SPECTER: Night of mist

I sat on a bench in the ER corridor, eyes cast up toward the hospital's ceiling as I let out a long, shaky breath. Around me, the midnight silence was broken only by the frantic footsteps of medical staff rushing past. My partner Park Jae-min had been whisked away for emergency treatment and scans, and now all I could do was wait. Not far off, Detective Yun Tae-sik emerged from the restroom, scrubbing the last of Park's blood from his hands. He walked over with a face still pale from shock and lowered himself onto the bench beside me without a word. A bitter silence settled between us, heavy with unspoken fear.

Moments later, a doctor approached, holding a chart and wearing a puzzled frown. He began to explain the test results in a low, careful voice. "The brain CT doesn't show any obvious trauma, but oddly, we see signs of hemorrhaging around the optic nerves. Given the bleeding from his eyes, it looks like some blood vessels near the optic nerves burst… but the cause isn't clear yet." The doctor shook his head, clearly perplexed. "For now, we'll keep him under observation and run more tests. What's critical are the next 48 hours. Whether he regains consciousness in that time will determine his chances of recovery."

48 hours.

That number slammed into me like a sledgehammer, echoing in my mind. Forty-eight hours to save Park Jae-min's life. I thanked the doctor in a numb murmur and watched him stride away down the hall. As he left, Yun Tae-sik's voice quivered beside me, barely above a whisper. "Detective… what on earth happened? Park just… collapsed out of nowhere…." His eyes were wide, filled with fear and worry. I didn't trust myself to answer. I just bowed my head, clenching my jaw to keep the rising dread at bay.

Inside my mind, the puzzle pieces of this case were scattered chaotically. But one thread connected them all, shining with foreboding clarity: the star-marked pendant. And Fog's warning. I squeezed my hand into a fist, feeling a prick of pain in my palm. Blinking, I opened my right hand and stared at it. The faint red burn that had been there this morning… had grown darker, more distinct. It formed the exact same star shape as the pendant. This pendant… had it marked me? The thought sent a cold shudder through me.

I couldn't stand the suffocating anxiety a second longer. Bolting up, I hurried to the restroom and splashed a handful of cold water on my face at the sink. Get a grip. I had to stay sane—Park's life depended on it. The icy water dripped down my skin, grounding me for a moment. Slowly, I raised my head and looked into the mirror, directly into my own eyes—

"Wh-what…?" I choked, my breath catching in my throat. I blinked in horror. The whites of my eyes were red—stained as if filled with blood. It was as though pools of crimson had welled up inside them, turning my gaze alien and terrifying. A wave of pure terror exploded in my chest, tightening around my heart. Am I… going to end up like Park Jae-min?

My hands trembled as I gripped the edges of the sink. No. There's no time for this. I forced the thought out through cracked lips, voice rasping. Fog's ominous warning rang in my ears, overlapping with the doctor's words from moments ago. Forty-eight hours. If I don't stop this within that time, the person closest to me will die. And next… it might be me.

I tore myself away from the mirror and dashed back out into the corridor. Yun Tae-sik rushed over, alarm lighting his face. "Detective, your face… and your eyes—what happened?" he gasped, seeing the red tinge still fading from my eyes. I averted my gaze and shook my head shortly. "I'm fine. I'll explain later," I said, dismissing it for now. There was no time to deal with my own fear.

Park Jae-min was still in the scanning room and wouldn't be out for a while. I stopped in front of the ICU where he'd eventually be brought. Through the small window in the door, I could see only the steady, monotonous beeps of the machines in his empty bed. I drew in a deep breath of the cold hospital air. Forty-eight hours.

I bit down until my teeth ached. That was all the time we had. I would find an answer in that time. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the star pendant, clenching it tightly. The star-shaped emblem glimmered faintly, aligning perfectly with the burn in my palm. "A key…" I remembered Fog's parting words and murmured to myself. If this star symbol is a key, then somewhere out there must be a door it's meant to open. And behind that door lies the answer that will end this case.

Steeling myself, I slipped the pendant back into my pocket and rose to my feet. I finally knew what I had to do next. We didn't have the luxury of time, so I would gather every clue left in the wake of the red mist. I resolved to meet with the families of all the victims who had fallen to this crimson fog and hear their stories firsthand. We needed every last piece of the puzzle, and we needed it now. My eyes narrowed with razor focus.

Forty-eight hours. Just two days—that's all we were given. I swore to myself there would be no more victims. I would find the solution to save Park Jae-min, and this city, before it was too late. With renewed determination burning in my chest, I spun on my heel and marched out of the hospital, Yun Tae-sik close on my heels.

 * * *

That afternoon, Yun and I visited the home of the first victim's family. A middle-aged couple sat across from us on the living room sofa, their faces etched with profound despair. The father's eyes were bloodshot, dark circles carved beneath them—signs of a night spent in tears and agony. On the coffee table between us lay a crumpled missing person flyer bearing the smiling face of their 15-year-old son, Park Geon-woo. The father clutched that flyer in his trembling hand as he began to speak in a broken voice.

