You Make Me | Lee Eunhyuk

19

"Are you ready to go?" Jiwon inquired, leaning on the door to Hyunsoo's room.

The boy's eyes blinked open, unaware of the time. He turned to face the girl, whose under eyelids had darkened drastically in the last several days and her face had sunken in. The girl appeared to be fighting hard against her infection.

Hyunsoo gave Jiwon a short nod before taking his spear-like weapon and striding past her into the hall and up the stairs. Jiwon shut the door once more and followed Hyunsoo.

The two made their way up the stairs without saying anything like they had done numerous times before. The two could see the outside when they took the outer stairs. In contrast to previously, when the sky was blue, the grass was green, and the environment felt flawlessly saturated, the outer world now appeared unsaturated, with a murky hinge of orange remaining on its structures.

Jiwon climbed the stairs ahead of Hyunsoo, reading off the list of items they required. Hyunsoo couldn't help but notice that the girl's feet were dragging and her previously high posture had lowered. He didn't want to assume the worst, but her infection may be getting the best of her.

The two came to a halt as they reached the floor with the speed monster. Jiwon grabbed the cords she had in her luggage in order to set up some form of detection or halting device against the monster. The girl looked up at the boy, who was taller than her, as she passed some cables to him. Jiwon smiled calmly at the boy, a friend she had met during this horrible situation. The two split up to accomplish their tasks, and Hyunsoo gulped as he looked back at the girl and noticed her eyes were entirely black, while she seemed unaware of it.

Jiwon entered an apartment in search of a family portrait that one of the residents needed. She walked quietly because any noise would attract the speed monster, but neither she nor Hyunsoo were concerned about dying because it wasn't the golden hour. She moved past the upturned couch, scattered books and pillows in the direction of a frame that lay face-first on the floor.

When she picked it up, she was sorry to realize that the glass had broken. The family in the photo joyfully stood in front of a school, with a child in a graduation gown in the centre. As her family hugged her, the young daughter held a bouquet of flowers in her arms. Jiwon considered how unlikely it was that she would ever graduate; given the state of the world and her infection, graduation was more of a pipe dream than a reality.

In the hallway, the girl heard a cord break loudly.

Her pulse raced as she dashed behind a nearby cabinet, trying to keep her laboured breathing under control. The sounds of the two had drawn the speed monster's attention, and Jiwon understood that any unexpected movement could lead to her doom. She gripped the shattered frame hard, the rough edges digging into her palm.

Jiwon could hear the monster's fast footsteps nearing her hiding area. It was approaching, its heavy breathing echoing down the narrow hallway. The girl was curious and wanted to see the monster because she had never seen it not running before, but she wasn't foolish.  Beads of sweat gathered on her brow as she struggled to keep as still as possible. The monster's presence became more powerful, its shadow lurking just beyond the room she was in.

Jiwon's curiosity was satiated as the monster passed by, revealing its horrific appearance. It had pale, emaciated skin and elongated, twisted limbs. Its three bloodshot eyes surveyed the area, looking for any signs of activity. Jiwon clenched her teeth, hoping it wouldn't notice her presence.

The monster moved away slowly, its attention drawn to another sound in the distance. Seconds felt like a lifetime. Jiwon cautiously emerged from her hiding place after waiting for the coast to clear. She breathed a sigh of relief as her shaking hands released their strong grip on the shattered frame.

Jiwon regained her composure and resumed looking for the necessary items in other rooms, her senses heightened. Every squeak in the floorboards and distant rumble from the outside world made her jump, but she kept focused on the task at hand. She was aware that time was running out for both her and the world she previously knew.

Meanwhile, Hyunsoo had returned to securing the cables outside, constructing an improvised trap to slow down the speed monster. He painstakingly attached the cables to walls and lights, reinforcing the web-like barrier that would hopefully give them a few precious moments if they came across the monster again. As he worked, the boy's hands shook slightly, his fear of the unknown nagging at him.

They exchanged wordless nods as they came back together their expressions reflecting a mix of tiredness and determination. Despite the immense odds heaped against them, they knew they had to keep going. The outside world had become a continual struggle for survival, and they had become soldiers in a war they had never asked to fight.

Jiwon and Hyunsoo searched for items together. Jiwon's sickness continued to take its toll as they pushed forward, weakening her physically and clouding her mind. Nonetheless, she refused to give in, her resolve unwavering. The weight of their trip weighed on Hyunsoo as well, but he found strength in Jiwon's unflinching determination.

Just as they reached the ground floor and presumed the danger was over, Jiwon let out a few strangled coughs before suddenly collapsing. Hyunsoo panicky caught the girl, preventing her from hitting the ground.

[author's note]

Hello readers! Hope everyone is doing well!

Sorry for the lack of updates, I was facing a bit of writer's block, but I will try to finish the fanfiction shortly.

Anise :)