Trafford’s Trading Club

“… Thank you to my teachers’ guidance, and my best friend, Allie, of course! She gave me a lot of advice … and also thanks …”

In class, Gloria stood up to the warm applause— Of course, after the instructor called her name.

The first prize for the curriculum design award had been issued after more than two months of selection.

Allie silently watched Gloria walk to the platform, taking over the honor from her instructor and revealing a smile.

But her mouth was turned downwards.

She held a pen, scratching the chair one time after another; the scratch turned deeper after she repeated the action each time.

Allie suddenly closed her eyes … it seems like she was alone in another world. And in the class of that world, the teacher said, ‘Congratulations, Allie! Come on, dear Allie, I think you will not be stingy in sharing your joy now.’

And she, as expected, she slowly stood up. Under everybody’s attention, she walked to the platform, looking at Gloria and smiled, “First of all, I’ll thank my friends, who have been with me… ”

…

…

Day after day, Allie felt there was another self living in her body.

A selfish, jealous, fractious, and always dissatisfied Allie.

She often told Allie, ‘Some friend she is! Do you think Gloria is really a kind girl? She just feels superior comparing with you, because she wins a complete victory in all aspects.’

‘That’s not true.’

She often told Allie, ‘Look, she won your honors, your love, and she even has an inherently affluent background to match her intelligence. You have to fight so hard for something that can be easily done by her. You will only be an ornament for showing off her excellence as long as she exists.’

‘No … that’s not true.’

She added, ‘Is that not right? Do you think Branham at the beginning was really interested in you? Wake up! He’s only fond of Gloria. He talked to you just for getting more information about Gloria. You know this, but still imagine that he likes you, and even ignore the fact that he asked more about Gloria, rather than you.’

‘No, it’s not like this, not… like this.’

She then poked fun at her, “Why did you go with Len? For comfort? Because Len’s family is actually more superior than Branham’s? Because Len’s academic result is always better than Branham? Because he has many more advantages that Branham doesn’t have, except dullness? Because you’re eager to prove that you have a better boyfriend than Gloria’s? Just because you were in a bad mood, you went to sleep with Len and simply gave yourself up.”

‘It’s not like this!!’

Finally, she sneered, “You are so ugly, Allie. You are really ugly.”

“No, no, no!!” And finally, Allie roared, “It’s not like that!!!!”

She panted the other herself inside her body seemed to disappear. She couldn’t hear those ironic voices anymore, but why…

Why.

‘I stabbed a knife into Gloria’s stomach?’

Bright red blood dispersed on her blue and white skirt; Allie subconsciously pulled out her knife, looking at Gloria cover her belly, and gazed at her with miraculous expression.

‘It’s not like this.’

She looked around blankly, Len and Branham revealed unbelievable gaze simultaneously… and watched their shocking look while rushing to her together.

‘No … it’s not like this.’

‘No, no, no, NO!’

‘It’s not like this!!!’

She screamed, a heart wrenching cry.

…

…

‘Ah!’

A rapid, horrified and trembling scream—was cried out. At that moment, Marken felt something wrong and subconsciously shifted his focus from the belly wound to the mirror.

Suddenly he turned around, feeling a chill rising from his feet rapidly up to his head; a tingle that soon spread down slowly from the top of his head.

Cheeks, neck, chest, arms.

“It’s… it’s you!”

Even if her eyes turned scarlet, and mouth opened disturbingly wide while revealing beast-like teeth, the outline was still clear for him to recognize—It was that mental patient, Allie. They ever met at the forest near the road.

Why did it turn to such appearance… it was simply like a demon! No… it was a monster!

“What are you going to do!!” Marken was too frightened; he instinctively retreated, but instantly touched the wall.

There was no way back.

“Don’t come over! Don’t co…” Marken bit his tongue accidentally.

However, she approached and force her way to the front of Marken. That demon made him stretch out his hands, to squeeze the banshee’s neck!

He succeeded in grabbing the banshee’s neck and pushed her down! On the ground, Maken wasn’t willing to let her go; he sat on her body, still squeezing her neck.

His hair was straggly. Sweat dripped from his face and with eyes opened wide, he said ferociously, “What did you come back for! I am not pressing the matter anymore!! So why are you coming back!! For revenge? But I just acted on impulse! You’ve knocked me out! What else do you want to do? Isn’t it for the best for you to be brought away!! You can peacefully receive treatment in the hospital!! Why are you finding fault with an impulsive person? You mad woman!! Mad woman!! Why do you laugh?!”

