Alleyways | Stray Kids

- 11 -

The brunette's eyes shot open suddenly and a large gasp of breath left his mouth. All around him, a colorful galaxy swirled. Stars, nebulas and black holes took shape around him. Weird creatures of various sizes and shaped moved around the space environment. The boy found himself smiling at the scene in front of him.

Suddenly, he felt pairs of invisible hands grab him all over and viciously pull him into a black hole.

Again, he awoke out of breath and gasping. A softness gripped the back of his head.

A pillow?

The brunette sat up and looked around. This was his room and this was his bed. So he was dreaming that beautiful yet scary cosmos?

He sighed and stepped out of bed. A yawn left him and he contemplated going back to his bed then he heard a deep, masculine voice yell his name from downstairs.

"Minho! Breakfast is ready!"

Minho's eyes widened at the voice. Quickly, the boy rushed downstairs to the kitchen. He pounced onto the owner of the voice, wrapping them in a big hug.

"Woah Woah, what's wrong?" They asked, "Did something happen, Min? You're not usually so touchy."

Minho squeezed the man even tighter, "I'm fine, dad...I just missed you."

"Missed me? You saw me yesterday before passing out from school."

Minho broke away from the hug and stared at his dad.

"Where's mom?" Minho asked, ignoring the fact that something was off.

"Asleep," was all his father said, "I tried to wake her up for breakfast but she threw a pillow at me."

Minho smiled, "Sounds like mom."

The young brunette sat at the table across from his dad and began to eat. Occasionally, he looked up at his dad. Something wasn't right...but what?

His father cleared his throat before speaking, "So how are you and your boyfriend?"

"My... boyfriend?" Minho questioned.

"Yeah...or are you two broken up?" The older man questioned.

"I don't know who you're talking about," Minho blinked rapidly, "Am I forgetting someone?"

"Jisung," his dad spoke.

Minho frowned and stood up from the table, "How do you know Jisung?"

"What do you mean, Min?" His dad was puzzled, "Am I not supposed to know who he is?"

Then, it finally clicked. Why everything felt wrong.

"You're dead," Minho spoke, "You died when I was in ninth grade and I didn't know Jisung then."

"Min, what are you talking about?"

"Don't call me that! You...you imposter!" Minho screamed, "My father is dead! He was robbed and murdered!"

The man in front of him started to crack along with the walls around him, the scene shifted to infinite darkness. In the wake of the man who was his father was a horrible monster, a pitch-black monster who could only be noticed by the millions of red eyes that dotted its deformed body.

A scream erupted from Minho's lips. The boy turned and ran but he had no idea which way he was going.

Or was he even moving at all?

His legs felt heavy and the creature seemed to get closer and closer until it wrapped itself around Minho's body and swallowed him into the darkness.