SURVIVE

CHAPTER EIGHT: FREQUENCY SEVENTY-FIVE

“This is Jeon Minnie, we heard your message, and solved your riddle. Please tell us where to find the Paradise, and we will go there immediately, bearing some supplies and people that can help you run the Paradise. Please, we can’t survive alone, we need your help.” Minnie said, as her and Soyeon stared at the radio, waiting for a response—

“I knew it, it’s no use. Maybe that message is just a bluff—” Soyeon said, but Minnie put a finger on her lips, stopping her from saying anything.

“I repeat, this is Jeon Minnie, we heard your message—”

[“We heard your message the first time, kid. <radio static> We just fetched our leader since you’re the first one to reply since we sent that message out. <radio static> How many are you in total there?”] a voice said, startling the two as they almost dropped the radio, Minnie composing herself as he counted the people in her head.

“Ten people in total, sir, including one child. We also have a doctor with us.” Minnie said, as the other line went silent for a moment, as Minnie and Soyeon waited silently for the reply.

[<radio static> You are clear to go to Paradise. I repeat, you are clear for Paradise. Go to the port at the end of the city whenever you can and we’ll send a boat to fetch you to go to Paradise. <radio static> Radio us and we will arrive twenty or thirty minutes after the call. Is that clear?”] the other line said, as the static went off, signaling that the other line was gone.

“Port at the end of city… That means we have to pass the middle of the city, where there are many of those things. We could also stop by the hospital to grab some supplies for Yuqi, and also grab some other basic needs we can contribute to the place.” Soyeon said, as Minnie nodded, thinking of some ways for their plan.

“Want me to call a meeting again, Soyeon?” Minnie said, Soyeon nodding as Minnie put the radio on her hand, trying to formulate on how to go to the port avoiding the huge mass of undead that are gathered in the middle of the city.

“They’re ready, little sis.” Minnie said, patting her head as she smiled and nodded, following her sister to the living room, where the others except the ones resting are gathered, sitting down relaxed.

“The people in Paradise acknowledged our message, and asked us to go to the port whenever we are ready, and they would receive us and let us go to Paradise.” Soyeon said, as the others nodded, happy as they received the news.

“But how do we know if they can be trusted? It’s a long way from here, and we wouldn’t be able to go back that easily, seeing that we would need a boat to get there.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon nodded, accepting his opinion.

“We don’t have any clue if they are to be trusted or not, but we don’t have any choice. We could stay here, without any certainty if we live or die every day. In here, I cannot ensure that you all would be safe, or if all my decisions are right. I don’t know if going there would be safe, but we could get that risk and go there, everyone.” Soyeon said, trying her best to open the other’s options, as she smiled when she saw them nodding.

“We weren’t given an exact date, so feel free to have all the time you all need to decide, and just come up to me when you have decided.” Soyeon said, as the others nodded.

“Shuhua, please tell this to the others upstairs, alright?” Soyeon said, Shuhua nodding as she went upstairs, Soyeon wrapping up the meeting.

“You really think this would work, Soyeon?” Song Jin asked, approaching Soyeon after the meeting, as Soyeon sighed, shaking her head.

“I’m not sure about it, but it looks like a place where we could safely survive. I can’t ensure your survival here, after all I didn’t expect all of you to come here.” Soyeon said, as Song Jin sighed and smiled at her, nodding at that.

“Well… We won’t exactly get out and go to the port immediately; we’re going to spend maybe a month here, check the people at Paradise from time to time. Plus, we can’t exactly move well with Soojin unnie’s wounds, right? And nine people with one child is hard to move with, because we need cars if we have to go to the port, also bringing the pickup filled with the supplies we will contribute with them.” Soyeon said, Song Jin nodding as he considered the initial plan Soyeon already had.

“So that means…?” Song Jin said, as Soyeon sighed and nodded at him.

“Extra trips to get all that we need for the trip to the port, including plenty of gas for all the cars that we would need, adequate food, beddings if we need to stay at some place for the night, and most importantly weapons and ammunitions in case we have to fight the hordes we encounter on the way.” Soyeon said, Song Jin widening his eyes and nodding, amazed at Soyeon.

“You already planned all of this?” Song Jin said, as Soyeon chuckled and nodded.

“I figured that the people at that place would make us go somewhere and come to rescue or fetch us and bring us to that place ever since we received the message in the radio two days ago, I spent my time formulating different plans when I’m not doing….” Soyeon trailed off, as Song Jin raised his brow, widening why the girl had stopped what she had been telling him.

“I’m afraid that what I’m thinking of could result in death, or danger. I’m afraid if what I’m doing is really right or what.” Soyeon said, as Song Jin smiled at her.

“We trust in you, Soyeon. We trust that you could help us survive.” Song Jin said, as Soyeon smiled and nodded.

“Hey.” Minnie said, as he visited the child’s room, the child nodding at her as he closed the door behind her, finally finding the child that he didn’t see since he rescue her, days ago.

“How are you, Yoona-yah?” Minnie asked, the child hugging her knees as she refused to look at her, her lips shut tightly as she looked at her hands, not uttering a single word as Minnie smiled at her, the child looking up and meeting her gaze.

“I know that you’re scared because your mother is gone, little one.” Minnie said patiently, as the child nodded slightly, playing with her fingers as he smiled, patting her head, the girl looking up at her, as if slowly warming up to her.

“But we’re here. The ones who made your mother go away, we chased them away already, okay? We’re here, and we’ll protect you with everything we can do.” Minnie said, as the girl’s tears welled up, rushing to hug Minnie, who smiled at the girl’s actions and hugged back.

