Vengeance

thirty seven

"Jackson!! Jinyoung!!! WE NEED YOUR HELP!!"

Jinyoung was jolted awake by the shouting outside of his door and panic ran through him as he glanced around the room blindly.

"PLEASE! THE SPECIALS ARE KILLING PEOPLE!"

Jinyoung rose from the bed, throwing on his shoes as he tried to process it all.

"We'll be right there!" he called out, turning back to the bed and shaking Jackson's sleeping form.

"Jax! Get up! It's an emergency! We need to help!"

Yet despite his shaking, Jackson didn't seem to mind, his eyes remaining shut.

Jinyoung had known him to be a deep sleeper but he never thought he'd keep it up under these conditions. In frustration, he leaned over him, turning on the lamp beside him to get him moving.

But as he flicked the switch, he had the horrifying realization that his hand was touching liquid.

Slowly, he turned back to the sleeping form at his side. And his eyes widened.

He wasn't asleep.

He was dead.

Jinyoung's hands began to shake as he reached for the gaping hole in Jackson's chest, realizing he'd already been coated in the blood that still rushed from his body, warm.

He couldn't speak.

He couldn't do anything but stare, waiting for him to turn over and tell him it was a prank.

But Jackson didn't move.

He never would again.

"HELP US!"

Suddenly, the door burst open as the voice from outside broke the lock on the door, rushing into the room. But Jinyoung was unphased.

"Help–"

Jeongin's eyes widened as he came to a halt, falling to the ground on his knees.

"He's–he..."

Jinyoung's eyes didn't move. Slowly, his hands reached down to the wound, covering it on both sides to stop the blood from flowing any further. He knew it didn't matter. He knew it wasn't doing anything to bring him back. But it felt like something.

"What–what happened?" Jeongin stammered, his eyes fixed on Jackson's unmoving form.

Jinyoung finally felt tears forming in his eyes as he shook his head.

"I don't know," he croaked, the weight of it all starting to hit him.

Jeongin looked around the room frantically.

"How do you not know?? Someone must've been in here!"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Jinyoung shouted, leaning down and pressing his head against Jackson's chest as he sobbed.

Jeongin quickly reeled in his panic, turning instead to search the room for any signs of the intruder. He didn't know what else to do but he couldn't calm down until he was sure they weren't at risk for another attack.

It just didn't make any sense.

Why would the zombie have only attacked Jackson and left??

Unless...

Unless they were targeting individuals.

Seungmin...

What was their reason?? Why were they picking and choosing!? It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all.

It had to be Kyungsoon. But how were they supposed to stop them!?

Once he was sure the room was clear, he shut the door, locking it and slowly making his way back to Jinyoung. He hadn't moved from Jackson's side.

"We're going to get to the bottom of this but if we just stay put, more people are going to die," Jeongin said firmly.

Jinyoung looked at him, anger burning in his eyes.

"Why do we have to be the heroes!? Why can't anyone else step up and do something!? It could've been anyone!!"

Jeongin knew the situation was hopeless but he had to try. Jinyoung was the only one here with enough information and power to get everyone to listen and work together.

"We need you," he said quietly but Jinyoung continued.

"I'm not a goddamn leader and I never will be! Stop following me around asking for answers I don't have! Any one of you could come up with a plan better than me so go find someone else! I'm done being the hero. I'm done."

Jeongin's temper began to rise.

"I lost Seungmin!" he shouted, finally causing a crack in Jinyoung's grief.

He stared at him, his eyes already watering again at the name. It hadn't even been hours.

"And I've lost many other people along the way. I didn't choose to be mixed up in this mess any more than you did but I'm still here and I can still do something about it. I'm sorry about Jackson, I really am, but he's going to be one of many if we don't get together and fight this! Your loss is just as real as all of the people out there! And they need someone they can trust to tell them it's going to be okay! You're the only one who can do that!"

Jinyoung's breathing began to slow as he looked down at Jackson once again, his nostrils flaring in anger and resentment. But he knew Jeongin was right.

Because he knew it was what Jackson would do.

Biting back tears, he slid his hands away, watching as the blood began to soak the sheets again. He grabbed the corner of the blanket, tears slipping down his cheeks as he covered the wound, tucking it away. With the blood hidden, he could believe he was only sleeping.

"Okay," he said quietly, standing and moving towards Jeongin.

Jeongin wiped his own tears, startled at the power of his own voice.

The two left the room, after Jinyoung walked over and turned out the lamp on the nightstand, obscuring the things he didn't want to remember.