CHAPTER 14
WARNING: The following chapter contains depictions of suicide, violence, and rape, which some viewers may find disturbing. It is intended for mature audiences. Reader discretion is advised.
I thought I was dead. I thought it was over but it's not. I found myself standing in front of the school. It was my school when I was still in junior high. I don't know what I'm doing here but it seems like this dream is telling me something that I should remember. I know this is just a dream because how could I be here? Thought in the first place I was in that mansion. I looked around me and find the students walking in and out of the school. It seems like it was the first day of Monday. These students are too familiar to me, even the class president in front of the gate, giving something like a poster for the upcoming valentines day. Wait, it is the time when valentines day is a few days ahead?
I suddenly spotted master Lee entering the class. He looks like a nerd and a shy type. He then walked to the president and they talked. I walked closer to them to hear what are they gossiping at.
"Happy Valentines' president!" Master Lee greeted happily with a wide smile on his face. It's the first time I see him like that. He looks so soft and gentle when he was normal.
"Same to you. Did you find a date already?" The president asked with a smile.
Master Lee shook his head but later on, I saw myself coming in with my friend Jinki who was still in his first year. We walked past them and I see master Lee's eyes staring at me with adoration in his eyes. The president cleared his throat and that made master Lee snap out from his thought and looked back at him.
"I see that you like that sunshine huh?" He said.
Master Lee looked down and blushed. He quickly shook his head but it was too obvious that he liked me. Mr. Pres laughed that made master Lee blush even more. "Don't deny it. It's too obvious. How about you give him some letter, inviting him as your date with your confession letter too."
"But...but what if...we do know who he likes--"
"Just try it. You know, Sunie is not the type of rejecting anyone."
I watched as Master Lee's face flushed even more as he smiled well of hope. Full of hope... "Okay, I will try. I hope...he will accept me."
After he said that he went inside and just master Kim arrive with a frown on his face. "I like Sunie too but I don't like to be an idiot for liking someone who doesn't like me." He said to the president.
"You are sure tough Seunghyun."
Seunghyun? Is master Kim's name is Seunghyun?
-
I gasp and woke up only to feel the agonizing pain in my entire body. I winced as I tried my best to push myself off on the ground. I sobbed, tears rolling down my face. Everything hurt so bad. I looked around me only to find myself still in this chair but without San and Doyoung. I noticed that my wounds are already taken care of who knows?
I feel so hungry. I want to eat some but I know this is not the time to think that. I feel thirsty as well. I looked down at my legs. I remember my dream clearly. It was my past. I know it. I don't have any idea of why I dream that although I didn't see them that day. I directly went to my class and that's it. I stopped as soon as I remember master Yang and master Kim's name.
It's Yang Jeongsun and Kim Seunghyun. I should take note of that inside of my head. the squishy sound got my attention and my head turn to the table near me. I almost scream once I saw that padlock, moving inside of the glass cube. The creature's disgusting veins were moving like freaking leeches touching every corner of the cube and it feels like this thing wants to get back inside me. I froze in fear, remembering what happened earlier, remembering how master Leelex could've killed me. I whimpered and cringe in disgust because of this creature near me.
It made a weird pitch sound and I feel like this thing is an alien. Wait, did he say that this creature is important to them? What if I kill it? Are they going to die?
I looked down at my both hands. This time, I will make myself escape from this freaking place and get help for them. I'm sorry if I'm kinda selfish but I can't risk my life. I nearly died earlier. I know, doing this will haunt me forever if something bad happens to them. I slide my hand backward, whimpering because of the pain. I was in my work of escaping when the door swung open and master Hwang went inside. I panicked and quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep as possible. Maybe, if he finds me still unconscious he will leave me alone.
I heard his footsteps nearing me until they stopped in front of me. I still pretend to sleep.
I waited for him to do something but a rustling sound is the only thing I heard. I slightly open my eyes and see him getting the thing from the cube. He holds it like it was nothing as the creature's tentacles veins crawled it's way up on his arm, looping it around his arm.
"You aren't important to me. Sunie is the only important for me. They hurt him so bad." I heard him talk the thing. "I can't claim him because you weren't inside of him anymore. But I can claim his heart right?"
He smiled before putting back the creature inside of the cube and facing me. I quickly closed my eyes. I'm scared of what he means by claiming my heart. Is he going to rip my heart out from my chest? Is he going to kill me? I tensed up when I felt his warm hand on my chest.
"Woah, his heart is beating fast. How it feels nice against my skin." I heard him say and the next thing he did was scared me to the end. I felt the sudden pain in my chest and I immediately open my eyes only to see his nails digging my chest.
