Inside a dark room.
As he opens his eyes, he thinks he is still in the dream. This place...
His eyes finally adjust to the darkness. This is a living room, but why is he here? Isn't he supposed to be sleeping in his bedroom?
He senses something strange. Like something is staring at him from above. A feeling so realistic, as if he can hear the sound of its breathing from above.
Something's up there and it's close.
But he's too scared to lift his head. This is absurd. If it's someone from behind, it may be his parents, but above... how can there be someone above?
He wants to say something, any noise will help alleviate the fear. Yet somehow he can't utter a word, as if something's stuck in his throat.
Then he feels an urge to piss. he wants to go to the toilet, but he can't move his body. The urge is getting stronger.
That thing above, if it's a real thing, what's it doing? Looking at me? The fear grows stronger as his heart beats faster.
His eyes has totally adjusted to the darkness. He can see the whole room. But what he sees gives him goosebumps all over his body. At the same time he feels a warm sensation below.
How can this be...no, this is a dream! His pupils enlarge and he opens his mouth wide. But there is no sound. As if he is being manipulated like a doll. No, maybe he did become a doll.
He can't understand. This is too real, and too horrifying. He realizes...
Ah. No, this should just be a dream.
He closes his eyes.
Wake up! Wake up from this nightmare! So he prays. But then he senses that thing is coming over to him. No, this is impossible!
If he opens his eyes, he will know if there's anyone in front of him, or perhaps any thing. And if there isn't anything, then it is a misperception. Perhaps if he opens his eyes, he is still sleeping in that warm bed.
But... what if it's real?
That feeling is getting stronger. That thing almost touching his face. No, impossible...
Is it breathing on his face? No, it's likely wind. He didn't make sure the window was closed.
Calm down. Stay cool. The he feels a drop of sweat slides from his forehead to his nose, and then another. his body is feeling abnormally cold. Right, body...
When he looked at his body before...
Impossible, it's not real.
He just has lift his eyelids a bit to open those eyes. But he's struggling on this decision.
Yes, it can't be real. It is definitely a mistake. he repeatedly recalls what he saw. Everything's becoming blurry in his mind. No matter how you think, it should be an illusion.
Confidence starts to build up, but the feeling of something looking at him is still there.
He opens his eyelids just slightly. There's only darkness.
It's too much of a torture to open his eyes bit by bit. He finally makes the decision.
Then at that moment, he opens his eyelids all the way.
In front of him...
-----
Li knew something horrible must have happened.
She has that ability since seven years ago. Every time she gets this feeling, something horrible happens.
Since she moved to this city three years ago, this ability to sense horror has decreased.
"Something must has happened yesterday." She looks through the papers on her hand and focused on a news.
This news arrived in her news agency this morning. Though she is not the reporter. so she can only analyze it through the interviews and photos.
It is about a murder in an apartment. The police is withholding information from the media. All they know is the victim is a high schooler, name Xie Xiaohao. According to interviews with the neighbors, they heard screams and cries from the Xie's apartment, and worried about something bad happened, so they called the police. After the police barged into the apartment, their reactions were strange. Within ten minutes, many police vehicles arrived, along with over ten medical examiners. The neighbors were curious, but the police formed a wall to block them from seeing anything inside. Even reporters were blocked from entering.
A truck was used to transport the corpse. It left with four police vehicles guarding at all sides. It's only the death of a high schooler, what's all the big actions for? Li knows there's definitely something wrong. This case invoked the attention of the media. It has been six hours since the event, and it's starting to appear on the internet.
Li recently got a raise, so she's treating her coworkers to lunch this day.
"I have a feeling it's something big." Zhao, the reporter of this case, said. "When I arrived there, a few police were guarding the entrance. I showed them my id and said I'm going in for interview. But he still wouldn't let me in. Then I saw a truck drove in there along with four police cars. I had to wait until the police left before I could go in. The victim's parents apparently gone insane after they found the body. An ambulance carried them away. The residents of the apartment are all in a panic."
The food is tasteless to Li right now. She sensed it, but she couldn't prevent anything.
