INSIDE MONSTER. THE FUGITIVE.

CHAPTER 23: DANGEROUS CHOICES

When she finally got to the edge of the forest, SolHi's heart started to pound in her chest. Even her hands were badly shaking at that moment and she couldn't understand why. In fact, SolHi couldn't understand why her hands had been shaking in the last few days. Even though, she was sure that it wasn't because she escaped prison along with Min Ha Rin or that she regretted having done that. No, she didn't regret it, although she thought that at first and that it had been a hasty decision. Then, thinking about this, SolHi understood that it had been the best choice she had had at that moment. The reason? She was still alive, and this was victory already. At the same time, she had time to think about all that happened and decide what she wanted to do because she already knew that her life had turned into a nightmare lately, something that didn't allow her to breathe freely.

Because of the same anxiety, SolHi told Ha Rin that night, a couple of hours before she got to the edge of the forest, „I have to talk to him. Yes, I must do that, Ha Rin because he has the right to know that I'm still alive."

To her great surprise, Ha Rin didn't oppose her idea but asked her, „Are you sure? I mean... are you sure that he won't betray you eventually?"

„Yes, I'm pretty sure of that," replied SolHi. Yet, she lied because she didn't know if DooSan was still with her or not. He could have changed his mind eventually, especially after her snap decision. Even so, she decided to trust him and ask him for help. „Something I should do no matter what, at least once in my life." Then, she sighed.

Honestly, SolHi was sure that DooSan wasn't the only person she could trust. There were also Kan and Yoon Suk. If she had called one of them, they would have helped her for sure. Yet, SolHi was also sure that Kan wasn't young anymore and he wasn't also influential enough to be involved in her escape and her further plans. She also knew that she couldn't count on Yoon Suk because DooSan already told her that he stopped working for the police after she'd been arrested and didn't return. In the meantime, he could have also changed his number. If it was true and she had called the number she knew, it would have been suspicious and the police would have found them right away.

The only credible variant was still DooSan. Yes, DooSan was the only one she knew she could count on and whose information was still true. Thus, „If I call him, I'll reach him for sure and not another person because, in Yoon Suk's case, his former work number might have been assigned to another officer. If this has happened, we reach hell for sure." After that, although she wasn't totally convinced that her plan was the best, SolHi went to the edge of the forest.

She headed toward there having a well-made plan. She also had a map, one that Ha Rin sketched for her on wet soil to make sure SolHi wouldn't get lost eventually. Ha Rin also told SolHi what path to take to get to the public phone and how to act so as not to be seen by anybody. Even so, arriving at the edge of the woods, SolHi suddenly became a coward and started fearing to make that phone call, although she wanted that so badly.

When she finally decided to call and took a step in front, toward the asphalt road she intended to cross, SolHi had been forced to hide again. The reason? A black off-road car, so similar to the one that caused the accident of the ambulance, suddenly passed by there.

„It can't be," SolHi murmured, staring behind the car. „It can't be the same individual. At the same time, I don't think he's the one looking for us because, from what Ha Rin said, Jackal is on her side. Even so, something tells me that not everything is that simple. I also think that both of them hide something, but... what? What are they hiding from me?"

Such questions increased the anxiety in SolHi's soul. Yet, she didn't have time to get rid of them or find a credible answer because this would have meant staying there for longer, which might have endangered her. Yes, the police could have left someone there in case they had showed up. That's why SolHi decided to make that phone call fast and withdraw in the shadows again. And, determined to do that no matter the consequences, SolHi finally crossed the road.