The Raven Hotel | Jikook |

Chapter 8: Who Are You?

  Jimin's cold, gloved hands, gripped onto the frail wrists of the boy tightly. He towered over the helpless little lamb and finally moved his face away to stare at his prey just frozen below him. Even if he still wore the mask over his mysterious face, Jungkook could tell the glares this unknown man gave him were ones that carried the unimaginable hunger burning beyond his glowing, bloodshot, red eyes.

"Do I make myself clear? Oh, your mouth caves open as if you long to yell... yet, nothing follows... I feel you tremble, but your body remains in one place."

The man suddenly let out another laugh that echoed across the boy's mind; making Jungkook's eyes quiver as they explored every firm detail to Jimin's mask. Jungkook only breathed heavily as his eyes told a tale of a horrified little lamb locked in the clutches of the fearsome wolf.

"Don't leave... if you desire to live, you will stay here. If you long to throw your life away, run... I dare you to run as fast as you can. Run as if you have a true life to live! Only then, I will handle you in the most gruesome death ever imaginable. Try me..."

Jimin whispered and slid his hand down to hold Jungkook's chin; tightly squeezing the boy's face together and finally, pointing his head upwards to face him.

"Don't leave."

"AH-" Jungkook yelled as he jolted awake over the bed. Finally, the room was illuminated in light; he no longer hid under the covers now since the dark didn't seem to consume him.

The boy slowly sat up and almost instantly, his head began to pound, his body grew frail and his hands were as cold as death. Jungkook exhaled and cupped his face, feeling his cold hands over his skin like ice cubes pushed against his soft and pale cheeks. Instantly, Jungkook began to cry to himself softly. He cried and cried, hoping Namjoon would save him now, but there was no use. Every second he stayed here, he was losing sleep. He woke up feeling worse than ever and his eyes carried the weight of bricks within its under bags.

"Oh, Namjoon please save me!" Jungkook sobbed; laying back to hug himself and cry further. "I'm trying all I can but when I sleep, I feel like I've been set back to where I started! Please let the rain let up... please! Or else I'll have no choice but to gather all the energy I can muster and run out of here!" Jungkook assured himself when suddenly, he recalled his terrifying dream.

Jungkook laid on the center of the bed; laying down on the same place Jimin held him against the bed in his nightmares. Jungkook closed his eyes and all he could imagine was the way the mysterious man whispered into his ear and threatened him. Jungkook could still feel Jimin's hands wrapped around his wrists and that alone made the boy's eyes blow wide. He recalled the way Jimin towered over him, the way he held him down with an unexplainable force, and the torture of his cold hands latching onto his warm skin. Jungkook panicked as he covered his face once his eyes closed in tightly; leaving him with the image of red hues vibrating from Jimin's eyes just beyond the plague doctor mask.

"Who are you?...What are you?" Jungkook thought and guided his hands up his own arms to comfort no one but himself. There was no use in sleeping now, Jungkook felt as if these dreams were getting too repetitive now to the point where he was suffering. The boy was becoming malnourished; lack of food going into his system, lack of sleep, and lack of strength.

In time, Jungkook began to realize that he really feared Jimin. The reason why he painted Jimin out to be very intimidating was because his own mind didn't know the truth of a man behind the mask. Of course, this had to be it, right? It just had to be.

"I... I'll have to face him..." Jungkook spoke to himself as a shiver shot through his cold body instantly. "It's the only way I can gain back the luxury of sleeping without being scared to death of what he could do! He could be the most innocent man ever and here I am, painting him out to be a scary serial killer! I'm a horrible person to let these things go into my head. Now, my mind won't let me sleep no matter what I think! Jimin haunts me because I let him... Jimin haunts me because that's what I expect him to do. I need to speak with him in person."