Since a week ago, she sensed that in one week, in some place, someone will encounter something horrible. This feeling grew more intense with every passing day. Then last night she woke up from her dream and could vividly sensed it happened.
Then this morning, that feeling came back again. Tomorrow at night, another person will encounter the same fate.
"Zhao..." She has made the decision. "Are you going to follow this case?"
"Yes, the boss values this case, and orders me to investigate. And get something unique before the other agencies."
"Then can you let me do the interviews? I will give you the reports and you can even release them with your name. I can talk to the boss about this..."
The others are laughing. "Our role model is at it again."
"That's why she got a raise."
"Stop making fun of me..." Li is not in the mood to joke around, all she can think about are the interviews. If she can't find out in time, she can't prevent the tragedy happening tomorrow.
"Ok, stop with the tense face, Li." Zhao patted her shoulder. "I will go talk to the boss and give you this case. Of course it will be on your name."
"Thank you. Zhao."
"Hey, Li, look. Isn't that the new book by your brother?"
She looks at a table nearby, a couple is having their meal. There's a book on the table, called, , with the author's name Yi YunAn (An).
"Ah, Li. Why didn't you tell us your brother's new book is out. We would've went to buy one."
She smiled awkwardly, and think to herself. 'That's for your own good. My brother's books are not for normal people.'
She has been getting increasingly suspicious of the existence of ghost these years.
Her brother is a horror novel author. His books are best sellers within the country and even in HongKong and Taiwan. A company made one of his books into a movie.
-----
Back home at night. She can smell the deliciousness as she walks in the door. Her brother has always been good at cooking. As she walks into the kitchen, he's stir frying a dish.
He turns his head around and sees Li. "You're back. Go wash your hands."
Since their parents died seven years ago, they have been supporting each other.
During dinner.
"You took on a new case?"
"Yeah." Li is still excited. "I have only been able to report some weird looking animals or other small stuff these three years. But this time is different."
"Is this related to your premonitions?"
"Yes. You..."
An looked at Li with a serious face. "I don't want to lose you. We moved here because we want to get away from the past."
Li is silent, she puts down her fork, her voice shaking. "Have you forgotten? When dad and mom died..."
"Enough... That's the past. I want to start a new life with you."
"But you are also thinking over the same thing, aren't you? I don't want to keep running. Why can't we face our fate?"
"Listen, you better not follow this case."
Li said with dissatisfaction. "This same line! Every time I sense something, you tell me not to think about it. But in reality, people keep dying. And the police can't find anything. At least I won't to stop it. I don't want to see other people die... Just like dad and mom..."
"Stop mentioning seven years ago."
"Why? Why are you always running? Just like back then, you rushed through the funeral and got me out of the city. Then we moved around several times before finally settling here. You want me to forget the past, but I just can't do it..."
An sighed and said softly. "I beg you, ok? Li, we have a new life here. The past has nothing to do with us. If you continue to follow these things, I am afraid..."
"I don't want to run! I don't want to live in this fake comfort."
She doesn't know anything. She doesn't know the horror and despair of all this.
Chapter 3
An is staying home alone. Looking at the sky through the window, the air is gray and foggy.
Tonight... that person will die.
An knows about this. But why prevent it? What can this change? He only wishes to live peacefully with his sister. He's been in this city for three years and haven't made any friends. He knows that perhaps one day he will move somewhere else. He cut any connection with relatives and his past. All he has left is his name and those memory.
Foot steps coming through the door. He turns around and see the door opens. Li comes in with a stranger.
She quickly closes the door. "An... Do you have the same premonition ability? Tell me."
"What happend? I am totally lost."
Li looks outside the window. The sun is still there. She organizes her thoughts then tells him everything.
An gives Jin with a cold stare. He gestures her to leave. "Ms. Ren, I don't wish anyone to interrupt our peaceful life. We don't have anything to do with you and we don't have the obligation to help you. Please leave and don't come to us again."
"An, listen. I want to know the reason. We've been running away from that thing all these years, we didn't even go to our parents funeral. My life is full of darkness, how can you say that as peaceful? I want to know how dad and mom died."
Then Jin added.
