The Witness

The cab arrived not far from the restaurant. Eun Ji could hear the sound of Bo Mi saying ‘goodbye’ with her hand waved in the air. She replied back at her and looked at her shadow into the cab as it slowly became distant to her vision.

Outside the sidewalk had stopped the busy bustling full with transportations and pedestrians. Her eyes impatiently looked at her watch. God, it almost midnight. She regretted that she refused Bo Mi’s suggestion of calling a cab. At first she thought that her house―her brother’s house―was not far from Mak Dong’s, so originally she wanted to have a walk, if she was lucky enough, she would have seen first snow falling from the skies, since it was December.

Cold and chilly spiked to her skin piercing the thick long sleeve solid-black colored hooded cardigan. The coldness had kissed her, she shivered from it and murmured, “Ah, it’s cold.”

Creaking of rusty railings was shrilled to Eun Ji’s ears and drew her attention to turn her back. She was glad to see that it was Mak Dong—what did she expect—“Mak Dong, I see you are closing, huh?”

“Yeah,” he said, it was a bit hard for him to move here and there since he weighed too much, he pulled the left-side railing to meet its partner and the stridently sound made Eun Ji having goose bumps all over her body, “my wife is waiting for me at home. You know how girls are so afraid their husbands go cheating behind them. She’s too overprotective.”

Eun Ji giggled. “It’s your luck to have such a good wife.” she went up and helped Mak Dong pulling the other side railing.

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

After he locked his beloved restaurant, leaving it at its most safe condition, he was about to go back to where his wife was waiting but before he vanished, he said, “Eun Ji, be careful, you know, these days, especially on nights, particularly, you are a girl…”

“Aigoo,” she gave a light smack to his fatty arm, “you sounded more like father back at home, I know how to take myself, I am just about to go, don’t worry.”

He smiled then left.

Eun Ji sighed.

Her legs started to walk either her mind wanted to follow or not. Frankly, she was still waiting that person to come. Stop thinking nonsense, Jung Eun Ji, he won’t come. He won’t come. He won’t come. She was being pathetic.

It was then, the air became thicker than before, coldness had pierced her deeper than just on her skin—her bones—the sickening smell of metal and dirt was all over the place as she was supposed to smell something more like fried chicken instead of those. She couldn’t help but having an ominous feeling covering her, horror was surrounding her.

All her life, she had never ever liked horror movies, death, murdering, blood shattering… she was afraid of those things. Being alone was the most frightening thing for her to do. She remembered when she was little—Yong Hwa had always made fun of her because she was afraid of ghost. Although she was tomboyish, and have that courageous attitude, but still she was afraid of such supernatural things and violence.

Her legs were halted. Eyes were straightened to one direction, the darkness indeed blurry her visions but she could still get a hold of the image—a man, he was tall wearing black, but his body proportion was not too clear because he was squatting. The weak illumination from the old neon lights had her curiosity liven up more than the scare she felt, she steadied her steps, and moved closer to have a better look. She passed the closed pawn shops due to the late time and closer to the man’s direction.

He had that mask covering his nose and mouth, but she could feel his gaze were cold, the eyes of a hunter preying his target. What was below him made Eun Ji’s agape in astonishment as if mangled—a woman around her 40s, afro hairstyle, a bit of ahjumma sense, lay down hopelessly on the ground, bruises on her neck was visible signs of strangulations, her forehead had stumbled and there blood was drizzling down to her face, she seemed to be alive, still alive for the moment.

“Spare… Spare me…” Her voice cracked.

The man’s eyes narrowed—Eun Ji could tell that he was grinning—and he played the mahogany handle blade which would be a fine blade for chopping meat. He spoke in coldness that gave an eerie touch to his every words, “I don’t just want to kill you, I want to have fun with you, tomorrow your name will be in papers and I will get famous, so will you. I want to hear your cries in this chilly weather, the more you scream, the better-off I am—you as agony rain for my first snowfall in this year’s December.” He chuckled, “I don’t need your apologizes, and you don’t need my forgiveness. May God be with you.” He then ran a hand with blade to the woman and a loud cry of pain and fear was heard in that night. As more stabs were placed on her body and a louder scream was heard.

Click. A slight sharp sound from the camera caught by the man’s ears, he turned his back. His cold stare were at someone behind stacks of vegetables delivery dirty boxes.

Eun Ji heart stopped beating. She couldn’t remember whether she was breathing or not. She ran her eyes on her hands. Jung Eun Ji, what on earth have you done?