Echo || NCTau ||

33 - About letting go

"Mom." What was meant to be a scream came out of Yeoreum's mouth as a strained whimper as her mom turned to look at the gaping wound in her stomach in child-like astonishment. Blood gushed out of the ugly, uneven, laceration, smearing her hands as she pressed them against it.

She dropped to her knees.

The world slowed down and came to a halt. Yeoreum's hands worked on their own accord as she instinctively moved her fingers along the handle of the throwing knife before it flew through the air and was embedded into the throat of the faceless man who had stabbed her mom.

The man toppled over immediately but Yeoreum didn't care what happened to him.

Another whistle pierced through the air outside the house and, as Yeoreum stumbled towards her mom, their attackers took off, running in the other direction. She saw the horror in Yeowoon's face as he was dragged out by the intruders.

In a few seconds the house became empty and, other than the uneven panting of her mother who was hunched over on the floor, the room was quiet.

"Mom", Yeoreum winced as she pressed her own hands against the wound as well. Color had washed from her mom's face and her skin was covered with a thin layer of cold sweat. "Mom, hang in there, I'll call the ambulance. You'll be okay, they will help you."

Mom grabbed her fingers. The blood was everywhere and it soaked into Yeoreum's clothes and stuck onto her skin as she tried to compress the stabbing wound. Her mother's fingers were cold.

"Let's not – ", mom stopped for a moment to breathe. Her voice had become weak and her breathing was shallow and irregular. A violent coughing fit forced her to take a break and a thin line of blood trickled down the corner of her pale mouth. She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to inhale despite the pain that made her body convulse.

"Save your strength!" Yeoreum told her, attempting to apply more pressure against the wound. "Don't talk, I'll figure this out. You just have to stay calm."

Despite her promises, Yeoreum didn't know what to do. She wasn't trained to save people.

Her mom swallowed. "Let's not make this any more complicated than it already is, pufferfish."

Yeoreum shook her head aggressively. "We just have to get you to the hospital!" Tears welled in her eyes, pushing through and making her vision blurry. "I'll call someone!"

Where was her phone?

"Don't be silly, Yo-Yo." Mom smiled slightly, as if she had said something funny. "You saw the blade that guy used. You know the havoc serrated edge like that causes to organs." She glanced down to her stomach, her face twitching in pain. "I'm surprised that I haven't died yet. It hurts like hell."

"Don't say that!" Yeoreum snapped. "I won't allow you to die. You can't – don't speak like that."

Mom's brow furrowed and she swore under her breath. Her fingers were still gripping onto Yeoreum's hand.

"I'm happy – ", she gasped and her hold tightened around Yeoreum's hand as another wave of pain washed over her. She was still in a half-seated position despite shaking uncontrollably. "I'm so happy that now you can be free. I couldn't – ah, damn, that hurts – I couldn't give you the best childhood but now I can give you freedom. You don't have to protect me."

"Mom, stop that!" Yeoreum was choking in her tears. She was angry at herself for being so useless, at mom for being hurt, and at the rest of the world for failing to protect her.

The pained smile on her mom's face softened. "My little pufferfish, it'll be okay."

"No, it won't if you die!" Yeoreum wailed, holding onto her mother desperately. "You can't leave me!"