도시와 유령
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어슴푸레한 저녁, 몇 리를 걸어도 사람의 그림자 하나 찾아볼 수 없는 무인지경인 산골짝 비탈길, 여우의 밥이 다 되어 버린 해골덩이가 똘똘 구르는 무덤 옆, 혹은 비가 축축이 뿌리는 버덩의 다 쓰러져 가는 물레방앗간, 또 혹은 몇백 년이나 묵은 듯한 우중충한 늪가!
거기에는 흔히 도깨비나 귀신이 나타난다 한다. 그럴 것이다. 고요하고, 축축하고, 우중충하고. 그리고 그것이 정칙일 것이다. 그러나 나는 아직도 그런 곳에서 그런 것을 본 적은 없다. 따라서 그런 것에 관하여서는 아무 지식도 가지지 못하였다. 하나 나는―자랑이 아니라―더 놀라운 유령을 보았다. 그리고 그것이 적어도 문명의 도시인 서울이니 놀랍단 말이다. 나는 그래도 문명을 자랑하는 서울에서 유령을 목격하였다. 거짓말이라구? 아니다. 거짓말도 아니고 환영도 아니었다. 세상 사람이 말하여 '유령'이라는 것을 나는 이 두 눈을 가지고 확실히 보았다.
어떻든 길게 말할 것 없이 다음 이야기를 읽으면 알 것이다.
동대문 밖에 상업학교가 가제(假製)될 무렵이었다. 나는 날마다 학교 집터에 미장이로 다니면서 일을 하였다. 남과 같이 버젓하게 일정한 노동을 못 하고 밤낮 뜨내기 벌이꾼으로밖에는 돌아다니지 못하는 나에게는 그래도 몇 달 동안은 입에 풀칠을 할 수 있었다. 마는 과격한 노동이었다. 그러므로 하루라도 쉬어 본 일은커녕 한 번이라도 늦게 가본 적도 없었다. 원수같이 지글지글 타내리는 여름 태양 아래에서 이른 아침부터 저녁때까지 감독의 말 한마디 거스르는 법 없이 고분고분히 일을 하였다. 체로 모래를 쳐라, 불 같은 태양 아래에 새까맣게 타는 석탄으로 '노리'를 끓여라, 시멘트에다 모래를 섞어라, 그것을 노리로 반죽하여라 하여 쉴새없는 기계같이 휘몰아쳤다. 그 열매인지 선물인지는 알 수 없으나 우리들이 다지는 시멘트가 몇백 간의 벌집 같은 방으로 변하고 친구들의 쨍쨍 울리는 끌소리가 여러 층의 웅장한 건축으로 변함을 볼 때에 미상불 우리의 위대한 힘을 또 한번 자랑하지 않을 수 없었다. ―어리석은 미련둥이들이라 ……(원문 탈락)…… 어떻든 콧구멍이 다 턱턱 막히는 시멘트 가루를 전신에 보얗게 뒤집어쓰고 매캐한 노린 냄새와 더구나 전신을 한바탕 쪽 씻어내리는 땀냄새를 맡으면서 온종일 들볶아치고 나면 저녁물에는 정말이지 전신이 나른하였다. 그래도 집안 식구들을 생각하고 끼닛거리를 생각하면 마지막 힘이 났다. 일을 마치고 정신을 가다듬어 가지고 일인 감독의 집으로 간다. 삯전을 얻어 가지고 그 길로 바로 술집에 가서 한잔 빨고 나면 그제야 겨우 제 세상인 듯싶었던 것이다.
술! 사실 술처럼 고마운 것은 없었다. 버쩍버쩍 상하는 속, 말할 수 없는 피로를 잠시라도 잊게 하는 것은 그래도 술의 힘이었다.
그날도 나는 술김에 얼근하였었다. 다른 때와 같이 역시 맨 꽁무니에 떨어진 김서방과 나는 삯전을 받아 들고 나서자마자 행길 옆 술집에서 만판 먹어 댔다.
술집을 나와 보니 벌써 밤은 꽤 저물었었다. 잠을 자도 한잠 너그러지게 잤을 판이었다. 잠이라니 말이지 종일 피곤하였던 판에 주기조차 돌아 놓으니 사실이지 글자대로 눈이 스르르 내리감겼다. 김서방과 나는 즉시 잠자리로 향하였다.
잠자리라니 보들보들한 아름다운 계집이 기다리고 있는 분홍 모기장 속 두툼한 요 위인 줄은 알지 말아라. 그렇다고 어둠침침한 행랑방으로 알라는 것도 아니다. 비록 빈대에는 뜯길망정 어둠침침한 행랑방 하나 나에게는 없었다. 단지 내 몸뚱이 하나인 나는 서울 안을 못 돌아다닐 데 없이 돌아다니면서 노숙(露宿)을 하였던 것이다. (그래도 그것이 여름이었으니 말이지 겨울이었던들 꼼짝없이 얼어 죽었을 것이다.) 따라서 세상에 못 볼 것을 다 보고 겪어 왔었다. 참말이지 별별 야릇하고 말못할 일이 많았다. 여기에 쓰는 이야기 같은 것은 말하자면 그 중에서 가장 온당한 이야기의 하나에 지나지 못한다.
어떻든 김서방―도 이미 늦었으니 행랑 구석에 가서 빈대에게 뜯기는 것보다는 오히려 노숙하기를 좋아하였다―과 나는 도수장(屠獸場)께를 지나서 동묘 앞까지 갔었다.
어느결엔지 가는 비가 보실보실 뿌리기 시작하였다. 축축한 어둠 속에 칙칙한 동묘가 그 윤곽을 감추고 있었다. 사방은 고요하였다.
"이놈들 게 있거라!"
별안간에 땅에서 솟은 듯이 이런 음성이 들렸다. 나는 깜짝 놀라―는 대신에 빙긋 웃었다.
"이래보여두 한여름 동안을 이런 데루 댕기면서 잠자는 놈이다. 그렇게 쉽게 놀라겠니."
하는 담찬 소리를 남겨 놓고 동묘 대문께로 갔다. 예기한 바와 다름없이 거기에는 벌써 우리 따위의 친구들이 잠자리를 차지하고 있었다. 그래도 꽤 넓은 대문간이지만 그 속에 그득하게 고기새끼 모양으로 오르르 차 있었다. 이리로 눕고 저리로 눕고 허리를 베고 발치에 코를 박고 드르렁드르렁 코를 골고.
"이놈들 게 있거라!"
"아이그 그년……."
"이런 경칠 자식 보게."
엎치락뒤치락 연해 연방 잠꼬대 소리가 뒤를 이었다. 그러면 이쪽에서는,
"술맛 좋다!"
하고 입맛을 쩍쩍 다시는 사람도 있었다. 그 바람에 나도 끌려서 어느결에 쩍쩍 다시려던 입을 꾹 다물어 버리고 나는 어이가 없어 웃으면서 김서방을 둘러보았다.
"어떡할려나?"
"가세!"
"가다니?"
"아 아무 데래두 가 자야지."
김서방 역시 웃으면서 두 손으로 졸린 눈을 비볐다.
"이 세상에선 빠른 게 첫째야, 이 잠자리두 이젠 세가 나네그려, 허허허."
하면서 발꿈치를 돌리려 할 때이다. 나는 으레 닫혀 있어야 할 동묘 안으로 통한 문이 어쩐 일인지 반쯤 열려 있는 것을 발견하였다. 나는 앞선 김서방의 어깨를 탁 쳤다.
"여보게, 저리로 들어가세."
"어디루 말인가?"
김서방은 시원치 않은 듯이 역시 눈만 비볐다.
"저 안으로 말야. 지금 가면 어딜 간단 말인가. 아무 데래두 쓰러져 한잠 자면 됐지."
