1. The Apocalypse (2)

“Uh! Uh!”

The taxi driver who saw the same thing as me screamed in shock.

And not just the taxi driver.

All the drivers stuck in traffic were stunned. Some were even getting out of their cars.

Beast-like creatures that looked human chasing people.

Those beasts chased people into buildings, into stores, down sidewalks.

And some were running toward the main road where I was.

A driver who’d gotten out of his car-God knows what he was thinking-was filming the street with his phone.

A beast trampled over cars and pounced on him.

Screams-women’s screams, men’s screams-erupted from all directions.

Total chaos.

My heart felt like it would explode.

I was too shocked to think straight.

“Ah, sir! I’m getting out here!”

Stammering, I immediately jumped out of the taxi.

“S-Sir! Wait! It’s dangerous!”

That’s why I’m getting out!

I didn’t know what I’d do after getting out either.

I just knew I couldn’t stay there.

My mind was a mess.

I could see the driver who’d been attacked by the human-like beast trembling as he slowly stood up.

Dangerous.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!”

I immediately dashed across the adjacent lane, weaving frantically between cars. As I ran toward the sidewalk, people emerged from all around me, stampeding in the same direction.

“Aaaah!”

“Move! Fuck!”

“Kyaaah!”

Screams erupted around me.

I sprinted down the sidewalk like a madman.

I was running alongside the road.

Buildings and stores to my right, the main road to my left.

The main road had humanoid beasts.

I didn’t know why I was running this way.

If I just turned right, I could get away from the road, so why was I running here?

“Huff, huff, huff, huff.”

I didn’t know.

I didn’t know anything!

Something crashed into the crowd behind me.

“Aaaah!”

Screams followed.

What was that?!

I was looking straight ahead!

What happened behind me?!

I wanted to turn around.

But I couldn’t.

I could only keep running forward.

“Huff, huff, huff, huff!”

People rushed past me.

Some ran alongside me.

Aimless footsteps pounded the pavement.

Up ahead, an ajumma on a kickboard was racing toward me with a panicked expression. Despite going in a straight line, she somehow avoided colliding with anyone.

She was in full panic mode.

A dark shadow burst out from the road.

The ajumma darkened.

Not a shadow.

A person!

A person was biting another person.

“Kyaaaaaah! Aaaaaah!”

A man in a black suit with a beast-like face was clutching the ajumma.

The ajumma screamed.

Thrashed.

Blood sprayed from her cheek.

Like ketchup bursting.

Grrrrrrk!

A grotesque sound.

A sound you’d never expect from a human throat.

I didn’t even blink, just kept running like a madman, watching it all unfold.

My spine tingled.

“Huff, huff, huff!”

I couldn’t even scream.

If I kept running, I’d collide with that ajumma gushing blood.

I’d crash into the suited man burying his face in her neck!

An alleyway lined with convenience stores.

I immediately veered into the alley.

Then ran like hell.

I didn’t know where I was going.

I’d never been down this street in my life.

I’d rented a place in this neighborhood for school, but this was my first time here!

I sprinted through the alley.

My legs felt heavy, sweat pouring down.

I didn’t know if I was running or walking.

My heart was about to explode.

My mind was blank.

I didn’t even know what I was thinking.

“Huff, huff, huff, huff.”

Run. Just run!

Run!

Shabby single-family homes slowly came into view.

They flashed past on either side.

Before I knew it, there was no one around me.

No screams, no footsteps.

Where did everyone else running with me go?

Why was it so quiet?

“Huff, huff, huff, huff!”

Where was I running to?

I saw telephone poles.

A tiny neighborhood Chinese restaurant.

Palm-sized alleys connecting the streets.

Damn, if two cars met head-on here, it’d be a real mess. One would have to reverse for ages.

…That thought crossed my mind.

So I stopped.

My heart was pounding.

I didn’t know how far I’d run.

I was out of breath, my head spinning.

My legs were too heavy.

“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”

I couldn’t stand.

I’d run too fast, too far, too suddenly.

I dropped to my knees.

“Gasp! Gasp! Gasp! Gasp!”

Kneeling, hunched over, I looked around.

An old man leisurely biking past gave me a sidelong glance like I was insane.

……What?

Why was he so calm?

What the hell had I just seen?

“Haa, haa, haa, haa.”

Ah, dizzy.

Damn, I must’ve been breathing too hard.

My vision swam.

I looked back at the path I’d taken.

I’d zigzagged through so many alleys I didn’t even know where I was. But I must’ve run like hell.

What I just saw…

Wasn’t a dream, right?

It wasn’t a dream?

I stared down the street for a moment, then turned away.

I couldn’t go back that way.

