Monster High - Kim Taehyung (BTS V)

Chapter 11

Two sounds interrupted the silence of sleep.

One was my alarm. The other was my screeching, "FIVE MORE MINUTES!" before punching the clock's snooze button.

Sori, Jimin chided in my head, if you don't wake up, you're gonna be late.

I groaned and rolled over. Winter vacation was officially over, and I wasn't ready to go back to school. My skin wasn't ready to suffer again from the stress. Sluggishly but surely, I dragged myself to the bathroom to get ready.

Once I was presentable, I picked up my school bag and headed downstairs, dragging my feet with whiny reluctance. I sat myself down at the table for breakfast and began shoveling the food into my mouth. My mother sat in front of me, her lips pursed, and I knew something was wrong. However, I chose to ignore it. Today was not the day for problems.

"Sori," my mother finally said, spoiling my ignorance, "I have something to talk to you about."

"Mmhm," was my reply through a mouthful of breakfast. I looked up curiously.

"This may come as a shock to you," she said. She glanced at the clock, and upon seeing that she had enough time to say what she wanted, so continued, "It concerns your father's death."

"Oh." My chopsticks were halfway to my mouth, and I set them down. I felt a twinge internally, as I always did upon the mention of his death. It wasn't a fresh wound, but it still hurt.

"I don't know how to tell you any other way, so I'll just put it bluntly," my mom sighed. She pressed her lips together and balled her fists. "I transferred you to your current school for a reason."

Suspicion rose in my stomach. Could it be that my mother knew about the monsters? Something else was nagging in my core, but I refused to acknowledge it. I was vaguely aware that it was a devastating idea, and I didn't let it in.

"What?" I asked, careful to look surprised. "What are you talking about?"

"I sent you there because..." Mom stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned holding an ornate paper box. "You have to kill them. Your classmates."

Before I could register the shock, she pulled off the lid to the box. Inside was a dagger, about the length of my forearm, with a hilt of blood red with golden vines snaking up to the blade, which glittered silver. I stared at my reflection in it. A shocked and confused girl stared back.

"W-What?" I repeated, my voice trembling now. I stood up abruptly, backing away. "You want me to murder?"

A new light shined in my mother's eyes. It was desperate, pleading. It was almost raving mad. My heart thrummed inside my ribcage, and I was suddenly so afraid.

"They killed your father!" she cried. "They're monsters, haven't you realized?"

"They didn't kill him!" I gasped, my hand gripping the back of the chair for support. "They would've been children! How could you say that?"

"Your father was killed by monsters," murmured my mother. "Haven't you figured it out? Their very parents have inflicted pain on this family, and you will avenge us!"

She snatched up the knife from the box and held it up to me, her hand shaking. The blade glinted malevolently in the light of the dining room. I felt the temperature drop, just standing near it. What was this dagger? Just in its presence, I could feel my existence waning. My extremities went cold, and I suddenly felt so numb.