Please save me..
“Please… save me.” In the end, I had no choice but to return home. “Sunja…” Even if I try to be good to you now, it won’t change anything. I’ve known all along that the nail I mercilessly drove into my wife’s chest long ago can’t be pulled out so easily. That’s why I had to live like a criminal. As long as I could save just my wife, it didn’t matter if it was hypocrisy. “Sunja… I’m here. Come out for a second, okay?” The voice trembled weakly. Yet the house remained deathly quiet. No answer came. Yongha’s gaze had already drifted to his daughter’s room several times. Each time his body shook like a pine in the storm. The young bride had warned him—if possible, do not provoke it. He couldn’t confirm exactly what, but something had possessed his daughter’s body. It might already have stolen her flesh and planted its own monstrous offspring within her. Such a being was highly alert to danger; it would kill without hesitation if it sensed any threat to itself. Right now it was extremely perilous, the bride had said. Yes… Yongha knew it all too well. Had the amulet the bride given him not been there, he would have already been dead. He knew the danger. He knew the threat was growing worse. So he had to pull his wife out of here first. Anywhere—a motel, a neighbor’s house—didn’t matter. Perhaps even the village hall would do. But where was his wife? “Sunja! Come out!” The voice shook again, dangerously. Still no reply. “This damned woman…” Anxiety swelled like a tide. Deep inside, the bride’s words screamed: run! But without his wife he couldn’t. Yongha took one deep breath and forced his trembling legs to move. He checked the bathroom just in case. Empty. He checked the master bedroom too. Still nothing. No sign of her anywhere. Then it had to be only one place. His heart hammered as if it might burst. Sweat poured down his back and refused to stop. Had she stepped outside? Maybe to buy something? But it was already too late. No one buys groceries at this hour. So… his eyes naturally turned to his daughter’s room. He fought the urge to deny it, but now it was too late. From every clue, his wife was inside that room. Tears threatened again. Sunja had always been introverted. Even as a child she never had many friends. A few women had matched her mood back then, but they had all followed their children to the city. Because of that, no one in the village now called himself her friend. Where would someone with no friends go at this hour? His breathing grew shallow with panic. His heart raced wildly. He swallowed dryly like it was habit, shifting his heavy legs with effort. His body felt impossibly leaden. He scratched his head uselessly. But he couldn’t keep standing there forever. He had to go in. Even if it was dangerous, he couldn’t abandon his wife. He didn’t want to. If he had no wife either, he couldn’t live. His body was too old to face the world alone. So… “Haa…” He drew another deep breath and finally reached his daughter’s door. Thud… thud… thud… The heartbeat sounded louder, as if shouting at him not to open it. He ignored the terrified pulse and gripped the doorknob. But his fingers refused to turn it. He couldn’t summon the courage to call her name. Ah! Entering his daughter’s room was terrifying. So terrifying he felt pathetic. Yet… creak… the door began to open slowly. The chilling friction echoed loudly, sending fresh shivers down his spine. Only on top of that came a strange, foul odor. And worse—cold air rushed in, as if a window had been left ajar. “S-Sunja…” He called his wife’s name carefully. The trembling voice echoed inside the room like he was trapped in a cave. The door opened wider, the stench and cold deeper still. Through the gap he saw his wife collapsed on the floor. “Hah! Sunja!” Panicked, Yongha rushed forward and pulled his wife into his arms. “Hey! What the hell! Wake up! Wake up, I said! Sunja!” No matter how hard he called, his wife didn’t stir. Had she fainted? Or had something strange happened to her too? Was she already dead? Terrified, he pressed his ear to her chest. Thank God—her heart was still pounding, but she remained unconscious. “Wake up! Now! You can’t stay here…” That was when a terrible fear crashed over him. Something cold and suffocating wrapped around his throat. Sweat trickled from his eyelids. He had no time to wipe it away. Yongha’s eyes turned toward the bed. Slowly… “H-Hijjin?” She wasn’t there. The girl who should have been on the bed was gone. Thud… thud… thud… The heartbeat grew louder still. Chill rose down his spine, his breath shortening. Then… creak… a horrifying sound came from behind. His body jerked. Too afraid to turn his head. Step… step… the sound of approaching footsteps. Was it his daughter? Or something wearing her body? Yongha’s eyes filled with tears, yet he still couldn’t look back. It was terrifying. It was fear. That’s how he stood, trembling. A thick, animal stench wafted from directly behind. At that moment—bang! Something slammed into the window. Startled, he glanced at the glass. Sticky blood smeared the pane. And worse—outside, a flock of crows perched on the window, staring straight at him. Then one more dove straight through the glass with a clatter. The pane shattered. Below, a single crow with geometrically twisted wings flapped helplessly. “Ugh… ugh…” Yongha covered his wife tightly and squeezed his eyes shut. It was too grotesque. Too horrifying. Meanwhile the crow’s movements finally stopped. Its tiny chest swelled once, twice, then seemed to still. Haa… haa… haa… The breathing from behind. Carrying that cold breath, Yongha finally mustered the courage to turn. He looked. His daughter was staring back at him. “H-Hijjin…” Calling her name carefully… his daughter’s lips twitched. Then she smiled. Ah! That smile was monstrous. Her eyes were wide open, yet no whites showed. They were pitch black, nothing like human eyes. And her emaciated body made her swollen belly stand out all the more. “Hijjin…” “Daddy…” She spoke slowly, lips moving. “Daddy… where are we? Why… no answer… Daddy, where are you going, leaving me like this? I’m in so much pain… so much pain…” “T-That’s…” What could he say? Maybe she already knew he was trying to run away with her mother. Sweat poured like rain. He hesitated, not knowing what to answer. He only panted helplessly. “That’s… that’s…” He kept repeating the same words. Every time, Hijjin only giggled. As if Yongha’s excuses were ridiculous. “Tell me quickly…” “It’s… it’s… um… Mom and I… we were supposed to meet someone for a little while. That’s…” “Who?” “U-Um… that’s…” His daughter slowly lowered her waist.