Pulling out of the parking lot at almost a quarter to 10 on a random snowy night, I suddenly had the impression to stop by my friend Laci. I hadn't seen her in a few months because of filming and the single I put up recently, but now that I had a little free time, I missed her smile.

Driving a little ways out of town to where her apartment complex was, I looked for a parking space in the rear of the building in case snooping fans had tracked me here. Parking and climbing out, I suddenly gasped as the biting cold touched my face. Laci loved the snow. She had a thing for the cold weather and it never made her uncomfortable.

Trudging through the soft snow, the contact of it soaking into the cloth of my trouser legs and making my shoes wet already, I made my way inside and up to the nineth floor. Habit directed me to her room as I consciously didn't remember where she lived.

I found myself standing in front of her door and I knocked. When my first knock was not answered again, I went to knock a second time and her door swung open. Had Laci left it unlocked on purpose? Hesitantly, I let myself in and took off my shoes at the door.

Standing in Laci's apartment made me feel odd. It was like I was intruding and someone didn't want me in there. I unexpectedly shivered as a chill went up my spine. The front part of her apartment was vacant. Maybe she'd stepped out.

I heard a thud against the wall in the room to my left and immediately assumed she had "company". Why shouldn't she? Laci's incredibly attractive.

I decided to call out as I turned to go so as not to freak her out that there was another person hearing all her joys going on behind that wall.

"Laci! It's Tabi. I came by to check on you. I should have called first. Sorry about that. I'll go now."

My hand was around the handle and turning it when I heard Laci let out a blood curdling scream. A scream of pain and fear. I stopped dead in my tracks and turned slowly, my  body suddenly cold.

Without thinking about what I was doing, I let go of the door handle and ran to her bedroom, pausing just long enough to in a breath before jerking open the door to the room where the sound had come from just down a short hall.

The room was dark except for street lights and the room lights from the building across the street which shone through the window with the white curtains pulled back. The window's glass had been busted out and the room was freezing. I could see my breath. I didn't see Laci anywhere at first.

"Laci?! Laci!" I called out. The bed was empty. The small bathroom to my right was empty too.

I panicked. My heart felt like it would freeze up and stop beating. I could hear my pulse in my ears and my hands were sweaty.

"Tabi..."

At first, I thought I was imagining the weak whisper and that the dark and my panicked state where playing tricks on me. Until I heard it again.

"Tabi..."

I followed the whisper to the other side of the room near the window and by the lights outside I could barely make out a figure slumped on the floor against the wall.

 I dropped to my knees before her, "Laci."

Pulling her body into my arms I looked at her face, moving her hair aside.

"Laci. Look at me."

Slowly, Laci's green eyes focused on me and relief filled me.

"Tabi. I thought I was dreaming when I heard you," she whispered, clutching onto my suit jacket both her hands in a death grip.

"No. I'm right here. I'm really here," I said pulling her head up to my chest.

"I'm so scared, Tabi. All these dreams that I've been having. All the thoughts in my mind. Please hold me. Please don't let me go. Don't ever let me go," Laci began pleading and sobbing into my collar.

I held her tighter and rocked back and forth sitting on the floor of her room in the freezing cold air. It was dark and silent except for her sobs. Outside, the snow had stopped falling. Only the cold wind blew gently outside.

I sat there for almost an hour. Then she had another panic fit and started screaming again.

"No! The voices! I haven't done anything wrong! Please don't hurt me," Laci screamed, shattering the silence that had settled in the room.

I looked at her as she moved in my arms as if she were trying to get away from something in the shadows of her own room. Pulling out of my arms, Laci stood and put her hands to her head, staggering around the room, her breath coming out in huffs.

"Laci. Tell me what's wrong."

She stopped moving near the door and leaned against it.

"These voices...that I hear..." Laci explained slowly, holding onto her ears as if they bled, "These voices hate, Tabi. They hate everything."

I started toward her and she flinched. I stopped and put my hand out to her. I didn't want her to do anything stupid.

"Laci. It's going to be okay. It's going to be just fine. I promise."

She looked at me; ghost white from the lights outside. Her light green eyes looked so sad and tired of the battle going on in her head. I wanted to hold her again. Pull her into my arms and keep her close until the demons inside her mind gave up on her and went away. It broke my heart to see my old friend shatter in front of me. How long had she been degrading like this without my knowing? Why had it taken so long for me to come to her? Why hadn't I been here sooner?

"Tabi," Laci cringed in front of me and put her hands through her long hair and gripped her head as if trying to crush her own skull.

"Tabi. Please tell them to be quiet. I want to hear silence again. I want to hear only your voice, Oppa. Please," she whispered.

I stepped up to her before she could react and and took her hands from her head and held them.

Leaning close to her, I whispered to her left ear, "Voices. Go away. She only wants my voice in her mind," and I lightly kissed her temple.

Leaning to right ear, I whispered again,"Voices. Go away. She only wants to hear me," and kissed her other temple even through the hot tears that fell from my eyes. Laci looked down. I let go of her hands and they dropped to her sides as if they were lifeless.

Tears fell down my face in the dark silence of that bedroom. I felt so helpless for her. I had no idea how to save her from her own demons. I couldn't help her and I knew it. Standing in front of me, some one I wanted to be friends with for a long long time, was suffering.

Before I could stop her, Laci's head shot up and her eyes were wide open. Pushing past me, Laci ran to her own window and jumped up on the window ledge.

Right behind her, I shouted, "Laci, wait!"

She turned and looked at me. The lights from outside casted a halo around her head and put her face in shadow, but I knew how tired she was. I could feel it in those green eyes that once shown so brightly and happily.

"It's okay, Tabi," she whispered softly.

Laci reached out and touched my face.

"I'm going to remember your voice forever, now Oppa."

I didn't know what to do. I should have grabbed her and pulled her into a body-lock and try to keep her inside the room, but I was terrified and couldn't think clearly about anything. It was so damn cold! 

"Remember when you found me and held me close?" Laci asked, pulling me back into the present with her soft, tired voice.

"I remember."

"Good. Do me a favor, Tabi. Don't ever let go."

She dropped like a rock and crumbled the windshield and hood of my car, nine stories down.

I was so damn cold then.