A ruckus filled with the shattering voice of cries coveted my eardrums as the dead body splays by their eyes to witness.
I couldn't move.
Definitely, it was our school security man, MR. BONG.
Am I still in one of my continuous nightmares? Please, I wanted to wake up!
His pale face indirectly faced me, empty eyes staring back at me, sending churn to the pit of my stomach. Implement a lucid image of his death to the back of my mind.
I put my hand over my mouth to muffle a scream while the paramedic roughly snatched the linen, giving me an annoyed glance as he put it back to its place.
Did I accidentally injure him? Does he bleed heavily to his death? A shivers run through my spine, thinking, should I look back yesterday, just to make sure he is not hurt anywhere, will he survive?
So, now...
I'm a murderer.
How about my future?
The thoughts give me another pang of headaches, I swayed a little but Samuel manages to hold me back in place.
"Lana..." He muttered my name.
I ignored, him bringing my feet to the classroom for the urge to confirm the incident for myself.
Nevertheless, there are yellow tapes across our classroom door, preventing us from coming any nearer while the police were investigating the crime scene. I dived into the group of students to get clear of view, and all I see is crimson red from the wall to the floor.
God... is this my doing? Have I sent him thrown to the wall and blood splattering everywhere?
It's messy and smelly...
What has happens yesterday replays from the spot where Mr. Bong had cornered me.
I see myself pulling the table to stop him from getting any closer to me. I heard him gasp in pain yet I didn't make any effort to turn. Is the loud thud I heard the sound of his head smashed onto the floor, how strong am I to cause this scenery.
I'm selfishly dashed to my escape. And I see myself heading towards the exits that I'm standing in front of now.
I see myself gaping in terror, about to run over me, I try to avoid...
Somehow I realized the noises in my vicinity were suppressed.
I couldn't feel a thing...
The last thing I knew, I faced the ceiling, and then Samuel comes into my view.
His lips pronounce my names but I was unable to respond to him.
I tried and try until I was totally consumed by a murky black space...
-----------------------------
The scene pushes forward to where I have been from yesterday, once more, standing alone in the middle of the room with Mr. Bong. His broken lips twitched, forcing his rasping voice to howl at me, "MURDERER!"
My feet betrayed me, constrained me to where I was standing as he approached me in his awkward posture. His lips in a dark shade of purple reflected the vivid hues of death in his complexion.
He is dead, and it's all my fault.
The intense building up is painful from thudding and tightening in my chest, torturing me to the brink of insanity.
"Laanna Kangg..."
He is reaching me with his trembling bloody hand.
"No!" I gasped for air, eyes fluttered to a view of the familiar plain white ceiling then the smell of sharp disinfectant welcoming my nostril. Unsure of how I have been here, I exhaled in relief that it was, after all, another one of my nightmares.
"Lana Kang," This time a soft voice startled me.
Ms. Oh, our school infirmary medical officer was there all along, beside the bed, studying me. "You alright? You still burning with the flush of fever but you will be fine if you go home and rest," She explained while checking on the IV drips. "You are exhausted, that's why you fainted this morning. I put you on IV drips, and it's almost done." She continued, marking on my medical chart file.
"Thank you, Ms. Oh."
"You are welcome. Samuel, your cousin said will be taking you home, he is settling the paperwork in the administration office. You can rest while waiting." She said smiling.
Cousin?
We being cousins...? Ah, one of his tactics again. I noticed Samuel had been persistent towards me, the more I distance myself from him the closer he got. Ugh, my head. "Ooh, cousin. Yes, he is. Thank you for letting me know."
"No problem, get some rest. I will be back to remove the IV. See you."
"It's alright, I will ask my cousin to help me remove the IV, don't worry Ms. Oh," I uttered in distress. I needed to know what happens to the investigation.
Did they find out about me? So will there be a group of SWAT awaiting to capture me just in time? I am probably the most dangerous criminal for them at this moment.
Ugh, there goes my wild imagination again...
"Sure, just let me know if you need help. I will be in my office," She replied, considering it for a second before approving my request.
"Thanks."
As soon as Ms. Oh exited the room, inspecting the drips, I couldn't wait any longer. While I was working on removing the IV on me, again I was surprised by Samuel entering the room without an alarm.
Glaring at me, he is displeased with my intention. "What are you trying to do?"
Our gaze locked, somehow I wonder will he look at me like this anymore? The sour taste at the back of my throat is threatening to burst any moment from now.
Sam, I'm a criminal...
"Mr. Bong... I,... I'm the one who killed him," I mumbled, looking for solace from him.
I watched the color from his face drain, the tenses in the air. Panic, he advanced to me, stifled me from talking further. "Shh!"
