On their way back from their US Tour, the members of IZ*One are met with a force of nature, finding themselves secluded in the middle of a winter wasteland. What trials and tribulations must they overcome, in order to get out alive...
if they do?
Merely an hour since the start of the day's journey, we found ourselves breaking into a sweat, even amidst the cold weather. A hike became a trek, and slowly transitioned to an ascent. The uneven incline of the hillside was difficult to traverse, further delaying our ability to cover a great distance. And as we neared the peak of the hill, we managed to catch a breathtaking view of the land, far and wide. This was no cliff - we were on the high ground.
And there, we saw it.
(A/N: It's over Jjaeyeon!)
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About a-third of a mile away situated a wooden hut, fitted with a brick-laden fireplace at the back of the house. I scanned around the vicinity of the mysterious lodging, searching for signs of life left behind by other souls. The entire roof was a blank slate of pure white as the pillowy snow had accumulated over time. We skirted around the perimeter of the hut precariously, keeping an eye out for any potential residents of the place - or hostile creatures seeking refuge here. A dark shadow fluttered above the house, catching my eye. I glanced back at it. And there they were - the birds, resting right atop the chimney cap of the fireplace. The level surface was obviously an ideal place for the birds to sit on, and the heat from the fireplace would be welcoming to them - provided someone had been staying here. Eunbi was right. Eunbi was always right. I smirked relievedly at Sakura and Yujin, earning equally grateful looks from them. It was then I made a mental note: to never doubt Eunbi's words again, no matter what.
"Let's see if anyone's here." Yujin suggested, as we exchanged an equal look.
We walked up to the front door. Yujin lifted her clenched fist, ready to knock. She inhaled abruptly, then letting it all out in an explosive sigh as she steered herself to call for anyone inside. But just as her fist connected with the hollow wooden door, it creaked open eeriely, screeched in a creeping manner that was sure to haunt our eardrums for the next few days.
"Hello? Anyone there?" Noting we were somewhere in the ice caps of the United States, Yujin tried her best attempt at English. She threw her voice towards the interior of the lodging - seeking perhaps a tenant of the place. We waited for several seconds - but there was no response.
"Perhaps there's no one here," I posed the possibility to both of them, "there doesn't seem to be any recent footprints or trash around the place." Yet, as I said that, it didn't feel quite right. The fact that the birds lingered at the top of the chimney cap meant that someone had been lighting up fires, which attracted them to nest here.
"Let's take a look inside." Sakura nudged Yujin inside, leading all of us into the common area. "Who would live here anyway?" Her raven-black, cat-like eyes darted around the place for a moment, confirming her conjecture that no one was indeed home.
