𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗘𝗧 𝗥𝗘𝗗• 𝗦. 𝗞𝗔𝗡𝗚

𝑡 ℎ 𝑖 𝑟 𝑡 𝑦 𝑜 𝑛 𝑒

- do you know how to play cards?

[N a r r a t o r]

His hands felt around her stomach. Pushing the slightest pressure onto her wound. Dabbing the cloth over the purple and red bruises around her stomach. Careful not to directly disinfect the bullet. The sweat apparent on her face. Forming from her scalp, only some drilling down to her T-shirt. Creating small cradles of water on the collar.

The guard continued to clean up the mess he had made. Trying to prevent the continuous shaking in his hands. The stutter in his breath, trembling down his chest and making his legs jitter.

He's lucky he was wearing this mask. Or else he'd truely look pathetic to those around him. The weakest links in this establishment never make it out alive. So with this information he but his lip tightly. Pursing it closed hoping for the best.

The guard slowly lifted her back off the mattress. Wrapping the plaster over her lower abdomen. Another 4 ties and he stuck it onto the side of her rib cage. Securing it in place before covering it over with yer clothes.

"Are you done?" Three other guards walked into the room. Guns strapped to their chest, hands covering the trigger. His finger bent underneath the gloves. Swallowing a thick amount of saliva before nodding a stern yes. Which to they replied, "good. Wake her up now. The next games are beginning in 20 minutes." They left without another mutter.

Shutting the metal doors shut. Making sure he hears the rustle of the bullets on the leg strap underneath their pants. An unspoken warning, one he took noticeably.

"Fuck my life." The red suited man mumbled. Sobbing softly to himself, placing the cloth over her mouth. Effectively waking her up within  seconds.

"Where the fuck am I?"

[Y u n R y u n g]

The sense of strong alcohol and the bitter taste of lemon floods my senses. The pressure still evident even as my eyes start to open. The guard stands beside me sobbing. Removing his hand slowly before placing it back onto his tray.

"Good you're awake. Hurry up and get changed before the next game." He hands me a fresh pile of clothes, ones similar to the uniform I had just worn.

It takes me time to adjust my eyes. My body to be awaken and for my mind to fully process being awake once again. Even if I was just dead for only a few moments, I'm glad I'm not there again.

I can finally feel my breaths filling my lungs. The way it would compress and decompress my chest, airing my body until it leaves my mouth.

It felt good. It felt good to have that sense of familiarity.

And that's when I remember, sae-byeok.

"Please follow me." The guard walks towards the doors. Pushing it with his knee against the door and his hand hanging off the handle.

His gun strapped over his back letting me walk a few steps ahead of him.

"How the fuck am I alive?" The guard doesn't answer. All I could hear was his lips mumbling against one another in a blurred tone.

"Okay. Great, thanks." I'm going down a corridor further and further. The doors right there. And I don't truely know if I want to see the other side of it. I don't know if I could bare seeing her again. I don't know how I'd react.

How she would react.

Still at the moment I can't even muster how I feel right now. All my brain can remember is that singular moment when I knew that I wouldn't ever see her again.

And now look at me, the doors are slowly opening. Guards standing at each corner left and right. And then I see her standing still, her eyes drift to the front.

Her lips slowly parting. Eyes stained with red underlines separating her eyelashes. Her pupils widen just slightly. And yet another tears drops from her waterline.

"Ryung?"