"That night, our boy said he was just stepping out to the convenience store down the street… I let him go, not realizing the red fog had rolled in." His head drooped, and the mother beside him dabbed at her tears with a tissue. I nodded gently, urging him to continue.

"Maybe ten minutes passed," the father continued hoarsely, "and it got strangely quiet outside… then I thought I heard my boy's voice out in the fog." His composure shattered; the words burst out amid sobs he'd been holding back. "I looked out the window and saw thick fog glowing under the streetlights, and in it I could make out… someone, like a shadow of a person. And Geon-woo—our boy—he was walking toward it, like he was… hypnotized or something." The man's eyes were raw and red-rimmed as he relived the memory.

"Hard to believe, I know, but… the fog reached out like an arm and grabbed my boy," he choked, voice trembling with grief and disbelief. "A formless hand just snatched him and pulled him into the fog…"

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. In my mind's eye I could almost picture that eerie scene: the crimson mist twisting like a living nightmare, swallowing a child whole. A chill crawled down my spine.

Beside him, the mother finally broke into wailing sobs. "Th-that fog took my baby… right in front of my eyes!" she cried out, pounding her chest in anguish before collapsing to her knees, face crumpled in despair. The father hung his head, covering his face with both hands as tears fell. "I… I was right there, but I… I couldn't stop it…" he moaned, his voice drenched in helplessness and guilt.

I closed my eyes for a moment, fighting down a surge of anger and pain. When I opened them, I spoke softly but firmly. "Thank you for sharing such a painful story. I promise you—we will find him." My voice was quiet steel. Yun Tae-sik stood and bowed, handing them our card. Leaving the sound of the couple's sobs behind us, we departed their home with heavy steps.

Outside on the front stoop, Yun let out a shaky breath and finally spoke, his voice strained. "Detective… a shapeless hand coming out of fog? How is that possible…?" His face was a conflicted mix of confusion and fear.

I set my jaw and climbed into the passenger seat of our car. "It's no different from what happened to Detective Park," I said in a low voice as Yun got behind the wheel. "There's definitely something in that red fog." Even as I spoke, I realized I was gripping the star pendant in my right hand. The burn on my palm prickled sharply, as if reacting to the memory of that presence. Park Jae-min's pallid face flashed through my mind—him lying unconscious in that hospital bed. I won't let it end like this. I forced down the swell of emotion and steeled myself anew. I will reveal the source of this evil before it takes anyone else.

For the rest of the day, we went door to door, meeting the people closest to the other missing victims. A college student's best friend… a convenience store clerk from the neighborhood… one by one, each witness was hesitant at first, but soon tears fell as they recounted the final moments they'd seen. Strangely, all of their stories were eerily similar.

One convenience store clerk, her face still drained of color, described the scene to us in a trembling voice. "It was a night filled with fog. I saw through the shop window a customer just standing there in the alley, not moving. He was staring at something, like he was in a trance, and I thought it was strange. I was about to open the glass door and go out to him, but in that instant… the figure I'd glimpsed in the red fog, and that customer… they just vanished into the mist together. It… it happened in the blink of an eye…."

Another witness—a young man who was the friend of a victim—recalled the event, voice quavering with emotion. "We were walking home late at night, and suddenly this fog rolled in. My friend just stopped in his tracks. I kept calling his name, but it was like he couldn't hear me… he started whispering to himself, 'Mom…?', and before I could do anything, he just walked off into the fog. I grabbed his arm to hold him back, but… he tore away from my grip. Or rather… it felt like something on the other side was yanking him away with unbelievable strength. He… he ripped free of my hand, and then disappeared into that red fog…." By the time he finished, the young man's face was ashen with fear.

At the end of his story, the young man clutched my wrist suddenly, his eyes shining with tears. In a broken voice he pleaded, "Detective… do you think my friend is still alive?"

My throat tightened. I couldn't answer him right away. I waited a beat, gathering myself, then gave a heavy nod. "I truly believe he's alive," I said, looking him in the eye. "Don't give up hope. Please wait for him. We're doing everything we can to find them." The young man's tears spilled over as he nodded weakly in return.

Only after I had carefully noted down every last detail of these testimonies in my notebook did I finally step back and let out a long breath. Like pieces of a puzzle clicking into place, a clear common thread emerged. Every victim vanished on a night of thick, crimson fog, lured away by something unseen. Witnesses spoke of disembodied hands… whispering voices… silhouettes in the mist… None of this could be the work of any ordinary human. It was now beyond doubt: an inhuman Specter lurking within the red fog was behind all of the disappearances.

"Detective… can we really handle this by ourselves?" Yun Tae-sik whispered. His face was tense, eyes wide with dread. He looked at me as if hoping I had an answer that would make all of this less terrifying.

I met his gaze steadily, refusing to waver. "We have to," I replied, iron in my voice. At that, Yun swallowed and gave a quiet nod. He knew as well as I did—there was no going back now.

