RED

Chapter 3

Sua woke up to an unfamiliar room, the bed a bit smaller than her frame and it's sheets a bright blue. The door opened revealing Siyeon carrying a glass of water. Their eyes met for a moment before Sua looked away, guilt eating up her insides.

The last thing she remembered from the night before was seeing Gahyeon and the girl in the mask and then she drank herself to death.

"I'm sorry, Sua," Siyeon said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"For what? i should be the one to apologize. I was out partying and you're here and all alone... I-i should have been here with you,"

Siyeon shook her head. "I'm sorry because i was so caught up in my grief that i didn't even think of how you're feeling.. " Siyeon reached out and held Sua's both hands in her own. "I forgot that Gahyeon was also a sister to you and i realize now that you're being strong for me. I'm sorry,"

The words brought tears to her eyes and for the first time in days, Sua cried her heart out.

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Yoohyeon glanced at the snow globe on her bedside table, the crystals inside it emitting a pale pinkish glow. She grabbed it and held it close to her chest. The snow globe started getting warmer and warmer as her vision started to get blurry. Suddenly, Yoohyeon fell back on her bed with such a force that her breath was knocked out of her.
It felt like a heavy weight was on top of her, crushing her chest and limiting her movements. Yoohyeon had learned not to fight it but the sensation still scares her a little.

Jiu!

She was standing on top of a building, the cold wind blowing her hair back. Jiu was running around on the ground below her as if looking for something.

Jiu! I'm here!

The other girl stopped in her tracks and slowly looked up to her. Yoohyeon could see her face change from confusion to shock and finally, fear. She didn't understand it. Was Dami in the dream with them? Yoohyeon looked behind her there was only the moon and the city bustling behind her.

What's wrong,Jiu?!

Jiu was still looking at her with that expression and Yoohyeon looked down at herself. She finally saw why Jiu was alarmed - the dress she was pure white and there were bright splashes of blood on it and on her arms and hands.

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Jiu snapped awake, the image of Yoohyeon in the bloody dress burned inside her mind.

No, no, no , no, no.

She wrapped her knees up in her arms and slowly rocked back and forth, replaying the dream in her head. The place where they met, that looked familiar. They've been there before. Jiu wracked her brains out, trying to figure everything out.

And then it clicked.

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Two Years Ago.

Yoohyeon was sleeping in the passenger seat, her forehead scrunched in worry. In her hands were pages of the black book that they managed to remove before running away. Dami was getting out of hand, the power slowly corrupting her mind and they both knew they needed to take away some of it from her.

Jiu pulled into a gasoline station and gently shook Yoohyeon awake. She filled up the gas and went into the small convenience store to buy some supplies. When she stepped back out, Yoohyeon was rummaging in the trunk of the car.

"What are you looking for?" Jiu asked.

"Hold this," Yoohyeon said, thrusting a snow globe and the pages into Jiu's hand. "What's this for?" she asked.

Yoohyeon ignored her and took one last glance at the trunk. "There isn't anything anymore," she muttered, annoyed.

"Yoohyeon, what's this for?" Jiu repeated.

Yoohyeon grabbed the snow globe from her hands and picked up the pages of the black book. She wrapped several of the pages around the globe and then brought it to her lips.

Jiu felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise as Yoohyeon whispered an incantation. The light around them dimmed, the air taking on an icy chill.

It was over as soon as it started.

The snow globe emitted a pale, pink glow for a second and then, tiny shards of crystal grew inside.

Jiu finally understood. Yoohyeon hid several of the pages inside the snow globe and although it still emits some sort of energy, it's small enough that someone unsuspecting might pass over it.

"We should separate here and not see each other again."

"W-what?! Why?" Jiu exclaimed. Never did that thought cross her mind.

"Dami would have a harder time finding us if we're apart,"

"But Yoohyeon-"

Yoohyeon raised a hand up and levelled her with a stare. "We have to Jiu. Come find me in dreams when you need me,"

With a nod, Yoohyeon started to walk away from her. Jiu remained rooted to the spot as she watched Yoohyeon disappear into the city. After a while, Jiu went back inside the car and drove away - Yoohyeon was right, she should find a way to hide the remaining pages.

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They were back in the orphanage, playing in the huge garden behind the mansion. Siyeon and Gahyeon were with the other girls and the headmistress was there too, watching them, sitting under the umbrella a few feet away.

Sua took a step forward. "Guys!" she called out.

Their heads whipped around in unison to look at her, their eyes cold and unwelcoming making Sua take a step back. The headmistress stood up and started walking towards her, her face and entire body rippling, changing - grey hair turning into a bright orange, her back straightening her kind face morphing into something dark.

Then the screaming started. But Sua couldn't look away from the lady walking towards her. She came closer and closer, the sound of her footstep echoing loudly inside Sua's head. She reached out her hands, her long pale arms marred with some sort of markings, her icy fingertips touched Sua's neck-

Sua woke up and took several deep breaths, immediately opening the lamp on her bedside table.

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"Did you find them?"

Dami shook her head. "I need more, Handong."