Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#023Reader Mode

#023

The mood lightened up a bit as they spent some time together, even if it was just for a short while. However, the threat of Johan, Bobby, and Seojun becoming monster snacks was still very real, so they needed to keep moving quickly. One wrong step, and they could lose a childhood friend in an instant.

They navigated their way using the moonlight, which only made brief appearances between the clouds. Christina couldn’t help but smirk at the absurdity of using an old, worn-out roof as a landmark—a detail she would’ve normally overlooked. Luckily, the moon’s light was partially covered by clouds tonight, allowing her to stew in her bitter thoughts privately.

“Christina, stop.”

Suddenly, William, who was leading the group, whispered urgently. He tensed up, scanning the darkness while gripping Airi tighter in his arms.

A lump formed in Christina’s throat as she observed the pronounced veins on William’s forearm. She held her breath, her eyes piercing the darkness ahead. Her heart hammered against her ribs, sweat beading on her brow. The fleeting sense of security they had enjoyed evaporated, replaced by a prickling dread that crept from her fingers inward.

Blinking, Christina’s eyes snapped open wide, and that’s when she saw it too. Something was lurking in the darkness.

“Shh…”

She bit down hard on her lower lip, her mind racing. Images flashed before her eyes: the monster’s distorted body, the mutilated corpse thrown at them, the vast lake, her parents waving goodbye, telling her to have fun, her grandmother’s knitting basket, her textbooks scattered carelessly around her room, Bobby’s worn-out posters and the videotapes he had shown her, and Cynthia’s guinea pig running around with surprising speed.

Just as the bubble of fear was about to pop, a man walked over.

He had broad shoulders and stood tall, though his face was hidden in the shadows. However, his clothes clearly gave away his identity. Airi, curled up in William’s arms, craned her neck slightly and murmured,

“A soldier?”

The darkness wasn’t the only reason they hadn’t noticed him sooner. The blurry digital camouflage pattern of his uniform blended seamlessly with the environment, making him nearly invisible. Airi’s grip around William’s neck relaxed a bit.

The soldier stopped a short distance away, as if he was cautious. He pulled his hat down low and spoke,

“What are you doing here? This place is dangerous.”

“Ah…”

Their tense muscles gradually relaxed. They had been on edge due to the recent monster encounter, and their imaginations had run wild with thoughts of murderers and crossbowmen, as forewarned by Seojun.

But the soldier’s tone and demeanor were completely ordinary, as if the monster they had seen was just a figment of their imagination. Christina cautiously started to explain,

“Please help us! We were camping with our friends, but a strange person attacked us.”

She glanced at Airi, knowing that their story of encountering a monster might not be believed. Airi picked up on Christina’s cue and added,

“That’s right, he wore a gas mask and swung a knife around like a madman! We need to contact the police as soon as possible.”

“My friend got seriously hurt while we were running away. Our other friends are here too, but we got separated and they are in danger.” Christina finished explaining.

“Oh no, that’s terrible…”

The soldier clicked his tongue and stepped closer, pulling a radio from his waist belt. Seeing this, Airi couldn’t help but feel a surge of relief,

“Oh my God, we’re saved!”

The soldier turned to Airi, who was shedding a few tears, and then carefully examined her knee. After a moment of silence, he opened a pocket on his chest and offered,

“How about I wrap a bandage around your leg first? I have some emergency supplies with me.”

“Really?”

William’s face lit up at the soldier’s offer. He gently set Airi down, and she leaned on him for support as she stood.

“Ah, thank goodness.” Christina also breathed a sigh of relief, as she had been worried about her friend’s leg. Airi was the star cheerleader at Wraithwood Warren High School, known for her stunt-like tricks. Her legs were her treasure.

Airi sighed, her face visibly relaxing. Just moments ago, she had insisted that the others leave her behind, but deep down, she was terrified of being alone. More than anything, meeting someone from law enforcement brought her immense relief.

But that was a mistake.

Airi and William were generally outgoing and enjoyed outdoor activities. They weren’t the type to get overly absorbed in subcultures, either. Even Christina, who was more on the introverted side, liked to tinker with tools, living up to her last name. So, they all felt a sense of relief. Unlike Bobby, they hadn’t had to endure the horrifying experience of hugging a corpse split in half, which meant they missed the alarming smell.

“Okay, come closer….”

The soldier, holding a strip of gauze, motioned for them to come closer. Airi shuffled forward, gingerly balancing on her good leg. She raised her gaze, meeting the barely discernible eyes of the soldier, shadowed beneath his cap.

That’s when she noticed something was terribly wrong with his face. As the soldier flashed an unnaturally wide grin, his disfigured skin folded and blood seeped from the twisted seams, yet he was disturbingly unbothered by his condition.

“Argh!”

He seized Airi’s wrist with a brutal grip, wrenching her forward as she winced in pain. Christina and William lunged forward to intervene, but the soldier was faster, drawing his firearm and pointing it at William’s leg. Then, the silence was shattered by the sharp sound of gunfire.

