The Party That Killed || Hyunlix

54 🕸️

3rd person pov.
Jungmin and Chan sat in the corner of one of the empty rooms in the cult's residence. Moonlight filtered through a dusty window, casting pale streaks across their worried faces.

"We have to do something," Jungmin said, breaking the silence. His hands were trembling, but there was determination in his eyes. "We can't let whatever they're planning actually happen."

"And what are we supposed to do?" Chan raised an eyebrow, lowering his voice. "We're just kids here. If they catch us, the best-case scenario is ending up in their 'isolation room.'"

Jungmin looked at him gravely. "I overheard them talking last night. They're planning something big. Maybe some kind of ritual. We need to find out where they keep their documents. There has to be something that can incriminate them."

Chan sighed but eventually nodded. "I saw one of their men carrying keys to the basement. Maybe we’ll find something there?"

Jungmin took a deep breath. "It's risky. But if it works, it might be our only chance."

Chan met his eyes. "If we do it together, we can pull it off. But first, we need a way to get your brother out of here."

Jungmin hesitated, then said with a heavy heart, "Seungmin doesn’t know anything. If something goes wrong, we can’t let him get involved."

Chan placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We’ll do it without anyone knowing. I promise."

Footsteps echoed in the hallway, and they immediately fell silent, holding their breath. Moments later, the sound faded. They exchanged a glance, knowing the decision had been made.

"Tonight," Jungmin whispered. "We’ll start tonight."

Chan nodded, a spark of courage igniting in his eyes. "Tonight."

≈🎃≈

Night fell quickly. Jungmin and Chan waited in silence, observing the movements of the cult’s guards. The occasional flashlight beam illuminated the corridor but quickly disappeared, leaving darkness behind.

"The key should be in that guy's office," Chan whispered, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. "I saw him there this morning."

Jungmin felt the weight of responsibility press down on him. "How do we get in?"

"I have a plan," Chan replied. "But I’ll need your help."

He pulled a thin wire out of his pocket. "When the guard moves away, I’ll go to the door and try to pick the lock. You keep watch. If something goes wrong—"

"Nothing will go wrong," Jungmin interrupted, though his heart was pounding like a drum. "We can do this."

After a few minutes, the guard indeed walked off, and Chan quickly got to work. Jungmin stood at the edge of the wall, listening intently. The office door clicked open softly.

"I got it," Chan whispered, pulling out the key. "Now the basement."

The stairs to the basement were hidden behind the kitchen, a place usually deserted at night. They moved quietly, stopping frequently to listen for any sound. Reaching the door, Jungmin’s shaking hands turned the key in the lock.

The basement was dark and damp, the smell of mold mingling with something sharper and harder to place. Inside were shelves filled with old books, scrolls, and binders.

"Look for anything important," Chan instructed, switching on a small flashlight.

Jungmin searched the shelves until his eyes landed on a folder marked with a symbol he had seen on the cult leader’s ring. "Chan, look at this," he said, pulling out the documents.

Inside were plans for a ritual, lists of names, and detailed instructions… including those about sacrifices.

"This can’t be real," Jungmin whispered, feeling the world spin around him.

"They're actually going to do this," Chan said, flipping through the pages. "But now we have evidence."

Before they could say more, footsteps echoed on the stairs. Someone was coming down to the basement.

"Hide it!" Chan hissed, shoving the folder under his shirt.

They quickly switched off the flashlight and scrambled for cover. The basement door slammed open, and two figures entered.

"I knew something was off," one of the men said, his voice harsh. "Someone’s been here."

Chan gestured for Jungmin to hide behind a shelf while he slid under an old table in the corner. Darkness was their only ally.

"Check the shelves," the first man ordered, his voice reverberating off the basement walls.

Jungmin held his breath, his heart pounding louder than ever. The cold metal of the shelf pressed against his back, but he couldn’t move.

One of the men approached the shelf where Jungmin was hiding, running his hand over the dusty books and folders, searching for anything suspicious.

"There’s nothing here," he muttered, though his voice lacked conviction.

"Check again," the other said, moving toward the table where Chan was hiding.

Chan tensed, clutching the documents tightly to his chest. He prayed they wouldn’t notice his shadow in the dim light of their flashlight.

"Come on, there’s no one here," the first man finally said. "Probably just rats."

The second man glanced around one last time, then sighed heavily. "We’d better get back upstairs. If they find out we missed something..."

"Fine, let’s go," the first replied, their footsteps retreating up the stairs.

Chan and Jungmin waited several minutes, ensuring the danger had passed.

"That was close," Chan whispered, crawling out from under the table.

Jungmin stood, still clutching his ribs as if trying to calm his breathing. "Do you think they noticed anything?"

"If they did, we’ll have to move fast. We need to get out of here," Chan said, holding the folder tightly. "But first, we need to figure out how to use this."

Jungmin nodded, though uncertainty flickered in his eyes. "If they catch us, it’s over."

"They won’t," Chan said firmly, though his voice carried a hint of unease. "Right now, the most important thing is finding Hyunjin. He’ll know what to do."

"Hyunjin?" Jungmin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Trust me," Chan said with determination. "If anyone can help us, it’s him."

Together, they quietly made their way out of the basement, acutely aware that every step could be their last.

🕸️🕸️🕸️

Movie suggestion: Halloween II (2009)