v1c1-11 (1/2)
Chapter 1
Inside a dark room.
As he opens his eyes, he thinks he is still in the dream. This place...
His eyes finally adjust to the darkness. This is a living room, but why is he here? Isn't he supposed to be sleeping in his bedroom?
He senses something strange. Like something is staring at him from above. A feeling so realistic, as if he can hear the sound of its breathing from above.
Something's up there and it's close.
But he's too scared to lift his head. This is absurd. If it's someone from behind, it may be his parents, but above... how can there be someone above?
He wants to say something, any noise will help alleviate the fear. Yet somehow he can't utter a word, as if something's stuck in his throat.
Then he feels an urge to p.i.s.s. he wants to go to the toilet, but he can't move his body. The urge is getting stronger.
That thing above, if it's a real thing, what's it doing? Looking at me? The fear grows stronger as his heart beats faster.
His eyes has totally adjusted to the darkness. He can see the whole room. But what he sees gives him gooseb.u.mps all over his body. At the same time he feels a warm sensation below.
How can this be...no, this is a dream! His pupils enlarge and he opens his mouth wide. But there is no sound. As if he is being manipulated like a doll. No, maybe he did become a doll.
He can't understand. This is too real, and too horrifying. He realizes...
Ah. No, this should just be a dream.
He closes his eyes.
Wake up! Wake up from this nightmare! So he prays. But then he senses that thing is coming over to him. No, this is impossible!
If he opens his eyes, he will know if there's anyone in front of him, or perhaps any thing. And if there isn't anything, then it is a misperception. Perhaps if he opens his eyes, he is still sleeping in that warm bed.
But... what if it's real?
That feeling is getting stronger. That thing almost touching his face. No, impossible...
Is it breathing on his face? No, it's likely wind. He didn't make sure the window was closed.
Calm down. Stay cool. The he feels a drop of sweat slides from his forehead to his nose, and then another. his body is feeling abnormally cold. Right, body...
When he looked at his body before...
Impossible, it's not real.
He just has lift his eyelids a bit to open those eyes. But he's struggling on this decision.
Yes, it can't be real. It is definitely a mistake. he repeatedly recalls what he saw. Everything's becoming blurry in his mind. No matter how you think, it should be an illusion.
Confidence starts to build up, but the feeling of something looking at him is still there.
He opens his eyelids just slightly. There's only darkness.
It's too much of a torture to open his eyes bit by bit. He finally makes the decision.
Then at that moment, he opens his eyelids all the way.
In front of him...
-----
Li knew something horrible must have happened.
She has that ability since seven years ago. Every time she gets this feeling, something horrible happens.
Since she moved to this city three years ago, this ability to sense horror has decreased.
”Something must has happened yesterday.” She looks through the papers on her hand and focused on a news.
This news arrived in her news agency this morning. Though she is not the reporter. so she can only a.n.a.lyze it through the interviews and photos.
It is about a murder in an apartment. The police is withholding information from the media. All they know is the victim is a high schooler, name Xie Xiaohao. According to interviews with the neighbors, they heard screams and cries from the Xie's apartment, and worried about something bad happened, so they called the police. After the police barged into the apartment, their reactions were strange. Within ten minutes, many police vehicles arrived, along with over ten medical examiners. The neighbors were curious, but the police formed a wall to block them from seeing anything inside. Even reporters were blocked from entering.
A truck was used to transport the corpse. It left with four police vehicles guarding at all sides. It's only the death of a high schooler, what's all the big actions for? Li knows there's definitely something wrong. This case invoked the attention of the media. It has been six hours since the event, and it's starting to appear on the internet.
Li recently got a raise, so she's treating her coworkers to lunch this day.
”I have a feeling it's something big.” Zhao, the reporter of this case, said. ”When I arrived there, a few police were guarding the entrance. I showed them my id and said I'm going in for interview. But he still wouldn't let me in. Then I saw a truck drove in there along with four police cars. I had to wait until the police left before I could go in. The victim's parents apparently gone insane after they found the body. An ambulance carried them away. The residents of the apartment are all in a panic.”
