His own house was just a dark shape against the evening sky, and Mike just... froze right there on the pavement. His heart was pounding like a drum solo against his ribs, and he seriously couldn't catch his breath. He took one step, then another, his eyes glued to the front door like it was about to swallow him whole.
The door creaked open with a push, sounding way too loud in the dead silence. And there was Ken, sitting at the table. He looked up, and his mouth pulled into a smile that wasn't friendly at all. It was just a thin, white line in the dark room. Mike couldn't move a muscle. He was totally frozen.
Ken's voice was just a whisper, but man, it gave him the creeps. "Hey, where did you go? Come finish your noodles; they're getting cold. Food won't taste good when it is cold."
Mike looked down from Ken's face and saw the cut ropes lying on the floor. They looked like old, shed snakeskin. That sight just zapped him back to reality. His legs felt like jelly, but he spun around and bolted, his sneakers squealing on the wood floor.
He fumbled with the car door handle, his fingers feeling like clumsy sausages. He fell into the driver's seat and slapped his pockets—empty. Then he looked up and saw Ken through the windshield, bending down. Something shiny glinted in his hand. The keys!
A wave of pure panic washed over him. He scrambled out of the car and just sprinted for the rundown old apartments next door. His footsteps slapped against the concrete, the only sound in the creepy silence.
Then, he heard other footsteps behind him. They weren't rushed, though. They were steady. Calm. And every single step was like a hammer banging on his sanity.
The apartment building looked like something out of a horror movie. It was all cracked, with broken windows that looked like empty eyes and doors barely hanging on. The whole place stank of mold and old, forgotten things.
Ken's voice boomed from the entrance, echoing all over the place. "Hey, Mike! Where are you? Really, are you a killer? Come fight me! A hunter doesn't get scared because his prey isn't scared. It makes the hunt more fun! Be a man and die like a man! Come on!"
Mike squeezed himself into a dark corner, trying to be invisible. He felt a hot flush of shame, which was a weird thing to feel when you're also sweating from pure terror. What am I doing? he thought. He grabbed a rusty iron rod from a broken railing. It felt cold and solid in his hand. He took a deep breath. He wasn't going down cowering.
Ken's steady footsteps got closer. Mike got ready to jump out from his corner, his muscles tight. But then he heard something else—a low murmur. It sounded like two guys talking. Mike's head snapped toward the sound, and he squinted into the dark.
The voices seemed to be coming from a single dark doorway, but as his eyes got used to the gloom, he saw it was just Ken standing there. Alone. A new kind of dread, way worse than the panic before, trickled into his veins. It just didn't make any sense. His hand was so sweaty that the iron rod slipped and clattered on the floor. The noise was crazy loud! He turned and ran, tears blurring everything as he scrambled up the stairs.
He burst into a room on the second floor, but Ken was right behind him in the doorway. A hand shot out and grabbed him by the neck, squeezing hard. The whole world just got really small and tight.
Mike squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, "Forgive me, Mom... Forgive me, Father... It's your mistake, not mine." He was shaking all over, sobbing without making a sound.
He felt Ken's grip change. Through his blurry, tear-filled eyes, he saw a glint of light on a piece of glass. Then came a sharp, burning pain in his stomach. A scream tore out of his throat, a sound he didn't even recognize. The room started to spin, and he felt a warm wetness spreading across his shirt.
A weird, rattling laugh came out of him. "I never thought... I'd go like this... Killed by another killer... Haha... haha..." His words were all garbled and wet. "Do you know why I kill people? I'm doing a good deed... Children are better off without parents... Parents are cruel and selfish... They're the reason for our suffering..."
Ken leaned over him, his eyes narrowed. "So that's why you tried to kill me."
Mike struggled to focus on him. "Yes... But you're not a normal parent... You're a killer too... Why did you kill people in the past? Why?"
Ken gave him that same cold, creepy smile. "Oh, because I love it... They have to be a reason for that?."
Then he just stood up and walked away. Mike heard his footsteps fade, leaving him alone in the quiet. His thoughts started getting all fuzzy. But then, he heard another sound. Footsteps. Slow ones, coming toward him.
Mike managed to get a few words out. "Hey, why you coming back, shit?"
But it wasn't Ken. A serious-looking, middle-aged guy came into view. He knelt down right in front of Mike, his dark eyes just staring.
Mike squinted. It took a lot of effort. "Who are you, old man?"
The man's voice was totally flat. "I am Emer. I'm the reason you're in this situation right now. Isn't it too much of a coincidence for you to face him today? I made you do that."
Mike tried to frown, confused through all the pain. "Why... why are you doing this?"
"You killed my daughter a few days back," Emer said, like it was a simple fact. "She was found dead under Usten Bridge near the city. You did that."
A dry, rattling laugh shook Mike's body. "So it's revenge, then. Boring."
For the first time, a little flash of anger showed in Emer's eyes. "Yeah, but not just on you. Every single psycho killer in this country. You're all scum, and I'll make sure you kill each other."
Mike's own laugh was weaker now, barely a sound. "that's sound interesting. But Be careful with that one. He's not normal. Something's wrong with him. I heard three different voices in this building, and when I looked for them, there was only him there. That guy was talking to himself with different voices. And they were fighting over something. Creepy guy, he is."
Emer stood up, his face giving nothing away. He turned and walked off, leaving Mike to die.
Outside, Emer stood in the growing darkness and watched Ken's car drive away. He watched the red taillights get smaller and smaller until they were gone, and then he clenched his jaw.