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Minjae stepped forward. He felt Jihwan tugging at his sleeve from behind.
Ignoring this, Minjae spoke with a trembling voice like someone hesitating.
“My younger brother… there’s something strange about him.”
“What kind of strangeness?”
The cult man asked in a careful voice. Sunbae? Jihwan called Minjae in a whisper.
Minjae moved his lips as if it was difficult to say more, then stepped back again. At that, the people in the circle exchanged glances. Did it work? Minjae remained cautious.
“I understand.”
A woman with teary eyes said. What? Minjae wanted to ask but didn’t. Anyway, gaining their sympathy was a good start. Minjae smiled and said:
“You’re a kind person.”
Minjae and Jihwan were accepted into the circle. Everyone took turns telling similar stories. They didn’t give exact descriptions, but the stories were about their family members or close acquaintances becoming guides or espers.
They described the situations as “horrifying.” Minjae looked at Jihwan. He was sitting stiffly without saying anything. Is he holding up well? Minjae wondered.
“But… you said earlier it could get better. Is there some kind of method?”
Minjae asked in a gloomy voice. Of course there’s no such method. Minjae thought self-mockingly. He could feel Jihwan’s gaze fixed on him from the side.
The people in the circle and the cult man exchanged glances with each other. Minjae could tell it was a positive signal. But is it normally this… sloppy? I can see them exchanging looks so obviously.
“Our children too are suffering from similar issues as your brother. And there’s a place here where such children gather.”
A man said. His voice was extremely thin and small.
“Where is that place?”
Minjae asked.
“Do you believe in God?”
At that, the cult man began to reveal his true identity.
“Do you know the myth about the crow? The crow, originally a white bird, was favored by God and stayed closest to him, able to hear his words directly. Then one day, after reporting only truths to God, it fell out of favor and its feathers were burned black.”
“A human who witnessed this gathered courage and went to God. The human asked: Why do you cast out the crow who always told you only the truth and was faithfully your servant?”
The man spoke in a theatrical manner, as if telling a fairy tale to a child. Minjae listened to his words silently.
“God was angry at first but knew how to be merciful. God called back the crow and declared that only the crow would hear his words and be the only being to convey his words.”
The crow, having regained its honor, went to find the human who had gone to God to help it. And it said:
“You will now be the first to hear the divine messages I deliver. You may use it for yourself or for humanity. And so that human became an apostle working under the crow.”
The cult man finished the story with a benevolent face. It seems like a mix of Greek-Roman mythology and the Bible and other things. Minjae thought.
“The person who takes care of us now is a descendant of that apostle.”
The cult man said, folding his hands. Does this person genuinely believe that story? Minjae became a bit curious.
“Then can my brother get better too?”
Minjae asked. The cult man nodded.
“Of course. It’s almost dinner time, shall we talk over a meal?”
The cult man suggested dinner very naturally. Thanks to that, Minjae and Jihwan ended up having dinner inside the building.
Jihwan kept stirring his food with chopsticks as if he was suspicious about the source or ingredients of the food.
Perhaps thinking Minjae and Jihwan had completely fallen for it, the cult man showed the leisure of walking around the dining space greeting other believers. He also introduced Minjae and Jihwan to others, saying new believers had arrived.
“Sunbae.”
As the cult man moved away, Jihwan carefully called Minjae. Minjae glanced at Jihwan.
“What.”
When Minjae asked, Jihwan just counted innocent grains of rice before opening his mouth.
“Earlier… never mind.”
Jihwan shook his head. Though the word “earlier” bothered Minjae, he didn’t press Jihwan further. Even if they had lowered their guard over there, it was better not to have hasty conversations since someone might be eavesdropping somewhere.
“They’ll probably tell us to stay the night soon.”
Minjae said. Jihwan had a genuinely surprised expression.
“Think about it and then agree.”
“…What?”
Jihwan managed to ask back in a small voice.
“They won’t let us leave anyway.”
Minjae put down his spoon and wiped his mouth with a napkin. Whoever cooked this, the taste was terrible.
Minjae and Jihwan were assigned a spot in the corner of the auditorium and laid out bedding. Other believers also laid out their bedding nearby and lay down.
Really, do none of them have homes? Minjae wanted to understand the situation but didn’t ask questions.
As they lay side by side, Jihwan pulled Minjae’s arm. Surprised, Minjae tried to shake him off.
“I’m scared… can we sleep like this?”
Jihwan said in a small voice.
“You’re as big as a mountain, what are you scared of?”
Jihwan didn’t answer and just tightly held Minjae’s hand. Minjae sighed and relaxed his arm. Then Jihwan hugged Minjae’s arm like a body pillow. A long night was beginning.
***
The next day, Minjae looked down at the paper thrust in front of him. It was densely filled with rules to be followed in the secret space they would be visiting today.
“Why is this here?”
Seeing clauses like ‘Do not scream’ and ‘Do not say they’re pitiful’, Jihwan asked. The cult man began another strange explanation.
“What you are about to see has some similarities to exorcism or evil spirit expulsion. But if you go in there and stimulate the children, it will make things harder for them, so you must follow these rules.”
“What the hell are you people doing?”
Jihwan’s voice lowered.
