SURVIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: FADING LIGHT

Nightfall came as Mina successfully built a bonfire in the tiled floor of the convention center, letting them have a warm temperature as they stayed at the room, Mina sighing as the body they had left there had already decayed and gone, cleaning up as best as she could for Yuqi and Jaechan, who nodded at the effort as they stayed near the fire.

“I’m worried… what if they didn’t make it out of there alive?” Yuqi said, as she sighed, worried the most for Soyeon, as Mina shook her head.

“They made it out of there, I know that. Minnie is a strong person, even stronger than me. Plus, they have Soyeon with them, who is basically the tactician of everything. I’m sure they will survive.” Mina said, as Yuqi nodded, rubbing her arms to ward off the cold of the night.

“I don’t… I don’t understand. How can Song Jin Oppa do that?” Yuqi said, the question left to the wind, the room turning silent.

“What was Song Jin’s profession before the outbreak?” Mina asked, Yuqi thinking for a moment.

“Shuhua mentioned once that he was a police officer, I think?” Jaechan said, Mina thinking of something as she chuckled, relaxing and leaning backwards, Yuqi raising her brow at that.

“Don’t you think that whoever’s behind this might have easily influenced him into doing that?” Mina said, Yuqi widening her eyes.

“But… how can he do this?” Yuqi asked, Mina thinking for a moment.

“There must have been something that had kept him pinned down, into to doing what the mastermind wants him to do. Something that would harm him, or someone who is important to him.” Mina said, Yuqi raising her brow at that.

“Then… He did something bad when he was in duty?” Yuqi said, as she cannot believe what she’s saying.

“It’s that, or he’s not as righteous as you guys preach him to be, and he took that job without any second thoughts, his greed or something inside him getting the better of him. If not, then do you know something that he would absolutely kill for, or die for?” Mina said, Yuqi tilting her head at that, trying to think of something about Song Jin—

“Shuhua.” Jaechan uttered, the name tugging into his memories as he remembered something that Song Jin had told him when they were together, in one of his pretending acts to gain the man’s trust into him, and become a spy for Minnie while being in Patrols at Paradise.

“What?” Yuqi asked, wondering why Jaechan had mentioned the girl’s name.

“He mentioned before that I should protect Shuhua at all times, since she was afraid of blood and stuff. I asked him why he can’t do that himself, and he said that he can’t afford Shuhua hating him when the time comes.” Jaechan said, Mina snapping her finger.

“There you have it, the plot unravels itself, and the curtains close. Goodnight.” Mina said, Yuqi laughing at the impression.

“Didn’t know you were a fan of Sherlock Holmes, unnie.” Yuqi said, Mina laughing at that as she snapped her finger again, getting back into focus.

“The man must have known that he would die at the end of the plan, which was why he didn’t try to get close to Shuhua, since the girl loved Soojin anyways. That is why he didn’t plot to harm her, and instead planned out all of his moves threatening you and the others, but always, always avoiding Shuhua.” Mina said, Yuqi sighing at that.

“But why now? Why did his plan wait for a whole year before completely happening? He could have done it the first night we arrived.” Yuqi said, Mina nodding at that.

“But then, the effect wouldn’t be all that great. Soyeon wouldn’t develop that thinking where she got selfish because she got exposed to Wallace’s ideology. It’s as if Song Jin knew that the event would happen, and he waited until his attack would have the most effect, when we would have been used to living inside the walls, where the chaos would upset our routines, and we would be affected the most.” Mina said, the other two nodding at that.

“The time where we were the most vulnerable,” Jaechan added, “and when he knew that we wouldn’t be able to defend each other that easily, he pushed off Soojin to abduct Miyeon.”

“But I doubt that Soojin would let Miyeon be harmed.” Mina said, the two raising their brows at that.

“Soojin’s on our side, I’m sure of that. She had her move forced in the game, forcing to bring Miyeon into the wolf’s den, bringing her into danger but also giving her a camouflage that protected her, as long as Soojin is there.” Mina said, as she got up, bringing out sleeping materials for the two.

“I’ll keep watch for tonight, you two sleep.” Mina said, as she leaned against the wall, listening to the silence of the night.

“Did you know where Chaeyoung went, or the child?” Yuqi said, as Jaechan had already fallen asleep while Yuqi couldn’t, so the doctor decided to just talk to the girl who was keeping watch.

“I… I don’t know.” Mina said, as she hugged her knees, looking at the fire that was still burning, keeping them warm.

“If Warren abandoned her, I would seriously kill him.” Mina mumbled, as Yuqi sighed, patting her shoulder.

