Reborn as a Prophet in a Horror Movie

#091Reader Mode

#091

Seojun’s usually sluggish mind suddenly kicked into overdrive. The unsettling DULC233E channel playing on the TV was a clear omen: that nameless, unseen entity was about to emerge from the shadows under the bed! Cold sweat trickled down his forehead as sheer panic took hold, its icy grip tightening around his racing heart.  

He silently berated himself for having mocked Joseph’s erratic behavior earlier. Now, the horrifying final moments of Joseph’s life flashed through his mind in a relentless, nightmarish slideshow he was powerless to stop:

Joseph’s once-cheerful grin as he innocently searched for the perfect hiding spot… His life unraveling like a flimsy house of cards after that scalding accident… A ghost coming to the door after a single, ill-fated complaint call… Joseph, left shaken to the core after glimpsing something unspeakable in the bathroom… His hand, badly burned and blistered from frantically trying to unplug the TV… Desperation consuming him as he failed to destroy the cursed camera… And finally, Joseph being dragged into the abyss under the bed, never to be seen or heard from again…

Seojun’s overactive imagination even conjured up the gruesome image of Joseph’s mutilated corpse, blood oozing into the carpet fibers. The memory of that gruesome, gore-smeared vision jolted through him like a shot of pure adrenaline. Adrenaline overpowered the searing pain in his thighs as Seojun sprang to his feet like a startled grasshopper. He lunged toward the window – his sole hope for escape from the rapidly encroaching horror.

Hurtling himself over the bed, Seojun reached out for the tantalizingly close window, already anticipating the rush of cool night air on his sweat-drenched face. But a sinister glint in the corner of his eye made him freeze: the laminated guideline sheet, its glossy surface reflecting in the glass. Before he could even process the absurdity, his head slammed against the window with a crack. Blinding, white-hot agony exploded through his skull and ripped down his spine. The scream that erupted from his lips was as much from the agony as the terror now coiling in his gut.

As Seojun slowly regained his senses, he pivoted around, his gaze sharp enough to cut glass.

Why am I only realizing this now?

Seojun moved back to the front of the TV, his wide eye locked on his own eerie reflection staring back at him from the screen. Seeing himself on TV wasn’t a badge of honor—just a mirror of his escalating fear. His gaze dropped to the floor as he edged towards the VCR player, each step as cautious as a mouse trying to avoid a deadly trap.

If there’s a cause, it has to be this.

What did Joseph say at the end? His final, desperate words echoed in Seojun’s mind:

“This was the problem. I have to destroy this.”

This… This cursed thing, the camera Joseph had been using. More specifically, the videotape he’d been recording on. Seojun muttered the last step from the guide under his breath, his voice barely above a whisper.

“If there’s an issue with the VCR, remove the cause.”

A channel he had never messed with suddenly connected to the TV. If the videotape wasn’t to blame, then what the hell was? A fragile ray of hope pierced through the thick veil of despair as Seojun tried to yank the tape out, steadying his violently trembling right hand with his left.

But it wouldn’t budge. The tape snagged halfway with a stubborn clunk, as if possessed by the same malevolent force that had claimed Joseph. Old machines had a knack for throwing tantrums at the worst possible moments, and the VCR at the Decoy Motel was no different. The old device seemed to resent Seojun for his rough handling, stubbornly refusing to relinquish its grip on the tape. 

In a fit of frustration, Seojun yanked at his hair, a desperate yell tearing from his throat.

“Why now, of all times? Seriously?! Come on, you piece of junk! Get out already, you useless bastard!”

The pitter-patter of rain and the salty ocean breeze drifted through the open window, the scent tickling Seojun’s nose and bringing tears to his eyes. He had been so excited when he first checked into the Decoy Motel! For a brief, blissful moment, his paranoid was calm, and he thought he might finally get some rest and enjoy a much-needed cigarette. Seojun cherished those brief moments of peace. But, as usual, it didn’t last…

Right on cue, the bed jolted with an ominous creak that reverberated through the room. Seojun let out an anguished groan, his face turning ghostly pale. Desperately, he smacked the VCR with all his might, the thwack resounding like the honk of a strangled goose. It was hopeless and he knew it, but despair drove him to cling to the irrational belief that a good whack would magically fix the stubborn machine.

