CH 114

“You can’t ever forget me because everyone you have ever loved was me,” he said as he pulled off one of my hands that was covering my face. I felt the sticky c*m with my fingertips.

“You’re mine,” he whispered, and I felt the blood drain from my face. I was frightened by the joy and passion in his voice. I was scared by his obsession and desire for me.

Woorim kissed my forehead like he was rewarding me. “You felt good, right?”

“Aaargh!” I screamed and struck Woorim’s face with my hand. I sat up, pushing and kicking him. Woorim didn’t make a sound even once. I couldn’t see well because it was dark, but I grabbed whatever object I could get ahold of. I used it to ruthlessly strike down the person in front of my eyes. Thwack, thwack, thwack!

With each strike, the other’s body convulsed and collapsed onto itself. All the while, not a single moan escaped. This unnatural reaction made me feel like I was hitting a leather sack instead of a person.

Whack, whack, whack!

I don’t know how many times I hit him. The thick smell of blood filled the room. I wept and panted roughly as I stared at the person beaten to a pulp in front of me. No sound came from him. Nothing at all.

The room didn’t have a shred of light, but I could tell that his body was twisted in strange angles. I felt a lukewarm fluid under my feet. I could also feel the s*men from the man before my eyes trickling down my legs.

I retched. I emptied the contents of my stomach right next to me. But the only thing that came out was my stomach fluid. Since I hadn’t eaten anything, my insides churned. My body also shook like a leaf. I wobbled from that spot then ran out of the room. My vision shook violently.

The hallway was quiet. Nothing tried to grab me, yet I collapsed after not too long. Within my flickering consciousness, I desperately prayed that a creaking sound would quickly come out to greet me. I pictured the white hands that had consumed Raehee grabbing and tearing my body apart, and I closed my eyes.

So that the Child couldn’t find me even if he came back, I was going to get rid of myself.

* * *

I had a dream.

Inside the dream, I was wandering a dark hallway. I was scared and frightened. Nobody was chasing me, but I kept running. I was looking for the exit to this mansion.

There were many doors, but I couldn’t enter any of them. Terrifying things resided in the rooms. I would die if I went in—I knew that instinctively. Many people already went in yet couldn’t get out. I couldn’t bring myself to go in because I was so scared.

I only roamed the hallway. I wandered aimlessly in this expansive mansion, yet nobody approached me. I was tired, but there was nowhere I could rest. I hid under the table in the hallway and continued to weep and weep.

I heard screams from somewhere. They were terrible, dreadful screams that gave no hint of gender or age. I shuddered and covered my ears. “I’m scared, I’m scared, I’m scared. Mom, mom, mom.” No matter how much I called, nobody came to save me. I was completely alone.

I heard another scream. I trembled and curled up even more.

Time continued to pass.

* * *

When I opened my eyes, my surroundings were still dark and quiet.

I stared blankly up from the floor that I was lying on and felt chills. My shiver was involuntary because of the cold, yet my body throbbed from the movement. I wanted to collapse right then and there, but I forced myself upright.

My legs threatened to buckle, so I supported myself against the wall. My dizziness and the ringing in my ears continued. I frowned and walked forth, one step at a time. The dry air inside the mansion was now dank and humid. The stench of blood and something nauseating filled the air. Maybe the stench was coming from me.

I was on the grocery store floor. I traveled from end to end of the hallway, yet nothing chased after me. Perhaps it was morning again. I stopped walking, struck by the feeling of the futility of my struggles. I laughed at my unluckiness. My luck that couldn’t let me win even five dollars in the lottery seemed to function as usual here.

Maybe someone was punishing me for trying to escape through death, and they wanted me to die a bit more painfully and creatively. What should I do? I pondered and recalled the hidden room where Seoyoon fell to his death. I also thought back to Seogeung, who had said that he looked like a pincushion since the floor had needle-like spikes. I remembered the room Goyeon fell in.

Anything was fine.