“I’m sure she’s safe. Chaeyoung is part of the Pilgrims, and I’m sure that she can survive on her own.” Yuqi said, as Mina shook her head.

“She didn’t tell anyone, but I knew it on my own. Unlike me or Minnie and Soojin or the other Pilgrims, Chaeyoung did not choose to be in the Pilgrims; she was in the bottom 2 of the evaluation in the Patrols. We had a system that would force the bottom 2 to be in the Pilgrims. Chaeyoung witnessed her best friend, Younghee, get eaten by the undead on their first trip in.” Mina said, as Yuqi widened her eyes.

“I was the one who made her go back to the boat, since my deceased sister asked me to protect her, and it was the reason why I was left behind. She made me promise to bury her best friend, which I couldn’t seem to disobey. I spent a whole evening on the week that I was trapped in the city, hauling up his body after killing off the undead that killed Younghee.” Mina said, as Yuqi nodded, listening to her.

“I was hoping to have her welcome me back, because I did what she asked me to do. But when I came back after a week of staying there, she was with Warren, and I didn’t have any chance of pursuing her. That was why I let my hair grow, not cutting it off and just protecting her whenever we would have our trips. She was at the top four of the evaluations in Pilgrims, which comprised of Agnes, me, Warren and her, which also gave her the ability to choose if she wanted to go back to the Patrols. She chose to stay, and that decision made it more difficult for her.”

“I knew that Warren forced her to stay, or she was scared that Warren would find someone else, because after that her rank plummeted. Warren took her credit, and she was happy with that, even if Yohan always gave her an earful of scolding that she was a liability to the team.” Mina said, her heart aching as she recollected the events that happened.

“And… what did you do?” Yuqi asked, as Mina chuckled.

“I secretly gave her all of my credit, which made her the second rank, and I became fourth, just below Warren, who was secretly jealous of me, I knew that. He forced me not to even talk to Chaeyoung anymore, and the whole group knew that there were cheating in the evaluation, which made Yohan punish the three of us, as per… per Wallace’ orders.”

“A punishment?”

“We were already in the Pilgrims, which was the worst job ever if we wanted to avoid the zombies that were roaming around. I figured out, after that punishment, that there were worst things than that.” Mina said, as she pulled up her sleeves and bared her back, Yuqi widening at the scars.

“Before you guys came, a week before that, the punishment happened. There were the three of us; we were given a test where we would choose one name that truly cheated, and he or she would be given the punishment while the other two would just get off with a day without rations.” Mina said, the memories hurting her again.

“I chose my name, of course, and I knew that Warren would choose either my name or Chaeyoung’s since he was a jerk, and I knew that. But what hurt was when I thought Chaeyoung would choose Warren, but she chose my name.” Mina said, Yuqi widening her eyes at that.

“What…?”

“She chose my name, which made me to be the one who would have the punishment. I received 40 whips all over, which was decided by my rank, multiplied by ten. It hurt, so much, but what Chaeyoung did hurt more. I didn’t speak at all the days after that, and surely didn’t speak when she came to my room every night, treating my wounds.” Mina said, pulling her sleeves again as she sighed, chuckling at herself.

“That was why I felt distant, to everyone. The scars were a sign of that, and I felt bad. I was doing it for her, and yet she was the one who gave those scars to me. And yet… why can’t I help but worry about her? Scared that she might be dead? This is bullshit.” Mina said, as Yuqi sighed, patting her back again.

“You’ve fallen, Mina. Fallen, so hard. Not because she’s the one you’ve been asked to protect, but you’ve done everything because you love her. That’s why even if she hurt you and put those permanent scars on you, you still worry about her.” Yuqi said, as Mina sighed, hugging her knees.

“Song Jin still gave us a year of peace, before he wreaked havoc among us. I should have pursued her in that time, then she would be with us. Not with Warren, not with that jerk.”  Mina said, as she chuckled to herself, ruffling her hair frustratingly.

“We’ll find her, I’m sure of that.” Yuqi said, as she went outside, Mina raising her brow at that, the girl coming back with some herbs and leaves with a bottle of water, the Japanese widening her eyes at that.

“I also studied Chinese ancient medicine, so you’re lucky I’m here with you. Should we take care of your scars, Mina-san?” Yuqi said, the last sentence in Japanese, making the girl smile and nod, happy as she heard some of her native language.

“I didn’t know you could speak Japanese, Yuqi.” Mina said, the girl nodding at that, as she put some of the herbs on the girl’s scars, her cold fingers tickling the Japanese as she chuckled, then finished the job, tying it up with some of the cloth they found lying around.

