Precautions of a Snakepit - Chapter 28

“Well, unnie is really pretty, so that’s why I’m telling you. Run away as fast as you can before it’s over… Once it’s over, there is no turning back.”

After sneaking her pills into the shower as usual and returning to her room, Won thought about what Ju-hee had said. She looked so exhausted that Won asked her to rest and that she would come back later, but Ju-hee refused to budge.

“As for the snake… the snake is something that has a strong interest in unnie…”

With those words, Ju-hee lost consciousness and the nurses rushed in, forcing Won to leave the commotion behind and return to her room.

At the time, Won was too busy worrying about Ju-hee’s condition to respond, but she wished she had more time to ask questions. She wanted to know about the “it” that she needed to run away from before it was over and why the snake was interested in her.

‘Why did she bother to tell me all that now while she was sick?’

It was as if Ju-hee didn’t tell her today, she wouldn’t be able to say it at all. Almost like someone she will never meet again…

Won shook her head.

‘What a stupid idea.’

She was a kid who had just turned twenty. The age when you can get really sick and then walk around the next day as if you are brand new. Won didn’t think she needed to worry.

She is just sick. Even if Dr. Madison is out of his mind, he wouldn’t be able to experiment with drugs on her. South Korea isn’t a lawless country. There is a rule of law.

Perhaps Won’s stay in the locked ward has destroyed her sense of reality. That’s why she keeps having ridiculous delusions.

‘She’ll be fine.’

Tomorrow, Ju-hee will be out in the main hall, unharmed. If Won has any questions, she can ask her then. Won went to bed with that thought in her mind.

The next morning, after the program, she went down to the main hall and found Ju-hee. She didn’t look like she was in any pain.

“Ju-hee, are you okay?”

“Yes,” Ju-hee beamed.

Won was relieved that she actually looked better.

“That’s good, how did you end up sick?”

“Oh, it wasn’t a big deal. I just had an upset stomach.”

“Upset stomach?”

Sure, having an upset stomach can give you a headache, night sweats, nausea, and exhaustion, but losing consciousness?

“I must have eaten something bad and got sick. Wow, I was in so much pain. I thought I was going to die.”

“Are you completely fine now?”

“Yes! One hundred percent recovered. I guess there are still some things left I have to do in this world.”

There is nothing a child won’t say. Won patted Ju-hee on the head with a light chuckle.

“Yes, do a lot of things in this world. Build an infinite powertrain, prove the Riemannian hypothesis, solve the Hodge conjecture… do a lot of things.”

“Ugh, my head hurts thinking about it. I think I’m going to get sick again.”

Ju-hee exaggeratedly rubbed her forehead.

“I think she’s going to live.”

Chuckling to herself, Won sat down in an empty chair. She cautiously asked Ju-hee a question as she sat next to her.

“Ju-hee, what you said yesterday when you told me to run away from the… snake, what did you mean?”

Ju-hee intently listened, ears perked up, and after a moment of feeling that her gaze was out of character, Ju-hee shook her head and asked.

“Did I say that? When?”

Won was speechless.

“Huh? When I went to your room last night, you said something while you were sick. I told you we would talk about it later when you are better, don’t you remember?”

“Not at all. I must have been talking out of my ass,” Ju-hee calmly replied.

Won couldn’t help but ask.

“You’re Ju-hee, right?”

After a moment of feeling stupid, Ju-hee smiled.

“Then who else could I be?”

It was a casual question, but for some reason, it sent chills down Won’s spine. Won was still for a moment, unsure what was going on. A million thoughts raced through her mind.

‘Does she really not remember? Or does she not want to talk about it? Was it a fever dream? Or did she mean it? What was that chill I just felt? Was it an instinctual warning that I couldn’t recognize?’

It was afternoon by the time Won realized her questions kept growing. The atmosphere in the ward was a bit different than usual. It was strangely chaotic, or perhaps, bustling, like something alien.

Since Ju-hee wasn’t around, Won looked around the main hall to find any familiar faces. She spotted Mrs. Sook, the woman who told her the story of the snake roaming the ward.

