paranormal

1.0 | TALK

(Listen to the music while reading. I'll be adding more instrumentals into the story.)

Music: "And They Have Escaped the Weight of Darkness" by Ólafur Arnalds

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I fell to my knees. They felt like jelly, and they buckled. My head was pounding. My heart was thumping so fast I thought it would burst out of my chest. Jaemin's friends are alive, I thought. It's just that they're imprisoned and have an execution soon if we don't find them fast.

I heard a knock on the door. "Narae? Are you okay? I heard a scream." It was Jaemin.

"I-I'm okay..." I answered, my voice shaking.

"You don't sound okay," He replied. "Let me come in."

I opened the door, letting him in. He saw me on the floor, trembling.

"Narae, you are not okay, and you will tell me what the heck happened in here." He sat down next to me.

I buried my face into my hands. I sighed. "Okay, good news and bad news. Which one first?"

"Bad news. That way, we can cheer up after hearing the good news."

"The good news isn't even that good, though." I told him.

"Eh. It's probably related to the case, right?" He shrugged his shoulders.

I nodded. "Okay, bad news. Your friends, four are imprisoned in the 1:27 hideout, and two are actually terrorists regretting their decisions. And it's a week before the prisoners' execution and until the terrorists, also known as your friends that really don't want to become the 1:27, become brainwashed and they will no longer kill with regrets."

Jaemin's eyes darkened. "Oh..."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, hating to see him so disappointed. "B-but the good news is that we have a week, and the hideout should be in Sanguis."

Jaemin's eyes lightened up a little, as if someone turned on the lights on the dim setting. "That's not as bad, then. What do we do?"

I bit my lip, unwilling to tell him the last part. "Uh...you see...if we don't find your friends within a week, four will be executed by hanging off a pole and poison-tipped arrows will be shot at them. Two will be brainwashed, like I said."

Jaemin tensed up, trying not to cry again. "We should tell this to Chief Rosewood. And you still need to talk with him."

My mind snapped. "Right! Shoot, I forgot!" I leapt up and made sure Jaemin was following me. "Let's tell him when we go into his office."

Jaemin nodded. Before I turned around, I saw a small, relieved smile on his face. I smiled when I turned back.

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"I'm glad to see that you two are working hard to crack this case," Chief Rosewood faced us from his swivel chair. "But the officers told me you two found a weird spirit in the abandoned house today. You two could've gotten hurt. Badly. Imagine what would've happened if the officers didn't show up at that moment!" He seemed extremely stressed.

"We're so sorry, Chief," I told him. "We promise to-" He stopped me mid-sentence.

"No, I'm so sorry," He buried his face into his hands. "What was I even thinking...letting two minors explore a haunted abandoned house that was attacked by some bloodthirsty terrorists?"

We stood in silence. Finally, Jaemin spoke.

"Um, Chief Rosewood? We're actually here to consult some permission for something that just came up," Jaemin fidgeted his fingers. "Would it be okay if we tell you?"

Chief Rosewood looked up from his hands. "Sure, what is it?"

"You see, chief, Jaemin's friends...before he became a detective, were actually kidnapped by the 1:27. A paranormal spirit just spoke to me and said that two are part of the 1:27, regretting their choices and waiting for rescue and four are imprisoned. We have a week to find the 1:27's hideout and free the prisoners and take the two others back, or else the prisoners will be executed and the other two will be brainwashed so they'll kill with no guilt." I explained.

Chief Rosewood's eyes widened to the size of saucepans. "Jaemin, you never told me this! How did you keep this bottled up?"

Jaemin shrugged and looked to the floor. "I just wish you would let us go and find the hideout, sir," He shifted his feet, as if he was really uncomfortable. "My friends, they mean the world to me and it would make the case a lot more easier once I find them."

Chief Rosewood sighed deeply and rubbed his chin. He laid back on his swivel chair and spun around, thinking hard. "I'm not sure...I almost got you two killed today. I can't have you go to the hideout."

"But sir, you put us in charge of this case," I spoke up, desperation pinching my voice. "If you put us in charge of something, we have to finish it."

"And if we don't solve this case soon, my friends will all die and the 1:27 will be even more deadly than it already is."

Chief sighed again. He rubbed his temples and said, "I will be willing to let you go on your quest, but on one condition."

We froze when he said "on one condition."

He took a deep breath. "Free your friends, cuff the two terrorist friends, and take them to jail. I know that they are your friends, but they still committed a crime. Fight the terrorists. I'll give you two walkie-talkies so you can communicate with the rest of the police force. Got it?"

Jaemin gulped. I could read his thoughts clearly from his expression. He definitely didn't want to throw his friends into jail, but it had to be done. "Yes, sir." We chorused, saluting.

"As for the four friends that are imprisoned, as soon as you find them, tell the police. The police will take them back to the station and will be cared for until they can get back on their feet."

Jaemin blew a sigh of relief. "Yes, sir," He said a second time. "We won't let you down."

Chief smiled. "I know that you two will never let me down."