Haan

Chapter 15 - Disaster

We got everything ready and settled down in her bedroom. She lay on her futon while I sat on a cushion next to her. I set a pot of hot tea nearby, we might both need it after the session. Clean cloths, warm water and a big pieces of firewood surrounded me. I felt I needed more than one piece since it was the source I was dealing with. It would have to do. She did not have any animals in her home.

I reached for her hand and smiled when she squeezed mine in encouragement.

"Close your eyes," I murmured closing my own.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to clear my mind. Concentrating on the healing power within me, I gathered and channeled it to Mi Rae.

Nothing. I found nothing except faint traces of cold. Was that it? Couldn't be. What was I missing? I searched again, combing through her heart and meridian points. The Plague usually rooted in its victims hearts to spread out but it was not the case with the source. Where was it hiding?

Suddenly, the cold intensified closing in on me. Realisation hit me. It was not anchored in her heart nor lodged in any one part of her body. It was everywhere, in her blood, bones and flesh. Evil saturated every part of her being and now it was alerted to the invasion and was closing in on me.

This was going to be a monumental task. Steeling myself, I pulled at the cold, then at the darkness that manifested following it. Still, it stayed elusive, easily slipping from my grasp and evading my attempts of pulling it in. Making little progress, I growled in frustration.

"Oppa, whats wrong?"

"I can't seem to get it."

"Wae? Why not?"

"It's not the same. In the others, infection was rooted in the heart and spread outwards. In you ... "

"What? What is it?"

I didn't want to scare her or make her believe it was it was impossible. "Uhmm, it's just floating around."

Then I remembered Eun Ho's case. Instead of chasing after it, I should lure it to come to me. "Let me try again."

"Araso, but Oppa, it's o'kay if it doesn't work. I'll just stay here and not go out," she said but I saw her lips quiver with disappointment. She was trying to be brave. Living in isolation for the rest of her life was not ideal. Also, it was not a guarantee of the Plague's end. I wanted to end it, move it out of Mi Rae and burn the cursed branch to rid us of it forever.

"Let me try again," I repeated softly. "I've got an idea."

We tried again. This time I relaxed, letting all my fears and doubts surface. Fears of my failure to save Mi Rae, fear of never seeing my new family again and the real terror of not knowing what I was actually doing. This was different compared to what I was familiar with. What if I bungled the job and accidentally hurt Mi Rae? As the emotions washed over me, I felt the Plague coming to me. My fears were like a magnet to it.

Evil enveloped me almost smothering my senses. Quickly I pulled hard while retreating into myself. It worked. The Plague 'followed me' eager for a new host full of fear, one that could be manipulated to kill since the current one was balking. Darkness rushed me. I felt like I was drowning in a swirl of cold, madness and resentment. The intense hunger shocked me. It was more like an insatiable craving, not for food but a hateful lust for murder and revenge. A terrible yearning for sadistic horrors, sadness and pain to be inflicted on the pathetic humans. The last shook me to my core bringing me back to myself. I was one of those humans.

I had to get this fiercely resentful power out of me. Pulling everything into myself, I let go of Mi Rae's hand. That way it could not 'flow' back into her.

Concentrating, I tried to push it out of me but I couldn't. The wall of the inanimate was too much in my weakened state. After enticing the Plague and battling to stay sane, I lacked the energy to move it out. Panic rose in my chest as I failed again and again. It was like battering against a solid wall of death. I cursed myself, regret lancing through me. I should have caught a rabbit or brought one of Ajumma's chicken. I should have taken the time to find a stray cat or even injured bird, anything was better than this!!

Too late, utter dismay and pure horror descended upon me. The evil in me swirled with unadulterated glee, seemingly dancing with mirthful exuberance. It had a new young host, a very frightened one. I lost all hope. I was too weak. I needed time to recuperate before I could even attempt to purge it again.

"Oppa! Oppa, whats wrong?" Mi Rae cried.

Her agitated tone roused me. By now I was sweating and shaking uncontrollably. I felt the two strong powers clashing inside me. I groaned, doubling up.

"I can't get it out," I croaked. "I need something live." Desperately, I got up to ran out the house. Maybe I'll find a live tree or plant.

Unfortunately, my internal commotion attracted something else too. I stopped dead in my tracks as I felt before I saw the Spirit. Dark motes gathered from the air, forming a loose black shape exactly as Mi Rae had described.

"Mi Rae ... I think the Spirit is here."

"What? Where?"

"You can't see it?" I gulped.

Cold realization dawned on me. Of course she couldn't see it now. It's new vessel was me! I had it's devastating power and it's interest had shifted to me. Without the evil in her, Mi Rae was just another human.

The fear in me intensified. Mi Rae was just a human, a human within range who could now be infected by me!

"Run!! Run Mi Rae. RUN AWAY!!" I yelled even as I started sprinting for the forest. I had to get away from everyone. I had to get away from Mi Rae before it could used me to infect her. I would never be able to live with myself if Mi Rae died of the Plague.

"Oppa!!"

"Run away to the village. It's trying to infect you!" I screamed. The village was in the opposite direction. I needed as much distance as possible between us before the Spirit acted.

"Run! I'll come back after I get it out of me!!"

I ran as fast as I could not daring to look back. I prayed Mi Rae did as instructed and ran the other way. I could hear her heartbreaking screams and sobs behind me but I did not stop. I could not. I knew the Spirit would follow me. I had it's power in me, I was it's new instrument for sustenance. It needed me now.

Mi Rae managed to get out of range just as the Spirit lashed out. It's angry hisses deafened my ears telling me of it's failure. Enraged, it turned on me but I kept running. It's intense fury dodged my every step.

After what seemed an eternity, I collapsed when the chilling darkness became too much. The last thing I saw before I passed out on the forest floor were two furious red pulsating eyes.