Monster Underneath The Bed✓

십삼

Chapter 13: Into the Abyss

The days following Namjoon’s confession were a blur of confusion and dread. YN tried to go about her daily routine, but her mind was always elsewhere, haunted by the realization that she had never truly been in control. Every glance, every word from Namjoon now seemed laced with hidden meaning, as if he were taunting her with the knowledge he held over her.

At night, YN found it increasingly difficult to sleep. Her dreams were plagued with images of the house from the photograph, of the terrified child staring out of the window, of Namjoon’s face twisted in a cruel smile. She would wake up in a cold sweat, her heart racing, only to find herself alone in the dark, the silence of her apartment pressing down on her like a suffocating weight.

It was during one of these sleepless nights that YN decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She needed answers real answers, not the cryptic half-truths Namjoon had given her. She had to go back to the house, to the place where it had all begun.

The next day, YN called in sick to work, her mind made up. She spent the morning preparing, gathering anything she thought she might need flashlights, a camera, a notepad. By the time afternoon rolled around, she was ready. The house was a few hours away, nestled in a secluded area outside the city. She had found its location during her research with her mother, but they had never dared to visit.

As she drove, YN’s mind raced with a thousand thoughts. What was she hoping to find? Would the house hold the answers she sought, or would it be another dead end? The closer she got, the more doubt crept in. But she couldn’t turn back now too much was at stake.

When she finally arrived, the house was exactly as she had imagined it an old, dilapidated structure, its windows boarded up and its once-proud façade now crumbling from years of neglect. The surrounding woods were thick and foreboding, the trees seeming to close in around the property like a protective barrier, as if trying to keep whatever secrets the house held hidden from the world.

YN parked the car a short distance away and approached the house cautiously. The air was heavy with the scent of decay, and the only sound was the crunch of gravel under her feet. Her heart pounded in her chest as she reached the front door, her hand trembling as she reached for the rusted handle.

The door creaked open with a sound that echoed through the empty halls, sending a shiver down YN’s spine. The inside of the house was dark and musty, the air thick with dust and the remnants of a life long abandoned. The furniture was covered in sheets, and cobwebs hung in every corner, giving the place an eerie, ghostly feel.

As YN stepped inside, she felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if she had been here before. But that was impossible she had never set foot in this house. And yet, the layout, the smell, even the creaking of the floorboards beneath her feet felt oddly familiar.

She made her way through the rooms slowly, her flashlight cutting through the darkness as she searched for anything that might give her a clue as to what had happened here. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional groan of the house settling, as if it were alive, watching her every move.

Finally, YN reached the staircase that led to the upper floor. She hesitated, staring up into the darkness, her mind racing with fear and anticipation. This was where the photograph had been taken this was where the child had been, staring out of the window with those wide, terrified eyes.

Summoning all her courage, YN began to climb the stairs, each step feeling heavier than the last. The air grew colder as she ascended, the darkness thicker, as if the house itself were trying to push her back. But she pressed on, driven by the need to know the truth.