A lost soul finds a home with a group of 8 amongst the chaos of an anarchical post-apocalytic world.
•••
Basically, entering another world and suddenly landing employment with the ateez group which becomes more than just a job.
I peeped my head round the door to find the doctor with his glasses dipping down on his nose. Seonghwa broke into a soft smile, inviting me to sit on a chair that resided next to his work desk. Papers were strewn across the table.
"I have a couple of tests for the vocal cords and then we can proceed to solutions in vocal recovery."
I shifted slightly at the thought of using my vocal cords.
"No rush though," Seonghwa added at the sight of my shifting, "we'll start with simple breathing exercises."
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The first few breathing exercises were difficult to fathom how it would help with my vocal cords, regardless, I still performed them. Then, I was then requested to hum.
Something in my brain told me to freeze. I felt my throat tighten at the suggestion. Any type of sound that I attempted to produce did not come out. With each attempt, my throat tightened more and more and panic rose even more. My chest heaved for air but no air was actually circulating my lungs. Each breath was shorter than the first. The thumping of my heart was now painfully quick and loud. It felt like cold water crashing down on me from above and I was drowning. My vision began to blur and I could only grip the edge of the seat.
"Hey hey, focus on my voice," the voice was extremely clear amongst the panic, "remember the breathing exercises? It's going to be okay. Breathe in...hold for 1...2...3...and breathe out, all the way out. Breathe in...hold for 1...2...3...and now breathe out."
I let out a shaky breath and followed through with the voice. It took some time to recover. Seonghwa's worry ridden face came into view. Unbeknownst to me, he had taken my hand into his hand, circling his thumb over my palm.
"Are you okay now?" He mustered his softest voice.
I nodded lethargically and retracted my hand from his hold. The other hand that clenched down on the edge of the seat was painful to unravel. I turned over my palm only to find that I had bled through the dressing and the bandage. Seonghwa was quick to find new dressings and bandages and changed the soiled ones.
During that time, I zoned out, only snapping back when Seonghwa loosely wrapped a blanket around my shoulders. He stood up to collect the scattered papers across his desk and gathered them up into a neat stack. I could only watch the doctor as he busied himself with what I presumed to be his manuscripts.
•••
Quite some time had passed and the only sounds that filled the medical room were the rustling of paper, the scratching of a pen and the occasional soft sighs. I played with the ends of the blanket that were still wrapped around my shoulders. Neither occupants of the room had moved from their positions. The silence was disturbed by somebody limping in. The injured individual still had a cheery expression despite the state of their bloodied leg.
"Seonghwa you busy?" Seonghwa glanced up from his papers and was quite alarmed at either the state of his leg or the fact that they acted like their leg was not torn open.
