Chapter 10 : Trapped

[ Warning : Sensitive Content Warning, Blood Warning, Trauma Warning ]

1 Pm : Cafeteria, Dong-Nae Public School

As the students gathered in the bustling cafeteria for lunch, the air was thick with the mingling scents of food and conversation. However, amidst the appetizing aromas, a sudden, foul odor assaulted their senses. It was as though a wave of putrid stench had rolled in, overpowering the more pleasant smells of the food

"W-what the-" One of the students spoke in fear as they see something otherworldly

Whispers spread through the room as students wrinkled their noses in disgust, trying to pinpoint the source of the offensive smell. Then, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed across the floor, drawing everyone's attention to the entrance of the cafeteria

There, standing in the doorway, was an unexpected sight: a figure that seemed both human and utterly inhumane . It was a Chubby Girl

though there was something different about her, something unsettling

Her normal face was twisted into a grimace of pain, and her eyes held a haunted, vacant expression. As she shuffled into the room, it became apparent that something was terribly wrong

Kimchi seemed to ooze from her pores, staining her clothes and dripping from her fingertips. It was a bizarre and disturbing sight, one that left them all frozen in shock and disbelief

Some recoiled in horror, while others watched in morbid  Chubby Girl stumbled forward, her movements sluggish and uncoordinated. The stench of decay hung heavy in the air, mingling with the tangy aroma of fermented cabbage

"Soojin.. are you okay?" One of her friends ask from a distance, others whispering to each other about the situation, slowly closing the distance in getting closer to her with a feared expression

"T-this is just a prank right? Nice make up..it looks so realisti-"

she couldn't finish the words as long, slenderly stretched arms caught her, before she could scream, her mouth was filled with Soojin's Arm (The chubby girl), seemingly entering her Body from her opening

Whispers turned to gasps of horror as students realized the gravity of the situation. As she continued, her presence seemed to cast a pall over the entire room, suffusing it with a sense of dread and unease. The once bustling cafeteria fell silent, the only sound the sickening squelch of kimchi as it dripped from her form and her friend's body, Her friend slowly turning the same as Soojin

As the unsettling transformation unfolded before their eyes, panic gripped the students in the cafeteria like a virus, With horrified gasps and frantic whispers, they began to scatter in all directions, their movements wild and erratic, Some tried opening the door in fear and anxiety, but rather failed to open a single door

Tables were overturned, chairs were knocked aside, and trays clattered to the floor as students pushed and shoved their way towards the exits

The once orderly cafeteria devolved into chaos, the air thick with the tangy scent of kimchi and fear

Some students stumbled over one another in their haste to escape, their faces contorted with terror as they fought to break free from the throng, Others clawed desperately at locked doors, their frantic cries drowned out by the cacophony of panicked voices

1 Pm : Dong-Nae Public School, Entrance/Exit

Even outside, the scene was no less chaotic Students streamed out of the school in a frenzied fashion, their footsteps echoing off the walls as they fled into the safety of the open air. Some ran blindly, their only thought to put as much distance between themselves and the horror unfolding behind them, though there were some who were recording it and posting it on social media

In the distance, the figure of the Chubby Girl loomed ominously, with her friend the same attire, they seem to be staring at each other, as if conversating

As the students spilled out of the school building, their hearts still pounding with adrenaline, they were met with a scene of organized chaos. Rescue transports, their sirens wailing and lights flashing, rushed to the scene with a sense of urgency that mirrored the students' own panic

The vehicles, marked with the insignia of various government agencies, descended upon the school like a swarm of locusts, their doors swinging open to reveal teams of emergency responders clad in protective gear

With practiced efficiency, the responders began ushering the students onto the waiting transports, their voices calm and reassuring amidst the lingering tension. Some students hesitated, their eyes wide with fear as they clung to one another for support, while others stumbled forward, their steps unsteady from the adrenaline rush.

Outside the school grounds, a makeshift triage area had been set up, complete with medical tents and supplies. Paramedics and healthcare workers bustled about, attending to the injured and providing comfort to those in distress.