“We’re helping the children.”
Unlike Jihwan’s lowered voice, the cult man’s voice was light. He seemed to truly believe he was helping the children.
Minjae was worried Jihwan might rush forward and do something impulsive, so he pulled him back. Jihwan tensed his body but then stepped back.
The cult man guided them to the basement. It was quite dark as the lighting wasn’t properly installed. Jihwan almost fell on the stairs, so Minjae had to catch him.
Walking through a humid corridor, they opened a door and entered a room where several children could be seen lying on old metal beds like those used in hospitals. All the children were so thin that the outlines of their bones were visible.
Minjae clenched his fist and dug his nails into his palm to avoid showing a hasty reaction.
The children groaned in small voices. As if they didn’t even have the energy to be sick, the sounds were faint. The children’s complexion was pale, and some of them trembled in convulsions. Minjae knew very well what this symptom was.
These children were being maintained in a state just before manifestation. The suffering children looked precarious.
“This… this….”
Jihwan couldn’t continue speaking.
“As I mentioned before, these children are receiving necessary treatment.”
The cult man spoke in a calm voice as if something was caught in his eye. Treatment? What these children were suffering was absolutely not treatment.
“Exactly what part of them is sick?”
Jihwan asked.
“To be precise, rather than an illness, they are contaminated. Since they haven’t been completely ruined yet, they can endure like this.”
Jihwan looked at Minjae. Minjae put strength into his eyes and tried his best to signal that it wouldn’t work. Whether he understood or not, Jihwan covered his mouth and just stared at the ground.
Endure? Minjae realized where the sense of dissonance he had been feeling was coming from, apart from the horror.
They were “managing” children who were driven to the brink of manifestation like this.
It meant that even if these children were suffering, they were keeping them from going all the way to manifestation. Did that mean there was a guide in this group?
Someone opened the door and entered. A man wrapped in white cloth was carrying a small bucket.
Is that Ojun? Minjae thought. But the cult man didn’t bow, bend his waist, or show any respect one would show to a superior person.
The man walked around sprinkling the liquid from the bucket onto the children with his hand. Some children who had their eyes closed, either sleeping or unconscious, opened their eyes while making groaning sounds.
“What are you sprinkling?”
Minjae asked.
“Holy water.”
Minjae approached the man and put his hand in the bucket. Sunbae. Jihwan called Minjae somewhat urgently.
Minjae scooped up some water with his hand and smelled it. There was no scent of chemicals.
Probably just tap water. Minjae rubbed the moisture with his hand. The viscosity was also at the same level as regular water.
“May I see the children up close?”
Minjae asked. The cult man seemed to think for a moment before nodding. Come to think of it, since entering this space, the cult man had been keeping quite a distance from the children.
A certainty filled Minjae’s mind. That bastard is afraid the kids might manifest and die. Minjae approached one of the children and bent his upper body down.
“Huh…? There’s something strange about this child.”
Minjae raised his upper body and pointed at the child with his hand. The child curled up slightly. The cult man, who had been standing at a distance, opened his eyes wide.
“Apostle, Apostle. No, I should call the assigned believer.”
The man who had sprinkled the water and the cult man couldn’t hide their panic and went outside the room.
Minjae tore off the guiding pills sewn inside his hoodie that could be easily removed. Then he held them out in front of the child.
“Do you know what this is?”
Minjae asked. The child frowned as if finding it hard to focus, then nodded. They know the pills? If so, there must be someone making them. Minjae gave 2-3 pills to each child while whispering:
“When your vision turns white and sparks burst with a bang! That’s when you take this. Don’t take it now, hide it until then. Understand?”
The children nodded and hid the pills in their small hands.
“Sunbae, those guys have completely left the corridor. Let’s quickly take the children and leave now.”
Jihwan looked around the corridor and came back in, speaking. Minjae pushed Jihwan out into the corridor as he left the room.
“Sunbae?”
Jihwan called Minjae.
“We need to leave now. If not now, we won’t be able to leave.”
“But.”
“There’s no way to take the children out right now.”
Jihwan’s face contorted at Minjae’s firm statement.
“Why not? I can carry-“
“All of them? And me too?”
“Yes, I can do it.”
“Can you take them all out without killing anyone?”
Jihwan stopped talking at Minjae’s question. Jihwan’s shoulders trembled as if he felt wronged. Minjae sighed.
“Take me and get out of here now. That’s an order as your team leader.”
Jihwan’s eyes sharpened. Minjae responded similarly.
Soon after, Jihwan lifted Minjae up. Then he flew out through a window after leaving the basement. Minjae tried to memorize the location of The Crow’s nest in his mind.
Jihwan landed in a deserted alley several kilometers away. Minjae also safely set foot on the ground. Minjae looked at Jihwan and said:
“Don’t even think about going back there alone.”
Jihwan was silent.
“Answer me.”
Minjae urged.
“I think I shouldn’t have done that.”
Jihwan’s voice trembled. After saying those words, Jihwan turned around and flew away.
Huh. Minjae let out a bitter laugh. He felt like garbage. Well, that’s somewhat accurate. Minjae thought self-mockingly. And then he began to slowly walk through the narrow alley.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