“We should do this every night, and the scars would soon disappear.” Yuqi said, Mina smiling and nodding as she leaned down into the wall, listening to the peace of the night.

“I hope we find them soon, and put an end to all of this.”  Mina said, Yuqi nodding at that.

“I hope so, too.”

Darkness was all she could see as Miyeon chuckled at her bitter fate, having escaped from Soojin and her sisters, but then abducted by some rebel group who wants to kill her best friend, and is using her as a bait.

They hadn’t harmed her yet, but Miyeon knows they would, soon; because she would not say anything that would lead them to Soyeon. She would rather die than do that—

She groaned as she felt the blindfold ripped from her face, the blinding light making her squint multiple times as she soon realized that a spotlight was aimed into her, and that the light made everything dark all around, as she tried to take a look into one of the people who was in the room with her, but she couldn’t see anything, as she didn’t speak at all.

“Tell us where Jeon Soyeon is.” A voice said, coming to her left, as she turned towards that direction, but she couldn’t see anything, much less anyone.

“I… I don’t know where she is. Even if I knew where she is, I wouldn’t tell you!” Miyeon shouted, as a hand slapped her cheek, making her groan in pain.

“Ah, a loyal one, isn’t it?” Miyeon heard a voice say, someone she heard earlier when she was abducted, one of the two men she heard who brought her to the place where she’s in.

“Very well… Let’s see how she fares against this.” The man said, as Miyeon heard a sharp crack, widening her eyes as she looked around, hearing the sharp crack nearer to her, as she gritted her teeth.

“Fifty whips for her insolence, and don’t stop until she tells us where Jeon Soyeon is.” A man said, as the light dimmed slowly, Miyeon widening her eyes as she heard that, fighting against her binds that kept her tied to the chair—

A searing pain spread from her shoulder to her hip, making her cry out in pain as she gritted her teeth, another and another attacking her back as she heard the sharp cracks from behind, as she shouted until her throat was dry and no voice would come through.

The pain was like hell; searing through her skin and burning her, clearing all her thoughts as she shouted with all her might, fighting against her binds that also teared against her skin, her clothes getting torn as she slowly gave in, the truth slithering through her lips, slowly uttering a place—

She caught herself, forcing herself to shut her mouth, bearing the pain of the whip that kept hitting her back, even hitting her shoulders as she wished for everything to end, the hands of death dragging her towards darkness—

Just as she thought she would fall to the edge of death, the whips stopped, the sharp cracks ceasing to exist, leaving a ringing on her ears that was too loud, as she felt herself burning, the wounds on her back making her fall over, her forehead glued to the cold concrete, hoping that the coolness would stop the burning sensation all over her body.

“…still need her…heal her…” She heard someone say, the ringing too loud for her to catch on everything that the men were saying as she felt herself getting hoisted up, the effort making her groan as she felt herself getting in and out of unconsciousness, getting dragged towards another room, finding herself lightheaded.

She groaned with pain as she felt another wave of searing pain come across her back, as she realized through her lightheaded mind that the men were treating her wounds, gritting her teeth as she tried to ease the pain, but the pain overwhelmed her as she found herself losing to the temptation of unconsciousness, her hands falling down the metal table as she slowly fell asleep, giving way to darkness.

“If you did it right, then why isn’t there any sign of Miyeon reaching Soyeon and the others?” Soojin said, as Jiu chuckled, crossing her arms over her chest as she had her younger sister seated obediently on the side, glaring at the two of them with a sharp flesh aimed against her neck, and some fresh scars indicate that she fought against Jiu’s hold some multiple times.

“I didn’t escort her towards the place where your dear friend stays in, Soojin-ah. They would have killed me on the spot.” Jiu said, as she withdrew the hold that she used against Gahyeon, the girl growling as she tried to lunge to Soojin, but the girl only dodged, making the girl collide towards the wall, sighing in defeat.

“What? What if she got eaten by those undead or some rebels decided to kidnap her—”

“Then you should have taken it in your own hands and got the hell out of here with her, Soojin-ah, if you’re this pushy. It’s against the orders given to us that you abducted her in the first place, when we were asked to kidnap Soyeon in the first place.” Jiu said, looking at her nails as she glared at Soojin, her eyes turning red to white, signifying that she was to transform in a few moments—

“Then follow me. I’ll remove their hold on you like I removed mine, and we can fight them. We can be free! Soo Jung Oppa is already gone—”

“Of course, I know that he’s gone. I made Gahyeon turn her, since he said it himself that Gahyeon can never kill him.” Jiu said, casually chuckling, making Soojin widen her eyes.

