and leaned his head against the door. βI hate knowing I canβt make her feel better.β
βWith all due respect, she loves you.β You rinsed off your toothbrush and spun around to face him. βJust being there is enough for her. She has a soft spot for you.β You stepped closer and cupped his cheek. βIβve learned to live with it. I have a soft spot for you, too.β You reached up and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.Β
He blushed at the sudden intimacy. βWell, IββΒ
βHas Suho had breakfast?βΒ
βTwo bowls of Lucky Charms. I tried to make him something else, but he loves the sugar. Itβs the only way heβll eat breakfast. Heβs just likeββΒ
βYou when you were younger?β You chuckled, stepped back, and turned to face the mirror. He grumbled and rolled his eyes. You laughed. βLike father, like son. Iβll take him with me to find her something. Do you want anything while Iβm out?βΒ
His face softened instantly. βMaybe a bar of dark chocolate, if itβs not too much to ask?βΒ
βYouβve got it.β You leaned forward and planted a kiss on his cheek. βIβve gotta google where the nearest pharmacy is. Iβm not used to what this town has to offer yet.β
βMe, neither. Before Monday gets here, I still have to map out where the university is. I know itβs somewhere in the inner city, but thereβs so many new streets.β He rubbed the side of his head and sighed. βI guess thatβs the great thing about moving somewhere new. You get to learn things and neighborhoods all over again.β
βIβll be back later and Iβm taking Suho with me.β You kissed his cheek again and squeezed his shoulder before heading out. βI love you!βΒ
βAnd I love you, but Iβd love you more if you buy me the chocolate!βΒ
Your laughter was the best thing heβd heard all morning.
You had two choices when it came to pharmacy options. You could drive further into the inner city or you could turn down two streets and find the main street of the next town over. Compared to the college-town and thousands of people in the town you moved into, the next town over was far more reduced in terms of population. Nearly a hundred-thousand versus barely a thousand; the difference was night and day.Β
Suho sat, leaned back against the passengerβs seat and sighed. βWhat is there to do with all the corn here?βΒ
βPeople grow it and eat it. Your father is studying seed samples in the area. Farmers sell it and bring in money to fund their own lives.β You flipped on your turn signal and steered the mini van through a smooth right turn.Β
A red stop-light greeted you and you eased a foot onto the brake. βWhen school starts, Iβm sure youβll find plenty of things to do.β You glanced over to observe his reaction. Boredom was every childβs nightmare and that included your own. βYouβll have the opportunity for sports, clubs, and a lot of things to get involved in. Your school will be bigger than the last one.βΒ
βCan I play on the basketball team again?βΒ
βIβm sure you can when the season starts up.β The light flashed green and you moved the car forward. βI know you love it. I donβt see why not. As long as you keep your grades up, you should be able to.βΒ
βHeck, yeah,β he whispered beneath his breath.Β
You chuckled and continued down the main road. Businesses stacked together on both sides of the street. A few cars sat here and there, but there wasnβt much to observe. You studied signs and when you found the building you needed, you clicked on your turn signal again and pulled into the parking lot.Β
βWhat is that?β Suho leaned forward and pointed up at the door.Β
Withered corn husks knotted together and formed braids. Theyβd been turned into a cross and planted along the top center of the glass door. You raised an eyebrow and frowned. βThat? Umβ¦ Iβm not sure.βΒ
βThe sign says the place is closed.βΒ
You squinted and sure enough, he was right. An uncertain feeling bloomed in the pit of your stomach. Your eyes scanned the area, trying to find someone to speak to, but you didnβt find anyone. Your head dipped and you sighed. βI guess this place really is a ghost town. I wasted gas all for nothing.βΒ
You pulled back out of the lines of the faded parking space. Turning your wheel, you sped up and slipped through the street in silence. It took fifteen minutes to get through inner city traffic. You spun the wheel and secured a new parking lot space outside a lively pharmacy. On the inside, bodies walked through loaded aisles.
You clicked off your seat belt and Suho followed. Out of the car, you glanced over at him from the roof. βYou want to do something crazy after this? I was thinking we could stop at a coffee place and grab coffee.βΒ
He paused and slowly glanced up. βDoes that mean I can get a mocha frappucino?βΒ
βNot a large one. Your dad said you already had a bunch of sugar this morning, but yes. I think itβs the least I can do to reward you for what youβve done over the past few days.βΒ
You slammed the car door shut and approached him. βYouβve been a champ helping us unpack things.β You reached up with a hand and playfully ruffled his hair. He grumbled and swatted your hand away. You chuckled, tugged open the glass door, and let him slip inside first.Β
You looked around, searching for the right place to grab medicine. Aisles stretched out with bright colored products, but youβd never been here before. Your eyes scanned the area. Suho glanced over at chocolate bars lining the underside of a register aisle. βAre we getting Dadβs usual request?β
βYep.βΒ
He stepped forward and grabbed the right brand of candy bar. Felix had a sweet tooth and you couldnβt blame him. You took a few steps forward, but the sound of a manβs voice stopped you. βGood morning. Can I help you folks find anything?βΒ
Suho stood up with the secured chocolate bar. He shook his head and approached you. Your eyes found the manβs bright blue ones and you smiled. βHi. Weβre looking for childrenβs medicine.βΒ
He nodded and gestured a few aisles over. βItβll be down the fourth aisle over there. All the way at the end, youβll find the kids section. If youβre looking for cold and allergic medicine, thatβs in another section in the next aisle over.β
βGot it. Thank you!βΒ
Down the correct aisle, you found what you were looking for with ease. βWhat do you think Sunni would like more? Bubble gum or grape flavor?βΒ
βBubble gum. Seriously, who likes grape medicine?β His nose scrunched at the thought. βGross.βΒ
βNot a fan?βΒ
βIt's the worst flavor, right there next to berry.β
You laughed and grabbed the bubble gum flavor. βI was the same way as a kid. I hated grape medicine, too.β You picked out a multi-symptom fever reducer and headed to the counter.Β
You placed the box down and Suho pushed the chocolate bar beside it. His head shifted and his eyes caught the front of a newspaper. Stalks of corn and a bold-printed headline.Β
Countdown begins for the fall harvest.Β
βAre you folks new?β The cashier looked between the two of you. βLet me guess, parent and child? Iβve never seen you here before and I work six days a week.βΒ
βGood guess.βΒ
βYou have the same facial shapes.β He scanned the items and placed them into a bag. When he noticed Suho reading the paper, he brought up something that made you pause. βDid you move to town? Donβt tell me you moved over into Marlow.βΒ
βMarlow?β You raised an eyebrow. βWhereβs Marlow?β
βOff west.β His hand shot out and gestured behind him. βThe place is a total ghost town. Good luck talking to the folks over there.β His dark brows pinched together and he rubbed his bald head. βTheyβre not normal. The theory is some kind of cult formed and took over what was left. Theyβre strange people.βΒ
βIs it always like that? I was over that way to find medicine for my daughter. Their pharmacy was closed. I thought since it was a SundayββΒ
βOh, no. Good heavens, no. That place,β he clicked his tongue, βitβs been weird since I was a boy. We donβt go over that way. Most of us in Vale stay over here and Marlow stays over there. Itβs night and day, the difference between the two towns. There have been rumors of freaky stuff happening in Marlow.βΒ
βWhat kind of rumors?β Your son asked.Β
βCreepy ones. Scarecrows that walk. Children living in the corn. Brainwashed adults that let their kids roam and do whatever.β His body jutted thinking about it. βWhatever you do, keep your kids away. Theyβre known to try and indoctrinate kids; taking advantage of childhood innocence and whatever.βΒ
You shifted, taking your attention down to Suho. He didnβt meet your gaze. Too busy looking at the chocolate bars, you were reminded of a few days prior and the tears in your daughterβs eyes. You sucked in a deep breath and nodded. βI had no idea. Thanks for letting us know.βΒ
βNo problem. Your total is on the screen in front of you.βΒ
You pulled out your card, swiped it, and decided youβd google more when you got home.Β
βFelix?β You called out when you came back home. Suho disappeared around you and headed into the living room. A plastic bag from the pharmacy in one hand and a cardboard tray of drinks in the other, you waited for him to appear.Β
He approached a few moments later. The moment he saw the drinks in your hands, he grinned. βOh? Whatβs this?βΒ
You tugged out a drink and handed it in his direction. βThatβs for you. Itβs a frozen hot chocolate. I have your chocolate bar in this bag and a honey-lemon tea for Sunni. I thought the warm tea might warm her up.βΒ
βGood idea. Sheβs been saying sheβs cold. Here, let me take this.β He pulled the drink carrier away from you.
You eased up and tugged out the medicine. βI wanna talk to you, too. I was talking to one of the workers at the pharmacy. Do you know anything about the town across the way? Marlow?β
βOh, yeah! Not a lot of people live there, from what I understand.β He shrugged and sat the tray of drinks along a wooden stand. He reached out and tugged off the bag along your arm. βWhat about it?βΒ
You pulled out the car keys and your house keys. βI donβt think the kids should be anywhere near that cornfield. Weβre one road away and the things I heard from the guy, I donβt like it one bit.βΒ
βI thought we agreed they could play in the cornfield as long as they came out when we called?βΒ
Your head shook. βNot anymore. Thereβs rumored to be a cult that takes advantage of kids. I donβt wantββΒ
βWoah, woah, woah.β He held up a hand to silence you. βWhereβd you hear that? Babe, itβs just a small town. Iβm sure itβs fine.β
βI donβt want to take any chances.β You frowned. Your eyes met his and he leaned forward, pressing a warm kiss to your forehead.Β
βI think youβre being a bit dramatic. The move has been hard on you and now with Sunniβs illness, Iβm sure youβre worried. Just trust me, babe, everythingβs going to be okay. Let the kids be kids.βΒ
You didnβt object, but you didnβt like the idea of your kids playing in the cornfield, either.Β
Things started to become weird. You tried to ignore the deep pit that formed in your stomach each time you watched Sunni and Suho disappear into the oversized stalks of corn. Felix headed into work early in the morning and didnβt appear again until dinner time. The four of you fell into a routine.Β
When the move happened, you quit your job as a teacher. You wanted to look for another job after the kids were enrolled in school. Worried theyβd have issues, you wanted to make sure they were settled before you stepped back into working again.Β
With the kids playing outside and Felix at work, you had the house to yourself. The screen door remained shut, but when they were out, you kept the back door open. You trusted your kids for the most part. Suho was eleven and Sunni was always with him. That was the one rule that was always implemented. If they were out of your sight, they had to be together to watch over each other.Β
Sunniβs fever lingered for two days before it broke. The moment it vanished and she was up and around like usual. You watched her join her brother outside. Nerf gun wars started up again. Suho had brought the five-gallon bucket from back home. It was filled with multiple blue-foam bullets. The orange tips fired and tried to stick to the skin. Most of the time, they missed or hit their target and bounced off.
By the time Felix came home, the backyard would be littered with foam bullets. Despite it, the kids always picked them up before coming inside. You prided yourself on the way the kids picked up after themselves. If there was one thing you and Felix tried to install in your kids, it was respect and self-discipline.Β
Upstairs in Sunniβs bedroom, you tugged off the lilac twin-sized sheet. You washed the sheets and changed them once a week. While the kids were out, you had plenty of time to pull, wash, and replace the bedding. You should have brought more than one sheet set from the old house, but you didnβt think about it.Β
Lace white curtains fluttered in the incoming breeze. Wooden shutters hung wide open and you had pried up the wooden lift along glass panels, so the window could open. As you tossed the bed sheet onto the floor and reached for the puffy cotton pillow, your gaze stopped on a distant drawing. The pillow slipped from your hands and you walked closer.Β
A stick figure drawing sat tapped to the wall. Two taller figures and two smaller ones. Suho glared at the audience and caused you to chuckle. Lately, glaring turned into his usual thing. Sunni must have made it recently because you didnβt remember it being there a few days prior. You and Felix had an arm wrapped around one another. Sunni and Suho stood in front of the two of you. Despite Suhoβs glare and furrowed sharp brows, the rest of you smiled.Β
It was exactly like a happy family should be.Β
Within another week, you carried two boxes stacked on top of each other up the steps. Full of Sunniβs clothes and toys, you sighed. In another hour, youβd be forcing the kids inside, so they could help you unpack. Felix was spending a late night in the universityβs lab. Something about seed transfers and genetics. You couldnβt pretend you understood what he was talking about. Science was never your forte, but you knew he meant well with whatever he was doing.
Inside Sunniβs room, you dropped the boxes onto the hardwood floor with a heavy thud. The air shifted and something crinkled beneath her bed. You raised an eyebrow, bent down, and peeked beneath the soft pink bed skirt. A piece of paper shifted and sat crooked. You reached beneath it and grabbed it, assuming itβd fallen from her wall and floated beneath her bed.Β
Brightly colored crayon scribbles made your heart sink. Another new family photo, if thatβs what you could call it? A blank look sat on Felixβs face. He stood off to the side of the paper. Sunniβs long hair fell down her shoulders and she drew Suhoβs poky spikes. You? Something was wrong with you. You were drawn beneath the bright-colored cornstalks. Green stalks sprouted over the top of your body. Brown trapped you inside the soil beneath all the plants.Β
Red Xβs sat where your eyes were. The small detail of a poking pink tongue from your mouth made your eyebrow raised. You knew it was you. It had the same hair color. Those shoes sheβd drawn on your feet, those were your usual shoes, but why were you dead? You never let either of the kids watch inappropriate movies. Your stomach swirled and you kept the paper clutched close.Β
You took it to your room, hoping to understand the meaning of it.Β
βPraise the field, the stalk, the ear; the soil that drinks what we hold dear.βΒ
You paused outside the bathroom door. Inside, Suho sang the tune soft and nasally. The way the interior had been built, the shower was close to the door. Your eyes narrowed and you stepped closer, trying to hear what else he was saying.
βThe Lord provides and the land will keep, the ones who sow, the ones who seep.βΒ
His fluffy cotton towel sat in your hand. He forgot to grab one from the dryer. Youβd yet to put them away. He yelled your name multiple times before you appeared and he explained the issue. You spun around and gathered the towel from the downstairs laundry room.
βKneel to the stalk and bow to the grain, the soil remembers every name.βΒ
βSuho!β You knocked on the wooden door, interrupting his singing.Β
βHuh?βΒ
You reached forward and cracked the door open. βI got your towel. Iβm putting it on the sink, so you can reach it.βΒ
βThanks.βΒ
βWhat were you singing?βΒ
βAn old nursery rhyme.βΒ
It didnβt sound like any nursery rhyme youβd ever heard before. βReally?β You asked, trying to stay rational. βWhereβd you hear that one? Itβs new.βΒ
βSunni made it up. Sheβs big on rhymes right now. Weβve been singing it since we started playing in the corn.βΒ
You forced yourself to take a deep breath and shut your eyes. βOh. Okay. Iβm going now. Let me know if you need anything else.βΒ
βOkay.βΒ
You were left scratching your head with a dreadful feeling you couldnβt ignore.Β
Bleary-eyed and half asleep, your eyes drooped. In front of the skillet, bacon grease popped and sizzled. Something popped up from the pan and it stung your arm. You brushed your hand along it, trying not to hiss at the feeling of your skin throbbing bright red.Β
βFuck,β you whispered beneath your breath. The plastic ends of the tongs in your hand shifted. You adjusted the strands of shriveling bacon and stepped back. Pink and white fat marbled along each piece. The scent of grease strung through the kitchen and rolled throughout the open kitchen window.Β
You spun around at the sound of humming. Suho scooped a spoonful of Lucky Charms into his mouth. Chewing and swallowing, he studied the corn-husk doll in his sisterβs hands. Unlike her brother, Sunniβs breakfast usually consisted of eggs and another sort of protein.Β
You stepped forward with a raised eyebrow when you noticed the figure. Weave strands of brown husk. A thin burlap string tied around the edge of one extended arm and mirrored the other side. The illusions of small hands and feet, you didnβt like it. βSunni, whereβd you get that?βΒ
βI found it in the cornfield! Someone made it just for me.β She wiggled it above her head, so you could see it. So absorbed in staring at the newfound item, you couldnβt see Suhoβs warning glare shot in her direction.Β
βCan I see it?β You reached out a hand and cautiously held it out to her. She handed it over and you turned it around. The corn leaves turned a faded brown, contradicting the bright green that waved behind your house. βYou found it in the field?βΒ
βSomeone must have made it and dropped it,β Suho suggested. βShe found it and I let her keep it. She likes dolls, soβ¦βΒ
You nodded and handed it back to her. The memory from the cashier came back to you. Something didnβt feel right about it, but you kept it to yourself. You spun back to the stove, shifting the bacon strands once more. Darkness pooled along the pit of your stomach. Suhoβs spoon clattered along the side of his glass bowl. βSpeaking of the cornfield, can Sunni and I explore the other side?βΒ
Your heart dropped to your feet.Β
βThereβs a church over there. It looks abandoned, but weβve seen it a few times whenββΒ
βYeah! We looked inside of it! It was so cool!βΒ
Suhoβs eyes widened and he frantically shook his head, but it was too late. You whirled around, gripping the grease-dripping tongs in your hand. βYou, what? Youβve been outside of the cornfield?βΒ
βWeβre only exploring.βΒ
βSuho, is this true?βΒ
βUhβ¦βΒ
You looked between your children. Guilt sat seeped in their hunched shoulders and the way their eyes avoided your gaze. Fear crept up and burst into anger. Since Suho had been born, when Sunni came after, you lived with a constant fear in the back of your head. What if something happened to your kids and you couldnβt stop it?Β
You cannot protect your children from every little thing in life. Things will go wrong, accidents happen, and people can be evil if given the chance. You wonβt always be there to protect and swaddle your children, despite the parental instincts that appear on day one. After the birth of Suho, you were terrified to take him out of the hospital. He was safe there.Β
Equipped with security cameras, around the clock care, and so much more. When Sunni followed a few years later, the fear grew. You did your best to work with Felix and parent your kids properly, but the fear remained dormant in your heart. This caused it to rise to the surface.Β
βNo more playing in the cornfield.β Your voice came out louder than you intended it to.
βButββΒ
βNo! I asked the two of you to do one thing and you directly disobeyed me. I donβt know whatβs on the other side of that field. I donβt know who is on the other side. I donβt want the two of you to get hurt. Your safety is my responsibility andββ
βBitch!βΒ
Your face fell and Suhoβs eyes widened. Sunniβs dark eyes turned into slits as she glared at you. Slender arms crossed over her chest. The olive green dress twisted and tugged in the wrong direction. Your mouth opened, but words didnβt come out.Β
When you and Felix raised your kids, you vowed to keep them away from curse words. It was one of the few things you were strict upon. Children didnβt need to grow up spewing word vomit without knowing what the words meant. You knew you couldnβt protect them from it everywhere, but you made sure the content they watched was appropriate for their age range.Β
βSunni, stop. Youβre being mean andββ Suhoβs words cut off as she stuck her tongue out at him. The flash of bright pink muscle caused you to blink. The frying bacon behind you needed to be turned again, but you ignored it.
