Kyaaak, Ah, Aak...!
Screams erupted from the hallway. They broke off into gasps and groans. Crash, bang, thud... Glass shattered, followed by the dull sounds of things colliding.
The mangled screams continued to echo down the corridor.
Kim Ra-hee and Seong Ha-yeon's faces hardened as they stepped out of the classroom after hearing the evacuation order broadcast throughout the school, only to turn back upon hearing it was a false alarm.
"Wh-what is this? What... what sound is that?"
Kim Ra-hee stuttered to a halt. Seong Ha-yeon glanced around and spoke up.
"Maybe it's true... that a taxidermy doll has appeared...?"
"No way. Don't say something so ominous like..."
Seong Ha-yeon peered out the window. First-year students were fleeing the building in droves, their faces twisted in terror. Whether the taxidermy doll that had terrorized an entire city had truly appeared was unknown, but something was definitely happening.
"Should we... evacuate? But earlier they said the taxidermy doll alert was a false alarm, right?"
"What if that was the lie? The second broadcast felt off somehow..."
"Then what do we believe? What's going on...?"
"For now... we should trust the first one."
In situations like this, it was best to evacuate first and ask questions later. If you didn't and got caught up in whatever was happening, you'd be the one suffering. If you evacuated and nothing happened, no harm done.
With quick judgment, Seong Ha-yeon grabbed Kim Ra-hee and headed for the exit. But as they hurried down the stairs, they froze.
Terror spread across both their faces. Seong Ha-yeon tried to play it cool, but she couldn't hide the trembling in her eyes.
"Hello there!"
A woman greeted them, staring back and forth between the two. She had very short hair and a refreshingly bold impression overall. Her tone was cheerful, her expression matching. Her smile revealed neat, white teeth.
The woman crawled toward them across the floor. No— she rolled toward them. She had no body below the neck; just a head.
"Wait just a moment! I'll roll right over!"
"Ah, ugh. What the...?"
"Huh? No, you don't have to come. Don't come over...!"
Kim Ra-hee and Seong Ha-yeon backed away unsteadily from the approaching head. They wanted to turn and run, but their legs wouldn't move. Any attempt to flee would probably end with their knees buckling.
"Don't run! I'm not a weirdo!"
"Bullshit. Anyone can see you're a freak!"
Kim Ra-hee finally snapped out of it and shouted. The head grimaced—or grinned—exaggeratedly.
"I said I'm not! My friends are coming soon anyway!"
"Friends...?"
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
As Seong Ha-yeon voiced her confusion, a grotesque noise echoed from the stairs—like massive insects skittering up with dozens of legs.
The head's "friends" were two: an upper body and a lower body. The upper body's mouth was at its solar plexus; the lower body's at its groin. The upper body dragged itself with its arms; the lower walked on its legs.
Head, upper body, lower body. The three stared at Seong Ha-yeon and Kim Ra-hee. They had no eyes, but Seong Ha-yeon felt their gaze.
Her body trembled with fear. No thoughts came. Even the urge to flee faded.
"Don't shake so much!"
The head rolled across the floor and spoke.
"Just pass the quiz and we'll let you all go! No need to worry!"
"Quiz!"
"Quiz! Quiz!"
The lower body bounced up and down, bending and straightening its knees. The upper body did push-ups on its arms. The head rolled around.
At that point, Seong Ha-yeon stopped thinking. Holding onto sanity any longer would drive her mad.
The head stopped rolling and spoke.
"First up, the one on my right!"
"M-me?"
Kim Ra-hee stumbled back in panic. The upper and lower bodies bent and flexed their joints in a grotesque dance. The head smiled as it rolled toward her, circling her feet.
"Yes, you! Here's the question! Which of the following is lying?"
"One of Lot's daughters fleeing Sodom looked back and turned into a pillar of salt!" the upper body said.
"Lot's two daughters, who escaped Sodom safely, bore his seed to continue their line!" the lower body said.
Kim Ra-hee's face hardened as she listened.
"No, we haven't studied that part yet...!"
"Answer quick! You get 10 seconds! 10!"
The head rolled around her feet, urging her on. Kim Ra-hee tilted her head thoughtfully, hand over her mouth, glancing at Seong Ha-yeon.
Seong Ha-yeon was still dazed, unable to grasp the reality before her.
"9!"
Time ticked away. Kim Ra-hee racked her brain. She replayed the upper body's words. She vaguely recalled someone in Lot's family turning into a pillar of salt for looking back, but who?
"8!"
Then the lower body's. Lot's daughters bearing his seed to continue the line...? Wasn't Lot supposed to be righteous? That kind of thing? Did that even make sense?
"7!"
"..."
Both seemed like lies, yet both truths. Kim Ra-hee regretted skimping on scripture study. Time kept passing. Just guess? 50% chance. But what if wrong? What would they do?
"Ha-yeon."
Desperate, Kim Ra-hee whispered behind her hand. Seong Ha-yeon's vacant stare focused.
Kim Ra-hee signaled with her eyes. Seong Ha-yeon nodded and spoke.
"The upper body is lying. It was the wife, not the daughter, who turned to salt."
"No, not that."
Kim Ra-hee shook her head. She hadn't wanted the answer. Even if right, no guarantee they'd let them go. Better for Seong Ha-yeon to bless her, take down all three, and escape.
