“Seriously?!” Yongguk scowled and hit the steering wheel with the palms of his hands. The van they’d been using, had rented from a supposedly reputable source, had decidedto die on the side of the road. It started with a sputtering of the engine, then the engine light coming on, and then….stopping. No matter how many times Yongguk turned the key the engine just clicked. They weren’t going anywhere.

                “Calm down,” Jieun said next to him, placing her hand on his arm, “I just got off the phone with Himchan. They’re swinging back around to pick us up.”

                “This trip isn’t exactly what we planned, is it?” He laughed in frustration, hitting the steering wheel one more time before slumping in his seat, “First the noises, the sleepless nights, Jongup, Daehyun…actually, this seems pretty silly compared to the rest, eh?” He smiled at Jieun who laughed lightly as well before leaning over to kiss him.

                “Yuck! No PDA!” Youngjae called from the back seat.

                “Aww, stop, they’re cute together!” Hyosung chimed in.

                Yongguk rolled his eyes and turned to regard those in the back seat. Youngjae and Daehyun were in the very back. Zinger and Hyosung had taken the middle seat. Himchan offered to drive the other vehicle with Sunhwa, Jongup, and Zelo.

                “How’re you doing?” He asked Daehyun who was currently wrapped in a blanket. The poor guy looked ready to fall asleep any moment. However every time he seemed ready to nod off he’d shake himself awake. This was becoming a concern.

                “…better…”

                “You should get some rest…”

                “No!” He snapped at Zinger. The girl looked hurt for a brief moment before frowning and reaching back to knock the boy on the head.

                “Hey!”

                “You’re scaring your friends here to death. Stop being a baby and fess up or go to sleep.”

                Yongguk watched as the other boy glanced around from Zinger to Youngjae to him, and bow his head in embarrassment. After a moment he looked back up. Yongguk had never seen anyone look so tired in his life. Had Daehyun really not been sleeping? He was beginning to regret ever listening to Himchan and taking this trip…

                “I have nightmares…” Daehyun began, keeping his gaze down at his hands, “…terrible, horrific nightmares.  Sometimes I’m walking through a sunflower field,” Yongguk didn’t miss Youngjae tense up a little at the mention of sunflowers, “and sometimes around that house…but every time,” he covered his face with his hands, running them over and through his hair, “every time I see this girl. She’s watching me, staring at me, like she’s accusing me or…or I don’t know.”

                “Sweetie, you should have said something,” Hyosung sighed, “I mean, we all have bad dreams sometimes…”

                “No, I have them anytime I remotely start to fall asleep!” Daehyun said more forcefully, “Even if I take a small cat nap I see her!”

                “Daehyun, calm down…”

                “I’ve been trying to be calm this entire time! You’re the ones who wanted to know what’s wrong with me!” He shouted at Yongguk, “And I think Jongup’s going through it too! You think he just had a little night terror? There’s something not right about that house! And it’s got something to do with a sunflower field!” He heaved in deep shuddering breaths.  An uncomfortable silence followed. Yongguk really didn’t know what to say to any of this. Zelo had said something along these lines but…

                “I saw her too.”

                All eyes turned to Youngjae. He looked incredibly uneasy as he spoke, not looking at any of the others. He finally looked up at Yongguk and continued.

