Kim Minji's Strange Hallucinations.

Chapter 12. The chase in the woods.

- It can't be, Unnie... I know who's behind these dolls!

Pov Narrator

Haerin then held her breath as she saw the features of the mysterious figure become visible. Minji felt a shiver run down her spine, a chill that wasn't related only to that cold night.

Minji was looking at Haerin, who seemed very scared, almost in shock, after having seen the face of the mysterious person. Before Minji could ask Haerin who she had seen, she could tell, even without turning around, that the gaze of the figure fixed on them, and a deep coldness seized Minji. She knew that she and Haerin needed to get out of there, but the root of fear seemed to hold them in place. In a moment of pure terror, the figure of the person in the shadows seemed to notice them, and Minji could hear the Person take the first step toward them.

Without exchanging words, Minji and Haerin turned and ran, their feet finding rough terrain and dry leaves. The labored breath mixed with the unsettling sound of the wind blowing through the trees. Minji could hear her own heartbeat, loud and steady in her ears, as she and Haerin ran and could hear the steps of the Person behind them.

They kept running, their minds struggling to process the distorted reality that surrounded them. But the darkness of the forest enveloped them, and the mysterious figure was always present in their thoughts. With each step, the feeling of being pursued at the same speed they were running intensified, as if the forest itself were alive and conspiring against them.

***

Pov Minji

I kept running, my heart hammering in my chest, but something started to feel wrong. I realized I no longer heard Haerin's footsteps behind me. What happened? She was supposed to be with me when we started running. A wave of panic engulfed me at that moment when reality set in before my eyes: I was alone.

I looked around desperately, scanning between the trees, searching for any sign of Haerin in the darkness. - "Haerin!" I whispered shakily, the voice echoing among the shadows of the forest.

The silence was deafening, and Haerin's response didn't come. Fear tightened my chest, threatening to suffocate me.

I stopped abruptly, spinning around myself, as if hoping to see Haerin suddenly appear. But only emptiness surrounded me. I swallowed hard, feeling a knot of anxiety forming in my throat. The mysterious figure seemed to have moved away, but the feeling of being watched still lingered, now mixed with the anguish of having lost my friend.

- "Haerin!"

I called again, my voice now mixed with a touch of desperation.

Each passing second felt like an eternity, and the dark forest seemed to close in around me, making me even more isolated. I clenched my fists, fighting against the feeling of helplessness that engulfed me at that moment.

- How could I have left you, Haerin!?...

The wind whispered through the trees, carrying with it a faint echo of my words. Nothing more. I was alone in the darkness, with uncertainty and fear intertwining in my mind. I knew I needed to make a decision: continue fleeing and try to find Haerin later, or risk going back and looking for her now, amidst the unknown threat that still lurked.

But alone now, I only had my old shovel in my hand and the flashlight. I was breathing heavily in despair and thought about giving up... but... no... I can't be weak... I have to fight for my friends and for myself too.

I calmed down, took a deep breath, and tightened my grip on my old shovel.

- "I will find you, Haerin, and I will put an end to all this shit."

I decided to continue on the path to Hanni and Danielle; after all, I was almost reaching the School.

- "I have to retrace my steps carefully."

While the darkness persisted, I found myself facing not only the frightening mystery that pursued me but also the challenge of finding Haerin and surviving a nightmare that seemed to have no end.

***

Hello readers, It's been a few weeks since I've been here. I've been busy with some school work and I had to disappear. Anyway, thanks for reading my story, this chapter is kind of short but I'll try to update the story more often.

Forgive spelling errors and leave your vote.

Until later.