Bada was scared, no, terrified. The notes and pictures they had found all pointed to one very obvious thing: there was something very bad happening in the hotel, and if they didn't find a way to get out as soon as possible, they'd be subjected to something much much worse than just being stuck in a hotel with maze-like corridors.

She breathed out a sigh as she looked at the blood-smeared note in her hand.

Bada let the note drop back into the box and ran her hands over her face. It was 3 am and she hadn't been able to sleep for a while. So, she had thought sorting through the notes might help keep her occupied but all it had done was make her scared. Very very scared.

She looked at Eunwoo's sleeping form beside her and felt herself soften. They had to get out of the hotel somehow.

Deciding to leave the rest of the notes for the next day, she blew off the candle and snuggled up next to the sleeping boy, trying to go to sleep. Thoughts about all that had happened kept running through her head but eventually, she drifted off to sleep.

Bada was woken up by the sound of knocking on the door. She rubbed her eyes and sat up, Eunwoo still in deep sleep. She looked out the window confusedly and saw that it was still dark. She wondered who could be at the door so late at night.

Maybe it's one of the boys? She thought to herself as she got up from the bed and headed towards the door. She ignored the chilly feeling that ran down her spine, blaming it on the cold and swung open the door.

There was no one outside, making Bada frown. She looked around but was only met with dark, empty corridors. She saw a flash of colour and looked down to find a crimson envelope lying at her feet. The colour reminded her of blood and she felt herself shudder.

She hesitated, before picking it up and walking back into the room, shutting the door behind her. Bada felt unsettled with the envelope in her hand. She lit a candle and fiddled with the envelope for a few seconds, wondering if she should wake Eunwoo up.

It's just a letter. Don't be a wimp and just open it. What's the worst that could happen?

"It could be another mutilated finger" she muttered to her conscience, but opened the envelope anyway, deciding against waking the boy up.

Inside, she found a folded piece of paper and a red handkerchief. On closer inspection, she realised that it wasn't that the handkerchief was red, it was covered in something red. Something that looked suspiciously like blood. On the corner of the handkerchief were three letters – S.J.H. Someone's initials.

She dropped the handkerchief and looked at her hands, seeing smears of thick, red liquid. The blood was fresh.

With shaking hands, she opened the piece of paper and started reading the neat, calligraphy-like scrawl.

Dearest Ms. Bada,

I write to you with a deep sadness, for your friend, Ms. Song Jaehee, the one who called you? Unfortunately, she is no more. She had to be, for lack of a better word, disposed of. You see, she wouldn't stop investigating, wouldn't stop asking too many questions. She knew too much, found it all out along with her associates.

Don't you see? I had no choice. I had to make sure she wouldn't let anyone else know. Alas, as you saw, she left too much evidence, too much information and conveniently let you know of it's whereabouts.

I urge you that it is in your best interest to stop searching, for it would be a shame for you and your friends to meet the same end as Ms. Song. I am sending you this letter as a gesture of goodwill and mercy. It is not too late yet. Live a life of luxury in the hotel without looking into matters that do not concern you as such. I would hate to see your pretty face shrink in fear.

You must think me evil and you are not wrong, for as your Shakespeare once said: Hell is empty, and all the devils are here.

You are a smart young woman, Ms. Jeong. Do not disappoint me. I would hate to have to get rid of you too.

With best regards,
Le Maître.

Bada could feel herself shaking as she read through the letter. She felt horrified, confused, scared and utterly terrified.

With wide eyes and shaking hands she shook the boy besides her, trying to wake him up and succeeding only after shaking him violently.

"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked as he looked at her expression, the sleep in his eyes fading instantly.

Unable to speak, Bada just pointed in front of her with a trembling finger, where the letter and handkerchief lay on the bed.

As Eunwoo read the letter, his expression as terrified as hers, she felt herself tremble. Someone had died. Someone who had asked Bada to save her. Someone who'd had faith in her. She felt the weight of the news crush her, making her unable to breathe. She tried sucking in air, but her windpipe seemed to be blocked. She rubbed her chest, trying to get rid of the suffocating, piercing pain but it was no use.

She felt the panic consume her, making her unable to do anything but gasp silently and hit herself in the chest, hoping to ease her breathing, but to no use.

Eunwoo, having dealt with her panic attacks before, instructed her to breathe at his counts, knowing better than to touch her when she was in such a state. As she finally felt her chest become less constricted, she kept muttering a single phrase to herself over and over again.

What are we going to do?

//

heya, it's been a minute. I'm gonna try updating everyday because I only have a few days to enter a writing competition but it requires a certain word limit I haven't reached yet hhhh

hopefully I won't procrastinate too much .