Chapter 18
It's quiet. Too quiet to the point that Hyeop only can hear was his own breathing. He looked at the chain looped around his ankle, he tried to release himself and when he finally out from the chain, he stood up and run up to the stairs. He reached over the knob but stopped into halt when he noticed his sleeves. He stared at it for awhile and realized that it was a coat and underneath it was a button-up shirt. He checked his pants also change to knee short and he was already wearing a knee black sock with black shoes.
It was like he's wearing some kind of old uniform.
Hyeop shook his head and opened the door.
He expected someone was walking in the hallway but didn't see anyone. It was quiet and the whole place seemed like covered in ashes.
What happened here?
All he could remember that there was the sound of a weird bell and then something's odd happening in his right arm, after that, everything turned like this; when he opened his eyes from the pain.
He looked out from the window and see nothing but forest covered in white ashes, there's even few of it falling like a snow and the thick fog covered the whole place. Hyeop ears perked when he heard something shattered, he nearly jumped out of his skin.
He looked around and see no one. Besides, the noise seemed coming from somewhere in the house. His heart was pounding in his chest as he could hear the echoing of the loud thumping that seemed to be all that he could hear in this silent house.
This situation, the ashes, the sudden change was beyond comprehension and any logic if this is just his another dream. Maybe he fainted during that time and now he us dreaming again. That would be a good explanation about this. Hyeop walked along the hallway, trying to find the source of the noise.
"Junhyuk?!" he called out but no one answered and the noise suddenly stopped.
"Was that Junhyuk?"
He began running along the hallway, his echoing thumping sound of his shoes echoed in the entire house. He went upstairs and run again until his legs led him in front of the red door. A soft moans was coming behind that door, it make him shudder by thinking what is going on inside but he can't be sure.
He noticed the peep hole near on the door knob. He bent down until his face was in front of the knob, and he peeped through the hole.
His eyes widen. He froze, unable to breath from the shock. He can see his twin being manifested by one of their kidnappers but he can't see the pain, the fear; Junhyuk seemed like he was enjoying his time with him.
Hyeop quickly stood up, backing away until his back hit the wall.
What is happening?
"Was that Junhyuk?"
He felt his knees wobble and slide down on the floor, shocked.
He stared at the door for almost hours. He no longer can hear any noise coming from them but only faint sobs from his twin, it broke his heart but he was too shocked to even break in and save his twin. It felt like he was completely cut off from the world. He felt like he would suffocate.
Hyeop blinked when he see the knob moved and the door slowly opened until he see Hyunsung in front of him without wearing anything. He can also see his twin inside, crying.
Hyunsung smiled at Hyeop making him shivered in fear and with that the house was slowly turning into something sinister; walls gradually turned to chain-link fences, which were also red and dripping wet. The floor was painted in pool of blood. This was starting to look less like an abandoned house and more like a crime scene.
He noticed the whole place became darker now.
"He's here!" shouted Hyunsung and a cold wind hit his skin.
Hyeop sat frozen. His horrified gaze was fixated on the far corner of the hallway where he just went hours ago.
As Hyeop was about to get up, a fierce roar shook his eardrums. It was an unpleasant sound that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Whatever made the sound was uncomfortably close.
"They're mad, you should prepare yourself Hyeopil."
Hyeop eyes are back at him and he see him smirking at him as if mocking him. His eyes moved back inside the room and see his twin already looking at him with fright. Junhyuk suddenly get and run to Hyeop but Hyunsung held his arm and threw him back to the bed before straddling him.
"J-Junhyuk..." Hyeop suddenly coughed, crawling to get up but the pungent, fishy breathing was already behind him.
In that moment, Hyeop was slammed against the bloody wall and crumpled to the blood-stained ground. The impact hit him harder than falling on the ninth floor.
In the corner of his vision, he could just barely see a strange, hideous figure lumbering towards him. Before he even had time to feel the pain, his consciousness began to fade.
***
"Why did you hit him?!" shouted Jihae after witnessing what Jeongsun just did.
