Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#042Reader Mode

#042

8. The Love Story of Johan Gentil, the Pure Hearted Youth

Seojun’s gaze was locked onto the raging inferno before him, his eyes stinging from the intensity of the blaze. The heat scorched their skin, but he and his group couldn’t bring themselves to leave.

The fire crackled and roared, drowning out even the monster’s anguished screams. The alien creature, soaked in lemon juice that drained its strength, struggled feebly against the flames. Its tentacles, dripping goo and emitting a rotten stench, flailed desperately. But the fire refused to die down, growing more intense by the second.

Before long, the alien known as Monster X began to melt. Its sleek, milky skin puckered and shrunk under the heat while its tentacles shriveled into charred nubs, losing their terrifying reach.

As the fire slowly consumed the monster, it began to die far quicker than the dramatic inferno that had lit up the entire Hamon Campground.

Was its preference for moving along the water’s edge not just a liking for lakes and swamps, but a necessity? Was moisture its lifeline?

Legs wobbling like jelly, Seojun staggered towards the smoldering remains. Johan’s hand, which had been supporting him, gave a slight twitch. But Seojun’s focus didn’t waver from the monster.

It was a pathetic sight. What was once a glossy, almost mystical skin was now a crinkled, charred mess, smeared with ashes and blood. The monster had shrunk to a fraction of its former size and this sight made Seojun’s head reel. But he pushed through the buzzing in his ears, taking another unsteady step forward.

The monster lay eerily still, its previous roars and screeches now just a distant memory. To Seojun, the scene was almost comical, breaking down one of the dominant fears that had haunted him for so long.

In contrast to his chaotic thoughts, the world was strangely silent. There were no victorious anthems, no cinematic sunrise to celebrate their victory. It was just them, wrapped in the quiet aftermath.

Uncertainty began to gnaw at Seojun. Was it just pretending to be dead? Or was there a darker plot twist waiting, like the serial killer ready to burst out screaming from its guts…?

That ribcage we saw earlier… Could it have been someone else’s remains?

For a brief moment, Seojun’s blood ran cold with the possibility of Gas Mask, alive and lurking inside Monster X, like that crazed soldier. But then, reality came – even if Gas Mask had miraculously survived being devoured, the fire would have been his end. In Seojun’s mind, he pictured Gas Mask’s body melting away, dissolving like sticky rice in boiling soup.

As Seojun stepped closer, the monster didn’t twitch. His heart pounded fiercely, as if trying to break free from his chest. With each suspicion he dismissed, a storm of emotions raged within him.

Is it really over…?

His thoughts screeched to a halt, leaving him biting his lip in confusion. A sense of bewilderment clung to him stubbornly. But then, as if a light had pierced the darkness, a surge of joy welled up, straining against his chest’s confines.

Was this finally the end of their nightmare? Could they finally stop living in fear? He nearly shouted in a happy cheer. He turned to share this happy moment with Christina, but the joy died in his throat.

Instead of a shared victorious cheer and beaming smiles, it was Christina’s cry for her friend that broke the silence.

“Airi!”

Christina had also been lost in her own world, watching Monster X’s fiery demise. But unlike Seojun, she quickly snapped back to reality.

She hastily tucked away her torch and sprinted towards the back of the woodpile. Seojun, shaking off his daze, followed her with Johan close behind. Golden, who had been eyeing the monster’s withered tentacles, joined them a bit later, but Seojun barely noticed.

When Johan suddenly veered off in a new direction, they followed him like a line of ducks, puzzled but trusting. Seojun stole glances at Johan, who wore a faint smile, his posture confident and strides purposeful. Keeping pace was easy enough since they weren’t headed too far.

Johan stopped before the monster’s charred remains and sat down, nonchalantly sifting through the ashes and scorched flesh. Seojun instinctively stepped back, his hand covering his nose and mouth in disgust.

“What in the world are you doing, Johan?”

“Oh, Jun. Just checking something…. Could you take a look at this?”

Johan held up a tentacle, shriveled and diminished, now resembling a burnt rubber hose. Among the other tentacles, it stood out for its smaller size.

Abruptly, a choked, pained cough came from behind them. Seojun turned around to see the last duck of their group, pointing with a disgusted, scared expression.

