Within Us. ➛️️ SWEET HOME

Chapter 9

  
  
Minseo stood with all the residents as they gathered around the entrance of the Green Supermarket's glass door, the old man –who's name was Seokhyeon, had locked it. He had a sausage in his mouth, his wife hopelessly starting at him from behind.

"Wait a minute. Hyung, it's me Byeongil," the man came in front. At the lack of response he suddenly pushed the door, "You shouldn't do this to me!"

"I'm not running a charity here," Seokhyeon replied from inside, "Bring money of you want something!"

"What is wrong with him?"
"He's crazy!"
"This is insane."

Minseo sighed, mumbling to herself, "What an asshole."

A sound of bag screeching made everyone turn their heads towards a man who had countless injuries on his face.

"You're from room 802, right?" Hyein asked, still holding onto her dog, "What happened to your face? I couldn't recognize you."

"Were you here the whole time?"

"No, I came down earlier tonight." He replied.

"Tonight?" Byeongil inquired, "Your face looks awful. Did something happen on the way down?"

"Oh, this?" He touched his face, "This happened a while ago. A burglar broke into my house."

Everyone started to whisper about it but the man placed his suitcase on a small table outside the mart and opened it up to reveal numerous kinds of food, surprising everyone.

"We can share," he smiled and started to distribute the things among the residents, Seokhyeon peeping at him from the inside.

Minseo was suspicious of the man but decided not to care and waited for her turn to get something to consume too, before her eyes landed on the red spot in the suitcase which was on the verge of emptying. She looked at Hyein –who's gaze was also fixed on the spot, and back again the man.
There was definitely something off about him.

She turned on her heal and ignored the thoughts, moving to the security room.

Thinking of it as the right time, Eunhyuk decided to do make the announcement and started to carefully press various buttons, hoping one of them may be of the mic.

Minseo was there helping him with it, when suddenly she pressed a button and music starts to play. The same music that used to be played for the residents every morning.

She went into a little panic mode at that, knowing that currently it wasn't appropriate to play it and started to press more buttons, hoping it'll turn off soon.

Both Eunhyuk and Minseo were so engrossed in the machinery that they didn't realize a woman, Ms Cha, coming into the security room.

When she realized that both the youngsters were occupied, she opened the main entrance gate.
Her desperation and stubbornness taking over her.

Finally the music lowered down as the mic started to work.
Eunhyuk announcing, "Survivors in the building, take any food, medicine and weapons you have and come to the first floor. The first floor is quite safe for now, and it'll be safe to stay together. We survivors must stick together," he glaced at Minseo, "Please come down. Please… I repeat–"

A screeching noise followed by silence and the mic and music stopped making Eunhyuk sigh but the noise outside the security room, jolted him.

Minseo and Eunhyuk immediately got out, only to see that Mrs Cha had thrown all the things used for the blockage, down and was trying to get out of other's grip to go outside the building, "My daughter! My daughter is here!"

Eunhyuk stepped in, "What is happening?"

She came in front of him, holding her phone and pointed at one place, "Look. My daughter is here."

"Lower the shutters", he ignored Ms Cha.

"Let me go!" She again tried to run outside, Jay and Seunghwan again held her back, "My daughter's here!"

Right before the shutters could close, a girl in school uniform came running forward. Everyone blowed away by how she still survived out there.
"Minju! Run!" The lady screamed continuously.

The girl fell on her knees as she lost her balance, "Mom!"

"Shouldn't we help?"
"We should decide now!"
"What do we do?"

The soldier sprinted outside without a thought to save the young girl –spirit of selflessness taking over him, when tongue of the long mouthed monster pierced the girl's chest, also attacking the soldier. Blood flowing out of their mouths, silencing everyone who was witnessing the scene.

Terror washed over the residents who were there as they saw the scene just a few steps outsides the apartment gate.

An ear piercing scream left Ms Cha when the monster held her daughter up in the air as he drank her blood. Her lifeless body in his hold.

"No," her mother tried break free of the grip as the shutter started to lower down, Eunhyuk moved forward to place more stuff ahead of it, knowing that the monster could still attack people inside. And that's exactly what happened as his long tongue penterated the furniture held by Eunhyuk, and almost, almost hurt him.
Eunhyuk was fast enough to back away, getting far enough for the monster's tongue to only touch past his glasses and moved back.

Everyone was startled.
Eunhyuk stood there petrified, not moving an inch as blood dropped from over his glasses and nose.

The lady stood up and moved towards him, "She died because of you. If only I had gone out sooner," she blamed Eunhyuk, hitting his chest and wailing, "This is your fault. You killed her."

Minseo, who was also there, her eyes were filled with tears threatening to spill. When she got back to her senses, she looked at everyone, Mrs Cha, Eunhyuk, Seunghwan, Hyein, Jay and then at herself. Her hands, which were quivering at the same pace her heart was beating. She moved back and ran into the security room, sitting back on her chair but this time, she had her legs up as she hugged them and slowly shook her head, "It's my fault…"