They couldn't understand what happened to Hyeop that time but after hearing the bell, he began acting strange until he suddenly ran off and the chains cut off by its own. They chased him of course but his speed was unbelievable that even their speed can't match his.
In that moment, Hyeop suddenly vanished until they heard Hyunsung shouted, and they found him here. Jeongsun was too quick to strike Hyeop and used his strength to knock him off.
"What is going on?!" Minhee came rushing while holding the bell. He had the bell since it was the sign of their near hunt.
The room closed to Hyunsung's and Seunghyun came out, looking at Hyeop before looking at them.
"Is that what happen?" Junghwan asked in shock and eyed Junhyuk who was just seating beside him and Sungjoon.
It was now early night and the whole members of the house were having dinner except the outcast which was Hyeop who was now tied in the basement on top of the table. Ever since, the outcast hasn't woken up yet. "Is he really the gloat? I mean what was that?!" Sungjoon asked too in shock.
Junhyuk stared at the served food before him. He can't stop thinking about his twin.
"I would love to find out," Jeongsun mumbled and nibbled the meat.
"I think... not? I mean... I don't know what kind of species Hyeopil is. I tried to find anything about his ability but I cannot find any," Seunghyun said.
Junhyuk knew what his twin was, and what happened to him that time. He could not stop worrying over his twin. He wanted to see him and check on him like he always used to whenever he is stress.
"What happened to you Jeongsunie? You have red circle around your eyes, you didn't sleep?" Hyunsung said and brought the food into his mouth. Obviously, changing the topic.
"No..." said Jeongsun and shook his head. "I felt like I've been watched from... " he paused and looked around him as if wanting to see something through the dark spaces.
They stared at Jeongsun until he sighed and dropped the chopsticks. He stood up and walked away leaving the others in question.
"What happened to him?" asked Junghwan.
"No idea," answered Jihae and shrugged before continued eating the beef.
"I want to do the stuffing," Fin suddenly said and looked at Hyunsung who quickly shook his head.
"You only ruins everything! You can only bake!" Hyunsung said hastily.
"Who will you stuff? Is it Hyeopil?" Minhee asked sheepishly as if Junhyuk wasn't in the table.
Fin sent him a glare and snarled at him causing Minhee chuckled. Junhyuk remained silent, listening to their sick conversation. He dropped his chopsticks and stood up, telling them that he feel tired and want to go in the bed already. The others seemed okay with it and let him rest but not with Sungjoon accompany him.
Once he was already alone in the room, he stood up from the bed and head to the door. He don't want to get used to this kind of life. He hated it when he know that he receiving the proper care while his twin was suffering somewhere in the house. Hyeop did too much for him before and now, it's time to pay him back.
He must save his twin. They must get out of here before his stress reach the limit and experience something more than sinister again.
Junhyuk slowly opened the door and peeped outside. The hallway was already dark. He was glad he found a flashlight earlier. He turned on the flashlight and began walking.
A loud muffled moan of pain echoed in the whole house causing Junhyuk to freeze, heart was pounding hard.
What was happening to his twin?
Junhyuk tried to find the source of the sound until he stopped in front of the door. This door was different than any door and so he assumed that this is the basement.
"I can't... please... stop!"
Junhyuk's heart took a pace after hearing his twin's cries. Without hesitation, he opened the door and had a long way down. The heat began to pour into him. He loosened his collar and quickened his pace until he reached the ground. He shone the light on the person who was tied in the table.
Junhyuk gaped and he can't help but cry, seeing his twin tied on top of the table while his eyes were all white. There's no any pupils but only the sclera and iris, blood flowing out of his iris.
He ran to his twin and checked his eyes. He closed his eyes tight. He must get his twin's medicine, but how?
The door opened and Junhyuk quickly turned around, seeing Hyunsung standing on the stairs. When did he get in there?
"Did I told you not go out in your room unless we want to?!" said Hyunsung with domination in his voice.
"Please let me out!"