"그래두."
"머, 고지기한테 들킬까 봐 말인가? 상관 있나 그까짓 거 낼 식전에 일찍이 달아나면 그만이지."
그래도 시원치 않은 듯이 머리를 긁는 김서방의 등을 밀치면서 나는 안으로 들어갔다. 중문턱까지 들어서니 더한층 고요하였다. 여러 해 동안 버려 두었던 빈집터같이 어둠 속으로 보아도 길이 넘는 잡풀이 숲속같이 우거져 있고 낮에 보아도 칙칙한 단청이 어둠에 물들어 더한층 우중충하고 게다가 비에 젖어서 말할 수 없이 구중중한 느낌을 주었다. 똑바로 말이지 청안에 안치한 그림 속에서 무서운 장사가 뛰어 내닫지나 않을까 하고 생각할 때에 머리끝이 쭈뼛하여지는 것을 어찌할 수 없었다.
거진 옷을 적실 만하게 된 빗발을 피하여 앞뜰을 지나 넓은 처마 밑에 이르렀다. 그 자리에 그대로 푹 주저앉아 겨우 안심한 듯이 숨을 내쉬었다.
그때이었다.
"에그, 저게 뭔가 이 사람!"
김서방은 선뜻 나의 팔을 꽉 잡았다. 그가 가리키는 곳에 시선을 옮긴 나는 새삼스럽게 놀라지 않을 수 없었다. 별안간에 소름이 쪽 돋고 머리끝이 또다시 쭈뼛하였다.
불과 몇 간 안 되는 건너편 정전(正殿) 옆에! 두어 개의 불덩어리가 번쩍번쩍하였다. 정신의 탓이었던지 파랗게 보이는 불덩이가 땅을 휘휘 기다가는 훌쩍 날고 날다가는 꺼져 버렸다. 어디선지 또 생겨서는 또 날다가 또 꺼졌다.
무섬 잘 타기로 유명한 왕눈이 김서방은 숨을 죽이고 살려 달라는 듯이 나에게로 바짝 붙었다.
"하 하 하 하……."
나는 모든 것을 다 이해하였다는 듯이 활연히 웃고 땀을 빠지지 흘리고 있는 김서방을 보았다.
"미쳤나, 이 사람!"
오히려 화가 버럭 난 김서방은 말끝도 채 못 마쳤다.
"하하하 속았네, 속았어."
"……"
"속았어, 개똥불을 보고 속았단 말야, 하하하."
"머 개똥불?"
김서방은 그래도 못 미덥다는 듯이 그 큰 눈을 아직도 휘둥그렇게 뜨고 있었다.
"그래 개똥불야, 이거 볼려나?"
하고 나는 손에 잡히는 작은 돌멩이를 하나 집어 들었다. 그리고 두어 걸음 저벅저벅 뜰앞까지 나가서 역시 반짝거리는 개똥불을 겨누고 돌을 던졌다.
하나 나는 짜장 놀랐다. 돌을 던지면 헤어져야 할 개똥불이 헤어지긴커녕 요번에는 도리어 한군데 모여서 움직이지도 않고 그 무슨 정세를 살피는 듯이 고요히 이쪽을 노리고 있지 않은가!
나는 또 숨을 죽이고 그곳을 들여다보았다. 오― 그때에 나는 더 놀라운 것을 발견하였다. 꺼졌다 또 생긴 불에 비쳐 헙수룩한 산발과 똑똑지 못한 희끄무레한 자태가 완연히 드러났다. 그제야 '흥, 흥' 하는 후렴 없는 신음 소리조차 들려 오는 줄을 알았다.
"에그머니!"
나는 순식간에 달팽이같이 오므라졌다. 그리고 또 부끄러운 말이지만 겨우 정신을 차렸을 때에 나는 동묘 밖 버드나무 밑에 쓰러져 있는 나 자신을 발견하였었다. 사실 꿈에서나 깨어난 듯하였다. 곁에는 보나 안 보나 파랗게 질린 김서방이 신장대 모양으로 벌벌 떨고 있었다.
밤이 이슥하였는데 집으로 돌아가기도 무엇하니 나머지 밤을 동대문께 가서 새우자고 김서방이 제언하였다.
비는 여전히 뿌리고 있었다. 뒤에서 무어가 쫓아오는 듯하여 연해연방 뒤를 돌아보면서 큰 행길에 나섰을 때에는 파출소 붉은 전등만 보아도 산 듯싶었다.
허둥허둥 동대문 담 옆까지 갔었다.
고요한 담 밑에는 아무것도 없었다. 모든 것을 집어삼킨 캄캄한 어둠밖에는―물론 파란 도깨비불도 없다.
'애초에 이리로 왔더라면 아무 일두 없었을걸.'
후회 비슷하게 탄식하고 어디가 어디인지 분간할 수 없어서 '에라 아무 데나' 하고 그 자리에 푹 주저앉았다. 하자―
나는 놀라기 전에 간이 싸늘해졌다. 도톨도톨한 조약돌이나 그렇지 않으면 축축한 흙이 깔려 있어야만 할 엉덩이 밑에―하나님 맙소사!―나는 부드럽고도 물큰한 촉감을 받았다.
뿐이 아니다. 버들껑하는 동작과 함께 날카로운 소리가 독살스런 땡삐같이 나의 귀를 툭 쏘았다.
"어떤 놈야 이게!"
나는 고무공같이 벌떡 뛰었다. 그리고는 쏜살같이―그 꼴이야말로 필연코 미친놈 모양이었을 것이다―줄행랑을 놓았다.
김서방도 내 뒤에서 헐레벌떡거렸다.
"제발 사람을 죽이지 마라."
김서방은 거의 울음겨운 목소리로 부르짖었다.
"이놈의 서울이 사람 사는 곳이 아니구 도깨비굴이었던가."
나 역시 나중에는 맡길 데 없는 분기가 솟아올랐다.
그러나 또 한편으로는 한없이 어리석고 못생긴 우리의 꼴들을 비웃고도 싶었다. 잘 알지는 못하지만 세상에 원 도깨비나 귀신치고 몸뚱어리가 보들보들하고 물큰물큰하고―아니 그건 그렇다고 해두더라도 '어떤 놈야 이게!' 하고 땡삐 소리를 치다니 그게 원…… 하고 의심하여 볼 때에는 더구나 단단치 못하게 겁을 집어먹은 것이 짝없이 어리석게 생각되었다. 그렇다고 그 자리에서 또 발을 돌려 그 정체를 탐지하러 갈 용기가 있었느냐 하면 그렇지도 못하였다.
하는 수 없이 보슬비를 맞으면서 시구문 밖 김서방네 행랑방까지 가지 않으면 안 되었다. 가제나 덕실덕실 끓는 식구 틈에 끼여서 하룻밤의 폐를 끼쳤다―고 하여도 불과 두어 시간의 폐일 것이다―막 한잠 자려고 드러누웠을 때에는 벌써 날이 훤히 새었었으니까.
이렇게 하여 나는 원 무엇이 씌었던지 하룻밤에 두 번씩이나 도깨비인지 귀신한테 혼이 났었다. 사실 몇 해 수는 감하였을 것이다. 그러나 대체 누구를 원망하면 좋았으리요? 술 먹고 늑장을 댄 나 자신일까, 노숙하지 않으면 아니 된 나의 운명일까, 혹은 도깨비나 귀신 그것일까, 그렇지 않으면 그 외의 무엇일까…… 나는 이제야 겨우 이 중의 어느 것을 원망하는 것이 마땅하다는 것을 똑똑히 깨달았다.
어떻든 유령 이야기는 이만이다. 하나 참이야기는 이로부터다.
