𝗥𝗘𝗙𝗟𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

𝟭𝟮 | 𝗣𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗠

PHANTASM
(something that is or but is not)

The past...

Namjoon was six years old, full of energy and excitement as he played hide and seek with his older sister, Hyuna. As Hyuna counted to ten, Namjoon frantically searched for the perfect hiding spot. He dashed around the house, looking for a place where he could outsmart his sister and emerge victorious. He can imagine Hyuna's sulking and pouting at him.

His eyes lit up when he spotted the small storeroom at the back of the house. Namjoon's heart raced with anticipation as he quickly made his way towards it. He reached out and grasped the doorknob, giving it a gentle tug. To his relief, the door swung open easily. Namjoon smiled to himself, thinking he had found the perfect hiding spot.

Without hesitation, Namjoon slipped into the dimly lit storeroom and closed the door behind him. The room was cluttered with old boxes and dusty shelves, but Namjoon didn't mind. He found a small space on the floor and settled in, trying to stifle his giggles as he waited for his sister to find him. He was a bit scared being alone in the small space, but Namjoon convinced himself that it was just a few minutes before Hyuna came and found him there.

Minutes passed, and Namjoon's excitement grew as he listened to Hyuna's footsteps growing closer. He could hear her counting down from ten, her voice getting louder with each number. Then his sister started to call his name. "Namjoonie? Namjoonie? Where are you?"

Namjoon held his breath, trying to stay as quiet as possible. He holds his laughter, feeling excited and thrilled at the same time. Then he could not hear his sister's voice or her footsteps. Namjoon smiles widely, thinking Hyuna finally admitted her defeat. Namjoon pushed himself up and walked to the door.

Suddenly, there was a loud click as the door to the storeroom was locked from the outside. Namjoon's heart skipped a beat as he realized what was happening. Panic set in as he jiggled the knob but to no avail. He pounded on the door, calling out to his sister for help. But there was no response.

"Noona!!! Noona!!! Help me! I'm here!!!" he screamed his lung out hoping for his sister to hear his pleas. Namjoon's mind raced with fear as he realized that someone had locked him in on purpose. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wondered who could have done such a cruel thing.

"Noona! Eomma!" Namjoon keeps calling the two. Hours passed, and Namjoon's cries for help went unanswered. The darkness of the storeroom pressed in on him, suffocating him with fear. He huddled in a corner, shivering in the cold, wondering if he would ever be found.

"Noona...Eomma...Appa..." his voice hoarse due to all the screaming. It's been too long for him to call for help but no one appears.

As the night dragged on, Namjoon's hope began to fade. He was hungry, tired, and terrified. He wished with all his heart that his family would come to rescue him. He was alone in the room, trapped in the dark and his whole body was shaking. He could not breathe when the used-to-be light was gone in a minute.

"Help..." He whispered.

As his vision turned gray-out and his body slipped down to the floor in exhaustion, Namjoon could hear someone talking in front of the door. Namjoon tried to reach with his hand, calling for help but his voice was stuck. Before his consciousness faded, Namjoon could hear the said person say to another. And his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach.

"Do not open the door until I said so! Let him die in there!"

Namjoon's eyes fluttered. "Eomma?"