Lunacy and Other Fairytales ; tk | ym

15.

The factory stands on a huge clearing in the middle of the forest. From afar and in the darkness, it looks like a regular industrial site, but as they step closer, Taehyung sees the moss climbing up the walls and smokestacks, the windows that are smashed in and the spray paint on the bricks.

"This is fucking terrifying," Jeongguk states as they stand next to each other and look at the enormous building in front of them, illuminated by their flashlights. Jimin heads straight for the door.

"We have to be careful," Taehyung says quietly, then he follows Jimin. "Wait for us!"

The door is open just enough for them to enter. Inside, it feels even cooler than outside. The steel beams creak with every wind gust that hits the building; water drops from somewhere and collects in a big puddle near one of the windows. Taehyung and Jeongguk shine the flashlights around to inspect the place.

"What kind of factory was this?" Taehyung asks when he spots a huge, empty container with a sign that says muriatic acid.

"A textile factory," Jimin tells him, "It was closed decades ago, in the sixties or seventies. The location was simply not beneficial — fuck!" A loud metallic noise sounds. Taehyung immediately shines his light at Jimin. He stumbled over a pipe that must've fallen from the ceiling.

"Jesus, you scared me to death," Jeongguk breathes, pressing his hand against his chest.

Taehyung smiles softly, then he turns around.

His heart stops beating.

He shines directly at two blindingly white eyes and bared, bloody teeth that growl at him, just mere meters away from him. He gasps and drops his flashlight, then stumbles back and falls to the cold ground.

The creature just stands there and doesn't move, just stares at Taehyung with its disgusting, haunting grimace. He can barely make it out in the darkness, but it's enough to make the panic rise in his chest and suffocate him.

"Taehyung!"

Jeongguk is next to him within a second. Taehyung just stares ahead with wide eyes. He can feel the cold sweat running down his neck.

"Taehyung?"

Finally, he manages to move his head and look at Jeongguk, recognizes the worry in his eyes.

He cannot see it, he has to tell himself, again and again. Taehyung scrambles for his flashlight and then shines it right back at the creature — only that it's gone.

He gasps for air like a stranded fish.

"Taehyung," Jeongguk tries one last time, almost timidly so. Taehyung looks at him, then back at the now empty spot.

"We should hurry," he breathes, "Come on, we have to find Yoongi."

It's a miracle that his legs can still carry him. He stumbles to the stairs and ignores the weird look Jimin gives him.

The second floor looks even bleaker than the hall downstairs. The rooms are mostly empty except for the rubble, the empty liquor bottles and two old mattresses and pillows in one of them. Taehyung shines his flashlight around one of the rooms. The walls are covered in spray paint here as well. Faintly, he wonders if some of the tags and paintings are courtesy of the five friends that used to hang out here all the time.

Suddenly, his thoughts are interrupted when he hears Jimin shout from one of the other rooms.

Alarmed, he immediately turns around and runs over to him; so does Jeongguk.

They find Jimin in the back, in a room without a door and a huge chunk of the outer walls missing. The sky outside is slowly turning to a lighter shade of blue and hints of grey; the night is coming to an end, and the early morning hours are approaching fast.