"My father knows a lot. He told me one thing, and that thing can fulfill your deepest wish. Mr. Yi. Do you still want to me to leave?"
An is startled. He stares at Jin for a whole minute. "You know my wish?"
"Yes. There's nothing my father doesn't know. If you are suspicious, I can prove it tonight."
An's thoughts are racing. The terror of that day appears in his mind. As he is hesitating, he heard a seductive voice.
"Tell me, what is the name of the second person?"
He opens his mouth subconsciously.
"Zhang Jun."
-----
Jun is a college student that likes to party. He lives far away from the campus and walks to school.
Tonight, his friend's girlfriend is holding a birthday party.
Everyone is partying like crazy, playing poker, singing karaoke. Then people start to leave at 10pm.
"Isn't it curfew hour already for your dorms?"
"So what? We can climb in through the windows. Do you think the management really cares?"
Jun laughs. "That ponytail from biology department looks good. I may go date her, you guys want to bet a meal?"
"Why not."
After saying goodbye to his friends, Jun takes the bus and gets off near his apartment. He's taking the shortcut. At the same time, he feels an urge to use the toilet. Probably drank too much beer. He remembers a public toilet just in front.
After doing business, he comes to the door and finds that it won't open.
"What's wrong?" He pushes it. Is it broken?
The lights suddenly go off. The toilet is in a complete darkness. He usually likes to joke around about supernatural stuff. But this place is making him nervous.
He shouts. "Is anyone outside? I am locked inside here!"
No replies. He's regretting he took the shortcut. People don't usually go pass this place.
Why didn't I just hold it till I got home.
He kicks at the door. Then tackles it. But it just won't open. Let's see if there are any tools that can pry open the door. Otherwise I will have to spend the night here. But it's so dark. I can't even tell if there's anyone in front of me. He tries to search in the dark slowly.
-----
"Found it. A chemistry first year in the city college." Li is a reporter and has her sources of information.
An has the premonition ability, but different from Li's. He can form an image of the person that's going to die and see his name. He obtained this ability soon after his parents' death, just like Li. He saw Zhang Jun's face and the iconic statue of that college.
It was 10pm when they found his information from the school. Li used interview as an excuse to get the teachers to give her Jun's contact info. They even gave her the contacts of a few of his friends.
When she got in touch with his friends, they said he went to a birthday party with them then went home taking the bus. He's probably home already.
"We have to find him immediately."
Li and the other two get on the car and rush to his apartment. An is driving while Li keeps trying to call him.
-----
Jun receives a call in the toilet. Shit. Why didn't I think of cellphones, he curses. It's an unfamiliar number. "Hello, who's this?"
"Is this Zhang Jun? I can't explain it in brief. My name is Yi Yunli, a reporter. I would like to interview you. Are you currently home?"
"No..."
Jin snatches the phone. "Where are you? Are you in danger?"
"What... danger? I am..."
He stops. He hears something from the darkness. A heavy breathing. Even Jin could hear that breathing over the phone.
He jumps. "Who?"
No one answers. I should be the only one here, there was no one else when I entered. There can't be anyone else here.
He hurries back to the phone. "Help... Help me! I am in the public toilet near the intersection of GF and BT road. I can't open the door no matter what. You can ask people if you can't find it."
There's that breathing again. But this time, closer.
His phone suddenly plays a melody. Then it turns off. Out of battery? God, why now? But I remember I charged it before leaving the apartment this morning.
He freezes, afraid to take even a step, afraid of running into something. It's so dark here, there isn't even a window.
"Who... who's it. Stop... stop scaring me ok?"
He is shaking. Are there really ghosts in this world?
He hears the breathing again. It's so vivid this time because... it's right beside his ear!
He screams then starts running. He has lost his sense of direction.
That door, have to find that door and break it to get out!
Then he realizes something horrifying. This toilet is not even a hundred cubic meter big, but he has been running for five minutes without reaching any wall. God, how can this be? He doesn't smoke so there's no lighter. He has no way of making any light. Perhaps it's better that he can't see.
-----
After Jun hung up the call, An starts driving faster. His hands are full of sweat. He doesn't know who this woman is but she knows about their abilities. She said she can fulfill my wish, is that true? I have to save Zhang Jun first then ask her.