The whole group were now in the living room while listening to Junhyuk's beg and Hyeop's grunting noise. They were confused and doesn't know what to do at this time. When Junhyuk woke up, he was panicking, begging them to let him go at once to get the medicine from their cabin. Hyunsung, being a possessive alpha, he doesn't like letting Junhyuk out of the house not even once except if they need to go to the den.
Hyeop, well... not really fine since yesterday. He's still wailing.
Minhee had enough of this and decided to go in the cabin with Hyunsung and Jihae.
Right now, they are standing in front of the twins' cabin.
"I thought Jeongsun visited their dwell?" asked Jihae and watched Minhee going to the door.
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"He does?" asked Hyunsung in surprise.
"He said, he does," said Jihae again.
Minhee opened the door of the twins' cabin and just like that. The atmosphere suddenly changed into something they could not explain. The brightness became dim as if some strong storm was coming and the whole house was covered in white ashes. Minhee looked out to see Jihae and Hyunsung standing outside, both looked confused at the sudden change of the place.
Just then, Minhee saw the whole forest covered in ashes and thick fogs spread all over. What is this?
It seemed like snowing ashes.
"What just happened?" asked Hyunsung.
Jihae opened his mouth to speak but he paused, feeling something weird in his body and he knew all of them were feeling the same way as him.
Junghwan stopped playing from his ps5 when he noticed something odd happening in his surrounding. He looked up and he almost screamed when he noticed the whole place was covered in fog and white ashes.
He cursed to himself and stood up from the sofa. Just when Sungjoon skidding in the hallway with terrified expression.
"What is happening?!"
Junhyuk stopped when he noticed the whole room he was in slowly covering in white ashes as the thick fog coming through the entire house. He shook his head and cried even more. "No..." he mumbled between his sobs.
Jeongsun was just seating at Hyeop's sides while staring at him crying in blood. He long noticed the change of the place but he doesn't seems to care. His full attention was on Hyeop only. He softly touched his face.
"You're making us powerful..." he mumbled and smiled.
***
Jinki was busy writing on his essay while checking on his phone time to time, waiting for the twins' response but nothing came from them. Jinki heaved a sigh, looking at his notebook. He was about to continue his essay when he noticed the table of the library suddenly has ashes all over.
He carefully slide his finger on the ashes, looking at it up close to his face.
"When were these ashes came?" he spoke to himself and just when Homin came running.
"Jinki, I am pleased to see you," said Homin while panting.
Jinki looked up at Homin but he froze once he noticed the whole place already covered in white ashes and fog. Homin sighed and pulled Jinki outside.
The people in Gwasang was outside, wondering of what was happening, why the sudden snowing of ashes?
Homin or maybe the others tried to find a logical explanation about the bizarre phenomenon happening right now but it was hard to find the right explanation. This town either the whole forest was covered in ashes and thick fog. A loud siren suddenly heard from the entire forest and even in town.
The time extracted at exact 5pm, it slowly turned dark now as the night came and the thick ashes slowly perished away and changed into something like bloody sinister as the whole place gradually turned bloody, covered in blood and dripping wet. Before anyone knew it, their town was painted and pooled of blood.
"The fuck is happening?" Jinki asked Homin but even him doesn't know what was going on right now.
A loud angry roar roomed in the whole place sending the birds into flight. Another unpleasant roar pierced through their ears made the hairs on their body stand up. Homin being fast forward and advance, pulled Jinki to the safest house. Jinki was about to ask but in that moment, they heard the people in town screamed.
"Don't turn around!" Homin told him while still running.
They hid inside the library, locked the door and barricaded it with table and chairs. Both ran behind the counter and hide there.
Homin peeped through the window and his whole body froze in terror, unable to breath properly. The outside was a bloody mess. People were running away for their lives away from more than millions of something hideous creatures. The monster looked like a giant cockroaches in a size of a cat. They have tails and human heads.
When the creatures captured one of their victims, they will use their antennas to suck on their insides until nothing left but the bones.
Homin closed the curtains and settled himself beside Jinki. They covered their ears and forced themselves not to listen from the horrible cries and scream from the people outside.
