The Path to a Forgotten Horror
I can't get out. ///// -I can't get out.- As soon as Sunmin snapped back to reality, she realized she was standing there dazed, in a place she didn't recognize. She looked around with a bewildered expression. Then, suddenly, the pungent stench that prickled her nose made her wrinkle her face in disgust. The overwhelming foul odor helped her senses clear a little. Right after that, the clanking sound came. Something rushed right under her feet. She turned her gaze in the direction the noise came from. The corridor was filled with messy piles of trash. In the middle of the garbage mound, something was writhing. As she stared intently, something suddenly poked its head out between the gaps. She gasped and sucked in empty air, but when she realized it was just a rat, her startled heart began to calm slightly. The rat's sharp nose twitched as it stared with eyes that somehow felt ominous in their pitch blackness. Then, it quickly disappeared somewhere. Sunmin tried to calm her racing heart as she watched the rat vanish into the darkness. Had she not been thinking straight? She didn't know where she was. She didn't even know why she was here. At that moment, a chilly breeze brushed past her skin. Mixed with the musty smell, a faint, vaguely familiar scent of mold and something else drifted by. In that instant, Sunmin felt a strange sense of familiarity with this place. Had she been here once before? She tilted her head curiously and faced the long corridor lined with trash. She slowly stepped forward along it. Various kinds of trash surrounded her. From old newspapers to paper boxes torn raggedly, torn books, broken umbrellas, and unnaturally damaged dolls. Rat corpses lay scattered, with maggots writhing on top of them. Chills ran down her spine. Her body trembled for multiple reasons. Still, why did this place feel so familiar? Like she had been here once. The things in front of her eyes and even her actions gave off a sense of déjà vu. As she walked, oddly, the corridor had no windows. It felt like she was walking through a basement hallway. She advanced through it, trembling with fear. As time passed, the fear only grew. Her breathing quickened. Her legs, which were barely stepping on the ground, shook violently. She was terrified. But she couldn't stay here forever. The thought that she had to get out filled her mind. As she walked along the seemingly endless corridor, she finally reached a staircase leading up to the next floor. The stairs were also piled high with trash. Some spots had cracks, making it look dangerously unstable. And above it... "Hah!" She jolted in surprise. Something was there. At the halfway point on the stairs, someone was peeking out from a corner. When their eyes met, the person suddenly disappeared. Sunmin's body froze in place. She couldn't move. She swallowed dryly. By now, cold sweat was beading up on her back. She licked her dry lips and hesitated to climb the stairs. But when she looked back at the corridor she'd come from, there it was again. At the very end of the corridor, something was peeking out and staring at her. She was shocked. She covered her mouth with her hand and sucked in air. Her body began to tremble like a leaf. The danger alarms were ringing all over her body now. After a long hesitation, she climbed the stairs despite the extreme fear. Tears were close to spilling over from the terror. Her breathing didn't calm down easily. Trembling with anxiety, she climbed the stairs, wondering if something was watching her again. She barely made it to the next floor. Again, the same corridor stretched on. But this time, windows were visible. Had they reached the surface? Through the windows, she could see outside. It was dim outside, but the sight that briefly came into view felt strangely familiar. The sense of déjà vu became clearer. After a long time of thinking, an exclamation escaped her. "Ah!" She finally remembered where this place was. But she wondered if remembering it was a mistake. 'Why me...' She couldn't understand. When she had arrived here, and so late at night, by herself. Sadly, she had no memory of being alone here. Why? She didn't remember what she had done before. She remembered being at the pension, but... Then came the sound of footsteps. And not just that. From somewhere, a small voice was murmuring. Ah! The fear swelled up even larger. Her breath felt blocked by the terror. Sunmin bit her lip hard. Tears were already flowing down her cheeks. And... "Sunmin-ah..." Suddenly, her own name called out near her ear. She turned around in shock. The atmosphere suddenly changed. /////// "What happened...?" The pitch-black darkness vanished instantly. Under the bright white lights, an extremely clean corridor appeared. And below it, people in patient gowns were gathered in small groups, chatting calmly. Sunmin found it hard to accept the current situation. "Are you okay?" As the voice came again, she turned her head to the side. An elderly woman with a worried expression was looking at her. "Hm?" "Oh dear... How did you end up here at such a young age? Are you very sick?" The elderly woman asked gently. Only then could Sunmin see her own outfit. Like the people who had suddenly appeared, she was wearing the same patient gown. Ah! Sunmin began to feel even more confused. She couldn't understand what was happening. "Where are you sick? Is that why you came here?" "T-that... I, I don't know. Where is this place? Why am I here... Why... am I here?" Sunmin began to ramble in confusion. Seeing her unsteady and anxious, the elderly woman clicked her tongue sadly and sighed deeply. Yet, she looked at Sunmin with a comforting gaze, as if she were familiar with such a figure. "Tsk tsk... At a young age, things must be bad for you. Still, don't worry. This place is pretty good, you know. If we stay together, you'll feel better." "W-what are you talking about? Wh-why together?" Looking at Sunmin's confused rambling, the elderly woman drew a very sad smile and gently held Sunmin's hand. Nevertheless, Sunmin couldn't soothe the current confusion. Rather, the elderly woman who suddenly appeared to comfort her seemed more suspicious. "L-let go! Where is this place exactly! I-I am not a patient!" "Oh my..." When Sunmin shook off the elderly woman's hand and shouted, the gazes of the surrounding people began to focus on her. They all looked at her with expressions full of sympathy. It was as if they thought she had an official problem. Sunmin felt even stronger rejection from the pitying eyes of those people. She shook her head and backed away. "I-I'll say it again. I am not a patient! There must be some kind of mistake!" "Oh dear... Maybe it's serious. We should call a nurse, don't you think?" The elderly woman asked another patient who looked about the same age. The patient glanced at Sunmin, shook her head, and said it would be good to call a nurse. Hearing their reaction, Sunmin burst into tears and cried out sharply. "I am not a patient! S-something is wrong!" Then, she hurriedly moved as if running from that spot. The corridor stretched long. On the left, there were windows. Bright sunlight was shining outside. Underneath, people in patient gowns were strolling around the building. It felt so peaceful, but for Sunmin, none of this situation made sense. On the other side, there were several rooms. They all looked like wards. Inside, patients were gathered, talking to each other. When they noticed Sunmin was watching, they all turned their heads toward her. Their gazes were strangely chilling. She had to leave that place as if fleeing again. 'What happened? Where... where is this place?' She still couldn't understand. It was absurd. She was definitely... at the pension. The building was definitely abandoned. As if time had been reversed... At that moment, Sunmin's footsteps stopped abruptly. And she saw. The nameplate on the door of the ward. The name was so familiar. She stared at the nameplate on the door. "Kim Jinsu... Choi Yongha... Lee Yeonji..." She frowned. Her heart began to race violently. Hesitant, Sunmin carefully opened the closed door.