Triangle. |Stray Kids

Eighteen.

"It still looks like a fraud to me." Chris said. He was leaning on the rooftop's railings behind him while holding a very old piece of paper that looked like it was torn apart from its remaining.

"Can you just stop being suspicious?" Lino huffed. "If it was a fraud, the woman from the shop should've asked for money but she didn't. She literally gave it to me."

"That's why I am suspicious." Chris looked over at his friend who was helping Lilly in setting up the requirements of this talisman. "Why would she give it for free if it was a good thing that would really bring good luck or whatever? That's odd."

"Hmm." Lino pretended to be thinking while rubbing his chin. "Maybe because she's a nice lady? You know, there are nice people in this world who would do nice and kind stuff for free."

"What world? Your dreamland?" Chris scoffed.

"Don't start bickering." Lilly huffed. "And you, grumpy, come here and help us instead of standing over there and leaning peacefully over the railings as if you are modeling."

"I'm trying to read what's written on this thing!" Chris protested. "It's an odd language."

"It has to be odd. It's a talisman." Lino huffed again.

"Yes, but the letters are obviously English. The words don't sound English when pronounced. I don't even know if I'm pronouncing them right." Chris walked over to his friends who were almost done with the setting.

"Just memorize them." Lilly said before she looks over her shoulder to Lino. "You did, right?"

"Yes. I can spell them as clearly as my name." Lino gave Lilly a thumbs up.

"Then, let's do it." Lilly breathed in deeply.

The three friends looked at each other and then at their feet where they were standing in the middle of a triangle. On the floor, an equilateral triangle was made with the rocks that Chris brought. Outside that triangle, there were candles that formed circles around each apex of it, where the three friends will be standing. The candles were already lit and waiting for the three friends to step in the circles.

"Here." Lino said, handing Chris and Lilly the two ends of the red wool thread that was tied to his wrists. Lino stepped back and stopped in the middle of the circle around the triangle's apex, making the threads stretch.

Chris wrapped one thread around his wrist and tied it tightly, connecting himself to Lino's wrist. His other wrist was tied too to be connected to Lilly. Chris lifted his head to find Lilly struggling with her two ends of the threads since her hand was hurt.

"Hey," He called her softly and stepped closer to her. "I'll do it." He said and grabbed her wrist softly.

Lilly flinched but didn't object. She gave him her wrists and he started tying the threads, connecting her to him and then to Lino. Lilly was silent but her eyes never left his face as he was concentrating totally on her wrists. He looked so beautiful with how the candles' orange light reflected on his face. He took her breath away with his simple act of holding her wrists and she didn't want him to give it back.

"All done." He said, almost whispering. He lifted his head to meet her sparkling eyes that were blinking nervously. Chris didn't let go of her wrists and kept holding them to caress her soft skin. "When this is over, can we.. talk?"

"Hm?" Lilly was taken aback by the softness of his voice and hands. "A-About what?" She stuttered.

"You'll know." He smiled at her. "Let's say I'll try and see if this thing really brings good luck."

Lilly nodded at him, making his smile widens. With that, they both stepped back and positioned themselves in their spots at the other two apexes of the triangle, to be surrounded by the lit candles. Lino pulled his left hand up to check the time, pulling Lilly's right one with his as they were tied.

"It's almost midnight. It's time." Lino said.

Lilly breathed in deeply, filling her chest with air and Chris did the same. She lifted her head up to face her friends. Each of them stood at one apex, forming a triangle that was lined with rocks. The candles burning around their feet and the red wool thread connecting them to each other. The three of them lifted their arms and crossed them over their chests, letting each palm rest over the opposite shoulder. They closed their eyes and started reading out the lines that they memorized.

"Beongaeleul gajyeo waseo cheondung-i ullyeo peojigehasibsio.

Hondon-ui bangpae mun-eulo ganeun gil-eul yeosibsio."

The three of them said in unison then waited for ten seconds before they repeat in slightly higher voices.

"Beongaeleul gajyeo waseo cheondung-i ullyeo peojigehasibsio.

Hondon-ui bangpae mun-eulo ganeun gil-eul yeosibsio."

They waited for ten more seconds and were about to repeat but stopped when a very cold wind brushed their bodies, making them flinch. Lilly gasped from the coldness that made her shiver. Her closed eyes weren't helping the feeling of fear from what was happening around them.

"Don't open your eyes." Lino warned just when Lilly was about to do that. "Carry on. One more is left."

Lilly nodded, forgetting that he couldn't see her nod, and gulped the lump in her throat. She took another deep breath and heard her friends do the same before they resume reading out the spell.

"Beongaeleul gajyeo waseo cheondung-i ullyeo peojigehasibsio.

Hondon-ui bangpae mun-eulo ganeun gil-eul yeosibsio."

They all said for the last time and paused, waiting for a sign or an answer to whatever they were doing. The answer came fast when a very very loud thunderclap roared, making Lilly scream but she didn't dare to open her eyes or step anywhere. That thunderclap was soon followed by heavy rain that poured over them.

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth as fear was filling all of her chest. Not even the presence of her friends was assuring her. Actually, her friends were very quiet. It seemed like they weren't affected by the rain or the loud thunder. How could they?

The rain was very heavy that it was painfully hitting her body. She thought there will be bruises from it. The thunder was almost damaging her ears from how loud it was. Although her eyes were closed, she could sense the bright lights that attacked for fraction of a second. It had to be lightning. The wind too was blowing very strongly that she had to brace herself tighter to stop herself from swaying with it or being shoved somewhere.

It was a thunderstorm. No. That had to be a tornado or something. It was hell-scary how it started in a fraction of a second with that strength. But what was even scarier, was how it suddenly stopped, as if it never happened.

Suddenly, Lilly felt nothing. No rain was attacking her body. No thunder could be heard. No lightning and no wind.

"C-Chris? Lino?" Lilly called weakly but gained no answer.

Hesitantly and slowly, very slowly, Lilly unsealed her eyelids to see what was happening around her.

That's when the crying adult Lilly standing behind her, wished she never opened her eyes that night. 

***

Okayyy,
Since this book is the last one in TRANSCENDTAL Series, I'm gonna tell you some fun facts about this series.

Fun fact number #1:

Before you go was originally a story about a brother and a sister who had an accident together and went into a coma for years. The boy was aware of his state as a wandering soul while the girl didn't and didn't even have any memories about her past life. When they met, she didn't know he was her younger annoying brother. At last, the brother was the one to save her life before he goes.

But obviously, all of that was changed as I rewrote it as a fan fiction.