Hyeop gasped, sitting bolt upright on the table he had been resting on. A loud cries from outside echoed in his ears made him to look up and gasp in terror. Seeing himself not in the basement anymore but in some kind of a bloody facility but this looked like the same basement he was in before.
What was happening?
Was he dreaming?
He was about to get up but something was stopping his hands and when he checked it out, he was not shock to find his both wrists chained together on the table.
A faint pierced scream echoed in the whole place. Hyeop's heartbeat was pounding hard in fear. Another scream then another one until those filled his ears and the only thing he could hear was their bloody screaming.
Hyeop looked back at the chains that looped around his wrist. He tried to pull his hands but it won't snap from the table.
"You're finally up, huh? How're you feeling?" A woman said with a faint smile. His eyes landed on the blurred figure. He don't have his glasses, he lost it when some unknown identity smashed him on the wall. It wasn't Fin nor Jihae and it most certainly wasn't Junhyuk because it was a woman based on her voice.
"Who are you?" asked Hyeop with a frown.
"I'm asking you, are you fine?"
Hyeop don't know what to say. He's fine he guess? "I think so,"
"Great," The woman stepped closer to Hyeop and put him his glasses.
Now, Hyeop can clearly see the figure in front of her. She had wavy long, blonde hair and a face that wore a tough almost masculine expression.
She was looking down at him, her arms crossed. Her gaze wasn't that of a woman eyeing a man, but of someone observing an enemy to confess his sins. However this woman has the same soft face as Fin.
The woman seemed to read his mind and nodded. "I am Lee Wonjin. Lee Fin's older sister."
"What?"
"Are you fine?" she asked again as if waiting the answers from him thought he already answered it. "Is that really?"
Hyeop only nod his head and the woman immediately released his hands from the chains. "Climb to that vent and run directly in B13 to B01. Remember not to get caught by them."
Hyeop jumped off of the table. "What? Who are 'them'?"
"You reached your worst and now everyone was experiencing --
Hyeop gasped when a large blade pierced through Wojin's chest, torso, and abdomen, blood spurting out of her and directly splattered at Hyeop's clothes and face. Hyeop stepped back frantically until his back hit the bloody wet wall. The large blade moved down until Wojin torn into half. Hyeop covered his mouth not to puke at the sight.
"Hyeopil... " said the voice and he do know who belonged that voice. It's from Jeongsun.
His eyes moved at the person who was in front of him and saw a guy with his head covered in paper bag-like metal as if hiding his face. He was holding a very large knife. Large than human size. His white button-up shirt has blood on it, its sleeve on the right side was already missing like someone ripped it off while the other sleeve was still there but there was a large rip right near on the shoulder. His black jeans was fine though and he doesn't wearing any shoes. He can see his black nails in his hands and feet.
Hyeop stared at the person in front of him. This body size, the shape, was it Jeongsun?
What happened to him?
He also noticed the barbed wires behind his metal mask, it was moving.
"A-are you... that guy named Jeongsun?"
Jeongsun moved closer to Hyeop and he began panicking. He looked around him until he remembered the vent at his side. Hyeop quickly ran to the vent but Jeongsun was quick to wrap his left arm around his waist. Hyeop began thrashing while screaming for help.
"I'm pleased to hear you say my name," Jeongsun said while dragging Hyeop back on the table. He slammed him on the table, barbed wires quickly wrapped around his wrists. He screamed in pain when he felt it dug into his skin. He straddled Hyeop until he was bottoming him. His mask retreated back to the barbed wires behind him. His face was still the same when the last time he saw him. Red circle around his eyes and blood at the corner of his lips as if he was wearing a make up to make himself look like a zombie in some party. But the difference was that his skin was pale and his eyes were white like Fin. Jeongsun held both of Hyeop's cheeks with his hands and seemingly squeezing his head too much causing the younger to scream in pain. "Because of it I'm already falling hard to you. I'm going crazy. I badly want to devour you," he added and stuck his face close to Hyeop.
Hyeop watched him in terror.
What did he just do?