Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#022Reader Mode

#022

5. William’s Scream

“Hannah, are we sure this is the right spot?”

It was a scorching summer day in 1964, and a group of five friends found themselves gathered in a dormitory at Red Lake Campground, all worn out from the day’s activities. Patrick, Hannah’s boyfriend, was particularly exhausted, fanning his shirt collar and sneakily checking his armpits for sweat stains.

Under the fierce midday sun, Hannah knelt on the earth, her blonde locks corralled into a braid beneath her straw hat, while her large, magnified eyes behind round spectacles studied an unusual stone with fervent curiosity.

The heat was becoming unbearable, and Patrick, losing his patience, nudged Hannah’s ankle with a sigh.

“Hannah, we’ve been at this for ages. Can we just call it a day? We’re at a lake, for crying out loud. Let’s go for a swim or something.”

Sam, who had a not-so-secret crush on Hannah, quickly jumped to her defense, his voice filled with enthusiasm. “Hey, Patrick, give her a break. Hannah might be onto something big here, something that could change the course of human history.”

Patrick swatted Sam’s hand away, annoyed. He couldn’t stand the way this chubby friend of his addressed Hannah so casually.

He was already regretting this whole camping trip. Why were they wasting time looking at rocks when they could be cooling off in the lake? His attention shifted to Suu, a girl with long, dark hair and a mysterious allure.

Suu, who had been watching the whole scene unfold, met Patrick’s gaze and gave him a smile that felt like a breath of fresh air. She was undeniably gorgeous, her full red lips and slightly off-center nose only adding to her charm.

Patrick felt his throat go dry, and he swallowed hard. This thirst had nothing to do with the heat. Even though he was with Hannah, he couldn’t help but be tempted by Suu.

As if picking up on his thoughts, Suu walked over, her arms now at her sides. She pulled a water bottle from her bag and shook it slightly. “Hey Patrick, you look thirsty.”

Patrick’s eyes flicked to Suu’s bag, suddenly remembering that he had left his own stuff back in the dormitory. “Uh, yeah, I guess I am,” he said, managing a sheepish grin. The idea of spending some alone time with Suu suddenly seemed very appealing. Suu just smiled, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.

“What do you mean, you guess?”

“Cut me some slack. I’ve been following Hannah around all morning, hunting for this weird rock.”

As he wiped away the light brown strands of hair clinging to his sweaty forehead and put on a slightly pouty face, Suu couldn’t help but burst into laughter, pointing in Hannah’s direction.

“Hold on a sec, I’ll share with you once Hannah’s wrapped up here.”

“Oh, come on!”

The catch was, Suu was just as much a Hannah enthusiast as Sam was. Both of them were convinced that, based on some old records Hannah had dug up at the library, they were on the verge of making contact with aliens. Patrick, on the other hand, thought the whole idea was complete nonsense.

He couldn’t help but roll his eyes internally, venting his frustration by kicking a stone into the clear pond, and even Campbell, who was taking a nap not too far away, was starting to get on his nerves.

“Look, I hate to break it to you,” Patrick muttered, “but at the rate Hannah’s going, we’ll be old and gray by the time she finds anything. And Suu, at this pace, I’ll die of thirst before I get a sip of that damn drink!”

Suu’s laughter filled the air, creating a cheerful melody amidst the sounds of rustling leaves and chirping birds. She held her stomach as she grinned from ear to ear.

“Oh, Patrick,” she said, her voice dripping with amusement, “You just wait. This drink is something else.”

She gave the plastic bottle another little shake for emphasis. Patrick couldn’t help but gulp. Now that he was paying attention, he noticed that the water inside wasn’t clear at all, but had a cloudy, milky appearance.

“Ah! I’ve got it! I know how to call it now!”

In that instant, Hannah let out a jubilant shout, her voice high and filled with excitement. She sprang to her feet, her bright yellow gingham dress fluttering in the gentle breeze, revealing her bare feet with blades of green grass showing between her toes.

Patrick couldn’t help but break into a big grin as he watched her come over. A memory suddenly flashed in his mind, taking him back to Hannah’s hometown where people joyfully stomped on grapes with their bare feet.

Under the scorching sun, she opened her mouth wide, and a piece of juicy, ruby-red flesh appeared between her sparkling white teeth.

“Bon appétit!”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Present Day

Meanwhile, a little earlier at Hamon Campsite, Christina was in full sprint.

“Hang in there, Airi,” she urged.

“Uh, yeah,” Airi managed to respond, though her face soon twisted in pain as she let out a low groan. Her injuries weren’t just on her stomach and waist from the monstrous creature’s attack. Even though William had caught her before she hit the ground, her right knee had swollen up badly. The dark purple bruise was making it impossible for her to walk on her own.

William, supporting Airi alongside Christina, was also in quite a bit of pain. The collision with Airi’s knee had left his collarbone aching, sending sharp pains down his neck with every step they took.

But stopping wasn’t an option. The terror of being caught and crushed by that mysterious monster kept them moving forward.

Christina clenched her jaw, her grip on Airi’s arm tightening as she looked around, trying to figure out if they were headed in the right direction. They had bolted without grabbing a lantern, making it impossible to know for sure.

“Are we even going the right way?” she muttered, trying to keep her voice steady and hide the tremor of fear. She didn’t want to freak out Airi and William any more than they already were, but the harsh, cold night wind against her face was making it hard to stay calm.

