My breath hitched as I ran, pushing my body forward—wishing to reach the ground floor of the parking lot. But somehow, it didn't come into sight. Though the sound of deafening footsteps reached my ears.
My heart dropped, but my speed increased, and soon the never-existing ground floor appeared. A sigh of relief left me, but my body never stopped. I rushed through the door, leaving it swinging open. My mind was in flight mode; I couldn't even process my emotions through this situation.
Running down to the street, the red-light district came into sight. As the flashy lights hit my eyes, I was taken aback—but I guess my mind knew better than my body, because it ran for its life. Well it's not it first, running seemed to be a habit of mine. The thought left a bitter sensation inside me.
People gave me glares, side-eyes. Some of them even rushed to shut their bars when they saw the tattoo-covered men chasing me. Women in short dresses, just trying to survive in this world, gave me looks of pity.
I guess my mind hoped that focusing on them would make everything stop. But unfortunately, that couldn't happen. I took a turn, running from one alley to another, followed by swears and curses.
Fuck, why didn't I leave immediately? Why was I so noisy?
From one alley to another, until I was faced with a dead end.
Shit, what should I do?
I stood in place with no solution. The raging calls and heavy footsteps got closer, but the wall in front of me wouldn't budge.
My eyes scanned the place furiously until I saw the tiny gap of a door—what seemed to be an abandoned office. I rushed in, trying to shut the door behind me, but the lock seemed broken. So I ran upstairs, hoping to find a place to hide in.
It reeked of soju and piss—an unbearable smell. Though, that wasn't something I should complain about in a situation like this. A huff left me as I fast-walked, trembling hands checking the doors.
Most of them were either closed or broken, so I rushed from floor to floor, trying to find a place to hide. But to my bad luck, they seemed to have found the place. Their words echoed through the empty building, making my feet go weak. But I had no time for that, I reminded myself.
I reached the upper floor, but still no luck—until one of the offices there opened. I ran inside, shut the door behind me, and locked it. As I was trying to push something in front of it, the steps and voices got too close.
Before I could react, the door broke open, and they rushed in. At least ten heavily built men stood in front of me—and I had no place to escape. I looked at them, and a chuckle left me—one of pure despair.
I threw the chair I had in hand at them, trying to run, but one of them got a hold of me, grabbing my hair. I felt a knife at my neck—it was cold. I felt blank.
But somehow, I really didn't want to die. His rough voice echoed through the office:
"Die, you noisy piece of shit."
My body gave up to the threat—or was it my mind? I don't know. But I was sure of one thing:
I wanted to live longer. To see more than this miserable life. More than those eighteen years of suffering.
I felt my whole body shake as the knife got closer.
And in that moment, a red light flushed through the smelly office. I heard the knife hit the ground with a thud, and the cold sensation was gone. I looked up—
a portal came into sight. Like the ones from myths and magical stories.
Was this my salvation?