“But… he didn’t tell me this—”

“Of course. You were intended to remember your memories when you arrive in Paradise, which was why we were placed there, and that bastard Song Jin decided to beat you up to boost the process. What makes you think that we can escape him?” Jiu said, her eyes blazing red, Soojin widening her eyes as she backed away.

“You were given a job to take Soyeon and go here with her, and you fucked it up. It’s your choice to leave, and leave now, when you have the chance, or I will kill you right here and tell Wooseok that you’re a traitor and you were the one who freed Miyeon.” Jiu said, Soojin widening her eyes at that, as she gritted her teeth, sensing that Gahyeon was behind her, ready to strike on Jiu’s signal.

“Fine… I’ll go.” Soojin said, glaring as she tied her hair up, leaving the room as she looked back at Jiu, who stared at her emotionlessly.

“You’re free to come with me, Jiu… please.” Soojin said, as Jiu appeared steadfast, stern on her decision as she chuckled—

She faltered as she saw Gahyeon wanting to go, but restraining herself as she looked at Jiu, who gave in.

“We have to go, fast.” Jiu said, as she ran towards Soojin, who nodded and left the place, leaving the premises—

Gahyeon pushed Jiu and Soojin out of the main building, glass doors locking on its own as the two of them tried to force their way in, Gahyeon widening her eyes as she felt something stab through her, Jiu shouting in anger as she tried to break through the door—

“Unnie… we have to go.” Soojin said, dragging Jiu out as the two girls ran away, Gahyeon dropping down the ground, lifeless for a moment before her body forces her to be revived again.

“Worthless scums, they are… Do I really have to do this all myself, Gahyeon-ssi?” a man said, picking up a syringe that contained mysterious purplish liquid, injecting it on the girl that made her shake all over, convulsing as she stood up, veins blackening all over as she opened her eyes, white replacing the familiar black as she grabbed the man’s throat in front of her, the man thrashing and flailing as he fought through her grasp—

“Release Wooseok, Gahyeon-ssi.” A man said, his voice making Gahyeon drop the man and drop to her knees, submitting under the man’s ultimate hold.

“You shall stay here, and guard whoever that enters without my permission, even your sisters, Jiu and Soojin. Understood?” the man said, Gahyeon nodding at that as she stood up, returning to the room where she originally was, her eyes rolling back to reveal black irises, but her eyes were full of hate.

“Gahyeon’s gone… Just because I came with you.” Jiu said, Soojin not responding to that as she stood next to Jiu, the older sitting down the ground as she gritted her teeth, hateful as Soojin tried to find her tracker.

“There.” Soojin uttered, her fingers delving under the skin and pulling out a bug, crushing it against her fingers and tossing it elsewhere, the wound she caused in Jiu’s neck immediately healing up.

“Where should we go…” Jiu uttered, Soojin thinking of where their friends had come and gone.

“We can’t go to them now; they will surely kill us since we don’t have Miyeon with us. I know that Miyeon didn’t reach any of them, I sense it.” Soojin said, Jiu sighing at that.

“Then what do you think we should do?” Jiu asked, Soojin thinking for a moment.

“The convention center, I guess? I’m sure no one went there since it was a rebel headquarter before.” Soojin said, Jiu nodding at that.

“Alright… then let’s go.” Jiu said, following Soojin.

“Do you really think this would work, Shu?” Minnie said, as they laid in reinforcements for the rooftop that they were in while Yoona and Soyeon were asleep, the two girls fortifying their base for the following days.

“Seoul is a small city, but we would have a hard time following them, I know of that. We can’t send a message for a risk of the rebels or the masterminds discovering who we really are; we have no choice but to wait here for the first few days. Leave hidden messages in places that they might go to, like Japanese messages for Mina unnie or medical jargon code for Yuqi, or songs for Jaechan. We have to try everything, because I know that we would still see them.” Shuhua said, as they finished strengthening the door, their only exit in the rooftop; that, or they would have to climb down.

“We’d run out of food if we don’t get food tomorrow, at dawn. We have to, the two of us… Yet I don’t want Soyeon left here, or Yoona.” Minnie said, Shuhua tilting her head at that, trying to find some solution for present dilemma of finding food.

“Then we should move out of here, constantly move so the rebels would have a hard time of finding us. There are a lot of cars that are left here, they probably wouldn’t work, but we have to erase our traces if we want to make this work.” Shuhua said, as Minnie nodded, smiling at that.