βExcuse me?β You whispered.Β
βI called you a bitch!βΒ
βYou can go to your room until breakfast is done.βΒ
βNo!βΒ
You spun around, dropped the tongs on the stove, and marched her way. βThat wasnβt a request. Youβre going to your room and youβre going to think about how hurtful your attitude is. You donβt curse at me and you certainly donβt stick your tongue out at your brother.βΒ
She grabbed the glass plate in front of her, picked it up, and threw it in your direction. βBitch!β You jumped back and Suho gasped. The white plate broke and shattered in a multitude of pieces. βYou canβt stop me from doing anything!βΒ
βSunni!β You yelled. βWhat is your problem?β You rarely raised your voice, but you didnβt understand what was happening to your daughter. Sunni was soft-spoken and sweet as honey. Wide-eyed, curious, and kissed by the sun. Tantrums occurred every so often, but not like this.Β
βYou!βΒ
βWhatβs going on down here?β A sleepy-eyed Felix appeared in the doorway. Black and white plaid pajama pants and a wrinkled white shirt. βI heard yelling.βΒ
βTheyβre being mean to me!β
βOur daughter just threw a plate at my head, called me the B-word, and stuck her tongue out at her brother.βΒ
Felix stopped rubbing his eyes and blinked. βHuh?βΒ
βThe kids have been going out behind the cornfield and exploring the town on the other side. Theyβre not allowed in the cornfield anymore.βΒ
βHoneyββΒ
βNo!β You snapped, still hurt by the harsh words of your daughter. βIβm done. Sunni and Suho, no more cornfield. If I find out youβre hanging out in the cornfield, Iβm grounding you. Do you understand me?βΒ
Suho frowned and nodded his head. Sunniβs bare palm came down and smacked the rectangular table hard. βFuck you!βΒ
You sucked in a deep breath. Nostrils flared and Felix stood staring in shock. It took a few moments before he uttered Sunniβs name in disbelief. Her arms curled back over her chest and she slumped over the table. The husked doll remained next to her, faceless and unmoving.Β
The Lucky Charm pieces in Suhoβs bowl went soggy. Bacon smoked and crisped into burnt tendrils in the background. Felix finally took a step forward and approached her. βSunni, come on.β He reached out a hand and gently rubbed her back. βLetβs go talk somewhere.βΒ
βI donβt wanna talk.β The words came out weak and small. βI donβt wanna talk to anyone.βΒ
βCome on, sweetheart.β He reached down and scooped her up, ignoring the disapproving look you shot him. Felix was good at staying rational when your kids misbehaved, but you felt everything outside of rational.Β
She curled her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder. He gave you a pity-filled look and glanced over at Suho. Suho didnβt meet his fatherβs eyes. He scooped up a small group of colorful marshmallows, but he didnβt bring them to his mouth. The two walked away, leaving you and Suho alone.Β
When they were out of sight and a distant door shut, your eyes went back to Suho. Hands on your hips, he squirmed beneath your stare. βSuho?βΒ
βWhat?βΒ
βDo you have any idea why Sunni is acting like this?βΒ
He shrugged and didnβt make eye contact with you.Β
βYou havenβt met anyone on the other side of the cornfield, have you?βΒ
His head shook. You stared at him a few more seconds and finally spun around to address the burning bacon. βI meant what I said. I donβt want you or Sunni going back into that field.βΒ
βI understand.βΒ
You didnβt know why your daughter was different, but something about watching your son lie to you straight through his teeth, it was even worse.Β
Later that night, you stared at the background of your laptop. The family photo taken the previous year stared at you. Suhoβs hair was shorter back then. He wanted it cut back for the warmer months. Felixβs arm slung around you and your fingers draped around Sunniβs shoulders. Hair hung like black curtains on the sides of her face. She grinned, revealing one of her missing incisors.
This morningβs events reeled back in your mind. You tried to ignore them and focused on the task at hand. You clicked the button for the search bar and let your fingers dance across the keys. You promised yourself earlier you were going to look into what was happening with Marlow. The moment you clicked the enter button, you were met with search results instantly.Β
The townβs homepage looked normal. Lists of businesses and photographs of town events. Photos of the cornstalks sat everywhere. Waving green in the warmer months, curled up and shriveled upon harvest season. Kids in Halloween costumes for previous halloween parades. Bouncy houses and caramel apples for the annual harvest party that came once a year.Β
You frowned, finding nothing out of the ordinary, and clicked the back button to return to the list of searches. Old newspaper clippings on unfamiliar websites. On and on, it went. It wasnβt until the second page of results that you found something that caught your eye.Β
As above, so below: The truth of Marlowβs successful harvests.Β
You raised an eyebrow and clicked on the link. Times new roman font, mistakes laced throughout sentences, and paragraphs looped too long. From what you could understand, it looked to be some sort of school project from years ago. You pressed another button, clicking on the about section. The more your eyes scanned, the more worry grew in your heart.Β
βBabe?β You yelped and jumped as fingers curled around your shoulders. Felix immediately pulled his hands back. βJesus. I didnβt mean to scare you.βΒ
βHow long have you been standing there?β You glanced up with a frown.Β
βI just came in.βΒ
Your head dropped and you sighed. βSorry. I didnβt hear you. Iβm researching Marlow andβ¦β You trailed off, unsure if you wanted to push it anymore.Β
βDid you find anything interesting?β He stepped forward and pressed his thumbs along the base of your neck. Your body melted into his hands. With slumped shoulders and a deep breath, you didnβt object.Β
βYeah, I guess. Years ago, there was a famine and it killed the corn. Thatβs how they make their money. Multiple citizens are farmers and when the corn wilted, it took their financial gain with it. Town resources went dry. People lost a lot of things.βΒ
He hummed and kept his fingers steady. βYouβre tense right here.β He pushed his thumbs against the knot and circled it. βWhat happened afterwards?βΒ
βPeople starved to death. It was a bad winter and multiple people ended up snowed in. Too much ice and snow, they couldnβt go anywhere. The town didnβt have enough resources.βΒ
βThatβs sad.βΒ
βYeah.β Your eyes fluttered shut and your head dropped forward. βThe rumor is that when the snow melted, they buried their dead in different fields. Spring came back. Wildlife appeared and squirrels had buried corn in the fields from the previous months. The corn grew taller. The stalks produced more corn. More corn meant more money.βΒ
βThat sounds like a win. It sucks that people died. Who knew squirrels could be such a good thing?βΒ
βYouβd be okay with consuming corn that was grown over dead people?βΒ
He chuckled and reached forward. Warm fingers brushed against the side of your temples. You opened your eyes as he tugged your hair back. βSeeds are my job, remember? Decomposition is good for soil. When the bodies rottedββΒ
You waved a hand to cut him off. βIβm going to have to stop you right there.βΒ
βIβm just saying.β He planted a kiss along your forehead. βDecomposition makes a wonderful fertilizer.βΒ
βAnd next thing I know, youβre going to leave and want to drive up to a body farm. Youβll ask if you can study human decomposition under vegetation and see if it has any effect on specific seeds and the growth production.βΒ
He paused for a moment and you frowned. βFelix, I was kidding.βΒ
βI know, but thatβs not a bad idea. If an Anthropologist and I could discuss a few things about body decomposition, Iβm sure they would have all the notes from everything. The study of human composition is good for a lot of reasons. Weather, temperature, humidity, the way a body is buried, it all ties into how a body decomposes. I might be able to talk to my department and if we worked togetherβ¦β
βGreat. My daughter has turned into the spawn of Satan and my husband is going to start petitioning for us to use human bodies to grow our food on top of.βΒ
βYouβre acting like itβs never been done before. Humans are rich in nutrients. If youβre dead, youβre dead. Personally, I wouldnβt mind being buried somewhere and having plants grown on top of me. I think itβd be a nice way to give back to the environment.β
Your eye roll caused him to giggle. He placed another kiss on your forehead and pulled back. βI think youβre too tense from everything that has happened recently. I talked to Sunni earlier. She said she didnβt get a bunch of sleep last night. Sheβs grounded from the TV for a week. Sometime between today and tomorrow, youβll be given a handwritten apology letter.β
βI canβt believe she cursed like that. Do you know where she got it from?β You held your breath, hoping he knew, but he shrugged.
βIβm not sure, but Iβd like to know. She said something about a friend. I donβt know anyone that would let their child cuss like that.βΒ
Your eyes wandered back to the laptop screen. βI donβt know, but I do know one thing. I still donβt want the kids in the cornfield. If they canβt follow my directions, how am I supposed to trust them again?βΒ
βMaybe I should get them a swing-set or a trampoline instead. Thatβd keep them occupied and we could see them out the back window.β
βYeah, something like that.βΒ
He reached forward and shut your laptop. Another kiss found your cheek and he tugged your chair away from your desk. βCome on. You can worry about this another day. Itβs getting late and we need some sleep.βΒ
βSince you insisted,β you reached out and grabbed his hand. He tugged you up and led you over to the bed. On top of it, you let your eyes droop.Β
In the distant window, the cornfield across the street shifted in the breeze, waiting for the leaves to catch your attention once more.Β
When your eyes fluttered open, you thought you were blind. Crickets chirped and in the far distance, a wild dog let off a high-pitched howl. Eyes stuck half-shut with sleep, you pried them open when you heard the tangled voices of your children chanting together.Β
βPraise the field, the stalk, the ear; the soil that drinks what we hold dear. The Lord provides and the land will keep, the ones who sow, and the ones who seep. Kneel to the stalk and bow to the grain, the soil remembers every name.βΒ
You blinked, trying to understand what was happening. Across the way, you faintly made out the outlines of your kids against the overhead corn. You squinted, trying to see what they were doing. With their backs turned to you, still dressed in their pajamas, you couldnβt make out what they were doing. It wasnβt until they pushed their way into the corn that you chased after them.
βSuho! Sunni! Come back!β Your bare feet flew across the thick grass. You called their names again, but they didnβt stop. They didnβt spin around, either. They kept going further and further away, plunging deeper into the depths.Β
With your shoulder, you rammed into the cornfield. Stalks scraped your bare arms and soil dug between your toes. With each movement, the stalks pushed at you more and more. They grabbed your hair and morphed your vision. High above your head, you could make out the crescent moon. βSuho, come back! Sunni!βΒ
You ran faster, tearing through the strands. Rustling filled your ears and your heart pounded, but you couldnβt find your children. The corn towered over your head, not allowing you to see over it. Even when you paused, caught up by losing your breath, you didnβt hear stalks moving in the distance. Itβs like they slipped inside and disappeared.Β
βSunni!β You jerked to the side and tore through the stalks in another direction. βSuho? Where are you? Come back!βΒ
You pushed deeper, but the deeper you went, the darker it became. The corn seemed to curl inward. Dense stalks caged you in and no matter where you turned, you couldnβt see. You screamed their names louder and louder, terrified at what could happen to them. When walking didnβt work, you ran forward. Stalks snapped and cobs of corn slammed into your shoulders, but you kept at it.Β
One direction, spun in another, and another. The cornfield was a maze without a map. You cried out when your hair tangled around one of the stalks. Your body jerked backwards and you tripped. Crying out, you fell back and hit the dirt hard. The air disappeared from your lungs and your eyes fluttered half-shut. A weak moan fell from your lips. You whispered the names of your kids, but there wasnβt a response.Β
The need to slip drifted over you. Eyes half-shut, you struggled against the sudden dazed feeling, but the vengeance of exhaustion staked claim in your brain. As your eyes drifted shut, you stretched out a hand. The names of your children slipped out in a quiet plea. Your fingers stretched around something, but it wasnβt from the warmth of your child.
Half-buried in the soil, a human skull poked out. Empty eye sockets stared at you. You couldnβt scream or cry out. Instead, your eyes fluttered shut and you fell victim to the darkness unraveling around you.Β
When your eyes reopened, the world didnβt make much sense.Β
βBabe? Sweetheart?β Confusion and fear lingered in Felixβs molasses eyes. He shook your shoulder, attempting to get you to wake up.Β
Near the back door, you laid with a braided corn husk cross in your hands. Your fingers curled around it. Dirt stained the bottom of your feet. It forced its way beneath your toenails and around your fingernails.Β
You couldnβt recall the exact memories from the previous night. Still exhausted and eyes heavy with sleep, they drifted again. Felix mumbled a faint curse and scooped you up. βStay with me, Iβll clean you up. What are you doing out here? The kids woke me up. They said they found you out back.βΒ
You mumbled, but words turned to slurs. Nothing made sense. The sun poked out over the horizon and a golden overcast made last nightβs memories even more disorienting. He pushed the back door open with his shoulder. You weakly croaked his name.Β
βIβm right here. Iβve got you. Itβs okay. Go back to sleep and weβll figure this all out later.βΒ
He leaned forward and gently set you down on the plush couch. Your eyes drifted shut and you sighed. He reached along your hair and pulled out a few of the green leaves that curled around strands of your hair. βWhat the hell is going on?β He whispered beneath his breath. He spun around and hurried to the bathroom to find a rag to wipe off the dirt along your feet.Β
Peering down from the stairs, Sunni and Suho gripped the wooden bars. Dressed in their pajamas and quiet, they observed you without a word. Sunniβs husk doll sat tight beneath one of her arms. Suho kept another braided cross behind his back. He squeezed it so tight, the withered husk closed in on itself. When footsteps rushed back in your direction, he leaned down and tugged Sunniβs arm, leading her back upstairs.Β
You couldnβt remember what fully happened last night, but they remembered everything.Β
You woke up to the scent of gas drifting throughout the house. On the first inhale, you thought you were dreaming. By the second, you opened your eyes. It took another deep mouthful before you jerked upright, realizing something in the house wasnβt right. You launched yourself off the couch and rushed into the kitchen.Β
It was there that you found one of the gas knobs on the stove clicked forward. The gas wasnβt fully ignited, but it wasnβt entirely off, either. The usual blue flame didnβt accompany it. A faint hissing sound droned on, but you could barely hear it. The rotten stench of sulfur grew stronger and nausea caused your stomach to swirl. You jerked forward, flipping off the switch, and rushed to open the distant window.Β
With every shallow breath, your eyes watered. The scent was so strong and so sharp, the house felt suffocating without air. You spun around and quickly called for Sunni and Suho. One look at the clock reminded you that Felix was likely away at his job.Β
You turned the brass lock, twisted the knob, jerked open the back door, and pushed open the screen door. A mouthful of fresh air caught you and you immediately felt better. Behind you, the stairs creaked and your children came down the steps. Suho pinched his nose shut and Sunniβs face scrunched.Β
βWhatβs that smell?β Suho asked. βItβs awful.βΒ
βDid one of you touch the stove?β You looked back inside. βCome out here,β you waved them towards you. βThe stove was half-on and the gas leaked out.β You pushed the door open wider, so they could join you out back.Β
Memories of the following night dissolved. They were the least of your worries. One sudden spark could send the whole house shooting up in flames. Once they were outside, you let the door swing shut and led them further from the house.Β
βI tried to make you lunch earlier,β Sunni mumbled.
βYou touched the stove?βΒ
She shrugged and looked down at her feet. You dropped down, lower to her level. βSunni, look at me.β She slowly looked up and caught your eyes. βWhile I appreciate what you wanted to do, please donβt touch the stove unless your father and I are there to help you. Gas stoves can be tricky. I donβt want you to get hurt.βΒ
βI thought I turned it off.βΒ
You stretched out your hands, but she didnβt come forward. Noises came from the house and you froze. A door jerked open and Felixβs familiar voice filled the air. βHoney, Iβm home! Woah!β Gagging soon followed. βWhat the hell?βΒ
Suho snorted and you shot him a look. βYou two stay right here. Iβm going to open a few more windows in the living room and then you can come back inside, okay?βΒ
The pair nodded and you slipped back inside. Felix dropped multiple plastic bags on the counter. βBabe, are you trying to kill us?βΒ
βIt wasnβt me. I woke up to the scent. Sunni tried to use the stove on her own.βΒ
βShe what?βΒ
βI already talked to her. Give me a moment and Iβll help you put groceries away. I thought you went to work.βΒ
βNah, I called off. I was worried about you, since I found you outside this morning. It looked like youβd been in the cornfield. Do you remember?βΒ
βI remember having what I thought was a dream about the cornfield.βΒ
βMaybe you were sleepwalking?βΒ
You shrugged and slipped past him. In the living room, you flipped a few latches and let the fresh air come in. Afterwards, you strolled back into the kitchen. βSunni and Suho, you can come back in now.βΒ
βHold on!β Suho called back.
You grabbed a bag and started unloading cereal. βFelix?βΒ
βHuh?βΒ
βDo you think we can take the kids back to town this week? I think itβd do them some good if they could see their grandparents.βΒ
βI donβt see why not. We have to pick up more boxes from our old place, so we might as well make it worth our while. Itβll be nice to see my mom again. I miss her all the time.βΒ
βIβm not going back home and you canβt make me! I donβt wanna see Grandpa and Grandma! I wanna stay here.βΒ
You and Felix shared a wide-eyed look before you glanced at the back door. Sunni stood with a curled fist and another soulless glare. Felix raised an eyebrow. βTell me, Little Miss Sunni,β he started in amusement. βIf you stay here, who is going to watch you?βΒ
βThe elders of the corn!βΒ
His grin dropped instantly. βHuh?βΒ
βYou heard me! They donβt like you! They donβt like either of you! Theyβll make you listen to us!βΒ
βSunni,β you tried to coax her into calming down. βYou can bake cookies with Grandma andββΒ
βFuck that old hagβs oatmeal rasin cookies!βΒ
βHey!β Felix's voice raised. βThatβll be enough!βΒ
A slender middle finger shot in your direction and she took off out the backdoor again. You and Felix sat dumbfounded, staring at one another. He slowly sat the pack of Oreos down on the counter. βIβm starting to think weβre going to have to sign her up for therapy. Where is this coming from?β
βIβm more worried about the corn elders sheβs talking about. That website I was on last nightββΒ
βThe urban legend?βΒ
βIs it an urban legend if it mentioned corn elders? Theyβre the ones who bury the dead in the fields.βΒ
βBabeβ¦βΒ
βFelix, you canβt stand there and tell me our kids havenβt been acting off since weβve moved here. Itβs been nearly a month. Sunni is disrespectful and cursing. Suho is the ghost of his former self. He was always the one we were worried about and now theyβre polar opposites.β Your hands crossed over your chest. βDid I mention I found a drawn picture of me dead beneath the cornfield in Sunniβs room? It wasnβt that long ago.β
βMaybe we really should take them back home for a while. They might be acting out because theyβre not handling the move well. Letβs talk to them after we finish putting groceries away.βΒ
Begrudgingly, you nodded and grabbed the boxes of colorful cereal. You pushed them up on the fridge and grabbed another bag. The moment you pulled out a styrofoam tray with plastic wrap, you yelped and dropped it. Felix leaned over and picked it up. βWoah, youβre going to hurt the fish.βΒ
βWhy did you pick out the whole fish and not the fillets?β You shivered and looked away, trying to get the beady dark eyes from your head. Mouth half-opened and blue-gray scales, the blank gaze never seemed to leave you. βBesides, itβs already dead.βΒ
βCanβt a guy want to have fresh fish?βΒ
βNot when it still has two eyes, a mouth full of teeth, fins, and a tail.βΒ
βHarsh, but donβt worry. Iβve been watching a lot of fish filleting videos on YouTube. Trust me, I know what needs to be done when it comes to this bad boy.β He spun around, tugged open the fridge, and gently pushed it onto the rack. βGoodnight, fishy.βΒ
βYouβre impossible.βΒ
βMe or the fish?β He scoffed, shut the fridge, and whirled around to face you. βThat in itself is impossible because only one of us is dead.βΒ
βWhat the fuck?β Felixβs voice echoed around the barren church.Β
Suho and Sunni disappeared. When you and Felix went outside to talk to your kids, they were nowhere in sight. You searched the house before pushing your way through the corn. Deja vu hit you. Hours ago, you remembered the way the corn curled against your body. Thick green strands stood upright, forcing the corn towards the sun. Within a few more weeks, you were certain itβd start to lose the vivid color and fall victim to the withered look when the harvest season approached.