Marken felt colder; He lost control of his body and became stiff, as if something was pulled from his body .

Looking at the smile on that horrible face.

“What the hell are you laughing at?”

Creak… Marken heard creaking sound. That was the sound of opening the door, from the door creaking due to the lacked of oiling throughout the years!

He turned his head unconsciously, and saw his wife, Maggie.

“I … heard something,” Mrs. Maggie subconsciously said.

She couldn’t see clearly the woman, who was pressed down by her husband, but she could distinguish her by her clothes.

But it made her utterly confused upon watching this scene… plus Marken’s words just now.

Impulsive…

‘What does he mean?’

Mrs. Maggie’s mind was occupied by this problem. So much so that she even ignored instinctively why that patient showed up here, instead of being caught and sent back to the hospital.

“Maggie, listen to me… this woman is a monster!” Marken said quickly, “Come here! Give me a hand!”

“What is… impulsive?”

Unexpectedly, Mrs. Maggie blurted out such a question.

“You probably misheard it! Come here! I cannot control her! She’s a monster!!”

“Why did you not press charges! Why?” Mrs. Maggie looked at Marken with an astonished and weird look, “I know your character… you are never happy to suffer losses. Let along passing over something; you’ll probably get some financial reimbursement from her family; that makes sense. But you didn’t even ask if she has family… That’s so weird. What on earth did you do to this girl?”

“Nothing!! Come to help me!!” Marken roared, “This thing is a monster! She’ll hurt us! Come help me!!”

“You… you are the monster.” Mrs. Maggie endured heartache, “You are the monster, and I saw it! You are the one that wants to kill her! I… I didn’t expect my husband to be such a person! You have let me down, Marken!”

The girl was pressed on the ground, while Marken squeezed her neck…Who was the killer do you think?

“Stop! Marken!” Mrs. Maggie eyes reddened, “Don’t hurt this child again!”

Marken stared at the expression of his wife, suddenly… he realized why the female monster showed that kind of smile.

That was a jeer!!

“Let her go! You will probably kill her! You’re committing a crime! Do you know? Marken!! Wake up!” Mrs. Maggie took a deep breath, “I don’t know how this girl came back, but I’m sure the two police officers have not gone far… Marken, I don’t want to be a witness to testify against you… Stop, okay? Think about Lena, can you stop?”

“Lena … Lena … yes, Lena … no!!”

He wasn’t absent-minded for long; he turned ferocious soon, the girl… monster’s jeer seemed to have shown up in his eyes. His true self had been seen through, letting him feel like that he was toyed with.

The good husband’s image had been totally destroyed at this moment.

“Listen!” Marken turned around, panting air with wide eyes, “I don’t care if you’re a lunatic or monster! Do you know you have ruined my family? Do you know that? I won’t, I won’t let you go… never…”

His darkness seemed to have been magnified to the limit.

Like a torrential and violent vortex, dragging one along to the center!

“You shouldn’t return… Ah!!!!” Marken used his full strength!

“Marken! Stop!” Mrs. Maggie could only run to him, grabbing his arms to stop the atrocity!

All of a sudden, Marken stopped. A mouthful of blood spurted out of his mouth.

The arm of the female monster pierced Marken’s breast; she waved her redden fingers in the air, like a claw.

Ah—!

Mrs. Maggie cried out in fear and collapsed down the ground.

The monster swung her arms, causing Marken’s body fly away. It dropped down and rolled to the corner.

Only then did she see clearly the current appearance of the girl!

Seeing Marken bleeding in the corner, Mrs. Maggie cried in pain… The female monster was walking towards her step by step.

“Don’t…” Mrs. Maggie shook her head helplessly, with her body curled up and begged, “Don’t come! No!!”

“Mom, what are you doing?”

The little girl was standing at the doorway.

She hugged her pillow; the clean pajamas looked slightly crumpled after a while of sleeping in bed.

Lena rubbed her eyes, looking at this scene, as if still sleepy.

Suddenly, the female monster turned to the girl.

Lena was shocked while looking at the ferocious and horrible female monster. She held the pillow tightly and was too scared to escape.

“No! No! No!” Mrs. Maggie hastily stood up and hugged the monster’s waist, “Don’t! Don’t hurt my daughter! Don’t!”

But she was too weak to stop the female monster’s step, who had immense strength.

Just after an arm sweep, Mrs. Maggie had been knocked out and fell to the end of the room.

Finally, the female monster went to Lena and the hand squeezed Lena’s neck.