Chapter 8. The Cursed
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"Alright then, let's go!" Ran said.
Nore stood at the front of the door and pulled out a key.
He inserted it into the large bronze padlock that secured the door with a rusty chain. The two men beside him kicked the door open, and as it swung wide, Nore and the others quickly pulled their shirts up to cover their noses.
A cloud of dust erupted into the air, swirling around them, propelled by the gust of wind created by the door's sudden movement.
"It's been so long since we last used this road…" one of the men remarked, his voice muffled as he held his arm to his face, swiping his hand repeatedly to disperse the dust that clung to the air.
After a few moments, the dust began to settle. Ran led the way, stepping inside first and venturing into the dark, pitch-black building.
With a sense of familiarity, she moved along the wall until she found the light switch. With a quick motion, she flipped it down, and the building was illuminated by a dim glow from the flickering white lamp that hung above their heads.
Inside, El surveyed the scene before him, feeling uncomfortable at the chaotic mess that lay within.
It reminded him of certain unpleasant memories from his childhood spent living under his late uncle and aunt's rundown house.
Chairs were haphazardly piled against broken windows, their splintered legs jutting out like skeletal fingers reaching upward. Fragments of tables lay scattered on the floor, mingling with discarded belongings that hinted at lives once lived within these walls.
"Hmmm, I think everything is fine here," Ran said with a casual shrug.
"Dang, it got even creepier than the last time we were here," Sill remarked, his voice low as he took in the unsettling atmosphere of the hallway.
The building stretched out before them, revealing a long, narrow corridor lined with countless rows of identical doors. Each door, painted a faded shade of gray, stood in stark contrast to the peeling wallpaper that flaked away in patches, exposing the bare, crumbling plaster beneath.
Some doors were slightly ajar, while others stood wide open, as if inviting the curious to peer inside. Yet the oppressive, creepy darkness beyond seemed to hold secrets best left undisturbed.
The corridor was dimly lit, with flickering overhead lights casting erratic shadows that danced along the walls, creating an eerie ambiance. The air was thick with a musty scent, a nauseating mix of mildew and decay.
As they walked down the hallway, the sound of their footsteps echoed eerily, amplifying the unsettling silence that enveloped the space.
The sheer number of doors they passed, all so similar, created a disorienting effect, as if the corridor stretched endlessly into the unknown.
Some doors bore strange symbols or numbers, obscurely hinting at the possible purposes of the rooms, but the meanings remained shrouded in mystery.
Ran and the others at the front navigated the labyrinthine corridors with an air of confidence, as if they knew the path to their destination by heart.
In contrast, Sill lingered close to El, who walked at the very end of the group, his expression a mix of concern and vigilance.
He seemed worried that El might become lost in the maze of doors or, worse, tempted by something foul and sinister lurking within this evil, forsaken building.
As they walked further, El swore he could feel something watching them, unseen by the eyes. As if the very walls themselves were alive, observing the group's movements.
El recognized this feeling well; it was all too familiar. It reminded him of the time when "the man" had performed some kind of magic or ritual, using that triangle-shaped vial filled with an unknown fluid.
The difference he felt this time was that the sensation came from many eyes, not just one oppressive entity lurking in every corner, and the shadow of the room.
With each step El took, following the others from behind, a creeping sensation crawled up his spine, urging him to turn back. But of course, he wouldn't do that!
This wicked, malevolent aura intrigued him, but he wasn't reckless enough to delve deeper into its mysteries. The vial itself was safely stored with the rest of the money at home, waiting for the day when that man would return to teach him how to use it properly, just as he had promised.
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They walked through the narrow hallway and eventually reached a door.
"It's stuck…" Nore said, pressing his shoulder against the door and trying to push it open as quietly as possible. He exerted force, but it didn't budge.
"Move aside…" Ran said, stepping forward. She positioned her shoulder against the door and, with a forceful shove, attempted to open it. The door resisted at first, but then, with a shrill creak, it swung open.
El had initially thought the door wouldn't budge and that she would need help, as he was aware of the limitations of a woman's physique, especially considering her thin frame and that she seemed to be around his age. To his surprise, it opened easily.
"Huh…?"
El glanced around, noticing that the others seemed unfazed by her display of strength, particularly given Nore's earlier struggle. Not wanting to come across as nosy, he swallowed his words, holding back his questions.
A gust of cold wind rushed past them, nipping at their faces with an uncanny chill. Beyond the door lay a staircase leading upward. Without exchanging further words, they began to ascend.
"So far, so good," Sill whispered to El, his voice barely above a murmur.
"What is this all about? What do we need to be wary of?" El whispered back.
The group had been on edge throughout their journey, avoiding mirrors and ignoring clothes draped over objects. The worst of it seemed to be the dolls and small statues they encountered.
Yet, so far, he hadn't seen anything unusual, aside from the flickering lights that made the atmosphere feel unsettling and, honestly, quite terrifying.
Other than the annoying sensation of being watched, El had not found anything amiss, even as their footsteps echoed loudly in the vacant, hollow building.
"Oh, right! I forgot you're not from here," Sill replied, his tone suddenly shifting to one of seriousness. "There's a reason why the underside is called the Downtrodden Region. It's a kind of remembrance, you see. When—"
Suddenly, their conversation was cut short as Ran, who was leading the group, raised her hand to halt their progress. They had reached the third floor, and Ran stood beside a door marked with the number three, which El had noticed while still on the stairs.
With Ran gesturing for silence by placing her index finger on her lips, the others quickly followed suit, passing the message to those behind them.
Nore, at the rear, mimicked the gesture, reminding El and Sill, who were at the very back, to keep quiet and stay alert, all the while casting a glare of his own.
*Trang tang tang tang*
*Trang tang tang tang*
*Kriek kriek kriek*
*Thud*
*Bang*
A cacophony of sounds erupted from behind the door leading to the corridor on this floor. The clattering of metal, the thud of objects being thrown, and the creaking of rusted hinges filled the air with precarious, hair-raising noises.
It was as if a chaotic scene was unfolding just on the other side of the door.
El could clearly feel the emotions radiating from behind it—fear, anger, and something inexplicably darker.
The group remained silent. Their ears strained to catch every crisp sound of the clamor. After a hair-raising minute passed, Ran finally gestured for them to move, using subtle hand and head movements to signal everyone to follow her lead.
They crept forward, their footsteps barely making a sound on the stairs, while the ruckus behind the door continued unabated.
Once they left the third floor behind, an unspoken agreement settled among them: no one dared to make a sound.
El walked with newfound caution, his mouth zipped tight, his heart pounding in his chest from the earlier peculiar occurrence.
Yet, unbeknownst to them, as they ascended the stairs, the door to the third floor—connecting the corridor to the staircase—creaked open slowly. After a moment of eerie stillness, it gradually closed again on its own, and the chaotic noises from the third floor fell silent.
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