On the other side of the cornfield, you stumbled along an old white church. A single sign in the front declared it to be a methodist church. Black letters sat amongst the white sign: He who sows his seeds shall reap the harvest. You didnβt know what it meant, but you hated it.Β
You tugged open one of the doors and slid inside first. Empty wooden pews sat vacant. Floorboards groaned beneath the weight of your feet. Cracks aligned the oak. Up front, a large cross sat made from old corn cobs and brown husks withered. A single wooden podium stood in front of it.Β
You and Felix searched the empty room, but your children were nowhere to be found. He approached the cross and cautiously reached out, letting his fingers trail the withered husks. βThis isβ¦βΒ
βFreaky?β You finished for him. βWhere could they be? They wouldnβt go further into town, would they? Sunni was so angry, but Suho?β
βI donβt know.β He stepped back, eyeing the walls. Boards sat horizontal without gaps between them. Two windows sat on each side without curtains. Sunlight poured in the blank squares and highlighted different pews. βThe place doesnβt look like it has electricity. Thereβs no lights above.βΒ
You looked up and found he was right. Wooden rafters sat in high triangles, helping the outer triangular ceiling keep its shape. Whatever took place in here, you didnβt want part of it and you didnβt want your kids to be part of it, either. Despite nobody being around, besides you and Felix, a heaviness pressed against the tops of your shoulders. Something dark had made its way inside and seeped between the floorboards.Β
Every hair along the back of your neck poked upright. You spun around, expecting to find someone watching you, but there was nothing. You held your breath, waiting for something. Anything; a whisper, an inhale, a voice. The only thing you heard was the inhale of your own breath once more.Β
βFelix? I think we should go. There was another building across the way, letβs try that one.βΒ
He nodded and appeared at your side. Warm fingers curled around yours. He tugged you out of the building and towards the sunlight. As you looked back, you swore you saw the bright burst of blue peeking at you through a small crack in the wall. You blinked and it vanished.Β
You exited and quickly shut the door behind you. Felix squeezed your hand and let his thumb curl down the back of it. βI canβt believe our kids would do something like this.βΒ
βTheyβve been weird ever since we moved in.βΒ
The two of you made your way through the grass and headed in the direction of the other building. Darkened boards and wide open doors, you werenβt sure what to expect. It was smaller than the church and unpainted.Β
The church had a sign, but this one didnβt. If you had to guess, you assumed it was a building for the churchβs storage, but what was there to store? The church didnβt even have bibles, let alone a picture of Jesus. No crosses, besides the large one made of corn.Β
As the two of you grew closer, chanting slipped through the open doors and filled your ears.Β
βPraise be the stalk and praise be the seed. The harvest knows our every need. The hands that sow and the hands that die, they all feed the field beneath the sky.βΒ
You froze and so did Felix. The two of you shared a look and stepped closer. Peering inside, you found a plethora of children sitting at desks. The front chalkboard sat coated with chalk dust. Someone had drawn stalks of corn standing upright and crowded together. You didnβt recognize the guy standing at the front of the room. His eyes scanned the leather-back book he held open before him.Β
You looked around and tugged Felixβs arm. Across the way, Sunni and Suho were in two different desks side-by-side. Heads held high, spines straightened, their attention fell in line with the other kids. They all stared straight ahead, watching the guy leading up front.Β
You pulled away from Felix and cleared your throat. βExcuse me?βΒ
The unfamiliar man paused and looked up. His attention fell on the two of you. βCan I help you?β His voice fell flat. Empty dark eyes shifted between the two of you.Β
βSorry to interrupt,β Felix took over, βbut weβre looking for our children.βΒ
The man looked over to Suho and Sunni. He gave a single nod and they stood up. The rest of the kids didnβt look in your direction. They headed your way without a word. The manβs eyes didnβt leave you until all four of you walked away. Outside of his gaze, Felix gripped Sunniβs hand. You put an arm around Suhoβs shoulders.Β
βWould the two of you like to explain yourselves?β Felix asked. βBecause right now, the two of you are in major trouble.βΒ
βIt doesnβt matter,β Sunni grumbled.Β
You nudged Suho, but his gaze didnβt leave the ground. βThe corn has already spoken.βΒ
Within an hour, you climbed into the vehicleβs passenger seat and strapped on your seat belt. Felix jumped into the driverβs seat and started the car. βDoes anyone have everything? Pajamas? Toothbrushes? Toothpaste?βΒ
βYes.β
βUh-huh.βΒ
You sucked in a deep breath and relaxed. When the four of you got home, you made your kids go upstairs and pack a bag for the weekend. You were going back to the town you originally lived in. Sunni and Suho wouldnβt talk about the other kids they were with. They didnβt speak and they refused to give you proper information.Β
You were furious until Felix calmed you down. You didnβt like not knowing what they were doing. Who knew how long the two had been hanging out on the opposite side of the field. From what you gathered, theyβd likely been hanging out with the group for weeks and befriended them. The urban legend and murmurs from the cashier about a cult lingered and twisted your heart with fear.Β
βSo Iβm thinking we could stop somewhere and get dinner. Afterwards, weβll head straight to Grandma and Grandpaβs. How does that sound?βΒ
Suho and Sunni didnβt utter a word. Sunni stared blankly at the back of Felixβs seat. Suhoβs head leaned up against the side of the window. Felix nodded and clicked his tongue. βOkay, keep the silence then. Babe?βΒ
βSounds perfect to me.β You slumped back in your seat. Youβd been worried about your kids for a while now. It was nice to know you werenβt just imagining things. Something was actually wrong and now Felix could see it, too. It wasnβt just in your head.Β
You reached up and pressed the button to turn on the radio. You adjusted the dial and the volume. Felixβs fingers tapped against the steering wheel and he hummed. Behind you, Suho looked over. Sensing her brotherβs gaze, Sunniβs head turned in his direction.Β
He glanced up towards the two of you. You were relaxing with your eyes shut. Felix kept his gaze straight forward on the road. His fingers reached down for his backpack and Sunni watched without a word. The dark copper of rust poked out from beneath the zipper. Heβd had the sickle for a while now, but there was never a better time to use it.Β
βKids?β You called from the front seat. βItβs unlike you to be this quiet. How do you feel?βΒ
βThe rows await,β Sunni replied.Β
βThe harvest is soon,β Suho added.Β
You opened your eyes and looked at Felix. He shook his head, reached up, and turned the dial for the radio to make it a little louder. You shut your eyes, knowing that a long talk waited for the two of you and your kids before the weekend was over.Β
Suho slowly unzipped his backpack the rest of the way and tugged out the rusted sickle. He gave Sunni a nod and she nodded back. She shifted forward to see what you were doing and Suho slowly raised the sickle.Β
The corn swayed in the breeze, along both sides of the car; the ears leaned close and patiently listened for the horror your children had vowed to harvest for the others.
Nobody used the unisex bathroom anymore. Itβd been regularly used for students to skip classes, but after staff members realized it, the threat of suspension and a call home to parents deterred nearly all the unruly high schoolers. Every so often, someone would sneak into it, but the fear of being caught and exposed was a heavy price to pay for those with strict parents.Β
When it came to Jisungβs parents, they didnβt care. He knew they didnβt care. He saw it in their eyes, the emptiness and lack of warmth. Beady and dark, theyβd watch him come home with his head curled downwards. His house didnβt feel like a home. It lacked the warmth of homemade dinners and family photos stacked along the walls. Only one photo remained, a photo stuck to the front of the fridge. Itβd been taken back when life was bright.Β
Chubby round cheeks, sparkling eyes, and a missing front tooth. Life can be unfathomably cruel and Jisung wasnβt a stranger to it. The emotional distance between him and his parents was bad, but it wasnβt nearly as bad as what he suffered when he came to experience between classes. The constant belittling and outcry of mockery.
Heβd burn this whole place down if he could. He imagined the shrill shrieks and screams of those who taunted him the most. Each time his backpack strap was tugged, the sharp bite of bitter words that chipped away at insecurity and lack of self-worth. How do you strengthen something youβve lacked?Β
It was always something. From the way physical features sat upon his face to the black clothes that covered his limbs, a desperate attempt to try and blend into the void of the background. Dark eyeliner around his eyes, a lowered head, and the familiar feeling of the weight of his backpack and guitar on his back. The red and white electric guitar was the only thing that brought him comfort.Β
Plucking the tightened strings, feeling the vibrations and electric hum from the amp as he plugged it in, it meant everything to him. At least, it used to. He was playing in the band room the previous day and walked out when he heard someone call his name from the hallway. Assuming it was a teacher, he slipped outside to find them.Β
The band room was his sanctuary. During study hall, most people stayed in their homeroom or went to the library. He disappeared into the band room to learn new songs. If he wasnβt learning something new, he was playing chords and organizing them into songs. Heβd never tell anyone about the book of song lyrics he kept in his guitar case. A maroon leather cover kept the contents of his heart safe. Heavy feelings whisked into song lyrics. Song lyrics became a muse for his songs. Songs became the only thing that brought him comfort. The one thing he felt like nobody could take away from him, they destroyed it.Β
It was some new jock thatβd been heckling him lately. Jisung slipped out of the band room, eyes scanning the white ceramic floor. Freshly waxed and shiny from the janitorβs escapade the previous night, it still held its gleam. He moved into the hallway, unaware of the shadow that snuck past him when he turned the opposite direction.Β
It was the loud sound of a smash and a ping that sent him rushing back into the band room. It was there that he found his precious guitar destroyed. The wooden neck popped off the body. Strings hung loosely. Scissors worked away and snipped off the cord along the amp. He stood unmoving as tears brimmed his eyes. Cruel laughter mocked him.Β
βGood luck playing with a broken guitar, Jisung.β His name was spat out like a poison. As heβd gotten older, Jisung always wondered if life was worth it. The cruelty, the defeat, and everything all at once.Β
A shoulder shoved against his and slammed him against the wooden door frame. His head smacked the side, threatening to knock him unconscious. Dark spots danced along his vision and laughter mocked him as it faded down the hall. He slumped against the door, staring at the wreckage of his electric guitar. Depression hung over his head for a while, but that was the final breaking point.
In the unisex bathroom, shaky fingers searched through the contents of his bookbag. The familiar weight of his guitar was gone. The only thing that kept his heart pumping had vanished. He sucked in a deep breath and pulled out what he was looking for.Β
The metal sparkled beneath the white lights hanging from above him. His reflection mirrored his actions in the rectangular mirror, but he didnβt look at it. Instead, he jerked up the black sleeves of his sweater. Eyes shut, he sucked in a deep breath. Theyβd pay for everything they did. He wasnβt sure how and he wasnβt sure when, but he knew they would.Β
His eyes fluttered open, his heart hesitated, but his limbs worked on their own. Anger. Resentment. Bitterness. Sadness. Desperation. Exhaustion. Heβd been exhausted for years.
Some say suicide is selfish, but when your brain is on fire, when it feels like the hold world has turned against you, it feels like an act of mercy that youβll never receive from anyone else. Nobody would care. Not a single person and yet before he acted, a small thought insisted they would.Β
He ignored it as he swiped the blade and red bloomed along his forearm.Β
βDude, I canβt believe this.βΒ
You glanced up from the leather couch. Fingers pressed against the rubber knobs of the PlayStation controller, Hyunjinβs voice caught you off guard. Ever since spring break started, the two of you had been spending way too much time in front of his TV. Hyunjinβs place was a hell of a lot better than the suffocation of your small dorm room. You lived in a cage and Hyunjin practically lived at a five-star beach resort. Usually, you hated nepo babies, but since you befriended Hyunjin, it certainly had some perks.
Rich college kid perks. Sometimes you complete your college education in old dorms and other times, youβre privileged enough to have a place off campus. Hyunjinβs sense of security was a twenty minute drive off campus. Down near the beach, a handful of beach houses stretched out from the deep blue shore. Built up and rented out by his real estate parents, each house was worth a pretty penny. Hyunjin was fortunate enough, he didnβt have to pay a single cent. Instead, he was given the keys to the place his parents used as a vacation home. Their only demand? Keep the place tidy. For a plethora of college students, it was a mighty big ask.Β
Final exams before break had been a killer. Spring break started and Hyunjin immediately invited you over. The two of you had been pigging out on convenience store junk. Bright colored candy and sodium-infused bags of chips. Empty cans of cola scattered around the coffee table. A half-consumed pizza sat along the distant bar counter.Β
Crushed beer cans and empty wine cooler bottles still hadnβt been cleaned up from last weekβs party. They littered sections of the kitchen. Someone knocked items off a living room bookcase and nobody ever picked them up. Hyunjin insisted he couldnβt, not yet, he was still exhausted from the exams.
Hyunjinβs presence on campus became god-like the moment people found out he had his own place on the beach. No parents, a big house, and right next to the ocean. The perfect place for people to gather and fuck around. Drunkenly chasing after foamy tides, stumbling down the sandy bank, or hurling their guts over the kitchenβs oversized metal basin. Yeah, college was a real hoot.
βWhat?β You asked. Itβd been a while since you pulled your eyes from the screen. Crash Bandicoot sat frozen on the screen. For the past hour, heβd been repeatedly jumping over holes, breaking boxes, and collecting apples.Β
βRemember that kid from high school?βΒ
βYouβve gotta be way more specific than that.βΒ
βThe Jisung kid.βΒ
βWhat about him?βΒ
βCheck it out.β He sat up and tossed the phone in your direction. βI knew it wasnβt what the school said. The school said it was an accident. They said he fell and hit his head, bled to death in the bathroom.β
You raised an eyebrow and picked up the phone. The moment you laid your eyes on the familiar face along the phone, your stomach churned. Of course, you remembered Jisung. The two of you had been in the same yearbook committee. You worked together on a variety of projects from the yearbook. He was the one that showed you how to properly shoot photos and everything.Β
Town members outraged after a former studentβs cause of death revealed to be a cover-up.Β
Your blood turned to ice. Hyunjin continued rambling beside you. βI knew it was always fishy. How could he hit his head and bleed to death? Iβm sure everyone has whacked their head on something when theyβve tripped before. Hell, I even hit my head on that sink before and IββΒ
βYou probably shouldnβt have come to class dopped up on cough medicine, asshole.βΒ
He scoffed and threw his hands up. His body fell back and hit the couch. βWhat was I supposed to do? I had a cold!βΒ
βFor three weeks straight?βΒ
He grinned, knowing that he liked the buzz of Nyquil floating through his veins back then. The sleepy feeling took over and spread warmth throughout his chest. βIt was really bad that year.β It took another month before he could stop himself. When his mom found three bottles of Nyquil hidden in his closet, it wasnβt hard to put the pieces together.Β
βYou asshat,β you mumbled beneath your breath. You tossed his phone back at him. He jerked his hands out, trying to catch it before it hit the couch.Β
βWait, did you see the bottom part? Theyβre holding classes in another building. Theyβre going to tear down the school and replace it. Isnβt that crazy? We went through four years of hell and now theyβre going to act like it never happened?βΒ
βYou went through four years of hell. I went through four years ofββΒ
βOh, bullshit. You know damn well you hated the middle years of high school. Freshman year, you were on a high-horse about your perfect grades. Senior year, you spent it being thrilled to leave. The middle two? You were an insufferable cunt.βΒ
βMaybe youβre the insufferable cunt.βΒ
βSays the one playing Crash Bandicoot.βΒ
Your fingers tightened around your controller and you frowned. βWhatβs wrong with Crash Bandicoot?βΒ
βItβs practically a thousand years old. Live a little and tryββΒ
βIβm not playing Call of Duty. Itβs the stupidest thing Iβve ever seen. If I wanted to waste my time killing people, Iβd sign up for the war.βΒ
βYou really are something else.βΒ
You grumbled and chucked the controller at his head. He laughed and ducked before the plastic whacked his skull. You jerked upright and headed out into the kitchen. The lingering scent of last nightβs pepperoni pizza hung around and mixed with stale beer. Not great, but it was better than last weekβs vomit fest. You and Hyunjin lost count of how many times you scrubbed vomit off the hardwood floor.Β
Hyunjin only invited a handful of people, but they took the self-invitation and tarnished it by inviting a plus-one. For some, it turned into a plus-three. What was supposed to be a small get-together and a last hoorah before exams turned into one hell of a college party. Equipped with too much vomiting and alcohol, the guest appearance of a bong, and white powder that certainly wasnβt from a pixie stick.Β
βIt doesnβt surprise me that Jisung committed suicide and slit his wrists. I mean really, did you see that kid? He was so miserable and depressed. Every time he walked into a classroom, you could practically feel the internal dread. He drowned in it.βΒ
βDonβt be an asshole,β you defended him. βHe wasnβt that bad. So maybe he dressed in all black and he was bad at small talk. He didnβt have friends, but he didnβt deserve to feel so worthless that he had to die. If it wasnβt for him, I wouldnβt know how to take proper photographs.β
Hyunjin shifted and hung himself over the back of the leather couch. βSo you admit it, you werenβt friends with the guy?β A smirk tugged up in the corner of his mouth.
βWhatβs your problem?βΒ
βIβm just asking. Youβre getting so defensive. Maybe the two of you hooked up in that unisex bathroom and you woo-hooed. You got on your knees and youββΒ
A triangle slice of pizza flew through the air. It smacked Hyunjinβs face and hit the floor upside down with a faint thud. His eyes widened and he gasped. βHey!βΒ
As you pulled out another slice and started eating it, you let his whines and complaints slip into one ear and float out the other.Β
Even at college, Hyunjin was still Hyunjin.Β
Beneath the golden sky, you fiddled with the adjustments on your Sony camera. Purchased for you a few years back by your parents, you treat it as if it was your baby. Out of all the cameras youβd ever had the privilege of touching, this was your favorite.Β
βHello?β A weakened voice called out.Β
You paused and picked your head up. Lush green spread out in every direction before your feet. The sky shifted colors throughout the day, but the grass stayed the same shade of green. Your eyes scanned the area and you paused on a figure in the distance.Β
A black and white striped shirt sat on someoneβs upper half. Black skinny jeans sat acquainted with a pair of black Converse. From what you observed in your space, you didnβt recognize the person. The sun blinded your eyes. You curled your hand and used it as a makeshift shield against your forehead. βWho are you?β You called back.Β
βIβm Jisung. Who are you?βΒ
Familiarity rose and you hurried in his direction. βJisung? Han Jisung?β The camera slipped from your hands and fell victim to the lanyard around your neck. It dropped to your chest, but it didnβt fall farther than that.Β
βHow do you know my name? Whatβs going on? Where are we?β
You moved closer until you were a few feet away. He didnβt look much different from high school. The eyeliner circled his eyes and flecks of black nail polish sat along his nails. Purple shadows highlighted his undereyes. He searched your face, trying to understand your role in wherever the two of you were.
βWe went to high school together.βΒ
βDid I die?β He whispered. βIt was so cold. My blood was warm and then everything turned cold. My eyes shut and I donβt remember what happened.βΒ
You frowned, unsure of what to say. Silence grew between the two of you until you found your voice again. βThatβs all you remember?βΒ
βWhere are we?βΒ
You shrugged. He spun around, letting his eyes scan the monarch horizon, but there was nothing that stuck out. Distant rolling grass and swirls of the settling sun.Β
βWhy did I die?βΒ
βI think you were sad.βΒ
βI was sad?βΒ
You slowly nodded your head. βIβm so sorry.βΒ
βI donβt want to be dead. This canβt be right. Where are we?βΒ
βI donβt know.βΒ
His fingers curled into fists. βNo! This canβt be right! Iβm not dead!β His voice turned into a pitiful scream. βIβm not! Iβm not!βΒ
βJisungβ¦βΒ
βIβll make them pay,β he whispered. His eyes found yours and the sadness seeped into empty words that sent chills down your spine. βIβll make you pay.βΒ
Your heavy eyes fluttered open and you groaned. Curled up in an uncomfortable position along the side of the stairs, you shifted. The edge of a wooden step aggressively cut into the side of your rib cage. Laughter floated from downstairs. Upbeat pop music murmured lyrics that your foggy brain refused to comprehend. A dim hall light above you highlighted the distant hallway. With a churning stomach, you sucked in a deep breath.Β
Another one of Hyunjinβs parties bubbled to life a few hours ago. It kicked off later in the evening. Under the blanketing night sky and to the disappointment of the neighbors, everyone was ready to let loose for spring break. You imagined you were going to spend this time babysitting everyone else. Alcohol wasnβt your forte, but when Hyunjin handed you a cup of jungle juice, you caved in.Β
One cup, you promised yourself. Just one cup and thatβd be it. The only problem with Hyunjinβs juice? It tasted like a fruit punch-infused heaven. You should have known all the sugar hid the taste of vodka and whatever other hard liquor heβd gotten his hands on. It was barely there and you figured he went lighter on the alcohol. Sure, it was spring break, but last weekβs party caused the entire house to smell like vomit and rotten stomach acid.