잠 못 자 곤한 것도 무릅쓰고 나는 열심으로 일을 하였다. 비는 어느결에 개 버렸던지 또 푹푹 내리쬐는 태양 아래에서 시멘트 가루를 보얗게 뒤집어쓰고 줄줄 흐르는 땀에 젖어 가면서.
그러는 동안에도 나는 전날 밤에 당한 무서운 경험을 머릿속으로 되풀이하여 보지 않을 수 없었다. 도깨비면 도깨빈가 보다 하고만 생각하여 두면 그만이었지마는 그래도 그것을 그렇게 단순하게 썩 닦아 버릴 수는 없었다.
'대체 원 도깨비가…….'
하고 요리조리로 무한히 생각하였다. 하나 아무리 생각한다 하더라도 결국 나에게는 풀지 못할 수수께끼에 지나지 못하였다.
하는 수 없이 나는 점심시간을 타서 친구들에게 그 이야기를 하였다. 모두들 적지 않은 흥미를 가지고 들었다.
"머 도깨비?"
이층 꼭대기에 시멘트를 갖다 주고 내려온 맹꽁이 유서방은 등에 매었던 통을 내려놓기도 전에 눈을 휘둥그렇게 떴다.
"내가 있었더라면 그까짓 걸 그저……."
벤또를 박박 긁던 덜렁이 최서방은 이렇게 뽐냈다.
그러나 가장 침착하게 담배를 푹푹 피우던 대머리 박서방만은 그다지 신통치 않은 듯이,
"그래 그것한테 그렇게 혼이 났단 말인가…… 딴은 왕눈이 따위니까."
하면서 밉지 않게 싱글싱글 웃으면서 김서방과 나를 등분으로 건너보았다. 그리고,
"도깨비 도깨비 해두 나같이 밤마다야 보겠나."
하고 빨던 담배를 툭툭 털더니 이야기를 꺼냈다.
"바로 우리집 옆에 빈집이 하나 있네. 지금 있는 행랑에 든 지가 몇 달 안 되어 모르긴 모르겠으나 어떻게 된 놈의 집이 원 사람이 들었던 집인지 안 들었던 집인지 벽은 다 떨어지구 문짝 하나 없단 말야. 그런데 그 빈집에 말일세."
여기서 박서방은 소리를 한층 높였다.
"저녁을 먹구 인제 골목쟁이를 거닐지 않겠나. 그러면 그때일세. 별안간 고요하던 빈집에 불이 하나씩 둘씩 꺼졌다 켜졌다 하겠지. 그것이 진서방(나를 가리켜 하는 말이다) 말마따나 무엇을 찾는 듯이 슬슬 기다는 꺼지고 꺼졌단 또 생긴단 말야. 그런데 그런 불이 차차 늘어 가겠지. 그리곤 무언지 지껄지껄하는 소리가 나자 한쪽에서는 돈을 세는지 은방망이로 장난을 하는지 절걱절걱하다간 또 무엇을 먹는지 쭉쭉 하는 소리까지 들리데. 그나 그뿐인가. 어떤 날은 저희끼리 싸움을 하는지 씨름을 하는지 후당탕하면서 욕지거리, 웃음 소리 참 야단이지. 그러다가두 밤중만 되면 고요해지지만 그때면 또 별 괴괴망칙한 소리가 다 들려 오데."
박서방은 여기서 말을 문득 끊더니,
"어때 재미들 있나?"
하고 좌중을 둘러보면서 싱글싱글 웃었다.
"정말유 그게?"
웅크리고 앉았던 덜렁이 최서방은 겨우 숨을 크게 쉬면서 눈을 까불까불하였다.
"그럼 정말 아니구 내가 그래 자네들을 데리구 실없는 소리를 하겠나."
하면서 박서방은 말을 이었다.
"하나 너무 속지들은 말게. 그런 도깨비는 비단 그 빈집에나 진서방들 혼난 데만 있는 것이 아닐세. 위선 밤에 동관이나 혹은 종묘께만 가보게. 시글시글할 테니."
나의 도깨비 이야기를 하여 의심을 풀려던 나는 박서방의 도깨비 이야기로 하여 그 의심을 더한층 높였을 따름이었다. 더구나 뼈 있는 그의 말과 뜻 있는 듯한 그의 웃음은 더한층 알지 못할 수수께끼였다.
"그럼 대체 그 도깨비가 무엇이란 말유?"
"내가 이 자리에서 길다랗게 말할 것 없이 자네가 오늘 저녁에 또 한번 가서 찬찬히 살펴보게. 그러면 모든 것이 얼음장같이……."
할 때에 박서방의 곁에 시커먼 것이 나타났다.
"무슨 얘기 했소?"
일인 감독의 일할 시간이 왔다는 것을 고하는 듯한 소리였다.
"오소 오소 일이 해야지."
모두들 툭툭 털고 일어났다.
나도 하는 수 없이 박서방에게 더 캐묻지도 못하고 자리를 일어나서 나 맡은 일터로 갔다.
그날 저녁이다.
결국 나는 또 한번 거기를 가보기로 작정하였다. 물론 김서방은 뺑소니를 치고 나 혼자다. 뻔히 도깨비가 있는 줄 알면서 또 가기는 사실 속이 켕겼다. 하나 또 모든 의심을 풀어 버리고 그 진상을 알려 하는 나의 욕망은 그보다 크면 컸지 적지는 않았다. 나는 장차 닥쳐올 모험에 가슴을 벌떡이면서 발에다 용기를 주었다.
'그까짓거 여차직하면 이걸로.'
하고 손에 든 몽둥이―나는 만일의 경우를 염려하여 몽둥이 하나를 준비하였던 것이다―를 번쩍 들 때에 나는 저절로 흘러나오는 미소를 금할 수 없었다. 도깨비를 정복하러 가는 유령장군같이도 생각되어서 사실 한다하는 ×자 놈들이면 몰라도 무엇을 못 먹겠다고 하필 가난뱅이 노숙자들을 못살게 굴고 위협과 불안을 주는 유령을 정복하여 버리는 것은 사실 뜻 있고도 용맹스런 사업일 것이다―고 나는 생각하였다.
어떻든 장차 닥쳐올 모험에 가슴을 벌떡이면서 발에다 용기를 주었다.
어두워 가는 황혼 속에 음침한 동묘는 여전히 우중충하였다.
좀 이르다고 생각하였으나 나오기를 기다리면 되지 하고 제멋대로 후둑후둑 뛰는 가슴을 가라앉히고 아직도 열려 있는 대문을 서슴지 않고 들어섰다.
중문을 들어서 정전 앞으로 몇 발짝 걸어갔을 때이다.
전날 밤에 나타났던 정전 옆 바로 그 자리에 헙수룩하게 산발한 두 개의 그림자가 있었다. 그러나 나는 벌써 어리석은 전날 밤의 나는 아니었다.
'원 요런 놈의 도깨비가…….'
몽둥이를 번쩍 들고 사실 장군다운 담을 가지고 나는 그 자리까지 달려갔다.
하나!
나의 손에서는 만신의 힘이 맺혔던 몽둥이가 힘없이 굴러 떨어졌다―유령장군이 금시에 미치광이 광대새끼로 변하여 버렸던 것이다.
'원 이런 놈의…….'
틀림없던 도깨비가 순식간에 두 모자의 거지로 변하다니! 이런 기막힌 일이 어디 있단 말인가.
다음 순간 그 무엇을 번쩍 돌려 생각한 나는 또다시 몽둥이를 번쩍 들었다.
"요게 정말 도깨비 장난이란 거야."
하나 도깨비란 소리에 영문을 모르는 두 모자는 손을 모으고 썩썩 빌었다.
