Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#085Reader Mode

T/N: Please support the author on RIDI! I need more BL horror Manhwas! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻

#085

The Decoy Motel was a towering behemoth, its nine-plus floors reaching for the sky like an outstretched finger. Yet one thing was strange… the number of rooms on each floor didn’t follow the usual 99-room standard. It was like the motel, and the information guideline sheet, were doing whatever they wanted.

Seojun clicked his tongue as he walked down the worn, red-carpeted hallway. But when he hit the elevator button, his frustration with the strict and demanding guidelines melted away. Suddenly, all that mattered to him was getting a decent meal.

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“Ahh, I’m stuffed!” Seojun exclaimed, beaming with satisfaction as he stepped out of the restaurant, payment settled. What had started as a late breakfast had somehow turned into a lunch-dinner combo that had blown his taste buds away. After weighing his options, he’d decided to go with the obvious choice to satisfy his hunger: the fusion restaurant near the motel, renowned for its Mexican cuisine.

Usually, when a place is always bustling, the quality of the food can take a hit, and Seojun had walked in with some reservations. But the moment the savory, smoky aroma hit him, accompanied by the sizzle of oil, his doubts vanished faster than a drop of water on a hot skillet. From then on, it was a culinary paradise.

The pork ribs, sizzling on the iron plate like a fajita, were slathered in a sauce that was just spicy enough, creating a crispy exterior and a tender, juicy interior that simply fell off the bone. The fried rice, with its fluffy grains, had a unique flavor that left him wanting more. If he hadn’t been wearing gloves, Seojun wouldn’t have hesitated to lick his fingers, relishing every last bite.

In comparison, the set menu back in Utahpia had been decent, with nothing to complain about, but the sheriff’s nonstop rambling had made the flavors about as exciting as cardboard. With a grin still on his face, Seojun wiped his greasy lips and finished off the ice cream he’d ordered for dessert, savoring the refreshing aftertaste.

Seojun sauntered out of the restaurant, beaming with a smile that could light up the whole block. The crisp air outside was a welcome respite from the stuffiness inside. He cast a lackluster glance back at the restaurant. It was crazy to think that a hidden gem like this would be so close to the Decoy Motel. Now that he thought about it, even those ugly red leather chairs seemed like some kind of mind game the owner was playing on customers. Patting his full belly, Seojun let his mind wander aimlessly.

You know what? I could go for another round…

His feet seemed rooted to the spot. For a minute, he stood under the awning, watching the cars zip by, a mischievous glint in his dark eye. It was already too late to hit the road, so why not stay another day? Seojun’s mouth curved up into a sly smile. He was thrilled with his decision and could barely contain his excitement for the next day’s culinary adventures.

When was the last time he’d felt this carefree? Sure, it was just a comfy bed and some delicious grub, but it was amazing how good it felt to let his guard down. Seojun grinned from ear to ear, erasing all those times he’d worried about leaving home. As always, a content body equals a lazy person.

Seojun strolled into the motel, his eye drinking in the surroundings with a newfound sense of relaxation. He noticed a convenience store and a video rental shop that he had missed yesterday, when he’d rushed in like a madman on a mission.

He casually patted the wallet in his pocket, just to make sure his stubborn teddy bear keychain was still snugly in place. He ran his tongue over his thin lips, then flicked it back in, savoring the feeling of having no plans for the day. Since he was going to spend the day doing absolutely nothing, he figured he’d stock up on some entertainment to keep himself company. He walked into the convenience store with an air of nonchalance.

Inside, the vibe was laid-back and mundane, a far cry from the crazy-busy gas station convenience stores he was used to. Besides himself, a few people were browsing the shelves, while the employee was staring off into space, clock-watching. Seojun could relate. He’d spent countless hours doing the same thing when he used to work at the Hamon convenience store…

Not my problem anymore.

Now, he was a free man, and he indulged in a little retail therapy, browsing the snack aisle with gusto. After much deliberation, he grabbed a few essentials: some cold beers, a bag of crispy potato chips, dried squid for a salty snack, and some bags of roasted nuts like peanuts and walnuts.

