In the early part of the morning, I'm awoken again. But this time, it isn't a nightmare that woke me up, it's the sound of gunshots coming from outside our window.
For a moment, I think I'm mistaking what the sound is, but not until I turn my head around and see Areum peeping through the small window with panic written all over her face.
I look at the bed above Areum's and realize that Yun Hee is still sleeping, not awoken by the sound.
I jump off my bed and rush close to Areum to have a glimpse of the view outside.
"Did you hear that?" I ask as I try to peep along with her, but there's nothing to see out there aside from the barbwire.
"Yes, I think it's gunshots. And it didn't sound like a random gunshots, it sounded more like a fire exchange is happening outside the estate."
"Stay away from the window. If that sound was really a gunshot, then it's very risky for us to stand here."
"Wait, where are you going?" Areum holds back my arm when she notice that I'm about to go out of our room.
"I'll be right back." I reply.
"Don't go, Hana we don't know where the gunshot came from." She looks at me with signs of worry spreading across her face. "It's not safe for you to leave this room either."
"But I have to check what's going on. Don't worry, I'll be right back, I promise." I don't wait for Areum's reply as I gently push down her hand and saunter out of our room.
The light in the corridor is flickering and I can't see any of the guards that are supposed to be doing the night shift.
I wonder what could be happening downstairs.
As I move further to press the elevator door, I notice that it's temporarily out of service. The light unexpectedly goes off and everywhere completely blackout.
I manage to find my way back to our room and fetch my flashlight, and without saying anything more to Areum, I leave the room again.
Using my flashlight, I navigate the corridor until I find the exit door that will take me to the stairways. The elevators are all out of service, I don't understand why this is happening today.
When I enter through the exit, I take the stairs to the floor directly below ours, which is the second floor.
Unexpectedly, my legs stop moving and I almost scream in horror when my flashlight slipped out and fall on the dead body of one of the estate security guard. I can tell that he's a very young man in his early twenties, leaning against the rail with his neck in a very compromising posture. I think his neck was snapped and broken by someone. It doesn't look like he fell off.
I swallow the lump in my throat as I retrieve my flashlight and continue walking down the rest of the stairs, my heart feeling like it's about to come out through my throat.
I find my legs halting the moment I heard some crying noises coming from the corridor I'm about to enter. It's like the sobbing sound of so many girls clustered together.
"Who's there?" I hear a man's voice ask and I stop in my track, feeling cold and sweaty all of a sudden. "Ji Wook, check the stairways. Bring whoever is hiding there and keep gathering them in the hall. Shoot anyone who tries to run away or cause problems. We'll move up to the next floor."
The sweat begins to dribble down from my forehead to my nose as I listen to the familiar voices speaking. I don't know what exactly is happening but I think the estate is under siege and we are all in trouble. They're heading up to our floor, I have to warn Areum and Yun Hee and the girls in the next room.
Before the man comes out from the door to the corridor, I turn off my flashlight and crawl back up the stairs. I push my frame inside an abandoned refrigerator and shut the door close.
I have to think of a way out even though my mind is a mess. What do I do to warn Master Jin and Master Tae Ho? They probably have heard the gunshots, they should have some kind of backup plan to use in situations like this.
I don't know if the man is gone as I can't hear any sound or movement while I'm inside the refrigerator. I can hardly breathe due to the cramped little space I squeezed myself in.
Feeling like I'm about to suffocate, I don't realize when I muster up some courage and slowly push open the refrigerator door. Luckily, I don't see any large shadow looming over me so I silently crawl out.
There's darkness everywhere but I can't use my flashlight — it will attract attention which is the last thing I will want in this unfortunate situation.
I peer through the middle of the staircase railing, letting my vision to narrow on the only source of light I can see below the stairs. There's a tall, muscular man holding up a flashlight and looking through the empty boxes. The door towards his right is the door I need to use to get back to our room and warn my roommates.
But the question here is, how do I get pass the man without catching his attention? It's almost impossible to do so without knocking him out.
I watch the bulky man carefully, my mind searching for possible options. Will I be able to knock him out without making a strong sound that might end up causing me more attention?
Knocking him out is the only way for me to get through the door without wasting too much time. But I'm not sure of what to use as my weapon. I need something hard and strong enough to make him pass out.
I spread my hands and start touching the things nearby, trying to see if luck may decide to take my hands to something I can use as a weapon. Before I can find anything, a strong light comes directly into my eyes, blinding my vision.
Oh, oh. I think I have been exposed.