"I'm my own..."

LEE MINHO

OCTOBER 25

01:10 AM

I was walking in front of Hoseok and Jimin squinting my eyes to figure out my surroundings. However, my head began to hurt and I was turning dizzy. Trying to contain my vision, I shook my head, but it only seemed to worsen. Eventually, my sight went completely black and I felt hit the cold floor before hearing my name in a muffled voice.

I gasped for air as I woke up feeling syndicated. I only opened my eyes for a second, before I closed them again. Wherever I was, it contained blinding lights. However, the light felt warm and the place where I lay was not cold nor hurting my back. Much to the comforting atmosphere, I could smell the faint scents of medicine and phenyl that reminded me that I'm in the asylum. I quickly set myself up and the lights were indeed warm as they came from the sun; as cliché as it sounds, it reminded me of Hoseok.

I was seated on a bed, tucked with white sheets and blankets. And to add further shock, I was wearing the exact uniform as Jimin. Reaching up to pull on the name tag, I saw it indeed was my name; Lee Minho.

"You're awake!" An unknown voice spoke in English, sounding excited. Peering my eyes away from myself, I searched for the owner of the voice. A girl stood at the open door, the same hospital gown as mine, a patient tag also present. I was unable to read off her name tag, let alone think who she was. Her hair was long and wavy, the chestnut color could be mistaken for gold. She had piercing blue eyes and bright red lips. She almost looked unreal. What stood out most was a shiny blue necklace, matching her blue orbs.

"Hi! My name is Sammy, Sammy Homewood" She gladly shook my hand. "Oh well- I'm Lee Minho" She smiles widely at me before looking back at the door and yet again turning to me. Even though I could say she was looking if someone was coming, I looked over her shoulder to see the door number 10 written on it. Feels familiar-

"Say Minho, how did you get here?" I stared at Sammy for a moment and looked away. All the memories I tried to destroy were coming back. The hospital clothes, that weird scent of medicines,     occasional cries of patients. It's all irritating. I looked back up to see Sammy was still staring at me. "I... I can see things" She gave me an interested gaze, before sitting down on the stool beside the bed.

"Things no one else can see. I could talk to them. Everyone thought I was crazy and..." "And you're here" She gave me a bright smile and completed. I didn't answer and instead stared at the door in front of me. "My mom admitted me to an m-mental hospital in a rural town in Korea. I met Felix's dad, He was assigned to treat me. He always brought Felix along with him" I paused unknowingly, thinking back to the old times. How Felix forced me to play with him, how his dad also pushed me to play around. Felix would always ask about those spirits if they were with him, and stuff. He was fascinated by my 'ability'.

"Earth to Minho!" I ever so slowly turned to Sammy and resumed. "I started to like the company of Felix and his dad, I started to ignore all the spirits and souls. I got used to everything and I was titled 'cured' but..." I bitterly smiled. I was honestly happy that I could leave that place and be free.

"When I was released no one came. My mom... she l-left me. And Felix's dad took me under his care. I got a younger brother, a caring mom, and a kind-hearted dad" the girl smiled at me and stood up. "Well, Minho what about now?" She asked as I looked at her confused. "Now? I got... I got my friends... Hoseok"

I jumped out of the bed and sprinted towards the hall but was harshly pulled back. "Idiot, you're the only one here" I stopped struggling against her as she let me go. "What do you mean?" She shrugged her shoulder and motioned inside the room. "Don't you see? This place is just a place in your mind. Your ability to see things... I guess it's showing you all these. You're the only one here" I couldn't register anything she was saying. I'm able to see past? Wait- Room 10... the room which had a puddle of blood.

"Wait- why were you admitted here?" I asked, looking up at her. Sammy smiled again, but this time, it slightly spooked me out. "I have hallucinations, as the doctor said. I have 'imaginary friends', a joker and a bear" I don't know why but I did not like where this was going. The blue-eyed girl inched closer to me. "My father, he said I was crazy- is that why he beat me? Is that why he locked me in my room? is that why he tore my clothes off? Is that why he raped me?!"

I froze on my feet. Sammy was a soul who was grieving, she surely had vengeance. I'm vulnerable in front of a hurt soul. "You know how I got here? My 'imaginary friends' killed him, ripped him to into pieces, god his blood was so red- I can still taste it on my lips"

Stepping back, I held in a breath. Either she killed her father or two imaginary friends, the bear and a joker. Most importantly, she ate or drank his blood or body, cannibalistic shit. Out of nowhere, I saw the room turn dark and some figures walked past me, going straight at Sammy. She started to cry as the men tried to hold her down. I extended my hands to try to pull them, but they only went through me. Sammy looked me in the eye and smiled. "I could've helped you Minho... but my monsters won't let me" Her eyes bled instead of tears as she struggled against the men. Before I could ask anything else, she pulled out a thin pocket knife and slit her throat.

