Of Wolves and Spiders (Seo Moonjo x Jung Jongwoo)

Chapter 15: Of When the Shadow Eats the Wolf

If he could remember correctly, he had barely visited a doctor in all his life. He could count with one hand the visits he had received professional due to health problems, and it was only when Ms. Eom was obliged to. He wasn't particularly scared of them, but he was in constant alert when he had one close to him. Something about doctors made Moonjo stay alert. It came out natural to him, and he didn't understood why.

He did admit that, when he came down with a flu or any anomaly in his health, he would take something to calm the headaches, stay in bed for some days, and good as new. That was it! Then again, he was as healthy as a horse. But for his mind...Moonjo was sure he was starting to succumb to his conscience.

After that weird lucid dream, were such grotesque creatures attacked him, things started to get really, really, REALLY wrecked on his daily life. At first, both creatures would visit him at night, with their same monologue, with their broken voices and creepy stares, especially the toothy creature. The slimy one just stared at him, in total silence, observing. He had to admit it felt suffocating, like a boa was wrapping around his chest, oppressing him until he had no more oxygen left. But the slimy creature just disappeared for days, leaving the toothy one to torment him.

At first, these visits would only happen when he was in bed, sleeping. He did notice it happened when he was alone, but if he went to sleep with Jongwoo or the boy went with him to his room to spend the night, they wouldn't appear. He slept better that way, but he couldn't sleep every night with Jongwoo in the same bed...at least not for now. Both of them needed space, and as much as he would love to keep the writer on his bed, he had to let him go. And that's when they would come back to torment him at night, torturing him.

But this situation lasted only for three months, when then he would start to have glimpses of them on the house during daylight, mostly the toothy creature. They slimy one didn't appear for days, even weeks, sometimes it appeared when he was with his brother or spending time with his nieces, but that was it. He was mostly calm, only looking at him or getting too close to him, but that was it, nothing scary. That was the toothy creature's job, sadly. That one...he was sure he was a demon sent to torment him for all his sins.

But the worst thing was to come months later. He was walking on the streets, coming back with Jongwoo from grocery shopping, and that persistent demon would be next to him, its sickly breathing and laughing echoing in his head. He was always trying to keep a calm persona, having a conversation with his shorter partner about his novel, enjoying how excited and passionate was in his writing. But then again, the toothy creature kept bugging him. He was sure just ignoring its' presence would be enough, but no. It knew Moonjo was ignoring it, and it wouldn't allow it.

They stopped at a pedestrian crossing, waiting for the traffic light to let them pass. Moonjo talked with Jongwoo, discussing one of the new ideas his boyfriend had for his story, when two girls stopped by their side. Moonjo just knew they were there, talking like they were, but the creature turned its head, staring at them. The taller man could guess he was staring at them, because of the cracking of its neck, and how he chuckled. Moonjo could swore he hated it.

They look soft...

Moonjo frowned. Well, he kind of froze. That expression reminded him of Nambok, of Eden Studio, of that dark, damned place. He didn't want to look at it, that's what it wanted, so he wouldn't give in. But the voice kept drilling into his brain, making it harder to hear Jongwoo.

They look really, reaaaaaally soft...I bet if I bite their necks, it will rip like butter...

Shut up...

Come on, you know you would love to. Wait, no, you're more into eating what's inside, isn't it? Yeah, that's right. You would rather open them sloooooowly and take a kidney or something...