"Shh... Don't joke on things like this Lana, " Samuel blurted in a half-whispered tone, putting his hand over my lips. "You going to get in trouble."Tears welled up my eyes. I do hope that all of this is only a prank, but Mr. Bong is dead, and I'm officially a criminal. I weakly shove his hand away, "Sam... I'm the last person he met. He tried to... " I hushed, chin trembled, and an involuntary whimper escaped my lips.Staring back at me, he realized that I'm not kidding him. He is silent but at last, he exhaled, coming closer putting a hand over me, and crushing me to his everlasting safe haven body. "I'm sorry, don't say a word anymore.""I'm scared. I didn't mean to..." I convinced him with my voice muffled to his chest."Hush... I know, I understand, anyone in your place won't hesitate to stab him to death..." He comforted me, tightening the embrace as I sobbed uncontrollably."I don't know he got injured. I'm selfish, I should have checked if he was ok back then..." I babbled, cr
A thousand rays of the morning sun escaped from between the blinds. I used to love being near the windows, but every now and then each time my glance turns to the exact spots where Mr. Bong's body lay, a cold shiver runs down my spine, and my palms couldn't stop sweating in the cold air-conditioned room. I have to keep telling myself over and over again that it wasn't me that had him killed, I didn't stab him, someone did. And that someone, is among us... It is day four after the incident, there is no new clue of the case, crime scene investigation and evidence collection were completed and we had been allowed to move back to our classroom yesterday. I didn't take leave from school the day after the incident. When I woke up that day later in the evening, I was in Samuel's guest room, he had offered to let me rest in his guest room once I have taken the medicine provided by Ms. Oh. I'm running with fever again on that day, and Samuel said that I keep mumbling in my sleep that he ha
The soft bell chime indicating that school is over for today sends a sigh of relief throughout the class. We say our salute to Mrs. Sue, the mathematics teacher, then gather our belongings to leave. I stuffed my notebooks into my bag and went up to Samuel who was already waiting outside with his three other best friends. "Hey, Lana what's up." Jerry Chon, the boy with the most adorable eyes and sweetest smile welcomed me. "I'm good, thanks," I replied while giving way to a girl who is flirting with Jason Bak without seeing that she almost bumped into me. Anyway, can't they simply wake up to the womanizer who would never commit his heart to any of them, but then there's Jason, all confident... Good looks are definitely a plus. I saw Naomi being the last exiting the class, I try my luck to talk to her again as she approached us but Nelson Kim had already overtaken me. "Goodbye, Naomi," Nelson uttered with a smile. His dimple deepened, showing off his charms. Now I understand why Na
"No. I'm sorry Lana. I didn't mean that way. I mean, you should at least have some basic to be on yourself," He said as he put down his food, using his other free hand, he tilts my chin, forcing me to look at him. "You are going to die before entering the battleground, do you think this is wise?"Always with his broad point of view, somehow he had accidentally become my counselor as we grow up.Damn, I must be in a serious lack of common sense.Meeting his gaze, I'm overwhelmed that it is him from the beginning. As I drifted into his dreamy brown eyes, he breaks the spell by giving me another flick on the forehead."Ouch!""Gosh, stop looking at me like that," He said, lightly pushing me away from him and continuing to enjoy his meal."That's hurt, you shouldn't treat a girl like that," I grumbled, covering my forehead to soften the mild pain he caused to me."Well, I treat every girl good, except you. Eat your food, I got a new clue to share."Jerk! I wanted to say that much to him, y
The dim light poles along the winding alleys illuminated shadows to the pavement Naomi stepped on. Commuting back home after her self-study in school, this is the long stairways she had to walk up daily, to her home at the top of the alleys. For an outsider, this hilly neighborhood gives an illusion of a romantic getaway as it has the closest space to a better view of the moon. Yet, with the chipped paint of colored houses along with the distinct lack of planning development, this place is soon to be abandoned. Sooner the neighborhood will be only occupied by the elderly and bad memories. Because in reality, living in peace doesn't enough if the stomach goes hungry... The younger generation believes that they can only dream in the land of skyscrapers overlook the run-down neighborhood she lives in. Naomi's sister was one of them, she runs away from home five years ago, leaving behind her aging parents with her litt
Day 2 of tracking Naomi and Harry's mission. Gosh... I sighed to a long exhale of boringness. Why on earth does Samuel have to put me on them? They are merely future scholars, only studies excited them. I am aware that I have developed a new habit of biting my nail recently. Gross, this is a bad omen, what is next? Even Naomi still refuses to talk to me, she rather spends her time alone. I pity myself, oh... Closing my notebook in frustration having the whole class turn to me. A moment of silence, then they return to their desk, leaving me in an awkward situation. Samuel makes a hand signal asking what was wrong with me, but I just waved my hands acknowledging him that it is nothing to worry about. Looking at the wall clocks showing five more minutes to 4:30 p.m, our free time for club activity will start soon. Naomi was in art while Harry
