wrong step | baekhyun

+twenty-three+

LEE SUNMI

the boat thrashed wildly in the seas as i struggled to find my balance. my bag slid to the other end of the boat and tipped over the edge as a pair of cold, freezing, hands find its way to my throat, causing a cry to escape through my lips. it was so dark that i still couldn't see my attacker, so i took a risk — instead of trying to run away, i leaned forward and closed the distance instead. 

with my surprise move, the both of us tripped over a plank of wood and fell with me on top. this close, i saw an all too familiar face. the vendor lady i met earlier on in hikari town.

except it wasn't her at all. the face that stared back at me had her features, but the aura that surrounded her was threatening, menacing even. with a silent gasp, i caught sight of her bright red irises that glared back at me as if she had gone mad. 

"the people you met in hikari town are ghosts but they themselves don't know." kai's words rang in my mind. that's right— there was no doubt that she couldn't even recognize me. when night came, their memories of the day would be erased as they turned into ghosts, and by morning, they would have forgotten what had even happened at night. it was a vicious cycle.

snarling, the lady heaved my body off her and straddled my waist as she wrapped her hands tightly around my throat again. this time, it felt like a vice-like grip and as i spluttered, i knew my face was already beet red. 

lightheaded, senses going numb, hands that fight weakly against the weight on me.

i was going to die.

and maybe that was the thought that led me to desperation. i didn't know how, exactly, but at the wits' end, i reached deep into me and willed myself to awaken the energy. the force and power that had been asleep for years, centuries. and when the seal comes off, i felt it surge through my arms and almost at once, blinding white light poured from my fingertips. 

the fingertips that were pushing against the lady's shoulders.

a bloodcurdling scream ripped from her throat as she released her hold on me immediately, stumbling away from me and eventually cowering in the corner of the boat. i remained where i was, trying to inhale as much oxygen as i could. the precious oxygen. my hands were no longer glowing.

sitting up with my chest still heaving, i noticed a burn mark on her shoulder where i had merely touched her. no, wait— even that burn mark was slowly disappearing. disappearing... into nothing. a part of her shoulder had dissipated into thin air, replaced by an empty space.

the boat was simply floating with no direction anymore. not a single shore was in sight, and if anything, the mist surrounding us had intensified, blocking my view of anything that was more than a few feet away. muttering curses under my breath, i cast a glance around to see if i could find anything useful. 

nothing. nothing but planks of wood. is this telling me that i have to row my way out of here and risk being pulled down by whatever lives under the murky water?

no thanks. i frowned.

the lady was still sitting near the edge, legs pulled to her chest and head bowed low. cautiously, i took slow steps towards her and she flinched immediately. 

will she understand what i say? i couldn't help but think. after all, she's just like a wild beast at night.

"take me to kenji tower." i said firmly, silently praying that my voice wasn't shaky or anything. because to be very honest, i was a bundle of nerves after nearly being strangled to death.