The monster pulls down his zipper and takes his pants off. He pulls at the waistband of his boxers to check on his penis, shrugs, and walks toward the shower. This is my chance. I get up, and run to the door. I bang on the door with my head. Please, please, open! The monster grabs my leg. He grabs my hair and pulls hard. The naked monster laughs, dripping with water. Suddenly, there is the sound of the lock being unlocked. The monster tries to stop the door from opening, but he is too late.

“Oppa, it’s alright, it’s just me. Are you hungry? I brought some fried chicken …” Eunyong enters with a bag of fried chicken in her hand. I shoot through the door. The door is wide open. I stumble toward the stairs. The monster must have kicked me in the back—the next thing I know, I’m tumbling down the stairs. I imagine my naked body folding, crumpling into a ball, rolling somewhere far far away. My flesh crumbles into tiny flakes. I’m glad that I can’t see myself—there is no anger, no resentment, only darkness. I hear someone calling for me. The darkness is deep as a well, so dark, how did my mom get here? How did Mom and Jimin come find me in this cold storm, in bare feet no less? They are waving and calling my name. Why are they laughing?

Part III

Part III

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde

Heheh. The sound of someone laughing wakes me up. I find the corners of my mouth pulled wide—it was me who was laughing. Yes, right, I was once a child who laughed easily. My head feels clear. It’s time to get up. My body flinches but remains lying down. Lazy ass. I take the lazy ass’s side in this decision-making and stay lying down. Huh, I’m wearing clothes, unfamiliar blue cotton clothes … both sides are open, held together by strings carelessly tied to cover my privates … barely. I look at my surroundings. There are close walls all around me. Is it raining outside? I hear low snoring sounds. Where am I?