All That Glitters (WayV) - Volume II

Terror Along the Walls

"Go!" 

Tungmei screamed at Meixing, wanting her to run away and leave her. "Meixing, go! You're gonna get hurt!" 

The gunshots became more prominent, the sound becoming normal over time. The clouds blocked the sun and the birds were long gone. "And what about you?" Meixing shouted back. She ran closer and grabbed Tungmei by the wrist. "Come on, don't wait for anyone!" 

Meixing tugged on her wrist, but Tungmei continued to look at Meixing, not budging. "I'm sorry, Mei. There's just something I need to do real quick. I'll be back."

"Promise?" Meixing's voice was shaky, her lip quivering. Don't cry, don't cry, she repeated to herself. 

"I promise," Tungmei smiled. "Now go." She solemnly watched Meixing slowly turn around, then take off running away. Tungmei closed her eyes and turned around, facing the alleyway. 

"Come out!" she hollered. Her voice echoing off the walls was her only reply. "I know you're here," she said. She slowly walked down the lonely alley, ignoring the piercing sound of gunshots and screams behind her. 

She remembered she had told Qiang about the shadow in the alleyway, the way the shadow had terrorized her. Then she recalled the words he'd said after that. 

"I was never in an alley. That wasn't me, Tung."

The shadow didn't belong to Qiang, and Tungmei had never felt such fear before. She knew she had to find out who the shadow belonged to. Curiosity killed the cat, didn't it?

"Come out, right now!" Tungmei stood her ground, trying to appear firm and brave. She snapped her fingers and soon enough, a ball of fire surrounded by water was hovering in her palm. It served as her light as she walked farther and farther down the alleyway. 

She heard more screams in the distance as she walked down the alley, but they were becoming distant. Soon, the only sound was the water hovering abover her palm and her own uneven breathing. 

Then came the footsteps. Tungmei heard footsteps behind her. She wheeled around, ready to attack, but she saw nothing. Then she heard them again, but from the other side. Tungmei kept spinning in circles, trying to find the source of the steps, but she was only greeted with darkness. She felt like she was going insane as she became alert, her heartbeat pounding louder. 

"Who are you?" she nearly shrieked. She was terrified; it was in her voice. She heard the footsteps again, but they were louder this time. Closer. Then she heard it. 

An eerily deep voice growled, "I'm your worst nightmare." 

That was the last thing Tungmei heard before she blacked out.