The End of Fire and Ice

chapter 21: slipping or falling

"Some people care too much. I think it's called love."
ೃ⁀➷ Winnie the Pooh

┊ ➶ ｡˚ 　　°

Escape. If you'd asked me twelve months ago to do it, I would've said 'fuck no' as I scarfed down the remainder of Sunghoon's granola bar.

But, see. That's the thing about time. It changes people.

"Okay." It only took a moment for me to agree to go with him. "We'll just see if we can get out. Where is this door anyway?"

"In Bram's office, there's a secret door. It looks like it's just part of the wall, but it's not. I saw the light coming through it when I was in there. We can use the keycard to get into the office and then I'll open the hidden door."

"But how do you know there is anything behind this secret door?"

"I don't, but I'd bet my life it's a way out."

I was aware that if I didn't make this decision quickly, then I wouldn't make it at all. "Fine." My heart rushed me forward. "Let's go."

"Wait." He held me back from the door. "There's just one thing we have to do before we go."

"What is it?"

"We have to cut out our trackers."

He walked me over to his box behind the couch that now contained a broken radio, an out-of-tune guitar, a dusty blanket, and zero fucking pens.

Something I didn't expect to be there was a knife. It looked like it had never been used, and I suppose that was a good thing.

He proceeded to cut strips of the blanket to tie our wounds up and help stop the eventual bleeding, all while I refused to think about what we were actually doing.

"I think I should do you first. That way I'll be focused and the knife will be clean."

"Okay." I breathed out. "I trust you." I held out my wrist to him and made note of how he was almost shaking.

"They put it in such a tough spot. I'm so sorry for this, Jin."

He took hold of the knife and pressed it against my snowflake tattoo where the tracker would be.

It wasn't until now I realized how little light we had to work with. We also had very little time.

He glanced up at me once more before I nodded in assurance.

Then, in one swift motion, he cut out the tracker.

It hurt like a bitch and was bleeding like crazy, but it made me hopeful for some reason. It meant we were really doing this.

He carefully wrapped up my wrist with a piece of the blanket and now it was his turn.

"Do you need my help?"

"No, no. I got this. Just keep pressure on your wound and make sure that it stays wrapped tight."

"I'll help you wrap yours too. It'll turn out better if I help."

He nodded at me and then started working on his own arm.

It only took a little bit of digging around for Jay to remove his tracker too.