Someone pissed in the upstairβs bathroom sink, spraying bright yellow streams of urine all over his toothbrush and toothpaste, along with soiling the bathroom mirror. It wasnβt something he wanted to clean up ever again. You helped tackle the vomit, but you drew the line at human piss.Β
Wrong. If anything, Hyunjin went all out again. Prepackaged snacks littered the marble island. Bright red iced jungle juice, equipped with an infusion of sliced citrus. It looked innocent, but the concoction caused lethal blackouts. Your head throbbed and the stairwell seemed to shift beneath your body. All sense of gravity dissolved and you were left in limbo. Thank god you were as close to the ground as possible. If you were standing up, you would have slipped backwards and made your way down the steps like an out of control bowling ball.Β
You tried to coax yourself into standing up, but movement was rough. It ended with you squeezing your eyes shut and silently praying for a moment of peace. If God was real and he stopped the liquid madness in your brain, youβd never drink again. Fingernails curled into the wooden steps. A single slow inhale, followed by an even exhale. Nothing helped and as much as you wanted someone to come by and assist you, with the state of everyone else, it wasnβt possible.Β
Meanwhile, Hyunjin was outside and dragging himself towards the water. He groaned and stumbled forward. Incoherent mumbles and slurred song lyrics strung together. His hands flung up and the world steadily turned upside down. His head cranked back, up at the sky, he yelled. Stars kept watch overhead like beady yellow eyes of a non-existent creature. Foamy waves rolled in and dragged themselves out, following the path of the wind.Β
Away from everyone else, he blended in with the night. Bare feet slapped along the sand and he stumbled, trying to keep himself upright. Gravity pulled him towards the ground, but he fought with all his might. Wobbling and stumbling, the alcohol numbed everything. Back around the outside of the beach house, bodies scattered around in small groups. Everyone mingled and nobody watched him.Β
He shifted directions and waddled parallel to the shore. Lyrics from an incoherent Radiohead song tangled around his tongue. Words fell into hums and he sighed. His toes curled into the sand and a gentle breeze ruffled his hair. Dark cut-off jeans and a loose white button down fluttered in the wind. A half-crescent moon shined down, but it didnβt do much to highlight him. Clouds covered most of it.Β
Gravity finally won. His body tipped backwards and he hit the ground with a faint thud. The waves lapping against the shore lulled him into a state of bliss. On the sand, his worries washed away with the tide. His eyes fluttered shut and every muscle relaxed. It was nice to let loose after the hell week he had over the past seven days.Β
Education wasnβt always easy for Hyunjin. Certain classes caused stress and when exams came, the pressure was high. He wanted to be great at everything, but he wasnβt sure if he was or not. Lying became a habit. It was easy to seem put together on the outside and ignore the mess of jumbled emotions that weakened you on the inside.Β
The ocean didnβt ask anything of anyone. Waves rolled and the tides changed. Vastly stretching out along the moon-reflecting horizon, it didnβt ask for forgiveness, but it didnβt ask for permission, either. It was everything he wanted to be. Strong, unforgiving, and a force to be reckoned with. Thatβs why when his parents offered to pay for his place, he brought up the beach house. It sat empty and abandoned.Β
His parents were fond of the inner city and the beach house remained too empty. The city was alive, but Hyunjinβs rejuvenation came from the water. He didnβt know why, thatβs just how it was. Why question the ambiance of something thatβd been around for millions of years?Β
His eyes fluttered shut and the moon planted kisses along the tops of his cheeks, as if it was his mother thatβd missed out on their regular affection. He sucked in another deep breath and let his consciousness drift away with the tide.Β
βSing us a song. A song to keep us warm. Thereβs such a chill, such a chill.βΒ
Hyunjinβs eyes fluttered open to the faint sound of singing. He groggily blinked, trying to figure out where it was coming from. The same mumbled lyrics he spat out earlier came out coherent, but they werenβt from him. He wiped an arm across his drooping eyes and mumbled. βHello? Whoβs there?βΒ
Fingers plucked an electric guitar. The pitch was off. Untuned and untamed, the tension on the strings wasnβt enough. Instead of smooth notes, they were loose and haunting. More humming only led to more confusion from Hyunjin.Β
βHello?β He mumbled again. The white light from the moon overpowered his eyes. They squeezed shut and he winced. He tried to call your name, but you didnβt respond. The humming kept going and the notes kept playing.Β
βWho the fuck are you?βΒ
The guitar fell silent. Waves swept the shore, but nothing else sounded. The breeze died down and considering how quiet the night became, Hyunjin wondered if he was dreaming. His eyes drifted shut. Assuming it was his imagination, unconsciousness tugged him back into its grasp when another voice finally spoke.Β
βHow good do you think you can swim when youβre under the influence?βΒ
Ice-cold hands gripped his wrists and tugged. Hyunjinβs eyes half-opened. Beneath his body, the sand shifted and put up no frictional fight. Fingers squeezed his wrists tighter.Β
βYou heard me, Hwang. You were the best member on our swim team. Letβs see if youβve still got it, huh? Remember when we were in gym class together? I always envied you until you stole my clothes after I showered. You humiliated me in front of everyone.βΒ
βJisung?β The words fell out in confusion. Stars shifted and the moon changed position. Hyunjinβs eyes fluttered open, trying to understand. βYouβre dead.βΒ
βWeβll see about that.β He jerked Hyunjinβs body harder, causing him to yelp. Hyunjin whined and squirmed his slender arms, but Jisung had a death grip on him. βGive my greetings to the fish, will you?βΒ
βLet go!β Hyunjin attempted to shift his wrists, but the alcohol made his limbs feel detached. Every movement became weak. In a time he desperately needed his strength, the alcohol had consumed it and snuffed everything out entirely. βJisung!β
βWhat are you gonna do?β He paused. βKill me? Too late. Iβm already dead and itβs all your fault.βΒ
βHelp! Help me!β Hyunjinβs arms flailed and his legs kicked. The cold water brought him back to life. It baptized him and cut through the alcohol.
βYou think someone is coming to save you? Nobody can hear you here. Go ahead.βΒ
The water went from Hyunjinβs legs up further to his waist.Β
βScream all you want, but not even the fish can save you.βΒ
Hyunjin started to scream your name at the top of his lungs. He shifted and squirmed, but it was no use. The water lapped at Jisungβs legs and he yanked him further and further into the depths. Your name died on his lips as Jisung jerked him back and shoved him beneath a newfound foaming wave. White sea foam coated his wrists, but he ignored it.Β
Nothing felt better than feeling the struggling desperation of an enemy while their oxygen supply ran out.Β
It didnβt feel real. Something in your brain disconnected as you sat in the wooden pew of the open sanctuary. Someoneβs floral perfume seeped into your nose and your head throbbed. You rewound the events of the past few days trying to figure out what went wrong.Β
You awoke on Hyunjinβs stairs again a few days ago. Soaked in the scent of some drunken foolβs misslip, red jungle juice stained the outer sleeve of your right arm. By the time you pushed yourself up, you nearly collapsed. Downstairs, chaos speckled throughout the lower level. Watered-down jungle juice turned to room temperature. An insistent beeping from the mouth of a wide open fridge, reminding anyone with ears that it demanded to be shut.Β
Your toes caught along the bare calf of a freshmanβs limp arm. The world rocked, you tipped forward, and if it wasnβt for the nearby cabinet to grip onto, you would have face planted. Instead, you pathetically clung to the counter and silently prayed for mercy from the heavens above. You promised youβd never do it again.Β
A few more bodies scattered throughout the living room. An unfamiliar couple intertwined themselves together on the leather couch. A head curled into a chest and legs infused in one another. Soft breaths, tangled dark hair, the remains of alcohol in red plastic cups on the glass coffee table. Another body sprawled on its back beside the TV stand. Fingers stretched out and limply curled around the bottom shelf. You thought it was Hyunjin, but your eyes betrayed you.Β
The porch had been littered with cups and wrappers from prepacked snacks. You told Hyunjin you should have bought plastic plates and enforced a throwing away your trash policy, but he laughed at you. Someone sat with their back up against the siding. Eyes half-shut and smeared mulberry eyeshadow, the woman sucked in the nicotine-filled smoke from her cigarette. Last night, her dress flowed around her waist, cinching in along her torso before puffing out. This morning, it was twisted in the wrong direction. Wrinkles blossomed and that was that.Β
βHey,β you called out. βHave you seen Hyunjin?βΒ
The white beads secured around the bottom of each tiny braid jangled as she shook her head. βWhat day is it? I just woke up.βΒ
βThe morning of some day, I think.βΒ
βMakes sense, huh?βΒ
You chuckled and stumbled down the porch steps. The scent of smoke irritated your nose and contributed to the nausea brewing in your stomach. You wanted to go back inside and climb the stairs. Hyunjin probably crashed in his room, but you didnβt. The sound of the waves tugged you in, reminding you that you werenβt alone.Β
You shut your eyes and let yourself surrender to the rolling foam. You didnβt notice your feet were bare until you realized sand pinched between your toes. Inhale and exhale. Deep breaths and try to pretend the vodka wasnβt crawling back up the back of your throat. You were going to kill Hyunjin, you thought. It never happened because when you opened your eyes, when the tide glided forward and nipped at the underbelly of your feet, he was already dead.Β
Stark naked and blue-lipped, your brain glitched. His body spun around in the water as if he was a single stained shirt thrown in a washing machine out of panic. You screamed his name and dived forward. Water slipped up your nose and caught your lungs. Your brain switched into autopilot. You tried to save him, but Hyunjin had been dead for hours.Β
The official cause of death? Accidental drowning due to intoxication. No foul play found at the scene of the crime.
βThis is the most depressing thing in the world,β Jeongin whispered beneath his breath. He scooped up a spoonful of some unknown casserole. Butter-yellow pieces of something stuck to a white sticky slop. His stomach churned and he frowned.Β
βItβs a funeral dinner,β Felix said from beside him. βThe food isnβt meant to be that good. Itβs a reminder that after you die, nothing glamorous happens.β
βHis parents are rich. They could have hired caterers or something. He was Hwang Hyunjin for fuckβs sake. This is disgraceful. Look at this shit.β He flung the plastic spoon back and lobbed the spoonful of casserole at a group of nearby birds.
The moment it hit the ground, one of the gray birds shifted and waddled over. A neck held high, it reached forward, dipped down, and poked at the splattered pile of slop. One taste of whatever it was and it launched itself up in the air. A shrill squawk of disappointment poured out before he took off and flew in the opposite direction. The other birds didnβt go near it.Β
βEw.βΒ
The three of you were positioned outside the church in the distant side yard. Gray clouds dotted the sky and the gloominess summed up exactly how you felt on the inside. Felix and Jeongin tried to keep themselves in high spirits, but you couldnβt bring yourself to smile. You barely managed to speak to Hyunjinβs parents without bursting into tears. Someone had handed you a few tissues earlier and they turned into wadded balls of snot and tears in your back pocket.Β
Felixβs bony elbow reached out and he nudged you in the ribs. βHow are you holding up?β
βIβm not.βΒ
βAt least you're honest.βΒ
βI donβt know how the two of you are acting like nothing happened. We were all friends with Hyunjin and you two areββΒ
βIβm pretty sure your friendship with Hyunjin involved romantic undertones that youβve never addressed,β Jeongin pointed out. βYou two were pretty close. You hung out at his place a lot.βΒ
βAnd what good did that do? I was the one that found his body!β Your words came out sharp and bitter. Deep down, you knew they were trying to be lighthearted and make you feel better, but you didnβt feel better. You felt like a sack of shit for letting Hyunjin out of your sight that night. It was your fault for not keeping an eye on him.Β
Jeongin and Felix shared a matching look of pity. The two of them had dressed in black suits. You wore your own black infused outfit. Standing outside the catholic church, you felt like a stranger. Stain glass windows and Jesus imagery never did anything for you. Today, you thought you might find comfort in imagining Hyunjin being welcomed into the warming hands of heaven, but instead, it made you sick to your stomach. Hyunjin didnβt belong in the afterlife, he belonged here with you and your friends.Β
The three of you sat at one of the picnic tables off to the side of the church. The threat of rain kept everyone else inside. Nobody wanted to face the wraith of frigid rain. Grief soaked everything and everyone. Felix reached over and grabbed the brownie off your plastic plate. βOpen your mouth.βΒ
You stared at him with the burn of tears threatening to build up. He tugged a piece of brownie off the rest and held it out to you. βDonβt give me that look. These are good, theyβre my brownies.βΒ
Your mouth hesitantly opened and he slipped the bite inside. βThat wasnβt so hard, was it? Open your mouth again.βΒ
Jeongin swallowed a mouthful of lukewarm green beans. βI canβt believe youβre feeding them like a baby bird.βΒ
βWell, someone has to do it. Hyunjin isnβt here to make sure you keep up with self-care. He wouldnβt want you to starve yourself to death.β He slipped another bite of the dessert into your mouth. You refused to admit it made you feel better.Β
After half the brownie, you pulled back and wiped your eyes. βI think itβs my fault Hyunjin is dead.βΒ
βItβs not your fault,β Felix started.Β
Jeongin nodded in agreement. He opened his mouth to speak, but you beat him to it. βDo you guys remember Jisung from high school?βΒ
Jeonginβs eyebrow raised and Felixβs face fell. βJisung? Like Han Jisung? What about him?βΒ
βI had a dream the other night. He didnβt realize he was dead. He was lost and confused and then he was so angry. He said everyone would pay a-andββ Tears fell down your cheeks and Felix placed the brownie back on your plate.Β
βDid you hear about the school being demolished?βΒ
βHyunjin told me.βΒ
βItβs probably just your brain acting funny. Jisung is dead and heβs been dead for years. Itβs whatever,β Jeongin shrugged, βnot like we can do anything differently now that heβs gone.β
You hated that he spoke the truth.Β
βI canβt deal with it anymore. Grief is crazy. Itβs like our friend has lost their goddamn mind. I know we should be there for them, but theyβre so stuck up about this whole Jisung karma thing. Hey, where are you? Whatβs that loud noise?βΒ
Felix kept the phone close to his ear as he pushed through the people around him. Body heat trapped him. Too many people along the dance floor and nobody understood what it meant to keep the personal space. He mumbled an apology as he wormed his way through a group of girls. Someoneβs hand bag caught him on his back. He ignored it and kept pushing through the crowd. The neon glow of the exit sign wasnβt far now.Β
βIβm at a club.βΒ
βYouβve gotta be kidding me.βΒ
βNo can do. Sorry, but we all have our own ways of dealing with our grief.βΒ
βGreat. Just great. Now Iβve gotta deal with your dumbass, too.βΒ
Felix chuckled at Jeonginβs words and found the space to breathe again. He exited the dance floor and picked up speed. βTo be fair, Iβm not drinking alcohol. I came here trying to find a drink, but the alcohol reminded me of Hyunjin. It made me feel like shit, so Iβm drinking a Sprite.β
βWow. A Sprite. Such a man of integrity.βΒ
βUp yours, too.βΒ
Jeongin laughed, but it was cut off by a loud knocking sound. βIβve gotta go, Lix. Someone is at my dorm. Please be careful and Iβll call you back later.βΒ
βIβll bet you ten bucks itβsββ He couldnβt say your name fast enough. Jeongin hung up the phone and left him alone.Β
Outside, he was greeted by the strumming of a guitar. Twilight settled overhead and he sucked in a deep breath. How on earth some people found it in themselves to attend the club every week, he didnβt know. The heavy door shut and the murmur of strangers disappeared. He stepped further into the overhead side light and took comfort in the soft strumming noise.Β
After cracking open his drink, he swallowed sips from the cold can. Condensation mapped his palm, but it didnβt bother him. The carbonated drink rolled around his empty stomach, causing it to growl. There was nothing else to accompany it. He hadnβt consumed anything all day. Grief really was funny.Β
He missed Hyunjin, but he worried about his other two friends more. From an early age, Felix learned that death was normal. Everyone and everything died. Plants withered and pet goldfish turned belly-up. Humans regularly sucked in breaths until their organs failed or until their bodies split apart. Something sucked out the soul and personalities evaporated. All that was left, if there was anything left at all, was the empty shell of a body; a casket within a casket, the beauty of the soul swept into the abyss.
He leaned back against the rugged brick wall. A wad of chewed white gum that was past a year old pressed against the back of his shirt, but he didnβt realize it. Instead, he let his arm with his drink hang along his side and he shut his eyes. Itβd been a while since grief visited him.Β
Hyunjinβs death came so quickly, it was out of nowhere. He still remembered your voice cracking as you called him midday on the day Hyunjin died. He imagined tears in your eyes and puffy swollen cheeks. You could barely get out the words through choked out sobs. He wasnβt sure what hurt more. The announcement of Hyunjinβs death or the brokenness in your voice.Β
The guitar stopped strumming and when Felix noticed, he opened his eyes. The voice of a stranger joined his thoughts a few seconds later. βItβs a nice night out tonight, isnβt it?βΒ
βYeah. Did you come out here to escape the crowd, too?β He looked over, trying to catch a glimpse of the manβs face, but he couldnβt see. He stood too far away, just out of the beaming light that hung above the back door.Β
βSomething like that, yeah. Iβve never been a huge fan of crowds, but I love my guitar.βΒ
βIt sounds great.βΒ
βI used to have an electric guitar. It was my favorite thing until someone ruined it.βΒ
Memories of high school floated back in Felixβs head. He looked away, remembering how awful it felt after he completed the dare. If there was one way to reign supreme in high school, you could get there by being a jock. When football tryouts came, he chased the popularity that he didnβt have. Getting in with the βin-crowdβ was simple, as long as you did their bidding.Β
βIβm sorry to hear that.β He uttered softly.Β
He remembered the devastation in Jisungβs milk-chocolate eyes. The way his mouth pinched into a frown and a sheer glossy look from pooling tears. They reminded him of the way your own tears looked at Hyunjinβs funeral. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to forget about it. Everyone did stupid shit in high school.Β
βIt felt like the world ended when you smashed my guitar.βΒ
βExcuse me?βΒ
The man strung his fingers against the tightened strings in a single sad strum. βYou shattered my heart. I held onto certain things like a lifeline and you pulled the plug on my favorite one. My guitar was my ventilator.βΒ
βI-I think youβre mistaken. You must be drunk and youβreββΒ
βI know exactly who you are, Felix. Unfortunately for you, Iβm not a fan of acoustic guitars.β Stepping into the light, Jisung appeared. He held onto the neck of the guitar like a baseball bat. βIβll show you how much it hurts.β
The guitar flew through the air and Felix took a step back. The can of Sprite dropped from his hand and hit the ground, soaking the pavement in the bubbly liquid. He tried to jerk up an arm, but the guitar slammed into him too fast. Wood splintered over his head and the strings strummed an out of tune note. He gasped and stumbled back, grabbing the side of his head.Β
βWhat the fuck is wrong with you?β He yelled. He tried to turn, but Jisung grabbed the back of his shirt and jerked. Felixβs foot rolled against the Sprite can. He tumbled back and yelped.Β
Jisung raised the splintered guitar again. Shards of wood scattered to the sticky-soda pavement. Felix twisted and jerked upright. A fist swung towards Jisung, but the guitar landed first. The skin of Felixβs forehead slit open. He cried out and grabbed his head. His foot kicked, but Jisung wasnβt planning to stop.Β
He jerked at the strings, ripping them off the guitarβs neck. βIβll make you pay.β Darkness clouded his eyes as he wound the nylon wire around his hands. βIβll make all of you pay.βΒ
βThis is some Final Destination shit,β Jeongin mumbled to himself. He sat beside you on your bed. You stared off into the distance, unable to wrap your head around it.Β
From what Felixβs mother told you, authorities thought it was a mugging gone wrong. The last footage they have, Felix walked outside behind the bar and lowered himself onto the pavement. He shut his eyes and they assumed he fell asleep. The camera glitched at some point. It stopped working and the audio cut out. Whatever happened after that, they didnβt know.Β
In the end, it didnβt matter. Felix was found deceased with a gash along his forehead. Something thin had been pulled around his neck and heβd been strangled to death. Felix was dead. Hyunjin was dead. You and Jeongin sat in your dorm room. Felixβs funeral was an hour ago, but you didnβt have the energy to go.Β
βItβs Jisung,β you croaked. Purple shadows sat beneath your eyes. Your hair hung in greasy tendrils since you had no desire to wash it. It was one thing after another. You were miserable and defeated.Β
Jeongin tried to be strong for your sake, but you knew he was devastated by everything going on, too. He tried not to show it, but as many jokes as he tried to crack, there was an emptiness to his words. Usually, heβd crack joke-after-joke with a familiar sly smile. Now it was an occasional joke without the chaser of a smile. Hollow words and silence, the quiet hope theyβd land.
