AUTUMN || Stray Kids × Apocalypse AU

26

It screamed downward, splitting air and sky without effort. A target expanded in size, brought into focus by time and velocity.

There was a moment before impact that was the last instant of things as they were. Then the visible world exploded.

And it went black.

The smell of dust , sand, destruction and smoke filled the air . The sound of blazing fire from afar or near them engulfed their surrounding. Soon came the sounds of dying creatures and then a horrible stench of burning flesh.

Then came the ominous silence and that's when Daeun could slightly move herself and look around for her friends . Even after using all her energy she could barely sit up and look around.

The ringing in her ears still very prominent , the heat around torturing her burn wounds but despite the excruciating pain she finally managed to call out to the others.

"I am fine!" Lee know's voice greeted her, he wasn't fine but being alive was equivalent to fine at this point.

Following that were the sounds of helicopters and shouts of the military, coming from somewhere near them so, Lee Know decided to call for help while Daeun discovered that Aera was unconscious but thankfully, she was fine otherwise.

Laying Aera down, Daeun crawled over to Han , who was now starting to get up with the help of Hyunjin. Both of them suffered from some crazy cuts and burns .

"You guys are okay?" Daeun asked and the two of them nodded.

The three shared a hug as tears of joy rolled down their eyes.

"Changbin hyung?" Han asked and Daeun pointed at him as he sat beside Aera covered in blood.

"Help is here!" Lee know limped to them, behind him were a group of soldiers coming out of the tree line, snippers in their hands and various medical equipments.

Shortly after they were taken inside the helicopters, ready to fly them away to safety. Daeun kept Hyunjin's painting in her hands even though it was almost half burned and drenched in blood but atleast it was something that gave her hope.

"I think I lost the videotapes.." Han mumbled slightly as the painkillers started kicking in and making him dizzy.

"I got your phone, don't worry.." Changbin reassured Han as the younger one dozed off to sleep.

Aera was soon woken up as well, the smoke had knocked her out due to less oxygen and the carcinogens .

"It's a miracle that all of you survived considering how close you were to the target area.." A soldier said. "Hang on for a little while more, we have some unfinished business here."

Lee know and Daeun were the only ones for whom the painkillers weren't giving any relief.

Presumably their wounds already infected from the dirt and ashes and looking at them you could tell they had to take it the hardest as their back faced the explosion.

Though still groaning and crying in the unbearable pain , it did satisfy them to the least bit hearing the military shooting any of the remaining infecteds in that area.

"I kinda feel..sadistic that this is making me happy.." Daeun said clutching her arm tightly to slow down the blood loss.

"I understand." Lee know chuckled emotionlessly . "I know they were once human but I don't feel any pity for them. Do I sound like a psychopath?"

"We probably do or maybe we don't..i don't know but what I know for sure is that them being dead makes me very happy."

"I guess we found the sadistic link between us to be best friends now?" Lee know said, hissing as the stinging pain took over.

It was maybe another 5-10 or 30 minutes before they were flown over and this time they could sit back and relax.

It was all over.

There is a saying in Tibetan, 'Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.' No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that's our real disaster.

When something ; a disaster of that scale strikes , there's only so much you can protect before you have to accept it.

Korea was on it's way of acceptance.

And with acceptance comes the chance to grow again, to restart again and with acceptance comes hope.

Slowly, Lee know had drifted off to a slumber too and Daeun was on the brink of falling into the dark as well when she saw other helicopters in the sky.

It did spark a hope that maybe there are so many other Survivors like them or survivors who were different from them.

She hoped that one day, someday in the future she would be able to go to work again and whine about missing a stray kids concert on the group with Aera and Hyunwoo .

And that it will all go back to how it was and that when she wakes up, this all will turn out to be a very realistic nightmare but then she saw him.

She saw Han, laying beside her and his head slumped on her shoulder, breathing peacefully and all she feels is the desire to keep him safe and be able to hug him whenever she wants.

"Maybe some things are better now that they have changed.." She speaks under her breath and caresses Han's hand and soon falls unconscious.

The next thing any of them remembers is being woken up by soldiers.

"We have arrived!" They announced and Changbin could see that they were in another island and there were people all around.

Some were helping others and some were getting helped.

"Are we in Jeju?" Aera stood beside him and held his hand.

"Yeah, i think so.." Changbin smiles at her.

"Yo hyung!" Hyunjin stumbled to them as he got out, the guard in charge of them waited behind as he talked. "I heard Jeju is uninfected and some of the nearby islands too! We are actually safe!"

Aera and Changbin sighed in relief.

The three of them were taken for treatment soon and then Lee know had to be carried out since his leg had completely gave out.

"Hannie, be with Daeunnie, okay?"

Han nodded and then turned to Daeun who was going to be carried to the critical unit.

All these severe burns with cuts and her head injury from earlier had really put her in a dangerous situation.

"Will she be okay?"

"She will." The soldier smiled. " I hope everyone will be okay here. So don't worry you can meet her soon!".

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