"아이구, 왜 이럽니까?"
이건 틀림없는 사람의 목소리였다.
"나가라면 그저 나가라든지 그래 이 병신을 죽이시렵니까. 감히 못 들어올 덴 줄은 알면서도 헐수없이……."
눈물겨운 목소리로 이렇게 사죄를 하면서 여인네는 일어나려고 무한히 애를 썼다. 어린애는 울면서 그를 붙들었다.
역시 광대에 지나지 못한 나는 너무도 경솔한 나의 행동을 꾸짖고 겨우 입을 열었다.
"아니우, 앉아 계시우. 나는 고지기두 아무것두 아니니."
"네?"
모자는 안심한 듯한 동시에 감사에 넘치는 눈으로 나를 쳐다보았다.
"어젯밤에 여기에 아무것도 나오지 않았소?"
무어가 무언지 분간할 수 없는 나는 이렇게 물었다.
"네? 나오다니요? 아무것두 나오지는 않았습니다. 그리구 단지 우리 모자밖에는 여기 아무것두 없었습니다."
여인네는 어사무사하여서 이렇게 대답하였다.
"그럼 대체 그 불은?"
나는 그래도 속으로 의심하면서 주위로 눈을 휘둘렀다.
"무슨 일이나 생겼습니까? 정말 저희들밖에는 아무것두 없었습니다. 그리구 저희는 저지른 것두 없습니다. 밤중은 돼서 다리가 하두 아프길래 약을 바르려고 찾으니 생전 있어야지유. 그래 그것을 찾느라구 성냥 한 갑을 다 그어 내버린 일밖에는 아무것도 없었습니다."
하고 여인네는 한쪽 다리를 훌떡 걷었다. 그리고 눈물이 그 다리 위에 뚝뚝 떨어지기 시작하였다.
나는 모든 것을 얼음장 풀리듯이 해득하기는 하였으나 여기서 또한 참혹한 그림을 보지 않으면 안 되었다. 그의 훌떡 걷은 한편 다리! 그야말로 눈으로는 차마 보지 못할 것이었다. 발목은 끊어져 달아나고 장딴지는 나뭇개비같이 마르고 채 아물지 않은 자리가 시퍼렇게 질려 있었다.
"그놈의 원수의 자동차…… 그나마 얻어먹지도 못하게 이렇게 병신을 맨들어 놓고……."
여인네는 울음에 느끼기 시작하였다.
"자동차에요?"
"네, 공원 앞에서 그놈의 자동차에……."
나는 문득 어슴푸레한 나의 기억의 한 귀퉁이를 번개같이 되풀이하였다.
달포 전.
어느 날 밤이었다.
그날도 나는 이유 없이―가 아니라 바로 말하면 바람 쏘이러―밤 장안을 헤매고 있었다. 장안의 여름밤은 아름다웠다.
낮 동안에 이글이글 타는 해에 익은 몸뚱어리에 여름밤은 둘 없이 고마운 선물이었다. 여름의 장안 백성들에게는 욱신욱신한 거리를 고무풍선같이 떠다니는 파라솔이 있고, 땀을 들여 주는 선풍기가 있고, 타는 목을 식혀 주는 맥주 거품이 있고, 은접시에 담긴 아이스크림이 있다. 그리고 또 산 차고 물 맑은 피서지 삼방이 있고, 석왕사가 있고, 인천이 있고, 원산이 있다. 그러나 그런 것은 꿈에도 못 보는 나에게는 머루알빛 같은 밤하늘만 쳐다보아도 차디찬 얼음 냄새가 흘러오는 듯하였다. 이것만 하더라도 밤 장안을 헤매는 것은 무의미한 일은 아니었다. 게다가 무엇보다도 거리 위에 낮거미새끼같이 흩어진 계집의 얼굴―은 새려분 냄새만 맡을 수 있는 것만 하여도 사실 밤 장안을 헤매는 값은 훌륭히 될 것이었다.
그러나 장안의 여름밤을 아름다운 꿈으로만 생각하는 것은 큰 실수이다. 거기에는 생활의 무거운 짐이 있다. 잔칫집 마당같이 들볶아치는 야시에는 하루면 스물네 시간의 끊임없는 생활의 지긋지긋한 그림이 벌어져 있었다. 거기에는 낮과 다름없이 역시 부르짖음이 있고 싸움이 있고 땀이 있었다.
그러나 아무튼지 간에 가슴을 씻어 주는 시원한 맛은 싫은 것은 아니었다. 여름밤은 아름다웠다. 그런고로 나는 공원 앞 큰 행길 옆에 사람이 파도를 일으키면서 요란히 수물거리는 것은 구태여 볼 것 없이 술김에 얼근한 주객이나 그렇지 않으면 야시의 음악가 깽깽이 타는 친구를 둘러싸고 있는 것이려니 생각하고,
'흥 여름밤이니까!'
혼자 중얼거리면서 무심코 그곳을 지나려 하였다.
그러나 사람들의 수물거리는 품이 주정꾼이나 혹은 깽깽이꾼의 경우와는 달랐다.
그리고 무엇보다도,
노자 노자
젊어 노자
먹구 마시구
만판 노자
하는 주객의 노래는 안 들렸다. 그렇다고 밤사람을 취하게 하는 '아름다운' 깽깽이 노래도 들려 오지는 않았다.
'그러문 대체…….'
나의 발길은 부지중에 그리로 향하였다.
'머? 겨우 요술꾼 약장수야!'
나는 거의 실망에 가까운 어조로 이렇게 중얼거리고 대수롭지 않은 듯이 발길을 돌이키려 할 때이다. 사람들의 수물거리는 틈으로 나는 무서운 것을 보았다.
군중의 숲에 싸여서 안 보이는 한 채의 자동차와 그 밑에 깔린 여인네 하나를 보았다. 바퀴 밑에는 선혈이 임리하고 그 옆에는 거지 아이 하나가 목을 놓고 울면서 쓰러져 있었다.
'자동차 안에는.'
하고 보니 아니나다를까 불량배와 기생년들이 그득하였다.
'오라질 연놈들!'
'자동찰 타니 신이 나서 사람까지 치니.'
'원 끔찍두 해라.'
이런 말마디를 주우면서 나는 어느결에 그 자리를 밀려져 나왔었다.
"그래 당신이 그……."
나는 되풀이하던 기억의 끝을 문뜩 돌려 이렇게 물었다.
"네, 그렇답니다. 달포 전에 그 원수의 자동차에 치여 가지구 병원엔지 무엔지를 끌구 가니 생전 저 어린것이 보구 싶어 견딜 수 있어야지유. 그래 한 달두 채 못 돼 도루 나오지 않았어요. 그랬더니 이놈의 다리가 또 아프기 시작해서 배길 수 있어야지유. 다리만 성하문야 그래두 돌아댕기면서 얻어먹을 수는 있지만……."
여인네는 차마 더 볼 수 없는 다리를 두 손으로 만지면서 울음에 느꼈다.
나는 그의 과거를 더 캐물으려고도 하지 않았다. 아니 묻지 않아도 그의 대답은 뻔한 것이었다.
'집이 원래 가난했습니다. 그런데다가 남편이 죽구 나니…….'
비록 이런 대답은 안 할지라도 그 운명이 그 운명이지 무슨 더 행복스런 과거를 찾아낼 수 있었으리요.
나의 눈에는 어느결엔지 눈물이 그득히 고였었다. '동정은 우월감의 반쪽'일는지 아닐는지는 모른다. 하나 나는 나도 모르는 동안에 주머니 속에 든 대로의 돈을 모두 움켜서 뚝 떨어지는 눈물과 같이 그의 손에 쥐어 주었다. 그리고는 아무 말 없이 부리나케 그 자리를 뛰어나왔었다.
