An eternity seemed to pass in those moments.
Finally, the footsteps receded.
They exhaled slowly, then cupped their palms over the flashlights to dim the glow and switched them back on.
After listening intently and judging no more monsters approached from ahead, they uncovered the lights and shone them forward.
The group exchanged anxious words.
"Unless there's another exit we don't know about, those fuckers are in the next building too…."
Seo-ah voiced a hopeful wish.
Not the sound of something falling, but metal slamming against the wall.
Before they could react, a cacophony of noises flooded the corridor.
[There… they're there… let us… in… inside… yes… anyone… we're… com… ing… coming!]
"Fuck—run!"
How the hell did they know their position?
The footsteps weren't walking anymore—they were charging.
Stealthy escape abandoned, the group whipped around and bolted without a backward glance.
They relied on wildly shaking flashlight beams, knocking over anything they touched to buy even a second.
But the footsteps behind never paused, not even for a heartbeat.
"Ajusshi! Huff… this bag…! Why's it… so… heavy…?!"
"If you… have breath… to talk… run!"
In the flashing darkness, Arin fixed her eyes on the vague silhouette of the person ahead.
Pain stabbed her chest as her breath rose to her jawline; she clutched it.
She nearly tripped over unseen obstacles but somehow kept balance.
Then she reached back to shove Seo-ah, who was falling behind, her strength fading.
"C'mon… hang in there, Seo-ah…."
Arin meant to add that they were almost there, that the gap hadn't closed yet.
But her head snapped back.
A sudden impact at her eye socket, followed by searing pain, stole her words.
"Agh!"
Her vision blood-red and spinning, Arin slumped against the wall, staggering.
She wondered if she'd missed an obstacle, groped the wall, and stumbled forward.
Forcing her eyes open, she realized through the fleeting flashlight beam—drawing near then away—that it'd been Seo-ah's flashlight slamming her face.
Meant to help her, but it scared her instead?
Arin pressed her palm silently to her throbbing eye and lifted her head.
Just then, the beam swung backward—Seo-ah turning.
"I'm fi—"
Seo-ah extended her free hand.
Arin reached toward her.
Arin's hand swiped empty air.
Seo-ah shoved the boxes leaning against the wall right onto her.
"Huh?"
Beyond the collapsing pile, Seo-ah glanced back.
For a split second, the flashlight beam reflected off the wall, dimly illuminating her face—twisted in a smile.
Arin stared vacantly into the passage ahead, where only fading flashlight glow and retreating footsteps echoed.
Then countless hands seized her body in the pitch black.
Before the hot sting from nails raking her skin could fully register, teeth gnashed.
Agonizing pain engulfed her entire body.
"Ah… KYAAAHHH!!"
Deprived of sight, every sense sharpened unbearably.
Arms, legs, shoulders—every part torn and shredded.
Pain raced up her spine, battering her skull.
Sensation of movement faded from her body.
Pain alone remained.
Something pierced her abdomen, burrowed in, yanked out her insides.
That final torment snapped her mind.
"Haaak!"
Her vision blazed suddenly bright.
Streetlights pierced the night sky at dusk.
Arin sat on a weathered wooden bench, rolling her eyes in confusion, unable to grasp the situation.
A pink bag lay beside her.
She had no idea how she'd gone from being mauled underground to sitting here in the exact pose as when she first awoke.
But one thing was clear: she couldn't let those things spot her again.
She tumbled behind the bench and flattened herself.
Only then did her last memory resurface.
"Urk!"
Seo-ah—the woman who'd seemed so kind—had used her as bait and ditched her.
Right after, her body ripped apart, guts spilling.
The recollection hit; Arin dry-heaved, forehead to the ground.
For long minutes, she pawed her limbs as if disbelieving they were intact, puking stomach acid.
Finally calming, she wiped her mouth on her sleeve—and stared at her hand, letting out an incredulous laugh.
"Why the hell am I even here…? And why's my body still this fucking mess…?!"
On the rustling fallen leaves, Arin curled fetal against the bench's back, muttering curses quietly.
One corner of her mind screamed to find a safe spot before those things caught her again.
But after back-to-back shocks in less than half a day, she just huddled tighter and squeezed her eyes shut.
"Ah…."
She slipped into sleep at some point.
When her eyes opened, the streetlights were off; the sun had risen high in their place.
Morning dew soaked her body.
She hauled herself up stiffly and peeked cautiously over the bench.
The scene matched yesterday's exactly.
Monsters mimicking ordinary people going about daily life.
Their razor teeth still clicked audibly—but they ignored their surroundings completely.
The disconnect chilled her.
Trembling hands slung the empty pink bunny bag over her shoulder.
Arin stepped onto the sidewalk.
Relief washed over her; the info from yesterday held—they ignored you in daylight if undisturbed.
So far.
"Thirsty…."
A few convenience stores passed, but shelves visible through glass were barren or crammed with mystery meat lumps.
Nothing edible.
She licked her parched lips and wandered aimlessly.
As the sky reddened, she stopped before a small building.
Green cross mark on the sign, alongside red-and-blue striped cylinders.
Unreadable text, but obvious: a pharmacy.
Arin pushed the door open and slipped inside, scanning behind the counter.
No one.
Dust everywhere.
Safe.
She hopped the counter, locked the front door, and yanked down the curtains over the glass.
The water purifier was dead.
But she found purified and distilled water bottles.
She cracked one and chugged.
Stuffed a few in her bag, plus energy drinks, jelly—light snacks for her gnawing hunger.
"Should be fine, right?"
She recalled warnings: fine short-term, but no minerals—bad long-term.
Irrelevant now.
She ducked into the back manufacturing room and lay down.
Tight space—even her shrunken body couldn't stretch comfortably.
But deepest room, curtains blocking view: psychologically secure.
She lay watching light seep through curtains, dimming gradually.
Popped a jelly, rolled it on her tongue for sugar, reflecting on her plight.
I couldn't see it, but I definitely died… No wounds, so not rescued… It was night, so not a game reset… Not a dream either….
Everything real: girl body, bizarre world, man-eating monsters, untrustworthy survivors—from another world, no less.
No positives.
Arin let out a hollow chuckle and closed her eyes.
"I just wanna go home… Even that shitty company'd be fine…."
She sneered, imagining hugging the slacker boss who dumped work and the nagging section chief.
Tears streamed down her cheeks; she wiped them furiously.
Even these tears—'cause of this damn body.
The long night passed.
Sun rose over the horizon.
Bright light pierced the curtains; Arin winced, hauling her aching body up.
Grateful for an uneventful night, she headed to the counter.
Yesterday: instinct, just water and food.
Now, rested: meds too.
Painkillers, bandages, mercurochrome, Band-Aids—essentials swept into her bag.
She peeked by lifting a curtain corner.
"They said people know about places like this… so plenty must've escaped…."
If info's widespread, government countermeasures distributed—more survivors than it seems, maybe organized rescues with enough data.
Arin unlocked the door and stepped out, glancing back at the pharmacy.
Good spot, but needed real food, water—and all-glass front too risky.
Time to find somewhere else.
She walked on.
