MAKNAE [twd] *editing*

【8】

The scenery passed by as I watched out the back window from the bed of the RV, the music in my ears making everything feel like my own personal music video.

I couldn't help but think back to the CDC. More specifically, Jenner, Jacqui, and that video that Jenner showed us of someone turning- Candace Jenner to be more exact.

The colors, the idea of life itself, the fact that the tangled web of lights was happening in my own head- amazing. 

The parasite of the virus, the unescapable end, the fact that those dark vines of hurt could become me one day- horrifying.

I scoot to the edge of the bed, grabbing on of my books for studying. It was empty and luckily, just what I needed.

Jenner's calendar had implied that it had been 92 days since I left Seoul.

I start the tally marks from the day Angela and I landed in Georgia. Once seven tallies were made, I write Angela's name in Hangul with parenthesis. I finish on the marks before going back to a week ago- writing Amy's name. Then, Jim's name. Then, Jacqui and Jenner's names together.

Once done, I skim over the marks and names, making sure I was correct on the days. But, as the RV comes to a stop, I sigh.

"Hana," Glenn calls from the front of the RV.

I set the book in my satchel, throwing the satchel over my shoulder so it fit across my chest.

"Yes, Oppa?" I ask, emerging from the back room.

"The RV is broke down again. We're gonna fix it and look around the cars to find supplies," he explains.

"Can I help?" I ask, wanting nothing more than to be useful right now.

"There's a reason I'm telling you," he smiles.

We walk out the door together and Glenn pats my shoulder, "Just stay close by. Oppa will be working on the RV with Dale, okay?"

"Okay," I nod, placing one of my earbuds in and walking toward the cars.

--

While looking through the cars, I could already tell that Glenn would tell me to put most of it back as it wasn't useful.

But, I was already attached to the travel cup with a cartoon bear that looked like Rilakkuma.

And the sticker packs I found. And the headphones that I planned to use when listening to music without Glenn.

"Hana," Sophia happily jogs over, "Look what I found."

She hands me the small box and I open it to find jewelry.

"Whoa.." I exhale, looking at a pretty ring.

"And look," she taps my arm.

When I meet her eyes, she holds out a piece of cardboard with two bracelets on it. One with a moon and the other with a sun.

"It's for friends," Sophia explains, pointing to the sun one, "See? 'Friends'."

The writing engraved on the bracelet with the sun pendant was 'friends'. The moon had 'best'.

"Which do you want?" she asks.

"태양," I smile, "Sun."

Sophia nods pulling the sun bracelet off the paper and grabbing my hand. She places the bracelet around my wrist, making sure the knot was secure.

"Me for you," I motion.

Sophia hands me the other bracelet and I do as she had before, placing the leather around her wrist and tying it so it wouldn't fall off.

"Hana! Sophia! Get down!" Rick calls out from a few cars over.

Sophia's eyes widen and before I could question, she grab my hand and pulls me to the ground. When I see Carl across from us rolling under a vehicle, I understand and help Sophia to slide under the car we were beside.

It was only seconds later when geeks began walking by, their stumbling steps close to our faces. Shakily, Sophia reaches to my hand, grabbing tightly. As we hold hands, our bracelets shine in the bit of sun reaching us. I place my free hand to the ground, laying my forehead against the back of my hand and clenching my eyes shut.

It felt like the group of geeks would go on forever as it seemed endless. But, they eventually let up and their growls faded.

Sophia leans to the side, looking out from under the car. As she does so, a geek suddenly growls and Sophia screams, colliding with me as she backs up. With no other options, I roll out from under the car and help Sophia out as well. When I begin to stand, I nearly crawl right into a second geek.

Sophia grabs my hand again, pulling me off the side of the road and down a hill to the trees.

"We can't leave!" I cry, struggling to stand.

Sophia, not understanding, continues to pull us down the hill and through the woods.

Keeping up with Sophia was easy, it was the worry of how far we were getting from the others that scared me. Until, we ran directly into Rick.

He and Sophia trade words as I helplessly watch, only wishing Glenn was behind Rick to no avail.

"Hana!" Rick snaps, grabbing my hand.

He pulls us both along and down into a creek. And again, I couldn't understand what was happening as Sophia cries and Rick gives orders.

"Hana, go," Rick points into the brush.

Sophia goes in first and I follow, still frustrated at the lack of understanding. I stay down, keeping my bag to my chest so the things inside didn't get wet.

Rick yells to the two geeks and it's then that I realize that he was drawing them away from us. He's only gone for a few seconds before Sophia is pulling my hand for us to leave.

"Rick said to go," she urges.

"Wait," I deny.

"He said go this way," she points, "Keep the sun on my right shoulder."

I peek out of the brush, looking the way Rick and the two geeks went.

"Not smart," I shake my head, "Wait for others here is better."

"It's okay," Sophia assures, "We'll be safe."

Making sure my bag stayed away from the water, I follow Sophia out of our hiding spot.

"This way," she nods, grabbing my hand.

We keep our footsteps as quiet as possible as we walk the way Sophia instructed. 

--

𝒶𝓊𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓇 𝓇𝒶𝓂𝒷𝓁𝑒𝓈--

back on my sophia and hana bestie agenda

this was a short chapter, but hopefully it sets the tone for what's to come

i hope you all are enjoying so far