The food is tasteless to Li right now. She sensed it, but she couldn't prevent anything.
Since a week ago, she sensed that in one week, in some place, someone will encounter something horrible. This feeling grew more intense with every pa.s.sing day. Then last night she woke up from her dream and could vividly sensed it happened.
Then this morning, that feeling came back again. Tomorrow at night, another person will encounter the same fate.
”Zhao...” She has made the decision. ”Are you going to follow this case?”
”Yes, the boss values this case, and orders me to investigate. And get something unique before the other agencies.”
”Then can you let me do the interviews? I will give you the reports and you can even release them with your name. I can talk to the boss about this...”
The others are laughing. ”Our role model is at it again.”
”That's why she got a raise.”
”Stop making fun of me...” Li is not in the mood to joke around, all she can think about are the interviews. If she can't find out in time, she can't prevent the tragedy happening tomorrow.
”Ok, stop with the tense face, Li.” Zhao patted her shoulder. ”I will go talk to the boss and give you this case. Of course it will be on your name.”
”Thank you. Zhao.”
”Hey, Li, look. Isn't that the new book by your brother?”
She looks at a table nearby, a couple is having their meal. There's a book on the table, called, , with the author's name Yi YunAn (An).
”Ah, Li. Why didn't you tell us your brother's new book is out. We would've went to buy one.”
She smiled awkwardly, and think to herself. 'That's for your own good. My brother's books are not for normal people.'
She has been getting increasingly suspicious of the existence of ghost these years.
Her brother is a horror novel author. His books are best sellers within the country and even in HongKong and Taiwan. A company made one of his books into a movie.
-----
Back home at night. She can smell the deliciousness as she walks in the door. Her brother has always been good at cooking. As she walks into the kitchen, he's stir frying a dish.
He turns his head around and sees Li. ”You're back. Go wash your hands.”
Since their parents died seven years ago, they have been supporting each other.
During dinner.
”You took on a new case?”
”Yeah.” Li is still excited. ”I have only been able to report some weird looking animals or other small stuff these three years. But this time is different.”
”Is this related to your premonitions?”
”Yes. You...”
An looked at Li with a serious face. ”I don't want to lose you. We moved here because we want to get away from the past.”
Li is silent, she puts down her fork, her voice shaking. ”Have you forgotten? When dad and mom died...”
”Enough... That's the past. I want to start a new life with you.”
”But you are also thinking over the same thing, aren't you? I don't want to keep running. Why can't we face our fate?”
”Listen, you better not follow this case.”
Li said with dissatisfaction. ”This same line! Every time I sense something, you tell me not to think about it. But in reality, people keep dying. And the police can't find anything. At least I won't to stop it. I don't want to see other people die... Just like dad and mom...”
”Stop mentioning seven years ago.”
”Why? Why are you always running? Just like back then, you rushed through the funeral and got me out of the city. Then we moved around several times before finally settling here. You want me to forget the past, but I just can't do it...”
An sighed and said softly. ”I beg you, ok? Li, we have a new life here. The past has nothing to do with us. If you continue to follow these things, I am afraid...”
”I don't want to run! I don't want to live in this fake comfort.”
She doesn't know anything. She doesn't know the horror and despair of all this.
Chapter 2
The next day, Li arrives at the police station. Even though she has communicated with the chief investigator for quite a while, he still won't disclose any information on the death of Xie Hao.
”We can only disclose of the fact that he was murdered. Since the method used is rather cruel, we will not disclose the cause of death. This case is currently under investigation. We will hold a news conference when we have new information. That's all I can tell you, Ms. Yi.”
”But... according to our understanding, Xie Hao's parents had gone insane after seeing their son's body. They're still under therapy in an inst.i.tution. The police kept this from public intentionally. Furthermore, the neighbors told us when the police arrived that day, they were accompanied by multiple medical examiners...”