After stumbling a few steps, I spotted a small neighborhood supermarket. These days, it’s all convenience stores, so a place like this was rare.

Ah, thirsty.

I’m dying here.

I went inside, grabbed a 500ml Gatorade and a bottle of water from the fridge, and went to the counter.

“3,000 won.”

The ajumma gave me a sidelong glance.

Probably because I was drenched in sweat.

I pulled my wallet from my Adidas backpack and paid, then asked:

“Haa, haa. Ma’am. Is there a police box or station, haa, haa. Around here?”

The ajumma eyed me suspiciously.

“Why? What happened?”

Her look said, “If something happened, was it you?”

Well, if a sweaty guy showed up asking for the police station first thing, I’d think the same.

Catching my breath, I said:

“No, it’s not that. There was an accident up on the road. A bad one. People were running, haa, haa. Where’s the police box?”

“For that, just call 112. The police box is… over there. Just turn down one alley, there’s a small one.”

……Ah?

112!

Fuck…!

Why didn’t I think of that?

I must’ve been too busy running to think straight.

Even now, my head was buzzing.

“Yeah, thanks.”

I left the store, chugged the Gatorade, then grabbed my phone.

“……112? Haa, haa.”

The police box was right there, damn it.

I’d go talk to them.

My whole body felt heavy, sluggish.

Phone in hand, I turned into the alley.

A police box stood right next to a stationery store.

Wow, haven’t seen a run-down stationery store like this in ages.

Then again, the neighborhood was pretty old.

Skyscrapers loomed just a street over, but crossing one road brought me straight to a slum.

No police car at the station.

There was a parking spot, though?

Must be out on a call.

I went straight in.

“Haa, haa. Hello. Anyone here?”

Two officers sat at desks.

Both middle-aged.

“Yes, what brings you here?”

I pointed back the way I came.

“Up on the road, haa. There was an accident. Don’t know if it was an accident or what, but a lot of people got hurt.”

The officer said, “Ah,” then replied:

“We got a call about that earlier, already dispatched. Some drunk causing trouble, apparently. Did you come from there?”

A drunk?

I shook my head.

“It wasn’t a drunk. Sir, it wasn’t a drunk, it was like some kind of disease. It was on the news. People biting other people?”

The officers exchanged dubious looks.

“…Huh? Biting? We didn’t get any calls like that. Did you see it yourself?”

Ah, fuck.

This is insane.

“Yes! I saw it! Up there, people biting people. Running over cars, onto the road. Ah, right! Fuck, one guy got hit by a car and his neck snapped all the way around! And then he just got up and ran off!”

The more I talked, the more worked up I got.

At the same time, the more I talked, the more I wondered if anyone would actually believe this.

The officers glanced at each other, puzzled.

“His neck snapped around?”

“Neck snapped… Well, we’ll file a report. The officers on scene will be notified. First, your name and…”

Then, a car sounded outside.

A police car.

“Oh, they’re back. One moment.”

The officers stood and went outside.

I followed and saw the police car streaked with what looked like thick brushstrokes of blood.

The windows were shattered, the body dented.

Inside, a young officer gripped the wheel, gasping for air.

“Huh? Officer Park! What the hell! What happened!”

The officers yanked the door open.

Officer Park just sat there pale-faced, gripping the wheel, panting silently.

“Hey! Where’s Yeongmi! Why are you alone? Huh?”

“What happened to the car! Officer Park!”

Officer Park slowly turned his head.

His face…

Was deathly pale.

I’d never seen that expression on a living person.

Officer Park spoke.

“Se… Senior. Do we have a gun? Inside.”

“A gun?”

The middle-aged officer frowned and shouted.

“A gun? What do you need a gun for! Where’s Yeongmi! Officer Park! Snap out of it!”

“She’s dead! Yeongmi’s dead!”

The middle-aged officer stared at him in shock. Officer Park continued:

“Her throat was torn out, she bled to death. The blood on the car is Yeongmi’s.”

The two officers erupted at once.

“The suspect! Who was it! Damn it, Yeongmi’s body must still be there! Where!”

“How do you know she’s dead! Are you a doctor, you little punk! Let’s go get Yeongmi first!”

Officer Park suddenly stood and got out of the car.

Then he shouted:

“I asked if we have a gun! A gun! Damn it, there’s a riot up there!”

Officer Park stormed into the station. One of the middle-aged officers yelled something and followed.

“A riot…?”

The remaining officer watched the station with a grim expression. He raised his phone, probably to call someone.

A riot?

This wasn’t a riot.

This wasn’t something so trivial.

This was…

“…The apocalypse.”

I muttered it without thinking.