Footsteps echoed her as she continued to run down the hallway. Broken glass from the windows dug into her bare feet as she ran but at that point she was more focused on escaping.

She had to get out.

There was no light, other than the moon that was shrouded by the clouds and she didn’t know how far away she would get. The hallway seemed to grow longer, going on forever and when she heard the happy tune behind her, a burst of energy jumped forth.

Right in front of her eyes, she saw a door come into her view. Her way out, just beyond her reach and quickly she grasped the lever to push it open. Without so much resistance she stepped outside. Her lungs took in deep breaths of the cold night air as she scanned the forest trees. She didn’t know where she was or how she got there but she had to run. Branches whipped her arms as she trekked deeper into the forest but she didn’t care. She hardly even felt the sting.

The tune only grew louder and she panicked even more, pushing herself even harder even though she knew the bottoms of her feet were torn. She was so close to freedom that she couldn’t stop now.

However the fact she didn’t look where she was going, it only took a second that she fell over a root and onto the leaf covered ground. The impact made her cry out and tears trickled down her face when she realized she gave away her position.

With shaking hands, she pushed up onto her knees and crawled to hide under the foliage of one of the trees. She covered with her hand, trying to keep herself from gasping as she strained to hear the tune that haunted her. It was too dark to see anything around her and it seemed so quiet.

Maybe she was safe.

Her eyes closed on her own accord and she laid her back onto the trunk of the tree with a sigh.

Safe.

It was then a warm hand grasped her ankle and her body froze as the presence behind her let out a deep chuckle.

No.

“Nice try darling, but game over.”

She screamed.

*

*

*

“! I died,” Baekhyun whined as he let his hand that held his phone fall onto his side and onto the bench he was sitting on.

Sora chuckled at her friend’s antics. “Isn’t that the fifth time you died?”

“Eight actually, but who’s counting?” Baekhyun replied with a pout. “So apparently I just at games.”

Sora snorted, he wasn’t kidding. The times she and Sehun would play against him in something as simple as Super Smash Bros, they’d both win over him so easily that it was laughable.

It was then though that Sehun added his cent into the conversation. “Well there’s this new one you might come across.”

“What?” Baekhyun asked, curious. Despite the fact that he was bad at games, never did stop him from trying.

“It’s stupid in a way, no one downloads it and it chooses players at random, appearing on their phones like magic—some automated system does it probably. From what I hear, it sounds pretty cool and there’s not much chance of losing.”

It was as if a fire had lit within his eyes as Baekhyun soaked up the information given by Sehun like a sponge.

“I need to get this game.”

Sehun rolled his eyes. “I said that it choose players randomly. Try listening for once okay?”

“Speaking of listening actually,” Sora butted in at that point. “Did you hear the news last night?”

The boys at that point stopped their bickering and nodded sombrely when Sora mentioned it.

Each month for the past four months, an individual would vanish, a pattern—first a young man, then a young woman and just last night, it was a woman that went missing.

The police had no leads so far of who was abducting them especially when each victim who disappeared had no prior connections whatsoever, especially since they didn’t even live in the same areas. The only connection all of them had though was the fact they would be found lying on the ground, a black cloth laid over their face with their hands crossed against their chest. The weapon that killed them held in their own hands and it varied depending on the surroundings: a sharp rock, an old brick, a rusted knife even.

Despite having the murder weapon at their disposal, forensics was always unable to pull off prints because the killer wore gloves and no matter how much they would search the surroundings, there was no evidence of another individual—of the murderer being there.

Because of that, the police didn’t even know if the serial killer was a man or woman, young or old, and thus after the second abduction and their tell-tale sign they left behind, the public dubbed the name “Shadow” upon the murderer.

It was only expected that quickly following the name, came the city curfew. Stores closed at the strike of nine, and doors shut even earlier than that. The whole city was on lockdown and despite that, the murders still happened.

Sora knew enough however that law enforcement was scrabbling, that they could do nothing. Her uncle was a member and while he never disclosed anything to her, she could tell by the times she and her mother would visit him with containers of food (he didn’t have time to cook for himself) that it plagued his mind. His eyes were haunted and he no longer had that exuberance he once had before all the deaths started.

It’s not as if she could tell anyone what she deducted on her own. Everyone believed in the power and safety of authority, Sora unfortunately wasn’t one of them.

As Baekhyun and Sehun went laughed about something she probably didn’t pay attention to with such a carefree attitude exuding from the both after such a heavy choice of conversation, she wondered if it would ever stop.

If the Shadow would ever stop.