“Unnie… I’m… I’m scared…” the girl cried out, as she hugged the man close, Minnie smiling and patting her head.

“Hey, it’s okay to be scared, alright? We’re all scared here, like you.” Minnie said, smiling as the child looked up at her, tilting her head.

“You’re scared, Ahjussi?” Yoona asked, Minnie smiling and nodding at her.

“I’m scared that those dead people would come and take away all the people I love, and that includes you now, Yoona-yah. But I become brave, so I can protect them. “Minnie said, as Yoona smiled wide.

“How do you become brave then, Ahjussi?” Yoona asked, as Minnie smiled at her.

“I think of the people I love, and that’s the reason why I push forward, despite being scared. Knowing that what you’re doing would save and protect the person you love, that’s what pushes me to be brave.” Minnie said, smiling, as Yoona’s eyes lit up with admiration at the older.

“I wanna be like you, Minnie unnie!” Yoona said, smiling wide as Minnie found her heart melting.

“Now, why don’t you come and play with the other unnies downstairs?” Minnie said, as Yoona smiled and nodded, going out of the room with a smile, as Minnie chuckled and went out, seeing Soyeon who greeted her with a smile.

“You look happy after talking to that kid, unnie.” Soyeon said, as Minnie chuckled and scratched her nape awkwardly.

“Well… She kind of reminds me of you, when we were.” Minnie said, sitting down the stairs, as her sister sat next to her, chuckling.

“And why do you think of that, unnie?” Soyeon asked, Minnie patting her head.

“Because before we went to school you would always come and hug me, not wanting to go cause those bullies would be bugging you off again.” Minnie said, as Soyeon laughed, remembering those moments.

“And that child’s surname is also Jeon, what a coincidence.” Minnie said, as Soyeon nodded, smiling as they saw the little child playing with Yuqi and the other girls in the first floor.

“All I know is, Yoona’s another one we have to protect.” Minnie said, as Soyeon nodded, agreeing at that.

“She’s someone who shouldn’t see the horrors of this new world we have right now. That’s why we have to do what it takes to end all of this, Soyeon.” Minnie said, her tone getting serious as he sighed.

“We have to go to Paradise first and keep everyone safe, unnie. We can’t just barge in the hospital where Chan and Yuqi unnie works without a concrete plan of what we have to do.” Soyeon said, as Minnie sighed.

“Then what do you wanna do, Soyeon?” Minnie said, Soyeon sighing and hugging her sister’s side.

“Our main focus right now is to prepare for the trip to the port. We can’t suddenly confuse them by suddenly adding things from the main agenda; they would most likely refuse.” Soyeon said, as Minnie gritted her teeth, frustrated.

“I know that you’re bent on finding the people who are behind all this, especially with the things that Chan had revealed in his letter. But we have to prioritize the safety of the people, and we have the paradise that can do that.” Soyeon said, as Minnie ruffled her hair, deep in her thoughts.

“I’m not against you or anything, but do you really think this Paradise is true? Or…” Minnie asked, as Soyeon raised her brow, waiting for what her sister would say the next.

“Or what?” Soyeon asked, as Minnie sighed and looked at her, dead serious.

“Or are you just trying to give up the responsibility of leading us to survive and give it to the person leading that place, if that place even is true?” Minnie said, Soyeon understanding her worries and sighing as she put her arms over her sister’s shoulder.

“It’s true, that I don’t have the confidence to lead all of you into safety, but I’m not trying to pass the responsibility away, no. If that place is bogus, then I’d be the first person that would have us all leave that place, but for now that place is our hope. They seem to be fine.” Soyeon said, as Minnie sighed and nodded, convinced as Soyeon smiled and nodded.

“Why didn’t you become a lawyer, huh? You have a way with words.” Minnie said, as Soyeon chuckled at her.

“Guess I fell in love with music, like how you—” Soyeon trailed off, cutting herself off as she sighed, Minnie chuckling and ruffling her hair.

“You can talk about my ex-girlfriend in front of me, you know. She’s your friend, no need to be awkward.” Minnie said, Soyeon sighing and looking at her.

“Won’t you tell her about the real reason why you left? She would understand that—”

“But she would still think of the scar that I left of her when I left without a word, leaving her in the times she needed me the most. I would be forever be branded as that person who left her and broke her heart.” Minnie said.

“But you’re not the judge of that.” A voice said, as Miyeon went up, looking at her without emotion, going to the girl’s room and closing the door silently, Minnie putting her head down as he ruffled her hair.

“You heard her, it’s not for you to judge. But it is your choice if you would tell her and be brave, like what you tell Yoona, or hide your true feelings until the end of the world, like Chan. What do you want to do, then? You’re the captain of your own ship.” Soyeon said, standing up and clearing away the dust on her pants, patting her sister’s head as she went down, joining the other girls in playing with the child.

Minnie was left sitting on the stairs, contemplating her choices as he sighed, frustrated on not knowing what really is the best decision.

“I’m the captain of my ship, but I don’t even know where to go.” Minnie said, hugging her knees, as he gritted her teeth.

A pair of eyes watched her, also contemplating to approach and hug her, as she sighed, closing the door before her, leaning onto the door and putting her palms over her face.

“You’re not the only one who doesn’t know where to go, Minnie.”  Miyeon said, hugging her knees as tears fell on her cheeks.

“You’re not the only one who also wants another chance.”