And just when we thought life was going back to how it was. Just when I regained a sort of optimism and looked forward to the future, all turned into fear of what’s to come.
I hope that all the time in isolation trully made me crazy instead of bringing into reality what I have seen.
We Koreans wore face masks even before the pandemic. It is a way of life here due to the pollution caused by our Northern Neighbors. It is not uncommon to see yellow dust and have it cover everything in its path. This is why our face masks restrictions are more of an accepted and easily followed requirement for us than the rest of the world.
In my morning exercises and evening walks I’ve pretty much have forgotten how my neighbors look without a mask. Thats why it was such a fright when I began to notice the face of my neighbors without a mask on.
It was an accident at first. I was on my usual morning exercise routine, minding my business yet aware of everything around me. At the end of the street were the boys and girls wait for their bus to school, three boys were being physical with each other. I was about to walk towards them to give them a piece of my mind when one accidently knocked another’s mask off. I wasn’t ready for what my eyes witnessed.
No one reacted, they just kept play fighting and teasing each other. It was so bizzare that I froze in fright. Around this boys mouth were blisters and sores. Red, purple and black skin around his mouth, pulsating and grotesque. none of the other kids reacted to his disfigured face. I turned and walked as fast as I could away.
I became more of a recluse. Yet no matter how afraid you are, we still have to eat. I was out late just before sun down, the red sun gleaming everything around me. As I was getting my small food plot ready for the season I noticed my neighbors out doing the same. I was starving for food, but also for human interaction. I wanted things back to like they were, I missed the friendly interactions and late night Soju or two with a friend.
I decided to walk towards their plot , as I got closer I saw they were not wearing any masks. Their faces were worse than the kid’s face. Their mouths were black like a coffin, their tongue a dead thing inside. Their lips widening to a frown as they attempted to hide their rotting gums and teeth.
I can’t go outside anymore. I feel trapped and I’m afraid. How can things turn far worst than they were? There seems to be strange noises outside my home day and night now.
My neighbors have started to come at all times in the day and night asking me weird questions. I’ve stopped responding to them. I hear them now ask outside my door if I’m well. I pray for the rest of the world that I’m not.