                “That time in the store. I was just in the bathroom…and it was like a waking dream…”

~~~

                “Seriously?!” Himchan groaned in frustration and slammed his hands against the steering wheel of the car. They’d just pulled into the house’s driveway when he’d received the call from the others that they were stranded. While Sunhwa and the others went back inside he’d tried to turn back around but the car wouldn’t start.

                “Himchan,” Sunhwa called from the front door, “I’ll call a tow truck from town to pick them up!” With that she went back inside.

                He groaned again in frustration and reached for his phone to call Yongguk again. He’d have to tell him the ETA, what happened…

                “…I hate my life…” he stared in mild disbelief at his phone as it died: the battery was out. Sighing he slid out of the car and went back to the house. Just as he touched the knob a gust of cold air swept up from behind him. He looked over his shoulder and the cold air went past his face.               

                “What the…?”

                A sudden scream broke through the air from inside the house. He rushed in to meet Sunhwa who was staring at her phone in something akin to horror. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, before she shoved the phone in her purse and smiled at him shakily.

                “Sorry, I just saw…saw something scary. One of those videos that pop out at you!” She laughed nervously before retreating further into the house. Puzzled, and a little unnerved, Himchan made to follow her when a voice called out to him:

                “It wasn’t a video. It was a voice mail or something,” Jongup seemed to emerge from the shadows, making Himchan jump in a little in shock, “Sorry.”

                “Why are all of you out to scare the hell out of me?”  The elder grumbled.

                “But look what we found!” Zelo suddenly said from behind him and Himchan jumped again.

                “I swear the next time one of you does that…” Himchan grumbled and turned to glare at Zelo…only to jump back at the sight of the rusting knife in his hand, “What the hell?!”

                “Hear us out. Sunhwa had just received a phone call and then she screamed. I think the girl must have called her or something.”

                “Girl? You’ve been acting really weird lately Jongup. What is going on?”

                Jongup shifted a little from foot to foot, looking uneasy. He swallowed a few times until Zelo nudged the older boy encouragingly. Not losing his nervousness for moment, Jongup finally looked ready to speak.

                “What happened…”

SLAM!!

CRASH!!

BAM!!

~~~

                Yongguk stared at the two boys incredulously. Did he just hear them right? Was this really happening?

                “So…what you’re saying is,” Yongguk spoke slowly, his brain still processing everything the boys had told him, “You’re haunted by a ghost?”

                “Don’t talk to us like we’re crazy,” Youngjae frowned deepened. While Youngjae looked upset, Daehyun looked relieved. The more in depth Youngjae went into his story the less troubled Daehyun appeared.

                In spite of his own disbelief, Yongguk didn’t believe that either of the other boys would lie about something like this. Youngjae might enjoy a prank now and again, but he never would drag poor Daehyun down like this. But the implications of what they were saying…he wasn’t sure if he was ready to accept them.

                “Yongguk,” Jieun said quietly, her hand tight on his arm, “we should get back soon. I’m worried about the others.”

                “I’m sure Sunhwa’s going to be a little upset by us up and leaving,” Hyosung spoke next, “but if you and your friends are THAT spooked, it’s probably not a good idea to stay.”

                “We can stay at my place,” Zinger offered, “my parents are on vacation. We’ll go back home tomorrow.”

                “That sounds like a…” Yongguk stuttered to a stop. He’d glanced in the rearview mirror. Standing behind them, one hand on the window and head bowed was a girl. As she slowly turned and walked away, the hand that was laid on the glass dragged across it, squealing and leaving behind a smudge of something. Judging by the looks of surprise/horror on the rest of the group’s faces Yongguk knew he wasn’t the only one who heard it.

                “Hey!” Yongguk was out of the car, “Wait!”

                He rounded to the back of the vehicle only to find no one. All that had been left on the window was a dark smear…and Yongguk knew it was blood… he went back into the driver’s side and reached in to grab his phone. He tried his best to hide the slight shake in his hands. The feeling of dread and fear that overtook him was unmistakable. Someone once said that seeing was believing…and Yongguk had just seen a ghost…

                “What was that?” Jieun questioned him but Yongguk was too distracted by his phone to answer, “Yongguk!” The group was in a slight state of panic, asking each other questions and reaffirming what they’d each heard and some seen. Daehyun looked even paler, bowed over and breathing shallowly while Youngjae tied to calm him down.

                “No...nonononono, now she’s here when I’m awake…”

                Yongguk barely heard Youngjae say something to him. He was trying to call Himchan…and received no response…then Jongup…no response…Zelo….the same…they each went straight to voicemail.