“Come on! Hurry up, hurry!”

Was this seriously some kind of miracle fix? To his astonishment, the VCR finally spat out the tape. A relieved grin spread across Seojun’s face like blooming flower – but just as his frenzied hands grabbed the tape, he felt an icy, clammy grip tighten around his ankle. His mind raced with horrific visions of being dragged under the bed, never to be seen again.

No way in hell was he letting that happen. Jaw clenched with determination, Seojun held the tape high overhead. The flimsy plastic would easily shatter on impact. Maybe, just maybe, he could make it out of this nightmare alive. The vise-like grip on his ankle squeezed tighter, terror bolting through him as he anticipated being wrenched into the abyss at any second.

He had to get rid of the cursed tape before it killed him. He had to destroy the thing in his hand if he wanted to live. Resolve surging through him, Seojun raised the tape, poised to slam it down with every ounce of strength he possessed. But right before it struck the floor, a cheerful voice rang out in his head:

“Please do not damage the videotapes.”

Why was he remembering that now, at the worst possible moment? Hesitation flooded him – what if destroying the tape was a huge mistake? Could this tape somehow be his lifeline? Uncertainty reeled in his mind, but he had to act fast.

With a split-second to spare, Seojun thrust out his left hand to block the tape’s descent. 

“Aaargh!”

Searing agony tore through the back of his hand as his glove soaked crimson with blood. Torn skin was a small price for saving the tape. Gasping ragged breaths, he gingerly set it on the floor, hoping he’d made the right choice.

“Huff, huff… gasp…”

Seojun’s body was drenched in sweat, the intensity of the moment leaving him utterly spent. Knees tucked tightly to his chest, he knelt there, gulping in air as if he’d been drowning. The ghostly grip on his ankle had vanished, leaving him shaken to the core but flooded with relief. Slowly, he curled into himself, a strange mix of exhaustion and deliverance washing over him as he hugged his freed body into a tight, protective ball.

How long had he been huddled there, lost in the aftershock? Suddenly, a harsh burst of static shattered the eerie quiet. Seojun’s head snapped up to see that channel DULC233E had gone dark, replaced by a flickering “No Signal” warning on the TV screen.

The very air in the room had changed, like a suffocating shroud had been lifted. With his uninjured hand, Seojun rubbed his worn face, relishing the cool breeze that drifted through the open window and caressed his skin. It was a welcome respite from the oppressive atmosphere that had nearly crushed him. His strength depleted, the façade of bravery crumbled away, and he collapsed onto the floor, his joints turning to jelly.

Seojun collapsed onto the filthy carpet, his limbs splayed out at bizarre angles. He tightly shut his eyes, and the blistering heat behind his eyelids was replaced by the calming cadence of raindrops pattering on the window frame. The muffled symphony of the city—distant car horns and a passerby’s frantic shouts as they chased a thief—blended with the never-ending drone of the TV, enveloping him in a cacophony of noise. As he lay there, completely spent, the rain’s rhythmic tapping and the TV’s persistent humming weaved together, rocking him into a fitful, exhausted slumber.

The next morning, Seojun clawed his way out of his near-comatose slumber and staggered towards the rental shop. He held the bag of tapes between his index finger and thumb, as if it were hazardous waste.

The rental shop clerk greeted him with a cheeky comment, “Whoa, looks like you pulled an all-nighter with those movies! Those dark circles under your eyes are no joke!”

Seojun rubbed his bloodshot eye and managed a weak nod. He felt like he hadn’t slept at all, and it showed. As the clerk removed each tape, Seojun forced a thin, strained smile.

“Alright, they’re all accounted for. Oh, this one’s a real scream. I bet you loved it too, huh?” the clerk chirped, his voice grating on Seojun’s nerves.

