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.
“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.
Johan’s voice, tinged with a hint of indignation, rang with sincerity and innocence. Seojun, for his part, didn’t care too much—whether Johan was a burger guy or a pizza fan was none of his business. He gave a nod, accepting the vehement denial with a mental shrug.
Seojun never really understood why people often felt embarrassed about things like this. Nevertheless, he had accomplished his goal and now stuck to Johan like a shadow, gripping the lantern tightly.
The guardhouse was completely empty and had an eerie quietness to it. What’s more, the door, notorious for its squeaky hinges, was unexpectedly unlocked. As Seojun turned the handle, it swung open easily, and to his relief, there was no sign of an ambush from someone in a gas mask or any tentacled monster.
“I can do this! I can help too!”
Bobby, with his tin pot now slid down to his nose, was puffing with effort, his cheeks flushed. Maybe Johan’s earlier encouragement had lit a fire in him, or maybe he’d found a rare burst of courage.
To reach Zone D, the guardhouse, one had to first pass through Zone A, which included the campfire area and the campsite.
As Seojun stepped into the campfire area, he couldn’t help but clutch his trembling arm.
A shiver of realization ran down Seojun’s spine as he acknowledged that he had naively pigeonholed the chef into a single, clichéd role. But looking at the rundown state of the campsite, he began to second-guess his initial impressions.
“Seriously, don’t even think about messing with that monster,” Seojun couldn’t help but warn, though he wasn’t exactly trying to change Johan and the others’ minds. His eyes were glued to Bobby’s sweaty collar, and he couldn’t look away. Feeling Seojun’s intense stare, Bobby started to fidget.
Watching Airi with a heart clouded by selfish thoughts, Seojun was suddenly pulled back to reality by Christina’s enthusiastic waving.
“Airi and William are safe!” she shouted, her voice cutting through the chaos and bringing a wave of relief.
Airi attempted to step back, but the sight of intestines spilling from the mutilated corpse caused her to falter. Even for someone as nimble as Airi, the floor, now a treacherous expanse of blood and fat, proved too slippery to maintain her balance.
As they joked around, William couldn’t take his eyes off Airi, feeling a twinge of regret for not joining the conversation sooner. He scolded himself silently. Seojun, who noticed this, let out a quiet sigh amid the group’s casual chatter.