Jin keeps looking at her watch. She doesn't know when Jun will die but it's close.
-----
Jun is soaking wet from sweat. He has been running in every directions for ten minutes but he hasn't touched anything. He's regretting ever leaving that wall. It's also strange that his eyes still hasn't adjusted to the darkness after so long. As if his eyes are blinded. He couldn't even tell if someone is in front of him.
"Help...Help! No, I don't care who you are, please don't hurt me." Jun can't even stand right now. He's crawling on the ground. It's complete silence. He can't hear the echo of his own voice. What the heck is happening?
Then there comes the sound. He holds his breath, afraid to even move a finger. That something is not far behind him. Something crawling on the ground. It's getting closer. He's shaking, crawling away very slowly as if he makes any big movement, that thing will jump over.
-----
An's car arrives at the road, but the shortcut is too narrow for a car to drive in. "You two stay here. I will go take a look."
-----
It's getting closer. His hands and feet are feeling numb. His mind almost blanked out. Is it a misperception that the air is feeling thinner?
He reaches his hand out for another move. Then suddenly, he touches a freezing cold hand.
"Ahhhhhh" Jun can't understand why that thing is in front of him. His phone falls out of his pocket, then powers on with the screen facing the front of him.
Finally a source of light
-----
Finally found the public toilet. As An plans to tackle the door, it opens up with just a twist on the handle. It's a normal toilet with three rooms, a faucet, a mop laying on the wall, and a coiled up rubber tube on the ground.
An opens the toilet doors one by one. No one is inside.
"An!"
He turns around and sees Li and Jin. He frowns. "Didn't I tell you to wait."
"I'm sorry."
Jin is looking through the toilet, then she walks over to An. "We're too late."
"Who are you. What do you know?"
An stares at Jin. "Alright. I will tell you. Let's go back to the car."
An asked. "So… if we accept you to cooperate, will you be able to fulfill my wish?"
"Yes… I mentioned to your sister that those things will come get my life one day. My father wishes for me to live. That's why he is certainly searching for ways to save me somewhere. He had already noted one of the methods in his notebook, prevent the premonition from happening. If we can break free of the fate, then the premonitions will not overlap with reality and I can live on. This is the only way to dispel the curse. And your wish will be fulfilled."
An falls into a silence. These seven years were difficult. The terror never left him, taking away his courage to go on.
"Let me… consider it."
Li knocks him on the head and says. "What do you have to consider? Two people are dead! I warn you, if you continue to watch without helping, you are not going to be my brother anymore."
She turns to Jin and says. "That's decided. Let's cooperate from now on. Perhaps we can even find out where your father is. I will give you a call when I get another premonition."
"Ok… Then I will take leave."
"I will take you back." An says.
Chapter 5
The two of them run out of the apartment as if they are running for their lives. They even forget to return the keys as they drive off.
XiaPeng says. "I… I finally get why my supervisor emphasizes this case…"
"Don't. Stop… We didn't see anything. Nothing will happen to us…"
XiaPeng steps on the pedal all the way and keeps glancing at the rear view mirror.
At the same time, An senses XiaPeng's death in the near future. He immediately calls Li who was in the news agency and asks. "Li, I sensed the third victim. What about you? Did you get the time?"
"What? You already sensed it? But… I still haven't…"
XiaPeng is soaked in cold sweat when he finally reaches the police station. His coworkers see that paper white face of his and asks. "What happened to you? Not feeling well?"
He shakes his head. He recalls that when the station received that call and went to the apartment, it took a truck to transport the corpse back. Then the regional office ordered them to block off any information on the case. All they did was maintain order at the scene and not let anyone else see the corpse.
It was of course a lie when he told XueYan he didn't see the corpse. To be honest, he had never seen anything more terrifying during his years as a cop… and now what he saw in the apartment… he doesn't want to get involved with this case anymore.
"What do you mean by this?" The superintendent frowns as he stares at the request form to be swapped to another team. The regional office only gave them a month to solve this case.
All he is considering is how to send more people and add overtimes.
