In Another's Skin

Crimson Ember

Chapter 38: (Aaira's pov)
17 August, 2025.

The café, I could see through the dusty windows that the inside was dark and empty. The solitude of the street was both comforting and terrifying; at least no one was around to witness my deteriorating state, but that also meant there was no one to help me. I saw in the windowpane my nose was still bleeding.

As I sat there, the bleeding hadn't stopped yet, but it was light, the shivering intensified. The thin curtain wrapped around me did little to keep out the biting cold. I couldn't afford to call out for help. The few cars that had passed by earlier had barely slowed, and the thought of someone finding me in my current state only heightened my sense of dread. What if they thought I was dangerous? What if they turned me away or worse?

I tried to focus on the image of Jungkook, clinging to the hope that he might somehow appear, that he might find me in the middle of all this chaos and the fear. It had been a month of my desperate longing, of closing my eyes and whispering his name into the darkness. Every night had been a silent plea for his presence, for the comfort and safety he represented.

But now, even that hope was wavering. I had chanted his name so many times, and yet here I was, alone and on the brink of collapse. My vision blurred as tears mixed with the blood on my face. The cold was relentless, the pain was all-consuming, and the fear was suffocating.

I wrapped the curtain around me tighter, trying to conserve whatever heat I had left. The bleeding from my nose seemed to be slowing, but the cold continued to grip me mercilessly.

The street remained eerily quiet, the only sound of my chattering teeth and the occasional distant murmur of a passing vehicle. I kept my gaze fixed on the road, hoping for a miracle, for anyone to notice me and offer help. Every minute that passed felt like an eternity, and the cold seemed to penetrate deeper with each passing second.

With my body shaking uncontrollably, I forced myself to keep my eyes open. I couldn't afford to fall asleep in this state; I needed to stay alert, to be ready for any opportunity that might come my way. The thought of Jungkook-his presence, his voice-was the only thing keeping me tethered to hope, despite the overwhelming odds.

I wished with every fiber of my being that he would come, that he would find me before it was too late. The thought of him, the image of his face, was the only light in the darkness, a fragile thread of hope that I clung to with all my strength.

***

The evening had come to Riverdale Lane, making the place dark and gloomy. The cold was unbearable, and I was shaking uncontrollably. My nose had stopped bleeding, but the mess left behind reminded me of my dire situation.

My hope was almost gone, and I felt like a ghost wandering the empty streets. The thin curtain I was wrapped in didn't help with the cold, and the emptiness of the town matched my own sense of despair.

Suddenly, the loud ringing of a phone broke the silence, startling me and making me panic. The noise was so sudden and loud that it felt like an attack. I had been so immersed in my own misery that the sudden intrusion felt almost like a violation. My heart raced as I struggled to understand what was happening.

Even though Azura had tried to teach me a bit about phones, I didn't understand them well, and the ringing only scared me more. It felt like the phone was a big, scary mystery, and the loud noise made my anxiety worse, making me feel even more afraid.

The ringing continued its relentless assault on my ears, each chime feeling like a jarring intrusion into the silence that had enveloped me. My heart pounded in my chest, and I could barely think straight through the fog of panic.