Ghost Chasers

12

Taehyung grabbed my hand as I curiously followed Taemin. Hobi and Hongjoong stumbled after him, while Hongjoong held the camera and Hobi clung to his free arm.

It didn't look quite as filthy up here as on the first floor, but the atmosphere was still oppressive. We walked into another corridor and at some point Taemin stopped in front of the door to a former patient's room. He raised a finger to his lips and pointed into the room.

I beckoned Hongjoong to me and let him film into the room. Slowly and hesitantly, he entered the room, Hobi, who didn't want to let him go, held him by the waist from behind while he followed him trembling. I walked through the door next, behind me Taehyung, who had a determined look on his face, always ready to fight against evil.

Without meaning to, I giggled at the sight of him, but it triggered an activity we hadn't expected.

Hongjoong stood frozen in the room and filmed the bed. Hobi stared wide-eyed in the direction, he too seemed unable to move out of fear.

I followed their gaze and saw a woman sitting on the bed. She had her face in her hands and was glowing brightly. Apparently she had heard me giggling, because she raised her head and looked at me.

This wasn't the first time I'd seen a ghost, so I was just shaking and not in full panic mode like Hobi, so I tried to be brave and smile at her. Her stare went right through me and when Hobi let out a stifled, frightened gasp, I was almost relieved that she was now looking at him.

Slowly, she stood up and floated towards him as he backed further and further away. When his back was against the wall and she was only a few centimetres away from him, he narrowed his eyes tightly.

His chest rose and fell quickly as the woman came even closer to his face and seemed to scrutinize him. Hobi tried to claw at the wall with his hands, but he couldn't get a grip and only scraped his fingertips bloody.

Hongjoong was filming everything, but his face was white as snow while Taehyung and I looked at the scene in front of us in disbelief.

"Hoseok... Are you coming to see me? I'm so alone." we heard her thin high-pitched voice and I could swear Hobi was about to faint.

Taehyung ran to him to support him while I turned to Taemin.

"What can we do?" I asked him desperately, as by now thick tears were running down Hobi's cheeks and the old woman made no move to let go of him.

I had only seen Hobi cry once before, at Yeosang's funeral.

Taemin came in with a sigh, went to the woman and pulled her away from Hobi by the arm.

"Come on grandma, that's enough, can't you see the boy is scared of you?"

She looked at him in astonishment.

"You're dead," she said irritably and Taemin smiled kindly at her.

"Yes, I guess I am, but so are you," he said gently.

"My son's name is also Hoseok, but that's not him... He never visited me." she said sadly and Hobi dared to look up again when he realized that the woman was no danger.

He seemed to throw his fear overboard and took a step towards her.

"My father is also called Hoseok and my grandmother died here... Are you perhaps my grandmother?" he asked quietly, almost shyly.

"My grandson... Are you coming to visit me? Finally." She suddenly shone brighter and the next moment she was gone.

"She's gone into the light. Apparently she was lonely and now someone has finally taken an interest in her." Taemin explained.

"Was that really your grandmother?" asked Hongjoong Hobi.

"No, I just thought she would like the idea, I felt sorry for her."

"How can you be so sure, maybe it was her after all." said Taehyung.

"Well, because both my grannies are still alive..."