Despite the chaos of the situation, there was a sense of relief in the air as the students were safely evacuated from the school. The rescue operation unfolded with a sense of order and purpose, a testament to the preparedness and professionalism of the emergency responders who had sprung into action at a moment's notice

As the students huddled together, their voices overlapping in a cacophony of fear and confusion, a commanding figure emerged from the midst of the chaos

The government official strode purposefully to the center of their attention, his demeanor calm and composed despite the urgency of the situation

"Please remain calm and seated"

his voice calm over the clamor, cutting through the panic like a beacon of reassurance, His words were firm yet soothing, instilling a sense of confidence in the midst of uncertainty

The students turned their attention to the official, their eyes wide with apprehension as they hung on his every word

His presence, his authority radiating like a protective shield against the chaos swirling around them

"Your safety is guaranteed, The Officials Will Take Care Of The Situation, While that" he continued, his voice carrying the weight of authority as he spoke, Each word was imbued with a sense of reassurance, a promise of protection in the face of danger

"You will all be moved to camp till we secure the Outbreak"

his declaration echoed through the air, a collective sigh of relief from the gathered students

The prospect of temporary shelter offered a glimmer of hope amidst the chaos, a chance to find refuge in the safety of the camp

As the government official spoke, his words resonated with the students, filling them with a sense of calm amidst the storm, but some were still frenzied

"W-what was that thing? How can we trust you?" One of the students ask, as they spoke, more had started asking the same Question

"..The Creatures Are Still Unknown, We will secure the Pandamic As soon as possible" The Official spoke, providing calm over the situation, but many students are still not completely trusting the officials

"We have already captured One of the Creatures from one of our bases" The Official Spoke, his words calm and clear, the Student's were however confused with far too many doubts,

As the Situation Continued, A Hour Ago in Dong-Na, At Yihyun's House,

Yihyun were just relaxing after his injuries healed, While just laying peacefully,

Yihyun's phone buzzed with a notification from a social media platform, With a quick swipe, he unlocked his phone and opened the message with a calm face and played the video

As the video began to play, Yihyun's eyes widened in shock at the scene unfolding on the screen

The monstrous figure, half-human and half-decayed, filled the frame, its grotesque form looming over the terrified students in the cafeteria

The air was thick with the pungent stench of kimchi, visible tendrils of the foul substance emanating from its twisted body, In the background, the panicked voices of his classmates filled the air, their screams and shouts echoing through the chaos.

But before he could fully process what he was seeing, the video abruptly cut off, replaced by a message from The government. It was a stark reminder of the severity of the situation, a call to action in the face of danger

"Wait.. Yerin.."

Yihyun's heart raced with concern as he hastily rose from his seat, his mind filled with worry for Yerin's safety. But before he could take another step, Eunji's firm grip on his arm stopped him in his tracks

"What's going on? What happened?" Xynon's voice, tinged with drowsiness, cut through Yihyun's frantic thoughts as she emerged from her slumber

Ignoring her question, Yihyun forcefully pushed her aside and bolted towards the door, his determination driving him forward. With each step, his mind raced with images of Yerin and the terrifying scene unfolding at the school

As He Ran Outside, the streets blurred past him as Yihyun sprinted towards the school, his heart pounding in his chest. The urgency of the situation fueled his movements, driving him to push hisphysical limitations of his body

As he neared the school grounds, the area were rather quiet, very quiet, He continued running upto the classrooms, with each passing moment, his steps quickened as he walked upto the classroom through the stairs at full speed, seeing things flipped around, he got to his class and wide opened the classroom he was in, he saw Ah Yerin sitting in her chair as usual, her face filled with sadness

Ah Yerin saw Yihyun walk in the classroom, she was surprised to see him come to the class, Since she saw everyone running out and witnessed what were happening, she stood quiet, thinking he can't see her or came to get something he placed around here

"..You're..Okay..right? Yerin.." Yihyun's voice, strained from exertion, trembled with concern as he approached her. His breath came in ragged gasps, the adrenaline from his sprint still coursing through his veins as he surveyed her for any signs of injury