But XiaPeng replies. "If you don't allow me, I would rather go back to the anti-thievery squad."
"Are you trying to infuriate me? I got you promoted because I recognized your talents. And this is how you repay me? Do you know how much pressure I am taking from the higher ups? I can't even remember how many reporters I sent away these several days. Fine… Don't fucking come back!"
XiaPeng is ashamed of himself but the terror from that pair of eyes quickly devours his guilt. The eyes are still so vivid in his mind… that can't be his imagination!
His coworkers are puzzled that he's returning to the anti-thievery squad. Isn't he doing well in the crime squad?
"Are you having any difficulty here?" An older cop asks. "Or do you feel the work here is too dangerous?"
"No…no. I don't want to follow the Xie Xiaohao case anymore. You… better be careful too. That place isn't one that anyone should enter."
His words are strange but he isn't saying anything more. He packs his items in a cardboard box and leaves the office.
Sigh…Back there again…
He walks through the hall to the elevator and waits for it to come up. The door of the elevator is smooth as a mirror and reflects his face. His eyes are fixed on the number going up. Then he looks down at the box and as he raises his head again…
He sees a white figure standing next to him from the reflection on the elevator door! It's hands are slowing reaching for his neck!
"Ah---" He throws off the box and pulls his gun. Yet, there is only a wall to his left. He looks back at the elevator door and the white figure is nowhere to be seen.
-----
XueYan took the rest of the afternoon off from work and returned to her apartment.
As soon as she steps inside, she locks both locks on the door, the window locks, and covers the windows with curtains. But it feels too dark so she turns on all the lights. She lies on the bed and tries to sleep because of how tired she is. Half an hour later, she is still awake. The room is so quiet that the only noise comes from the clock ticking.
Suddenly, a puff of wind closed the bedroom door. She jumps off the bed in shock. The lights are flickering until they all die out.
"What… what's happening? Power outage?"
She decides to go check the fuse box. But the bedroom door just won't open. There isn't a lock on this door!
This darkness is making her feel unease. The whole situation is shrouded with a layer of strangeness. She licks her lips and walks carefully toward the window to open the curtains. Under the window is a wooden box stored with winter clothes.
She's only two steps away from the box when it moved on its own.
"Wah!" She falls to the floor and immediately crawls backward.
That… It's that thing! It followed me back!
The box is moving faster and faster and… it begins moving toward her!
"No…no!" She grabs a chair and runs toward the door. She starts hitting the door. The box is dragging faster. Only a few steps away now.
"Get away! Don't follow me… Please leave!"
She can't even find the strength to stand anymore and falls to the floor. The box opens at the same time she fainted.
"XueYan! Are you alright?" This is XiaPeng's voice.
"We… we can't stay here any longer. That thing followed us! It won't leave us! I… I should have listened to you."
That terrorized expression makes his heart clench and he asks. "Did you also…"
The doorbell suddenly rings and shocked the two of them. XiaPeng calms himself want walks over to the peephole. Outside the door is a young man and woman both of which he doesn't know. He opens the door and asks. "Who are you?"
"Sorry to bother you, officer Xia." The man said. "Our visit is abrupt but this is urgent. You are the officer that investigated the death of Xie Xiaohao, correct? We have something we must tell you."
"You are?"
"Let me introduce myself. My name is Yi RunAn. This is my… friend miss Ren Jin."
XiaPeng frowns when he heard about Xie Xiaohao. He doesn't know if he should let them in.
Jin says. "I can feel the that thing from your apartment. Did you encounter something strange recently?"
He feels like he grabbed onto the last straw and says. "Please come in. In fact, I…"
"I see."
An and Jin listened to his narration and understand this couple are the next two victims.
Li still hasn't received a premonition yet so they don't know when will he die.
"The key to dispelling the curse is to break the prophecy. If someone that is supposed to die at 12am but lives until 1am, then the cruse is broken. But I have never tried it since my premonitions don't give enough information."
"Will it go smoothly?"
"Don't know… but this is the only method."
XiaPeng and XueYan aren't looking well and don't know what to do.
Jin says. "Do you believe ghosts exist in this world?"
