❝ happy birthday, son. ❞
the woman from the video placed a gentle kiss on the boy's forehead, before wrapping him securely with a worn-out blue blanket. and that was the last thing she did, before she started walking away without him.
the boy was silent, not even a tear was shed. no tear-stained cheeks, no watery eyes, no signs of fear whatsoever. if anything, he looked happy to be felt alone, for he was only six, and wanted a taste of freedom.
and so he started walking down town, past the unlit houses, until the air around him felt colder and colder. he tightened the blanket around him, and stared at the only lit-up house in front of him.
" momma? "
the boy kept calling for his mother, and that was when he finally understood, that she was never coming back. tears fell from his face, hands still tightly clutched onto the blanket. his cry was quiet for a six year-old; only sniffs could be heard.
just then, the door of the house opened up, and the screen went blank. mark and jeno snapped their heads towards the direction of the caretaker, who was busy trying to shut off the projector and the film.
but it didn't really feel like just a film to mark. why did he suddenly turn it off?
" it's almost ten o'clock, kids. get ready for bed. "
the caretaker switched off all the lights and left the seven boys in the dark, all too confused to move back to their rooms. mark decided to lead the boys out one by one, including donghyuck and jisung, who was about to exit right before him.
but just when jisung was about to actually step out of the room, he turned towards mark, who was ready to close to door. neither of them talked, they both just stared at each other. the corner of jisung's lips tugged upwards ever so slightly, causing mark to feel shivers down his spine. it was exactly like the time the caretaker smiled at him like that.
" how did you find the film? "
" ...familiar, " mark replied simply, not knowing where the conversation was going.
jisung gave him a nod, and mark felt dizzy all of a sudden. he held onto his head, trying to not show any obvious signs of distress to jisung, but for some reason tears built up in his eyes. he winced.
" momma? "
the door of the house opened, and mark only saw the feet of the owner. he had on white socks stained with a little pink.
mark let out a scream.
suddenly, he saw his mother seated beside his bed. she seemed to be reading him a bedtime story, and when she closed the book shut, she came close to mark's ear and placed a kiss.
" remember, son, don't try to find, where danger and fear would meet. don't find the man, who stands six-foot-three. don't walk in darkness— "
" to the end of the valley, " the two finished in unison, and mark out a giggle as he poked his mother's nose.
mark pressed his eyelids shut and slammed his head against his palm.
" always remember, mark. don't ever forget it. "
and then, everything went back to normal. mark stared at jisung, who still had on the same, insanely-creepy smile on his face, until he turned into a genuine smile he had always seen him wear.
" goodnight, hyung. "
🕸
any theories on mark and his parents/mother (and maybe + the film)? ill dedicate a chapter to you if you get it right ;)