You shifted from your spot on the bed. Your head slumped over and fell along his shoulder. βI miss them.βΒ
βMe too.βΒ
Your eyes fluttered shut. The ceiling fanβs hum sat familiar. In your small dorm room, there wasnβt a lot to offer. Your bed took up the majority of the room and your small desk took up a big chunk of the other. Your arms wrapped around Jeonginβs and you took comfort in his warmth.Β
You shut your eyes and let yourself drift off into a dream.Β
βSay cheese!βΒ
A bright white flash, a small snapping sound, and you blinked. You always hated picture day. You belonged behind the camera and youβd taken pride in that. Itβs why you found joy in the yearbook committee. Taking photos and coaxing people into poses. You captured memories of fleeting moments thatβd one day be lost to time. Looking at photographs caused everything to come back.Β
βWhoops. Not quite. Turn your head a little more to the left. Keep going, keep going. Stop! Aw, too late. A smudge back to the right. There you go, there you go. Oh! Perfect. Hold that and smile! Say cheese!βΒ
Your lips lifted without your permission. Your usual smile filled your face and your eyes scrunched. The bright flash clicked again and the camera shutter sound retrieved war flashbacks. Dark spots danced in your eyes and when it was over, your shoulders eased their position.Β
βNow for your next pose, I want you to make the same face you made when you found my half-dead corpse.βΒ
Your heart stopped beating and the smile dropped.Β
βSay cheese!β The bright white light flashed again and claps filled the small room. βPerfect! Youβve still got it! That was exactly the face!β Jisung stepped out from behind the camera beaming. βYou didnβt even blink. You're practically a pro at this, huh?βΒ
Your eyes found him. His fingers fluttered in an amused wave. He chuckled and studied your pale face. βYou look worse than last time. A bit much, huh? It sucks to have your friends disappear, doesnβt it? That makes me very happy.β
βWhat did you do to them?β You whispered.Β
βI did what should have been done a long time ago. For so long, nothing made sense. I was in that stupid school. So many faces, it made my brain hurt.β He frowned, but he grinned again. βTurns out, you can make anything happen in the afterlife! I got my guitar back and everything! The doors opened. I was free to roam and go anywhere I wanted in the dream realm. They tore down the building I lost my soul in.βΒ
βWhat the hell are you talking about?β Your words came out angry and shrill. βYou think this is some sick joke? Fuck you, Jisung! Fuck you!βΒ
βYikes. Not the warm welcome I was expecting. Hm. I guess we really werenβt friends, were we?β He reached up and scratched the back of his neck. A shrug followed and he stepped to the side. βI mean, I was the one who helped you learn photography. I am the reason why youβre majoring in photography, isnβt it?βΒ
Something flickered in your eyes. Confusion? Distress? Jisung snapped and a yearbook appeared in his hand. βLet me see. Let me see. Hold on.β He licked a finger and flipped through the pages. βYou and me? Weβve got history, baby!βΒ
You shot him a glare and he stopped upon a page. He ripped it out of the book, dropped the yearbook onto the cement floor, and strolled towards you with a page. He folded it and held it out, so you could see it.Β
βSee?β He tapped the page, trying to get you to look at what he saw. βThis is us. This is me!β His finger tapped his captured image. βThis is you!β He slid it across the page and tapped along the image of your shoulder. βThatβs us! Captured in time! Frozen working on a project for the yearbook! Isnβt it funny how time changes? Isnβt it?βΒ
βWhatβs your point?βΒ
βI thought we were friends.βΒ
You shot him another glare.Β
βOkay, so maybe I misread the situation. Makes sense, considering you were the one to find my body and not report it to the staff members. You could have saved me, you know? I could still be alive, but oh no.β He frowned and shook his head. βYou ran away after taking a photo of my dying corpse.βΒ
βI didnβt mean to!β Tears filled your eyes at the memory. βI wanted a place to go to breathe. I was having a bad day. I-I opened the door and you wereββ
βDying in a pool of my own blood?β His voice softened as he guessed what you were about to say.
βI had a hold of the camera. I jerked back and the button went off.βΒ
βI remember the flash and seeing you. Thank god you majored in photography and you didnβt go into med school. Thousands of people across the country thank you.β He wadded up the photo as your bottom lip trembled. βSay ah!βΒ
Teary eyes met his and he grabbed your jaw. You tried to pull back, but his fingers tug into the tender flesh of the sides of your jaw, forcing it open. You jerked back. He shoved the photo into your mouth. Paper scraped along your inner cheeks. You choked, His fingers forced the paper past your tongue and into the back of your throat. Barely able to breathe, you jerked and squirmed.Β
βYou still let me die, you bitch!βΒ
The stool you sat on fell back. Jisung lunged after you and your head bounced off the floor. He managed to temporarily grab one of your wrists. Nails dug into your tender flesh, hard enough to leave marks. Your elbow flew, connecting with his forearm. He yelped and jerked away. Your hands caught his wrists and you forced the photo up and out of your mouth. Saliva smeared across your lips. βGet off of me!βΒ
βIβll kill you just like I killed them! I canβt touch you in real life, but I will always find you in your dreams!βΒ
You let go and smacked his cheek. His head shifted to the side and a gasp fell out. Your eyes widened and he stopped fighting. He slowly looked back in your direction. You swallowed and thatβs when he lunged forward, securing his fingers around your throat.Β
You jerked upright to find Jeongin with wide eyes. βWoah, there you are. Can you hear me? You were having a nightmare.βΒ
βJeongin?βΒ
βIβm right here. You fell asleep laying on me. I tried to shake you awake, but you wouldnβt wake up. Are you okay?β He reached out and brushed a thumb against your cheek. βYou look like youβve been crying.βΒ
You sniffled and nodded. You leaned forward and wrapped your arms around him. He froze for a few seconds before hugging you back. βDonβt worry, Iβm right here. Iβve got you.βΒ
You shut your eyes, trying to ignore the ache in your jaw and the redness around your wrist where Jisung grabbed you. That was your proof now. If Jisung was in your dreams to get you, he was in everyoneβs dreams to get them. This was his form of revenge.Β
βJeongin?β You whispered.Β
βHmm?βΒ
βDo you believe in ghosts?βΒ
βNo, I donβt think so.βΒ
You pulled away, catching a whiff of the baby powder scent in his hair. You wiped at your eyes, trying to keep the tears at bay. βWhat about dreams? Do you think dreams or nightmares can be a reflection ofββΒ
βIs this about Jisung again?βΒ
You shrugged, not wanting to reveal the truth. He sighed, reached up, and gently pulled a piece of hair from your face. βI think our friends dying is a horrible coincidence. I think,β he hesitated to say the words. βI think you feel guilty because you knew Jisung more than any of us. This whole school building demolition thing likely brought it back, didnβt it?βΒ
You didnβt respond. Your eyes went down to the tile flooring. He reached over and let his fingers curl around your knee. βIβm right here if you ever want to talk about anything. Whether it was back then or now. I wasnβt friends with Jisung. In fact, I hated him.βΒ
βWhy? Why was he so hated?β You blinked rapidly. Salty tears fell down your cheeks and hit your collar. βHe wasnβt that bad of the guy.βΒ
βHe used to be my best friend.βΒ
βWhat happened?βΒ
βPeople grow apart and change.βΒ
Jeongin peeked his head into the entryway of the lab. A squeaky white floor, contents hidden behind cabinet wooden doors, and a single person sitting across the way with their head down. The chemistry professor was nowhere in sight.Β
βDamnit,β he mumbled beneath his breath. βI really need to get permission to use this lab.βΒ
βYou donβt have to get permission, youβre allowed to use it whenever.βΒ
Jeonginβs cheeks flushed red. βSorry, I didnβt think you heard me. Iβm trying to find Professor Yukan. Iβm in his chemistry course and I wanted to know if I could use some of his stuff.βΒ
βHeβs good about giving people permission as long as theyβre in one of his courses.βΒ
Jeongin stepped further inside to speak to the unknown male in the distance. He sat with his back turned. Glass vials of something and a pipette of an unknown clear liquid. βAre you in one of his courses, too? I donβt think Iβve ever seen you around.βΒ
βIβm sure you have. You keep to yourself a lot, so you probably havenβt noticed me.β The guyβs shoulders shrugged, lifting the lab coat with the movement. βIβm pretty quiet as well.βΒ
βIβve gotta admit Iβm not good at chemistry,β Jeongin finally uttered.Β
βThatβs a shame. You were so good at it in high school. I remember asking you for the answers and everything.βΒ
βWhat?β An eyebrow raised and Jeonginβs backpack slung to the ground.Β
The man turned around to reveal himself as Jisung. Jeonginβs face fell and he blinked in shock. βJisung?βΒ
βItβs been a while since youβve called me by my name.βΒ
βHow did youββΒ
βYouβre dreaming.βΒ
Jeongin blinked a few times and looked around the room. The red lights of a clock turned blurry and he couldnβt understand what the numbers were. βIβm dreaming?β He repeated, trying to understand. βI donβt remember falling asleep.βΒ
βYou came here to wait for the professor and fell asleep. I thought Iβd pay you a visit. Itβs been years since we talked.βΒ
βYes, thatβs rightβ¦β He stepped forward and tugged a chair out from beside Jisung. βYou look the same.βΒ
βYou donβt age after you die. I thought that was obvious.βΒ
His cheeks flushed in embarrassment and he nodded. βYeah, I guess. I justβ¦ I donβt know.βΒ
βItβs weird, isnβt it? Seeing me? As if nothing happened between us?βΒ
Jeongin frowned and placed his hands along the table top. The cool surface smeared with his fingerprints. βI shouldnβt have drifted away from you. You changed after your older brother died. I didnβt know how to fix things.βΒ
βYou let me suffer alone and when my suffering became apparent to everyone, they mocked and teased me for it.βΒ
He didnβt speak. Jeongin refused to look up and face reality. The truth? Heβd seen it happen again and again. The whispers and pointing. The way people teased Jisung for turning into a recluse. The former class clown became a ghost along the halls of their high school. Everyone knew what happened, but nobody could accept it. One day, Jisung was smiling and cracking jokes. The next day, they lost him overnight. The smiles stopped coming and the jokes died. Part of Jisung died when his older brother died.Β
βI thought out of all the people who might have understood me, itβd be you. If nobody else could tolerate what was happening to me, I thought you could. You were the silent observer to my entire suffering.βΒ
βI didnβt mean it,β Jeongin whispered. βI didnβt know how to talk to you anymore. You turned into a stranger and I thought you hated me.βΒ
βYou abandoned me.βΒ
The words struck a chord of anger. βYou know, you could have tried, too. You didnβt reach out for help, Jisung. I canβt be blamed for your suffering when you had responsibilities, too! You should have told someone how you really felt!βΒ
βYou really have changed.βΒ
Jeongin scoffed and stood up. He grumbled, grabbed his backpack, and slung it over his shoulder. βDonβt come back into my dreams if youβre just going to blame me for your problems.βΒ
βAnd thatβs why Iβll silently observe your death.βΒ
βHuh?βΒ
Jisung snapped and the floor surrounding Jeongin roared to life. Orange flames flickered and danced around in a circle. He crossed a leg over his other leg and balled his arms over his chest.Β
βWhat the fuck is this? Jisung! Knock it off!βΒ
The flames grew higher, as if they were reacting to Jeonginβs distress. The heat rolled off and pricked sweat along his pores. He tried to use an arm to fan them away, but a single flame launched towards him. It brushed against his arm and he yelped. His hand grabbed the burnt spot. Skin shriveled and bright red blossomed.Β
His jaw clenched and he shot Jisung a glare. Jisung didnβt react. He stayed quiet in his lab coat and watched the flames dance closer and closer. Jeongin panicked and shifted. They thrived off his fear and grew higher. Each scream and desperate cry went unheard of by anyone and anything.Β
βYouβre insane!β He snapped in anger.Β
Jisung uttered a single sentence that caused his anger to spike yet again. βKarma is a real bitch, isnβt it?βΒ
Jeongin fanned the flames again, but they refused to budge. Desperate wide eyes fell across the way to the door, but the only thing he found was a shut classroom door. When did it shut? Last he knew, it was wide open. Sweat pricked at his forehead and he sucked in a deep breath. If he wanted to get out of this nightmare, he had to do something. He shifted and prepared to jump through the flames. Heβd get through this and then wake up.
The moment he launched forward, he remembered how easily clothes and human hair ignited into flames.Β
You sat defeated in detention. Jisung sat up front with his fingers drumming over the desk one-by-one. A clock ticked somewhere in the distance. βYou killed my friends,β you finally uttered. βYou killed all of them.βΒ
βSucks, doesnβt it?βΒ
βWhy?βΒ
βSometimes people do unforgivable things.βΒ
You bit down on your bottom lip. Your own fingers curled around the front of your desk. Around you, every other desk was abandoned. Jisung sat relaxed in the chair by the teacherβs desk. He wore a black blazer over a white shirt.Β
You were dreaming again. The moment you found out Jeongin died, you crawled into your bed and fell asleep. You heard the news from another person living in your dorms. The chemistry room caught on fire. Heβd been missing for the past few days. You never once thought he was the one that perished in the flames.Β
βItβs nice and quiet now, isnβt it?βΒ
You didnβt respond. He pushed himself away from the desk and walked back to the whiteboard behind him. βJust because they were your friends, it doesnβt mean they were good to everyone.βΒ
βJust because people do shitty things in high school, it doesnβt mean you can get away with killing them.βΒ
βBut I already did.β He shrugged and pulled off the cap of a green expo marker. βHyunjin stole my clothes in the locker room while I showered. He grabbed my towel too. Do you know how humiliating it is having to stay naked behind the curtain, unable to go anywhere without being exposed in your most vulnerable form?β
You sniffled, but you didnβt respond again.
βPoor, Felix,β he continued. βHe wanted to fit in, so when he was given the dare to destroy my guitar, he did it with glee.βΒ
βFelix would have never done anything like that now!βΒ
βDoesnβt matter! This is about back then!βΒ
βYouβre dead! Youβre dead! Youβre dead! Youβre dead!β Your hand struck the wooden desk and a stinging sensation radiated throughout your palm. βYouβre pathetic and bitter! Killing people who did you wrong doesnβt change anything, youβre still dead!βΒ
βWrong! It makes me feel plenty better!β He started creating something on the whiteboard, but you couldnβt see it through tears. βIf Iβm dead, it makes me feel better knowing they got the same thing I did.βΒ
βYouβre an asshole!β
βThey all died alone! Alone and vulnerable! I killed them!β His lips stretched into a grin. βThatβs a high that canβt be beat! I did that! Me! I took their lives away and they begged!βΒ
βYou didnβt have to kill them with such b-brutality.β The word choked up the moment you said it. βYou didnβt have to let Jeongin burn to death.βΒ
His head tipped back and he rolled his eyes. He scribbled frantically along the board. A choked out sob fell from your mouth and your body shook. The grief from losing your friends filled your body and you choked on it. You might not have been close to Hyunjin, Felix, and Jeongin in high school. Things were so different back then.Β
Life is different when a hierarchy is involved. When popularity feels like it can make or break you. Desperation to feel included makes people do crazy things. Bad decisions are made and despite them, people grow up. They learn and they change.Β
You believed it in your heart. The guys you called your friends werenβt the same as the ones who hurt Jisung years ago. They grew up. People moved on. They left that world behind them. Bad influences and societal peer pressure, it was different after high school.Β
Jisung snapped and the world shifted. You blinked rapidly and looked around. The classroom morphed into a single bathroom. The unisex bathroom from all those years ago. You recognized the crack in the upper left side of the mirror. The hum of the toilet that always dragged on because something wasnβt right with the plumbing.Β
Blood soaked the white porcelain sink. The scent of iron hit your nose, like itβd done all those years ago. Jisung stood behind you, letting you take in the scene around you. Nausea drifted up the back of your throat, but you forced yourself to swallow.Β
βI regretted it afterwards,β he softly uttered. βSlitting my wrists. When reality hit me, I panicked. I stumbled back, trying to go get help, but I lost too much blood. I couldnβt do anything. It kept seeping out of me. It was everywhere.βΒ
Tears steadily streamed down your cheeks. You hated that you could imagine all of it. You saw this scene all those years ago. For so long, it haunted you every night. It replayed in your head during the last year of high school and you woke up screaming.Β
βI was so swept up in my own self-misery, I forgot to lock the door. When it opened, I thought I was saved. Half-conscious, I saw your face with the camera. The light flashed and you ran off. I tried to wait for help, but nobody ever came.βΒ
βIβm sorry,β you whispered. βIβm so sorry. I-I saw you and I was s-so scared.β The words kept catching in your throat. The lump formed bigger, but you kept speaking. βI didnβt understand. I was shocked.βΒ
βThen why did you keep the photo if you accidentally took it?βΒ
βI donβt know.βΒ
βThatβs not good enough for me.βΒ
βIβm sorry.β You whispered again. The tears didnβt stop. Jisungβs heart softened and he pitied you. You sniffled and he stepped closer. You tensed, but his arms shot out and wrapped you in a hug.Β
You hesitated before letting yourself relax. Your eyes fluttered shut and you let yourself ease up. Hurt pinched your heart. Everything hurt. Your friends were dead. Jisung was dead.Β
βIβm sorry, too.β
You didnβt respond. Your eyes slipped shut and you squeezed him tighter. His own eyes shut for a moment. A prayer lipsynched on his lips and then he moved. He shoved you backwards and down you went. Terrified wide eyes and desperate hands moved to shove him off.Β
Rope came out of nowhere and strung around your neck. You gasped and choked. It pressed against your skin tighter, causing you to squeak. You moved, trying to pull it off, but the rough coil poked at your fingers, shooting up tiny aches.Β
βThings might have changed for you, but not me. Iβm still dead. Iβm still angry. Maybe Iβll feel betterββ He tugged the rope tighter. βIf I kill you, too.βΒ
The two of you tussled and squirmed. Your lungs begged for oxygen, but there was no relief. You couldnβt find a breath anywhere. Jisung gritted his teeth and yanked tighter, finding relief in the way your lips turned blue. There was no mercy in his actions. Your lungs ached and the world speckled with dark spots.Β
Your feet kicked. They hit empty air. The way Jisung straddled your torso, you couldnβt kick him. Your hands fought against his torso and abdomen. Sharp nails scraped along his stomach, but he didnβt react. Knuckles met the meat of his stomach, but he didnβt budge. If anything, it made him pull the rope tighter.Β
You tried to shift your neck, but he had you pinned. You could only move so far. Even then, he kept you pinned. The rope didnβt provide forgiveness. His anger spilled over. The unrest bubbled out and seeped over everything. Bitterness warped his brain. Everyone had changed, but he hadnβt. Heβd never had the chance to see how much the people who hurt him grew up.Β
Your lungs begged for air. There was no remorse beneath the full-weight of an angry man. Your eyes half-shut. The world spun. One of your feet twitched. You moved, but fell limp quickly yet again. Everything collapsed inwards. The world was ending. It blurred and muted. Exhaustion is a heavy weight to bear alone.Β
βSay cheese!β Just before your eyes drooped, a white flash filled your vision. Blood roared in your ears. Your movements against Jisungβs strength faded as he took a picture.Β
βYou know what theyβll say when they find your body? Theyβll say you were so sad that your friends died, you killed yourself to be with them. Isnβt that sweet?βΒ
Your arms slumped beside your head. Fingers twitched and your body started to shut down. You couldnβt see him anymore, but you could hear his fading voice.Β
Changbinβs car door loudly swung shut. He let his eyes linger over the distant house. The double story cottage sat about half a mile off the back road. White bricks had been painted over with white paint. Six eggshell-colored poles sat along the porch, supplying strength to the rest of the roof.
