Shouting followed by clanging noises caused the hairs on my arms to rise. I heard the yelp of surprise from Wooyoug then a string of profanities. The familiar sound of blades scraping against each other rang out. I attempted to tug my wrists away, only for my body to be pulled in the opposite direction. My forehead knocked into Cynthia’s chest.
“Stay.” She whispered into my ear.
A hand loosened a grip on one of my wrists to encircle my back. I froze, feeling colder. The embrace was not one of warmth but one of a deadly constriction of a boa. I felt my heart race, rattling in its place. My lungs did not give me mercy, expanding and contracting at a higher rate.
“I’m here.” The embrace drew closer.
The arms were steady and stable unlike my quivering body. I tensed even more. The clangs of metal on metal and the thuds of the fight amplified in my head. The symphony of cacophony crescendo-ed and I was pushed over the edge. I shoved Cynthia back, regaining the freedom on my wrists. I scrambled from the bed and reached the door before I was yanked back by my waist.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
My back was now pressed against Cynthia who held on steadfast. The arm sling discarded on the floor next to the bed. If I could be even more shocked, I was.
“Just trying to survive. I know you don’t belong here.” Cynthia released her grip, though kept her eyes trained on my face.
I retreated, a step behind for every step taken forth by Cynthia until my back hit a wall. The gap between us closed in no time, her face dangerously close to mine. A hand planted itself next to my head at the wall. She leaned forward, propped up by the arm extended from the wall.
“You don’t belong in this world.”
Cynthia raised her other hand to my face. I shrunk into the wall, closing my eyes, and expected a blow to land. It never landed. The strand of hair that covered my face was brushed behind my ears. I opened my eyes and stared up at her.
“You are too pure for this mess.” She expelled a heavy sigh. She pushed off the wall and stared at me, saying nothing more. The sounds outside the room quietened.
Hurried footfall alerted the both of us and Cynthia whipped her head to the door as it grew louder.
“We leave now.” One of her group members burst in.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
Seonghwa appeared behind the male, with a pistol pointed. His cold expression hardened when his eyes flicked to my cornered figure. His normally brushed back bangs fell in front of his eyes, shadowing the barely restrained rage raving in his irises. Cynthia raised her arms up at the gunman and grinned.
“Step out now. If you don’t, I won’t hesitate to shoot.”
The two filed out under Seonghwa’s sharp gaze and they turned to the direction of the communal area. Silence descended on the room. My legs turned to jelly in relief and I slid down the wall. The sound of skin meeting skin cut through the air and I winced at the second-hand pain. From the communal area, I could make out the captain’s voice.
I shakily stood up and approached the area, slinking into the darkness to avoid any attention. On the ground were the other group, kneeling or forced to kneel by furious looking members.
“Does the alliance mean nothing to you?” The captain spoke in an even voice.
Oh he scary-calm.
The man kneeling before the captain let out a defeated laugh.
“Since when did it matter? All the others have turned their backs on you. The alliance is not with you, but against you.”
In an act of unrestrained fury, the captain swung his leg at the kneeling man. The man let out a groan and slumped forward.
“Don’t shoot the messenger.”
“It was you lot who tried to kill us.” Wooyoung spoke, fingers running over his blades.
He sauntered over and pulled their head up by their hair.
“You, tell me everything you know.”
The person shook slightly. Wooyoung trailed the knife down his face, smiling with malice.
“W-we’re trying to survive. They offered a great amount and safety.”
He pushed the poor head forward and released his grip before stalking to another, pointing the tip of the knife at their neck. The victim simply chuckled and dared to meet Wooyoung's eyes.
“Shouldn’t you be wary of your own ranks? Why don’t you ask your newest addition?”
The shadows were not enough to hide my presence and I felt several eyes dart my way. A few members spared a provoked glance, either from the accusatory insinuation at our ranks or from second thoughts of misplaced trust.
“Don’t try to drag her in, she has nothing to do with all this.” Cynthia spat.
“Isn’t it clear? The resemblance? Splitting images!”
“No they aren’t-”
“You didn’t think I wouldn’t know that you’re the spy for them, all that lurking around after dark and coming back before dawn. She is also one of them.”
“Shut up! You know nothing!” Cynthia rose from her knees.
Wooyoung readjusted his grip on his knives, Seonghwa's hand hovered over his pistol hanging from his belt and San readied his metal pole. The captain raised a hand to them, signalling them to back down. She approached the speaker and delivered a clean punch.
“She died! I watched her die right in front of me!” Cynthia dragged her fellow group member by their collar. “My best friend and yet I didn’t do anything. Yes I was a spy, but there’s no point now. The Black Tiger Outlaws are nothing without her.”
“Isn’t she standing right there?” He spoke with an underlying taunt in his tone.
Cynthia turned to me, her eyes betraying a flood of emotions that swept through so briefly yet so loudly that I felt her pain.
“That evil bitch.”
The sadness melded into anger, fire burning fiercely in her gaze.
“She’s gone from this world.” Her voice dropped. “Soon, so would you.”
A flash of silver glinted under the yellow light. It happened so fast that the body fell down with a dull thud. The blood sputtered and sprayed out of the jugular vein, running down the neck to pool on the floor.
“Bad mouth and it’ll be the last thing you do.” Cynthia waved her blade around. She roughly wiped the red from the blood on the hem of her shirt.
I covered my mouth in horror and shock, feeling my knees buckle and my legs give way. The sharp metallic smell flooded my senses, sending a wave of nausea throughout my body. A familiar presence of Yeosang appeared in front of me. He crouched in front of me to block the sight of the body. I struggled to lift my head, fighting back the urge to spew my guts out. Everything was too bright that I squeezed my eyes shut.
I felt Yeosang shuffle closer to me. Two arms lifted my torso ever-so-slightly and drew me in. My own arms hung at my sides whilst he held me. A hand covered the back of my head and guided it into the crook of his neck. I breathed in the scent of chalk, ink and sweat.
“You’re going to be fine.” Yeosang softly spoke.
He bore my body weight as tension escaped my taut body. Exhaustion seeped into my bones. I heard rustling from the other side of the room. I tensed again and relaxed when I felt a hand run through my hair.
“Nobody attacks, nobody gets hurt.” Cynthia stated. “I’ll take it from here, believe me, I don’t want anything to do with your group.”
“Then leave and never show your faces.” hissed San.
The vibrations from the ground overlapped as each kneeling personnel stood and filed out to their bikes to leave.
“I still have to thank you for your mercy, especially during these hard times.” Cynthia called out. “I wouldn’t alert the alliance that you know of their acts. They don’t know you know.”
With that, the group left, a relief washed over the room but the impression left behind weighed a thousand tonnes.
YOU ARE READING
Home • atz
FanfictionA 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.
