I looked in the mirror and saw an image, not of myself but a different person. I barely know him but he seem to know me very well...more than I know my own self.
“You are the best piece of artwork I’ve ever created,” his voice reverberated inside my head. I clenched my fists and gritted my teeth, “You crazy bastard, I will never be like you!” I snarled at him.
“Oh but you are now,” he said casually, as if this was a normal thing to say...no, wait--this is a normal thing for him to say, “Have you forgotten what you’ve done?” then he flashed his odd, spine chilling smile. My heart skipped a beat, my body trembled, once again I found myself in that residence, that hellhole I should never have gone to in the first place. Seo Mun-jo’s body lay lifeless on the floor, Ji-eun was unconscious on the dental chair. Drops of sweat mixed with blood trickled down my face and body, I can hear my heart pounding wildly in my chest, my mouth went dry because of dehydration, and my body was shaking from exhaustion. I glanced at my hand holding a knife stained with crimson red liquid, but the blood wasn’t mine.
Um Bok-sun, the landlady...
Byun Deuk-jong, the man with special needs...
Hong Nam-bok, the pervert...
and Seo Mun-jo, the psychopathic asshole...
It was theirs...but it was my own doing, “I did these...I killed all of them...” that came out as a whisper, the knife slipped from my hand, it made a loud resonating sound as it hit hard on the floor. I palmed my face, “They were murderers!” I said in my mind, “I only did what needs to be done!”
“Exactly why I succeeded,” Seo Mun-jo’s voice echoed in my mind once again.
I looked in the mirror and saw an image of a man, his emotionless eyes stared deep into my soul, his mouth curved forming an evil smile. I found myself staring at my own reflection, and that’s when I realized he was right all along. I did what I had to, but in the end I fell for his trap. Ironically, I felt free.
Something in me was freed after trying to contain it for so long and it was the most exhilarating feeling I’ve ever felt, my body trembled from post-adrenaline, my heart was pounding wildly from excitement, the stench of blood filled the air, I savored the intoxicating smell, it was way more addicting than alcohol and drugs combined. “So this is how it feels,” I said to myself, I killed the devil and became one myself, it was best feeling ever.
Then in a blink of an eye, I was back in the hospital once more. I woke up from a trance and realized what I’m becoming. It terrified the shit out of me, but deep inside I wanted more, this bloodlust, the urge to kill excited me. Darkness was looming over, soon it will devour all of me, every piece...every side of my humanity. I frantically shook my head, “No...” I said over and over, but his voice was telling me otherwise. “NO!!!” I screamed, stepped back and bolted out of my room. “Sir! Where are you going?!” the nurse called me but I didn’t dare stop or look back. The hospital staffs went after me, I ran as fast as I could, it didn’t matter where my feet took me, I just knew I had to get out of here. Away from this world...away from myself...
“You are the best piece of artwork I’ve ever created...”
“You and I will be together forever...”
His words kept repeating in my head, “No you son of a bitch!” I yelled and hit my head. He may have lured me into his clutches, but I was determined to fight back, to save anything that was still good in me if I had any. I will never give him the privilege to see me drown into the pool of madness just like him. Gasping for air, I stopped when I reached the rooftop. The chilling breeze caressed my skin, I looked down and saw the busy streets of Seoul, it was so high from where I’m standing. Sky scrapers, street lights and vehicular lights lit up the night. I closed my eyes and remembered the few good years I had, when my life was ordinary. I’ve been longing for that simplicity, but I know I can never have it back.
Then their faces appeared once again, the demons who intended to haunt me for life. Their sinister smiles, their maniacal laughter, their terrifying voices and the never-ending nightmare of that dreadful night I am now imprisoned to, and the only way to get out of it was...
I opened my eyes and looked down once more, what was a pleasant view awhile ago became a dreadful sight. I gripped the railings as tight as I could, part of me says this isn’t the answer, that I can still get out of this and live again.
“Oppa!!!” a woman’s voice called me, it was Ji-eun, the only person who kept me sane. The person I want to protect whatever it costs, she was crying, shaking her head, “Please don’t do this,” she begged.
I wanted to run back into her arms, to apologize to her, to assure that everything will be alright. Then I felt a hand touch on mine, “You and I will be together forever,” Seo Mun-jo stood beside me, still wearing that creepily awful smile of his. His bare hand was as cold as his voice, “Sir please, we can help you! You don’t have to do this!” I heard the doctors and nurses plead as well.
I chuckled and shook my head, I wish it was that easy. I am grateful to the people who are willing to lend a hand, but seeing this bastard’s face made me realize that this is a battle only I can put an end to.
I now know what he meant when he told me that, him and I are one and the same, and as long as I live he too will always exist. I smiled back and flipped my middle finger, “In your fucking delusional mind!” I told him before plunging myself into the unknown.
Written from Yoon Jong-u’s point of view
Drama: Strangers from Hell
This drama is batshit tbh, and I want to make this fanfiction as dark as possible so I played around with Jong-u’s emotions and what I think he must have felt when realized he became the new Seo Mun-jo. I’m a huge fan of psychological-thriller and mystery genre so I really hope you like this as much as I enjoyed writing this!