I backed away almost immediately. The room around me started to shake, the men surrounding her were long gone. The only thing present there was her unmoving corpse and me. I wanted so desperately to run towards the door but my feet were numb. Warm tears were burning my eyes. The whole room violently shook, making me fall to my knee. I let out a scream. The room was turning darker and I saw her eyes again.

Blue, but cold and dead. It scared me.

I gasped for air, still screaming. "Shh Minho!" I almost stopped breathing when I heard that voice. Forcing my eyes open, I saw him. "Hoseok!" I never felt so relieved and clung to him. I heard him sigh and felt him hug me tighter. "I'm glad you're okay," He said making me nod along. "Me too"

A minute later I pulled back and stared at him. He looked at me with a smile, a sad one. "What happened?" He suddenly started to breathe heavily. Though I could see how he purposefully tried to hide that he was scared, I stared at him. "You suddenly passed out" I nodded my head and looked forward. We were in a hallway and unmistakably I noticed the whiteboard hanging on a loose nail, quoting 'Ground Floor'. We were closer to the exit now, where everything started. But I remember someone else.

"Jimin... where's Jimin?!" I stood up and looked right and left, though I couldn't see anything in the dark. "He... killed himself" I looked down at Hoseok. He was clenching his flashlight so tight, I could see his veins pop out. Jimin's dead too. Why us? Why me? This is not right! Harshly wiping my tears I held out my hand towards Hoseok. He looked at me for a second and held my hand, standing up. "This ain't over, we're gonna get out," I said and held his hand tight as he flashed the light forward. I don't know how many spirits and souls are here, but I do know they want us killed. All the unfair things happened to them, they are letting out their anger. The resentment of a soul who was tormented and unfairly murdered was not something that can be effortlessly stopped.

We walked for some minutes before an open door caught my eye. Room 10. Her shrilling blue eyes came to my mind. I pulled Hoseok to my left and made myself be beside the door. Hoping nothing would unexpectedly come out and catch us. If something did, it'll only get me. "I remember this room! We're closer to the front door" Hoseok suddenly said pointing at the open door. I gave him a tight smile and nodded to walk forward. I could see the door was coming closer.

Keeping my head up, I stared at the dark hallway. My pupils were shaky while I passed the door. Relief washed over me when nothing jumped out "Look! The door!" I quickly turned my head to see, indeed the wide-open door in the distance. But then again, my intuition didn't let me be as glad as Hoseok. Something was wrong. "Hoseok"

"Yeah Minho?" I gripped his hand tighter if it was possible. "I don't feel good about this and if anything happens, I want you to head for that damned door and escape this place" Much to my surprise he smiled brightly and nodded. "Sure I'll do that. But promise me that you'll do the same" My eyes twitched as I looked at him, his eyes were tired but still held the bright glint.

"I... I can't do that" Suddenly he let go of my hand and crossed his hands. "Yes, you can. You'll do as I say. I'm your team leader and this is my order. You'll escape this God-damned shitty place!" I clenched my teeth and felt myself sweat. "I... f-fine" Hoseok stops mid-way and turns to face me. "Promise?" I gazed at his pinky, raised in the air. His eyes were becoming brighter and I couldn't help but give in. With a tender smile, I linked my pinkie with his. Honestly, it would've been a cute moment with butterflies if we weren't inside a freaking haunted asylum.

"Let's go" He smiles before grabbing my hand and walking forward. Sheesh, my heart's going to burst right now. Shit. "Do you hear that?" Asks Hoseok, as I halt my steps and look around. I don't want a ghost to ruin the moment now. "What is it Hoseok? I can't hear anything?" Hoseok unexpectedly laughs before I turned to face him. "It's my heart beating for you" And he burst out laughing. I stare at him in disbelief. He did not flirt with me right now and with cringe stuff. Jesus Christ.

"Why do I even put up with you?" Hoseok tries to subside his laugh. "Because you like me" I rolled my eyes before replying "Yeah sure" Hoseok only chuckles before snatching my hand and resuming walking again. The door was closer now. Unexpectedly the flashlight shut down, wiping our smiles almost immediately. "Let's just keep going, there's light from the do- ahh!" I felt myself fall over, tripping over whatever and Hoseok groaned beside me probably fallen like me. My feet felt something on the floor. "What was that?! Minho?!" Hoseok asks frantically. I could see his hand's silhouette waving around in the air. "It's okay Hoseok! I'm here!" I grab his hand and stand up. "thank god" he mumbles before trying to switch on the flashlight. I squinted my eyes on the floor to see some kind of clothing.