Ah Yerin were suprised he could see her, her mouth slightly open from this situation

"Y-you can se-"

Before Yerin could finish her sentence, her words caught in her throat as Yihyun enveloped her in a warm, tight embrace. His arms encircled her, pulling her close as if seeking solace and reassurance in her presence, She stood frozen in his embrace, her body tense with the unfamiliar intimacy of the moment

"What are you doing?" Ah Yerin asked him woth confusion clear in her voice as she was stuck in his arms

"I love you..   ..So much" Yihyun spoke to her with a small smile despite what was going on, holding her close with his arms

In that fleeting moment, as they stood locked in their embrace, time seemed to stand still, the chaos of the world fading into the background as he held onto her but before long he was pushed away by her

"What were  you..saying" Ah Yerin spoke to him with her tone hinted with suprise and somewhat excitement and a unknown emotion filled up inside her

"Nothing.. let's go" Yihyun spoke as he held her hand with his and sprinted out of the school building

Yerin's heart raced with anticipation as she tried to follow Yihyun out of the school building, she found herself unable to move past the threshold

It was as if an invisible barrier had materialized out of thin air, trapping her inside the confines of the school, their hold was seperated as it happened, Yihyun looked back to see Ah Yerin trapped inside

"Yerin? Are you okay.." Yihyun asked her as he got closer to her "Why did you let go of my hand?"

Yerin smiled on her pale face "Thank you.." She spoke with her smile widening softly on her features as she guided him to come closer

Yihyun walked upto her with a faint face of mixed emotions "Yerin..?"

"I'll show you something.." Ah Yerin spoke as she walked back to the classroom, gesturing him to follow her as she walk up the stairs again to the classroom

As Yerin led Yihyun back to the classroom, her footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallway, the sound reverberating off the walls with an eerie resonance. The dim light filtering in through the windows cast long shadows across the floor, adding to the sense of foreboding that hung in the air, they could hear something walking around slightly, but they kept walking to their destination

With each step, Yerin's heart pounded in her chest, her mind racing with a mix of fear and determination. She couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over her since they first encountered the strange phenomenon trapping her inside the school.

As they reached the classroom, she walked upto to a locked locker which hadn't been opened in years, she opened the locker, The locker contained a Urn which was closed tightly, the urn looked very old with a old fashioned texture

Yihyun stood frozen in place, his mind reeling with confusion as he struggled to comprehend the sight before him. His eyes remained fixed on the ancient urn, its presence casting a haunting shadow over the room

"..." Yihyun was confused to speak anything as he stared at the scene blankly

"...I died, years ago...Yihyun" Ah Yerin's voice broke through the silence, her words hanging heavy in the air. She spoke with a solemnity, her gaze fixed on the urn as if it held the key to her past

Yerin Continued, "..I liked to come to school, but i couldn't because..i had a rare disease" she took the urn in her hands "..I've always waited till it was cured and i could go back.. be happy.." she continued after a pause "..I tried, but i lost.. ..and my father placed my cremated container in here.. ..So i could.." She stopped speaking as she handed him the urn

"..Destroy it.. ..That'll let my wandering soul finally put to rest" Yerin asked him with a desperate face with tears welled up in her eyes, even though there weren't..

Yihyun shook his head and placed the urn onto a desk and looked at her

"..i don't know what's going on.. ..but.. i don't want to stop seeing you"

Yihyun told her as he leaned closer to her and held her in his embrace

As the tender moment unfolded between Yihyun and Ah Yerin, The form of Soojin, now transformed into the monstrous entity of a Kimchi like Monster,  With each lumbering step, the creature traversed the dimly lit hallways of the school, its presence casting a chilling shadow over the scene

"..Yihyun.." Yerin muttered his name quietly as she is embraced by him

"Yerin.." Yihyun muttered her name as well as he embrace her, While they were hugging, a head creeped out of the classroom door, seemingly distorted, it stretched it's limbs out to their way, Yihyun held Yerin tightly as he move out of the way, they successfully dodged the attack.. but,

The Urn which had her cremated ash were shattered by Soojin/Monster