“Are you out of your mind, you crazy lunatic! Drop that thing right now!”

Golden’s horrified look made Seojun realize what was going on. The tentacle clutched in Johan’s hand was the same vile one that had brutally invaded Richard’s body and sucked out his insides.

Seojun felt sick, his hand pressed tightly over his mouth. Even shriveled, the tentacle’s unique opening dripped with moisture, triggering unwanted memories… Johan caught Seojun’s terrified look and flashed a mischievous grin.

“This is the one, isn’t it?”

That day, Seojun saw a side of Johan he never knew – like his quick, decisive actions. Once Johan was sure about the tentacle he held, he wasted no time crushing it under a rock.

They were in a rundown campground, littered with rocks. But understanding Johan’s motives from such actions was another matter. Seojun moved closer, his curiosity winning over.

“What are you up to?”

The tentacle, surprisingly tough despite being burnt, didn’t give in easily. Seojun watched, in awe and disbelief, as Johan’s muscles flexed, ripping the tentacle to shreds. The sight was strangely satisfying – those once menacing tentacles being methodically dismantled with such determination.

Johan, wiping sweat off his brow, suddenly grabbed Seojun’s collar with his mangled hand. Seojun, usually so aloof and fierce, found it hard to resist that hand. He obediently squatted next to Johan, the remains of the monster somehow less scary now.

It was only after Seojun lightly bumped into him that Johan explained.

“Jun, remember how it forced its way into that tight hole of yours and released that nasty liquid in? Well, I’m going to totally obliterate this thing.”

Of course, this didn’t mean Seojun could understand his explanation. Taken aback, he stepped away, only for Johan to drag him back by the waist. Seojun gave his arm a light smack and remarked,

“Johan. In the name of our friendship, I gotta say your word choice and tastes sound a bit immoral.”

Seojun thought he was doing Johan a favor by pointing this out. But Johan just laughed, a deep, real laugh, as he finished crushing the tentacle. He rolled it up like a piece of trash and stuffed it in his pocket. Standing there, he resembled a kid thrilled with his newest discovery, earning an amused look from Seojun.

Johan wrapped his arms around Seojun’s waist, lifting him with surprising ease. His voice was casual as he replied,

“This isn’t about my tastes. It’s about tolerance.”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

“Airi, can you hear me? Airi, are you alright? Airi!”

To their amazement, Airi was still alive. When Johan, Seojun, and Golden got there, they found her face down on the ground, twitching and making faint groaning sounds.

“Uggggghhh….”

Considering she’d been swatted away by Monster X’s tentacle like a pesky fly, Airi was doing surprisingly well. She weakly pointed towards a tree and then the ground, her hand dropping back, covered in dirt. Christina, holding her hand and looking shocked asked,

“Airi, did you hit the tree before you landed?”

“Ugh….”

Airi’s replies were more like grunts than words, barely escaping her lips. William, gently checking her arms and legs, said worriedly,

“Luckily, the tree branches cushioned her fall. But that damned monster…”

He stopped, swallowing hard. His eyes, red and tired, showed how worn out he was.

“I think she’s got broken ribs from that hit.”

“Ribs? Like the bones? Is that… is she going to be okay?”

Christina turned even paler, her face already as white as flour. Seojun was secretly amazed there was an even paler shade. He was relieved nobody here could read minds – his thoughts weren’t exactly the most serious. Airi tried to talk to her friend again.

“Aruugh….”

“Sorry, Airi. I can’t understand a word you’re saying.” Christina wiped away her tears, apologizing for not being a garbled speech translator.

“It doesn’t sound like her lungs were punctured.”

But we can’t just move her, right? She’s really hurt.”

Johan, looking closely at Airi’s side, gave his thoughts. William, rubbing his forehead tiredly like an old man, agreed. He didn’t look young to begin with, but today even more so.

“We can’t make her walk like this. Even carrying her seems risky. We might need to rig up a makeshift stretcher. Johan?”

“Calling an ambulance would be ideal, but that’s not happening.”

The group threw around ideas, but nothing stuck, and Airi wasn’t getting better. Seojun, watching her, finally said,

“Let’s go find Bobby.”