“Hello, Mrs. Sook. Is there anything special going on today?”

“Oh, there are volunteers from the church today.”

“Church?”

“Yes. Everyone likes it when they come because they say a lot of nice things.”

“I see.”

Religion is popular everywhere. It wasn’t called the people’s opium for nothing. However, Won felt a strange surge of discomfort.

‘Outsiders coming in?’

This is not unusual for a closed ward. There are volunteers who teach programs for the patients as part of a donation of their talents, and there is a significant percentage of religious groups, but this isn’t an ordinary asylum. It’s a place used by the powerful to exile troublesome people, and they are allowing outsiders in? Didn’t the facility put up razor wire and fiber optic sensors to keep the patients completely isolated from the outside world?

‘Not an outsider.’

It would be an organization with a strong connection to the hospital that would never betray them. They are a group that most likely can’t be bought, especially by wealthy patients like Target.

In a capitalist society, there are a few values that have more power than money: love, hate, faith, and fear… what interests would they be bound by?

“Are you religious, Won?”

Mrs. Sook’s voice snapped Won out of her reverie and back to reality.

“No, I’m not.”

“Oh, I see. A lot of young ladies are unaffiliated these days. Still, it’s quite comforting to have religion, especially in our situation. I’m not forcing you, so don’t take offense, but since it’s church day, why don’t you come and hear the Word?”

It was a classic evangelist pitch.

“Are you sure?”

Won wasn’t particularly religious, but she accepted the invitation. She had nothing else to do and she wanted to check out the organization that seemed to have ties to the hospital.

“Great!”

Mrs. Sook beamed as she took Won’s hand.

At the religious program, Won found an unexpected participant.

Neither Top Dog nor Target was expected to show up, and with Ju-hee also absent, she didn’t expect Black Cat to sit in the back.

When Won made eye contact, he paused and averted his gaze.

‘He looks like someone who wouldn’t believe in anything if it wasn’t scientifically proven.’

Seizing the opportunity to tease him, Won smirked and walked over to Black Cat.

“What are you doing here, Won?”

“Won is here on here on busi-”

“I’m here because Mrs. Sook asked me to join, but what about you, Gyeom?”

Black Cat averted his gaze as Won gave him a glare that demanded his meek confession to his reason for being here.

“I don’t know. I just didn’t have anything else to do.”

He was blushing up to his ears, clearly embarrassed. Won didn’t understand, but she didn’t want to be a jerk because he didn’t have anything else to do. She sat down next to him, making Black Cat jump.

“Wh- Why are you sitting here?”

“Is there someone else sitting here?”

“Not really…”

“Then, can I sit since there is no one else? Or do you not want me to?”

“No, it isn’t that-”

“Well, then.”

Won cut Black Cat off and made herself comfortable.

“Good to see you, everyone. We are from the New Faith Prayer Center…”

After introducing themselves by name and title, as elders and priests, they began to explain their doctrine using anecdotes. Like most religions, it was a textbook lesson, almost like reading the Talmud. It’s a good story, but it feels like a predetermined ending, and she wasn’t that curious about it.

Bored, Won glanced around. Patients were enthusiastically nodding in agreement with the sermon. Mrs. Sook had even clasped her hands together and looked at the elder like she was enamored as if he was a celebrity.

‘A fervent believer.’

The patients were favorably disposed to the church members. Living in a closed ward and having nothing else to occupy their minds, no wonder they were rapidly immersed in religion. Unlike the outside world with various stimuli, this was all for their solace and leisure.

‘They’re all pretty zealous.’

Some patients pray by themselves, others write down everything that comes out of the congregation’s mouth so they don’t miss a word, and others burst into tears with emotion… Won doesn’t know because she doesn’t go to religious institutions, but is this the usual atmosphere?

She glanced to the side and saw Black Cat as usual. Won was overcome with relief.

“Well, then. It’s time to practice what we preach about loving your neighbor.”

Black Cat’s shoulders slumped at the leader’s words.

‘Why?’

It was a puzzling moment for Won.

“Face the person next to you and hug each other.”

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