In the frozen air—
A voice came from outside the steel door, the only entrance to the narrow room where the Ghost Story was contained.
“Teacher?”
…….
“Teacher?”
“I brought some educational materials!”
“Wh—”
I clapped a hand over Baek Saheon’s mouth. He reflexively started to struggle, then went rigid.
Because both the Security Captain and I were staring at the steel door without moving a muscle.
“…….”
“…….”
The sound stopped.
The voice of the teacher from the ■■ Affiliated Kindergarten vanished from outside the steel door as though it had all been a lie.
But I could already guess what it really was.
…Senior Staff Park Minseong.
The person who had been working at the annex front desk was now standing directly behind the containment door on Basement Level 2.
In a completely contaminated state.
…….
A dreadful premonition ran up my skin in a shiver, through the fragments of flesh whose whereabouts I did not even know, inside my uniform.
What did Director Cheong do?
I cautiously took a step toward the containment door when—
Beeeep.
“…!”
The door lock released.
The steel door had opened through a Facility Security Team authentication procedure. Beside me, I sensed the Security Captain pulling his cap down and stepping forward. Creak—the steel door opened. And through the gap…
A hand suddenly slipped in.
“Teacher, look at this!”
Wearing a hand puppet.
“This is today’s read-aloud story. It’s called….”
With the kindergarten teacher’s fingers moving, the puppet cheerfully and cutely waved its arms and head. Brown hair in two braids, rosy cheeks…
Little Red Riding Hood.
A child in a red hood.
“Once upon a time, there lived a cute…