Similar rails blocked off the square porch. They came to a stop along a set of cement stairs. The limbs of distressed bushes poked out in every direction along the foundation. Changbinβs eyes lingered on them, but not for long.Β
When you said you bought a new house, he assumed itβd be smaller than this. Something tucked away in the suburbs of town, not along a distant back road. Dead leaves scattered along green grass. He imagined multiple bugs took comfort in them, nestling and cozying in them when nights grew colder.Β
βSo I was thinking when spring comes,β you gestured to the bushes, βIβll remove those. The bushes are okay, but I was thinking maybe rose bushes? Something else? Some type of flowers? Hydrangeas would be good, too.βΒ
βI think no matter what you put in there, itβll look good.β His hands found his hips and he tipped his head back. He chuckled and shook his head. βI canβt believe Iβm admitting this, but when you said you bought a house, I thought itβd be something smaller. Much livelier and near a big neighborhood or something. I didnβt know youβd find comfort in a distant back road.βΒ
You shrugged. βI was going to, but this house was put on the market not long ago. It was a miracle that I found it when I found it. An older couple put it up for sale. I guess they wanted to dispose of it quickly?β You frowned, but it morphed into a smile. βLucky me. Guess whoβll be paying off their mortgage in ten years instead of twenty?βΒ
Changbinβs head whipped to you in disbelief. βWhat?β
You couldnβt stop the grin from appearing on your face. βYep. You heard me right. I made sure it was the best place for me. I toured the place and everything. Actually, it was the fastest Iβve ever seen a sale go through for a house. I was preapproved within a week and everything.βΒ
βThere has to be some sort of catch.β
βI guess the only catch I saw is the interior. Thereβs a lot of vintage wallpaper that could use a modern revamping and a gallon of fresh paint, but thatβs about it.β You tucked your hands in your navy hoodie pockets and started up the stairs.Β
Early October had been bitter. Gray clouds rolled in and settled over the sky. The sun occasionally made an appearance in the early morning, but other than that, it was often hidden beneath thick clouds. You hummed softly and tugged out the brass key. It sat on a small purple carabiner. Itβd been there since you received the key the previous day.Β
The moment you opened the white door, it creaked open to reveal a small entryway. The walls narrowed and then opened up to reveal an empty living room. Shiny hardwood floor and yellowing floral wallpaper. Changbin stepped forward to see it better. Small green vines slithered and scattered. Adorned with red and pink roses tangled around them, he understood what you meant now.Β
βIβll take these down and add in a single color.β You stepped forward and ventured further into the living room. βMaybe a lighter blue or green? I want something that makes the living room feel like home. If Iβm going to spend a lot of time here, I want it to be comfortable and bright.β
βAre we bringing the boxes in here?βΒ
βYeah. Iβll start putting them away later. I have a few different deliveries at different times tomorrow. Theyβll be coming in and adding my furniture to the place.βΒ
βWhat about a bed?βΒ
βIβm temporarily using an air mattress.βΒ
βNot ideal.βΒ
You shrugged and spun around to face the front door. With each step, a creak groaned beneath your feet. βMaybe not, but itβs a place to get started and call home.βΒ
Your tongue clicked as you stood at the edge of the bedroom the next morning. Sunlight streamed through the rectangular window. Wooden white framing dissected the window into six smaller squares. Without a curtain, the bottom lip waited to be opened, but you left it closed.Β
Youβd woken up earlier and already deflated and rolled up your air mattress. It sat in the distance, hidden inside a sliding closet door set. Socked feet sank into the rugged pink carpet. The pink champagne color was certainlyβ¦ a choice. Not one that you probably would have made yourself. The good news? The white walls were bare and theyβd be easy to coat with a fresh batch of paint.Β
You sighed and curled your toes into the carpet. βI donβt know if I like this carpet. I could deep clean it and rent one of those carpet cleaners, but Iβm not sure if thatβs a good idea or not. If I keep the floor pink, what would I paint the walls?β You frowned and looked down at the carpet. Who knew how old it was. βWhoever would have thought having a home would give you so many choices?βΒ
The sound of the doorbell ringing caused your head to pick up. An eyebrow raised, you tugged your phone from your pocket, and checked the clock. βItβs too early for the movers to be here.β You shoved it back in the pocket of your sweatpants and walked through the hall, making your way back to the front door.Β
Without looking to see who stood at the door, you unlocked the chain lock and twisted the brass lock. The door clicked and the knob turned with ease. You prepared yourself with a smile, assuming youβd be able to go out and speak to whoever it was, but to your surprise, you weren't met with a person. A neatly wrapped rectangular package sat adorned in blue wrapping paper.
You opened the screen door and made your way outside. Eyes lingered to the left and right, but there was nobody around. Out in the distance, your car sat untouched, but there was nobody there. You frowned and stared at the package. It was past knee high. βHello?β You called out.
Nobody returned the sound. In the distance, a black squirrel darted. Its tail stood upright and bushy. It bobbed behind it as it darted along the dead leaves, trying to find something to eat. Leaves crunched and shuffled beneath tiny hands and feet, but other than that; silence.Β
There wasnβt a delivery truck parked behind your car, either. You frowned and grabbed the box, taking it back into the house. βThis is either the worst prank of the century or something really nice,β you mumbled beneath your breath.Β
You shut the door, relocked it, and took the package out into the kitchen. Besides the hum of the refrigerator and creaking of wooden floorboards, you remained alone. You propped the box up on the center island and stepped back. βWhat am I supposed to do with you?βΒ
Deep down, you wondered if it was meant for the previous couple that lived here. Did their family and friends know theyβd moved or was it so sudden, they packed up and left without saying much at all? The urge to unveil whatever stood behind the paper won in the end. You shifted the box, laid it on its back, and began peeling through the wrapping paper.Β
You tugged and the paper shredded, pulling straight up and moving along the box. The moment you unveiled what was behind the paper, you froze. A frown filled your face and you tore through more of the paper. βYouβve gotta be kidding me.βΒ
Behind the blue paper, a yellow box enclosed a familiar looking doll. Piercing blue eyes and red-orange hair parted to the side. An uncanny smile sat on the dollβs face. Tucked in a pair of denim overalls and a half rainbow long sleeve shirt beneath it, your heart ran cold. You rolled your eyes, shoved the box away, and tugged out your phone to dial Changbin.Β
He answered on the third ring. A sleepy voice fluttered through the air. βHello?βΒ
βYou are such an asshole, you know that, right?βΒ
βHuh? Whatβd I do?β He sat up and kicked off the blankets along his feet. βDid I break something in one of your boxes that I helped you move in yesterday?βΒ
βWorse. Why did you send me a Chucky doll?βΒ
βExcuse me?βΒ
βYou heard me! My doorbell rang and I found a package all wrapped up. The blue wrapping paper and the silver bow on the top was a nice addition, by the way. I thought it was a welcome home gift, but no; itβs a stupid Chucky doll.β
Changbin rubbed his sleepy eyes. He sucked in a deep breath and shifted, causing his mattress springs to creak. βOkay, you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Letβs think rationally about this. Why would I send you a freaky doll?βΒ
βTo scare the shit out of me!βΒ
βI know Iβve pulled pranks before, but I wouldnβt do something like this.βΒ
Your eyes shut and your voice softened. βWell, if you didnβt send me the doll, who did?βΒ
βI donβt know, but I swear it wasnβt me. Was it one of your other friends? Did Jeongin send it as a joke?βΒ
βI donβt remember telling him my new address.βΒ
βMaybe you did and you forgot?β He offered. βI thought you said he was at a wedding, but Jeongin is Jeongin. You know how brothers can be sometimes.βΒ
βSorry for jumping you. Iβve never lived somewhere like this. Iβm still getting used to it and this was pretty freaky.βΒ
βIf I were you, Iβd be freaked out, too. Iβm sure thereβs a rational explanation behind it somewhere.βΒ
βYou better have a good reason for calling me at this hour.βΒ
βItβs nine in the morning.βΒ
βItβs two in the morning. Iβm in a different time zone.β Jeongin rolled over and tugged a comforter up to his chin. βWhat do you want?β He grumbled, clearly annoyed at having his beauty sleep interrupted.Β
βDid you send me a Chucky doll?βΒ
βThis is a piss-poor time for jokes.βΒ
βIβm serious, Jeongin. Youβre the only other person that I could imagine would have sent me something like this. Seriously? How old are you? I thought you were way more mature thanββΒ
He groaned, dropped his phone onto the speaker phone, and shoved it over on the distant nightstand. Tucked away in a hotel for a friendβs wedding the following day, he didnβt have time for your foolish nature. Your phone call cut through his sleep. He fell asleep without muting his phone. So when his phone started chiming a few minutes after two in the morning, he assumed it was an emergency.Β
βYou oaf, I didnβt send you anything. I thought you moved. You never gave me your address.β
You froze at his words. A nauseating feeling climbed up the back of your throat. βAre you fucking with me?β
βMore like are you fucking with me? Iβve never even seen that movie. Doesnβt the doll come to life or something? Did Changbin prank you?βΒ
βNo.β Your head shook, despite him being unable to see you. βI called him before you. I thought it might have been you becauseβ¦β You trailed off. Your gaze fell upon the smiling doll. Empty glass eyes reflected sunlight and stared motionless at the ceiling.Β
βJust throw it away. Some asshole probably pranked you or something.βΒ
βI guess.βΒ
βIβll call you back in a few hours. Iβm going back to bed. I canβt tell if this is real or Iβm dreaming. Love you.βΒ
The line went dead, leaving you alone. The phone clicked off and you sat staring at the doll. βI wish I was dreaming,β you grumbled. You let the phone fall from your hand and clatter to the counter top. βIf this is a prank, itβs a sick one.βΒ
You reached forward and grabbed the doll. You slung it over your shoulder and unlocked a distant door at the back of the kitchen. It swung outward, revealing a similar set of cement stairs. These ones contained two wicker metal railings along the sides. You grabbed one of the sides and headed down them.Β
Two large rectangular green plastic containers sat along the side of the house. According to the realtor, one was for recycling and the other was for trash. You slung open the lid to one of them and dropped the box inside. It clattered along the bottom of the can with a muffled thud as you dropped the lid.Β
βThere,β you mumbled. βNo more creepy dolls in my brand new house.β Your hands brushed together, wiping away invisible dirt. For whatever reason, guilt pocketed itself in your heart. You looked to the left and to the right.Β
A few dead leaves fluttered to the ground from a distant oversized oak tree. Most branches were bare, but a few of the leaves kept hanging on tight. They hit the ground, barely making a sound as they joined the rest of the scattered leaves. You spun around and slipped back inside.
Your hand found your back pocket. You reached for your phone, but it was missing. You glanced around the kitchen, but it was nowhere to be found. βGreat, just great. First, I get freaked out by a stupid doll and then my phone goes missing.β Your shoulders slumped and you headed back into the living room.Β
A brick fireplace sat untouched. When you first toured the house, you couldnβt wait for winter to come. Something about curling up along the couch and watching your favorite shows brought quiet content to your heart. That or inviting your friends over and having conversations as you warmed yourselves by the live fire. Cracking and flickering flames, a cup of creamy hot chocolate, and the feeling of warmth from being around the people you loved.Β
βIf I was my phone, where would I be?β You asked out loud.Β
As if on cue, your phone vibrated. You paused and spun around. Back in the kitchen, your phone vibrated along the floor. You sighed, walked back, and scooped it up from beside the counter.Β
It must have fallen after you went outside to dispose of the doll. You picked it up and used the bottom of your shirt to wipe off the screen. Just as you were about to unlock it, a creak came from beside your head. You glanced at the wall, holding your breath, and waiting to hear it again.Β
Another faint creak soon followed and you groaned. βJust what I needed. Rats? Squirrels? Mice? Jeongin was right, I should have gotten the house inspected before I bought it. Now I have to add an exterminator to my list of people to call.β The thought of something freaky with a tail caused you to shudder. Youβd take squirrels over the other two.Β
Another creak responded, as if the rodents were in agreement.
The following day, you hummed softly to yourself. The scent of well-seasoned pork belly drifted throughout the kitchen and into the living room. A wooden spatula in one hand and the silicon handle in the other, you worked quietly as you nudged around the pieces of pork. Sizzling pork belly and boiling rice in the small pan next to it, your stomach growled, eager to indulge in lunch.Β
Since some furniture appeared yesterday afternoon, you now had a few items in your clutch. In the living room, a newfound L-shaped suede couch took up residency along the distant wall. Youβd temporarily given up on trying to revamp the living room. Your mind was stuck in your bedroom and what you wanted to do with it. You could revisit the living room at any time. Before you put a bed in your bedroom, you wanted to have the carpet and walls figured out.Β
The familiar chime of the doorbell cut through your cooking haze. You paused and glanced over at the neon green clock on the stove screen. A few minutes after noon and nobody was supposed to stop by. Jeongin was still out of town. Changbin was the likely source of the sudden drop off.Β
βThankfully, I made more than one serving,β you mumbled to yourself. You placed the wooden spatula on a spoon holder, spun around, and hurried to the door. The scent of food followed you, causing your stomach to growl once more.Β
You flipped open the locks and swung the door open. The moment you pushed open the metal screen door and stepped out, your blood ran cold. In the same yellow box that you placed in your trash can the previous day, the Chucky doll sat with a curled smile. Glass eyes stared at your figure, as if he was watching you, waiting for you to freak out and lose your shit. Along the box, a single white note with bright red scribbled handwriting:Β
Miss me? Donβt throw me away. Iβm watching you.Β
You jerked backwards, catching your foot on the door step. Your body fell through the air and you fell on your ass hard. You shoved yourself up, ignoring the pain shooting through your lower spine, and slammed the front door shut. You locked it and shakily tugged out your phone to call Changbin.Β
Whether it was a prank or not, itβd definitely gone too far.Β
βAnd you said you moved out here when?βΒ
βLike two days ago. I got the keys the day before that.β Your arms wrapped around your body. Behind you, Changbinβs eyes lingered around your living room. He silently wondered if someone put in hidden cameras.Β
βAnd you wouldnβt happen to have the previous ownerβs information, would you?βΒ
βNo.β Your head shook. Your arms curled around your body tighter. βI donβt. I have my realtorβs number. Sheβs the one that sold me the house. Iβm sure she has their contact information.βΒ
The cop hummed and let his notepad drop. After Changbin arrived, he was insistent they make a call to the cops. It took an officer nearly twenty minutes to arrive after the call was in place. You protested, insisting it wouldnβt do anything, but Changbin wanted a paper trail started. If things became too hectic, theyβd have reports from when everything first started.Β
A dark mustache curled up at the ends of his upper lips. The cop grabbed one side and gave a gentle tug. βIβll tell you what, Iβll look around to see if thereβs anything weird in the house. When Iβm finished, Iβll take the number of your realtor and contact them. It sounds like a prank, but I do agree that itβs unnerving.β He looked over, catching sight of the Chucky doll. Changbin brought it in and set it on the oak wood coffee table.Β
It stared at the three of you, not moving a muscle. It didnβt move, but it did its job well enough. Paranoia coated your arms with goosebumps. Part of you knew it wasnβt really alive. The movie was pure fiction, but that didnβt make you feel better. Someone else watched the movie, too. They knew what they were doing when they dropped it off and set it upon your doorstep yesterday.Β
βIf I can offer you some advice?βΒ
βOf course.βΒ
βChange your locks. You donβt know who has the old keys to your doorknobs. Change both locks, just so youβre covered.βΒ
βRight. I never thought of that, but thatβs a good idea. Thanks for the recommendation.βΒ
He tugged a flashlight from his utility belt. βSo you donβt mind if I look around?βΒ
βGo ahead. Thereβs a room here downstairs and two more upstairs. Donβt mind the mess of boxes. Iβm still trying to finish unpacking everything.βΒ
He flicked his flashlight on and started towards the kitchen. Changbinβs hand stretched out and landed on your shoulder. You jumped at the sudden touch and then quickly relaxed. βSorry,β you mumbled.Β
You remained with Changbin downstairs as the cop navigated your house. The floorboards creaked beneath his weight. Upstairs, he searched in closets and shined his flashlight over every dark crevice. He hoped to find some small screen reflecting the light back at him. When nothing appeared, he used his fingers to run across outlets and the hardware dangling from ceiling fans. He tugged open fire alarms and let his gaze linger over every inch of space.
Maneuvering around boxes, he visited rooms that youβd barely touched yet. The walls sat empty without furniture. The occasional peeling wallpaper at the top of the room curled downwards. Sunlight pouring through windows without forgiveness faded some spots. Besides the vintage look and the milky scent of dust, nothing looked wrong. He spent extra time in your bathroom, tugging open the medicine cabinet, and searching three times through your linen cabinet. Despite it, still nothing.Β
After nearly a half hour of searching, he begrudgingly made his way back to you and Changbin. Changbinβs eyebrow raised, but he was met with a weak shrug and a pity-filled smile. βNothing seems to stick out. Itβs just an old house.βΒ
βCould there be something outside planted somewhere?β Changbin asked.Β
βI can go look, but as far as here inside, it looks clear. It sounds like itβs a prank. An evil one, Iβll give them that, but nothing else seemsβ¦β He trailed off.Β
βNo cameras?β
βIβm afraid not.βΒ
You sucked in a deep breath and glanced around. His words didnβt help you feel better. If anything, the band of paranoia grew between your lungs. All you could do was wait for it to snap. βThanks for checking,β you finally spoke. βReally, it means a lot.βΒ
βThatβs part of my job. If anything else happens, give us a call. Here, take this.β He slipped a business card from his front pocket. βDial my extension. If I donβt answer, leave a message and Iβll call you back when I can. If itβs an emergency, call the main hotline.βΒ
βThank you.βΒ
You pocketed his business card and gave him the number to your realtor. As he left, you hoped he was able to produce something from it, but you didnβt know if he would. Did the elderly couple have kids or grandkids that liked playing pranks? You werenβt sure, but you knew you wouldnβt be sleeping well tonight.Β
βI can stay here with you,β Changbin offered.Β
Your head shook. βNo. You canβt stay here because if I let you stay tonight, youβll come up with reasons to stay here night-after-night.βΒ
βLike thatβs such a bad thingβ¦βΒ
βIt is when you have work in the morning. Iβll be okay.β Your arms returned back to curling around your torso. βIf anything else happens, youβll be the first to know.βΒ
βPromise?βΒ
βI promise.βΒ
He sighed, knowing you wouldnβt budge on changing your mind. Instead of fighting, he leaned forward and held out his arms. βPlease be careful. If something happens to youβ¦βΒ
βIt wonβt,β you mumbled. βIβll be careful. You know me, I always am.β You unraveled your arms and returned his hug. Your cheek pressed up against his shoulder.Β
Deep down, you hated having to let him go. Your eyes found Chucky and his box. You and Changbin exchanged a few more words as you led him to the door. You promised to call him if anything happened again. When you shut the door behind him, you made sure to turn the knob and lock it. You grabbed the limp chain and secured it above in its own lock.Β
Without hesitation, you spun around, grabbed the box, and marched over to a storage closet in the hallway. You opened the door, ignoring the loud creak, and you shoved the doll inside. It lost balance, slipping sideways and hitting the far wall, but you didnβt care. You shut the door and stepped back.Β
Out of sight and out of mind for now.Β
As the days slipped by, your paranoia turned to dust. Within a week, you practically forgot about the entire ordeal. Youβd been so busy with painting and unboxing all your items, you hadnβt had time to think about the situation. You opened up the windows, letting the paint fumes exhale. In their place, the crisp earthy scent of fall slipped in. You slowly fell in love with the place.Β
Two days after the officerβs advice, you hired a locksmith that replaced the locks on each door. A new bronze key sat in the purple carabiner that you kept with your car key. You disappeared multiple times, you couldnβt quit your job, but when you reappeared, the house became your treasure trove. You worked hard, scraping off the old wallpaper and replacing the dull paint beneath it with a fresh coat. Vivid colors set the place ablaze in a whole new way.
