Chapter 19

Deuce was a bold man with a strong sense of leadership. It was thanks to him that this group had come together in the first place. Now, with something strange happening, he wasn’t the type to ignore it. This was a critical moment-how could he afford to be careless? Gripping his flashlight tightly, he followed the sound.

He didn’t believe in ghosts. If ghosts did exist, why hadn’t they come to seek revenge on him already?

The closer he got, the clearer the sound became. It was the rhythmic thud of something being chopped, like an axe striking wood.

“Thump… Thump… Thump…!”

Deuce scoffed, his disbelief evident. He was determined to uncover who was playing tricks on them. Just as he was about to reach the source of the sound, it abruptly stopped. His heart skipped a beat. Had he been noticed? He shouted, “Who’s there? Stop hiding! I’ve already seen you-come out now!”

He swung his flashlight around, its beam cutting through the darkness. But there was nothing-no shadow, no figure. A gust of wind blew through the trees, dislodging snow that fell onto his head and face, sending a chill down his spine.

Deuce let out a heavy snort and shouted again, “I said come out! Stop playing games-I’ve already seen you!”

The forest remained silent, the shadows of the trees swaying like monstrous claws.

Just as Deuce began to doubt himself, he caught sight of a figure behind a tree-a woman? He squinted, trying to make out the details. She had her head tilted to one side, her long, straight black hair obscuring half of her face. Her skin was pale, almost bluish, and her body was twisted unnaturally. Her feet hovered above the ground, swaying back and forth, back and forth…

Feet not touching the ground? What kind of thing doesn’t leave footprints?

A chill shot through Deuce’s mind, his courage crumbling in an instant. His legs felt weak. He stammered, “Y-you… Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“…”

The woman hung her head, saying nothing.

Deuce tried to muster his composure and shouted again, “What are you up to?”

“…”

After a pause, he threatened, “Speak up! Or I’ll call the cops and have you arrested!”

Finally, the eerie woman lifted her head slightly and spoke, her voice soft and haunting. “I’m too cold… I came to make myself a coffin.”

She turned her face slightly, her lips curling into a sinister smile. Her chin dipped low, and her lifeless eyes locked onto him. Her expression carried an unsettling sincerity. “I’m really too cold… too cold… I just want to make myself a coffin…”

…Too cold?

…Making… a coffin… a coffin?!

“Ahhh-!!”

Deuce screamed, his eyes darting to the nearby tree. Sure enough, there were marks where someone had hacked at the wood. His bravado evaporated completely. He turned and bolted, his legs trembling so badly that he tripped and fell flat on his face. Scrambling to his feet, he didn’t even bother to pick up his dropped flashlight, fleeing back to the house like a madman.

“!!!”

Bursting through the door, he shouted, “Fourth! Bear!” His voice was hoarse, tinged with terror, as if he had seen something unspeakably horrifying. Hearing his cries, Bear and Fourth felt their hearts tighten. They rushed out to meet him, only to find Deuce covered in snow, his face pale and eyes wide with fear. Their own anxiety grew as they asked what had happened. Had the police found them? If the cops were here, Trip should have called to warn them…

“Ghost! There’s a ghost!” Deuce stammered, pointing outside. “That woman…”

Bear exclaimed, “You saw her too? A long-haired woman, right? Her feet didn’t touch the ground, and her body was twisted all weird!”

Deuce nodded frantically. Bear clapped his hands together and said, “See? I told you I wasn’t imagining things!”

Deuce gasped, “I saw her… that woman’s feet weren’t touching the ground… She was chopping at a tree… She said-she said she was too cold and wanted to make herself a coffin!”

Who makes their own coffin?

Fourth and Bear froze at the mention of the chopping sound. They had heard it earlier but hadn’t known what it was. Now, hearing Deuce’s description, they realized it had been the sound of someone cutting wood for a coffin. Goosebumps prickled their skin.

Fourth, the only one who hadn’t seen the woman, forced a laugh and tried to reassure them. “Maybe you’re just imagining things. There’s no woman…”

Deuce and Bear immediately protested, “No way! We’re not imagining it-she was terrifying!”

Fourth: “…”

As their fear mounted, a faint sound suddenly came from the front-right side of the house: “Thud… thud… thud…”

The three men exchanged looks, their eyes filled with palpable terror.

…

Sudi woke up feeling cold and stiff. His arms and legs were tightly bound, leaving him unable to move. His body was numb from being stuck in the same position for so long, and every slight movement sent sharp, needle-like pain through his limbs.

He remembered attending an event earlier. He had only had a single glass of red wine at the venue. After the event, his assistant had driven him home. But his memory grew hazy after he got into the car. The next thing he knew, he was here-in this unfamiliar place.

He seemed to be lying on the ground, which was hard and damp. The cold seeped up from the earth, and he could smell the scent of soil.

Despite his fear, Sudi managed to keep his composure. He didn’t scream or call out but instead pretended to remain unconscious, quietly observing his surroundings. He knew that making noise would only draw attention to himself and increase his captors’ vigilance. The only thing he was certain of was that he had been kidnapped.

Sudi strained to observe his surroundings. To his dismay, he realized there were three people guarding him.

They were stationed near the window, their postures tense and alert. They barely made a sound. If one of them hadn’t muttered something under his breath-words Sudi couldn’t quite catch-he might not have noticed them at all.

His heart sank. These people were far too cautious.

He didn’t dare move, only attempting to wiggle his wrists slightly. But the bindings were too tight, and even the smallest motion caused pain. He had no choice but to stop and remain still.

Sudi fought to stay awake, but the biting cold made it difficult to focus. His head felt heavy, and he was on the verge of losing consciousness again. Then he heard it-a strange sound: “Thump… Thump… Thump…”

What was that? He couldn’t figure it out. The sound lingered in his ears, refusing to fade.

Just as he thought he might pass out again, someone whispered, “Why did the sound stop… Could she be… Ah! She’s here, she’s here!”

Sudi snapped back to full alertness. She’s here? Who’s here? Was it the mastermind behind his kidnapping? He was still puzzling over this when another voice, rough and trembling, said, “She’s here… She really came!”

The first voice replied, “What do we do? Should we just run for it?”

Deuce growled, “Calm down! Let’s see what happens first!”

The three men crouched below the window, peeking out cautiously. In the dim light, they saw the Long-haired Woman slowly emerge. Her twisted figure moved closer and closer, her legs swaying back and forth as if she were walking-but her feet never touched the ground. Her body floated in the air, her long hair drifting behind her. Her pale, lifeless face was chilling.

Deuce’s teeth chattered uncontrollably, rendering him speechless. Fourth and Bear clung to each other, their grips so tight they nearly broke the skin.

Suddenly.

“Knock.”

“Knock.”

“Knock.”

“Knock-”

Four knocks. Then silence.

Deuce froze, his body rigid. His bloodshot eyes widened as he whispered, “I heard people say… ghosts knock four times…”