“Then we fortify these doors for the night, make it look untouched and that we were here, while we’re already away.” Minnie said, nodding with the initial plan as the two of them nodded.

“I’ll stay guard for the night. You sleep, alright?” Minnie said, patting the girl’s head.

“You can tell me anything, Minnie unnie. I’m here to listen.” Shuhua said, sitting down the ground next to her as Minnie chuckled, taking it that the girl wasn’t sleepy yet.

“And what would I tell you?” Minnie asked, Shuhua chuckling at that.

“Anything, unnie. Anything that you want to get off your chest. Could be your family, Soyeon unnie, or…” Shuhua trailed off, but Minnie knew where she was arriving to.

“Miyeon.” Minnie said, Shuhua nodding at that, as Minnie nodded, also wanting to get everything off her chest.

“I started noticing her when we were in high school, you know. I was busy with school, protecting my little sister behind the scenes, then I notice that there was this girl who always stuck with her, and then I hear her voice every time Soyeon asks me to listen to a new mixtape or something. I admired her for that, and soon I began finding her everywhere, like she was there. I decided to talk to her, since she was also my classmate then, and began to be her friend.”

“Then she began to disappear, only coming to class some of the times, but that didn’t stop me from pursuing her; we became together on the first snow, I remember that, because after that I didn’t see her for a few weeks, which then I knew that she was punished by her company because she sneaked out and met with me, on the first snow.” Minnie said, as Shuhua nodded at that, listening intently.

“Then my father wanted Soyeon to marry someone she didn’t know, because father didn’t know back then that Soyeon was like me, who didn’t like boys that much, and she couldn’t have father know that he has two daughters who turned to be gay; it will kill him, and we would be known to be a disgrace to the whole South Korea, and even in Thailand, because of my roots.” Minnie said, Shuhua nodding at that.

“I was a Yontararak; Mr. Jeon took me in when both my parents died, and I couldn’t let Soyeon be imprisoned in a marriage that wouldn’t make her happy, since she’s the only one who had been there for me, ever since I was locked up in a family that wasn’t really mine in the beginning.” Minnie said, as Shuhua held her hand, Minnie squeezing it gently, wiping her tears.

“Leaving everything behind is the worst thing that I had done. I know that it was because I chose Soyeon to be happy rather than my own happiness, but… damn, it hurt… so bad.” Minnie said, as Shuhua nodded at that, just listening to what she was saying.

“What happened if I chose my happiness over Soyeon’s? Would she hate me now, knowing that she wouldn’t be happy in that marriage that Father is forcing her to do?” Minnie asked, Shuhua sighing at that.

“Don’t trouble yourself to the things that did not happen, Minnie unnie. What’s important is that you went back, and Miyeon unnie’s together with you again, when we were in Paradise. The important thing for now is to find her, and reunite with the others, and stop everything that had been happening.” Shuhua said, Minnie nodding at that.

“What if… What if they already killed her? Or… put that virus in her and turned her into something that would be an enemy to us? I can’t bear that, Shu. I’d rather die than kill her.” Minnie said, Shuhua sighing at that, not even thinking of that possibility.

“Then we have to find her, immediately. Or else…” Shuhua said, Minnie widening her eyes at that, as she knew that Shuhua was trying to say something.

“What? What is it?” Minnie asked, as Shuhua shook her head, staring at Soyeon who was sleeping soundly.

“Something tells me that Miyeon unnie shouldn’t have been the one who was taken, since she isn’t the Mastermind, like Soyeon unnie, or the strongest one in the team, which is you. I’m thinking that if Soojin unnie is still in the hold of the people that are behind all of this, then they would have taken you or Soyeon, since you two are the most important people in the team.” Shuhua said, Minnie widening her eyes at that.

“But why?” Minnie asked, Shuhua nodding at that.

“Because you two are the most important persons in the team. Having any of you gone will set the team in chaos; removing any calmness, since everyone would be alarmed that you guys would be gone, and that the main priority would be rescuing any one of you, which would just be a suicide mission. We wouldn’t survive and this would be all for naught.” Shuhua said, as Minnie widened her eyes at that, not seeing that possibility.

“Soojin also knew that, which was why she took Miyeon instead, even when she was probably ordered to abduct Soyeon or you.” Shuhua said, as she got up, going towards the ledge, looking at the road illuminated by the barely working streetlamp.

“We’ll find everyone. I know we would.” Minnie said, Shuhua turning towards Minnie, the Thai seeing the girl in front of her, having tears, as she smiled.

“Even… even Soojin?” Shuhua asked, Minnie smiling at that.

“Even Soojin.”