Sometimes We Have Nightmares -2

Taehwa’s intention in putting us here was obvious.

‘She wants us to get closer somehow.’

Especially since Noah is so fearful.

-Keukhehehehehe!!

“Hiek…!”

She’s almost fainting just from hearing sounds from the speakers.

Noah, thoroughly frightened, held my hand even more tightly.

“Not scared… not scared… not scared…”

“Noah.”

“Mister… can I cling to you a bit more…?”

She clung to me like a piece of gum.

She has absolutely no intention of letting go.

We haven’t even properly started yet.

If she’s like this already, I’m worried about what’s ahead.

As we walked, we came to a fork in the road.

Left and right. On the left was a corpse with half its skin peeled off, and on the right was a monster holding a kitchen knife.

How should I put it?

‘It’s grotesque.’

“Noah, which way do you want to go?”

“I… I don’t like either one.”

“I think we have to choose one.”

Looking at the fork in the road, Noah stares at me.

“Then… please go the way you think you can win…”

The way I can win…

“I think I’ll lose either way.”

I’m confident I’d be beaten in a fight.

Whether it’s a zombie or a monster.

If I could transform… the monster side would be better, I guess.

I’ve faced them a few times, after all.

Let’s go that way.

As I moved towards the monster, Noah followed with tiny steps.

“Noah, don’t be too tense. They’re just part-timers after all.”

“I know… but it’s so scary…”

“Goodness. How do you fight those monsters?”

“That’s scary too, of course. But…”

Noah’s words trailed off as she looked at me.

“I can get head pats from you…”

This cute kid, really.

You’re probably the only one who works as a magical girl for head pats.

I patted her cheek instead of her head.

Her tense gaze changed, and soon she had a relieved expression.

“Don’t worry, Noah. I’ll definitely take you to the exit.”

“R-really?”

“Of course, so let’s hurry-“

-Who says you can escape…?

The monstrous voice was heard next.

Freeze. Noah froze.

It was when she felt a gaze looking down at her.

When a spider-shaped monster slowly descended from the ceiling.

‘Ah, this is trouble.’

One thing Noah fears.

Monsters.

Another thing Noah fears.

Spiders.

Moreover, if it’s a spider monster, a combination of the two.

“Hu… huaaa…”

-Hello, little miss…

“Uwaaa…”

-Miss looks quite tasty… ufufufu… I want to take you away…

“Mister… help… help me…”

“…”

I shone the flashlight that had been provided in advance at the monster.

As light spread widely in the dark space, it made painful sounds.

-Kwaak!!! Kueeeuak!! Uoaaaak!!! Kieeeeeee!!!!

“Hieeee…! Mister! Mister!! Hurry, hurry!”

“…Okay.”

-Kek…! Stop… stop right there…!!!

Even while saying that, the monster didn’t stop making pained noises.

Only after running away to where the monster’s voice couldn’t be heard did Noah’s legs give out and she sat down.

“That was so scaryyy…”

“…”

“Weren’t you scared, mister?”

“The mister is…”

I just swallowed the words that came to mind.

The mister is… most afraid of money.

Kek! That’s the sound you make when your throat hurts, right?

‘…Life must be tough.’

To have to put on such a dedicated performance just to make a living. Thinking about it that way, I don’t feel fear towards the monsters, only a sense of kinship.

It was the same for what came next.

-Uahahaha!! I’ll chase you down!

“Hyaaak!?”

“…”

Even when a hunter monster jumped out.

-Receive the baptism of fire!!

“No! No! Nooo!!”

“…”

Even when a fire-breathing demon suddenly appeared.

-If you can’t escape from here… you’ll only die.

“Stooooop!!!”

“…”

Even when a skeleton riding a tank chased us frantically.

The only one who was surprised was always Noah.

I was rather just admiring.

How much time and effort did they put in to achieve this level of quality?

They’re amazing people.

Well, as for Noah.

“Hueeee… I don’t want this anymooore…”

“Noah, it’s okay. Let’s just go a bit further, okay?”

“Sob… yes… hold my hand…”

“Here you go.”

Noah, covered in tears, takes my hand.

Noah seems to be the type who’s weak to jump scares.

She’s so busy being startled that she even runs far away, leaving me behind.

Well, maybe her cuteness is in how she comes back sniffling afterwards.

“Ugh… I don’t know anymoore…”

Noah buried her face completely in my chest.

It meant she would go wherever I led her, without even thinking of looking ahead.

“Noah, will you be okay? You said you wanted to try the challenge.”

“Don’t know… don’t know… don’t like it… scary…”

“Oh my.”

“Mister… I trust you… please save me…”

If someone heard this, they’d think she was a princess kidnapped by a turtle monster.

“Huuuu…”

Noah’s life seemed to be already at zero.

Maybe I should just leave her like this. At least this way, she won’t see the monsters.

As I proceeded in that state, I made eye contact with an actor dressed as a green monster.

“…”

“…”

Nod.

Nod.

“Mister… there’s none, right… there’s no monster, right…?”

“Yes, there’s none, so let’s just go.”

They just let us pass.

How pitiful Noah must have looked for them to do that.

