Incarnadine | Prequel to "Viridescence"

47

27th April
2018

In the past few days ever since the journalist has become imprisoned, Yunho had automatically become closer to him. They may not be friends, but they have bonded over the fact that they're suffering through the same present together.

"Any family waiting for you at home?" Yunho asks, breaking the silence that had persisted in the room for hours. The journalist remains curled up on the ground, but finally opens his eyes.

"A wife and kid," he solemnly answers in a quiet voice. Yunho musters up his best encouraging smile. "I'll find a way to get us out of here. You can see your family again soon!" he comforts, thinking about his own parents too.

To his dismay, the man finally sits up with a scowl. "We're never getting out of here alive, can't you tell? How on Earth are you planning on getting out of these cages? They're treating us like animals!" the journalist complains, voice gradually increasing into a scream.

For a few moments, he wails out of despair and cries on the ground while Yunho watches him, pain in his chest. He can't say he blames the man for having lost hope. Yunho was only trying to remain optimistic, but there isn't much to base the optimism on anymore anyway.

As the man sobs, the door to the room opens. Yunho's blood boils as he is met with the sight of San. Jongho walks in after, and stands firm at the door. "You'll finally be able to test the prototype serum! I've been waiting for this moment for the longest time!" San announces, spinning a bunch of keys around his finger.

He giggles a little at the sight of colour leaving Yunho's face, while the journalist continues to cry by himself.

San skips to Yunho's cage and unlocks it, hardly giving any opportunity for Yunho to escape as Jongho pounces forward with his syringe. As Yunho becomes weak, the two scientists take care of the journalist in the same way.

"I'm taking the journalist!" San calls out, running to the smaller man on the ground. However, before he can reach the man, Jongho effortlessly sweeps the man up. "You take Yunho," he orders, smirking slightly when San sulks back.

The scientists carry the subjects to a new room they've never seen before. There are two beds in the room, both with arm and leg cuffs. Yunho weakly pushes against San when he notices the cuffs, but San only laughs loudly.

Once the two test subjects are tied down to their beds, San and Jongho stick some needles into their arms before leaving the room to another smaller room next door.

They watch the men through the glass window, and San feels slightly emotional. "I can't believe we're finally doing this," he smiles. "Let's hope it works," is all Jongho replies with as he types on a computer.

At last, he clicks "run" on the computer and the men stare out the window with anticipation. San feels like his heart is in his mouth as he observes the colourless liquid flow through the tubes and into the subjects. They both convulse violently and this sends the scientists to the edge of their seats.

But then things start going wrong.

Jongho curses under his breath and starts slamming keys into his computer and San punches his clipboard out of frustration.

Yunho screams from the agony he is experiencing, but the journalist doesn't make a sound. He can't make a sound. Blood comes bubbling out of his mouth and pouring over the edges of his face, some spluttering over his upper body. He continues to jerk in his bed.

At last, Jongho manages to cancel the flow of the serum and he sighs, beyond disappointed. San and Jongho rush into the test room quickly and approach the sides of the subjects, making sure that their face shields and masks are secure.