Seong Ha-yeon was frail and weak even with blessings. Kim Ra-hee was weak too, but stronger. With the blessing, she could win. They looked like three, but were one body split—really 1:1.
"...Bless me. Anything combat-useful—"
Crack!
A kick slammed into Kim Ra-hee's jaw—from the lower body.
"Just answer right! Why the side chatter? Always that damn mouth!"
Thud. The head headbutted her fallen mouth.
"Mouth's the problem! Mouth!"
Crack. The upper body pummeled her mouth with fists.
"Mouth!"
Crunch. The lower body stomped her mouth. Teeth scattered. Blood poured from split lips. Her face was a bloody mess in seconds.
The head rolled toward her as she leaned against the wall, mouth gaping.
"3 seconds!"
"Ah, kack, ha...!"
"Too bad, 'ha' isn't right! One more chance! Pick upper or lower!"
"..."
"Guess if you don't know! 50% odds! 2 seconds!"
Beaten senseless, Kim Ra-hee clung to sanity. Per Seong Ha-yeon, upper body lied. Say upper body. But...
"Ha, ah... Ha, aak...!"
Broken teeth, split lips—speech was impossible. Air hissed out. She couldn't form "upper body." Tears flowed. Knowing the answer but unable to speak was infuriating; failing terrified her.
"Oh dear... you didn't get it. But there's still hope!"
"..."
"If the white-haired girl answers right, you both go free! Rare chance!"
The head rolled past bloodied Kim Ra-hee toward Seong Ha-yeon. She had no strength left to back away. She'd just watched her friend get beaten.
The taxidermies were fast and strong. Even I'd have struggled. She justified her inaction that way.
Meanwhile, the head reached Seong Ha-yeon's feet, circling her.
"Next question! Which is lying, upper or lower? One lies, one truths!"
"The lower body tells the truth!" the upper body said.
"The upper body lies!" the lower body said.
The head beamed, rolling excitedly.
"10 seconds again! Or 15 since it's tough? What do you think?"
"...Doesn't matter."
"Pardon?"
The head looked puzzled. Kim Ra-hee stared at Seong Ha-yeon with bloodshot eyes, murmuring through unmoving lips: Answer it... Just answer....
Seong Ha-yeon bowed her head, biting her nails to stifle tears. Pressure mounted atop terror. Nails gone, she gnawed fingers till they bled. Blood filled her mouth.
Finally, she spoke.
"10 or 15 seconds... doesn't matter..."
"Huh? Why? That's 5 extra seconds!"
The head replied shamelessly. She wanted to stomp it flat, but couldn't.
Seong Ha-yeon bowed deeper, nearly forehead to floor.
"Because... neither is lying."
"So both truth?"
"No, not truth either..."
"Then what's the answer? Just tell me!"
"There... isn't one. Because denying one denies the other..."
"I hate both-sides-ers! Pick one!"
"Wh-what? Neither right, how...?"
The circling head stopped. It stared coldly, face twitching unnaturally—beyond human muscle.
Flushing red with rage, it screamed.
"Pick one! One!"
"That's unfair...!"
"You did the same! Asked if witch, not witch—kill either way! Both right, both wrong. I had to pick one."
Blood tears streamed from its eyes. Upper and lower hopped toward her, circling with the head like inquisitors dancing around a burning witch, wailing.
"You planned to kill anyway. Just burn 'em. Witch or not."
"My hair was long, you cut it off, chopped, burned me. My hair was long..."
Thud-thud, roll-roll, thud-thud.
Upper and lower drummed the floor. Head rolled, teeth clacking.
Seong Ha-yeon collapsed. They danced around her, ranting witch hunts—ancient history. She wasn't even born then. Too young for the Holy War against Voodoo. That storm was now just a faded tale.
"Not my fault! I-I didn't...!"
Seong Ha-yeon screamed. Vision blurred. The dancing taxidermies overlapped with crossroads visions.
All three wailed in unison.
"I did nothing wrong!"
"Me neither...!"
Voices swirled from everywhere. Nausea, dizziness. Cold sweat poured. Soon, she couldn't tell if they circled her or she spun.
Rumble—!
Thunder crashed. Lightning flashed outside. Nosebleed gushed.
Seong Ha-yeon shut her eyes, plugged her ears. Only way to endure. But voices pierced palms, clear as if in her skull.
Blood dripped. Pool formed.
"Answer! Who's lying—"
Shatter!
Glass broke. Icy wind howled in. Strong but gentle, drying her sweat. Kind wind.
Taxidermy voices silenced. Seong Ha-yeon cautiously opened her eyes.
He arrived with the wind. Fierce gusts softened around Do Seon-woo.
"Head."
Crunch!
Do Seon-woo said, then kicked the circling head. It smashed against the wall, bursting.
He stared coldly. Seong Ha-yeon felt dizzy. His icy, blank eyes resembled the hunter from childhood who tried to cut her arm.
Head gone, upper and lower slumped powerless.
Do Seon-woo approached through dripping rain, grabbed her hand roughly. Ugly scar on palm. She tried to clench it, but he forced it open.
Staring between scar and her face, he spoke.
"Who'd you show this to."
"Sh-show what to who...?"
Seong Ha-yeon pulled back. Do Seon-woo locked eyes intensely.
"This scar. Who besides me have you shown it to."
His gaze burned with obsession. Terrifying, yet strangely captivating.
(To be continued next time)