Bang!

The sound of the gunshot lingered, sounding different from anything they had heard in movies, TV dramas, or even on the news. It was less a noise and more a physical blow, a flare of light then a booming echo that seemed to fill the very air around them.

Christina’s eyelids fluttered open, and it took a moment for her to realize that she was sprawled on the ground. Her body having instinctively recoiled from the loud sound of the gun.

“Ah….”

The close range gunshot, fired without a silencer, had paralyzed her muscles with its intensity. She tried to swallow back fear, her hands involuntarily clenching, as a tide of dread washed over her, leaving her feeling senseless.

“William!!!”

The following silence was violently torn apart by Airi’s shriek, snapping Christina out of her stupor as if her ears had been unplugged from a dense, waxy barrier. In a rush, her senses surged back to life, with the sound of William’s screams dominating her hearing. Sight, sound, and smell returned with a vengeance, overwhelming her.

Airi, paralyzed with shock and grief, could only cry as she watched the blood seep from William’s leg as he writhed on the ground. The soldier had his arm wrapped around her neck, suffocating her. He then swung the gun toward Christina, his voice carrying a sinister undertone.

“So, where are you folks off to next?”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

Moments before midnight struck on July 5th, the tale circled back to the Prophet.

The man in the soldier’s uniform fiddled with his damaged walkie-talkie, muttering under his breath. Seojun felt a chilling premonition crawl up his back—a feeling not born of psychic foresight, but of a more primal instinct.

His uniform was the first red flag. It clicked for Seojun, recalling Bobby’s half-devoured security blanket of a corpse, also dressed in a soldier’s uniform. Seojun was inwardly kicking himself for not piecing together the living, speaking soldier with the halved body sooner.

Seojun remained silent, instead giving Johan’s hand a subtle pat of encouragement. They hadn’t discussed any secret signs, but he had faith in Johan’s sharp senses to feel that something was wrong. Frankly, the unsettling atmosphere should have been obvious to anyone.

The issue was, their destination was right there, but the soldier was blocking their way. Seojun was torn between backing off or trying to slyly skirt around the soldier, who was casually humming to himself. In his defense, he only had a split second to decide. But you’ve got to remember, a madman’s sense of time is entirely different from that of a normal person.

Abruptly, the soldier’s head snapped up, his voice a haunting echo,

“Where are you going? Where are you going? Where are you going?…”

It was clear the man was unhinged, the question looping in a disturbing rhythm. Seojun felt a cold dread as he observed the soldier’s mouth twitch with the words. Johan, quick to react, pulled Seojun away, his eyes slits of focus as he whispered back, never tearing his gaze from the soldier.

“We’re actually just heading to catch up with our friends,” Johan tried to maintain a casual tone. “We’ll just keep going, thanks.”

“What? No. Follow me, I’ll guide you,” the soldier insisted.

“Really, it’s fine, we—”

Before Seojun could finish, the soldier’s hand darted to his holster, drawing a gun with a practiced ease and pointing it at Johan. Johan’s reflexes kicked in, and he stepped away, only to realize it was a feint. In that split second, the soldier pivoted, closing the distance to Seojun.

“Jun!”

“Ugh!”

Seojun’s air was cut off by the soldier’s arm clamped tightly around his neck. His muscles failed him as his airway was mercilessly squeezed. A mix of blood and the foul odor of skin, wet and singed, filled his nostrils, making his head reel.

The soldier then moved his gun from the side of Seojun’s head, tracing a path over his forehead and down to his nose, ruffling through his black hair and lightly scraping his scalp. He then faced Johan, his face twisted into a wide, manic smile.

“This is classified information. It’s not meant for civilian ears. Understand? It’s highly confidential. Now, follow me. I’ll lead you to your friends.”

Seojun gasped for air in short, desperate bursts, like a fish struggling for oxygen. His chest heaved violently, and his eyes, filled with panic and desperation, were locked on Johan, whose bloodshot eyes and swollen neck veins revealed his distress. In fact, trembling was the only thing Seojun could do with a gun pointed at his head.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

As they stepped into the old dormitory, they found their friends tied up, almost as if they were a welcoming committee.

Christina and Airi were in a corner on the first floor, their arms bound together with Airi’s summer jacket. Airi was left in just a sleeveless tee, her shirt nowhere to be seen. Goosebumps covered her exposed forearms.

William was in a much grimmer state. He was unconscious, bleeding from both his head and leg, sprawled out on the filthy floor. His wrists were tightly bound with Airi’s shirt, his fingertips so pale they stood out even in the dim light.

The abrupt sound of approaching footsteps made Christina’s heart leap. As she timidly raised her gaze, the sight in front of her made her bite her lip. Her tearful eyes quickly closed, and a strained, whispery voice came out.

“Johan! Have you come to save us?”

“Unfortunately, sadly, regrettably…”

T/N: ｡°(°.◜ᯅ◝°)°｡ William!!