                “Someone call Sunhwa!” He barked in frustration. However he didn’t have to wait long: Hyoung was already dialing before he spoke.

                Their ears were suddenly filled with the screech of static that erupted from the cell phone after Hyosung pulled it away.

                “Start damnit!” Yongguk tried the key again in the ignition. They needed to get to the others right now.  To his relief the vehicle sputtered to life and they were off, Yongguk not caring about a speed limit or other drivers.

                The needed to get to that house…and leave.

~~~

                The moment the noises stopped the house was plunged into darkness. This was followed by Sunhwa’s scream from somewhere within. The three boys each took off in a different direction: Himchan and jongup upstairs while Zelo went to check the back of the first floor. Himchan was half-way up the stairs when something cool once again brushed past his face. He froze mid step, nearly losing his balance, and looked around frantically, trying in vain to see something in the darkness. The remains of the faint dusk light were fading quickly and it left Himchan with no sight. Jongup had already made it to the top and took off to the left. Shaking off the uneasy feeling, Himchan followed and went the opposite direction once he reached the top.

                “Sunhwa?!” He called out. He’d just taken a couple of steps into the hall when a small voice called out to him from the end of the hall.

                Himchannie…

                At the very end, barely visible, was a figure of a girl. The air was quickly turning icy. He couldn’t see her features at all…but he knew Sunhwa didn’t have such straight hair…she took a step closer and Himchan wanted to step away, run away even. However it felt like his body was just a frozen as the cold air around him.

                …you came…

~~~

                Zelo stopped short of the back door. It was shaking and someone was pounding on it. He rushed to try and open it but to his shock every time he unlocked it something forced it to relock. He gave the door one last tug before giving up on it and going for the window.

                “Sunhwa!”

                “Zelo?” Her scared voice said behind him. Zelo spun around. Sunhwa stood behind him, a small flashlight in hand. She looked just as terrified as her voice would have you expect.

                “Wait...but…” At that moment someone or thing slammed against the door causing the pair to jump back away in fright. And then…it was silent…

                “Zelo…what is that…?” She asked suddenly, pointing the flashlight to his hand. He was still holding the knife they’d found in the lake, “why are you holding a knife?” She asked frantically, taking a hesitant step towards him. Before Zelo could answer he heard a tapping behind him. Suhwa looked over his shoulder…and her eyes went wide. Reluctantly Zelo followed her gaze…and met the eyes of someone staring at them with a dead gaze from the other side of the window.

                Sunhwa grabbed the knife from Zelo and threw it at the glass, shattering it. What sounded like a heart wrenching sob echoed away as the glass shattered…

~~~

                “Sunhwa!” Jongup called out, throwing open doors to the bedrooms one after the other when he didn’t find the older girl. He’d briefly looked into his old room and seeing her absent from it left it, shutting the door behind him.

                “Sun…!”

                He’d barely taken two steps away when the door to the room reopened slowly. Footsteps followed and the door slammed shut again. The door was now rattling, like someone was beating on it…and Jongup suddenly had flashes of the nightmare…the knife plunging into his hand…

                …and then the scream from within…

                He literally kicked the door open again and rushed in, fearing that whatever the girl was had somehow dragged Sunhwa into the room. The moment he entered he saw a pair of legs vanish beneath the bed. Despite his better judgment Jongup ducked down and looked beneath it, ready to pull Sunhwa out or face whatever it was under the bed.

                Instead all he saw was wide, terrified eyes that vanished into the darkness…

~~~

                “GUYS?!” Yongguk’s voice shouted from outside the darkened house. Himchan blinked once and the girl was gone from the hall. Like something had been lifted the home the lights flickered back on. He heard the front door open and the others run in, calling out to all of them. He then heard Sunhwa and Zelo’s voices filter up. Then Jongup’s…

                “KIM HIMCHAN!!” Hyosung called out in a panic. That broke him from his reverie and he turned to rush down to meet the others.