But Seojun’s smile withered when he saw the tape in the clerk’s hand. The plastic tapes clattered together, their faded handwritten labels a jumbled mess. A cheerful duet blared from the laptop on the counter, creating a jarring contrast to Seojun’s inner turmoil. His hand instinctively went for the teddy bear in his pocket, desperately seeking comfort as he mumbled a rushed goodbye. Cold sweat trickled down the back of his neck as he made a frantic escape. As he fled the shop, the clerk’s cheery voice followed him.

“Come back again!”

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

As Johan pulled into the Decoy Motel, the late-night hour weighing on him like a heavy blanket, he let out a deep sigh that seemed to come from his very soul. He gazed up at the moon, its pale light mocking him, and he couldn’t help but regret the hours he’d wasted stuck on the roadside.

“Well, I never saw that one coming…” he muttered to himself, his thumb absently rubbing the steering wheel as he rested his head on it. A pout formed on his lips as the surreal scene replayed in his mind like a bizarre movie.

It all started with a dog – a lanky, long-tailed hound trotting across the road like it had somewhere important to be. But then a cat was hot on its heels, nipping at the dog’s tail with a mischievous glint in its eye. And this was no ordinary feline; it was a spotted cat with a face that oozed cunning.

Things only got stranger from there on. Next in the bizarre procession was a hefty rat, gnawing on the cat’s hook-shaped tail like it was a gourmet meal. And that rat’s tough, rope-like tail was being chomped on by a chubby hamster, which in turn had its stubby tail clasped in the jaws of an alligator. The alligator held the hamster delicately by its waist, like it was a precious treasure, and trailing behind it was a turtle moving slower than a snail on a lazy Sunday.

And just when Johan thought things couldn’t get any weirder, he spotted a rabbit nibbling on the turtle’s pointed tail, its ears twitching with curiosity. When their eyes met, Johan was stunned. This fluffy bunny had its own tail clamped in the jaws of a lizard. And if that wasn’t enough to make his head spin, the lizard’s tail was in the mouth of a snake, which in turn was followed by… a completely naked person casually strolling across the street like it was no big deal.

“Unbelievable…” he muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t wrap his mind around the absurdity of what he’d just seen. But at least he had the foresight to record the entire spectacle and a grin spread across his face as he pictured himself sharing this wild story with Seojun when they finally reunited.

The bizarre procession of tail-biters had seemed to go on forever, forcing Johan to wait patiently behind the wheel, his fingers tapping a restless beat on the dashboard. By the time he pulled up to the Decoy Motel, it was late – extremely late.

In the parking lot, a cute yellow Beetle glided to a stop, its cheerful color a stark contrast to the dull gray of the asphalt. The door swung open, revealing a pair of faded jeans-clad legs, which belonged to none other than Johan himself. His jeans fit snugly, hugging his toned thighs and calves, honed from the countless hours he’d spent sweating it out at the gym.

The evening chill nipped at his skin, prompting him to pull up the hood of his light-gray hoodie, which cast a shadow over his forehead and soft, golden hair. With a casual swipe of his hand, he brushed his hair aside, the strands falling perfectly into place. He practically sprang out of the car, his energy renewed, and dodged puddles on the asphalt as he made his way into the motel. The glowing neon sign above the entrance couldn’t help but put a smile on his face, its bright colors a welcome sight after the long, strange journey.

“Wouldn’t it be perfect if I ran into Jun right now, like it was meant to be?” Johan mused, his heart skipping a beat at the thought. His footsteps were light and carefree as he approached the front desk, a soft tune escaping his lips. He hummed along, not caring that his tone-deaf singing voice was far from melodious. After all, even those with questionable vocal skills deserved to bask in their joy, especially after a night as weird as this one.

T/N: I’ll be taking a weekish vacation to catch up on some reading and fix mistakes! Please support the author on RIDI and leave a rating on NU when you get the chance. See ya’ll soon! （＾∀＾●）ﾉｼ