이야기는 이만이다.
독자여 이만하면 유령의 정체를 똑똑히 알았겠지. 사실 나도 이제는 동대문이나 동관이나 종묘나 또 박서방 말한 빈집터에 더 가볼 것 없이 박서방의 뼈 있는 말과 뜻 있는 웃음을 명백히 이해하였다.
그리고 나는 모두 나와 같은 운명을 가진 애매한 친구들을 유령으로 생각하고 어리석게 군 나를 실컷 웃어도 보고 뉘우쳐 보기도 하였다.
독자여 뭐? 그래도 유령이라고? 그래 그럼 유령이라고 해두자. 그렇게 말하면 사실 유령일 것이다―살기는 살았어도 기실 죽어 있는 셈이니!
어떻든 유령이라고 해두고 독자여 생각하여 보아라. 이 서울 안에 그런 유령이 얼마나 많이 늘어 가는가를!
늘어 간다고 하면 말이다. 또 되풀이하는 것 같지만 첫 페이지로 돌아가서,
어슴푸레한 저녁, 몇 리를 걸어도 사람의 그림자 하나 찾아볼 수 없는 무인지경인 산골짝 비탈길, 여우의 밥이 다 되어 버린 해골덩이가 똘똘 구르는 무덤 옆, 혹은 비가 축축이 뿌리는 버덩의 다 쓰러져가는 물레방앗간, 또 혹은 몇백 년이나 묵은 듯한 우중충한 늪가!
거기에 흔히 나타나는 유령이 적어도 문명의 도시인 서울에 오히려 꺼림없이 나타나고 또 서울이 나날이 커가고 번창하여 가면 갈수록 유령도 거기에 정비례하여 점점 늘어 가니 이게 무슨 뼈저린 현상이냐! 그리고 그 얼마나 비논리적, 마술적 알지 못할 사실이냐! 맹랑하고도 기막힌 일이다. 두말할 것 없이 이런 비논리적 유령은 결코 있어서는 안 될 것이다.
그러면 어떻게 하면 이 유령을 늘어 가지 못하게 하고 아니 근본적으로 생기지 못하게 할 것인가?
현명한 독자여! 무엇을 주저하는가. 이 중하고도 큰 문제는 독자의 자각과 지혜와 힘을 기다리고 있지 않은가!
City and Ghosts
Lee Hyo-Seok
A dim evening, a hillside slope where no one can find a shadow of a man for a few miles, next to a rolling tomb of a skeleton that has become the meal of a fox, or a muddy swamp that seems to have been aged for hundreds of years.
There are often goblins and ghosts. It's got to be. Silent, damp, gloomy. And that would be the rule. But I still haven't seen anything like that in a place like that. Therefore, I have no knowledge of such a thing. One I saw - not bragging - a more amazing ghost. And it's amazing that it's at least Seoul, the city of civilization. I saw ghosts in Seoul, which still boasts civilization. You're lying? No. It wasn't a lie or a welcome. I saw clearly with these two eyes that the man of the world said was a 'ghost'.
Read the next story, no matter what it may be, and you'll find out.
It was around the time when a commercial school was built outside Dongdaemun. I worked as a hairdresser at the school house every day. For me, who couldn't work as a regular laborer and could only walk around as a day and night beekeeper, I could still eat for a few months. Ma was a radical labor. Therefore, I have never been late, not to mention taking a day off. In the scorching summer sun, I worked without a word of defiance from the director from early morning to "Sweat the sand with a sieve, boil it with coal burning black under the fiery sun, mix it with cement, mix it with sand, and knead it with fire," he said. "Move it like a machine." Whether it was the fruit or the gift, we could not help but boast once more of our great power when our cement turned into hundreds of honeycomb rooms and our friends' resounding chisel into grand architecture on many levels. -They're still stupid...... (out of the original) ...Somehow, the evening water was completely drained after the smell of the acrid gargantuan smell and the perspiration that washed away the whole body, covering the entire nostrils with all over the place. Still, I got energy when I thought about family and entertainment. After work, I come to the one-man director's house. After getting a change of pay and going straight to the bar to have a drink, it seemed like it was just a world away.
Alcohol! In fact, there was nothing more grateful than alcohol. It was still the power of alcohol to make them forget their indescribable fatigue for a
That day, I was drunk and felt Like any other time, Kim Seo-bang and I, who also fell to the far end of the line, had a full meal at the bar next to the hang-gil as soon as we got our paycheck.
It was already quite late when I left the bar. I would have slept like a baby. Sleeping? It's true that even the cycle turned when I was tired all day long, my eyes literally fell. Kim Seo-bang and I went to bed at once.
Don't know that a dragonfly is on a thick yaw in a pink mosquito net waiting for a beautiful soft girl. This is not to say that the room is dark and gloomy. I didn't have a dark room in my bed, even though it was torn apart. I, who is only one of my own, was homeless, wandering around in Seoul. (But since it was summer, winter would have frozen to death.) So I had seen everything I could not see in the world. True, there were many strange and unspeakable things. The kind of story we write here is, so to speak, just one of the most decent stories.
Either way, Kim Seo-bang - it was too late, so rather than go to the corner of the hangnang and be robbed by the bedbugs - and I passed by the guard to go to Dongmyo.
At some point the fine rain began to drizzle. In the damp darkness a dull grave hid its outline. There was stillness all around.
"Have these guys something!"
All of a sudden I heard a voice like this rising from the ground. Instead of saying, "I'm surprised," I grinned.
"Even though he looks like this, he sleeps like this for the whole summer. Would you be surprised so easily?"
He left behind a sweet voice and went to Dongmyo Gate. As expected, there were already friends like us in bed. It was still quite a large gate, but it was filled with fish. Lie down here, lie down there, cut yourself at the waist, nose in your feet, snore.
"Have these guys something!"
"Gee, that bitch...…."
"Look at you scoundrel."
The sound of federal sleep talking followed. So on this side,
"I like the taste of course.
Then there was a man who smacked by his palate. I was attracted by the wind, so I closed my mouth, which was about to go back, and I smiled and looked around Kim Seo-bang
"What shall we do?"
"Let's go!"
"Going?"
"Oh, I'm going to sleep somewhere."
Kim Seo-bang also smiled and rubbed her sleepy eyes with her hands.
"Faster is the first thing in the world, this dragonfly now counts, hehe.""
It's time to spin your heels. I found the door, which was supposed to be closed, was somehow half open. I clapped the previous Kim Seo-bang on the shoulder.
"Hey, let's get in there."
"Where?"
Kim Seo-bang rubbed his eyes as if they were not cool.
"In there. Where are you going now? I'll just fall down and take a nap."
"Even so."
"What, you're afraid the meat might catch you? It doesn't matter if you run away early before a meal like that."
Still, I went inside as I pushed Kim Seo-bang's back, scratching his head like it wasn't cool. It was even more still as I came up to the gatepost. Even in the dark, over-the-road grass was thicker than the forest, and in the daytime, the dull dancheong was dyed in darkness, and the rain was so damp that it gave an indescribable impression. I couldn't help it when I thought, "I'm afraid I'm going to run down a terrible business in the picture in order to keep my eyes open."
He passed the front yard and reached under the broad eaves, avoiding the rain that had become soaking his clothes. Sitting down in the spot, he barely breathed out reassuringly.
It was then.
"Egg, what's that about this guy!"
Kim Seo-bang readily grasped my arm. I could not help being surprised when I looked at where he pointed. Suddenly, I got goose bumps and my hair was pinched again.
Just a few minutes across, next to a power outage! A couple of fireballs flashed. Perhaps it was because of the spirit, but the bluish-looking fireball whirled around the ground and flew away. Somewhere there was another one, and it flew again and then turned off again.