Their hearts skipped a beat. XueYan says. "You saw that thing too?"
"I saw a ghost before." Jin says without hesitation. "It took away my mother's life in front of me. I am not trying to scare you. Ghosts really do exist in this world."
An says apologetically. "I am sorry… but we want to say that you are in danger."
"Is there any way to save us?" XiaPeng doesn't know if these two are con artists or real. But he is scared.
An is dumbfounded by the question. How is he going to save them? He's just a mere human too. So he turns to Jin. Her answer is surprising but expected.
"Run. This is the only thing we can do."
"Isn't this a load of garbage?"
"There's nothing we can do at the moment. We don't have any supernatural abilities."
Supernatural abilities? What are those? An feels that she knows more secrets.
"What do you mean?" XueYan asks.
"I don't really understand either. My father wrote in his notebook that I have to find out by myself. But it's basically an ability that can counter ghosts to some degree. But only that. My father still hasn't found a way to kill a ghost. Listen. If you want to survive, don't stay in a confined space. Don't drive. That will only make you die faster. Don't go into anywhere dim. Stay in public areas."
"We can live if we stay in public areas?"
"I can't promise it but your chances are much higher. The most important point is… remember to stay as far away from mirrors and elevators."
"Right… that was how today…" He tells his experience and feels much more at ease.
"I'm sorry. I need to use the bathroom… You can continue." XueYan gets up but Jin also gets up and says. "Do you want me to go along? You are in danger right now. You shouldn't stay alone."
"Uh. The bathroom is just nearby. I will scream if anything happens."
Jin thinks she's right and nods. XueYan thinks to herself: Is this actually real? Today's experience was strange but are there really ghosts in this world? Or is it caused by these two con artists?
XueYan enters the bathroom to find the shower curtain shut.
She bought this white curtain just a few days ago. But she remembered it was open when she just returned today!
Somehow, she feels something is behind the curtain.
She forgets why she came into the bathroom and slowly walks toward the curtain.
She walks by the bathroom mirror and grabs a corner of the curtain.
She thinks to herself: hope I was overthinking…
Her hands are shaking then she pulls it open at once.
Nothing is behind it.
She laughs at herself for being oversensitive when her eyes glanced over the mirror and she freezes.
There are no ghosts in the mirror. Everything is exactly the same except for the closed curtain.
She wants to scream yet something is stuck in her throat. A human figure is forming on the curtain inside the mirror, like someone is walking into it. Then that thing grabs her hand in the mirror!
"No------"
An and the others charge into the bathroom to find XueYan crying in a corner. Her hand is pointing at the mirror which is normal.
"The mirror… something's inside the mirror…" She holds onto XiaPeng and cries. "I believe what you said! We need to move! Please save us!"
Jin walks toward the mirror and studies it. "Understood. There's actually another method that I didn't say. We can try to investigate what happened to Xie Xiaohao and Zhang Jun before they died. And find the intersecting point between the two of them."
"Listen. This is the diary. Take a look and you will understand..."
Li reads the diary under the dim light inside the taxi.
"An, Li... Perhaps we are dead by the time you are reading this. Listen carefully. If we died, then run away from this city after reading the diary. Don't let anyone learn of your location. Anyone! Including relatives and your best friends. This may be the only way to be saved. I don't know if that 'thing' ever done anything to you but just to be sure... There's a red box inside the fourth drawer of my desk. Inside it is a bank draft at An's name. The money is enough to sustain you. You can consider working part time while going to school. But it doesn't matter if you don't go to college. The most important thing is stay alive. Don't stay in this city any longer!
About three days ago, a strange noise woke us up in the night. But that noise quickly disappeared. We thought that was a dream and didn't pay much attention to it but... the next morning, we found a claw mark of three swipes on the wall. That mark tore the wallpaper and the concrete wall behind. We hired people to check it but found no cause.
Was it some animal that sneaked into our house? We didn't call the police because nothing was lost in the house. However... the day after... we found the claw mark moved! The clawed wall from before suddenly recovered but that mark... moved closer to our bedroom! That's when we realized that 'it' was approaching us!"
Li hands