The Bloody Letter
It was a cold night, and the neighborhood was eerily quiet. The fireplace was crackling, giving me warmth as I watched the news on the television.
"A dead woman was found at an abandoned school, a burn mark on her palm in the shape of a letter. Authorities believe this is the work of the Bloody Letter," the reporter announced.
The doorbell abruptly rang, sending shivers down my spine. I looked outside through the window, but no one was there. I sighed in relief and continued watching the news, assuming it was a prank, but the scent of rust caused me to stiffen in fear. The doorbell rang again.
Cautiously, I opened the door, ready to confront whoever was disturbing me. No one was there, only a mysterious letter on my doorstep. Filled with dread, I picked it up and went back inside. The letter was crimson-red, slightly damp, and reeked of rust. With shaky hands, I opened the letter and froze in terror,
"Dear Soon-To-Be-Victim,
I apologize in advance, but sadly, you're next. I will be sure to enjoy your suffering so that your death will not be in vain."
Panic seized me. I noticed that the door was open, then everything suddenly went black. I woke up tied to a metal chair, the coldness of the metal causing me extreme unease. The place was unfamiliar, dark, and reeked of mold. I heard someone humming a merry tune, greatly contrasting with the environment,
creeping me out. A laugh of amusement emerged from the dark, barely a whisper. Through my blurred vision, I saw a man wearing a bloodied mask.
"I told you,"
He said in a cold, yet unnervingly gentle voice,
"You're next."
He flipped a switch, and electricity suddenly coursed through my body, causing me immense pain. He hummed a lullaby while setting up his camera. While filming me suffering in agony, he laughed loudly,
"Smile∼!"
The torture continued for a while, feeding his sickening delight, and then he stopped. The electricity stopped coursing through my body, yet the pain remained. He pulled out a gun and approached me, my breath hitched.
"Sigh… Time to sleep… Forever," he said in a low disappointed voice.
*BANG*
The gunshot ended everything.
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Yet somehow, I am still alive. I find myself in an empty white room, no larger than a bedroom. My mind races, struggling to piece together how and why I am here. One moment, I was in pain. The next—nothing. As if it had never happened.
Eventually, I begin to accept my situation and force myself to calm down.
*Sigh*
I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Only then do I notice them.
Four people. Silent. Watching. Dressed in identical white long sleeves.
I tensed up.
"Who are you?" I ask, my voice instinctively breaking the silence.