Chapter 1

 

“Good kids always come home by five o’clock.”

 

The eerie song continued to resonate in my ear.

 

No, it couldn’t be called a song. A man’s voice with no change in pitch just kept repeating the same lyrics.

 

“A good child comes home by five o’clock….”

 

“…..Home by five o’clock…..”

 

It traveled around the tower creating echoes. As if he was trying to find out where I was.

 

I didn’t know whether it was his trick to identify my location through my breathing sound by scaring me from that song.

 

Therefore, I had to do my best to hide my presence as much as possible.

 

All I could do now was to rely on a small candle, which I held. A faint, small light that allows you to see at the most a step ahead of mine.

 

Relying on that, I went down the stairs, holding on to the wall with one hand.

 

‘It’s cold.’

 

The wall that touched my fingertips was like a ice.

 

‘Still, there is something I can point out.’

 

My gaze turned to the other side, where there were no railings. There was nothing to catch hold on and everything was creepy here.

 

Ah, the swallowing darkness spread out so calmly. If you took a wrong step, you would fall.

 

I walked by putting all my strength as if I was pressing down the stairs. Otherwise, I felt like I would lose my footing.

 

It was then.

 

‘huh?’

 

Something was caught between my fingers. A crunchy feeling passed through my hands.

 

Thanks to this, my hands were less cold, but the sudden change was much more scary.

 

In the killer’s tower this was much more horrific than the scenario of me running away from him.

 

‘…..Let’s just run away now without looking back.’

 

It would be better not to keep checking back. Okay, lets just pass by as if you didn’t touch anything.

 

But that didn’t work out as I planned.

 

It grew up like the roots of a living thing, burrowing between my fingers and grabbing me. In order to move, I had to get away from it,

 

And to do that, I have to turn back and confirm the identity of the thing which was holding me back.

 

I had no choice but to move the hand holding the candle.

 

Slowly and steadily and slowly.

 

As the moon waxes day by day, the darkness is erased, one by one, with a small light in my hand. The Unidentified that was holding me back felt somewhat terrifying.

 

Although its existence will not disappear from my memory, but still mental preparation was necessary for me to face it.

 

It’s second finger was revealed, and then the third finger came into view. And that thing entangled all its fingers with mine…..

 

‘Hair!’

 

It was a brown hair. There were probably dozens of people’s hair, which was climbing the wall like an ivy and wrapping around my hands.

 

‘You can’t make a sound! If I shout them he will find me!’

 

I screamed internally from such a horrible sight unfolding in front of me.

 

In the meantime, the strings of reasonings blocked my mouth.

 

As I inhaled the scream, I reflexively set those hair which were holding me back on fire from, the small candle which was held in my hand.

 

“Chiiik.”

 

The hair that was holding me was burning away at a rapid pace.

 

“Kaaaaaa!”

 

At the same time, a scream rang out. It was a loud noise that made all my efforts in vain.

 

“It’s hot! It’s a fire!!”

 

I couldn’t tell where the sound started or who was screaming.

 

I didn’t even want to know.

 

I started running fast.

 

I didn’t want to see what was the end of the flame that I caused.

 

I didn’t want to encounter things with burning lights that used hair as fuel.

 

“Good children don’t speak about those who are gone.”

 

“……A good child doesn’t talk about someone who disappeared….”

 

“…..Don’t say anything.”

 

Before I knew it, the changed lyrics were following me.

 

I kept running away…

 

My clothes were soaked with sweat. My overworked legs couldn’t keep up with my hurried heart.

 

It was getting slower and slower, as if this was my limit.

 

‘How far do these stairs go?’

 

No matter how much I run, there was no sign of its ending. I was at a loss. I was so scared that I was going to die like this.

 

At that moment, I saw a palm like a maple leaf in front of me. The clenching and opening gestures were calling to me.

 

“Here! here!”

 

It was a way to escape the endless stairs. Before I could make a rational decision, my body took the initiative and grabbed that small hand. No, I tried to catch it.

 

“Do not enter the forbidden room!”

 

A sharp singing voice pushed me behind.

 

“Don’t go in!”

 

“Don’t go in!”

 

I fiddled to catch those arms, but there was nothing to catch.

 

Once I lost my balance, my tired legs could no longer support my body. My feet touched an empty space.

 

My heart sank. In the end, I fell into the abyss.

 

‘If I fall from here, my whole body will be shattered, right?’

 

‘Will it hurt? The shock will be huge, right?’

 

All kinds of thoughts were running through my head.

 

‘So why me in the first place! Entering this muderer’s tower….’

 

The tower was so high that it was such a long way for me. I was blaming myself the whole time for entering this place.

 

Deep regrets…..

 

My body finally touched the ground. But I didn’t feel any pain on them neither I felt any pain all over my body.

 

Thanks to something warm, I was able to land rather than fall.

 

I didn’t feel relieved that I was alive. The burning smell that had filled the tower still lingered in my nose.

 

No matter how low it fell, it was ultimately its home base.

 

I looked around, but there was only darkness. Even though I wanted to get up, I couldn’t move my body.

 

I tried moving my limbs, but they wouldn’t budge.

 

As if I were prey caught in a spider’s web.

 

Tap, tap.

 

Footsteps with a certain rhythm were heard. It was a very familiar, and therefore I started getting goosebumps.

 

Tap, tap, tap….

 

The sound grew louder. He was coming towards me. I struggled several times, but to no avail.

 

The footsteps got closer and closer and I was helpless. I was out of breath.

 

When I could no longer hear any sounds, I could clearly see purple eyes emitting a colorful light. My heartbeat completely stopped for a moment.

 

The Death found me.

 

“Were you really trying to run away from me?”

 

A cold breath clung to my cheek like a midwinter of a northern wind from behind me.

 

“I should have told you.”

 

The eyes of a wild beast hunting for a prey finally caught me.

 

“You should stay with me forever.”

 

His hand slowly touched my neck from behind me and his other hand held my waist tightly pulling me closer towards him.

 

I could feel his even breathing on the left side of my ear and slowly he whispered…

 

“You will be with for the rest of your life. After all you are mine.”

 

*******