It started to take shape and feel like yours. Your dishes found homes in the cupboards. A fancy bottle of autumn harvest scented hand soap sat along the bathroom sink. Another holder held your toothbrush and a few other items. In the kitchen, a sponge sat in the silicon holder you bought. You placed ruffled curtains and draped the sides in the right direction.Β
Everything you accomplished, the more alive you felt. Your heart buzzed with warmth. Home felt like home and the more you worked, the more furniture, the more decor, it unveiled into something that you didnβt just love, but you adored it. Whatever sounds you heard the previous week, they ceased. The house settled, much like every old house.Β
Foundation slowly cracks and old window panels rattle. Floors creak from holding up thousands of pounds over the span of years. Walls settle and the things that go bump in the night, the uncanny anxiety brewing around them drifts away. Normal house noises slipped inside your heart and settled in like a bear hunkering down for hibernation.Β
Everything was going well, until it wasnβt.
It started with the closet door in the hallway. You woke up groggy-eyed with a rumbling stomach. Another weekend and that meant some time off work. The past few days, you sealed off your room, letting the paint dry. Not wanting to sleep soaked in the paint fumes, you found solace in the living room. That feeling ended when you sat up.Β
Across the way, the same closet you placed Chucky in, it swung wide open. Your heart skipped a beat and the cold dread settled in. You pushed yourself up, holding your breath. One foot in front of the other, you forced yourself to peer around the edge of the door. The yellow box sat upright with the top sprawled open.Β
The bright yellow box looked inviting, but what was held within its depths was less inviting than you ever imagined. The smiling Chucky doll was missing. No more freckles and dull blue eyes. The plastic opening that showed off the dollβs face sat empty. Only an eggshell white sat behind it. The box was lonely without the doll.Β
Anxiety brewed in the depths of your stomach. You stood staring and waited for something. The creak of a footstep. A faint whisper in the distance. The familiarity ofΒ one of Chuckyβs taglines. βHi, Iβm Chucky! Wanna play? Hi, Iβm Chucky and Iβm your friend until the very end! Hidey-ho!βΒ
Life wasnβt like a horror movie. There was no way the doll could have magically come to life and crawled out of the box, but what other belief did you have? Changbin and Jeongin didnβt have spare keys. You were so certain you locked up the house before falling asleep on the couch the previous night.Β
You wanted to sprint outside and not come back, but you couldnβt. Instead, you reach up and slowly shut the closet door again. One deep breath after another, you shifted in the direction of the kitchen. A silent pull that you couldnβt understand. The floor squeaked beneath your feet, no matter how lightly you tried to tread.
The moment you stepped foot into the kitchen, you couldnβt breathe. Every cupboard door sat wide open. Porcelain plates sat in neat stacks. Cups remained in their usual spots, stacked neatly on matching plaid silicon mats. It was all wrong. Things were off.
The dishwasher sat wide open. Both white wire racks had been tugged out. The dishes you threw in it last night, they sat sparkling clean and waited for you to put them away. Even the microwave door hung open. The usual swinging hinge sat eerily still. Youβd only used it twice since you moved in.Β
You couldnβt get the words out. They stuck in your throat. The curses and the shrieks of horror, they sat in the sealed tomb of your throat. A bottom lip quivered and the uniqueΒ sighting of red hair from the corner of your eye made you jump. You whirled around, throwing up your fists in a pathetic defense.Β
The bag of flour you bought the previous day, while out purchasing groceries, itβd been ripped. Straight down the center, something tore it in two. White flour dusted the top of the center island. Chucky sat propped up against it with that stupid cemented smile of his. Glass eyes mocked you. Creamy curled fingers sat half-open, but there wasnβt a knife. You waited for it to launch itself at you, but it never came.Β
And the worst part? The small doll-sized footprints that speckled themselves all over the dusting of flour. Small prints enclosed with construction tools. βGood Guysβ stamped over and over the bottom of the shoe print again and again. Nothing about whoever did this sounded like a good guy.Β
You were openly mocked and there was nothing you could do about it.Β
βAre you crazy?β Changbin whirled around with wide eyes. He gestured around to the open cupboards and dishwasher. βThis is exactly what Officer Choi was talking about! We have to call and report this!βΒ
βHeβll never take it seriously, you know how police are!βΒ
βThis isnβt normal!βΒ
βI didnβt say it was normal! I said it freaked me out!βΒ
The two of you stood in your kitchen. You called Changbin, unsure of who else to call. You wanted to call the police, but this looked like the perfect Halloween prank. You were certain Officer Choiβs beady eyes would look you up and down and heβd suggest sleepwalking. Even worse, carbon monoxide poisoning. You knew you werenβt crazy and you certainly didnβt sleep walk. Whatever was going on in your new home, it suddenly didnβt feel cozy anymore.Β
You spent the past week infusing yourself within it, enjoying all the nooks and crannies, discovering the soul of the house, but this put a wrench in things. Changbin wanted to accuse you of making it up, but he knew you. The way your eyes kept continuously darting around. You kept looking over your shoulder. Something was haunting you and it was something he couldnβt see.Β
βWhat do you suggest we do? You were threatened with a note last week. For fuckβs sake, I canβt just stand here and do nothing!βΒ
βI donβt know!β You snapped. Tears burned along your lower lash lines. Fear morphed into desperation. This was supposed to be a new beginning, but itβd turned into hell on earth. What kind of freak terrorizes someone that buys a new home?Β
βDid you hear anything last night? A door opening? A window creaking? Anything at all?βΒ
βNo. I fell asleep on the couch. If I would have heard anything, it would have woke me up. I-Iββ You sucked in a sharp breath.Β
Changbin placed a reassuring hand on your shoulder. βItβs okay, weβll figure out how toββ His eyes went over your shoulder. βHow toβ¦β The words trailed off and the usual golden color in his cheeks faded.Β
You blinked through tears and raised an eyebrow. βWhat? Why do you look like that?β Your head jerked back and you froze. Rolling into the kitchen and faintly rumbling, a small red ball passed by both of your feet, as if itβd been there listening the entire time.Β
βCould I make a suggestion?β Changbin uttered. βMaybe you donβt have a stalker and maybe itβs not a person.βΒ
βHuh?βΒ
βI donβt think you bought a regular house. That ball just came out of nowhere. What if something is here haunting it?β
You didnβt know if that settled the unrest in your soul or made you feel so much worse.Β
From that day on, nothing was ever the same. It became normal to wake up to unnatural things. A deep bundle of tense nerves accumulated across the top of your stomach every time you stumbled across something. Open cupboard doors. The squeaking of opening doors that you knew youβd shut. Faint footsteps and the creaking of old floor boards.Β
You tried not to let it bother you too much. You placed the Chucky doll back in the closet, but you left it outside of the box. You couldnβt be bothered to shove it back inside, knowing that it might reappear somewhere else. It always did every so often. Youβd get home from work to find him waiting and smiling from the living room couch.Β
One day, you stumbled to your room after forcing yourself to eat dinner. Exhaustion won at the end of the week. You dragged yourself up the stairs and into your room. Eyes half-shut and muddled with sleep, you swung open your bedroom door and screamed at the top of your lungs. Chuckyβs warm smile greeted you from the plethora of your pillows.Β
In a fit of rage, you grabbed the doll by its wrist. Plastic limbs sat hollow. You bumped something and the dollβs voice spoke for the first time. βHi, Iβm Chucky and Iβll be your friend until the very end! Hidey-ho!β You chucked it down the stairs.Β
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thump!Β
It landed face down. Silk-red hair scattered in every direction, a wrist limp above his head, and legs in two different directions; you ignored how eerily similar it looked to a real life child. You spun around, slipped back into your room, slammed the door shut, and locked it. It took nearly an hour before you fell asleep.Β
Upon waking up, you found your bedroom door wide open. Chucky sat across the wall outside the room. Legs straight out, arms down at his sides, with neatly arranged hair, you nearly lost it. You forced yourself to take in a deep breath, but you realized something quite quickly. No matter where you found the doll, itβd always be there.Β
You werenβt the only new tenant in your household.Β
You finally gave up fighting it at some point. Doors opened and you shut them. Cupboards open and you shut them, too. When you found your junk drawer opened and rearranged, you froze. Rainbow rubber bands had been tucked to one side. Paper clips stacked on top of one another on the other side. Chip clips were arranged by their sizes.Β
You stared at it with a raised eyebrow, but you didnβt think much of it. βAt least the ghost is nice,β you mumbled out loud. βItβs the least it can do for constantly scaring the shit out of me and making my things go missing.βΒ
It was true. Every so often, you started to lose things. You knew it wasnβt your imagination. Your car keys disappeared from the hook by the front door. Youβd find them on your kitchen counter. Last week, you noticed some of your Red Bulls disappeared. Youβd yet to find where all of them went. The one, you found it upside down on your kitchen counter. You rolled your eyes, stayed quiet about your annoyance, and placed it back in the fridge.Β
You had it mild compared to some. Too many google searches sent you down a wild slew of rabbit holes. A poltergeist? You werenβt sure. Sure, the moving Chucky doll was creepy, but it hadnβt tried to kill you. Doors opened and closed, it was an annoyance, but it didnβt cause you to fear for your life anymore. Your life was justβ¦ different.Β
On a recent phone call with Changbin, you announced you were dubbing the ghost an unruly child. They probably died way before they grew up. That explained why they were sticking around and haunting you. You were shiny and new, another toy to play with, someone else to get attention from. When you started to look at it from that perspective, it didnβt seem nearly as bad as when it first started.Β
βPhone?β You reached back and touched your back pocket. βCheck. House keys?β You raised your left hand. βCheck. Car key?β You walked out to the front entry way and paused. The car key was missing yet again.Β
You sighed and your shoulders rolled forward. βOkay, very funny. Whereβd you put my car key this time?β You spun around and let your eyes search around the area.Β
Itβd turned into a place of comfort and warmth. A hand stitched quilt sat along the back of your couch. You bought it from the farmerβs market a few weeks prior. Velvety soft, the color matched the light shade of green youβd painted the walls. When the sunlight climbed through your curtains, everything came to life.Β
You wrapped yourself in it nearly every evening and enjoyed your favorite TV show. Limbs stretched along the couch, you shimmied back and sank into the pillow behind your back. Your eyes drooped and you let the contents of the TV lull you to sleep.Β
βCar keys? Car keys?β You worked your way across the creaking floor boards. βCarβ¦ kitty?β Your face softened as your eyes went to the window above the sink. Through the rectangular glass, a small marmalade kitten squirmed through the layer of dead leaves. You spun around and rushed out the front door.Β
You ignored your bare feet and rushed through the dead leaves. Upon spotting the kitten, you paused. Faint mews came from its tiny body. Shaking limbs, a sunken stomach, and a neck without a collar. Leaves crunched as it made its way in your direction.Β
You squatted down and pushed out a hand. βCome here. Kitty, kitty, kitty.β You clicked your tongue.Β
The kitten pushed itself forward and moved faster. The meows grew louder as it appeared. You reached out with your other hand. When it was close enough, you carefully scooped up the kitten and brought it to your chest. βAw, hi there.βΒ
It snuggled against your chest, trying to find warmth from the chilly autumn air. βDonβt worry, Iβve got you. Where did you come from?β Your voice softened immediately. You couldnβt help it, it occurred naturally. You scanned the area, making sure there weren't any more kittens and you spun back to the house.Β
Getting groceries could wait until later. You cooed and stroked its velvety back with two fingers. Before you could get inside, you were smitten. Meows filled the house as you slipped inside and shut the door behind you. You carefully picked the kitten up and raised it closer to your face.Β
βYou feel a little cold, but you donβt have any discharge from your eyes or nose. Thatβs good. Thatβs one problem I donβt have to deal with.β You tucked it tight to your chest again. The kitten squirmed and crawled along your neck, hiding in the side of your warmth.
You laughed and continued holding on. βCareful, I donβt want you to get hurt. Youβre precious, arenβt you?β A meow responded and melted your heart. You leaned back, letting the kitten get comfortable against your body heat.Β
Right as your eyes shut, they quickly reopened at the sound of a closet door swinging open. Down in the distant hallway, the storage closet slid open and then shut. Every blood vessel in your body froze as your blood turned to ice. An unfamiliar man walked down the hallway bare foot.Β
Messy brown hair, your missing college hoodie that you swore you lost two weeks ago, and a can of Red Bull. High cheekbones, dark eyes, and honey-dipped skin. The manβs eyes fell on the kitten first and then met your own eyes. Your brain screamed at you to do something, but you couldnβt move. The kitten meowed again.Β
The manβs arm pushed the drink to his face. Pink lips pursed and hooked around the red silly straw. It swirled in dramatic loops. One end hooked to his lips and the other to the liquid in the can. He must have found it in your junk drawer. He took a sip of the Red Bull and a loud burp filled the air. He blinked a few times and dipped his head. βSorry about that.βΒ
You didnβt speak, but your wide eyes said everything. He tipped his head and blinked again. βWhat? No βhello?β No hug? Rude. I heard that cat and I want to see him, too.βΒ
The stranger started towards you and your world went dark.Β
An unfamiliar hum cut through your unconsciousness. When your eyes fluttered open, something sizzled in the distance. Footsteps and movement floated in from the kitchen. Rosemary and thyme clouded your nostrils. You blinked, trying to figure out what happened. The world twisted and each sense cut out.Β
You squeezed your eyes shut, trying to gain your bearings, before you slowly eased upright. The suede fabric shifted and springs creaked. Movement in the kitchen paused. The manβs head turned back behind him and he grinned. He walked through the kitchen and slipped into the rectangular walkway. βThere you are. How was your nap?βΒ
You looked up, but you didnβt utter a word. His grin widened as he saw you take in his presence. You looked up and down. You blinked, reached up and rubbed your eyes, but he didnβt go away. His body stayed in the same spot. He watched as if you were merely a clueless toddler.Β
βWhatβs wrong?β His head curled in a mocking manner. βCat got your tongue?β He laughed at his own joke. A frilly pink apron tied around his waist. It was the same apron Changbin bought you last year as a joke. When did he find it?Β
βWho are you?β The words felt unfamiliar on your tongue. It was your house. You were the one that signed the paperwork and bought it. Your throat constricted and you forced yourself to swallow to lubricate the back of your throat and try and ease your discomfort.Β
βIβm Minho. You talk to yourself an awful lot, you know that? I donβt know who I was expecting to move in, but it wasnβt you.βΒ
βWhat are you?βΒ
He narrowed his eyes. Long dark lashes kissed the top of his cheeks. βThe boogeyman.βΒ
You didnβt crack a smile.Β
βOof. Tough crowd. Iβm Minho. Iβm me and you are you. What more is there to say? It has not been a delight to make your acquaintance, thatβs for sure.βΒ
βYou canβt just come into my house andββΒ
βWrong. This was my house first. If anyone is the intruder, itβs you.β He snapped the pair of metal tongs in his hand a few times. You looked at them, finally seeing them. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. βBe grateful Iβm making you a nice dinner.βΒ
He spun around and headed back into the kitchen, humming the same unfamiliar tune you woke up to. Something shifted along your side. The kitten from earlier had curled itself on the opposite end of the couch. A small yawn revealed pointy teeth and soft pink gums. A tongue stretched out before the small body shifted and settled back onto the couch.Β
Thatβs when it fully hit. Panic ripped through your heart and you jerked upright. You hurried into the kitchen. Minho stood at the gas stove. Your cast iron skillet sizzled with butter and fresh herbs. With a metal spoon, he doused butter over the top of a sizzling steak.Β
βSo how do you like your steak? Medium rare? Well-done?βΒ
You ignored his words, spun around and jerked the largest knife from the wooden block of knives. βWho are you, seriously? What are you doing in my house?β Your words shot out in a panic. The knife in your hand quivered, but Minho didnβt fully turn to face you.Β
βDo you mind? Iβm trying to cook dinner for our guest before he arrives.βΒ
βWhat?βΒ
βAre you half-deaf?β He frowned and dipped his head back towards the pan. βI knew I should have taken that sign language class in high school.βΒ
βExcuse me?βΒ
βNot that it would have mattered. Iβm not much of a conversationalist. I get the jitters and my hands get shaky. Spanish suited me much better.βΒ
βWhy are you in my house?β Your voice raised and he paused.Β
βWhy so serious? Do you know who the joker is?βΒ
Your mind went blank and your brain warped. Who the hell did this guy think he was? First, he walked out of your closet and now he was makingβ¦ steak? The familiar thrum of a headache pressed against the center of your forehead. Minho continued working on the steak and ignoring you. He must have seen the knife, but it didnβt bother him.Β
He stood with the sleeves of your hoodie pushed up. The Red Bull from earlier sat along the counter. The silly straw curls sat with drips of liquid within it. You didnβt know whether to laugh or cry. Who was he? How did he get in? Even worse, how long had he been here?
βHave you thought about it yet?βΒ
βHuh?βΒ
βYour steak preference? Itβs about to be well-done.βΒ
βWhy arenβt you freaking out? I have a knife and I could kill you.βΒ
He made a noise, almost one resembling a sigh. βHow original, but Chucky is watching.β He shifted his elbow across the way. Your gaze followed and sure enough he had propped the stupid doll up against a distant counter. The same glass eyes thatβd haunted you for weeks watched the two of you without a word. βSure, you could kill me, but have you seen the plot of Childβs Play? Iβm sure you know how this would turn out for the both of us.βΒ
βWhat are you?βΒ
βAgain, Iβm Minho.βΒ
βHow did you get in my house?βΒ
βI live here.βΒ
βNo, you donβt!β Your voice raised. You chucked the knife, letting it clatter along the granite counter. βThis is my house! I bought the place and I signed all the paperwork! Are you a ghost?βΒ
His face contorted and he threw a funny look your way. βAh, yeah, totally because Casper can lift a heavy cast iron skillet.βΒ
βYouβre infuriating,β you grumbled.
βAnd youβre incompetent. Turn that frown upside down. Our guest is going to be here soon.βΒ
βI should call the cops.βΒ
βMhm, you could, but they wonβt believe you. You better be on your best behavior for Changbinβs arrival. I have petite potatoes in the oven. Youβre welcome for cooking him a good meal, by the way. He said steak is one of his favorites.βΒ
Your breath hitched and you couldnβt breathe. Yes, it really was one of his favorites, but how did Minho know? He didnβt know Changbin. Changbin never mentioned knowing Minho before.
