The Outskirts (ITZY Shin Ryujin)

9

He gulped as he watched thousands of different creatures pass before his eyes. Mutants, stonefaces and thousands of creatures he hadn't even heard of flocked about the street, going into old shops and buildings. If he wasn't able to see their faces, he would be certain it was just some random town filled with humans.

One lizard mutant caught his eye when she approached him. She had scaly skin and lizard eyes. She blinked at him slowly before finally talking.

"Haven't seen you round here," she spoke with a New Jersey accent. "Are you new?"

He glanced around, hoping he had one of the girls he was living with by his side but no one was there. He was aware it was a dream but still, if there was any way to avoid conversing with this lady, he would take it.

She grinned, an almost sickening sight.

"Oh honey, are you scared?" She asked. "Don't worry, I'm not a monster." Her grin slowly turned into a smirk. "I won't kill you."

And as if on cue, all his surroundings dimmed until they were nothing but darkness. The only thing remaining was the reptile lady whose smirk widened as she leaned closer to him.

"But they will."

He felt a piercing sting on the side of his left leg. When he looked down, blood oozed out if his skin. He took a step back in horror before looking up and no longer seeing the lizard lady but instead, the five girls he was living with. He watched as his blood dripped off Chaeryeong's fangs and fell to the floor.

"You think they accepted you just because they wanted to?" An unfamiliar voice rang in his ears. He turned around but there was no one. "They plan to kill and eat you. Your blood calls out to them. It's pure, sweet... Delicious."

All of their eyes turned dark red and for the first time ever, Luke saw the hunger in their eyes. The hunger for his blood.

He limped backwards, trying to avoid putting pressure on his wounded leg.

"Come on, Luke," Lia's angelic voice echoed. "We won't hurt you."

But he could tell it was a lie.

He gulped and took another step back just as they took one forwards.

"We just want a little taste," Yeji added, her lips forming a teasing smirk. "Won't you let us taste?"

"Get away!" He yelled.

"As if that would stop them," the unfamiliar voice came again. "They are monsters. All of them... Especially her."

All the girls disappeared except for one. Ryujin.

Then the scene changed. He was at the sea. One of the ones he used to visit often as a child. He would through rocks into it and play around with Max. They'd pretend to be pirates or mermen and run around the beach, burying 'treasure' and finding some, or saving fish from the great Ursula.

But now it was different. It was obscure. Empty.

In the distance he heard someone singing. It was beautiful, the best voice Luke had ever heard. He closed his eyes and let himself imagine the owner of the voice as his legs pulled him towards her.

When he opened his eyes again he could see Ryujin on the other side of the beach. She had a long scaly tail and combed her hair just like an iconic scene from a movie.

Suddenly he remembered the night he first saw her. She was undoubtedly the most gorgeous he had seen back then, maybe his mind was so centred around Lia, he forgot just how breathtaking she actually was.

"Ryujin?" He called. She turned her gaze to him and smiled but continued singing nonetheless. Their eyes locked and he was instantly hypnotised.

However, before he could approach her fully, a stinging slap was placed on his left cheek. He immediately snapped out of his daze and fell to the soft sand. Glancing up, he saw Lia bend over him.

"Cover your ears!" She screamed. "Don't listen to the song!"

He furrowed his eyebrows before glancing back at Ryujin, who had turned into the bruised creature he had seen when she pulled him into the Outskirts, sprinting in their direction.

Before she could leap onto Luke and do any damage, he awoke. Instantly sitting up and panting loudly, he tried to steady his heart.

"It's just a dream," he repeated. "It's just a-"

His eyes locked with a male on the other side of his room.

The male grinned.

"Good morning, Luke," he uttered. "It's a pleasure to meet you."