INSCRIPTED REALITIES

I shook my head and went to take a quick shower, putting on comfy loungewear before sitting down at my desk to write. I took a deep breath as I stared at the blank document on the screen, biting my lip. My heart raced as I raised my hands to begin.

It’ll be okay this time.

My hands slowly inched toward the keyboard as I gulped. I pursed my lips, hands trembling as I touched the keyboard. A sharp pain shot through my skull and I blacked out.

My eyes widened as I turned toward the chief’s line of sight. ‘NO!’

The flames were raging, towering high as they engulfed a small figure in the center. It’s her…

I jumped forward, reaching toward the flames as an arm came over my chest holding me back. I flailed, kicking at the ground, reaching out for the burning figure. ‘Please, no! Stop this! Let it take me!’

A rough voice growled in my ears. ‘We can’t let you do that. You’re the hero, the prophesied savior. Only you…cannot be allowed to die.’

I screamed out, my throat sore. My heart pounding as a weight pressed down on my chest. I stared wide-eyed, trembling.

The arms squeezed harder as I tried kicking the person behind me. ‘We…are sorry. She was willing to do this for you. To save you. Don’t let her sacrifice go in vain.’

A wailing shriek came from the fire, making my stomach knot. I felt nauseous as the screams got louder and more painful. I knew what she was feeling.

I kept wildly trying to jump in. As long as I get there in time…it can take me. She can live. And I…can be free.

My nose stung, eyes watered as tears streamed down my face dropping on the arm below making it loosen for a moment. I broke free pushing the person behind me as I leaped forward when a weight pressed on me, holding me by my neck as my cheek scraped the ground.

Why?! Please…not her.

Tears trailed down the side of my face onto the ground. ‘NO! LET ME GO! LET ME SAVE HER!

Please…I-’

I stopped as the screams died down.

No.

I stopped struggling, craning my neck to look up. There was nothing left. Not her, not the flames…nothing. She…was gone.

I screamed out as I clutched my palms. The hand holding my neck let go, the weight on my back disappearing. I pounded on the ground feeling a lump in my throat.

My fingers dug deeper into the earth, trying to grasp something—anything—but there was nothing left but silence.

‘We really are sorry…but for the sake of mankind, it had to be done.’ The chief’s voice sounded.

I crouched on my knees, hitting the ground wildly, as tears dropped down. ‘Why?! Why me?!’

I screamed, fists pounding the earth. ‘Why is it always me?!’ WHY?!’

I screamed at the ceiling. ‘Everyone I care about always ends up like this…why?’

I trailed off as my voice choked. My lips quivered as I sobbed. ‘Whoever is up there, whoever’s written my fate like this…what did I ever do to you…to deserve this?’

I blinked, staring at the screen of text. The last paragraph was showing Daekhui’s reaction to losing his lover. My eyes narrowed, lips curling as I read through it.

Just as planned.

Then, my brows furrowed as I leaned back in my chair.

But, it happened again…

I sighed, eyes shifting back to the last sentence on the screen.

‘What did you do…hmm well nothing’. I chuckled crossing my legs. ‘You’re existence from the beginning was only for the sake of me venting my frustration, over someone I hated…someone who doesn’t matter anymore.’ I looked down at my hands. ‘Now you just suffer because…you can. Because it’s a release for me. Because I can.’

Suddenly, I had a piercing headache, my ears ringing. I held my head with one hand as my vision turned blurry and I felt suffocated. I struggled to reach my phone on the desk to call for help. But as my trembling fingers reached the table I heard a voice.

‘W-what? Because…I-no-you can? How…is that a reason?’ The voice questioned through choked sobs.

I felt a shiver run down my spine as the pain subsided. I whipped my head around, scanning the room. ‘Who is it?!’

There was not a shadow in sight but the voice rumbled again. ‘How could you, whoever you are…for such a reason destroy everything I’ve ever cared about? Kill everyone I’ve ever loved and make me go through…so much? You are no god even if you do have this power…No, you are just a pathetic man boosting you’re fragile ego by controlling my life and making me suffer under your hand because that’s all you can do.’

My lips quivered, heart pounding as I clutched the armrest. My mind raced trying to make sense of this unbelievably absurd situation.

This isn’t possible. The only one who can say this is…but how? Is this a prank? Is it that YouTuber? But how? How is this voice speaking in my head? Am I going crazy?

I took a deep breath as my eyelids quivered. I clenched my jaw, looking straight at the blinking cursor flashing on the screen still displaying his question.

I furrowed my brows and froze, the question lodged in my throat.

This wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be.

My heart pounded in my chest as I forced myself to ask. ‘Who…are you?’

There was a chuckle, growing into hysterical laughter sending goosebumps through my body. The laughter slowly faded, transforming into sniffles and sobs making my chest clench as the foreboding set in. It felt as if a heavy weight pressed down on my chest and an invisible hand tightened around my neck. My nose burned, eyes watered as I quietly listened to the voice. Then, it quieted down and eventually gave the unbelievable yet dreaded answer that changed everything.

‘I…am Seong Daekhui.’

To be continued...