Chapter 7: Whispers That No One Hear
France – Choen's POV
The hospital hallway stretched endlessly—white walls, polished floors, and the faint echo of hurried footsteps. Choen stood frozen for a moment, staring at the door that held Gabrielle behind it.
She took a deep breath, adjusted her long coat, and pushed the door open.
Gabrielle looked peaceful, too peaceful. Machines beeped steadily. Her face was pale, lips dry, hands folded like a porcelain doll. But something didn't feel right.
Choen stepped forward, wanting to hold her professor's hand. But just as her fingers brushed the air above Gabrielle's wrist—
Nurse:
"Excuse me, miss. Please don't touch the patient."
Choen blinked.
Choen:
"Why? I'm her student. I just wanted to—"
Nurse (smiling too quickly):
"Hospital policy. The doctor will explain everything. Please wait outside."
Choen narrowed her eyes. The nurse's expression didn't match her tone—too calm, too scripted. There was a faint tremble in the woman's fingers.
Something was wrong.
As she stepped back, a gentle breeze passed through the slightly opened window. It carried a fragrance... familiar.
Lavender and burning wood.
Her heart skipped.
She turned sharply. That scent. She hadn't smelled it in years, not since... him.
Choen (whispers):
"No. That's not possible. Not here."
Her eyes darted across the room. Nothing. Just a faint shimmer of dust in the sunlight. Her head felt heavy for a second—memories she had buried clawing at her chest.
Then she saw it.
The spider.
On the ceiling corner, just above the curtain rod. The same oversized spider she saw in Korea. Pale legs. A shimmer of iridescent pastel. It moved like it knew her.
Choen's POV (internal):
No... no. You're just stressed. Exhausted. It's just a hallucination... isn't it?
The spider dropped lower, then scurried up again, vanishing into the vent like a whisper.
Her legs weakened. She stumbled back, catching the bed railing.
Choen (murmurs):
"I'm not imagining things... am I?"
A voice echoed from the hallway—a whisper she couldn't understand, soft and ancient. She turned, but no one was there.
Korea – Mangjoel Family Home
The television flickered in the warm living room. Joon sat with Meena and Seong, the teacups on the table forgotten. The air felt heavier than usual.
News Anchor:
"...and in today's headline: another tourist was found unconscious near the coastal cliffs. Locals report hearing strange whispers before discovering the body. Doctors are unsure of the cause. Authorities have issued a temporary closure of the Seorae trail..."
Meena (worried):
"Another one? That's the third incident this week."
Seong:
"They all said the same thing... the whispers."
Joon (frowning):
"It's weird, mom. All the victims had no visible injuries. It's like something... drained them."
Meena (quietly):
"Do you think it's connected to what happened years ago?"
Seong didn't answer.
The camera on the screen showed cliff edges, fog curling like fingers across jagged rocks, and the crashing waves below.
News Anchor:
"Locals believe it might be a wildlife phenomenon, though several eyewitnesses claim seeing strange, pale creatures vanishing into the sea. Officials are investigating."
Joon's phone buzzed.
A message from Choen: "There's something wrong here… I'll call you soon."
He looked up at his parents.
Joon:
"Noona just texted... and I don't think it's good."
France – Later That Night
Choen stood alone outside the hospital. The streetlamps flickered. Her breath formed clouds in the cold.
She turned to look up at the hospital window—Gabrielle's room.
Behind the glass, for a moment, she thought she saw movement. Not the nurse. Not the doctor.
Something crawling... too fast, too silent.
Her heart clenched.
Choen (to herself):
"I need to find out what's going on... before it's too late."
The wind carried the scent again.
Lavender and firewood.
She didn't turn around this time.
She just stared into the darkness, as if it might answer her......