Airi, doing her best to help despite her injuries, craned her neck to look around. All she could see was the dark, dense forest surrounding them. It took her a moment to gather herself before she could speak.

“Willy, Tina,” she said, her voice raspy, “you guys should go on without me. Ah, I can’t believe I’m saying something so cliché! I never thought I’d pull a Bobby.”

Airi tried to crack a joke to lighten the mood, but it just didn’t work. The atmosphere was too tense, and Christina and William were too worried about her.

William, holding onto Airi even tighter, whispered with determination, “Airi, don’t talk like that. I’ll protect you.”

Christina chimed in, her voice full of emotion, “Exactly, Airi. We can’t just leave an injured friend behind. Stop talking nonsense.” The rustling leaves gently muffled her soft sniffles.

But Airi shook her head. She might not have considered herself the brightest bulb in the box, but she knew when to be practical. Right now, she was just slowing her dear friends and boyfriend down.

“Listen, Willy, Christina,” she said, her voice strong despite her condition, “I’m not just being brave or anything. We need to get in touch with the outside world, fast. And about that monster… well, we don’t know much, but remember what Seojun said? I know he can be a bit out there sometimes.”

She pictured Seojun in her mind, his face pale and expressionless, always keeping a bit of distance. They weren’t exactly close, and their conversations were usually filled with his strange and wild remarks.

However, when she was caught in the monster’s clutches, thrashing helplessly in mid-air, it was Seojun’s voice that had pierced through the chaos. Maybe it was the quiet of the night or the closeness to the water, but even though Seojun hadn’t raised his voice, his weary tone had reached her ears clearly.

Airi gave Christina’s shoulder a gentle tap. “Maybe it’s because he saved my life, but I feel like we should take Seojun’s words to heart. You get where I’m coming from, right, Tina? If there really is a murderer out there, we’re in deep trouble.”

Making their way through the forest while helping an injured friend was no easy feat. Airi pointed towards a large, dead tree, its textured bark and the clinging damp moss smell giving a slight tingle to her nose.

“Just leave me here,” she suggested.

“But, Airi…”

“Trust me. I’m not just giving up on life here. Think about it, that monster was huge, right? It will have a tough time getting through a dense forest like this.”

This was wishful thinking, of course. The monster could probably knock down trees twice the size of their makeshift shelter without breaking a sweat. But despite the dire situation, Airi couldn’t help but flash a cheeky grin.

“Willy, go call the others for help. I’ll wait here.” She plopped down on the ground, doing her best to hide how tired she was, and then raised her voice for effect. “Man, I’m wiped! Seriously, I can’t move another inch. My feet are killing me!”

“Airi…”

Christina rubbed her face on her sleeve, her soft cheeks turning rosy from the wipe. Then, without warning, she raised her head, her tears no longer visible. She took a deep breath and gave William a hearty slap on the back.

“William, you know what needs to be done, right?”

“Hmm,” William grunted, meeting Christina’s gaze.

Without missing a beat, he slid his arms under Airi’s back and knees, lifting her up with ease. Airi couldn’t help but yelp in surprise as she suddenly found herself airborne. Her eyes quickly shot to William’s collarbone, concern on her face as she whispered urgently.

“Willy! What the hell are you doing? You’re injured! Christina, tell him to put me down!”

“No. I’m not stopping him.”

“What?”

Christina held Airi’s gaze, her voice steady and full of resolve as she spoke, “Listen up, Airi. I’m not leaving anyone behind. We’re all getting out of this damn campsite together, and that includes Seojun, got it?”

If Seojun had been there to see this, he would’ve been clapping his hands off, cheering Christina as the true female protagonist. And even though he’d feel a bit uneasy about being counted as one of her friends, he’d probably just try to shrink behind her after making a bit of a scene.

But Seojun wasn’t there right now, and Christina, Airi, and William had to pick up the pace once again.

Christina’s eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings with utmost attention. Every little hint that could point them in the right direction was invaluable. Without it, they were just walking in circles. Suddenly, her eyes lit up as she spotted something.

“Over there! Let’s head that way.”

William and Airi followed her gaze. Through the thick trees, they could just make out the top of a building. It was the dormitory building.

Even though it was a place with a dark history and currently out of service, it was still the highest point in the Hamon Campsite. If it was the dormitory, it could be pretty useful for scoping out the area. Considering the options they had at the moment, it was in decent enough shape.

“Didn’t they say someone was shooting crossbows from up there? It’s probably Brass, but man, it’s crazy that we’re actually hoping it’s him.”

Airi muttered, her face scrunching up. Instead of contradicting her, Christina just gave a light shrug.

“It’d be great if we had other options.”

“Airi, if you’re really worried, I can go check out the dorm first.”

William swiveled his head, his jaw muscles working as he talked. Airi reached up, her hand softly directing his face toward her own. Their gazes, brimming with tenderness, met and held. She brushed his rough lips with a delicate touch, then nestled her forehead against the curve of his chin.

“What are you talking about, Willy? We’re a package deal. Don’t even think about doing anything risky on your own,” she murmured, her language a blend of playful banter and deep feeling.

William’s throat tightened with emotion. “Airi…” he whispered.

“Oh, my Willy!”

“Alright, let’s get moving.”

Christina interrupted Airi and William, who were on the verge of getting lost in their own world, and started walking again.