Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#018Reader Mode

#018

“I can do this! I can help too!”

Bobby, with his tin pot now slid down to his nose, was puffing with effort, his cheeks flushed. Maybe Johan’s earlier encouragement had lit a fire in him, or maybe he’d found a rare burst of courage. Either way, he was now clinging onto Gas Mask’s arm for dear life.

“Johan, I’ll help!”

Bobby was all in, maybe even a bit overconfident. He didn’t seem to realize just how relentless Gas Mask could be.

Seojun, impressed by Bobby’s guts, picked up the kitchen knife that had fallen earlier. Bobby’s distraction was a godsend, giving him a precious opening.

“Argh, ugh…”

“Stab him, Johan! Just stab him!”

The scene was almost surreal. Johan and Bobby seemed to be turning the tables on Gas Mask. Seojun’s heart pounded as he realized they might actually have a chance.

Johan’s knife inched closer, and Bobby bravely held his ground against the killer. Seojun squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, then opened them again. This was no time to get emotional. He needed to get up and help Johan.

But then, out of nowhere, a loud boom echoed through the campsite.

Birds took off into the night, their wings flapping so loudly it sounded like an echo of the initial boom. Johan, Bobby, and Seojun all whipped their heads around, trying to figure out what had just happened. Even Gas Mask seemed caught off guard by the sudden noise.

But then it hit them—it was gunfire, fierce and ominous, like a bolt of lightning, that had caused the sudden pause in their fight. And the worst part? Gas Mask was the first to snap out of it. He lifted his crossbow, deflecting Johan’s knife.

“Ugh!”

Caught in the light from the lantern, Johan’s knife glinted as Gas Mask pointed his crossbow straight at Johan’s now exposed chest, ready to fire.

“Johan!”

Seojun didn’t hesitate. He threw himself at Johan, knocking them both out of the way. The bolt whizzed past, hitting the ground instead.

Johan quickly got back on his feet, pulling Seojun up with him. He kept a protective arm around Seojun as they put some distance between themselves and Gas Mask. But Gas Mask, instead of reloading his crossbow, decided to go for a more direct approach.

“Ah!”

With barely any effort, Gas Mask shoved Bobby aside and grabbed him by the neck again. The Hamon knife, now stained with Seojun’s blood, just barely grazed Bobby’s throat. Bobby’s eyes rolled back, and he started gasping for air.

“Argh! Ah…”

Gas Mask didn’t say a word, but his message was clear: he had taken a hostage. Seojun, clutching the kitchen knife, swallowed hard.

“Oh God! Please, don’t kill me! Somebody save me, please!”

Bobby’s desperate pleas first went out to Gas Mask, begging for mercy, and then to Seojun and Johan. After a few tense moments, Seojun spoke up, his voice heavy.

“Bobby! I can’t say I was ever fond of you…no, let’s be honest, I couldn’t stand you! But the bravery you showed today? That’s going to be remembered all over America!”

Because it’s Independence Day.

As expected, Seojun’s sarcastic and scornful words only made Bobby angrier.

“You bastard! You’re the real murderer here! I knew I couldn’t count on you!”

With tears and snot running down his face, Bobby turned to Johan, who nodded before speaking.

“Bobby, we won’t forget your bravery. You really showed some courage today.”

Even though Johan’s words were different, his message was pretty much the same as Seojun’s. But the coldness in Johan’s voice was a shock, even to Bobby.

“Johan! How could you do this to me too?”

Sure, Bobby had once thrown his friends under the bus, mistakenly thinking Seojun was a killer. But he and Johan had been friends since they were kids.

In this twisted scene of friendship and betrayal, Gas Mask just tilted his head. Instead of letting go of his now seemingly worthless hostage, he kept his grip on Bobby’s neck, backed away slowly, and then suddenly disappeared into the forest, away from where the gunshot had come from.

Seojun and Johan stayed on high alert until Gas Mask was completely out of sight. Despite Bobby’s cursing, neither he nor the silent Gas Mask came back from the shadows.

“Ha…”

Seojun felt all the strength leave his body. Only now did he realize his back was soaked with sweat, making his clothes stick to his skin. Johan, supporting him, looked Seojun in the eyes.

“Jun, are you okay? Does it hurt? It must.”

“Why bother asking if you’re just going to answer for me?”

“But….”

“More importantly, are you okay? I mean, I wasn’t friends with Bobby or anything, but you…”

Seojun’s voice faded away. Honestly, how many people can stay calm when their life is on the line? Especially Johan, who’s still so young. Despite Seojun’s worries, Johan kept his cool.

“Still, Jun, there are some things that are just more important in life.”

Even though Bobby was being dragged away, Johan didn’t seem to be too worried about it. Seojun deeply resonated with this sentiment. Johan Gentil truly embodied the male protagonist of “The Murderer of the Bloody Lake.” His character was nothing short of admirable.