Seojun got in line behind a woman with some seriously intense twin braids that looked like they could bore holes through concrete. Once she left, clutching her carefully selected chocolate bar, he paid for his own stuff, received it in a black bag, and headed out. But like a bird drawn to a feeder, he found himself magnetically pulled into the old video rental shop next door. It was so natural, it could’ve been used as a textbook example of gravitational pull.

As he wandered around the shop, Seojun felt a sense of nostalgia wash over him. How many years had it been? It felt like ages since he’d last set foot in a place like this. Back when he was convinced he was living in a horror movie, he wouldn’t have dared to venture in out of fear. And nowadays, with the world at his fingertips, VCRs were a relic of the past, relegated to dusty thrift stores. DVDs were the trend these days, leaving those clunky VHS tapes to gather dust.

But there was something about this place that charmed him. The smell of old plastic and dust, the faded VHS tapes with their smudged labels, and the yellowed paper inserts all added to its quirky appeal. The shelves were stacked with movies that wouldn’t even show up in a Google search. The air was familiar yet slightly awkward, but it put him at ease. His face relaxed, and a genuine smile crept onto his lips.

To be honest, Seojun had worn out his shoe soles haunting video rental shops back in Korea, but there was something about this place that resonated with him on a deep level. He wandered the aisles like an oxpecker picking through a crocodile’s teeth and taking his time to scan the shelves. Unlike the bustling convenience store next door, the rental shop was eerily quiet – just the way Seojun liked it. With no one to bump into, he could roam freely, his long arms and legs swinging as he walked, his red plastic shopping basket swaying from his arm with each step.

“Hmm.”

Seojun’s intense scrutiny of the movies was almost comical. He frowned, clicked his tongue, and stroked his chin, looking like a judge deliberating over a crucial decision at a fancy competition. Finally, after much contemplation, he settled on a grand total of five films.

〈Flesh-Eating Ghoul VS Starfish: The Spine-Chilling Shrimp〉

〈Spooky Stories〉

〈The Inherited Animatronics are Murderous〉

〈Can’t Escape! The Repeating Week at the Nudist Beach〉

〈Flesh-Eating Ghoul VS Starfish 2: Blondes Are Immoral〉

The over-the-top titles jumped out at him, grabbing his attention with their tacky charm. Seojun was entranced, snatching up the VHS tapes and tossing them into his basket like a man possessed. These B-movie gems were about to make his wild night, lined up neatly in that bright red plastic basket.

As he strolled up to the checkout counter with a satisfied smirk, the clerk, caught off guard, jerked his head up. He quickly wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth with his arm, looking embarrassed to have been caught snoozing. He flashed a goofy grin, showing off his prominent buck teeth. But his voice was surprisingly clear and upbeat, the kind that put you at ease. He poked his head out from between the towering stacks of videos.

“Horror movie fan, huh?”

“You could say that, yeah.”

He grabbed the basket, pulled out the tapes, and zapped the barcodes with the scanner. “You’re staying at the motel, right? Just give me your room number, and we’ll take care of the rest. We’ve got a pickup service, and it’s on the house.”

“Room 999.”

The clerk’s hands moved like lightning. As he worked, he couldn’t help but add his two cents on Seojun’s movie picks. “Man, ‘The Inherited Animatronics are Murderous’ is a real wild ride. It’s brutal, but the visuals are insane. That scene where they’re holding a human head like that Hindu goddess Kali? Mind-blowing. And don’t even get me started on the nudist beach one! It’s super popular, but some customers get the wrong idea because of the title, though.”

“Wrong idea?”

“Yeah, the title’s a bit…misleading. People think it’s gonna be, you know, explicit. But trust me, the real raunchy one is the animatronics flick.”

“Huh.”

While Seojun was lazily responding to his comments, the clerk’s gaze slipped downwards. As always, those blue gloves on Seojun’s hands were hard to ignore. Add on Seojun’s gloomy-looking appearance with the eyepatch…the clerk bit his tongue, not wanting to pry, and focused on finishing the transaction. Seojun’s eyes followed, and his mood darkened. What was he supposed to say in this awkward moment? He couldn’t exactly blurt out, “Oh, I’ve got a fear of germs, by the way,” out of the blue.

