This was written as an answer to a challenge on Soeul Scribbler for Halloween. I wasn't really in the mood to write, but, I figured I should try anyway. You can argue with me all you want Kath, I still think it sucks...
He licked the corner of his lips, tasting the bitter aftertaste of the alcohol that was slowly taking over his senses. His eyes were glazed as he dropped into the chair, holding on to the bottle of bourbon he had been drinking. A soft sinister chuckle came from his lips as he closed his eyes. Outside, the only sound emitting from the night seemed to be the thin whistle of the wind. He was lost as laughter started to roll, filling the halls of the house that stood gloomily. He wasn't happy, but, he was laughing. He was not crazy, but madness was overtaking him. His better judgment clouded as he rose from the seat, padding drunkenly towards the broken windows. It was a perfect night, a perfect night out of a scary movie with the moon shinning brightly.
xxxxx
"Yah!" A high pitched voice jolted him back to his senses. In front of him sat a very annoyed young woman. Her lips were puckered to support her irritation. He pulled a smile, reaching for her hand before placing a gentle kiss on her palm, watching her blush at his action.
"Sorry," He apologized easily, tracing his thumb in circular motion over her wrist.
"Where were you?" She asked. There were lines of worries forming on her forehead.
He didn't answer; instead, he chuckled, softly nudging her forehead. "You'll get wrinkles," He commented easily and watched her pout again.
"Don't do that," He stated with a smile.
"Why not?" She asked curiously, titling her head slightly.
Again, he didn't answer her. Instead, he got up from his seat and leaned across the table before planting a chaste kiss on her lips. "Because it makes me feel like doing that," He declared triumphantly as he sat back down, letting her turn red with his very public display of affection.
xxxxx
The rattling sound of metal resounds within the lower halls. A soft cry blended with each shaking sound. There was no hope, not even desperation blended in that cry. No voice, just endless sobs as the metal shake as if asking – why? But, no questions were asked to the damp brick walls. Just that, endless cries and constant rattling sound of the metal. The shaking metal and the soft cries sound soon was joined by slow dragging footsteps and chilling sound like someone was running their long fingernail on the blackboard. The cries halted followed by a scrambling sound.
xxxxx
"Are you alright?" The woman asked carefully, squeezing the man's hand slightly. He noticed the concerned look that was apparent on her face as he stole a look from the mirror.
"Yeah," He replied, but didn't sound all to convince either. But, the heavy tone on his voice was telling her that he wasn't ready to talk about it, so, the topic was dropped as they sat in silence, contented to focus on the road as he drove.
The scenery was lovely, but, it was the last thing on either of their minds. Hers was all about him, worrying and his... She wasn't sure what it was, but...
xxxxx
She was running barefoot, struggling to get as far as she could as she zig zaged around the endless halls. There must be an exit. She thought desperately as she ran. She didn't even dare to look back as she panted. She had to escape, but, no exit was found as blisters were forming on the sole of her feet. The chilling high-pitched scratching sound caused every single follicle of her hair to stand up. He was gaining on her and she knew it well enough that she had to move faster. But, tears were forming in her eyes and her vision became blurry by the stream of it. Soon, her cheeks were wet by tears as she struggled to keep on running.
xxxxx
"I'm worried," She confessed after they finally sat down, looking at the best ocean view she thought she had ever seen in her life. But, she can't enjoy it; her mind was whirling with questions she had been meaning to ask. He had been different, distant.
It got his attention. He turned to look at her, studying her feature carefully before speaking, "About what?"
It was either he wasn't aware of his attitude towards her or he was hiding something. Either way, she was still curious. "You," She admitted carefully.
It hit a nerve; his eyebrow was arched in confusion. "Why?" He asked.
"You've been out of sort," She stated. Her eyes searched for his, looking for an answer.
A sigh betrayed his cool composure. "It's nothing," He stated, dismissing the subject.
She was left to accept it.
xxxxx
Wait. A soft whistling sound filled the hallways, the arrangement was familiar. It was like an old song, something of which you remember so well, but, you can't seem to recall it at the most crucial time of your life. She stopped for a second, inhaling the familiar sound even when her brain was screaming for her to come to her senses. She had to move, but, her feet were rooted as she allowed herself to listen. The familiar sound made her feel – safe. She longed for that, the feeling. The security she once felt, the control she once had in her life. It all felt like a lifetime ago, a life she once had and lost. Where did it go wrong? The whistling stopped, sending her back to her senses, scrambling, charging forward without a destination in mind, just – a way out.
xxxxx
She sat, watching him lost in his work, unaware of her eyes fixated on him. He had been out of sort and it even showed in his work. But, he wasn't lashing out or acting out. He was just distant. Some might have taken this as a sure sign that he had grown up and learned to control his emotion. But her, she would rather have him tell her how he felt. He could scream, break things or be cynical – anything. The silence was worrying her more than him showing his emotion. She couldn't help him because she didn't what was it that she needed to help him with. That left her anxious.
"I know I'm good looking, but, you don't have to stare at me that intently," His amused tone startled her. Her cheeks were soon coloured red.
"I wasn't," She protested uneasily. He had caught her red-handed, but, she wasn't going to let him have the satisfaction of knowing, even when he knew her too well.
"Mhmm..." He teased easily; a small grin touched his lips; making him looked years younger than he actually was. She was glad to see it again.