“First, let me see your hand.”

“My hand?”

Johan gently pulled Seojun closer and started rummaging through his pockets, but when he couldn’t find anything useful, he sighed. That’s when Seojun couldn’t help but groan in pain.

“Ugh…”

Tears welled up in his eyes. Every inch of him was in pain. He had always tried to keep a safe distance from those so-called “Rumplestiltskin babies” to avoid situations like this. Eventually, Johan took Seojun’s left hand, which was in better shape.

“Let’s take off this bandage and wrap up your right hand properly, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.”

Seojun’s left hand was scraped and cut, but it was nothing compared to his right hand, which had a hole in it. He occasionally looked away as Johan unwound the bandage; even though the pain wasn’t as intense as when he got stabbed with the Hamon knife, it was still pretty unbearable.

Johan, his voice filled with a deep sadness, tightly wrapped up the wound and said, “Don’t ever do that again, Jun. It was really dangerous.”

“But what if you had died?”

Seojun blurted out his response without thinking. If Johan died, the danger to Christina would skyrocket. Johan had an obligation to be a steadfast shield for both him and Christina in the future. At least, that’s what Seojun firmly believed.

Johan’s blue eyes flickered with a mix of emotions when he heard Seojun’s sharp retort. However, in the dimly lit campsite, where even the moonlight was scarce, nobody had the luxury to carefully observe his reactions.

Johan bit his lip hard, leaving a bite mark on his beautiful lips, as if punishing himself.

“Just… don’t do it again.”

The bandage wrapped around his hand was causing undeniable pain. Seojun clenched his eyes shut and grimaced.

“Jun, does it hurt a lot? Try to bear with it, even if it does.”

Then, a soft humming tune filled the air. A gentle, pleasant voice reached Seojun’s ears. With his vision blocked by Johan’s chest, his other senses seemed heightened, like feeling the body heat of the man standing right beside him.

Despite Johan’s usually cool demeanor, he was radiating a distinct warmth. Seojun felt a bit embarrassed as he realized this unfamiliar sensation, but he couldn’t dwell on it for too long.

“Human skulls are actually stronger than you think. Plus, I used to play American football. I’m no stranger to a few bumps and bruises.”

Johan’s nonchalant comment sparked a flare of anger in Seojun. He opened his eyes wide and locked eyes with Johan, his bloodshot eyes looking like they might start bleeding at any moment.

“Used to it? With Gas Mask’s strength and speed, he could’ve easily crushed your skull or pierced your brain. One wrong move and he could’ve burst your eyeball. Don’t underestimate that maniac. In this world, unbelievable things can casually happen.”

Seojun showed Johan the hole in his palm, making him raise an eyebrow. Johan, looking as pitiful as a wounded puppy, grabbed Seojun’s hand.

“You’re right. I’m sorry, Jun. With the government hiding aliens, I really shouldn’t have been so careless.”

Seojun, who believed in body possession, looked disdainfully at Johan, the conspiracy theorist who believed in government cover-ups of extraterrestrial beings. But right now, they needed to focus on wrapping up Seojun’s hand. They couldn’t afford to waste any more time here.

He picked up the lantern that was rolling on the ground. Thankfully, even though Bobby had been taken, the lantern he was holding was still intact.

“It’s a good thing this still works. Did you see which way Gas Mask went? This is our chance. Since we ran into Gas Mask, Christina should be safe, and the guardhouse should be unguarded.”

Seojun paused, taking a deep breath. There were still too many unanswered questions. The unexpected gunshot, the mystery of the crossbow user, why Gas Mask had taken Bobby, and more. They didn’t have the luxury of time to figure everything out one by one.

“Of course, the guardhouse might not be completely unguarded. Gas Mask works there, so he might have set up some kind of defenses.”

Considering their cell phones weren’t working, it was very likely he had done something.

Maybe we just have bad reception out here.

Seojun’s thin lips twisted in a wry smile. Back in South Korea, he had lived his whole life in the city. He never imagined he’d find himself in the vast forests and lakes of America.

“We need to move quickly before Gas Mask comes back. Christina and Willy are probably heading to the guardhouse too.”

At the end of the day, the landline phone at the guardhouse was their only hope. Even if that hope was dangling by a frayed rotten thread, reality was often that unforgiving.

“Alright, let’s go, Johan.”

“But Jun, doesn’t your hand hurt? Do you want me to carry you?”

“Wow, Johan! You can even take down Gas Mask with just your legs! You’re incredible!”

“Well, that’s…”

Joking around, Johan and Seojun started moving. They made a conscious effort to avoid talking about other possibilities, like the chance that Christina, Airi, and William might be connected to the gunshot they heard earlier.

T/N: RIP Bobby. Your bravery will be remembered forever. Never try to square up with a horror movie killer as a side character. There’s a reason most never try to fight Jason or Leatherface. Lol