”Enough, Ms. Yi.” The chief's face is looking blue. He makes the gesture to leave. ”The police has our positions. The government is also taking this seriously. We will publish the results when the proper time comes. Please go back.”
Li knows there's no use continuing. The chief won't tell her anything else. She's certain that there's an astonis.h.i.+ng inside story. The current situation is just like seven years ago when her parents died.
No matter what her brother said, she's determined to find out the truth.
Outside the chief investigator's room, she is thinking of what to do next. Who should I ask? The whole department is probably ordered to keep it from the media, and the victim's parents won't be able to speak consciously.
Well, maybe I can still get something from crazy talks.
Once decided, she puts her notebook back into the bag then rushes to the parking lot. She has not noticed a long hair woman in black clothes staring at her back.
Li hopes to get some leads the night. She doesn't want to report another murder tomorrow.
On the way to the psych inst.i.tution, she turns on the radio. ”h.e.l.lo, we invited the famous horror novel writer Yi YunAn as our guest today. This is the fourth time he's come on our show. h.e.l.lo, Mr. Yi. Congratulations on your new book. This book has been a bestseller. We will open up the hotline, will you please answer some questions from the readers?”
”Yes, I am also excited at this opportunity to speak with the readers. I am very happy to be a guest again.”
”But before that, I have a question for you. Is this book the same as always, a supernatural horror fiction?”
”Yep. I have mentioned that I only write this genre of novels. To let the readers feel that terrors that always exist beside everyone.”
Li is thinking if she should also make a call to the show, then she heard this.
”Terrors always exist beside everyone.”
Since her parents died seven years ago, and the two moved out of the city. That scene was carved into their memories. They can't forget, yet they're too afraid to hate.
She's tired of her life like this. She doesn't want to be like her brother, always running away from those things. Li knows running is useless. Those things are everywhere.
The hotline opens up.
”Mr. Yi, are your stories based on reality?”
”Mr. Yi, I read your new book. I finished it through an all-nighter. It was too scary. Did you experience anything depressing in real life?”
Li listens as her brother answers the readers' questions. The psych inst.i.tution is close.
”Mr. Yi, I read all your books. You're amazing at setting the mood and depicting the characters. As if you have experienced it.”
This is a woman, but her voice feels cold, like she's interrogating.
”You're funny miss. If I experienced it, how can I still be alive?” His voice is calm.
”Do you think those things from your book exist in the real world?”
”I'm just writing a fiction. Never thought about connecting it with the real world.”
The car arrives at the entrance, but Li keep on listening to the radio.
”Is that so. I understand. Bye then.” She hangs up.
Weird person. Li drives to the parking lot then takes the elevator upstairs.
The nurse won't let her visit the patients. But after she repeatedly stressed that a life is on the line with sincerity, she allowed Li ten minutes.
She follows the nurse upstairs to the floor Xie Hao's parents are at. The moment she steps out of the elevator. ”XieHao! XieHao! How did you become of this! Ahhh...”
A bunch of doctors and nurses are restraining a middle aged woman in bed. One doctor is trying to inject sedative to her.
”She's one of the patient you are looking for. Even since she came here, she's been like this. I don't think you can get anything out of her. The other patient's situation is worse.”
”XieHao... How did you become so terrifying? Who made you like that...”
Li walks into the room. A nurse said. ”You better not provoke her.”
What a tragedy. After the son died, the parents gone insane. This definitely isn't a normal murder case. Even if the scene was b.l.o.o.d.y, the victim was dissected, it wouldn't cause them to gone mad.
What... exactly did they see?
She didn't get anything out of them. Back on the parking lot, she looks at her watch, getting anxious as time pa.s.ses. There's no lead right now but that feeling is getting stronger. Can't I stop it?
”Do you want to know the answer?”