"It's clear now," I continued, conviction ringing in my words. "Behind every one of these missing persons cases is a presence in the red fog. A Specter." A cold anger and sense of responsibility flared to life inside me, coursing through my veins. No way in hell was I letting this thing continue its rampage. "We're not going to let it have its way any longer," I muttered under my breath, a vow to myself and to the victims.

By the time evening fell, Yun and I finally headed back to the station. We climbed into the car, exhausted but determined. Dusk cast long shadows over the streets, and as the last traces of sunset faded, a chill seeped into the air. Under the streetlights, I could see a thin fog starting to gather once more—a faint haze tinged with red swirling near the pavement. The city streets looked unnervingly empty, cloaked in an eerie hush.

Yun Tae-sik glanced over at me as he gripped the steering wheel, letting out a tired sigh. "Forty-eight hours… do you really think we can pull it off in time?" he asked softly. Even in the dim light, I could see the uncertainty in his expression.

I reached into my pocket and drew out the pendant, gazing at its star-shaped pattern. It glinted faintly under the streetlight filtering through the windshield. This clue Fog had left with us… I was determined to decipher it, to find the truth it promised. We'll figure it out. We have to. I was about to voice that resolve to Yun when suddenly an unnatural stillness crept into the car, as if the very air had been sucked out. Yun, about to turn the key, froze in place.

Something was wrong. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end. In the silence, I noticed it—a thin tendril of red mist curling up in the back seat. It was coiling and thickening by the second in the corner behind the driver's seat.

Both of us jolted in unison, twisting around to look. At some point, without a sound, a hazy figure of a middle-aged man had appeared, sitting in the back seat. As the red mist swirled and parted, the figure became clearer. Fog. He was leaning back casually, a familiar mischievous grin on his lips.

When our eyes met, Fog gave a low, throaty chuckle and drawled, "Detective, looks like yer pressed for time."

I nearly leapt out of my skin. I hadn't sensed anyone approaching the car at all. Heart hammering, I stared at Fog in shock—he'd materialized out of nowhere, exactly like the specter he was named after.

Fog just shrugged in response, utterly unbothered by my reaction. In that same lazy, playful tone he continued, "What'd that doc say earlier… two days left, wasn't it?"

"What—? How the hell do you know about that—?" I sputtered, my voice cracking with surprise and anger.

Fog's grin widened as if he found my outrage amusing. "Two days… that's a mite short, ain't it? To catch 'im, I mean," he drawled on, shaking his head like he was sharing idle gossip about the weather. He wore a sly, knowing smirk—playing dumb, or perhaps showing that he already knew far more than he let on.

I felt a flare of irritation. Whether Fog was friend or foe still wasn't clear, but his cryptic act was grating. "Quit speaking in riddles," I growled, trying to keep my voice steady. But Fog ignored me, his expression turning a shade more serious beneath the ever-present grin.

"Mind my advice now, Detective," he said, wagging a finger as if lecturing me. "If ya don't find 'im in two days… somethin' truly awful's gonna happen." His tone, while still lilting, carried a grave undercurrent that sent a chill through me.

Fog leaned forward slightly, locking his foggy eyes with mine as he delivered his final words. "That door your pendant's gonna open… it ain't gonna wait around forever."

The moment he finished, his form began to waver. The red mist swirled around him, and Fog's body faded, dissolving into the gloom. In the blink of an eye, he was gone—vanished like a phantom with the receding crimson haze. His warning, however, remained behind, ringing in my ears and crystallizing the dread already nestled deep in my gut.

It was as if he'd never been there at all. The back seat was empty save for silence. From somewhere in the darkness outside, his disembodied voice drifted to us one last time, a low murmur: "Time sure flies by, don't it—" The mocking sing-song of it left an unpleasant echo hanging in the air.

Yun Tae-sik shakily wiped the cold sweat from his brow, his eyes darting all around. "I-is… is he gone…?" he stammered, face flushed and voice trembling. Realizing Fog had truly left, Yun inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. I could see his hands quivering on the steering wheel and felt a pang of sympathy. He was terrified—but there was a hard resolve in the set of his jaw now. There was no more backing down; in Yun's eyes I saw the determination to see this through alongside me, his senior, no matter what.

Jaw clenched, I turned back to face the front. My heart was thundering, a mix of adrenaline and fury coursing through me, but more than anything, a fierce determination was burning in my eyes. Enough.

"Alright. Let's see this through to the end," I muttered under my breath, the words coming out low and firm. My hands were steady as I gripped the pendant once more. "No more victims… I'll find that bastard. I swear I will." With that vow, I exhaled hard and jammed the key into the ignition, twisting it. The engine roared to life, its growl echoing into the night. In the darkness of that parking lot, two detectives' hearts blazed with the resolve to end the crimson fog's reign of terror once and for all. Time was running out. But in our eyes, the fire of determination burned bright—we would fight with everything we had in the next 48 hours, and we would win. Beyond the darkness ahead, the final battle with the Specter was waiting for us, and we were ready to charge forward at full throttle.