I quickly kicked him on his stomach. He stumble away and I took that to hurriedly slide my hands with full force as adrenaline rush took over me. I screamed once my skin roughly brushed against the hard metal and the painful lock belt. I heard the creature make an annoying noise. I stood up but master Hwang was fast and immediately made me back on the chair.
"Not so fast honey." He said with a smile and held my neck. I winced because of the pain.
"Just kill me..." I rather die than feel this pain. Even deep inside me that I don't want yet but if this is how my life goes on then I rather die than live just to suffer. I felt my tears pool once again in my eyes before they rolled down on my face.
Master Hwang's face softens once he sees me crying. He wipes my tears. "I'm sorry if I scared you." He loosens his grip on my neck and soon let it go.
"You want me dead. That's what you want. Why not kill me then? I rather die than suffer longer in your hands!" I shouted as more tears escape from my eyes.
"Don't say that. If you behave--"
"Stop your bullshit! You only want me to suffer because of what I did years ago right? That's what you wanted!"
I can't stop myself from yelling master Hwang. The pain I was holding for a long time is killing me and I need to somehow release it, to tell it how I feel and make them realize what they want. I'm tired of their games. If they don't like me then let me go, fired me, and let me be in my life. I can't cry anymore. The only thing I felt right now is madness. Master Hwang embrace me, whispering soothing words but as long as I'm here I won't feel comforted. I won't feel at ease.
I clenched my fists together. "Do you really...love me?" I asked and he said yes. "Then...let me go. Let me be in my life and not keeping me, hurting me here."
Master Hwang pulled away and stood up. He brings me into his arm and the next thing I know that I am already tied on the metal bed with a strap on my body. Tying me like an insane person. "W-what are you doing?! Let me out of here!" I said and struggle but the strap are too tight.
"Letting you go? You think I'm a fool to do that?"
What I'm even expecting? He was no different from the rest. The door suddenly swung open and master Park came in. His eyes grew wide when he see me tied in the metal bed.
"What the freak are you doing Hwang?" He hissed while looking at master Hwang with disappointment.
"He told me to let him go but I can't." Master Hwang answered and he sounds like he was about to cry.
"You know, we won't let him leave us again. He will stay here forever with us. Now, just in time."
Master Park walked closer to me and stop on my head. He then starts pulling the bed. I began to panic about what are they going to do next to me. "Where are you taking me?!" I asked in panic but master Park even master Hwang who was following behind with that creature inside of the cube didn't answer me.
I stared at the place we passing through and I realized that it was the hallway I went earlier. Master Park stops and opens the door beside him. He pulled the bed inside of it and there, I saw master Lee and master Leelex standing there as if waiting for our arrival. I looked around the room and realized that it was an operating room.
"W-wait! What is this?!" I start to struggle as panic took over me. "Please don't hurt me! Please!" I begged and cried again in fear.
Master Hwang came closer to me. He then touched my wet cheek. "Don't worry, this won't take long. We will make you remember us and accept us."
"No! Let me go!" I screamed, began thrashing but I couldn't get out. The strap is too tight.
Soon I realized what are they meaning. I remember the files I read. They all went to the ward and then there's something-- My thoughts snap out as I felt master Lee hold my knee. Master Kim did mention their suffering because of me and now they make me feel the same way as they did. They also want me to suffer just like them for what? To accept them? To remind me that I did wrong? I'm not the person who made them suffer, it's the weird doctor. But why, why are they blaming me?
I closed my eyes tightly, I tried to remember. I tried to remember my past. I do remember master Lee but I don't know him. I remember master Kim but I don't know him either. I don't know! But there's one thing I do remember. I open my eyes and locked eyes with master Hwang. I remember him. He's the weird idol who approach me and treat me to eat with him. I didn't talk to him much or long because my friends called me out.
My heart slammed around inside my chest as soon as I saw master Park pull out the tucker telephone. Master Hwang and master Leelex release me before placing me on another old and molded with blood on its restraint chair. They locked the strap in both on my hands, ankles, and even my waist. I was too weak to even struggle. My wounds are still hurting from the previous event.
I stared at the tucker telephone in fear. It's a torture device designed using parts from an old-fashioned crank telephone. The electric generator of the telephone is wired in sequence to two dry cell batteries so that the instrument can be used to administer electric shocks to a person. Master Leelex wrapped the ground wire around my toe and the hot wire on the other one. I clenched my hands tightly, digging my nails into my palm. I can't stop crying, thinking another pain will come to me.
"This will be enough for you or not?" Master Lee touched the crank on the phone and he turned it on, and an electric current shoot into my entire body.
