The Shadow of the Cursed Building
The woman who devoured people stared endlessly at the building, then cautiously reached out her hand. She hesitated with each motion, her expression seeming about to dissolve into tears. A profound terror seemed to well up inside her. That was when Hwan witnessed a chilling scene that sent a chill down his spine. Inside the building, all the restless spirits who had lost their way and wandered in sorrow came to a sudden halt. And then… they turned their heads, shifting their gaze to the woman who wept and trembled just outside the iron gate. Her eyes, deep and black like abysses that swallowed the void, flickered with the stench of hell as they called out to her. Hwan felt an eerie blend of dread and curiosity at this grotesque sight. Were these spirits trying to keep her from coming here? Or were they hoping she would join them? Did they envy the living, and did they wish for her to be swallowed here too, lost in the same endless wandering? He could not fully decipher their intentions. Yet the sight stirred an inexplicable unease that prickled at the back of his neck. At the same time, the woman’s gaze, heavy with secrets, now reached toward the building on the brink of collapse. It felt as though she was on the verge of stepping inside at any moment. Perhaps she was listening to those voices calling her. Did she possess spiritual sensitivity?
“It’s dangerous, right?” Hwan’s voice sliced through the silence. The woman jolted, yanked her hand from the signboard, and took two steps back. Her face had grown deathly pale, beads of sweat forming on her forehead. She panted heavily. “J-just a moment ago… w-what kind of voice…?”
“A voice?” Hwan echoed, puzzled. The woman pressed her lips tightly together and turned her gaze back to the building, then shook her head. Hwan watched her and faced the building itself. The spirits that had summoned her moments earlier had vanished without a trace. He approached the gate. Beside the entrance, surrounded by towering, eerie mountains that reached high into the sky, he remarked, “There seems to be some story behind this place.”
“N-no? What story?” The woman replied, stammering. Hwan continued, “This building looks like it has its own secrets. If possible, I’d like to hear your story. What troubles you here? Despite my rough appearance, I’m a priest. If you have any worries, I’m here to listen. If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll do what I can.”
“Ah… that’s… I…” She trailed off, her eyes darting back to the building beyond the bars. She bit her lip. Something was clearly wrong. Her eyes, clouded with sorrow and fear, spoke volumes. After a long moment of hesitation, her gaze returned to Hwan. Finally, her lips began to quiver cautiously. /////// Guided by the woman, they arrived at the pension. It was unexpected. In such a small village, there was a pension… Three two-story pension buildings stood, and the one on the far right belonged to the owners, a couple, she explained. It had originally been their business, she said. A few days ago, the grandfather had passed away. Now only the grandmother remained. Despite this, the woman—whose name she introduced as Sumin—greeted the lonely owner with warmth. The grandmother seemed to remember her. She welcomed her back, but not with open joy; instead, her expression was filled with quiet sorrow. “It must have been hard to come back. Why return now?” “Just… I wanted to come back. By the way, I didn’t know the grandfather had passed away.” “It’s alright… He lived a full life. He went to sleep peacefully, like one who has rested. You don’t have to grieve or feel sorry. It’s the hour of death, after all.” “Is that so?” “Yes… By the way, do you know the one behind you?” The grandmother pointed behind her. Sumin let out a soft sigh and stared blankly at Hwan. “A person I met nearby. He needed a place to stay because there was something happening here, so I brought him along. By the way, you’re still running the pension?” “Welcome. I’m Hwan.” Hwan bowed his head respectfully. The grandmother smiled kindly and nodded. Her expression was remarkably gentle. “Oh! So you need a place to rest? Well… since no guests come here, feel free to come in and rest as long as you like. We won’t charge you.” “Ah! You really don’t have to do that. I’ll pay.” Hwan pulled out his wallet in surprise, but the grandmother shook her head and refused firmly. “It’s fine… We were thinking of closing the business anyway.” “B-but why?” Sumin asked with a sigh. The grandmother’s expression grew bitter as she glanced at the pension building one by one, as if carrying its own burdens. “It’s time to stop… It’s hard to manage alone, and hardly any visitors come anyway. If only my husband were still here, we could do something together. Even I find it difficult to walk these days.” “Still, it must be sad.” The grandmother smiled faintly. “I started this business in a remote place to spend my final years comfortably. Even if it’s only a short time, I’ve accumulated memories, and I can’t be happier. Not many people came, but the occasional visitors made it joyful. So now it’s enough. Since I’ve lived well enough, it’s time to let go…” “By the way, Sumin, are you staying the whole day today? If you want, you can rest as long as you like.” “Ah… yes… I was thinking of that.” “I see… Did something bring you here because of that? If you’re thinking of going back there again, please don’t. As I’ve said many times… it’s too dangerous.” “Does the grandmother know about that place too?” At that moment, Hwan’s interest piqued. The grandmother sighed deeply and replied, “I don’t know the details like Sumin does, but I can sense something eerie about it. The rumors aren’t good. And yet again, an accident happened there. Why would you want to go back to a place like that? Just… it’s better for you to forget and live on…” Sumin lowered her head. “But… I can’t do that.” A slight tremor laced her voice. She still couldn’t forget that day… “I can’t erase the memories of that day. No matter how hard I try, I can’t. Since then, I haven’t been able to sleep peacefully for even a single day. I’m constantly tormented by nightmares.” “Still…?” “Yes… Every time I see my friends wandering around that building, they ask me for a way out. In my dreams, I can’t help them at all…” “I see… You really suffered… What should I do…” The grandmother sighed deeply, then clicked her tongue briefly and glanced at Hwan. While listening to their conversation, Hwan wandered around the pension buildings until his eyes fixed on the house where the grandmother lived. The grandmother’s gaze returned to Sumin, and she took her hand tightly in her own. “It will be hard… it will hurt… but you have your life. You must live it. Unfortunately, I can’t help you directly, but I hope you find happiness again.” “Thank you, Grandmother.” /////// Instant coffee sat before them. Hwan lifted the paper cup and took a sip, then wrinkled his nose. It was far inferior to coffee freshly brewed. Beside him, Sumin sat with a gloomy expression. A cup of coffee sat in front of her, but she hadn’t taken even a single sip. She only sighed repeatedly. She looked exhausted. As she recalled every incident, she tried to explain to Hwan the events that were hard to believe and impossible to explain scientifically. Perhaps worried that he would think her mad, she often checked his reaction. Still, once the story began to flow, it came out in a rush. Especially the one who regretted most deeply leaving her friends behind and fleeing alone. “Ever since that day, I’ve been having nightmares every night. As I told the grandmother, in my dreams I always wander through that building. In terror, I call out the names of my friends, Yongha and Jinsoo. And if I meet them, they look so sad. They tell me to get out, but say they can’t leave. They say there’s no exit anywhere. And they beg me: Please let me out! They say they want to leave, but I can’t find the exit either. Eventually, something chases me and I wake up from the nightmare.”