A voice comes from behind.
She turns around and sees a woman with shoulder length hair. She looks so cold.
”Who are you?”
”Ms. Yi. Can you let me see your brother?”
Ten minutes later, they are sitting across each other in a cafe outside the psych inst.i.tution.
”Who are you? Do you know my brother?”
”Even though I don't know him, I understand your pasts.” She looks calm.
”My name is Ren Jin. I've been looking for you two for a long time.”
”What? Are you a cop? Investigating the case that happened seven years ago?”
”No. I'm not related to the police. I am looking for you according to my father's memo in his notebook. He went missing three years ago. Your brother was recorded in the notebook in details. And the case seven years ago also.”
”Who is your father?”
”Ren Shenbo. A psychiatrist. But he's also a researcher in supernatural occurrences. My mother died in a strange car accident three years ago.”
”But... we don't seem to know your father. My parents never mentioned any psychiatrist when they were alive.”
”Anyway, I will let you know the details when I see your brother. You're investigating yesterday's case right? I can give you some leads. I hacked into the police's network last night and downloaded the data. I can give them to you and in exchange you have to let me see your brother.”
”Are you a hacker? Who are you, why do you want to see my brother.”
”I can't tell you this right now.”
Li looks at her watch again. There's no time. A life is on the line. Comply with her now then think about things later.
”I'll accept it. But you have to let me see the data first. If I happen to use your data on the news, I will say it's sent to us anonymously.”
”Of course.”
She pulls out a large envelope from her jacket and hands it to Li. ”There are fourteen photos of the body. I printed the photos right after downloading them. There is no editing. There's also the death report by medical examiners.”
Li opens the envelope then took out the photos. Her heart skipped a beat, her pupils enlarged, and she couldn't stop her hand from shaking.
”You...” Li couldn't say anything. The same as seven years ago. Unexplainable phenomenon. Then she continues looking through the photos. Her breathing gets heavier as she goes. She almost faints when she gets to the fifth.
Li can't continue with it and put the photos back, then takes out the death report.
”Do you believe it?”
Jin asked calmly.
”Yes. Yes. I believe because it's just like this.” Li's voice is shaking. ”This unexplainable phenomenon. It made us ran away to this city. Even after we ran so far, we still can't escape it.”
Jin is studying Li's face. She's certain that this is the person she has been looking for.
”You have a premonition ability right?”
Li suddenly raises her head and stares at her.
”You can sense how long it will take for the next horrible event to happen right? I have a similar ability. I got this ability after my mother died. She was killed by a ghost.”
She looks so sad as she says this. But this sadness quickly disappears. But Li can feel that there's fear within her. A kind of fear that prevents her from even thinking about it.
”Why do you want to see my brother?”
”If I tell you, some day in the future I will be killed by a ghost, no, perhaps something even greater than ghosts. Will you believe me? And I can't escape it no matter where I go. This was what my father told me. He is an all knowing psychic.”
Li wouldn't believe this seven years ago. But she can't not believe it now. Her perspective of the world has been changing these years. She has to believe that there are ghosts and curses in this world.
She's still so calm even when she talks about getting killed. But Li can see her hands shaking slightly.
”I believe, Ms. Ren. How did you know about my ability? And why my brother?”
”Not only your brother but also you. I will tell you both the details when I see him.”
Then Li remembered her premonition for tonight. ”You said you can sense it, do you know what's going to happen tonight? No, where is it and who?”
”What I know is limited, but your brother should know more about it. He probably has the same ability. Since it's happening tonight, then let's go see him right now, if you want to prevent a second victim.”
Chapter 3
An is staying home alone. Looking at the sky through the window, the air is gray and foggy.
Tonight... that person will die.
An knows about this. But why prevent it? What can this change? He only wishes to live peacefully with his sister. He's been in this city for three years and haven't made any friends. He knows that perhaps one day he will move somewhere else. He cut any connection with relatives and his past. All he has left is his name and those memory.
