chapter one; 

                 the first encounter

» Grey skies along with a heavy downpour of cold rain greeted the streets of Seoul. I sprinted towards the nearest bus stop, avoiding to get drenched. Hopefully, the heavens would pity me and stop their gigantic fountain from dripping.

My eyes scanned the place, hoping to see another lonely soul who suffers the same fate as I do.  No one.  Not even one creature in sight.  The cold breeze seeped through my pores, sending shudders down my spine.

“Excuse me, do you have some spare coins?” an old woman, suddenly came into view. The moonlight illuminated her wrinkly skin and dark eyes.

She looked so fragile and weak, if not for her hand touching my arms, I would’ve mistaken her for a ghost.

My hands searched through my pockets and luckily, I found what she needs. “Here you go, grandma. Please take care on your way home” she smiled with a cold, malicious glint in her eyes. It gave me goosebumps.

“Can you hold this for a moment? I need to get something from my bag” a doll wearing a Wonsam* was handed to me, about twice the size of a normal Barbie. 

The night sky matches the color of her eyes, it looks real...and alive.  She doesn’t have any dirt or scratches, like a recently manufactured product. I returned my vision to the old woman to check if she’s finished.

My whole body stood frozen to the ground, almost dropping the doll. I canvassed the entire area to make sure. To my surprise, it's for real.  I’m all alone. The old woman is nowhere to be found.

My heart was thumping wildly, beads of cold sweat started trickling down my forehead. I fixed my gaze at the doll. What am I going to do with this?  I don’t even have a younger sister to give it to. 

I decided to put her inside my bag, but something fell from the toy. A piece of paper. With unknown words written on it.

“Epeu ekseu bikeu toriya ambeu reu lu na seol li keu ri seu tal” I recited out loud, enunciating each word.

A giant crackle of thunder emerged the moment I uttered the last syllable. The gods must be punishing me for all my sins.  I looked back at the doll. It seemed to be smiling at me. A sinister one.

I woke up to the sunlight streaming through the thin curtains and on to my face. I cautiously opened one eye and almost jumped out of my own skin at the figure standing before me.

It’s a girl, with dark chocolate eyes piercing through my soul.  It's weird though, she's wearing a traditional clothing worn by queens and princesses during the Joseon Dynasty. I pinched my cheeks hard to make sure I wasn't dreaming. 

“Who are you?” I finally muttered. She smiled, the creepiest one I’ve ever seen in my entire existence. 

Although, I must admit, she’s undeniably beautiful. Her long, black hair falls on her shoulders faultlessly. Her face and body are perfectly sculpted, like a living work of art. 

“You don’t remember? Yesterday night…”  Damn, was I drunk last night? Don’t tell me I did IT with this girl? Geez, I screwedup big time, I can already  imagine my parents' reactions.

I placed my hands on my head, struggling to recall everything that has happened last night. 

The girl moved closer, probably losing her patience, “You brought me to life with that spell”  Wait... what? Spell?

And then it hit me. The eerie old woman and….the doll? My eyes flickered back to the girl, scanning her from head to toe. 

Dark eyes, check. Wonsam clothing, check.  Creepy smile.......A BIG CHECK. You’ve got to be kidding me.

I glanced at the door, thinking whether I should run for my life or let this living doll consume me.

A dark chuckle escapes from her lips like she read my train of thoughts "From now on, there's no turning back. You  have to stick with me for 30 days" My heart squeezed out an extra beat. 30 days? This is absurd. What is she going to do now? Possess my body for 30 days or will she order me to hunt for bodies she could devour?

Her dark pupils were like portals me in as she leaned closer, but still without any contact. She pinned me with a smug smile,

"Is that clear.....peasant?"

 AUTHOR'S NOTES