"Let me go, Nelson!" Naomi harshly pulled away from him as soon as Lana and Samuel disappeared from their view. "What's wrong Naomi? What did I do to you that you despise me that much?.." "As I said. Nothing wrong, just stay away from my business." "No. It's not going to happen. I'm not going to let you go. At least I won't." "Don't make me repeat myself!" Holding up the rage buckling in her, she makes sure Nelson heard her well this time. "Stay. Away. From. Me." "NO." Nelson gets a hold of her arm before she gets the chance to run away again. "Give me a chance, let us prove that we are not meant to be together." Nelson hadn't staggered from his position, inoffensive by Naomi's harsh attitude toward him. "Give me a chance." He said, almost half whispering. As if the time had frozen, for a second, Naomi had listened to him. Their eyes locked, and a
The hot day of the day is beginning to subside as the sun is going down. Naomi and Nelson take a seat on the bench by the riverbank overlook from the bustling of the metropolitan Sillas City."Promise me, from now on, never turn your back on me again." He muttered.Naomi paused, staring into the eyes of a boy who wanted to be with her persistently, Naomi lost, the stone-cold heart of her melted a little by little, starting to warm her from the inside."Naomi..."The way he speaks her name awakens her soul. Urging her to feel human again. After the bad encounter with her uncle, she has no reason to be happy anymore.In her subconscious mind, man is a monster. Being strong, they only wanted to conquer the female and threaten the weakest.But...Why is there another one other than Samuel Jin in front of her, denying every thought that she had in a male?"Naomi? Hello? Are you alright?" Nelson waves to her face, trying to get her attention.Directing her view to the other side, Naomi sighe
The winding road felt endless, the hum of Nelson's motorcycle filling the silence between us. The city's glow had long since faded, replaced by the barren fields and a sky bloated with stars, an emptiness of the countryside.Trees lined the path, their shadows stretching ominously under the pale moonlight. My grip on Nelson's jacket tightened as the bike slowed, its headlight glaring at a wrought-iron gate.Nelson pulled off his helmet and reached for his phone. With a quick call, he muttered something I couldn't hear. Moments later, the gates creaked open, revealing a long driveway framed by hedges trimmed to razor-perfect lines casted by a soft golden glow of bulbs.The house at the end of the path loomed, grand yet secluded, with its aged wood and stone exterior.We rolled forward slowly, the bike's engine a low rumble that echoed in the still night. A figure waited by the entrance, an elderly woman, her posture straight and her hands clasped neatly in front of her. She had a calm
I had been waiting for him.The moment the motorcycle roared into the car park, I knew Nelson had come. Relief swept over me, momentarily silencing the chaos around me.When Nelson dismounted his bike, pulling off his helmet, his eyes locked onto mine, unwavering and steady. "I'm here," he said simply, his voice firm but calm.I took a shaky breath, the decision already made long before he arrived. "Thank you," I whispered.I took a step toward him, my heart racing, but Jason's voice broke through the stillness, trembling and soft, like a whisper cracking under pressure."This isn't your business, Nelson." Jason snapped.Nelson tilted his head, an almost amused expression crossing his face. "Isn't it? But Lana asked me to help, Jason."Jerry, sensing the brewing storm, interfered, his voice calm but firm. "Let's not do this here."Nelson's expression hardened, his gaze locking on Jason. "I didn't come here to fight. But, Lana had asked for help."Jason's head snapped up, his face a mas
The cold concrete of the car park pressed up through my soles as if trying to root me in place, but my body moved forward, and the weight of unspoken words pressing down on my chest.Jason walked slightly ahead, his hand gripping my arm as though he feared I might slip away.Not tightly, but firm enough to remind me that, he was in control.Each step echoed the conflict in my heart.The medication effect had begun to fade, but I remained deliberately slow, dragging my feet as if the weight of my hesitation could anchor me in place.I glanced toward Jerry, who walked beside us with his medical bag slung over his shoulder, his face calm but watchful. His presence was the only tether holding me together, his earlier assurance repeating in my mind.Trust me. Stay calm.I wanted to stop, to refuse to take another step. But the pieces of my past clawed their way to the surface, dragging me back to my final year in medical school at Granata.Back then, I'd been trapped in a relationship with