Kim Seo-bang, who is famous for his smooth ride, held his breath and kept close to me as if asking for help.
"Ha ha ha ha...…."
I saw Kim Seo-bang grinning and sweating as if he understood everything.
"Crazy, man!"
On the contrary, Kim Seo-bang, who was furious, could not finish his sentence.
"Hahaha, you were tricked, you were tricked."
"……"
"I was tricked, I was tricked by a dog poop, hah"
"What's up, dog poop?"
Kim Seo-bang still kept his big eyes wide open, as if they were unreliable.
"Yes, dog shit, will you see this?"
Then I picked up a small stone that I could hold in my hand. Then he walked a couple of steps to the front of the yard and threw a stone at the twinkling dog poop fire.
One thing I was very surprised. Far from breaking up with a dog poop fire if you throw a stone, aren't you just gathering in one place this time and looking at the situation quietly?
I looked in there again with breathless eyes. Oh - then I found something even more surprising. The fire was seen again and again to reveal the shaggy mountain feet and the grey figure of the unwiseness. Only then did I know that I could hear even a groan without the chorus of "Hung, Heung."
"Money!"
I crumpled like a snail in an instant. And when I finally came to my senses, I found myself lying under a willow tree outside Dongmyo. Actually, I felt as if I had woken up from a dream. Nearby, the blue-haired Kim Seo-bang was shivering in the shape of a kidney belt.
It was late at night, so Kim Seo-bang suggested that we go to Dongdaemun for the rest of the night.
The rain was still sprinkling. As Moore seemed to be chasing him from behind, he looked back at the Fed and went on a big journey, looking at the red light at the police station.
I went to Dongdaemun wall in a hurry.
There was nothing under the serene wall. Only the darkest darkness that swallowed everything - of course, there is no blue goblin fire.
'If I had come here in the first place, nothing would have happened.'
I couldn't tell where I was, so I sat down in the spot with a sigh of regret. Let's do it.
My liver was chilled before I was surprised. Under a pebble or otherwise damp earth-God!-I got a soft, moist touch.
Not only was it, but a sharp sound, along with a flicker, snapped me in the ear like a poisoned thud.
"Who the hell is this?"
I jumped like a rubber ball. And then, like a bolt from the blue - it must have been a madman's turn - let go.
Kim Seo-bang was also floundering behind me.
"Please don't kill people."
Kim Seo-bang almost cried out.
"Was this Seoul not a place where people live and was it a goblin cave?"
I, too, rose in an unassailable quarter.
On the other hand, however, I wanted to laugh at our endless foolish and ugly faces. I don't know much about it, but it's like a one goblin or a ghost or a big body, and even if that's the case, you're like, "Who the hell is this?" I don't know.it was thought utterly foolish to be scared stiffly when suspected that... But he did not have the courage to turn his foot around and go to detect the identity.
I had to go all the way to Kim Seo-bang's haengrang-bang outside the gate in the wake of the drizzle. It would have been only a couple of hours of trouble if you were caught in the midst of a boiling family - because it was already wide awake when you lay down to take a nap.
In this way, I was scolded by the ghost for being a goblin twice a night. In fact, the number of years would have been reduced. But who would you blame? Is it myself who was stalling after drinking, or my fate that I should not be homeless, or is it a goblin or a ghost, or something else?I have only now come to the realization that I deserve to resent any of these.
Either way, the ghost story is this much. One true story is from this.
In spite of my lack of sleep, I worked hard. As the rain eventually cleared the dog and covered in white cement powder under the sizzling sun, it was dripping with sweat.
In the meantime, I couldn't help but repeat the terrible experience I had the night before. I would have thought I was a goblin, but I could not have wiped it away so simply.
'What the hell is this one goblin...….'
And thought infinitely with cooking. But no matter how hard I thought, it was only an insoluble mystery for me.
I had to take the lunch break and tell the story to my friends. Everyone listened with considerable interest.
"Mer goblin?"
Yoo Seo-bang, who brought cement to the top of the second floor and came down, opened his eyes wide even before putting down the container he had been wearing on his back.
"I wouldn't have done that if I had been there.…."
This is how Choi Seo-bang, who used to scratch his bento.
But Park Seo-bang, the bald man who smoked the most calmly, was not so smart.
"Yes, you were so scolded by it......is not a big deal."
While doing that, she smiled ungratefully and crossed me with the equinox. And
"Even if you were a goblin, would you watch it every night like me?"
Then he brushed off his cigarette and brought it up.
"There's an empty house right next to my house. I don't know if it's been a few months since I've been in this hangar, but I don't know what happened to his house, but the walls are falling apart. But the empty house."
Here, Park Seo-bang raised the volume even higher.
"Why don't you eat dinner and walk around alleys now? Then it's then. Suddenly, the quiet empty house lights go off and on, one by one. That's what Jinseo-bang says, but as if you're looking for something, there's another thing that's gone and gone. But the fire will increase gradually. And then there's a murmur of something, and on one side you can hear counting money, playing with a silver bat, or worrying about what you're eating. Is he the only one? Some days, we fight or wrestle, and some of us get into a lot of trouble. Then, it becomes quiet in the middle of the night, but at that time, you can hear all the"
Park Seo-bang suddenly stopped talking here.
"How's the fun?"
Then he smiled as he looked around the audience.
"Really?"
Sitting crouched, the clumsy Choi Seo-bang barely breathed loudly and giddy his eyes
"Well, I'm not. I'm not going to pick you up and talk nonsense"
Park Seo-bang continued.
"One, don't be so gullible. Such goblins are not just in the empty house or in the den. Just go to the east coffin or the Jongmyo Shrine on a hypocritical night. It's going to be sour"
I was relieved of my doubts by talking about my goblin, but I only raised the suspicion further by talking about Park West's goblin. Moreover, his words with bones and his smile with meaning were more of an unknown mystery.
"Then what the hell is that goblin?"
"I don't have to say much about it here, let's have another look at it this evening. Then everything is like ice...…."
At that time a black thing appeared beside Park.
"What did you talk about?"
It sounded like he was saying that it was time for a one-man coach to work.
"Oh-so-oh-so work."
Everybody got up with a bang.
I had no choice but to ask Park Seo-bang any more, so I left my seat and went to my place of my own.
It's that evening.
In the end I decided to go there again. Of course, Kim Seo-bang hit-and-runs and I am alone. It was actually a pity to go there again, knowing that there was a goblin. But my desire to dispel all doubts and tell the truth was greater than that, not less. My heart leaped at the upcoming adventure, giving my feet courage.
'If that's the case, I'll take it.
And as I lifted up the baton in my hand, I prepared a club for a rainy day, I couldn't help smiling on my own. "It's actually a meaningful and courageous undertaking to conquer ghosts that bully poor homeless people and intimidate them with fear and fear, even if it's true that they're a ghost who goes to conquer goblin," I thought.
Somehow, he threw his heart into the upcoming adventure and gave courage to his feet.
The gloomy Dongmyo was still gloomy in the darkening twilight.
I thought it was a little early, but I could just wait for it to come out, so that I could calm down and enter the gate that was still open.
It's time to lift the gate and take a few steps ahead of the blackout.
There were two shaggy shadows at the very spot next to the blackout that appeared the night before. But I wasn't already the stupid night before me.
One of these goblins...….'
And thought infinitely with cooking. But no matter how hard I thought, it was only an insoluble mystery for me.
I had to take the lunch break and tell the story to my friends. Everyone listened with considerable interest.
"Mer goblin?"
Yoo Seo-bang, who brought cement to the top of the second floor and came down, opened his eyes wide even before putting down the container he had been wearing on his back.
