kim minseok.

The only thing Minseok could remember was being numb and feeling trapped in ice. Next thing he knew, he stood in a city, confused and alone. It was cold. Wind and snow flurried around him. The wind was picking up speed. It whistled in the buildings around him, creating an eerie . Only a few streetlamps illuminated the ground. They were yellow. In his right hand was a skateboard and he had a backpack hanging from his shoulders. On his body, he wore a heavy winter jacket, a t-shirt, and shorts. He also sported a furry winter hat that slightly obscured his vision. He pushed it up. Strange enough, the wind did not affect any part of him; not his legs, through his thin t-shirt, or his exposed face and neck. He could feel the cold sensation, but at the same time it set his skin aflame. He blamed the warmth on his jacket.

He set the skateboard down. As he was taking the parka off his shoulders, he stopped when he heard a jangle from the bottom of his coat. He shrugged the jacket completely off and inspected the rim. Sure enough, attached by a fine string, was a ring holding a bunch of keys. He ripped off the keys and moved into the light. They were all identical in shape, size, and color, save for the teeth. A number was etched into the top of each: 99, 7, 00, 1, 10, 94, 88, 68, 12, 21, 61, and 4. Minseok mulled over them for a while, trying to find a pattern, but to no avail. He eventually gave up and put them in the pocket of his shorts. Then he took the backpack that had come off with the jacket. He opened the drawstring top and looked inside. There was a bracelet with a snowflake charm, a bottle of water, a remote, and a piece of paper. It all seemed so random.

Minseok took out the water bottle first, realizing how thirsty he really was. After he downed the whole bottle, he felt something fall into his mouth. He ripped the bottle from his mouth and spit it out into his palm. It was a small, squishy orb. He looked back to the bottle, surprised when he saw more at the bottom. How had he not seen them before? There were so many. Minseok returned the orb to the bottle and capped it. On the cap, the number twelve was written in black marker. He put it back into the bag, confuddled. What did all these numbers mean? Did they have to do with how he got to wherever he was?

He took out the piece of paper, hoping to find some more answers. Unfortunately, the paper said nothing except for an address and one direction: Xxx Road, Berlin - 99. It was just as vague as everything else he was finding. He sighed and looked up. The moon was covered with clouds. The night seemed so calm. That was until Minseok noticed a sign as his sight dropped to the ground. It was a little green sign on a metal pole that said “Xxx Road” that was barely readable in the street lamps’ light. Underneath it was a street running perpendicular to the one he was on.

Minseok’s eyes widened and he closed the bag. He tossed it over his left shoulder, picked up the skateboard, and held the parka in the other hand. He began to fast-walk to the intersection. When he got there, he looked left and right. To the right was a dark street that sent shivers running up his spine. On the left side, he could see a brighter light. Weighing his options, he opted for the left and began to walk. His pace quickened when he swore he heard footsteps, but maybe it was just his overactive imagination.

When he reached the light, he saw a garage that was locked. It was grimey. The door was splattered in spray paint and food. Animal droppings seemed to be sealing it shut. To the left of the garage was a door, equally as spray painted. The door’s original color was beginning to peel off. There was a rusty door handle and a window about Minseok’s height. It was not a particularly large window and when Minseok went to look inside, he found he could see nothing. Under the window was a small plaque. It said “99.”

He stared at it for a moment before taking the keys from his pocket and finding the key with 99 etched into it. He stuck the key into the lock, shaking the old handle a bit. It rattled with loose screws and metal. Minseok turned the key just a little more, and the lock gave a satisfying click as the door swung open.