Foot steps coming through the door. He turns around and see the door opens. Li comes in with a stranger.
She quickly closes the door. ”An... Do you have the same premonition ability? Tell me.”
”What happend? I am totally lost.”
Li looks outside the window. The sun is still there. She organizes her thoughts then tells him everything.
An gives Jin with a cold stare. He gestures her to leave. ”Ms. Ren, I don't wish anyone to interrupt our peaceful life. We don't have anything to do with you and we don't have the obligation to help you. Please leave and don't come to us again.”
”An, listen. I want to know the reason. We've been running away from that thing all these years, we didn't even go to our parents funeral. My life is full of darkness, how can you say that as peaceful? I want to know how dad and mom died.”
Then Jin added.
”My father knows a lot. He told me one thing, and that thing can fulfill your deepest wish. Mr. Yi. Do you still want to me to leave?”
An is startled. He stares at Jin for a whole minute. ”You know my wish?”
”Yes. There's nothing my father doesn't know. If you are suspicious, I can prove it tonight.”
An's thoughts are racing. The terror of that day appears in his mind. As he is hesitating, he heard a seductive voice.
”Tell me, what is the name of the second person?”
He opens his mouth subconsciously.
”Zhang Jun.”
-----
Jun is a college student that likes to party. He lives far away from the campus and walks to school.
Tonight, his friend's girlfriend is holding a birthday party.
Everyone is partying like crazy, playing poker, singing karaoke. Then people start to leave at 10pm.
”Isn't it curfew hour already for your dorms?”
”So what? We can climb in through the windows. Do you think the management really cares?”
Jun laughs. ”That ponytail from biology department looks good. I may go date her, you guys want to bet a meal?”
”Why not.”
After saying goodbye to his friends, Jun takes the bus and gets off near his apartment. He's taking the shortcut. At the same time, he feels an urge to use the toilet. Probably drank too much beer. He remembers a public toilet just in front.
After doing business, he comes to the door and finds that it won't open.
”What's wrong?” He pushes it. Is it broken?
The lights suddenly go off. The toilet is in a complete darkness. He usually likes to joke around about supernatural stuff. But this place is making him nervous.
He shouts. ”Is anyone outside? I am locked inside here!”
No replies. He's regretting he took the shortcut. People don't usually go pa.s.s this place.
Why didn't I just hold it till I got home.
He kicks at the door. Then tackles it. But it just won't open. Let's see if there are any tools that can pry open the door. Otherwise I will have to spend the night here. But it's so dark. I can't even tell if there's anyone in front of me. He tries to search in the dark slowly.
-----
”Found it. A chemistry first year in the city college.” Li is a reporter and has her sources of information.
An has the premonition ability, but different from Li's. He can form an image of the person that's going to die and see his name. He obtained this ability soon after his parents' death, just like Li. He saw Zhang Jun's face and the iconic statue of that college.
It was 10pm when they found his information from the school. Li used interview as an excuse to get the teachers to give her Jun's contact info. They even gave her the contacts of a few of his friends.
When she got in touch with his friends, they said he went to a birthday party with them then went home taking the bus. He's probably home already.
”We have to find him immediately.”
Li and the other two get on the car and rush to his apartment. An is driving while Li keeps trying to call him.
-----
Jun receives a call in the toilet. s.h.i.+t. Why didn't I think of cellphones, he curses. It's an unfamiliar number. ”h.e.l.lo, who's this?”
”Is this Zhang Jun? I can't explain it in brief. My name is Yi Yunli, a reporter. I would like to interview you. Are you currently home?”
”No...”
Jin s.n.a.t.c.hes the phone. ”Where are you? Are you in danger?”
”What... danger? I am...”
He stops. He hears something from the darkness. A heavy breathing. Even Jin could hear that breathing over the phone.
He jumps. ”Who?”
No one answers. I should be the only one here, there was no one else when I entered. There can't be anyone else here.