The clerk perked up, sensing the awkwardness, and launched into a cheerful explanation. “Just a reminder, the rental period is only a day. If you’re dropping them off yourself, you’ve got until midnight tomorrow. Or, if that’s too much trouble, you can just leave them in the VCR. Oh, and please do not damage the videotapes. We’ve had customers who, uh, ‘accidentally’ damage them because they think they’re never coming back.”

With a chuckle, the clerk stuffed the VHS tapes into a black plastic bag. Seojun took the bag, glancing down at the clerk, who barely reached his chest.

“You’re giving me just one day to return these? That’s not a lot of time, is it?”

The clerk shrugged. “Yeah, but our prices are super competitive. The motel owner also owns this video shop as well. He’s just doing this as a hobby.”

Seojun had no idea what the going rate was for video rentals these days, but he had to admit, the prices here were a steal. The clerk added, “Plus, we mostly get motel guests, so it’s not like we’re losing out on a lot of business.”

Seojun couldn’t argue with that logic. This motel wasn’t exactly a hotspot, and most people, like him, were just looking for a quick pit stop before hitting the road again. A day or two was the most anyone would usually stay.

Seojun strutted back to his room, the black plastic bag clutched tightly to his chest like a security blanket, feeling like a victorious general who’d just conquered the battlefield. He rode the elevator and strolled down the hallway, already salivating at the thought of his upcoming movie marathon.

As he dumped the bag of snacks onto the bed, he plopped down in front of the VCR, grinning like a kid on Christmas morning. His breathing was heavy, and his hands trembled with excitement at the prospect of indulging in his favorite pastime after such a long drought. He decided to kick things off with “The Inherited Animatronics Are Murderous,” which the rental shop guy had raved about. He told himself it was solely due to the top-notch visuals, not the generous helping of explicit content. As he shook the bag, the videos clattered out, and he counted them with a flourish: one, two, three, four, five, six…

“Wait, what the…?”

Seojun’s one eye widened in surprise. He’d only rented five VHS tapes, so where did the extra one come from? He plucked out the ones he’d personally selected, one by one, and found himself staring at a mysterious videotape.

The yellowed label on the tape had “Real Life Situation!” scrawled across it in sloppy handwriting. It didn’t even have a proper printed label – just some hurried scribbles.

Did it get mixed in by mistake?

Seojun replayed the scene at the rental shop in his head. The checkout counter had been a mess, so it was totally possible the clerk had accidentally tossed in an extra tape.

Looking at the title “Real Life Situation!”, he knew it was definitely not going to be a realistic portrayal of anything.

A few found footage style movies flashed through his mind. Found footage is a type of fake documentary that, if done right, can rake in significant profits on a low production budget. As a result, there was an abundance of amateurish works out there, which perfectly aligned with Seojun’s tastes.

He hemmed and hawed between “The Inherited Animatronics Are Murderous”, which he’d set aside, and “Real Life Situation!”. If he stuck to the plan, he should’ve just ignored the clerk’s mistake. But before he knew it, his hand had a mind of its own and grabbed “Real Life Situation!”, sliding it into the VCR player.

After slamming shut the drafty window, he flopped onto the bed, ready to indulge. Seojun kicked off his sneakers like they’d personally offended him, and then ripped into the snack and nut bags. Next, he lined up the cold beer cans by his pillow like a row of tiny lovers and, after some deliberation, opted for the strawberry brew.

Holding the can, beaded with condensation, in his left hand, he popped the tab with his right thumb. The air was filled with the lively sounds of fizzing and bubbling as he licked the white foam off the top. The bubbles on his lips disappeared instantly as his tongue got to work. It was a sign of his determination to devour everything on the bed without even bothering to stash it in the fridge.

And then finally…the movie began.

T/N: ૮ ˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ა For any youngins! This is what a CRT TV and VCR setup looks like: