Chapter Text
As the doors automatically closed behind me my emotions couldn’t help but run rampant. My expectations for the roulette wheel event were pretty low but first? I never even imagined winning the first place prize to be possible…. If I wasn’t in public I would be walking around with the widest grin on my face.
The box held in my two hands had a nice weight to it containing the full collection of items available at the pop-up. To be honest…those limited items that were already sold out that I said I didn’t care about? That was a lie to force myself not to be disappointed and ruin my entire week over it. I really really wanted them so this is as happy an ending as it can get!
As I walk away from the store I hear the sound of frantic footsteps behind me.
“Ack!” Sprinting at full speed someone collided into my shoulder. I almost toppled over at the force that they were running.
Slightly annoyed I stared down at the brunette that ran off and didn’t even apologize before my attention was monopolized by something more alarming. On top of the black merch box was an old cassette tape. Unlike the tape with all its scratches and tears the noise produced by the object created a clear humming sound.
Hmmm, hmm-hmm hmm~
It was a hauntingly beautiful melody that somehow made me feel nostalgic for…something. The descriptions of the wiki clearly didn’t do it enough justice.
My heart immediately started pounding recognizing what kind of item it was. It was a prop for the ghost story or disaster: [And Then There Was One] A memorable and thrilling story involving the trope of a serial killer in an inescapable location. Though I don’t remember it being a part of the merchandise list.
“Hey! You dropped this!” I yelled out to the man waving the lost item up in the air but he had already long fled the scene. That person must be in a huge rush. From one overworked business person to another I send my condolences...
Actually, was that person also at the pop-up shop? I feel like I would’ve remembered another person around my height and in a suit in line. I mentally cringe remembering everyone's comments on how much I stood out. As best as I could while carrying a heavy box of merchandise I tried to run after the man but it seems I just missed him having escaped on the bus.
I frowned as I stared at the tape in my hands. While it’s a faithful replica it feels a bit too ominous to hold like I was handling a live bomb. If I held onto this during the night I felt like it would malfunction and accidentally start playing its creepy humming in the middle of the night giving me nightmares for weeks similar to those tiny furry dolls with big eyes. But for that exact same reason I had no clue if it was okay for me to dispose of it. So I held onto it. A mistake that would haunt me for days.
I got into the back of a taxi I phoned earlier. I didn't expect to be walking away with such a treasure trove on top of the items I already purchased before spinning the roulette. Despite the strange run in I experienced I was still riding the high of winning first place. That alone must've used all my luck for the year. It's all gonna be downhill from here especially since I had to crack into my savings for the event, haha….
Ok so. I’ll drop these off at home before going to meet my client for work. Afterwards, I’ll have to drop by the office to check in with my superiors. Maybe before that I could pick up some coffee since I have another meeting to attend afterwards. I had trouble sleeping the night before since I stayed up reading the wiki and also just in general. The cafe I frequent that’s also closest to the office is doing a buy one get one 50% off promotion right now. I could afford at least that much and buy drinks for those in my section and…
Hmmm, hmm-hmm hmm~
That strange humming again! In this enclosed space with just the driver and me the noise produced felt even louder and more menacing than before.
"I'm so sorry! I'll try to turn it off. It just started playing on its own." I apologized to the driver for the disturbance. But as I looked up I noticed that our surroundings have significantly changed. Fog ominously enveloped the car and our surroundings looked nothing like the city. There was absolutely no route in the instructions I gave the driver that would lead to us being in the middle of this dense forest. Even the car itself had suddenly changed, its interior now vintage and beaten.
Something had gone terribly wrong and that something created the perfect atmosphere for me to be murdered and never found again. The taxi driver rhythmically taps their fingers against the steering wheel, uncaring about the distress of their passenger.
"I'd like to get off now please." I urgently demanded, trying to keep my voice from wavering. The driver glanced at me with hazy eyes before focusing back on the road. A rough rocky path that shook the car so violently I would be tossed around were it not for my seatbelt.
"Our next stop is the Horizon Mountain Lodge." The driver announced in a cold voice ignoring my words. He adjusts his rearview mirror before breaking out into a hum. The same hum produced by the cassette tape. Oh my God.
Quickly I inspected the cassette tape looking over every scuff and rubbing away at the grime trying to find the copyright tag that was engraved in every item of the pop-up shop. A symbol of an item being an officially licensed piece of merchandise from the Darkness Exploration Records. There was none. I pinched my thigh. It stung.
I'm so fucked. I'm so unbelievably fucked. I sat still clenching my box of merch for some sort of comfort as the humming synchronized into a melody announcing my upcoming death sentence. Eventually the car slowed to a stop. As soon as the taxi driver announced our arrival I jumped out of my seat eager to be anywhere else. But my options were proving to be limited.
I watched as the car drove away being swallowed by the fog. I knew it wouldn’t do anything but I left that damned cassette tape in the back of the car with a warning note.
I walk up the porch and stand just outside the entrance. It’s faint but I can hear conversation coming from within the lodge. All of the key people are probably already in there.
I hesitate in front of the door to the cabin. While there was no reason to hesitate given that there’s no way out of the situation it was still difficult for me to take the first step given what I just experienced. I know it’s not a dream but some part of me was still desperately hoping for it to be. And that dream started with winning the first place prize. Yeah…it was such a slim chance so…No, wait even then this is all that one guy’s fault!
That motherfucker! Now that I think about it he must’ve tossed it my way knowing it was bad news. I banged my fist a couple times against the door in frustration and then again in defeat. But just then-
I heard the sound of a bicycle from behind me. I turned around and met the eyes of its rider. Scary….
They were a tall hooded figure with almost every inch of his face obscured in black minus his striking blue eyes. The epitome of top ten people I wouldn’t want to be locked in a room with. That outfit combined with that build is practically screaming serial killer. Which given the current circumstances is very bad for me.
“Hello…” I cautiously greeted the man. I glanced at the bike he propped against the building. There was a mark on the bike that read: Seoul Metropolitan Government #2153.
This specific ghost story I’m currently involved in, it’s supervised by the Disaster Management Bureau to prevent as many civilian casualties as possible. And this person is a Government official, which must mean…
“Are you lost as well?” I asked.
“Yes, I’m not sure how I got here. I was definitely in Seoul earlier.”
“Me too. I was going to ask the owner of the lodge if I could borrow their phone since there’s no reception out here but…I have a bad feeling about this place. I think we’ll have better luck navigating out of the forest blind.”
“No, we should head inside. The weather's going to get worse soon.”
I looked up. Despite the fog it was clearly still light out. I’d say there wasn’t even a cloud in sight.
“How do you know that?”
“Ah. Well…” He trailed off suddenly interested in staring at his shoes.
The door abruptly opened before the conversation got anywhere. A young man peeks through the crack surprised at the appearance of two more people.
“Um, heyyy. I uh, I heard someone knocking… are you the owner of the lodge?” He asked. They must’ve been referring to when I hit the door.
“Dumbass. Why would the owner knock if it’s their own place?”
Still holding the door the youth turned around to address what was likely their friend. “I dunno! We already asked everyone else in the lodge we might as well be thorough.”
“No, we’re both just people who ended up here by accident." The civil servant answered for me.
He nods in sympathy. “Come inside. There’s already a bunch of other people under the same circumstances as you.” He steps aside to let us in.
The hooded man held open the sturdy door for me due to both of my hands being occupied in carrying the merch box. But now I really have no choice but to enter… I give him a small nod of appreciation.
There was a large gathering in the living room of the lodge. A total of nine different people have gathered including the person who bumped into me. He seemed to recognize me if only for the box I was carrying around with me.
Besides the civil servant who entered with me this man also screamed ‘suspicious’ with the black eyepatch strung across his right eye contrasting his soft facial features.
One by one the people began sharing their stories about how they ended up here. Each one shared a common theme about doing some mundane activity and ending up at the lodge by mistake.
“I’m just an office worker.I got on the bus for field work but they must’ve took a wrong turn or something. “ Eyepatch guy claimed with a forlorn look.
“What about you? What’s with the box by the way.” Patchy asked, turning everyone's attention my way.
“I’m also an office worker. I was picking up a gift for my…” Friend? Sibling? Younger sibling? Younger brother? “...younger brother.” I shook the box around, producing a rattling noise. “It’s just merchandise for this series he likes. I got into a taxi to drop it off but I ended up here instead.” Mostly the truth. I was about to lie and say they were groceries having remembered my currently empty fridge but groceries don’t sound like that.
And more importantly if they ever forcibly open the box they’ll know I have nothing to do with its contents.
"So um..are you with him?"
"No. We just happened to cross paths at the door.”
Even then the demographic for the wiki's contents is all for young teens and I'm just your average salaryman. They probably won't think too hard about it. No wait...
This might be one of those isekai tropes? Maybe I died without realizing and I somehow ended up here in this crazy situation. No, but if I died I wouldn’t have the merch on me to begin with. I guess I crossed into an alternate world without realizing? The base line is that this isn’t the world I know anymore. That agent…since he was sent here alone, he must be quite the experienced person. If that's the case that guy would definitely recognize some of the items in here. And in that scenario it would definitely be more incriminating for an adult to have them than some teenager.
Um…
“I'm a public servant from Seoul City Hall."
“Oh? That’s reassuring. I think.”
“Mm. I was on patrol on my bike when I got lost and came here to ask for help.”
There's also a chance that the guy with the eyepatch gets involved with ghost stories often seeing how he knew something was wrong with the cassette tape. Given the circumstances he might be with Daydream? And there's plenty of items affiliated with Daydream Inc inside this box. I’m unsure if he’ll recognize exactly what kind of items they are since I don’t know when he joined but the chance of him figuring out that they are items is…well that's only if he is with Daydream to begin with.
Ahhh...
I'll put a pin in this for later for...after I escape the lodge.
After hearing everyone's sides it became blatantly obvious that something dangerous was afoot. But everyone tried to ignore it by making jokes about the situation or making comments on the lavish decor. The university student that greeted me at the door even pocketed one of the expensive trinkets laid out on the table raising a death flag for himself.
Just as the atmosphere became somewhat normal everyone heard a noise coming from the kitchen. Coming in from the back door was another mysterious hooded figure but this time in a much rougher shape than the agent.
This person, despite their rather unrefined appearance, spoke with a deep and polite voice giving us their greetings. They introduced themselves as the mountain lodge's caretaker and began to divulge the rules and story of this, well, ghost story.
There was something every single person here in the lodge had in common. They all had an old cassette tape in their possession. In a trance everyone began rummaging in their pockets and bags and pulled out their own individual tapes confirming the lodge keepers claim.
Of course, the same can’t be said for me: a good innocent civilian. I got to watch as Eyepatch retrieved the cassette tape from his pocket in the similar daze as everyone else. He turned the cassette around in his hands with a grimace while quietly mouthing curses. It even had the warning note I hastily attached to it confirming it was the same one he tried to pawn off on me.
Yeah that's right buddy. You’re not getting out of this that easily.
Exclamations of surprise rang out across the room at the sight of multiple tapes. These were given out by a very wealthy individual, the very owner of the Horizon Mountain Lodge. Possessing even one tape gave that person the right to partake in an exchange for anything in the lodge, including ownership of the lodge itself!
At the idea of sudden financial gain everyone seemed to have gotten brave enough to ignore being scared of the supernatural aspects leading up to this point. The only catch is that it’s only possible to partake in the exchange after three days have passed.
I raised my hand. “Um, excuse me. Is it okay for me to leave? I don’t have a tape and I have somewhere I need to be.”
“Oh! Me too, I have something to do.” Eyepatch suddenly piped in about to ask a similar question.
At my interjection I felt the gaze of the civil servant on me.
“Even without one you can still obtain one from the other guests here to take part in the exchange. Only if you wish to, of course.” The caretaker explained.
I heard someone in the back scoff. There’s practically nothing to gain from giving up their tapes. The husband of the couple even said as much. “Why would anyone give up their tapes?”
That introduced the next rule of the ghost story. Priority of the exchange was given to the person with the most tapes. Everyone clutched their cassette tape tighter, clearly reluctant in even the idea of giving up potential wealth. It made everyone’s intentions clear. Money makes the world go round and all that.
“Regardless.” The lodgekeeper continued. “I will not stop you if you choose to leave. However, it might be better to wait for the weather to clear first.” Seconds later a loud crash was heard outside. Everyone was startled at the sudden loud sound. “What’s going on?” They questioned the caretaker.
“Due to the sudden downpour a landslide has appeared blocking the roads. Thankfully, the electricity is still functioning guaranteeing a peaceful stay.”
The people broke into uneasy conversation at the unexplainable sudden shift in weather and my anxiety worsened as I felt the persistent gaze of the agent still on me.
Is this some sort of karmic retribution for winning first place? I would’ve been fine with like… a coaster or a pen! I’m going to collapse from fear at this point…
Having gotten my fill of searching around the lodge I returned to my assigned room for some much needed alone time. Immediately I kicked the merch box and my shopping bags under the bed. I dust my hands proudly. Out of sight out of mind!
…
No. What’s wrong with me? I shouldn’t treat the goods so harshly… I retrieve the box from underneath my bed and gingerly place it in the corner of the room instead. Then I began rummaging through the bag of other items I purchased.
One of them was this small black popsocket (officially known as the Memorial Popsocket). I bought it due to its simplistic design. Unless you were a die hard fan most people would have no clue it was related to the DER universe and would think nothing of the phone accessory. I could use it during my everyday life and not be embarrassed about it! Imagine if instead of its simple X design it had the cringey Dark Exploration Records title plastered on it. If it did it would be relegated to an item to display in my room.
Anyways, the effect of the item was to display memories as text. Quickly, I removed the packaging and its adhesive backing to attach it to my phone. The moment I did the familiar text from the Dark Exploration Records appeared on my screen for me to scroll through.
I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry…it actually worked! My investment into goods might save my life. The rest of the items must be the real deal too then… For now, I just need this though. To help reaffirm what I want to try and accomplish within my three day stay.
I had thrown plenty of bait so he should be here soon… in the meantime, I began reading up on the disaster to try and increase my odds of survival.
…
As planned soon a knock was heard at my door. I opened it to see the civil servant from earlier.
“Hello there.”
“Yes. Hello.”
I welcomed him inside my room and he got straight to business.
“Excuse me, but is it true? That you don’t have a tape.”
I nodded recounting the events that happened earlier. “Yes, that’s correct. I came across the tape after the person with the eyepatch dropped it in front of me. So if you want the tape you’ll have to talk to him instead.”
“I see.”
He pauses for a second before asking me: “Don’t you think this situation is strange?”
Obviously. You’d be stupid not to think as much. “Yes…it’s a very unnerving situation. Almost supernatural with all the coincidences that have been occurring. Do you think…it could be the work of a ghost? Like the spirit of the wealthy guy luring people to this lodge to fulfill his promise? Or something?”
….
“No, please disregard what I said. That’s stupid.” I sheepishly laugh.
“No, no. You’re actually correct.” he reassures me.
He glances around the room like he was about to share a big secret with me. I unconsciously lean in closer.
“Would you believe me if I said I'm actually a government agent?”
“Oh! Like Agent 007?”
“...Yes.”
I smile. “Really? Wow!”
He tried to give me a reassuring smile back but clearly he wanted to say something like, ‘now is not the time!’. “I’ve dealt with many situations like this before. As you suspect, we're currently involved in a supernatural disaster. I’ll do everything in my power to ensure your safety during the three days here.”
“Safety? Does that mean something else is going to happen?”
“That’s right. Do not be alarmed but…” His voice lowers into a whisper highlighting the severity of his next words.
“There is a killer among us.”
“As in…someone’s going to kill for the tapes?”
“That’s correct.”
Wow. I didn’t expect him to outright say it. How do you think an average person’s going to sleep tomorrow if you tell them that? Especially with everything happening! Although tomorrow someone's going to die regardless so it might help prepare for the shock, but still!
I also start whispering to match the energy of the situation. “Do you know who it is?”
“Unfortunately no. For that reason I recommend you stay close to me if possible or at least try to move around in a group of three.”
“Shouldn’t we tell everyone else though?”
“No. Just worry about yourself first.”
“Is that so..” I took a moment to act like I was pondering on his words.
“Would you say you’re an expert in these scenarios?” I carefully ask.
“Yes.” He immediately answers beaming. He seems to take pride in that fact. Upon further analysis, this man is the definition of a typical agent. I can work with this.
“In that case…can I ask for your assistance?”
“Did you see that poem hung in the living room? The lines hinted at the existence of a basement so I tried searching for it thinking it might be a clue of sorts but…” I explained in a hushed voice as I led the Agent towards said basement. We were the only other people tip toeing around the lodge right now with everyone presumably having left for their respective rooms which added to the tense atmosphere.
“Be careful, it’s not a pretty sight.” I warned him. Slowly the agent opened the door and inside was a horrifying collection of dissected body parts and gore. All perfectly preserved too. Disgusting.
