𝐆𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 • ᵐⁱⁿˢᵘⁿᵍ

Empty Coffins 19.3

Minho wipes away the sweat dripping from his forehead. His arms are aching with no sight of a coffin yet. Jeongin and Seungmin have been holding the torches as the sunset while he and Changbin dig for answers.

"How much deeper do you think we need to go?" Minho asks, looking up at Changbin.

Changbin's face is scrunched, his movements not slowing. "I don't know," he replies, heavy with irritation.

Seungmin bites his lip, "I don't he's hear."

"What!" Changbin throws his shovel to the side of the pit he and Minho had been digging.

"You saw what his body looked like. The funeral was an empty casket. What if they did something else with it?" Seungmin crouches down, shining the torch on the headstone.

Changbin is about to say something in return when Seungmin keeps speaking. "With all the supernatural stuff in this town, I have a theory but I know sure about it."

"Go on." Changbin allows, leaning against the pit's walls.

Seungmin voice doesn't come out and he lets out a sigh. "He can't leave the house because his body wasn't found. Felix can go anywhere, whenever. When you bury someone it's like giving them peace to move on. What if part of the reason Felix is still here is because he hasn't got that peace? He hasn't got peace in his body, or with his friend."

"What do you mean?" Jeongin's eyebrows lower.

"I don't really know either. I've only just been thinking about it while you've been digging. There is also a memorial cubby inside the funeral house, what if there is something there?

Minho brings his shovel up one more time, not sure how to handle the theory. "Can we get into the funeral ho—" Everyone freezes and the sound of a clunk reverberates around them.

"Dig." Changbin points to where Minho's shovel hit the soil.

Another clunk. They all look at each other.

Minho drops to his knees and digs with his hands. Ignoring the pain of the dirt rubbing against his burst blisters.

No one can breathe as they anticipate what's to come. It's one thing to want answers and another to face them.

His hands shake as he freezes over the wood poking out. Minho slowly reaches for the box and pulls it out, dusting the rest of the soil from it. The box is barely bigger than the palm of his hand. "This is..."

"Not a coffin," Jeongin jumps down into the pit, taking the box from Minho. Minho hands it over taking the torch to hold in return. Jeongin attempts to pry the lid open but it doesn't budge. "Strange." He brings the box next to his head, shaking it there is a clattering should from inside. "That must be the key, right?"

"Give it here," Changbin snatches the box and puts it on the ground. Taking his shovel, he lifts it into the air and down onto the box. The box bounces and tumbles over, with no sign of damage. "The fuck?" Changbin lifts the shovel about to hit it again when Seungmin comes to his side and holds his arm.

"Let me try." Seungmin takes the box. Turning it around as he examines it. With a smirk, he scoffs. Looking at Changbin, the lid suddenly springs open. "Sometimes patience is better than brute force. If you actually looked at you'd realise that all you need to do was slide this panel across and the latch pops open."

"Whatever." Changbin rolls his eyes.

"The key," Minho says, going to the box. "Where did we put the book down."

Minho and Seungmin stare into the box. A key wasn't what was causing the sound—it was a ring. "No point," Seungmin says, disappointed.

Changbin and Jeongin join them in looking at the box's content. The smiles on their faces quickly fade.