How can I describe it? The feeling of being led by the hand through the night, down a secluded road with only a few passersby, as the warm amber glow of streetlights bathes two walking figures.
The sky, unobstructed by towering skyscrapers, allows the stars to shine clearly, making the firmament look like a black crystal. At the center lies the crescent moon. Its silver radiance casts a poetic light over the scene.
Warmth flows from their joined hands, mingling together and forging a connection between their souls. They laugh and joke, chatting about trivial things that nevertheless spark genuine joy. Their footsteps fall in perfect rhythm as they stroll through this landscape.
It sounds incredibly romantic, doesn't it? Everything seems perfect for a couple seeking relaxation. Seeing one's partner grow more radiant under the moonlight would make any heart flutter, leading them to exchange the most sentimental words their love-struck minds can conjure.
And it would be truly wonderful if only it weren't two grown men.
I swear, the whole thing felt bizarre. I felt deeply uncomfortable and embarrassed to be caught in such a situation.
"Hey, can you let go of my hand?"
…
The young man remained silent, eyes fixed forward.
…
"Come on, please. Our hands are starting to sweat," I pleaded.
…
Silence was the only response.
"I believe you two, alright? I definitely won't run away. So please..."
Was this guy even listening to me? It was starting to get on my nerves. Suddenly, a voice drifted from behind.
"We'll stay like this for now. Once we encounter that thing, he'll understand. Just endure it until then," the girl said to the young man.
Hey, I'm the one doing the enduring here! Does that guy look like he's struggling to you? I really don't get it.
In case you're wondering where I was being taken, they were leading me around this town. They claimed it was related to something called an anomaly and were taking me to every house where a disappearance had occurred. The girl suddenly stepped ahead of us, her eyes glued to her phone.
"We're approaching the first house. Two more after this. It's the white one up ahead".
Finally, a chance to rest. The walk wasn't that long, but my legs were exhausted. Why did that elevator lead to an abandoned house near this town instead of the town itself? Perhaps it only connects to specific locations. If it didn't, I would have been transported to this strange place the moment I opened the elevator door at my apartment complex, rather than having to take a bus to an abandoned house.
Reaching the door, the girl nonchalantly stepped over the police tape and entered. The young man led me inside after her. Once inside, she transformed her overcoat into threads, using them like ropes to bind me tightly before the man placed me on a sofa. They began searching every corner of the house.
It was a frustrating sensation; I could only sit motionless, watching them pace back and forth without knowing what they were doing. I tried to stand, but I was bound to the chair. Was I really going to miss my chance to escape even when the opportunity arose?
Then I remembered that I was wearing that suit. I had put it on while heading to the elevator, and the rest of my gear was hidden within its various parts. We had even disguised it as regular clothes to avoid drawing attention. I tried to control the suit with my mind, but there was no reaction. Why? It had been so responsive when I first put it on.
And so, I missed that rare opportunity.
After a while, the two returned. The girl looked discouraged as they began to confer.
"Did you find anything?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"No. You?" the young man replied quickly.
"Nothing here either. It seems this place is a dead end. On to the next one," she said, picking up her phone. She retracted the threads binding me back into her coat and walked out. The young man took my hand again and led me away.
Ugh, how much longer do I have to endure this? At least there are very few people on the street, otherwise, I'd be mortified.
We moved to the next house. The routine repeated. I was confined to a sofa while they searched, and I missed another chance. Except this time, the girl returned holding something.
"What's this?" the young man asked.
"A circus ticket. It seems connected to the anomaly," she said, holding it up. He took it to examine it. "The date on the ticket matches the day the residents of this house went missing. It's likely a notice sent to the victims". She showed him something on her phone, and he nodded.
"The first real clue. Let's move to the next location," he said.
This cycle repeated about eleven times. I was dragged from place to place, dumped on sofas, and forced to watch them work. It was infuriating.
"We haven't found anything else besides these tickets. I tried burning one, and it burned just like regular paper. No other leads," the girl said with a hint of disappointment, retracting the threads from my body.
