When I looked in the mirror, I saw a face plagued by forgotten tragedies, a face that held answers to questions I didn't know how to ask.The remnants of that dreadful day were like shards of a shattered mirror, each shard revealing a piece of the truth I couldn't fathom.It seemed as if the fabric of reality itself had ripped, leaving me alone in a world of half-truths and shadows.Naomi Jang's face appeared out of nowhere in my thoughts, a specter of sadness and loss. I knew she was significant, like a missing puzzle piece, but her importance remained tantalizingly out of grasp. I should have found Naomi; perhaps she had the answer to the missing gap in my mind.Samuel's death hovered over him as well. His absence rang in my heart, and suddenly, amid this darkness, I felt a connection I couldn't deny.Above me the fluorescent lights in the mortuary hummed, throwing an unsettling glare over Jane Doe's body. Her pale skin seemed to be hiding something, her dead eyes communicating secr
Jason was abruptly startled out of the monotony of his drive as a loud, piercing shriek burst over the medical centre grounds. Lana was waiting for him to pick her up from work, and he was standing only a half mile away.He hadn't heard that voice in fifteen years, yet it was forever seared in his bones and memory. He resolved to protect Lana from similar horrors in the future.Still, destiny had its ruthless way of working. Before his very eyes, a man hurled Lana into the rear seat of his vehicle, plunging Jason into a sudden, terrifying reality.It was an apparent attempt at abduction right outside the hospital's forensic department compound!Reflexes on high alert, Jason accelerated his sedan, obstructing the culprit's frantic escape.The sound of twisted steel and grinding gears filled the air as the man slammed his vehicle into the rear side of Jason's sedan. The impact rippled around the property, breaking the tense air.There was a loud crunch as the metal gave way and bent from
"Lana,.."I'm unsure how long I have been lost in that swirling darkness, but eventually, a glimmer of light began to pierce the fog. Faint echoes of distant noises could be heard, like muffled voices underwater. I began to piece together the missing fragment of consciousness."Come on, Lana, wake up." a voice I knew well broke through the chaos in my mind.Struggling against the heaviness, I pry my eyes open. It felt like an eternity before my surroundings came into focus. I was lying on the warm rooftop floor of my high school back in my hometown.The waning sun hung low in the sky, casting its golden rays across the rooftop. These radiant beams played a silent dance and flickered like ethereal flames upon my face. The warmth caressed my skin, starkly contrasting the cold, hard concrete surface beneath me. I remember this scenery, but something was missing from here...A shadow loomed over me, and I strained my gaze to get a clearer view of the figure. The features of the face b
Raindrops against the window create a soothing chorus in the classroom. Everyone had left from the extra hours of revision class that had just ended, leaving me alone in my seat. I was lying face down on the hard surface of my desk, my bag slung over my shoulder, ready to go home, but I decided to stay a little longer. Dribble, dribble, dribble... This is much more relaxing than being at home at this time. Mom will be busy preparing dinner, and Hansel, my younger brother, will most likely be playing with his favourite Legos. And Dad will be there in an hour. When Dad is home, Hansel is less likely to attack or annoy me. Hansel was diagnosed with a rare intermittent explosive disorder, which required him to attend a special school and undergo extensive therapy. Playing with blocks and drawing are usually the best ways to lift his spirits, but his episodes tend to occur when I'm at home. He couldn't be around me doing my own thing without having outbursts of rage like him. He refus
Caring less for my dirtied soaked shoes, I drag my feet toward the bus stand a few kilometers away from the school. I think I have run far enough, even if he catches up with me, there is nothing he can do to me in the public. Shivers wouldn't stop running over my body, trembled even in my breath, panting out of air. I take a seat to catch my breath, hugging myself hoping it can reduce the chills I feel. It takes a few minutes to calm myself when I spotted a black sedan pulling over from the corner of my eyes, I start panicking as I heard the door pushed open and someone is descending. My very first instinct is to escape, running wildly in the opposite direction without even looking back. The footsteps of the person become intense and I sense that I can never escape this time as he is at last able to grab me by my elbow. I come to a dead-end, left with no choice, covering my ears I shouted to the top of my lungs, co
Morning comes rough for me, I woke up soaked in cold sweat and headache. I'm pretty sure I had taken all the safety measures to avoid getting sick from coming home drenched in rain yesterday. But, I guess the incident had messed up my immune system. I have serial nightmares of Mr. Bong chasing after me, and I couldn't forget his sinister sneers that keep echoing in my mind. Forcing myself out of bed, I get ready for school. The whole process takes a ton of my energy, one moment I wanted to give up for school today but then Hansel will be home earlier, and afterward, mom will be restricted to go out to spend time with Hansel. The therapist said bonding time with Hansel is important for his recovery. Go to hell with the advice, Hansel would be glad to torture me for the rest of the day, and then mom will be coming over blaming me for the mess he creates. I guess our age g
A ruckus filled with the shattering voice of cries coveted my eardrums as the dead body splays by their eyes to witness. I couldn't move. Definitely, it was our school security man, MR. BONG. Am I still in one of my continuous nightmares? Please, I wanted to wake up! His pale face indirectly faced me, empty eyes staring back at me, sending churn to the pit of my stomach. Implement a lucid image of his death to the back of my mind. I put my hand over my mouth to muffle a scream while the paramedic roughly snatched the linen, giving me an annoyed glance as he put it back to its place. Did I accidentally injure him? Does he bleed heavily to his death? A shivers run through my spine, thinking, should I look back yesterday, just to make sure he is not hurt anywhere, will he survive? So, now... I'm a m
"Shh... Don't joke on things like this Lana, " Samuel blurted in a half-whispered tone, putting his hand over my lips. "You going to get in trouble." Tears welled up my eyes. I do hope that all of this is only a prank, but Mr. Bong is dead, and I'm officially a criminal. I weakly shove his hand away, "Sam... I'm the last person he met. He tried to... " I hushed, chin trembled, and an involuntary whimper escaped my lips. Staring back at me, he realized that I'm not kidding him. He is silent but at last, he exhaled, coming closer putting a hand over me, and crushing me to his everlasting safe haven body. "I'm sorry, don't say a word anymore." "I'm scared. I didn't mean to..." I convinced him with my voice muffled to his chest. "Hush... I know, I understand, anyone in your place won't hesitate to stab him to death..." He comforted me, tightening the embrace as I sobbed uncontrollably. &n