"I wouldn't have done that if I had been there.…."
This is how Choi Seo-bang, who used to scratch his bento.
But Park Seo-bang, the bald man who smoked the most calmly, was not so smart.
"Yes, you were so scolded by it......is not a big deal."
While doing that, she smiled ungratefully and crossed me with the equinox. And
"Even if you were a goblin, would you watch it every night like me?"
Then he brushed off his cigarette and brought it up.
"There's an empty house right next to my house. I don't know if it's been a few months since I've been in this hangar, but I don't know what happened to his house, but the walls are falling apart. But the empty house."
Here, Park Seo-bang raised the volume even higher.
"Why don't you eat dinner and walk around alleys now? Then it's then. Suddenly, the quiet empty house lights go off and on, one by one. That's what Jinseo-bang says, but as if you're looking for something, there's another thing that's gone and gone. But the fire will increase gradually. And then there's a murmur of something, and on one side you can hear counting money, playing with a silver bat, or worrying about what you're eating. Is he the only one? Some days, we fight or wrestle, and some of us get into a lot of trouble. Then, it becomes quiet in the middle of the night, but at that time, you can hear all the"
Park Seo-bang suddenly stopped talking here.
"How's the fun?"
Then he smiled as he looked around the audience.
"Really?"
Sitting crouched, the clumsy Choi Seo-bang barely breathed loudly and giddy his eyes
"Well, I'm not. I'm not going to pick you up and talk nonsense"
Park Seo-bang continued.
"One, don't be so gullible. Such goblins are not just in the empty house or in the den. Just go to the east coffin or the Jongmyo Shrine on a hypocritical night. It's going to be sour"
I was relieved of my doubts by talking about my goblin, but I only raised the suspicion further by talking about Park West's goblin. Moreover, his words with bones and his smile with meaning were more of an unknown mystery.
"Then what the hell is that goblin?"
"I don't have to say much about it here, let's have another look at it this evening. Then everything is like ice...…."
At that time a black thing appeared beside Park.
"What did you talk about?"
It sounded like he was saying that it was time for a one-man coach to work.
"Oh-so-oh-so work."
Everybody got up with a bang.
I had no choice but to ask Park Seo-bang any more, so I left my seat and went to my place of my own.
It's that evening.
In the end I decided to go there again. Of course, Kim Seo-bang hit-and-runs and I am alone. It was actually a pity to go there again, knowing that there was a goblin. But my desire to dispel all doubts and tell the truth was greater than that, not less. My heart leaped at the upcoming adventure, giving my feet courage.
'If that's the case, I'll take it.
And as I lifted up the baton in my hand, I prepared a club for a rainy day, I couldn't help smiling on my own. "It's actually a meaningful and courageous undertaking to conquer ghosts that bully poor homeless people and intimidate them with fear and fear, even if it's true that they're a ghost who goes to conquer goblin," I thought.
Somehow, he threw his heart into the upcoming adventure and gave courage to his feet.
The gloomy Dongmyo was still gloomy in the darkening twilight.
I thought it was a little early, but I could just wait for it to come out, so that I could calm down and enter the gate that was still open.
It's time to lift the gate and take a few steps ahead of the blackout.
There were two shaggy shadows at the very spot next to the blackout that appeared the night before. But I wasn't already the stupid night before me.
One of these goblins...….'
With a club flashing up and actually a general-like wall, I ran to the spot.
One!
From my hand the club of all-powerful fell helplessly-the ghost quickly turned into a lunatic clown.
"One hell of a...….'
What a sure goblin turned into a beggar of two hats in no time! I can't believe this is happening.
The next moment I thought of something, I flashed the club again.
"This is really a goblin prank."
At the sound of a goblin, the two hats, who did not know what was going on, joined hands and begged.
"What's wrong with you?"
It was the voice of an unmistakable man.
"If you go out, just go out. Are you going to kill this jerk? I know you can't get in, but I can't get out of here.…."
With such an apology in a tearful voice, the woman tried infinitely to get up. The child held him in tears.
Being nothing more than a clown, I scold and barely opened my mouth for my rash behavior.
"No, sit down. I am nothing but meat."
"Yes?"
The hat looked at me with both reassuring and grateful eyes.
"Didn't anything come out here last night?"
Unable to tell what the Moore was, I asked.
"What? What do you mean? Nothing came out. And there was nothing here but our hats."
The women answered in a vague manner.
"Then what about the fire?"
I, though, swung my eyes around, questioning myself.
"What happened? There was really nothing but us. And we didn't do anything. My legs hurt so much at night that I'm looking for medicine, so I have to stay alive. Yeah, nothing else but to find it and cut a whole pack of matches."
Then the women walked on one leg. Then tears began to drip on the bridge.
I learned everything like ice, but I had to look at the harrowing picture here, too. His legs while he was walking! It was simply unseen. His ankle was broken and he ran away, his thigh dried like a wooden stick, and the unbroken spot was black and blue.
"His enemy's car......you're so stupid that you can't even get a bite of it's…."
The women began to weep.
"Is that a car?"
"Yes, in front of the park, in his car...…."
I flashed over a corner of my dim memory.
Before Dalpo.
It was one night.
That day, I was wandering around the night to catch the wind, not for no reason. The summer night in Jangan was beautiful.
During the day, the body ripened in the blazing sun and the summer night was a wonderful gift. For the people of Jangan in the summer, there are parasols floating in hot, rubber-like streets, sweaty fans, beer bubbles cooling their burning throats, and ice cream on silver plates. And there are three mountain cool, watery summer resorts, Seokwangsa Temple, Incheon and Wonsan. But to me, who could not even dream of such a thing, the smell of cold ice seemed to flow when I looked at the night sky like a merrual. This alone was not meaningless to wander around the nightly market. Moreover, most of all, the girl's face scattered like a low spider on the street was thought infinitely as a cooking dish, with only the smell of sapling. But no matter how hard I thought, it was only an insoluble mystery for me.
I had to take the lunch break and tell the story to my friends. Everyone listened with considerable interest.
"Mer goblin?"
Yoo Seo-bang, who brought cement to the top of the second floor and came down, opened his eyes wide even before putting down the container he had been wearing on his back.
"I wouldn't have done that if I had been there.…."
This is how Choi Seo-bang, who used to scratch his bento.
But Park Seo-bang, the bald man who smoked the most calmly, was not so smart.
"Yes, you were so scolded by it......is not a big deal."
While doing that, she smiled ungratefully and crossed me with the equinox. And
"Even if you were a goblin, would you watch it every night like me?"
Then he brushed off his cigarette and brought it up.
"Why don't you eat dinner and walk around alleys now? Then it's then. Suddenly, the quiet empty house lights go off and on, one by one. That's what Jinseo-bang says, but as if you're looking for something, there's another thing that's gone and gone. But the fire will increase gradually. And then there's a murmur of something, and on one side you can hear counting money, playing with a silver bat, or worrying about what you're eating. Is he the only one? Some days, we fight or wrestle, and some of us get into a lot of trouble. Then, it becomes quiet in the middle of the night, but at that time, you can hear all the"
Park Seo-bang suddenly stopped talking here.
"How's the fun?"
Then he smiled as he looked around the audience.
"Really?"
Sitting crouched, the clumsy Choi Seo-bang barely breathed loudly and giddy his eyes
"Well, I'm not. I'm not going to pick you up and talk nonsense"
Park Seo-bang continued.
"One, don't be so gullible. Such goblins are not just in the empty house or in the den. Just go to the east coffin or the Jongmyo Shrine on a hypocritical night. It's going to be sour"
I was relieved of my doubts by talking about my goblin, but I only raised the suspicion further by talking about Park West's goblin. Moreover, his words with bones and his smile with meaning were more of an unknown mystery.