"Should we head there now?" the man asked, preparing to lead me off.
The girl shook her head and walked toward the door. "Not yet. We should observe the other houses. I don't want to miss anything. So..." She turned and gave a slight smile. I felt a sense of dread.
"...why don't we walk around the town two or three more times? It's not that big, and it's effective for the investigation".
Agh, I hate this.
After one more lap, my legs felt like they were falling off. I was tired, hungry, and sleepy. If I wasn't going to be sacrificed, I was surely going to die from this torture.
The young man didn't have a single drop of sweat on him, and his expressionless face made me want to scream. The girl, however, seemed to have hit her limit; she was panting heavily. Serves her right for overestimating herself.
Reaching her breaking point, she leaned against a lamppost and pointed across the street. I looked and saw an eatery. Finally, a chance at survival.
"Let's rest at that restaurant for a bit. It looks like David here can't move another inch anyway. It's a good time to talk," she said, sounding like she was about to collapse.
Seeing her so haggard made me suppress a laugh. It was the price for someone who enjoyed tormenting others. Was it cruel of me to want her to suffer more?
We entered the restaurant and were greeted warmly by the staff. We took a table by the window and ordered food and drinks. We ate and engaged in small talk. This was a great moment for me. I didn't have to hold that guy's hand, I got to sit in the corner, rest, and eat comfortably.
But then I noticed the man young had to ask the girl to order for him. Could it be that he's afraid of strangers? Realizing I was staring, he quickly looked away. What a strange person. How was he raised? It was bizarre that someone so physically strong could be so socially timid.
"Stop staring at him. He can't handle it," the girl said, taking a satisfying sip of orange juice.
"If you're wondering why this annoying guy is so afraid of people, it's just an unfortunate side effect of the foundation's training"
If that was true, my theory was right. They had broken a young soul.
"Anyway, we should discuss the next step. Any ideas?" she asked the young man.
"I think we should rest and investigate the circus tomorrow morning. It might be safer during the day," he replied.
"Agreed. We'll spend the night at one of the victims' houses".
"Agreed," the young man and I said in unison. The girl glared at . Clealy , I had no say in the matter. I might have been imagining it, but I thought I saw the man flinch slightly.
After paying, I was led away again. It still felt creepy. On the way, I saw a group of three friends across the street. One was talking excitedly, a girl was giggling, and another was gesturing wildly. They looked like a quirky but happy group.
They were much happier than us. I looked down at the hand holding mine and sighed. If only this guy were a girl. I noticed the young man was also watching the group across the street. He looked like he wanted friends of his own. It was almost pitiable, though I certainly didn't want to be the one to befriend him.
We arrived at a nearby house. I felt a pang of guilt for trespassing, but I had no choice. Perhaps this would provide a better opportunity to escape. Inside, they cleared the living room while I was bound in a corner. They transformed parts of their outfits into a full set of bedding. I touched the blankets. They were soft and felt like high-quality materials despite being hollow constructs.
Then came the crucial moment.
"You two sleep together".
"No. Why not just leave him in the corner?" the young man protested immediately.
"Are you crazy? He'll catch a cold sleeping like that, and besides, it's not good for him to sleep in that position. You know that," she countered.
"Then why don't you sleep with him?"
The girl's ears turned red, and she looked at him as if he'd said the most absurd thing in the world. "O-of course not! A man and a woman who aren't a couple can't sleep together. W-what are you thinking?"
After a moment, the young man yielded with a sigh. And so, I was forced to share a bed with another guy. Could it get any worse? I had spent the night holding his hand for hours, and now this. I wanted to cry, but the only thing I felt was the sting in my eyes and the humiliation in my heart. What did I do to deserve this?
Eventually, they both fell asleep. It must be nice to sleep so peacefully while I was wide awake. I couldn't sleep a wink with him lying so close. It was too uncomfortable. He even held my hand tightly in his sleep.
As my mind grew weary from insomnia and discomfort, something suddenly pressed against my mouth, and I felt something small slip inside. I wanted to scream, but a hand was clamped over my lips. Once I calmed down, I realized it was the man's hand. Why was he gagging me?