                Everyone looked pale and terrified.

                He’d had enough.  

                “Oh no! Your hand!” Jieun said nearby. Jongup’s hand was bleeding profusely again, dripping onto the floor.  Yongguk rushed over to the younger as well.

                “Crap…how did this happen…?”

                “Look, I know all you ‘adults’ want to find a reasonable explanation for this,” Zelo spoke out, “but Daehyun looks like he’s going to pass out,” he pointed at Daehyun who was leaning heavily on Youngjae, “Jongup’s going crazy and now is getting injured,” and finally he pointed to himself, “and I just saw something in a window. Screw this. We need to leave. Like, right now.”

                “He’s right,” Zinger added, “whatever is going on here is not good. Let’s just grab out stuff and get back to town.”

                “Agreed,” Youngjae said next, making for the door with Daehyun in tow, “I’m going to the car with him can you grab our stuff?”

                “Not a problem,” Hyosung motioned for Zelo and Zinger to follow her as she went to start gathering their bags.

                “Wait, wait,” Sunhwa interrupted them, “maybe we’re all just overeacting?”

                “I’d feel a whole lot better if you were out of the house,” Himchan said to Sunhwa, “at least for tonight.”

                “Oh, well…but Himchannie thank you for worrying about me,” she reached out to wrap her arms around his shoulders…

                …and Himchan barely had a second before Sunhwa was ripped away. She fell flat on her face to the wood floor. Before Himchan could register what was happening one of her legs lifted slightly…and Sunhwa was pulled across the wood floor towards the stairs by some unseen hand.

                “HIMCHAN!” She screamed, clawing at the floor trying to stop herself. He rushed after her, but she was dragged so fast that she was already at the stairs, She grabbed onto the first step frantically trying to get away but was yanked again, her head hitting the step with a thud. Still screaming Himchan watched in horror as she was dragged out of his reach and up the stairs. Her head and body was hitting the steps harshly, Sunhwa letting out pained and terrified screams the whole way. Himchan scrambled up the stairs, hearing the others moving behind him.

                As he hit the top step something suddenly, and unseen, shoved him backwards. Yongguk grabbed him before he could fall while Hyosung rushed past them after Sunhwa who was still screaming. A door slammed and her screams became muffled by the door. Back on his feet Himchan ran after Hyosung and Yongguk. They finally found the screaming girl locked in a bathroom at the farthest end of the hall.

                “LET ME OUT!!” She sobbed, banging on the door from the other side.

                Yongguk tried to batter the door down, slamming his shoulder into it. Himchan then joined him, the pair unable to force it open however. Hyosung was trying to calm Sunhwa down, speaking to her soothingly though her voice wavered enough to indicate her own state of panic.

                “She’s in here! Leave me alone! Oh GOD!!!”

                “Leave her alone!” Himchan shouted, trying the door again unsuccessfully, “Whatever you are let her go!”

                Without warning the door slammed open, narrowly mssing the trio outside it. A blast of cold air rushed past them followed by a pained wail and the sound of glass shattering. After a moment the air and sounds stopped. Hyosung rushed inside to console a sobbing Sunhwa who had collapsed to her knees on the floor, blood covering her injured face and body. The mirror inside the bathroom had been shattered, some of the shards having cut the poor girl. As Hyosung managed to get Sunhwa to her feet, Yongguk and Himchan exchanged a look.

                They were out of that house in less than five minutes. 

A/N: So...what do you lovely readers think? Oh the story isn't quit over yet....bwahaha...

Also, I'm advertising my bestest friend's new story/apply. If you like horror, supernatural, dark sort of things please take a look. ^^ 

Dark World

The next few chapters should flow a little more quickly. This one was just a biatch...Questions? Concerns? Comments = energy to wriiiiite. ^^