βHow do youβ¦?βΒ
βUh, duh. Iβve been talking to him and texting him daily.βΒ
βWhat?βΒ
βYep. He thinks I moved in and weβre roommates.βΒ
Black spots danced around your vision. Your legs sank and you slumped against the side of the counter. βI think Iβm going to throw up.β
βWell, donβt do it here. Youβre going to ruin the ambiance Iβve created.β He waved a hand, gesturing for you to leave and vomit elsewhere.Β
βWho are you?β You weakly whispered.Β
βI keep telling you. Why wonβt you listen to me? Iβm Minho and Iβm the owner of this house. I knew you were a bit of a psycho because you always talk to yourself out loud, but I had no idea you were this obtuse.βΒ
You were a victim of a horror movie. Thatβs what it felt like. Minho and Changbin talked as if theyβd known each other for years. It turns out, your unwanted visitor snatched Changbinβs number from your phone when you were asleep. You knew there was a reason why people said facial recognition to open your phone was a bad idea, but you had set it up, regardless. The things people do for convenienceβ¦Β
The two talked and laughed. Minho was in the middle of a conversation. Something about swimming lessons as a kid and his failure. Unable to stay above the water and tread properly. Fear took over and the rest was history. You couldnβt stay focused on his words. You were too worried about him being in your house. He came out of your closet. How long had he been around?Β
The movement and organization of things made sense. What had he been trying to do? Scare you? Lure you into a false sense of security? When you found out heβd been talking to Changbin for nearly a month, you were certain youβd lose it, but you prevailed. One petite potato at a time, you stabbed them, pushed them into your mouth, and chewed slowly. The only thing that stopped you from assuming heβd poisoned everything was the way he gobbled down his own food; it was as if heβd been starving.Β
He dipped one of the red potatoes in a slab of butter. Seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder, you watched him without a word. He swiped it back and forth and shoved it into his mouth. He didnβt speak until after he chewed and swallowed each bite. He was so neat. Too neat.Β
You couldnβt explain the disconnection you felt. You should have been cursing and screaming, demanding him to get out of your house, but something about Minho felt strange. The moment you sat down in your chair begrudgingly, he appeared behind you. Serving slabs of well-done meat off a porcelain plate with a pair of metal tongs. A scoop of the fingerling potatoes, a napkin tucked beside your plate, and a brief head pat to the top of your scalp. Your brain screamed, but it oozed, too. The sticky situation clouded your judgement and made you confused.Β
Youβd been stuck in the center of a honey pot and couldnβt escape the sickly sweetened goo. Your head ached and your heart hurt even more. The house you turned into a loving warm home, you instantly became a stranger in it.Β
You didnβt know Minhoβs reasoning, but by the way he acted and knew where every belonging was in your kitchen, it was like heβd been here with you since you first moved in.Β
He found refuge on your living room couch and it was the most absurd thing youβd ever laid your eyes upon. A pair of your fluffy white socks sat on his feet and stretched past his ankles. Changbin left nearly a half hour ago. His fingers folded over each other, he linked them, and stretched his arms above his head. Two bunny teeth poked from his upper lip as his mouth stretched open.Β
βYour friend is very nice.β He spoke afterwards and sank into the suede fabric. βI see why you like him so much.βΒ
βWhen are you going to get out of my house?β
βThe least you could do is thank me for dinner first.βΒ
The glare you gave him didnβt threaten him in the least bit. He chuckled, curled his arms over his chest, and shut his eyes. βI think Iβll stay here for a while. Youβve made some good updates to the place. I like the metal racks you secured to the side of the fridge to hold your spices. That was quite convenient for my cooking. My parents kept their spices in the cupboard.βΒ
βWhat?βΒ
βDid I stutter? My parents. The people that created me andββΒ
βYeah, no shit!β You snapped. In a fit of anger, you dropped yourself in a nearby recliner. βI know what parents are! I have no idea what that has to do with me and my house!βΒ
βAnd here I thought Iβd win you over with that meal.β His nostrils flared and a sigh slipped out. His head turned and his face softened. βThis is my house.βΒ
βNo, itβs not.βΒ
βBut it is. I didnβt want to give it up. I said I wasnβt leaving, so here I am.βΒ
βThis is trespassing!βΒ
βI earned my place. I was hoping to scare you off with the doll, but youβre a tough cookie to crack. I organize what I can. I made micro-arrangements throughout the place andββΒ
βYouβre stealing my clothes and my energy drinks. That was my steak you made earlier.βΒ
βOh, please.β He reached up a hand and faced it in your direction. βSpare me your pity. Iβm a wonderful cook and you would have turned that juicy creation I made into a piece of overcooked leather. That cow would have died for nothing.βΒ
You plunged two fingers into each of your shut eyelids. The center of your forehead throbbed. An insufferable asshole, this Minho was. Annoying, a smartass, and a total dickhead. He acted innocent, but you knew he wasnβt. You disliked the idea of his hands being all over your most prized possessions. Heβd probably been running his grubby hands all over everything when you were away at work.Β
βCan you just tell me how you got in?β You finally asked, slumping back into the recliner. You removed your fingers and looked over. βDid I leave a door unlocked? Have you been staying in the closets?βΒ
βThe closets arenβt comfortable. Theyβre much too small for a guy like me. Of course, I donβt live in the closets. Iβve been in the walls.βΒ
βExcuse me?βΒ
βThis place is pretty historic.β He shrugged. βThere are places in the walls that were made to hide things. I believe it was originally owned by a gang. They had to hide their black market operations from the cops somehow.βΒ
Your stomach twisted again. The steak whirled and the potatoes threatened to come back up. βI think Iβm going to throw up.βΒ
βThatβs the second time youβve said that. Iβm starting to think you should see a doctor for these nausea issues you keep having.βΒ
A distant meow came across the way. The marmalade kitten stretched forward and prowled over to Minho. She leapt onto the couch and tiny paws kneaded into Minhoβs chest. He smiled, reached down and patted the top of her head. Happy purrs sounded and he stroked behind her ears.Β
βSee? Even Maple agrees with me.βΒ
As the days slipped by, you didnβt know why you didnβt call the cops. Maybe it was because you doubted theyβd believe you. Minho was trespassing and he didnβt pay for things, but he did the dishes. You came home from work the previous night and found him scrubbing the dishes with your yellow rubber gloves and a sponge. A part of you felt secretly thankful. Work felt more like a warzone lately than anything.Β
βLa-da-da-da-dee. La-da-da-da-da. Scrubby-dubby-dub. Scrubby-dubby-dah.β He stopped when he felt your presence enter the room. βAh, there you are. What do you feel like having for dinner? Seasoned chicken breasts and a side salad? I believe the other option is salmon. Youβve got some lemons that I could bake it over. A few seasonings and some fresh herbs to really bring out that lemon flavor.βΒ
Every time you tried to coax him into leaving, he refused. He continued claiming that this was his house before yours. He didnβt get mad. He just kept repeating it over and over and over again. Your frustration kept building until the point of tears. You werenβt the one in the wrong, but he made you feel like it.Β
βWhy are you mad? You should be grateful Iβm cooking for you.βΒ
βI donβt see the problem.βΒ
βThere are worse things in the world to deal with.βΒ
βI just washed and folded a load of your dirty clothes and this is the thanks I get?βΒ
He was so cryptic and there wasnβt anything to research. You tried looking up your address followed by a βMinho,β but nothing came up in the search results. The way he talked, you assumed the elderly couple you bought the house from, this was their son. You didnβt know how old he was, but you knew he was a constant pain in your ass.Β
You tried to hint to Changbin that something was wrong, but he never picked up on your text messages. Your brother, Jeongin, returned back to town from the wedding. You invited him over for dinner and informed Minho of his arrival. You rushed outside to meet him, but before you could speak to him, Minho was already there.
Smiling and laughing, cracking jokes as if they were friends. He did the exact same thing with Changbin. As dinner went on, you ate your food. Your heart wasnβt in the conversation, but Minho didnβt care. Jeongin didnβt pick up on the distance between you two. He was too busy focusing on Minhoβs smooth-talk. When the three of you finished, Minho got up and offered to give Jeongin a house tour.Β
As the pair left you alone in the kitchen, your eyes fell upon the fridge. Heβd even inserted himself there, too. You didnβt know when he bought the cat paw magnets. You didnβt remember him leaving the place, but they were there and you didnβt buy them. Maybe that was the worst part of it all. He didnβt steal anything. He didnβt threaten you. He didnβt scream.Β
He hung out in the background and acted like the two of you had been roommates. It was the furthest thing from the truth, but you still wondered if you were the insane one.Β
It took two more weeks before a knock sounded at your door. You tried to hide your smirk and quickly approached the wooden door. You unlocked it and tugged it open. βGood morning.β
Morning sunlight reflected off the manβs bald head. Rounded cheeks perked up as he smiled. βHi, there! You must be the one that called me a few days ago. Your voice sounds like it sounded on the phone.βΒ
βYep, thatβs me! Come on in!β You pushed open the screen door and opened the door wider.Β
βSo I heard you were worried about a potential rodent problem?βΒ
βYeah. I found a spot in my hallway closet. The best way I can describe it is a false backing? Itβs strange, thatβs for sure. Oh, donβt mind him.β You waved off Minhoβs body on the couch as you led the contractor through the living room. βHeβs a heavy sleeper. Rough week. He came home last night and crashed. Iβm sure heβll be up soon, anyway.βΒ
You tugged open the closet that you used to keep the Chucky doll in. You moved it just for this purpose. Minho came up missing a few days prior. He did every so often. He assumed you were asleep on the couch. You were drifting when the hall closet door creaked open. You groggily glanced over and thatβs when you found him tugging open the door. He slipped inside and shut it. You fell asleep before he came out, but you knew there was something weird about that closet from that point on.
When you managed to slip inside while Minho was cooking dinner, you found the false backing. All it took was a little bit of prodding and the back wall shifted. You pushed it back and found a dark foreboding void that led to who knew where. After turning on your phone flashlight, the more you explored, the more your heart sank.Β
Tight walls pushed inward, but it created a big enough space for a person to turn to the side and walk through. The scent of hardwood threatened to overpower you, but you kept going. You shuffled further along the way and suddenly realized just how much room Minho had to live in your space without you realizing it.Β
The void opened into a room. You assumed it was the area that led to a funny shape in your laundry room. One of the walls pushed outwards in a square shape. Now you understood why it was shaped so weirdly. An air mattress, a pillow, a small TV, and a laptop. Everything was right here. Heβd been living in your goddamn walls and played you like a fiddle. The more smaller tunnels you uncovered, the angrier you felt.Β
You didnβt dare call the cops. Even if they arrested him, he could come back. All this empty space was still open. He knew the house better than you. Instead, you planned your next steps. Before you came home from work, you called renovators to find out whoβd be willing to take on the job. If he wouldnβt leave willingly, youβd drive him out. Youβd force him to leave against his will.Β
This was your house and you werenβt going down without a fight.Β
The sound of a loud hum sounded like a victory. You stood against the side of the living room wall waiting for Minho to wake up. Light poured in through the lace curtains and lit up every crevice of the living room. He shifted and his eyebrows pinched together. The insulation blower rattled along the floor and vibrated the house.Β
Maple had taken off upstairs, probably hidden beneath your bed sheets. That turned into one of her favorite places since you adopted her. Sheβd paw at your neatly made bed and worm herself beneath the blankets, unable to help herself from the warmth and darkness your blankets provided. When she wasnβt there, much to your annoyance, she spent a lot of time with Minho. Sheβd curl up next to him on the couch when he watched shows on his freshly made Netflix profile. Hooked up to your account, he didnβt care about the invasion.Β
The humming grew louder and Minhoβs eyes fluttered open. Blinded by the light and the noise, he groaned and shifted. βWhat the fuck?β He grumbled.Β
βGood morning!β Your chirpy voice caught him off guard. His head tipped over to find you beaming. Warmth radiated off the ceramic cup of green tea in your hands. βIsnβt it a wonderful day?βΒ
βWhatβs that noise?βΒ
βIβm doing a little home renovation. I thought,β you shrugged, βitβs my house. The weather is dropping and we have plenty of squirrels in the area. Itβd be a big shame if one of them found their way inside the walls and made themselves a home, so Iβm being proactive.βΒ
He blinked a few times. Brown hair spiked up in a multitude of directions. One of the socks, he stole from you the previous night, was halfway off his foot. He shifted and stood up. Your words struck a chord and rang alarm bells. βWhat are you talking about?βΒ
About that time, the loud noise shut off. To your delight, Bill called out from the closet entrance. βOkay, Iβm about halfway done. Iβm going to get another roll of insulation to put in the hopper.β He stepped out from the hallway closet and headed towards the front door. Upon seeing Minho awake, he smiled. βGood morning.βΒ
The second the front door was shut, Minho jerked upright and shoved you back against the wall. Furrowed brows and fingers that curled into the front of your shirt. His words came out through clenched teeth. βWhat the hell do you think youβre doing?βΒ
βRenovating my house.βΒ
βPutting insulation in my walls?βΒ
βYou didnβt sign the paperwork. That was all on me. Youβre nothing here and you donβt own anything in this house.βΒ
He stared at you without a word. He searched for a break in your facade, but there wasnβt one. A stern straight line along your face, you werenβt backing down. There was nothing he could do and he knew that. Trying to intervene could cause more issues than he wanted to deal with.Β
Instead, he grinned. Lips stretched wide, he pushed himself back and brushed the wrinkled collar of your shirt. βYouβre right. Well played.βΒ
You raised an eyebrow, but he didnβt respond. βI think Iβll go pick up groceries while he finishes.β He spun around and headed in the same direction Bill went. You stood with every muscle strung tight, ready to defend yourself or combat him with a quick-lipped response, but he didnβt say anything else.Β
Instead, he slipped himself into his pair of gray and white sketchers, tugged open the door and slipped outside without saying a single word. Strands of hair continued to poke out the wrong direction. Purple bags warped shadows beneath his lower eyes. You sucked in a slow deep breath and released it.Β
You couldnβt say it out loud, but you knew you won.Β
Minho didnβt come back. You kept guard by the front door. The hum of the hopper, nerves glances to the analog clock behind the couch and the creaking footsteps of Bill between the walls. In the end, it took multiple rolls of loose pink insulation before Bill called it quits. He exited your house with the oversized insulation blower. A large plastic tube hung around a hook and the bottom tubes scraped along the hardwood as he pushed it outside.Β
He came back in once more to seal up the false backing in the closet. He checked to make sure everything else looked good before calling it a day. On the way out, he secured a signed check from you and that was that. The door shut and a silence settled over the house. No more footsteps. No more hums and certainly no more midnight snacks from Minho.Β
You triple checked both doors and made sure each window was locked before you let yourself relax. Even if he knocked on the front door, you werenβt letting him back inside. Letting Bill inside gave you the courage you needed. Minho couldnβt have his way when strangers were around. They didnβt know the story between the two of you and he couldnβt twist it.Β
By the time evening rolled in, you threw yourself onto your bed. Maple sat in a ball along the left side of the comforter. Hunched in a ball, two front paws covering her face, you didnβt have the heart to shift the blankets too much and pull them up. It would have interrupted her sleep and just like you, she needed her beauty sleep, too.Β
Your eyes slipped shut and the hum of your ceiling fan lulled you into a sense of security. The last streams of sunlight were swallowed by the horizon. The room grew darker and darker until it sealed itself like a tomb. You left the lights off and the door cracked, so Maple could escape to find the litter box if she needed to.
It didnβt feel like much time had passed when your eyes reopened. A muted humming came from the floor. Soft and melodic, a lot like Minhoβs usual hums as he made food. Your eyes shot open and your body jerked upright. The bed creaked, you sprang forward and rushed to the bedroom light. Adrenaline filled your veins and you tensed. You held your breath and waited. The thump of your heartbeat knocked against your chest and threatened to jump out.
βMinho?β You whispered softly. Nothing, but the noise from the ceiling fan. Your body slumped against the back wall. Everything had been screwed up since heβd been here. Paranoia slithered down your spine and controlled everything you did. You squeezed your eyes shut, but reopened them when you realized something.Β
The humming came from beneath my bed.Β
Goosebumps prickled up your arms. You hesitated, but finally took a step forward. One slow step and a faint creak of your floorboards. Another step and then another. A white bed skirt sat along your bed frame. Fluttering ruffles hid the contents beneath.
A few days before, youβd shoved a few items beneath your bed for safe keeping. The small tote of photos from family events and high school. Homemade birthday cards and the printed ones from the store smeared with a variety of scribbled happy birthdayβs, get well soonβs, and thinking of you cards. Even the cards you received after finishing high school had been tucked tight inside it.Β
The house was too empty and far too still. You stopped, waiting for another noise, but nothing occurred. Your fingers slipped upright and you grabbed your phone from the wooden nightstand. Ducking down beside the bed spread, you lowered yourself onto one knee and another. Shaky fingers reached out, caught the edge of the bed skirt and you tugged it up.Β
Your brain screamed at you, begging you to stop, but you turned on your phoneβs flashlight anyway. White light scanned along the underside of your bed. The box of photos sat untouched in the same corner you pushed it in. Small boxes with books tucked inside sat lined up, too. When you were certain the bed was empty, you dropped the bed skirt and sighed.Β
βHeβs not here,β you reminded yourself out loud. βMinho left and I locked himββΒ
Something soft and warm brushed against your outer arm. You screamed and jerked your arm back. Whirling around, you came face-to-face with a wide-eyed Maple. Bright eyes twinkled with confusion and a soft meow tumble between her lips, as if it could make up for scaring you.Β
βJesus,β you mumbled. You reached out and gently scooped up the kitten. βSorry about that.β You tugged the velvety kitten to your chest and sucked in a deep breath. As you crawled back into your bed, you kept Maple with you. Your fingers found the special spot behind her left ear that activated the purring motor within her tiny body.Β
A deep inhale in and another one out. Minho was gone. He couldnβt get you and this was the end of it. He wouldnβt be back. You were sure of that. How far would he go to get into a locked house?
The sound of running water woke you up. Eyes mucked with sleep, you forced yourself to pry them open. Faint humming and the sound of scrubbing. Your sleepy eyes cast a glance over towards the bathroom. Maple sat in the entryway with her tail sauntering back and forth. Big eyes focused on someone in the distance, it wasnβt you.
Minhoβs head curled around the corner of the door frame. He tugged your purple toothbrush from his mouth. White foam expelled and oozed down his chin. βGood morning. You really thought you could get rid of me, huh? Good try.β He spun around, walked back into your bathroom and spat the minty foam into the bathroom sink.Β
He took his time rinsing off your toothbrush and placing it back in the rack. He splashed his face with cold water, walked over to your towel and dried his face with it. He inhaled the soft cotton and enjoyed the brief passing scent of your body wash. Sweet and familiar. He had a feeling the two of you would last a long time.Β
When he came back out, you hadnβt moved from your spot. You remained unmoving with half-drooping eyes. Sleep beckoned you back, but you were unsure of what was unraveling in front of you. Was Minho really here or was it all just a bad dream?
βYou might have plugged the walls, but you forgot to check beneath the house. Itβs getting colder out. Water freezes and that means nobody will want to go beneath the house and scope things out. Weβll be together for the colder seasons, isnβt that nice?βΒ
He scooped up Maple and headed your direction. You watched him without uttering another word. Annoyance shifted into something softer. Warmer. He really found his way back inside after all that money you spent?
He reached a hand out and tugged your chin in his direction. βI told you this was my house before yours. My parents owned it. It was supposed to be mine afterwards. Thatβs okay. You understand, donβt you?β The pad of his thumb swiped along your bottom lip. βYou donβt have to say it. I can feel your heart picking up speed. Itβs working isnβt it? Youβre starting to feel the affection between us grow?βΒ
Maple squirmed out of his arms and padded her way to your side. Your eyes didnβt leave his. Your brain screamed, but your heart swelled in awe. Minho had been living here for a while now. You probably should have called the cops the first day he walked out of your closet, but you were drawn in. How can you kick out a man thatβs this attractive? You didnβt understand, but you wanted to.
You let him stay and maybe that meant there was something wrong with you or maybe, just maybe, heβd been lacing all the food heβd been cooking you. It didnβt matter anymore. Your brain felt fuzzy, your limbs turned into cement blocks and you were right where he wanted you to be.Β
In the battle of wits and words, he won your heart and warped your brain.
