The Thorn that Pierces Me

“Qu’est ce qu’un putain de putain de pute a mis cette jolie fille dans une mine? (Who in their right mind sent this woman to work in the mine?)”

The men displayed considerable interest in Heesoo, whose limbs were all bound to a chair.

Heesoo simply slumped, devoid of strength, fully conscious yet unable to comprehend their words.

They conversed in strange accents Heesoo had never heard before.

It wasn’t English either.

“Je ne sais pas non, Tom. Mais c’est bon parce qu’on a cette salope. C’est important maintenant. (I don’t know, Tom. The important thing is that we found this woman.)”

Even if she had understood their words, the situation wouldn’t have changed. It wasn’t merely because she couldn’t move her body. Even if she had been able to freely move her arms and legs, she would still have been slumped over just as she was now.

She had only been in this world for a little over two months. It was more than enough time for a woman without an identity to give up on life. There was no glimmer of hope for escape from this hellish place.

Heesoo longed for the void, to be spared the sights and sensations of this existence. She found herself yearning even more for the mercy of death.

“Pourquoi est elle si tranquille? ce n’est pas drôle. (How come this bitch isn’t even resisting? It’s making things dull.)”

“...Elle a vu ‘ça’. (Cause she saw ‘it’.)”

“Maenok.”

Maenok, The word was eerily familiar.

The word people screamed while escaping the mines. The terrible memory made Heesoo feel as though her heart was collapsing. Heesoo didn’t want to remember the things that had haunted her since she woke up in this world. She drowned in resentment.

‘Why was it me who had to survive out of all those people? Why had I continued to live until now? If I die, my body will soon be burned too.... What if I’m out of luck? Could I end up turning into a monster just like her? Become a zombie feasting on humans, with lifeless eyes?’

“Pourquoi pleures tu, Chérie? (Why are you crying, sweetheart?)”

A man’s hand touched her cheek. Heesoo clenched her eyes shut.

“Regarder les seins. (Look at these juicy boobs.)”

“Magnifique. De si beaux seins. (I’ve never seen such beautiful boobs.)”

Creeeeak.

That was the moment. The sound of the cabin door opening reached them. However, Heesoo was unable to pay it any mind.

“Pourquoi es tu si en retard? Venir et.... (Why are you so late? Come and see th....)”

Before he could even finish his sentence, the man in front of Heesoo suddenly stood up and shouted.

“Merde! Maenok est là! (Damn it! It’s a maenok!)”

The men were shocked, scrambling for their weapons.

“Putain. (Damn.)”

As one of them turned to run, they pushed Heesoo in the process.

“Aaargh!”

Heesoo groaned as she fell sideways while still tied to the chair.

“Personne ne m’a dit que maenok sort dans cette région! (I’ve never heard of a maenok being in this area!)”

The two men grabbed all the gold and treasures inside the hut. One of them had already fled.

“Je ne savais pas non plus! Si je savais, je ne viendrais jamais ici, Fuckung bites stupides! (I had no idea! I wouldn’t have came here if I knew, you damn idiots!)”

The word ’maenok’ slipped out of their mouths, occasionally catching Hee-Soo’s ear. She knew all too well to what ‘maenok’ referred.

Maenok means ‘The Dead.’

Zombies that moved by feeding on human flesh. In this world, they were called maenok.

‘I must escape.’

Lying on her side, Heesoo twisted and turned in an attempt to free herself from the chair. Despite her desperate struggles, the ropes showed no sign of loosening.

Heesoo was in a severe state of starvation, having not eaten anything for a week. Though her movements were weak, she diligently tried to untie the ropes, but liberation did not come easily.

“NOOOOOO!!”

Behind her, a horrifying scream of a man was heard. She couldn’t turn her head to see the situation clearly, but not seeing it was probably for the best.

Heesoo closed her eyes and then reopened them, only to discover a grimy windowpane in front of her. Reflected in the window was a zombie and a man being grasped by it.

It was the man who had captured her.

“ARGHHHHHHH!”

CRUNCH, BREAK, RIP, CRACK.

Even without seeing through the window, Heesoo knew all too well what those dreadful sounds meant. The zombie wrenched the man’s arm behind his back, immobilizing him, and began devouring him alive, starting with his shoulders.

Lying on the floor with her ear pressed against it, Heesoo heard a thumping sound. It seemed to be the sound of her own heartbeat, escalated by sheer terror. It wouldn’t be surprising if she died of a heart attack right then and there. Tears of terror streaked down her face.