The Grip of the Scissors
The alley lay submerged in pitch-black darkness. The single streetlight that had flickered uncertainly for days had finally died for good. Hyesu stood before the passage, where she could barely see two steps ahead, and let out a sigh laced with irritation.
They never bother fixing that damn streetlight, and now it’s completely out!
Unease clouded her face. Every instinct screamed at her to turn back. But it was already late. Cutting through the alley was the only way to avoid a long detour along the main road, and the thought of that extra hassle exhausted her.
She pulled out her phone. It was well past midnight. Early October, the long summer finally yielding to autumn, yet the wind cut like winter—sharp, merciless. Hyesu hunched her shoulders against the cold. At twenty-four, she was on the cusp of graduation, pouring every ounce of herself into her final exhibition for Western painting. That meant late nights had become routine.
The walk from campus was long. Even leaving a little late plunged her into full night, and lately her graduation project forced her down this same gloomy alley every single time. She should have grown used to it by now. Instead, the unease only deepened.
She often daydreamed about moving closer to school. But wishes were cheap; reality was not. Seoul rent had been jaw-droppingly expensive when she first arrived from the countryside. She couldn’t keep burdening her parents, so she had chosen this cheaper district despite the distance. Even here the rent wasn’t exactly a bargain, just more reasonable than the alternatives. That was why she had worked part-time without rest throughout her university years.
Looking back, she felt a quiet pride in how she had balanced studies and jobs for four straight years. She had no idea how she had survived it. Yet here she was, graduation finally in sight. Just a little longer. Then she could escape this desolate place once and for all.
I’ve endured it for four years. I can manage a little more.
This neighborhood was essentially a village of studio apartments. Most students stayed only while attending school before moving on. Just beyond the alley lay the bustling streets, always crowded with people. Once she left this stretch behind, the area near her home was far from quiet. All she had to do was survive this one path.
There had been chances to move somewhere brighter, closer to the lively districts. They would have cost more, of course, but she had worked without a single day off and even taken extra shifts during breaks. Money wasn’t strangling her. She could have moved anytime she chose.
Yet each time an opportunity appeared, she hesitated. Do I really need to move? I’ve been fine so far. No real problems. Greed whispered that something better might come along if she waited. So she let the chances slip, and now the moment to leave had passed her by.
Still, it wasn’t so bad. The path was creepy, but the apartment itself was decent—newly built, clean, well-managed. No neighbor troubles. Best of all, the rent was cheap. There was no reason to pay premium prices for a place near school or in the noisy downtown. As long as she could endure this one eerie stretch, her cozy, affordable home waited at the end.
Four years of walking this route, yet the tension still rose in her throat. She swallowed hard, then stepped forward with careful deliberation.
Click, click.
Her heels sounded unusually loud tonight. Her heart hammered even louder. The atmosphere felt heavier than usual. She kept glancing over her shoulder. A horror variety show she had watched on OTT flashed through her mind—ghosts appearing in alleys just like this one, silently trailing their victims.
The ghost’s makeup in that episode had been terrifyingly convincing. Now the memory made her spine crawl with gooseflesh. She looked back again out of habit. Nothing. The alley remained empty, silent as a grave. Only stray cats occasionally flashed eerie eyes at her before vanishing into the shadows.
This place felt quieter than usual. Did anyone actually live here? She scanned the buildings—large villas, old single-family homes—but few windows showed light. The emptiness felt unnatural.
Shrugging off the chill, she walked faster and pulled out her wireless earphones. She usually preferred podcasts, but tonight a song seemed safer than calm voices. An upbeat track began to play. For a moment, the tension in her chest eased.
She breathed a sigh of relief and continued. Her footsteps quickened.
She had reached the middle of the alley. A popular idol song filled her ears. Yet the strange foreboding refused to leave her. She desperately wanted to be out of here.
Then she glanced back.
A gasp caught in her throat.
Someone was there.
Her eyes flew wide. The figure looked large, imposing. The darkness made it impossible to tell if it was a man or woman, but the sheer size suggested male. He stood perfectly still, watching her.
Her heart exploded into a frantic rhythm. Anxiety dried her mouth; she licked her lips without thinking. Forcing herself to appear calm, she turned forward again and kept walking.
Click… click… click…
The sound of her heels cut through the music. The end of the alley still felt impossibly far. She could no longer focus on the song. Every sense strained toward the presence growing steadily closer behind her.
Cold sweat trickled down her forehead. Her pace quickened to a near run. The heavy footsteps followed, unmistakable now, drawing nearer with every second.
News clips she had seen on Reels flashed through her mind—random assaults on young women, sexual violence, the grotesque scenes from that horror show. Each memory stabbed at her fear.
Her heart raced so violently she thought it might burst. Her mouth was bone-dry. Swallowing brought only a scratchy pain. Still, the end of the alley finally appeared. The streetlight there looked like salvation.
Just a little farther…
Suddenly the presence that had seemed distant was right behind her. Between the notes of the song, she felt it with horrifying clarity.
Her body locked up, frozen mid-step. She began to shake like a leaf in a storm. Her breathing came in shallow gasps. The streetlight was so close, yet her legs refused to move.
Then the song ended.
In the brief silence before the next track began, she heard it clearly—rapid footsteps rushing toward her.
“Oh my God!”
Hyesu screamed and whipped around.
No one was there.
The alley stretched empty behind her, silent as ever. Cold sweat slid down her temples. Her heart refused to slow. What had just happened?
A new song started in her earphones. She yanked one out and stared into the vacant darkness. She had seen a large figure. She had heard someone running. She was certain.
What… what the hell is going on?
Had she imagined it? No. She couldn’t have. It had been real. It had been right there—