"You know you can tell me anything, right?" She blurted without thinking.
He stopped, turning off the wheel. His eyes stared at the unfinished product before him. "I know," He answered. He knew that he could tell her anything, but, he always wanted to watch what he was saying. It was bad enough she had to deal with the dysfunctional family he had and that would be just the tip of the ice berg. He had wished he could protect her from it a little longer, maybe forever, staying the blissful ignorance.
"Let's go somewhere," He said after a while. He didn't say another word or expected her to answer. He was on his feet and was already working on cleaning the fail attempts of his work. She watched for a moment before she followed suit.
xxxxx
"Soel Ri-yah," A playful voice called out her name as she kept running. She was afraid, terrified beyond belief at the sound of the voice. It was as if she could not get far enough to escape him. His voice traveled, taunting her with each step she took. But, she didn't stop. She knew that if she stopped, it would be the end of her.
"Seol Ri-yah~" The voice called again, a soft chuckle followed and she could hear it clearly, as if he was standing behind her. Her breath hitched as she tried to keep moving. "Where are you, Seol Ri-yah~" He called in a sing-a-song tune. It took all of her not to stiffen at the sound of the voice.
But... She stopped in her tracks. Just a couple of feet away from her, he stood with a grin on his face. "Found you," He declared like a happy child finding his favourite toy.
She swallowed hard as she backed away from him. "Soel Ri-yah," He called her affectionately and that sends a shiver down her spine. He was being overly familiar with her and that frightened her even more. "What did I do wrong?" He asked, looking apologetic, but she kept backing away from him like he was carrying a deadly disease.
"Please," She begged, her voice was hoarse and sounded strange to her own ears.
"Please?" The man asked, looking confused, as if the term was alien to him.
"Just let me go," She begged. "I wouldn't tell," Her voice sounded desperate.
"Go?" He asked incredulously, titling his head. A disappointed look mixed with hurt coloured his face, as if he was just present with the worst betrayal known to mankind. "Why would you want to go?" He asked, sounding like a child, not understanding why his parents were leaving each other.
"Please," She kept begging and backing away at the same time. It did nothing to distance herself from him as he would take two steps ahead with each step back she take.
"No," He said icily. His steps quickened, reaching for her as she kept backing away from him. "No," He repeated. And the darkened hallways was coloured with red.
xxxxx
"Meet my grandmother; Lee Seol Ri," He said carefully, looking at the frail woman who was starring out the window. She looked lost, her hair was disheveled – nothing of the pristine of a woman married into the So Household should have. Her eyes was hollowed and cold as if she was living in her own world – detached and unaware of her current visitors; a young woman and a young man.
The young woman stood cautiously, minding her reaction. She was surprised, but it didn't show. She knew that it was something she would have to see to understand and she wasn't sure she was close to understanding. She watched as the man beside her exhaled and there was this longing look in his eyes, like he wished he could fix it all – make it all better.
"Grandma, it's me," The young man called, approaching the elder woman at last. He kneeled and placed his hand softly on hers, still there was no reaction. Trying not to sigh, he gathered his thoughts and pulled a small smile at the far off woman. "The house, I found it," He declared, that enticed a reaction from the woman. She turned to look at him. A smile, that was all he got in return before the woman was lost to him again, she was back to starring out the window.
He sighed, knowing that it was the best he could get from her. Slowly he got up, walking back to his companion. He watched her face coloured with an encouraging smile and noticed how she held out her hand for him. He returned the smile before taking the woman's hand, letting her lead them out of the cold white room.
"What happened to her?" She had asked as they drove away.
He took a deep breath before he told her. He told her of a story that happened before his time, a horror that took a young woman's life away. He told her the story of a woman that he never knew but wished he did; the woman who would have liked her, the woman who the world was her oyster. And how life took a turn and she was never herself again.
xxxxx
She shivered as she climbed out of the darkened place. Outside, the sun was rising. Soon, she would feel the heat gracing her pale skin. It had been a while since she last felt the grass under her feet. The season had changed, it was bright and sunny. Summer had finally arrived.
xxxxx
"I'm sorry Mister So," The elder doctor apologized. His face looked truly regretful. "Your grandmother passed away peacefully this morning," He added, looking at the lost face of the young man.
Beside the young man, a young woman motioned to take his hand into hers. The silent gesture, without her knowing, comforted him greatly. He allowed himself to lean on her a little as he watched the elder doctor walked away.
xxxxx
"Sunbae, why would your grandmother wanted to buy such a scary house?" She asked when her eyes caught the sight of the crumbling building. It looked nothing short of a house that comes out of a scary movie – like a haunted house, short of carved pumpkins and all other eerie Halloween decorations though. On second thought...
"I don't know Ga Eul, she wouldn't tell me," He answered. His eyes were studying the house carefully as well. He didn't know what it was – the story behind the house or what his grandmother's connection to it. But, he felt as if, it was probably better that he was left not knowing what it was. Some secrets, it was better left buried. All he knew was, as per his grandmother's request – the house was to be demolished. After that, he didn't know.
xxxxx
She was twenty-seven, a beautiful young mother. She was lovely, kind and compassionate – but, she wanted nothing more than to know what it felt like to be free. But, she was trapped, struggling to find her way out.