Epilogue
Da ended the call after she finished telling her "Angel"s Corpse" story on the late night show.
She sighed and hugged her pillow. After sharing her experiences with a bunch of strangers, the stress coiled inside her began to unwind. Maybe it"s because sharing her worries relaxed her mind.
Funny. She"d only ever listened to this program. She never thought she would be the one telling stories.
Then her phone rang.
It was still the same brand and model with Shin"s phone. Even their ringtones were the same, but their hearts were not the same any longer.
Da swallowed her sadness and picked up.
[h.e.l.lo? Are you Miss Ladda who was telling a story in Scary Shock?]
The voice belonged to an unfamiliar man. He must be young. He sounded polite and calm like a still lake.
"Yes, uh… who might you be?"
[My name is "Ariya". I heard your story broadcasted and asked for your phone number from the program staff.]
Da felt strange. Her gut told her this young man was scary. The program would never give out numbers to outsiders. What method did he use to persuade them, and what did he want from her?
It seemed Ariya noticed her suspicion, so he adjusted his tone and made it softer. He seemed to be reading her mind…no, he was calculating from her voice, her breathing, and her swallowing.
[Do not worry. I used a few tricks on the staffs but I have no ill intention.]
Da was silent.
[I called because you wanted a solution, right?]
"Then…call the show, not me…"
[But I want to talk to you directly.]
"Why…why so?"
[Because the Angel"s Corpse your boyfriend has, Lilith…she"s someone I know.]
"…!"
Da"s heart skipped a beat once she heard that. She always thought of the Angel"s Corpse as a beast and never had the slightest idea that she might be related to someone.
"Umm… who is she to you? Girlfriend?"
[No, not that.]
The voice sounded empty and lost.
"But… even though you said you know that corpse, how could I believe you…?"
Da spoke hesitantly. Ariya started telling her how the Angel"s Corpse came to be. As information relayed, Da"s instincts accepted it as the truth without any doubts.
The things which he spoke of sounded like fiction. Zombies, Brugmansia, revival of the dead… but the events Da went through these past days matched with his stories.
Until Ariya spoke of the countdown to Lilith"s awakening.
Da had a painful realization.
"Shin"s in trouble!"
They broke up, but some bonds are hard to cut.
[Possibly. If Lilith wakes up, your boyfriend might become her victim. I would like to help, but if I did not fall for that man"s trap, I would have killed her long ago.]
"Kill…?"
The other end replied in a serious tone.
[Yes. The only way to stop Lilith is to kill her.]
Da was in front of Shin"s condominium before she knew it.
After hearing Ariya"s story, she had to creep out of home and grabbed a cab.
She paid the taxi without waiting for change, and headed straight to the building.
I can"t be slow, or else Shin will…
Shin…please… be safe!
Da saw the empty guard"s booth. The radio was on the same program that she liked. She smiled as the DJ said her story was voted the top scariest.
I wanted Shin to hear it…
Da smiled, loneliness pained her heart, and walked over to the elevator.
She hurried to Shin"s room. Luckily, she still had a spare key, so she snuck inside without a hitch.
But as soon as she entered, she was shocked by pools of blood all over the ground. At least it was not Shin"s blood, since there was no footprints.
"It"s so late. Is he not back yet?"
Da had to be optimistic. He"s not here, and that means her job would be easier.
But is it really that easy?
[Pierce through her heart or destroy her brain, that would suffice to kill her.]
She thought of Ariya"s advice and swallowed.
Da was terrified of horror movies.
That man was weird. He spoke of killing and dying so casually.
As if he was used to it… no, as if he admired it.
"Alright…"
When her mind was at least partially prepared, Da placed her handbag on the sofa and opened the black lid. She looked at the Angel"s Corpse with detestment.
"Today"s your last day to show that ugly face of yours."
Da pulled it from the coffin and dragged it to the bathroom. She could wash its blood off easier that way.
But when she opened the bathroom door, she wanted to scream but held her mouth shut.
What is that headless corpse!?!
She stared at the corpse in security guard uniform with fright. She didn"t know who he was since she could not see his head, but what kept her mind together was…
That man isn"t Shin.
Da wanted to cry with relief. Finally, she realized how much she loved Shin. She loved him so much she could not live without him and did not want him to die before her.
"Shin, no matter what, Da will protect you."
The woman mustered up some courage and dragged the Angel"s Corpse into the bathroom, then placed it under the shower. She went outside to get her bag.
Da took out a knife. Her phone battery was running out. It"s 3 am., and Shin could be back any time. She needed to clean up before he did.
Da threw her phone onto the sofa.
If Shin knew she killed his Angel, he would be furious.
The woman thought of their fight. It pained her heart, and she teared up.
But no matter what, I need to protect Shin!
She swallowed her tears.
"Kill it, and go home quietly without Shin knowing."
After killing this corpse, let time heal their love. If I and Shin love each other, then no matter what, love will find its way through.
She held her knife with faith.
But suddenly, there were footsteps and clanging of the locks.
Da panicked and shoved the knife back inside her bag. She glanced at the bathroom and decided to leave the Angel"s Corpse there.
Shin will know that Corpse killed a guard and will stop protecting it…
But Da should not be here, or else he would get mad at her.
She looked left and right as she heard Shin drop the keys and cursed.
I need to hide, but where?!
Where should I go?
Where would Shin not find me?
Then she saw the perfect place.
The elegant black coffin.
Just close the lid, and Shin will never know she was there. Wait for him to stop doting over that b.i.t.c.h, and she will come out to tell him everything.
Da thought and ran to hide inside.
"Please, don"t let Shin find me."
Da prayed and closed the coffin lid nervously.
Ariya"s Epilogue
I loved to watch human"s death.
[Today at 19.45, an unknown corpse was discovered…]
Sight, smell, color, touch,
"Death" is filled with "beauty".
But only her death… was "ugly".
The death… that made me cooperate with that man…
"Choose, Ariya. Live…or die…"
But the path I chose brought a twisted darkness.
When the revived dead…
Increase its ugliness…
[Um, the name is…]
[Angel"s Corpse.]
"…Ugh."
I will not…let that man"s desires come true.
"I told you, I won"t lose. And I will never hand Lilith over to you. Wait here for good news. See you again, "Ariya"."
"…."
Beep….beep…
[h.e.l.lo?]
[…h.e.l.lo, Miss Ladda.]
I will kill you and bring you back to your "beautiful" death,
Lilith…
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