The first thing I noticed was the soft golden light filtering through the curtains. It was late morning—much later than I ever slept. My body felt heavy, every movement sluggish, as if weighed down by invisible chains.Then Jason's voice broke through the fog."Lana," he called gently. His tone was soothing, warm, yet it grated on my nerves. I blinked, struggling to focus on his face. He sat beside me, leaning slightly forward, a faint smile curving his lips."There you are," he murmured, his fingers brushing my arm. "How are you feeling? Jerry medication helped you rest?"Medication. The word tugged at my hazy memories, the events before I'd drifted off felt distant, like a half-remembered dream.I tried to sit up, but the effort sent a wave of dizziness through me. Jason was quick to steady me, his hand firm on my shoulder."Easy," he coaxed. "No need to rush."I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Jerry…" I croaked, the name slipping out before I could stop myself.Jason's expression di
The next day arrived with an overcast sky, casting dull shadows over the apartment. I sat by the window, absently tracing the edge of my bandage, the throbbing wound a dull reminder of my fractured state. My mind buzzed with static, unable to focus on the passing hours.The soft chime of doorbell, shattering the silence. Jason, who had been typing away on his laptop, stood and moved to answer it. His footsteps were steady, calculated, as always."Jerry," Jason greeted warmly, opening the door wide. "Right on time."Jerry stepped in, carrying his medical bag, his expression carefully neutral. He nodded at Jason before his eyes sought me out across the room."Lana," Jerry greeted, his voice soft. "How are you feeling?"I mustered a faint smile, though it didn't reach my eyes. "I'm fine."Jason gestured toward me, his tone brisk. "She's been good, but check her thoroughly. We're flying back to Granata tomorrow."Jerry's eyes flickered at Jason's words, but he said nothing, only offering a
The apartment was cloaked in a cruel, suffocating silence after Jason left the room. I sat frozen on the couch, my eyes fixed on the empty space he had occupied moments ago. My skin crawled as if his touch still lingered, a phantom weight pressing down on me, feeding my fear.The faint creak of a door opening broke through my thoughts. My breath hitched, heart pounding as Jason emerged from the kitchen, carrying a tray. Steam wafted from a small bowl of porridge, the delicate aroma mingling with something I couldn't place.A bitterness that made my stomach churn."I thought you might need something light," he said, his tone almost cheerful as he set the tray on the coffee table. His eyes flicked to me, dark and unreadable. "You didn't eat much earlier."I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears. "Thank you," I murmured, forcing the words out.Jason stepped closer, his gaze studying me with unnerving precision. "How are you feeling, Lana?""I'm fine," I replied quickly, too quickl
The silence that followed was oppressive, thick with unspoken intent.Jason leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table as if settling into a position of control. His movements were measured, deliberate, each one calculated to remind me the ground I stood on.“I told them you were fine,” he said finally, his voice a velvet blade. His lips curled into a faint smile, the kind that promised nothing good. “But they want to hear from you.” He paused, letting the weight of his words settle over me like a heavy shroud. “It’s been days, Lana.”The air felt suffocating, Jason’s calm demeanour amplifying the tension. His gaze pinned me in place, sharp and knowing, as if he could already anticipate my every move.He slid the phone closer to me, the screen lighting up as if it, too, was waiting for my response.Daring me to pick it up.Before I could respond, he picked up my phone. My pulse quickened as he studied it, his thumb gliding over the screen like a predator sizing up its prey.“Call
The haze lifted slowly, my mind wading through the fog and my body was leaden, limbs weighed down by some invisible force. My throat was parched, and my head throbbed with a dull ache.The muted light of the room seemed to pulse against the drawn curtains, pressing in with an almost suffocating weight. As I stirred, the room felt different. Stale yet eerily pristine. My eyes landed on the bedside clock. The time was familiar, but the date... it didn't make sense.Had I really been out that long?My chest tightened as fragments of the last time I was awake flitted through my mind. Nelson.How will he save me?I shifted carefully, every muscle screaming in protest as I pushed myself upright. The effort made me dizzy, but I was desperate to move, to feel alive again. My eyes fell on my arms, wrapped tightly in bandages. A shower.I needed to scrub away the staleness clinging to my skin, the invisible grime that made my skin crawl.But the bandages...Slowly, I swung my legs over the edg
The room was bathed in muted warmth, the golden light of day now replaced by the dim glow of a table lamp perched on the nightstand. Its soft illumination cast elongated, wavering shadows across the walls, lending an air of quiet unease. The curtains were drawn tight, but the faint hum of the city beyond told me it was night.The first thing I noticed was the weight pressing down on my body. My limbs felt heavy, like they were pinned under invisible chains. The rest of the room was cloaked in shadows, silent and still.I remained motionless, my breathing slow and steady, feigning the deep, tranquil slumber Jason expected. Though the sedative dulled my senses, it hadn’t completely robbed me of awareness. Jerry hadn’t administered a full dose—just enough to stave off another panic attack without entirely obliterating my consciousness.I stayed perfectly still, my breathing slow and shallow, feigning the deep slumber Jason expected. The sedative dulled my senses, but not completely. Jerry