Chapter 79: I heard bells

Chapter 79: I heard bells I heard from Tae-Ming that he found me unconscious under the heavy material and I was bleeding everywhere. He immediately called the ambulance and I was taken into the emergency ward. It was only a sliver of chance that I was able to survive. And I had been unconscious for a week. A week, huh? That sounded like a familiar time frame. In any case, my wounds were yet to heal and I still needed to remain in the hospital for a while to recover. Fortunately and miraculously, I didn’t have any broken bones so I didn’t need to stay in the hospital for long. I could be discharged in a week. (Why do things keep happening in a week? Oh right, I made them so) During that time, Tae-Ming came over every single day. I was touched. I didn’t know he cared for me so much and when I brought it up, he said, "Oh, what I’m doing? It’s nothing. I’m basically doing this because I’m getting a paid leave just to take care of you," he said in such a silly way that instead of getting mad that I thought so highly of him, I simply laughed. One more week passed and it was finally time for me to be discharged. My wounds would heal fully at home. I just needed to avoid stressing my body. While I was waiting for Tae-Ming to handle the discharge papers and was packing the things, my other colleagues had gotten me, things like a get-well-soon card and flowers. The medical expenses were taken care of by my employer since it was a workplace injury and I even got compensation too. I wouldn’t need to worry about money while I was recovering. But... something felt off. It was as if I was missing something. And this body... I felt strange in it. As if it weren’t mine. Suddenly, I heard bells and turned towards the door. What was that? I heard the bells once more like a rattle. If I listened closely, I could tell that the bells were tied to a stick. Was there an old person walking around with a stick that had bells? Well, it wasn’t my business. I zipped my bag and then the doors opened. I thought it was Tae-Ming and said, "I’m done packing so let’s--" I froze as the person I saw was not Tae-Ming but an old lady with a veil covering half her face and leaving just her eyes exposed. She was dressed like a shaman. "Can I... Help you?" I asked, and she took a step in, moving her stick, and I heard the bells rattle once more. Just as I thought, the bells were tied to a stick. "You’re looking at the spirit stick," she said. Her voice sounded worn out but full of life at the same time. "Yes, it’s the bells," I said and she moved the stick again, taking one more step towards me. This was getting creepy. She had this vibe that spelled superstition and bad news. I never got involved with Shamans in the past so why was I getting involved with one now? "You hear the bells," she said and I nodded. Wouldn’t a normal person say yes? I mean, the bells were right there on her stick. "Would you like to take a look at them?" She asked and I shivered. What was she planning to do? This old woman was creepy. "No, thank you." I said. "I’m just on my way out. You must’ve come to the wrong room since I’m the only one here and I’m definitely not the person you came to meet." "No, you’re exactly who I’m looking for." She said. "A week ago, I got a divination that a soul has trespassed into this world. It’s not a soul that needs to be exorcised but a soul that needs to go ’back’." As much as I’d like to say I understood what this old lady was saying, I didn’t understand. In the first place, I didn’t believe in spirits or ghouls. Those might be real in books but this is the real world. It’s not happening and definitely not where I’m at. "Alright, Halmoni," I said, bowing my head. "Good luck finding them." (Halmoni means Old lady in Korea) "I don’t need it." She said, and I picked up my bag. Well, she could do well on her own. "Because I’ve found them." What was this old lady trying to say? "You hear the bells," she said. "But I don’t hear them. The only ones who hear the bells on my spirit stick are spirits." What nonsense was she spouting? As much as I’d like to be respectful to my elders, I don’t like that she’s imposing her spiritual stuff on me. "You’re doubting me," she said and I furrowed my eyebrows. "If so, take a look at the bells yourself." I sighed. Those were regular bells. I was sure of it. But since she wouldn’t stop saying stuff like that, I’d just take a look and get to leave. I walked towards her and took the stick from her. I took a close look at it and sighed. "They’re just regular bells," I said. "Yes, in the outside. But they’re missing something," she said. "The very thing that makes them bells. Look closely," I felt fed up and looked anyway. I took a closer look, only to discover that in these bells there were no clappers/stones. They were empty every single one of them. Then... How were they ringing? "As I said," the shaman took her stick from me. "This is a spirit stick and normal humans do now hear the bells ring because there are no clappers. But for spirits... They hear it loud and clear." "I don’t understand. I’m human and very much alive." I said to her. "Yes, you are alive. But the soul living in your body does not belong to this world." She said and started bringing out some things from her bag. "That soul does not recognize your body or the spirit flow of this world. If you still doubt me. Take a look for yourself and see what your soul looks like in that body." She handed me a mirror and though all that sounded like shamanic nonsense, I was curious. What did my soul look like if not the appearance I looked like right now? I held the mirror up and my eyes widened to see the reflection of my soul. "This... How is this possible?"