Icy-Shock (Completed)

14. A peek into the attic

Heartina...

It was 9 days since Kim Ji Won was murdered and I did not tell about this to my parents, though I caught them speaking about me. Both were wondering why I had worked only for a day and then stayed with them for the rest of the time. They were alright to get transported to Seoul hospitals, though both had bandages and plasters all over their body. I contacted the lottery ticket people if they could send us return tickets and they agreed to send us the tickets. Anyway, I had the money that I got for modeling. Thank God, Kim Ji Won had paid me a big advance and it was enough to go back to Korea.

It was 10.00 am in the morning. I was at the hospital. I finally paid the entire hospital bill with the money that I received after doing modeling. The doctor told that I could take my parents back to Seoul tomorrow and instructed me to keep them under a doctor's supervision for a month and I was really happy to see my house and my vegland again. So, I went to the café to tell them that I was about to start my return journey. I had visited the café 5 days back and all of them were not weepy but had deep worried faces. I tried to console them, but it was of no use. They kept telling me about their happy moments with Kim Ji Won and Young had to give Eun Sang and Hae Ra some sedatives to put them to sleep as both had been staring vacantly at wall. I was happy to go back yet I felt sad to leave them in this condition. Though I had known them for a really short time, I felt attached to them. I felt awkward to tell them about my departure, but I must tell them and so I went to the café.

I reached there by 10.45 am and found no one there. So, I waited in the garden. I watered the plants there and was so engrossed in that work and I had not realized a black hooded figure watching me. Then without warning a voice came from behind, "What are you doing here?" and I nearly jumped because I thought no one was there. It was Cha Eun Sang. He had hardly spoken 2 lines front of me and so I was not very much familiar with his voice and it made me jump.

I said, "I am going back to Seoul and that is why I am here to tell you good bye. But where were you? I thought that the house was empty."

He smiled and said, "You know that I am a scientist and I have a small lab for myself in the attic. I usually spend more time there. Anyway, it was nice to meet you. Take care. Good bye." That was the first and the longest statement I had heard him speak to me Then I asked him, "Can I wait here to tell about my departure to Yoon Min Joon, Go Nam Soon and Choi Young?"

Cha Eun Sang thought for a while and said, "Of course! But, I will be in my lab. I hope you will not need my company" I nodded as if telling that I didn't need his company. Then he headed upstairs to his lab.

As I was waiting, I fell asleep on the table. Then, I woke up to find Yoon Min Joon, Go Nam Soon and Choi Young sitting around me and staring at me. I felt embarrassed for sleeping and asked them if I had made them wait for a long time. They simply smiled at me and Yoon Min Joon told, "Call Cha Eun Sang down for lunch. Will you?" I nodded and then headed upstairs. There were 5 rooms up there. All the rooms had the name tag to indicate the user of the room. I had not been to the lab before. 5 fingers always told me that the lab was in the attic. But, there was no attic in this café. So, I entered into the room that had the tag as "Cha Eun Sang". The room was really large and it had a ladder in the corner. So this was the way into the attic. I climbed up and saw a chemical lab for the first time in a house. The lab was simply extraordinary and I remembered seeing such labs only in movies. But where was Cha Eun Sang?

There was a sound of a rolling bottle and the lab gave a strange smell like that of an acid. Then, as I walked looking at the chemicals in the shelf, something grabbed my leg. It was a hand and there was Cha Eun Sang lying below my foot. I cried at the top of my voice as it was a horrible sight. Then immediately, Yoon Min Joon, Go Nam Soon and Choi Young hurried into the lab. They also gave a shriek seeing him. Cha Eun Sang was about to die and was struggling and wriggling with pain like fish out of water.

Someone had splashed acid on his face and his face was totally different with white foams oozing out with a lot of blisters. I searched in the room for the killer, but no luck. Also, he had been stabbed in the abdomen. Cha Eun Sang had tried to remove the knife from his stomach but had failed. Holding my leg in his hands, he said, "You...Killer!!!" and then became still.

All the three men stared at me in horror. I was shocked as I had slept well all this time on a café table. Why did he call me a killer? Did I kill him in my sleep? Have I started to do unwanted reckless things in my sleep? I knew that I talked in my sleep but I don't walk. How is this possible? The kindness and friendship vanished from the other 3 members. All I saw in their eyes was hatred.