I searched my pockets to find the thin pocket torch I had, aka the one I abandoned cause its design was a doggie. Switching it on I looked down again before Hoseok and I let out a scream. We had tripped over a person, none other than Namjoon. My whole body shook as I shoved the small torch to Hoseok and crouched down next to Namjoon's unconscious body. My first instinct was to check his pulse. And much to our horror Namjoon was dead long ago. His hands were cold, his face was already turning gray.

As I tried to hold myself together, I noticed the marks on his neck. They were like handprints, but larger. He was choked to death. "Hoseok, we gotta get out of here. Now!" I was not gonna hold back now, Hoseok needs to get out. If we spend any more minutes here it'll catch up to us. Before Hoseok could process anything, I rushed towards the entrance pulling him along.

"Minho!" I was abruptly pushed down to the floor and my jaw hit the floor. I noticed my hand was no longer holding Hoseok's. Panicking, I sat up and saw Hoseok; he was up in the air. A tall black figure was hovering over him. And it had hands longer than a tree. Its energy made me feel weak and vulnerable; it was a much stronger demon than I ever encountered before. My eyes widened further when I notice it was choking Hoseok. He looked over towards me, my legs were giving out and I couldn't stand up. "Minho... run"

"No!" Hoseok grunts before laughing lightly, his voice was becoming small. "It's cliché... but I want you to know I love you" Instead of all the butterflies I imagined, I only felt pain at his words.  "Hoseo-" Suddenly the demon looked over at me before growling. I noticed how its hands were now loose against his neck. Maybe I got a chance to help Hoseok. However, my mind went blank when I started at the demon. It had the same fiery blue eyes and bright red lips.

Sammy, her monsters, it was herself all along. She was her demon. "I told you... my monsters, I, we won't let you live" Giving all my strength to my legs, I stood up. "Let him go... you can have me instead"

"This is no movie, you idiot! Don't play the hero here! Just go!" Hoseok yelled making her- the demon look back at him. "Hoseok I have no choice! I need you!" He smiles and shakes his head. "Go. You promised" I gulped, trying to hold back the rain of tears in my eyes. I felt like I lost my voice looking at Hoseok. "Kill me," Hoseok says, staring at its eyes.

"No please don't" I pleaded, and felt warm tears rolling down my cheeks. Sobbing louder, I could only stay still. I saw it happen, Hoseok's legs and hands went numb, his face was blank, eyes wide open. My breathing was uneven and my sight was blurry. "NO!" Hoseok's body fell to the floor with a thud. I could no longer see that monster. "No no no" I chanted, crawling over to him and taking his head in my lap. "Why did you do that" I was unable to hear my voice, it felt so foreign to me like it wasn't even mine.

"Hoseok, I can't do this alone. Please- please don't leave me... I love you" Pressing my lips against Hoseok's forehead, I laid him down and stood up. My eyes were closed shut as I clenched my fists and ran out; I promised to. I felt the cold air surround me and a tint of light hovered over my closed eyes. I knew I was outside, still, I didn't dare to open my eyes. With a loud noise, I bumped against something and fell back to the floor with a hurting face.

Forcing my eyes open, I saw our camping van. I just banged my head against a van. Not hearing anything chase me, I turned around still on the ground. My eyes went wide as I stared ahead. The Asylum was no longer there,  the only thing present there was a wide-open field, the van and me. They're all gone. I rested my back against the van, too tired to stand up. "No... Oh my God"

Suddenly my phone rang, I had forgotten about having it with me all this time. My muddy hands went inside my pocket and took it out. The name 'BangChan' was on the id. "H-hello?" I weakly called, hearing a few shuffles on the other side. "Hey, Minho! Sorry if I called you at work. But a package arrived for you a moment ago. Sorry, I thought it was mine and opened it. Anyway dude the package had a sweater and a card" I sensed the excitement in his voice. Who's sent me a sweater? "What's the c-card?"

"It's- wait, you okay bro?" He asks as I tried to stand up holding onto the van's side-view mirror. I bitterly chuckled and mumbled a yes. "okay fine. Anyway, the card was a confession letter lmao. He wants to take you on a birthday date!" I could picture BangChan squealing right now. Wait. "He?" I asked, thinking I heard wrong.

"Yeah! Your team leader Jung Hoseok!" That was his surprise.

"Demon"

THE END