Viktoria Jean

{Prologue III} Jae (Song Jae Won)’s

1999
South Korea

They wouldn’t let me out. When I finally shoved past the barricade of arms, and barreled out of the bedroom into Dad’s chamber where the loud noises echoed, I had to cough hard to clear my lungs. Clouds of smoke in the air were far too viscous to be that of Dad’s cigars, so what were they?  

Suited men were towing a limp body, until the procession receded from my fogged field of vision. My eyes glazed over, barely recognising… Dad?

A hysterical cry died in my throat. A fresh pool of scarlet red led away from his mahogany desk, staining the light beige carpets. There was now only one other person in the study chamber.

Pierre was sprawled face-down, jerking and spasming as he choked in a pool of his own blood. He had been left to die; a curved blade plunged deep into the carpeted floorboards by his side.  Outside, above the ruckus of the raging storm, sirens were wailing in increasing amplitude.

Hurried footsteps led to all other places in the exterior hallways. I crawled silently to Pierre, covered his shivering, twitching body with my only shirt, defenselessly terrified to leave his side. I crouched beside him and hugged my knees in numbed shock. I dared not move as shadows lingered outside my father’s chamber.

Frantic voices compounded the resounding chaos. A shrill siren approached, raising its distant wail to a howl…

There was a single gunshot. 

When I close my eyes, I could still hear its reverberating echoes.

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Scarlet Carousel ©
Think of your lifetime as a long carousel ride. With luck you get to mount on the ride of your choice. Some seats will always be more desired than others. Opportunities to switch may arise. The ups and downs are rhythmical and inevitable. You may choose allies to ride alongside, or choose to face this ride alone. The only way to get off is when your ride ends.

Who gets to dictate the start or the end?

A thug on the run bearing a secret he had sworn to keep from his best friend – a vagabond who built his empire from a great loss. A sidekick who’s always desired to be a hero, and the love of his life who doesn’t know it yet. A girl who is only just coming to grips with the depths of her fears, only to come face to face with her greatest nightmare.

What will unite or tear them apart in this journey, this ride of a lifetime?

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To be continued…
Read Prologue 1 (Reina’s) – over here.
Read Prologue 2 (Pierre’s) – over here.
The full chapter list over here.

Author’s Note: this is a 2020 reboot – some caffeine-boosted late-night attempts at injecting life into my creative soul. All comments welcome.

xoxo
Viktoria Jean