24 Lucky Horse (4)

Sang Min put my legs around his shoulders and carried me piggyback-style. Together we walked through the large twisting and turning halls.

Wherever Sang Min went people made way for him; he was like Moses parting the Red Sea. This had also happened earlier, but I had assumed that people made space for us because of Kang Seung. Now it was clear that Sang Min was who they truly feared. Which made sense; he ran this place on behalf of not only Kang Seung but for the Golden Hooves, one of the largest underground criminal organizations in the world. Being the head of this branch meant he was likely a key figure in Golden Hoove. I didn't know how far up the food chain he was but he had to be pretty high for even Kang Seung to be nervous around him. Kang Seung was friends with the owner of Golden Hoove, so Sang Min had to be someone important.

"We're here!"

I had been so distracted by my thoughts that I didn't notice Sang Min stopping. We had reached a dining area. Unlike the sleek and modern interiors that I had seen so far, this place was more traditionally styled with burning torches around the walls and wooden panelling. It was like we were suddenly inside a classic Hutong.

There was a long table in front of us made of wood, and there were cushions on the floor.

Unlike the other locations we'd been to, this place lacked people. There was only one servant. She stood in the corner with her head bowed. She didn't make a sound nor even move. A perfectly trained statue.

"This is my private space, only myself and my guests are allowed in here," he told me.

Sang Min then gently put me down on a pillow. He took a napkin that was on the table and folded it into a bib which he neatly fastened around my neck, "I don't want you to get messy now" he said like a doting Uncle.

After that, he sat down beside me with perfect posture, with his legs properly folded on the cushion.

"Let's play a game called Lucky Horse."

"Lucky Horse?"

"It's simple," he explained "there will be three horses and we will have them race against each other. The horse that does the best or the one we like the most will get randomly chosen by us, hence they will be the lucky horse."

"And then?" I asked I felt my heart pounding and that itch growing more intense.

"Then" Sang Min gave me a handsome smile, "We'll eat the horse."

He clapped his hands and then the wall in front of us suddenly turned into a transparent glass window.

The Servant who hadn't moved an inch before was now handing Sang Min a remote. She then proceeded to pour him tea into a neat porcelain cup and she gave me a warm glass of milk.

Through the glass window that had opened up before us, I could now see a long chamber. And inside that chamber were three people. Each person was dressed like a horse, they had tails attached to their clothes and horse masks on.

Sang Min grabbed a mic from the Servant's hands and spoke into it, "Hello horses!"

As he spoke the servant spoke into another mic, she translated his words into what sounded like Arabic.

"I'm sure you've been told about today's events but just to remind you again, this is the Lucky Horse Race. All of you have come to South Korea for a new life but you have been unable to pay us the money you owe us for smuggling you into this country. As a result, you need to pay back this money by entertaining us. Those who perform well will go away with their freedom and their debts paid, and the person who does their best will be chosen as our Lucky Horse and will be given an extra special prize and privilege," he smiled coldly as he said that.

"The Rules of the race are simple. Get to the end of the hall and back, that's it."

Sang Min put the mic down and then leaned towards my ear and said, "of course it won't be that simple. We need to make this game fun." he gave me the remote that was filled with interesting buttons and simply grinned at me.

The horses talked amongst themselves in Arabic, I couldn't understand them, but they appeared relieved and happy. Perhaps they were encouraging each other. Watching them be so carefree made my body twitch and I held the controller close to me.

A loud horn sounded and a computerised voice said: "GO".

The Horses began running at full speed.

I watched them race against each other at first, they weren't anything special but they ran with all their might and seemed hopeful. When they got halfway I pressed the 'fire' button on the remote.

Blue flames shot from the ceiling and engulfed one of the runners, "Ahhhhhh, ahhhhh, ahhhh" screams echoed out, it sounded as sweet as a trained choir at the Eisteddfod. Hearing those desperate high pitched yells sent me into euphoria. It had been so long since I'd heard someone scream in agony.

Maybe, because this was the first time I had killed in this lifetime, but his screams reminded me of my first human victim in my past life. Father Johnson. These screams sounded just like his screams. I could easily picture that look of horror and desperation on his face while I poured acid down his throat. Comparatively this murder wasn't nearly as fun; I'm the type that prefers to be up close and personal with my kills, I'm not a fan of distance, but it was good enough for now.

The other horses seemed startled, they screamed in shock. One tried to save the other person who was engulfed in flames but the other held him back.

"Tsk" Sang Min appeared to be annoyed and said coldly into the mic, "I never said you could stop."

Those words seemed to do the trick, and the two remaining horses pulled themselves together and continued to run.

I hummed playfully to myself and then decided on my next button. I pressed it.

Arrows came out from the walls and rained onto them, one Horse dodged most of them and ran thinking she was free, but then the arrow smacked her in the face and lodged itself through her brain and jaw like a skewer. As her mask fell off and I saw her lopsided and shocked expression I couldn't help but laugh with joy.

When was the last time I had shot someone with an arrow right through their head, gosh it had been a long time.

I couldn't stop myself from grinning like a fool, although this kind of game was childish, I hadn't had this much fun in so long.

I wasn't laughing alone, Sang Min also joined me.

There was only one horse remaining, he had survived by lying flat on the floor, allowing the arrows to pass him by.

He looked at the dead girl and began shaking like a leaf, yellow piss pooled around him and he sat there in shock.

Sang Min was annoyed at this and was about to speak into the mic again, but I stopped him. I stared at him with large hopeful eyes and I said, "Ahjussi, I want him to be our Lucky Horse. Can we eat him alive?"

Sang Min paused and then stared at me with adoring eyes, and gently patted my head, "Of course we can."