Anna gasped as if she had just woken from a deep sleep. Her big doe eyes widened when she found herself standing on the highway, stretching through the dense forest. Her heart pounded in her chest, and fear crawled under her skin as she struggled to understand how she had ended up there.
"When did this happen?" Anna muttered. She looked around worriedly, but her memories from just moments ago felt foggy, and she couldn't make sense of anything.
"Calm down," Anna told herself. She replayed the events from a few hours ago in her mind. After having dinner with Serena and Kevin at 11:30 pm, they had all gone back to their rooms. That's when she had heard the haunting hymn for the third time.
Anna clearly remembered listening to the eerie melody, but then her memory went blank. It was as if the hymn had a magnetic pull, drawing her toward the Veyrith Sea without her even realizing it.
"What's happening to me? Am I forgetting things? Or... maybe... am I sleepwalking?" Anna wondered. She checked the time on her wristwatch—it was 1:00 am. "So I walked for almost an hour without even realizing it."
Panic surged inside her. Anna desperately wanted to go back home, but her mind felt frozen. Her breathing grew heavy. Suddenly, she spotted a police car approaching and waved her hand for help.
Ryan pulled the car over to the side of the road and stepped out, surprised to see Anna. He was a senior at the same school Anna attended.
Ryan had a crush on Anna—a girl with long hair, a pretty face, and big eyes hidden behind her glasses. She was shy, introverted, and often kept to herself. But Ryan had never confessed his feelings to her. Instead, he chose to stay by her side as a friend, and over time, they had grown close.
"Hey, Anna, what are you doing here at this hour?" Ryan asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
Anna opened her mouth to explain everything but paused. She didn't want to sound crazy, especially not in front of Ryan. "I... I just came here to get some fresh air," she replied, nodding her head as if trying to convince herself.
"At this time? In the middle of the forest?" Ryan asked again, his voice tinged with disbelief.
Anna chuckled softly, unsure of how to handle the situation. "Can you drop me back home?" she asked hesitantly.
Ryan nodded. "Of course, come with me."
Anna quickly walked to the police car parked on the side of the road. Ryan followed her, his concern growing as he observed her strange behavior.
"Are you alright, Anna?" Ryan finally asked as he opened the car door for her.
Anna nodded. "I... am completely fine," she answered, forcing a smile and trying to hide her panic.
"Alright, if you say so," Ryan said, though he didn't seem convinced.
Anna forced a faint smile and settled into the passenger seat while Ryan took the driver's seat.
"It's dangerous to stay out at night, especially near this forest," Ryan warned. "I don't want to scare you, but we found two dead bodies here," he explained.
Anna's heart skipped a beat at the mention of the dead bodies. Her mind flashed back to what Serena had told her a few days ago.
Serena had mentioned a woman found dead near the Veyrith Sea, her body discovered in the dense forest. The details were hazy, but the story had sent chills down Anna's spine. Now, sitting in the car with Ryan, the memory came rushing back, and her hands trembled slightly.
"Dead bodies?" Anna asked, her voice barely above a whisper. She turned to look at Ryan, her big doe eyes filled with fear. "What… what happened to them?"
Ryan kept his eyes on the road but glanced at her briefly. "We're not sure yet. The investigation is still ongoing. But both victims were found near the forest, close to the Veyrith Sea. It's not safe out here, Anna. You shouldn't be wandering around alone, especially at night."
Anna swallowed hard, her throat dry. She wanted to tell Ryan everything—about the haunting hymn, how she had no memory of walking to the highway, and the strange feeling that something was terribly wrong. But the words stuck in her throat. She didn't want to sound crazy, not now, not when she was already feeling so vulnerable.
"I… I didn't mean to come here," Anna finally admitted, her voice shaky. "I don't even know how I ended up on the highway. One moment I was in my room, and the next… I was here."
Ryan frowned, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. "That doesn't make sense, Anna. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe you should see a doctor. This sounds… unusual."
Anna shook her head quickly. "No, no, I'm fine. Maybe I was just… tired or something. I'll be more careful next time."
Ryan didn't look convinced, but he didn't push further.
The car fell silent for a few moments, the only sounds being the hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of leaves outside.
Anna stared out the window, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was deeply wrong. The dead bodies, the hymn, her sudden blackout—it all felt connected, but she couldn't figure out how.
"Ryan," Anna said suddenly, breaking the silence. "Do you know anything about the woman who was found dead near the Veyrith Sea? Serena told me her husband had doubts about the police, but I don't know the details."
Ryan hesitated, his expression growing serious. "Yeah, I heard about that. It happened about a month ago. The woman was middle-aged. They found her near the edge of the forest, close to the sea. Her heart was missing, and it looked like an aquatic animal had attacked her," Ryan explained with a heavy sigh. He continued, "She was heading home with her child when she suddenly stopped in the middle of the road and walked toward the forest. Her child told us he called out to her several times, but she didn't even look back."
Anna's breath caught in her throat. Her mind flashed back to the hymn, the eerie melody that seemed to pull her in. Could there be a connection? She felt a cold sweat break out on her skin.
"What about the man?" Anna asked.
"He died in the same brutal way, and we found a fin near his body," Ryan explained.
"A fin?" Anna frowned.
Ryan nodded. "I know it sounds weird, but that's all we have for now," he said. "I'm telling you this so you can take care of yourself and your siblings."
Anna nodded slowly. "Don't worry, I'll be more careful next time," she replied.
\---
Jimin stood behind a large tree trunk across the road, watching the police car drive back to town. His face showed no emotion, but his eyes gleamed with a hint of victory.
Anna was now completely under his control. He hadn't even needed to use magic—she had simply fallen into the trap he had set for her. But Jimin didn't plan to kill her anytime soon. To him, Anna Kim, the shy, ordinary girl, was his most valuable card.
As the police car disappeared into the distance, Jimin stepped out from behind the tree, a small smile playing on his lips. He turned his gaze toward the Veyrith Sea, its dark waters glinting under the moonlight.
Everything was going exactly as he had planned. Anna's fear and confusion made her easy to control, and her connection to the sea was stronger than she realized. Jimin's mind buzzed with ideas—how far could he push her before she cracked? How much could he control her without her noticing?
For now, he would let her believe she was safe. He would let her think it was all just a strange series of events. The hymn, the forest, the sea—they were all pieces of a bigger picture she couldn't yet see. And Jimin? He held the final piece, waiting for the right moment to use it.
He turned and walked deeper into the forest, his steps silent on the damp ground. The night wasn't over, and he still had much to do. Anna might have escaped this time, but she would soon learn there was no escaping him. Not now. Not ever.