All Of Us Are Dead - Su Hyeok

11

"Let's go. We're not going to last here long," Cheong-San said, his voice devoid of emotion, as if he had already accepted the grim reality of their situation. His words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the danger they were in.

"What?" Dae-su asked, his voice laced with confusion and fear. "How are we going to do that?" I huffed, feeling the exhaustion seeping into my bones. The adrenaline that had been keeping us going was starting to wear off, replaced by a bone-deep tiredness that made every movement feel like a monumental effort.

"Where should we go?" Wu-Jin asked, his eyes darting around the room as if he could find an answer hidden in the shadows.

"The hose from earlier. Gyeong-Su," Cheong-San said, his gaze fixed on the aforementioned object. It was a lifeline, a glimmer of hope in the darkness that surrounded us.

"Yea?" Gyeong-Su responded, his eyes wide with surprise. "... What? What is it?"

"Open it just a few inches. Enough for the hose to fit," Cheong-San instructed, his tone firm and decisive. It was a risky move, but it was better than doing nothing.

"But isn't it better to wait for the rescuers to come save us?" Gyeong-Su asked, his voice trembling slightly. The thought of taking matters into our own hands was terrifying, but so was the thought of waiting helplessly for rescue.

"We might all die by the time they arrive," Cheong-San said grimly. His words were harsh, but they were also true. We didn't have the luxury of time.

"This will kill us faster. It's just going to be-" Gyeong-Su started to protest, but Cheong-San cut him off.

"Is waiting for someone to save us the best thing we can do?" he asked, his voice quiet but firm.

I sighed, the pain in my head throbbing with a dull ache. I pushed myself up, wincing as I came near feeling tired. "Let me do it," I said, my voice firm despite the discomfort. "I can handle it, you know."

Gyeong-sun looked at me, surprise etched on his face. "What?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"You don't want to do this," I replied, meeting his gaze steadily. "Plus, no offense, but I can hurt them better." I let the words hang in the air, a challenge and a statement of fact.

Gyeong-sun was silent for a moment, considering my words. Then he shook his head, a determined look in his eyes. "No, it's fine," he said. "How would I be able to face you if I let you do it?" His voice was steady, resolute.

I nodded, understanding his point of view. I sat back down, the pain in my head flaring up again. "You can do it then," I said, a hint of resignation in my voice. He was stubborn, but I respected his decision.

He looked at me, a small smile playing on his lips. "Thanks, though," he said, his voice sincere. I could tell he appreciated my offer, even if he didn't take it.

"I want to go down first!" Ji min, a girl in our group, exclaimed. Her voice was filled with determination, but also a hint of fear. "One person at a time. You might fall if it shakes too much," Cheong-san, one of the boys, cautioned her. His voice was steady, trying to bring some order to the chaos.

"I will come after you all," I shouted, trying to make myself heard over the din. "Shinae..." Na-yeon said, her voice trailing off as she tugged at my arm, looking up at me with wide, fearful eyes.

"Wait, if she's first, I want to go second," Na yeon interjected. His words sparked a sudden argument among the group about who would go next. The tension was palpable, everyone was on edge.

Suddenly, we heard Gyeong-sun yell, "Hey guys! Miss Park is here!" His voice cut through the noise, bringing a momentary silence to the room. Everyone else followed next, their footsteps echoing in the empty hallway.