I actually haven’t been here until now. There’s no way I could build up the confidence to willingly walk into this basement on my own since I’m such a coward. The most blood I've ever seen was when I accidentally gave myself a paper cut while handling documents! Well, there was also a lot of blood in this one video I watched but my hands prevented me from seeing 80% of the screen so that doesn't really count.
In comparison, how could I possibly take in this sight without wanting to die on the spot? Even the slight scent of blood from the entrance of the basement was enough to make me nauseous. I’m barely holding myself back from gagging right now.
My voice lowered into a whisper at the unspeakable sight.
“I think this is the previous work of the killer…” I kept my eyes glued to the floor. I could only guess how the agent was taking everything. I continue theorizing out loud since he hasn’t interjected yet.
“There’s not a single body intact here. That must be how the killer is conducting their murders. Cutting up the victims into unrecognizable pieces…”
I walk past the agent towards all the red and pick up one of the axes mounted on the wall. The agents tired eyes follow my every move, contemplating my words.
“I think we can reuse the parts here and fake the crime scenes. That way we can fluster the real killer. And more importantly…”
I place a hand on my chest and turn to look him straight in the eyes.
“No one needs to die.” I earnestly concluded fully aware I was speaking to said killer. No matter what, someone will take on the role of a murderer, and, since they’re in charge of the disaster, that role falls onto the agents of the Disaster Management Bureau. But their number one duty has always been to save as many people as possible. Despite the words of their manuals if there is even a possibillity of saving more lives that new method will take priority.
I continue pushing for my solution gambling on this fact. “I know you said I need to only worry about my own well being but I can’t sit around now that I know there’s a killer on the loose. However, I can’t do this alone.”
I hold my breath and stand my ground holding eye contact with the agent.
Please. Please let me pass this charisma check!
“AAAAAAAAAAAAHH!!!”
The morning started with screams and swears erupting from the kitchen. Naturally curious, people swarmed into the kitchen to see what the commotion was all about. And the sight was so terrifying no one could believe their eyes.
A brutal, almost ritualistic-like scene was found in the kitchen. Ash and a strong rancid stench of burnt flesh covered about every inch of the once quaint and innocent kitchen. But beyond that, in the middle of the room within the kitchen hearth were the remains of a person. Even then it was difficult to even tell that those charred remains came from a person at the angles they were bent when they were likely forcibly shoved into the hearth.
“Oh my God.” My eyes widened at the grotesque sight and I clasped my hands over my mouth aghast.
The room was silent in disbelief before I dropped the bombshell. “I think that’s the body of the civil servant…” I whispered horrified.
The body of someone we once knew, even if it was only a brief acquaintance. They died so suddenly!
My eyes flickered around the room surveying the group's reaction. Seeing the panic overtaking everyone they probably all had the same thought.
‘There’s no way a sight that grotesque was an accident. That person was probably murdered.’
And…
‘If someone that strong looking fell victim to a killer then what about me?’
“I think I’m gonna be sick…” I cried before running off to the bathroom. I crouched by the toilet and vomited out my insides.
This was a genuine reaction by the way. At least in the dark it was difficult to make out the details of the mangled body. But in broad daylight…
“Euurghhh….”
I looked into the bathroom mirror and I somehow looked even paler than before I saw the body. I washed my face with cold water as I listened to everyone’s fear from outside.
“What the fuck. What the fuck. This can’t be real. This can’t be happening…”
“We need to leave! Who gives a shit about the weather! Someone just died!”
“Is anyone’s phone working??”
“Where’s the caretaker?”
And accompanying their fright the entire time was the hauntingly gentle humming from before.
It’s unavoidable, building up fear and trauma was necessary for the disaster to properly conclude.
…
I know it’s all staged but even I was starting to get a little freaked out.
The agent helped carry the parts we needed to the location but the horrific arrangement of the bodies was mostly my doing. He told me multiple times I didn’t need to do anything but I insisted anyway to ensure a smooth operation but… The fact that I even touched a dead body with a straight face was terrifying for me. They say humans are creatures capable of adapting to extreme conditions but I’m only now realizing how true that statement is. Just yesterday I was living a totally normal life. And now I’ve become the accomplice of a serial killer helping him recreate a series of murders.
That’s right. Murders with an S. Multiple of them. There’s more corpses for everyone to discover over the course of today.
I splash cold water against my face one more time before moving into position to help the agent transfer today’s victims into the basement.
Ahh... I want to go home…