granny

2// evening

dinner was served when the three went downstairs and the old man was already sitting down, observing the food apathetically but not eating. he looked like a scolded child and didn't even hear the creaking of the stairs under the weight of the other three inhabitants coming to eat.

granny pointed to the boys two seats at the opposite corners of the table and sat down next to her husband. only when she sat down grandpa seemed to notice their arrival and slammed his hands on the table in a lenient heavy motion. minho was startled and jumped but saw jisung smile at his shock.

minho smiled back but jisung was already looking elsewhere.

"what are you looking at? eat, boy," granny scolded when her eyes met jisung's. she looked very displeased and jisung immediately took up his spoon and dunked it in the potato soup. the dish was odd but that was no surprise since he hadn't had a single good one here so far.

nonetheless, he was going to eat. it was rude not to.

minho looked down too and lifted the spoon with a boiled potato inside to his mouth. he wasn't used to eating silently. at uni, everyone at the cafeteria liked having conversations while eating. he blew on the potato and started looking at grandpa's hands since they were the closest to him.

they were entirely covered with red, shiny and slick hairless skin that was healed but looked like it must've hurt him for quite some time when he first got the burns. at least the left one was like that because that was the hand that he was feeding himself with.

he was probably like that back then too but minho just couldn't recall. it was interesting: the limb moved completely normally but its appearance was weird, with a worm-like slippery texture. minho turned away and started eating again.

granny finished her meal first but kept sitting at the table, looking at the other three's faces which made the dinner even more uncomfortable. jisung emptied his plate next but he waited at the table for further instructions.

"do you want more?," granny turned to both grandsons who both shook their heads.

"no, thank you, granny," minho smiled politely and licked his lips, confused about what would follow.

"the food was great, thank you," jisung mumbled and stood up, taking his bowl. he walked up to minho and smiled at him as he was taking the bowl from the table, "grandpa, are you finished?," he timidly addressed the old man.

grandpa, who had put his spoon in the bowl and had stopped eating furrowed his brows, turning his head towards the boy. his eyes were a dull brown colour and the sudden eye contact startled jisung.

minho watched this and felt a little reassured. so he wasn't the only one who found this a little creepy. jisung opened his mouth to try asking again but the woman interrupted him.

"i'll take care of his bowl," she smiled and fixed her cold eyes on jisung's trembling hands, "you go wash these in the garden."

jisung gulped but nodded and exited the kitchen.

"in the garden? why not here?," he heard minho ask as he was going out.

he knew the answer, "there's more water in that sink."

'what does that even mean?,' both boys wondered but the woman looked insistent and this was her house so neither dared contradict her. jisung washed the dishes outside, as always, in the dark, not seeing what he was doing. at least it wasn't cold.

"go have some sleep," granny addressed minho after she sent jisung off. it was no later than 8 pm and the request was peculiar. grandpa hadn't even finished eating yet.

nevertheless, minho stood up. the elders didn't seem keen on talking and the first floor smelled bad for some reason. at least upstairs he could take a shower, look at the stars and wait for jisung to get back. they hadn't talked in such a long time that it was an almost peculiar but thrilling possibility.

"can you go to the store for me tomorrow," granny's voice stopped him as he was exiting the kitchen.

"of course," minho smiled and turned to go again.

"i'll wake you up then," her voice squeaked and again he nodded. he didn't think he'd have to wake up early but that was the least he could do since he was in her house, eating her food.

"goodnight," he wished and when he didn't hear it back, he went upstairs.

*

it sounded like some howling, or some disheartening wail and it was definitely coming from somewhere near, maybe even in the house. it started off as an off-tune humming and then it turned into crying, whining and yowling, coming nearer as the stairs to the top floor creaked.

minho had closed the window, thinking it was some cats mating outside, but he bit his lip and lifted himself when he heard the sound draw near.

then the eerie siren song became the loudest it had been and stopped in front of minho's door, getting slightly more strained while the closed wooden door was getting scratched, as if by a wild animal that couldn't find a way to get in.

minho's heart started pounding and the sounds of its racing almost deafened the cries outside of his room. he made a note to lock the door next time just in case. this place was clearly playing tricks with his mind.

jisung heard the clawing on minho's door and bit his lip. his heart was in his throat and he wanted to throw up but knew that he shouldn't show that he was awake. when the sounds started coming closer to him, he covered himself with his blanket entirely and closed his eyes.

he tried to relax his muscles as the singing started getting quieter but a plank on the floor creaked and he knew the macabre singer was in his room. then the sound was cut off, as if the power went out and the figure jisung had caught a glimpse on in the white long night robe sat on his bed.

it seemed not to mind the darkness and came closer to look at him, smell him or hear his breathing. he didn't know why actually but his sweat was probably visible and sniffable and his breathing was hitched, which he hoped his unwanted companion wouldn't notice.

they stayed like that for what felt like forever, though jisung couldn't be sure if it lasted 15 minutes or 3 hours until finally the visitor took the same creaking path to return to their initial place, again stopping at the stairs to wail and then going downstairs.

jisung could still hear the laments long after but he was glad that at least there was a sound accompaniment to the movement, instead of just being surprised in his room at night.