*

*

*

Baekhyun wasn’t worried, not as much as Sora would be every time she would come to school so anxiously but he assumed the reason she was like that was all the things her uncle may have told her. He could only imagine the gory details that he was luckily spared of.

For him, ignorance was bliss.

He saw the whole murderous spree as a novelty of sorts, something that had finally captivated his full attention in their dreary city and even though he knew the next victim could be someone that he knew Baekhyun was assured that it wouldn’t be.

There was no way the killings would come near.

It was like accidents and robberies, where stories would be on the news and he would recognize the street names or places, but it seemed so surreal.

All Baekhyun could think about every time the Shadow would appear as a headline was the fact he was grateful that it wasn’t him or someone close to him either.

It was a selfish and horrible thought, but it was the truth and Baekhyun would admit it honestly.

So, he continued on pushing away the fear that would be associated with the killer and made it a more approachable topic around the people around him because it made it easier.

Once again, ignorance after all was bliss.

“I think the killer is a female,” Baekhyun stated confidently after putting his phone away in his pocket.

“What makes you say that?” Sehun asked confused over a mouthful of ramen.

“Just think about it, why would anyone go out after curfew right? Unless it’s someone they assume is unsuspecting and safe, and then they let their guard down. Because let’s face it, most murderers are male so it’s none the wiser.”

“You just said it. Famous killers like Jack the Ripper, and Gap Dong—though fictitious—are male, so why would this be any different?”

Baekhyun just settled for a simple response. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

“But imagine it like this—I agree with you over the fact that it would someone who is unsuspecting—so the male doesn’t have a big build on his body, he seems weak, harmless even and he can charm his way into having someone letting their guard down. Do you see what I mean?”

“Women can be like that too!”

Sehun merely glanced at him, having already finished his lunch through their discussion. “Do you have something against the other ?”

“No, but there’s still a 50/50 chance it could be either.”

“Okay, so let’s say your theory is right—” Sehun started, “how old do you think they are?”

“I would think around the ages of the victims and us because it’s the least suspecting. When you see someone older than you, of course you’re going to be wary of them, and someone younger can’t possibly have the strength to bring you down so it all falls into place.”

“I don’t agree. I feel like if you have enough willpower and when the circumstances match, no matter what age, it can be really surprising what you’re able to do in a certain amount of time from adrenaline alone.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “But to consistently do that every single month? That’s scarring for such a young kid.”

“Some of the most evil people in the world are cultivated from the way they are brought up,” Sehun noted. “Think psychopaths, their minds are chaotic and it can lead them to do scary things.”

“I still stand by my theory—the Shadow is definitely a female,” Baekhyun answered.

Sehun just rolled his eyes; his friend knew that there was no convincing him otherwise once he put his mind to it and so eventually Sehun let out a sigh. When Sehun opened his mouth to say something however the bell rung throughout the school signalling their next class and so quickly, the boys packed their things.

It was only when Baekhyun was sitting in his seat and mulling over their theories, that he finally noticed that Sora didn’t even say a single word during that time.

*

*

*

Games were fun.

The Shadow loved them and those they picked were always willing to play.

The people were curious, and just loved to be ordered around all day. That was until they realized what they were getting into. By then, the Shadow didn’t give them a choice anymore—it was simply do or die.

A laugh filled the room.

It was now time to choose another victim, someone who would know nothing, innocent and naïve. Someone the Shadow would delightfully crush beneath their hands. They knew everything there was to know about the game and so while the Shadow never cheated, they would always be sure that the odds would be in their favour alone—the precautions, and the setup of it all. The worst was the waiting, but the Shadow would endure just to see their faces fall.

The Shadow desired to see their desperation and bask in their fear. How they anticipated to watch the life drain out of their eyes as they realized there was no way out.

But the people chosen asked for it and they wanted to play.

Too bad for them, it would always be “game over”.

*

*

*

Concern filled Sora the next day when she saw Sehun but didn’t see any sign of Baekhyun. Normally she would have brushed it off as him being home because he was sick or something similar to that but ever since the killer appeared, she grew paranoid.

“Where is he?” Sora asked Sehun once their biology teacher told them to get to work.

Sehun shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe he skipped?”

Sora frowned at the answer. It wasn’t what she wanted to hear especially since she knew that Baekhyun despite being quite the joker took his classes very seriously and if he could help it, he would try to go to school. Now that he wasn’t here for the first time in a long while, Sora’s mind filled with scenarios she truly dreaded.

Now that a girl had died, it was a young man’s turn. 

Was Baekhyun the next victim?

She couldn't think about that, but it was a thought that crept into her mind throughout the whole day. Because of that, it wasn't long before she found herself at Baekhyun's house, and knocking on his door.

