The Open Gate

Chapter 3: The Name in the Darkness

The boys finally learned the strange man’s name.

Viscous.

He told them himself one evening when they found him near the school playground again. This time, they saw his face clearly—full of deep wrinkles and creepy folds that made him look terrifying.

Rickey nervously stepped closer. “Don’t go anywhere… please. What’s your name?”

In a deep demonic voice, the man replied, “Don’t be scared… I won’t harm you. My name… is Viscous.”

Suddenly, the school watchman appeared and shouted at the boys for staying late. The moment they turned back, Viscous had vanished again.

The boys asked the watchman if anyone named Viscous was connected to the school, but he had never heard that name before.

Later, the boys gathered at Vickey’s house and made a new plan. They decided to stay together by changing houses every month so they could continue investigating without raising suspicion.

June would be spent at Rickey’s house, July at Alex’s house, August at Rockey’s house, and September at Vickey’s house.

The next day, they explored the forest beside the school, believing it might hide clues about Viscous. At first, they found nothing.

A week later, while searching deeper into the forest, Rickey discovered an old glass bottle hidden in the bushes. After cleaning the dusty label, they read the words:

“POWERFUL LIQUID.”

On the back was a warning:

“If you touch the liquid, then face the consequences.”

Feeling uneasy, they took the bottle with them and continued deeper into the woods, where they discovered an old abandoned wooden house covered in vines.

Inside, they searched every room carefully. While resting near an old dining table, Rockey accidentally triggered a hidden drawer. Inside it, they found a rusty old key.

By the time they left the forest, it was already 8:45 p.m. The boys hurried back home and stayed the night at Rickey’s house.

The next day at school, the principal questioned them for entering the campus after hours. The boys avoided mentioning Viscous and simply said they came to play.

Soon, many other students also started visiting the school after hours, forcing the principal to remove the special-pass rule and keep the watchman on duty late into the evening.

One night, while patrolling the school alone, the watchman finally saw Viscous standing near the trees.

Angrily, he approached him.

But before he could get close, Viscous slowly lifted two fingers.

To the watchman’s horror, his body suddenly rose into the air without anyone touching him.

“Let me down! Who are you?!” he screamed.

Viscous remained silent.

Then slowly lowered his fingers.

The watchman began sinking into the ground as if the earth itself was swallowing him. He screamed in terror, trying to escape, but within seconds, he completely disappeared beneath the ground without a trace.