"Then what the hell is that goblin?"
"I don't have to say much about it here, let's have another look at it this evening. Then everything is like ice...…."
At that time a black thing appeared beside Park.
"What did you talk about?"
It sounded like he was saying that it was time for a one-man coach to work.
"Oh-so-oh-so work."
Everybody got up with a bang.
I had no choice but to ask Park Seo-bang any more, so I left my seat and went to my place of my own.
It's that evening.
In the end I decided to go there again. Of course, Kim Seo-bang hit-and-runs and I am alone. It was actually a pity to go there again, knowing that there was a goblin. But my desire to dispel all doubts and tell the truth was greater than that, not less. My heart leaped at the upcoming adventure, giving my feet courage.
'If that's the case, I'll take it.
And as I lifted up the baton in my hand, I prepared a club for a rainy day, I couldn't help smiling on my own. "It's actually a meaningful and courageous undertaking to conquer ghosts that bully poor homeless people and intimidate them with fear and fear, even if it's true that they're a ghost who goes to conquer goblin," I thought.
Somehow, he threw his heart into the upcoming adventure and gave courage to his feet.
The gloomy Dongmyo was still gloomy in the darkening twilight.
I thought it was a little early, but I could just wait for it to come out, so that I could calm down and enter the gate that was still open.
It's time to lift the gate and take a few steps ahead of the blackout.
There were two shaggy shadows at the very spot next to the blackout that appeared the night before. But I wasn't already the stupid night before me.
One of these goblins...….'
With a club flashing up and actually a general-like wall, I ran to the spot.
One!
From my hand the club of all-powerful fell helplessly-the ghost quickly turned into a lunatic clown.
"One hell of a...….'
What a sure goblin turned into a beggar of two hats in no time! I can't believe this is happening.
The next moment I thought of something, I flashed the club again.
"This is really a goblin prank."
At the sound of a goblin, the two hats, who did not know what was going on, joined hands and begged.
"What's wrong with you?"
It was the voice of an unmistakable man.
"If you go out, just go out. Are you going to kill this jerk? I know you can't get in, but I can't get out of here.…."
With such an apology in a tearful voice, the woman tried infinitely to get up. The child held him in tears.
Being nothing more than a clown, I scold and barely opened my mouth for my rash behavior.
"No, sit down. I am nothing but meat."
"Yes?"
The hat looked at me with both reassuring and grateful eyes.
"Didn't anything come out here last night?"
Unable to tell what the Moore was, I asked.
"What? What do you mean? Nothing came out. And there was nothing here but our hats."
The women answered in a vague manner.
"Then what about the fire?"
I, though, swung my eyes around, questioning myself.
"What happened? There was really nothing but us. And we didn't do anything. My legs hurt so much at night that I'm looking for medicine, so I have to stay alive. Yeah, nothing else but to find it and cut a whole pack of matches."
Then the women walked on one leg. Then tears began to drip on the bridge.
I learned everything like ice, but I had to look at the harrowing picture here, too. His legs while he was walking! It was simply unseen. His ankle was broken and he ran away, his thigh dried like a wooden stick, and the unbroken spot was black and blue.
"His enemy's car......you're so stupid that you can't even get a bite of it's…."
The women began to weep.
"Is that a car?"
"Yes, in front of the park, in his car...…."
I flashed over a corner of my dim memory.
Before Dalpo.
It was one night.
That day, I was wandering around the night to catch the wind, not for no reason. The summer night in Jangan was beautiful.
During the day, the body ripened in the blazing sun and the summer night was a wonderful gift. For the people of Jangan in the summer, there are parasols floating in hot, rubber-like streets, sweaty fans, beer bubbles cooling their burning throats, and ice cream on silver plates. And there are three mountain cool, watery summer resorts, Seokwangsa Temple, Incheon and Wonsan. But to me, who could not even dream of such a thing, the smell of cold ice seemed to flow when I looked at the night sky like a merrual. This alone was not meaningless to wander around the nightly market. Moreover, most of all, a girl's face scattered like a day spider on the street would be a fine thing to do if only she could smell the smell of saucer.
However, it is a big mistake to think of Jangan's summer night only as a beautiful dream. There is a heavy burden of life. There was a boring picture of 24 hours of uninterrupted life in the yard of a party. There was also a cry, a fight, and a sweat as well as a day.
But anyway, it wasn't that I hated the cool taste that washed my heart. The summer night was beautiful. I wonder if the man next to the big road in front of the park is making waves and mumbling about it, because it is surrounded by a drunken host or otherwise Yashi's musician friend.
'It's a summer night!'
I mumbled to myself and tried to pass by.
But people's mumbling arms were different from those of drunkards or gangbangers.
And most of all,
Noja Noja
young and old
eating and drinking
a full load of labor
I didn't hear the host's song. But it didn't even come with a "beautiful" little song that made a night person drunk.
'Then what the hell...….'
My steps were headed for it without notice.
'What? He's just a sorcerer's pharmacist'
It's time for me to mutter like this in a near-disappointing tone and turn back to my feet as if insignificant. Through the mumbling of people, I saw something scary.
Wraped in the woods of the crowd, I saw a car hidden from view and a woman beneath it. Beneath the wheel was a pre-blooded man and beside him a beggar fell down, crying over his neck.
'In the car.'
It turned out that the bullies and gisaengs had an abundance of them.
"The Ojil Lovers!"
'I'm so excited to be in the car and hit people.'
'It's just awful.'
As I picked up these words, I had been pushed out of the post at some point.
"Yes, you're the...…."
I turned the end of my repeated memory and asked this.
"Yes, it is. I was run over by the enemy's car before Dalpo and dragged the hospital engine and Muenji, so I could bear to see the young man. It wasn't even a month or two before he stole the bases. Then his leg starts to hurt again and he needs to be able to get it. You can still turn around and eat, but...…."
The women felt tears as they touched their legs with their hands, which they could hardly see.
I didn't even bother to inquire more about his past. No question asked, his answer was obvious.
'The house was originally poor. And then my husband died...….'
Even if you don't answer this question, it's fate that you could have found a happier past.
Tears welled up in my eyes, at some point. It may or may not be that "feelings are half of superiority." One I grabbed all the money in my pocket without even realizing it and held it in his hand like a dripping tear. Then he rushed out of the position without saying a word.
This is the story.
Readers, I'm sure you know exactly who the ghost is. In fact, I now clearly understood Park's words and meaningful laughter without having to go to Dongdaemun, Donggwan, Jongmyo Shrine, or the empty house where Park Seo-bang was mentioned.
And I've all been haunted by my vague friends of the same fate as me, and foolishly laughed at me to my heart's content and regretted it.
Readers, what? You're still? Okay, then let's just say it's a ghost. If you say so, it would actually be a ghost - you could live but still die!
Call yourself a ghost anyway and think about it, my readers. How many such ghosts are growing in Seoul!
If you say it's getting bigger. It's like it's happening again, but I'm going back to the first page.
A dim evening, a hillside slope where no one can find a shadow of a man for a few miles, next to a rolling tomb of a skeleton that has become the meal of a fox, or a muddy swamp that seems to have been aged for hundreds of years.
What a painful phenomenon it is that the ghosts that often appear there appear at least freely in Seoul, the city of civilization, and as Seoul grows and thrives, so do they become more and more in direct proportion to it! And what an illogical, magical fact! It's a wild and wonderful thing Needless to say, there should never be such an illogical ghost.
So how do we stop this ghost from growing and, you know, fundamentally preventing it from forming?
Wise readers! What do you hesitate to do? One of these big problems is waiting for the reader's awareness, wisdom and power!