He hurries back to the phone. ”Help... Help me! I am in the public toilet near the intersection of GF and BT road. I can't open the door no matter what. You can ask people if you can't find it.”
There's that breathing again. But this time, closer.
His phone suddenly plays a melody. Then it turns off. Out of battery? G.o.d, why now? But I remember I charged it before leaving the apartment this morning.
He freezes, afraid to take even a step, afraid of running into something. It's so dark here, there isn't even a window.
”Who... who's it. Stop... stop scaring me ok?”
He is shaking. Are there really ghosts in this world?
He hears the breathing again. It's so vivid this time because... it's right beside his ear!
He screams then starts running. He has lost his sense of direction.
That door, have to find that door and break it to get out!
Then he realizes something horrifying. This toilet is not even a hundred cubic meter big, but he has been running for five minutes without reaching any wall. G.o.d, how can this be? He doesn't smoke so there's no lighter. He has no way of making any light. Perhaps it's better that he can't see.
-----
After Jun hung up the call, An starts driving faster. His hands are full of sweat. He doesn't know who this woman is but she knows about their abilities. She said she can fulfill my wish, is that true? I have to save Zhang Jun first then ask her.
Jin keeps looking at her watch. She doesn't know when Jun will die but it's close.
-----
Jun is soaking wet from sweat. He has been running in every directions for ten minutes but he hasn't touched anything. He's regretting ever leaving that wall. It's also strange that his eyes still hasn't adjusted to the darkness after so long. As if his eyes are blinded. He couldn't even tell if someone is in front of him.
”Help...Help! No, I don't care who you are, please don't hurt me.” Jun can't even stand right now. He's crawling on the ground. It's complete silence. He can't hear the echo of his own voice. What the heck is happening?
Then there comes the sound. He holds his breath, afraid to even move a finger. That something is not far behind him. Something crawling on the ground. It's getting closer. He's shaking, crawling away very slowly as if he makes any big movement, that thing will jump over.
-----
An's car arrives at the road, but the shortcut is too narrow for a car to drive in. ”You two stay here. I will go take a look.”
-----
It's getting closer. His hands and feet are feeling numb. His mind almost blanked out. Is it a misperception that the air is feeling thinner?
He reaches his hand out for another move. Then suddenly, he touches a freezing cold hand.
”Ahhhhhh” Jun can't understand why that thing is in front of him. His phone falls out of his pocket, then powers on with the screen facing the front of him.
Finally a source of light
-----
Finally found the public toilet. As An plans to tackle the door, it opens up with just a twist on the handle. It's a normal toilet with three rooms, a faucet, a mop laying on the wall, and a coiled up rubber tube on the ground.
An opens the toilet doors one by one. No one is inside.
”An!”
He turns around and sees Li and Jin. He frowns. ”Didn't I tell you to wait.”
”I'm sorry.”
Jin is looking through the toilet, then she walks over to An. ”We're too late.”
”Who are you. What do you know?”
An stares at Jin. ”Alright. I will tell you. Let's go back to the car.”
Chapter 4
Back in the car. An drives to a nearby parking lot then turns his head around. ”I hope you can give me a reasonable explanation.”
Jin stares back at him and finally says. ”To put it simply, I have the same premonition abilities as you two. I can foresee… the keyword of the unexplainable phenomenon that's going to happen. Which allows me to know the source of danger and avoid it. I obtained this ability shortly after my mother's death three years ago. Same as you two.”
An never thought that she has the same fate as them.
”I know you have many questions. I lived in a city far from here three years ago. If that car accident didn't happen, I might be just a normal person right now. However, one night, our family of three was returning from a picnic on a highway. I suddenly saw a strange shadow outside the car window… The sky was getting dark so I couldn't see exactly what it was but my father and I were shocked to see my mother disappeared the next instant. She just disappeared without a trace when she was sitting on tee pa.s.senger seat.”