Suddenly, my mind began to drift. A wave of ease washed over me, mixing with my extreme exhaustion. My eyes grew heavy. I felt like I was slipping away. Was that a sedative? I glanced at the young man beside me. He had turned his head away, as if avoiding looking at me.
Haha... this guy... actually... knows how to... care for... others.-
I fell into a deep sleep.
"Thump, thump"
I felt something prodding my ribs, but it was faint, so I ignored it. I just wanted to keep sleeping.
"Wake up!"
A piercing shout rang in my ear, nearly shattering my eardrums. I jolted awake, looking around in confusion. Once alert, I saw the two of them looking at me, or at least the girl was. She looked furious, and I felt a sharp pain in my side.
"Do you know how many times I've tried to wake you? You better start disciplining yourself if you want this job," she grumbled.
I didn't even want this job! They forced me into it. It was infuriating, but I couldn't show my resentment. I checked my phone: 4:30 AM. What did they want at this hour?
"First, we'll take care of our morning routine, then we'll discuss the plan," the girl said, heading toward the bathroom. She stopped and tossed a few things at me: a plastic cup, toothpaste, a toothbrush, and a towel.
How thoughtful. They seemed to have a good side after all. If not for that foundation, they might have been decent people. I felt increasingly sorry for them. I looked at the young man. He was standing by the window, watching something. Was he looking at a girl? No, there's no one out at this hour. What was he looking at? I decided to ignore it.
We finished our morning routines in sequence. First the girl, then me, and then the man. Afterward, we put everything back and sat on the sofa to discuss. Once again, I was just the silent observer.
"We'll investigate the town once more, then head to the circus. Any objections?"
"Actually, last night I felt like we were being watched through the window," the young man said.
"Really?" the girl leaned in toward him.
"Yes. Someone was watching us while we slept. I realized it and ran outside, but there was nothing there," he explained.
She paused, then spoke decisively. "Alright. To stay safe, we must watch our every move. We don't fully understand its abilities yet, so stay alert. Let's go".
And so, I was led around the town again. Fortunately, the streets were even emptier than at night, so I didn't have to face any suspicious stares. Finally, we stopped at an eatery.
"Consider this your last meal," the girl told me.
"Hey, don't say scary things like that!" I replied. What did she mean?
"Our work is the most dangerous kind in the foundation. We could die before we even realize what's happening. So, we cherish every moment".
If it's so dangerous, why not let me go? I'm young. I don't want to die. What kind of danger was she talking about? Gang wars?
"By the way, another disappearance happened this morning. It's a daily occurrence here now, yet no one seems to care, not even the police," she continued.
"As the report said, the anomaly's power has affected people's perception. I've asked around; locals say the missing people went to the circus, and they'll be going there soon too. They even suggested we get ready to go".
"Do you have info on the latest victim?" the young man asked.
"Here. Why do you ask? Does it help the investigation?" she said, showing her skepticism. The young man stared at the phone for a while, appearing deep in thought.
"It's a clue. Let's head to the circus," he said.
"Can you tell me what the clue is?"
"No. It's not certain yet," he replied.
"Ugh, you annoying guy. Fine, let's just go," she conceded, clearly wanting to avoid an argument.
We took a taxi to the circus. Walking would have taken two hours. Now I was standing before it. It was a circus in the middle of nowhere. What was the owner thinking? Who were they performing for, the flies? We changed back into our uniforms, and the two began scouting the area.
To me, it looked like a normal circus, except for the entrance. It was pitch black, like a dark void. It was unsettling.
"Notice anything strange?" the girl asked. The young man shook his head. "Well, I guess the only way is to go inside. Is everyone ready?"
"Ready," the young man answered instantly. The girl glared at me since I hadn't replied.
"R-ready," I stammered. Why was I being so weak?
"Good. Let's move," she said, leading the way.
The young man took my hand and led me in. I couldn't resist. I took one last look at the circus and the void-like entrance, a profound sense of unease washing over me. I hoped everything would be okay.