I screamed in horrible pain. I could feel the electricity run through my entire body. I began shivering violently as my vision began to fade. I felt my body going limp as it become paralyzed. I can't feel my body anymore. I can't scream, the only thing I do was like choking as if I was poison or something. I made a grunting sound as the electricity continue to run through me. Master Lee added more and more electricity and that's ended up hurting me more. I couldn't take it anymore. I let my tears slide as my vision began to fade, drowning me into the deepest darkness.
"Sunoo!" I heard a voice. It's muffled but I can understand that whoever it was, it's calling me. "Sunoo!"
I gasp and looked around me. I found myself seating inside of the bus with Jinki beside me. Am I in my memory again?
"You've been sleeping." He said while eating his chips. No, this is out of words. Jinki didn't say that and I wasn't sleeping that time. "Oh! We're here! Come on!"
We get out of the bus and walked to the familiar street. There are no people around here just like before until we meet a few girls, squealing and holding light sticks and a fan with the face of their idol on it. "Oh, there's a fan meeting here? Ya, let's check it out!"
Jinki pulled my arm and dragged me towards the crowd. From here, I can see the small stage with five people dancing on it, and when we stopped on the back of the horde of girls going crazy over them, just in time the performance ends. They hold hands and bow their heads.
"Woah, this is the first time I went to a fan meeting!" Jinki said with full of excitement.
This scene, I remember this. I clearly remember this. After Jinki said that I told him that I want to eat but this time, I remain silent and watched the group greeting their fans. Telling that will fluttered the fans. My eyes went to the certain guy who was wiping his sweat. His thick brows were clenched together because of the heat. It's master Hwang.
Master Hwang's eyes move to me and that's when we had eye contact. He stared at me in awe.
I closed my eyes and when I opened it again. The next thing I see was myself seating inside of the food store and facing the glass wall where I can see the empty street.
"Hey, I'm sorry I was late."
I looked beside me and found master Hwang smiling at me. His face is more peaceful than how it was supposed to be. I can't stop my tears pooling again in my eyes. I covered my face and let my tears slide.
"Hey, Leelex! Are you done with your workbook?"
I hurriedly put my hands down only to find myself in the school library, seating on a chair with books in front of me. Wait, I remember this. This is the time when I study in Sydney. This event before my parents died. I looked around until I found master Leelex in front of one of the bookshelves. There's a girl and a guy beside him.
"Yeah? Why?"
"Great! Then let's grab a drink?" The girl asked and master Leelex shook his head.
"I'm sorry but I can't. I want to study more often now."
I watched as he laughed with them. He looks more innocent than right now. He looks like a ray of sunshine just like me but unlike me, he is the real sun of the dark. I jump when I noticed master Leelex taking a seat in front of me. We made eye contact and he smiled. Now, I remember him. We become friends back then. He teaches me how to speak English, he let me know everything about the new scenery of this country.
A loud thunder woke me up and now I found myself under the shelter with master Leelex crying in front of me while hugging me.
"Please, please don't leave me alone." He begged, I felt his tight hug, I felt his warmth and it's comforting for some reason.
I looked at the lonely street of the night. This day, this time, this when my parents after their funeral, and I need to go back to Korea. This is when I said sorry.
All I could hear was silence. I slowly open my eyes only to find myself still in this room. I can't stop thinking. I can't stop thinking of how it's my fault for their suffering?
It was a surprise when I wasn't tied in this chair anymore. I stood up, not feeling any pain. I let my legs walk to the door and opened it. I almost scream when a nurse greeted me. He's smiling at me.
"Oh, you're awake."
What? Who is this? Is this a dream right? How, how can this nurse talk to me. I looked behind me but I don't see anyone.
"Come here," He said and harshly held my arm. He dragged me out of the room. I observe the hallway and this place is new.
We head to the hospital cafeteria for the patients. No, it's not an ordinary hospital. The place looks so old and too stinky. What is this place? I spotted the masters seating on the long table with rotten flesh on their plates. They all look so thin and pale, bags under their eyes and stitches all around on their body.
Wait, what is this? What memory is this? I don't remember this!
"Remember..." The nurse whispered in my ears.
My body suddenly moved on its own, grabbing the metal chopsticks and shoving them on the nurse's neck. I pulled out the stick then stuck it again on his neck, I repeatedly do that, not even minding the blood-spitting on my body. I scream like a madman and soon I felt someone just grab me. I looked behind me and saw master Hwang's crying face. He shaking his head.
"What's with the commotion?!" We heard a voice. Somehow that voice makes my skin crawl.
What? What is happening?