Ghostlines

“Hurry!” a voice whispered as the sounds of scampering feet of their indoor shoes were heard. “The janitor just left! It’s our chance!” The stifling of laughter were heard as they closed the door to one of the classrooms they had set up in silence. Sumin a female student in a different class glanced around the dark halls of their classroom.

Her eyes darted around her as she tossed a braid behind her shoulder, “this school sure is scary at night.” Sumin muttered to herself as she sat down in a circle beside her fellow students. “Who knew everything looks so different at night. It’s too dark, even the candle lights make it look eery.” Do-hyun who had been standing beside her laughed as he hit her shoulder.

“Relax,” Do-hyun said his laugh filled the silence, “nothing’s going to go wrong! Trust me, with us around nothing’s going to happen.” Sumin just shrugged as she made her way inside the classroom. Yet, something felt off as she glanced behind her once more. The sliding classroom doors were closed as usual but somehow Sumin swore she saw the glimpse of someone watching her quietly.

She narrowed her eyes trying to see through the darkness surrounding her. The figure smirked as it’s mouth widened in pure bliss as if it was excited that someone could see it. Sumin shook from the sudden chill as she turned around before joining the others inside the classroom. The light of the candle flickered as she sat sending spikey shadows behind them.

The desks were shrouded in darkness and if they weren’t careful they could hit something along the way. Sumin looked at her fellow classmates as she bit her lips. They were a total of seven students sitting in a circle around them, Sumin sat with her back to the cabinets near the back. Her face was illuminated in a shadow from the single candle light flickering with the shuffling of students.

Sumin glanced at the person facing the doorway leading to the empty dark halls outside. She frowned as she noticed Ji Ho one of the athletes in the school stare quietly at the halls from the doors plastic window. “What are you looking at?” Sumin asked quietly as she glanced at Ji Ho who didn’t move his eyes from the windows. “Did you see it too?”

“Yea,” Ji-ho said quietly as he clenched his fists, “the woman standing near the windows at the end of the hall. Yeah, I’ve seen her a couple of times.” Sumin frowned as she glanced back at the window her face scrunched up in thought. Sumin glanced at the others who were oblivious of the fact as they giggled and talked amongst each other.

The sound of water dripping was heard from the faucet in the corner of the room. “What’s that noise?” Ha-yoon asked as she glanced at the faucet barely visible in the dark. “Did it always do that?” Ji-ho frowned as he stood up glancing at the window where he sat. The others grew silent as they watched him get up slowly.

“What’s wrong?” another student asked as he looked around him wondering what got everyone so panicked. “Do you guys see something you shouldn’t, come on guys! Ghosts don’t exist.” Ji-ho stayed silent as he stared at the figure standing near the door her eyes glinting in a dangerous light. Her pale mouth stretching into a smile as Ji-ho grabbed the candle and held it up in the air away from them.

The ghost seemed to bare its mouth wide in protest, “what are you doing?!” their class president asked as she looked around nervous her voice breaking. “Stop doing that! It’s not scary!” Yet, Ji-ho moved through the center his eyes narrowed as he stared at the girl in front of them. Sumin alarmed stood up as she stood beside Ji-ho who barely moved from the middle of the circle.

“What is it!” another student said her voice rising in pitch as she backed up behind Ji-ho the others doing the same. “What are you seeing!” Ji-ho didn’t say anything as he raised the candle towards the female and moved closer. The figure narrowed its eyes as she stepped away from the door, the door flew open with a bang as the female seemed to lunge towards Ji-ho who stared the female down.

“Watch out!” Sumin exclaimed as she ran in front of Ji-ho who looked at her with wide eyes. “Do not hurt him!” A blast of white light stretched towards the doorway as it seemed to repel the female as she flew towards the wall. Ji-ho strained his neck as he scanned his eyes around the hallway trying to see where the female had went.

“The heck was that!” another student whispered as she trembled in the corner. “I don’t see anything… you think that ghosts really exist?” Ji-ho and Sumin looked at each other before clenching their fists unsure of what to tell them. Ji-ho sighed as he turned to the others his eyes dull as he took a deep breath.

“Go home,” Ji-ho said a hint of coldness in his tone, “I think this is enough for today. Sumin and I will clean this up.” The students didn’t hesitate as they all raced out of the classroom without looking back. It was then that the world began to learn about the organization Ji-ho was under. Yeonghon-ui Suhoja (Guardian of Souls) its mission to clear the world of ghosts who live within the world of ghosts and humans.