The Scent of Your Blood

Chapter 3

(1:03 PM)

"Wait, you were what?" Mingi had asked, almost choking on his coffee.

"Something grabbed me and yanked me by the ankle really early this morning but I didn't see anything or anyone," Hongjoong said. It was quiet for a few seconds, his friends just staring at him...

"Demons."

"Wooyoung, it's not demons. Don't be stupid," Jongho said with a roll of his eyes.

"Maybe you were dreaming, hyung," Yeosang said.

"Maybe... but guess what time it was when it happened," Hongjoong said.

"3 am?" The 6 of them chimed in unison and the oldest nodded his head once, his eyes wide.

"3 am... wait isn't that the witching hour or something like that?" Hongjoong asked, an eyebrow raised.

"Yeah, that's when most ghosts or spirits or whatever are active," San said and they all started talking about the paranormal while Yeosang took out his phone, typing something into the search bar.

"In folklore, the "witching hour" or "devil's hour" is a time of night associated with supernatural events. Witches, demons and ghosts are thought to appear and to be at their most powerful. Black magic is thought to be most effective at this time. In the tradition, the hour between 3 and 4 a.m. was considered a period of peak supernatural activity, due to the absence of prayers in the canonical hours during this period," Yeosang read out loud from his phone and everyone focused their attention on him.

"What the hell does "canonical hours" mean?" Wooyoung asked with a brow raised. Yeosang tapped on his phone and they waited for a response.

"In the practice of Christianity, canonical hours mark the divisions of the day in terms of times of fixed prayer at regular intervals." They all hum in understanding. "I still don't get it," Wooyoung said and San face palmed which made the others laugh.

That day they all had decided to meet up and go out to a cafe for lunch, which was where they were right now, sitting around a circular table outside. It is a nice sunny day, not too hot or cold, just the right temperature to be able to wear jeans or a short-sleeved shirt. Hongjoong had told the others that he had moved out of his parents' house and into the apartment Yunho had helped him find. They were happy for Hongjoong and they were even happier that he was out of his toxic parents' house.

"What should we do after this?" Mingi asked and Yunho shrugged.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, arcade!" Jongho bounced in his seat.

"Wasn't the arcade shut down?" San asked.

"No, they reopened it a few days ago," Mingi said.

"Well then, we're going to the arcade. Any protests?" Hongjoong asked, looking around at his friends. A bunch of "nope's" and "no's" went around the table.

———

They walked into the arcade, Jongho and Yeosang wandering off to the car games. Mingi, Yunho and Hongjoong had gone over to the basketball game. San and Wooyoung made their way to the claw machines.

"Aside from "demons" as Wooyoung put it," Yunho said as he threw a basketball into the net and the other two chuckled. "How are you settling in?"

Hongjoong shrugged. "I'm really liking the apartment but I just hope whatever grabbed me doesn't happen again."

Mingi frowns. "Yeah, that's some scary horror shit right there."

Yunho snickered and nodded once in agreement, not taking his eyes off the game. "Well, if it happens again, you should call a priest or something."