Sora stepped back when the door swung open and out stepped his mother. His mother quickly recognized the girl as she spent much time at his house with Sehun—they were of course the best of friends.

“Yes Sora?” Mrs. Byun asked, “What is it?”

“Is Baekhyun home?”

Mrs. Byun nodded. “Of course, why do you ask?”

“It's just he wasn't at school,” Sora answered nervously.

“He's sick honey, but I'm sure he would appreciate the visit. Why don't you go upstairs?”

Sora nodded, it was a long while since Baekhyun fell ill, and she could only imagine how annoyed (on top of sick) he must be.

Venturing up the stairs, Sora came to a stop at Baekhyun's door which was closed. The familiar 'Hazard' sign was in front of her and she smiled.

Once she knocked on the door, she could hear rustling inside and a shout of "Wait a minute!" before it opened a few minutes later with Baekhyun shrouded in a blanket, looking quite ruffled and sweaty.

Sora felt sorry for her friend.

“How is it?” Sora then inquired, stepping into his room and placing herself in his computer chair.

Baekhyun followed her and went to seat himself on his bed.

The male shrugged at the answer before letting out a cough. “It but what can I do?”

“Well least you're at home.”

“Why?” Baekhyun said confused, “Where else would I be?”

“It's nothing, just me worrying,” Sora replied rubbing her head. She couldn’t help it, she always assumed the worst.

Baekhyun let out a sigh before giving her a small smile that seemed to give him pain. “I'm fine okay?”

Sora eventually nodded but eyed the male with caution. “Okay. Anyways I better leave you to rest.”

“That'd be the best.”

“See you tomorrow?”

“For sure.”

Sora soon left Baekhyun's house more relieved but still wary. As she glanced at her phone to see the time, she widened her eyes and quickly hurried her way home.

She wouldn't want to be out after curfew.

*

*

*

When Baekhyun didn’t go to school that day, he instantly felt a sense of guilt because he never missed a day but he had to stay home because he was hooked.

So he started the lie, first it was with his mother then the school and everyone else.

He should have expected that Sora would worry for him, especially when he wasn’t the type of person to skip.

He wasn’t sick at all but he had no choice.

It wasn’t his decision to make as he was forced to do it.

That was what the game said for him to do, and he had to listen.

It made it feel more dangerous, as if he was in on a secret that no one else was supposed to know and it filled him with a thrill that other games didn’t give him so he lied.

It was as if he was a spy and he felt giddy just thinking about it.

After he won, which of course he would, he would tell Sora that finally things went his way.

Baekhyun would conquer the game that no one could.

His friends would no longer laugh at him especially since Sehun was playing the game also.

He would beat him and revel in that.

Pressing on his keyboard, Baekhyun turned to the computer in front of him.

The screen was black for a second but soon enough the words appeared:

Do you want to play?

Baekhyun smiled, and then clicked yes.

*

*

*

As Sehun ran towards the store two blocks from the corner of his house, he was amazed by the things he did for his kid sister. Ran was as sweet as can be but when it came down to it, she could manipulate anyone into doing what she wanted. Not that Sehun really minded getting her the strawberry milk she always loved, the only thing was he had to get there before the city curfew and that was the reason why he was running.

His parents would also throw a fit if they realized that he left but it was a quick trip and he’d be back home before they even knew he was gone.

Luckily for Sehun, the store was still open and he was able to buy a few cartons of the drink. Once he put the items on the counter, the owner looked at him with slight disproval.

“Isn’t it a little late for you to be out young man?” he asked.

Sehun shrugged. “I don’t live too far from here, so it’s okay.”

“Well then,” the owner said with a nod, “have a safe trip regardless.”

“You too,” Sehun responded with a smile before exiting out of the store and watching the owner turn over the sign that would signify that he was closing.

After the little trip, Sehun didn’t feel as though he was in a rush to get back home right away and so he took his time walking back.

Staring at the stars that shone so bright, Sehun felt peaceful as if the lights were protecting him and more relaxed than he had been in a while. It was a first that the night didn’t seem as intimidating ever since the curfew and despite the fact time was ticking down before he should officially be at home, Sehun wasn’t in a rush.

The roads and sidewalks were empty by then and the only thing that Sehun could hear was the steady rhythm of his shoes against the concrete. In a way it felt as though he was the only person in the world but he knew that he wasn’t. Behind the closed drapes and double locked doors were families and citizens frightened of the killer.

Soon enough the thought brought him to ponder about his own family, and how concerned they would be if he wasn’t home before they learned that he left in the first place.

With a sigh, Sehun sped up his steps and as his house came into view he pause