“Huee… scary…”

“…”

A white-haired beautiful girl with cat ears clinging and wailing. Certainly, in such a situation, even the actors would be reluctant.

‘Never coming to a haunted house again.’

I made a vow never to bring Noah to a haunted house again as I continued walking towards the end of the corridor.

How long had we been walking?

‘This time it seems to be a rabbit doll.’

White body with red eyes.

Someone who seemed to have been made to look like a rabbit character welcomed us.

That’s just how it appeared; in reality, they were just standing still.

The rabbit didn’t do anything to us.

It just stared blankly.

Maybe that person also intends to let Noah pass.

I quickly passed in front of the rabbit to send Noah outside.

But.

‘…What?’

It was an unpleasant sensation.

I turned around with a jerk, and the rabbit was staring at us.

With red, dull eyes, continuously, just endlessly.

Like looking into a deep well, that kind of gaze.

“…”

Until now, I had been passing by without any thoughts, but this time I felt goosebumps all over my body.

If that was acting, it was very excellent… but if not.

If that ominousness wasn’t acting.

‘Shin Hyun? Are you okay?’

‘Yes, I’m listening.’

‘Something feels… strange.’

‘I know.’

The ominousness keeps coming.

What on earth is this thing doing-

Snap!

The sound of fingers snapping was heard.

Unknown ripples spread through the air.

“…Tch.”

I picked Noah up in a princess carry and ran out quickly.

The sound of footsteps spreading, tap tap tap tap.

Soon, tap tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

Overlapping, extending, echoing through the corridor.

‘Is it following us…?’

It’s following us.

Why? Is a chase the final task?

As I was thinking that, something brushed past my side.

Sting!

Along with a momentary pain, I felt lukewarm water flowing from the side of my calf.

Below the torn pants, something red was visible.

‘…This is no joke.’

That’s real killing intent.

It’s really chasing us with the intention to kill.

…If that’s the case.

‘Kkomul-i.’

‘Yes?’

‘Strength enhancement.’

‘Yes!’

Without even knowing who the opponent is.

Moreover, it’s difficult to fight while carrying Noah.

For some reason, Noah.

“Mmm… mmmmm…”

She was asleep with a painful expression.

Crack.

Muscles expand, and my body shoots like an arrow.

Legs moving at explosive speed. I was only able to stop my legs after running for a while and seeing light.

It was the exit.

Near the exit, an employee was standing, with a smiling expression.

“Congratulations on your successful escape!”

“Huff… huff…”

“For those who successfully escape, we have prepared a small prize-“

“Forget that, miss, there’s something I want to ask.”

My words came out rough, probably because I was exhausted.

But it couldn’t be helped.

That rabbit. That bastard, what on earth.

“Yes…?”

“What the hell was that thing? That rabbit that followed us at the end.”

“Rabbit…?”

The employee had a puzzled expression.

“Sir.”

“What.”

“In our Monster House monster route, there is nothing related to the rabbit you mentioned.”

…What?

“No, I’m telling you I clearly saw it! A strange rabbit chasing us! Look, I even have an injury!”

I rolled up my pants to show the injury on my lower body.

But she still doesn’t look convinced.

“I don’t quite understand what you’re saying…”

“If you don’t believe me, check the CCTV.”

The employee made a puzzled expression and then contacted somewhere.

Judging by the conversation, it’s probably the control room.

If there’s some strange person hiding in the course, it would be a big problem.

After waiting for a while, the employee approached me.

To inform me about the CCTV information.

“Um… sir. Regarding the rabbit monster you mentioned.”

“…Hmm.”

“We can’t confirm it anywhere on our CCTV, so I wonder if perhaps you were mistaken…”

Nothing was recorded.

Then what about that thing? What on earth was that…

“…”

“…sir.”

“…”

“Sir!”

“…Ah.”

I must have been lost in thought for a moment.

“Are you okay? Should I call the medical team?”

“…I’m fine. Just… phew, I must have seen something wrong. I apologize.”

I left the place, and only then was I able to lay Noah down on a bench.

She had been asleep all this time, from the moment I picked her up.

It was amazing. To be able to sleep in that situation.

Noah even talked in her sleep.

“Ummm…”

It doesn’t seem like a good dream.

To sweat so much.

“Noah.”

“Ummm…”

“Noah!”

“Um… hak!?”

Flash.

Noah opens her eyes and sits up. She looks around with surprised eyes.

“Mister…?”

“What’s wrong, Noah? Why such a surprised expression?”

“…The mister appeared in my dream…”

“Me?”

“Yes…”

Noah said that while poking my body.

“It’s really you…”

“What kind of dream did you have?”

“Well… um, anyway, it was a bad dream.”

“…Seriously. How can you fall asleep in that situation?”

“I… I don’t know… I just…”

Tremble.

Noah’s hand shook.

It must have been quite a bad dream.

I was equally disturbed, but I am an adult.

I shouldn’t show a wavering appearance in front of a child.

I deliberately made my voice bright.

“…Well, shall we go get something to eat then?”

“Food?”

“Yes. They say the food at the restaurants here is really delicious. Let’s go eat. And… there’s something I need to talk about.”

What on earth was that rabbit?

With such a question abundantly in my heart.