Monster's Labyrinth ~ Hyunlix

>35<

(Hey Kids • Molina, Late Verlane)

“Congratulations!“ Donna’s voice echoed through the hallways. The group was listening with tensed bodies. The last time they had heard from Donna was when she announced there were only 50 contestants left…

“You have officially reached the next level!” The sickening woman spoke.
“There are officially twenty five contestants left!” She said as those robotic children’s cheers filled the hallways. The group was frozen into place.

“The rules will be slightly different from now. The monsters will be even more dangerous!” She spoke excitedly. Felix felt his stomach churn in disgust and anger at the woman.

“Also now when you kill the target we will give you a gift ourselves, you won’t be able to choose anymore.” She giggled. Pretty much the entire group stood up in protest, even if no one could see them.

“What?!” Minho exclaimed, completely enraged. Normally Jisung would’ve tried to calm him down in a situation like this, but even he was much too angry to care at that moment.

“That’s ridiculous!” Felix exclaimed. “Why are you telling us this now?!” He yelled. He didn’t even know if the woman could hear him but he just continued yelling and spitting slurs at wherever the voice came from.

“Shut it!” Donna yelled. Everyone fell quiet at once. “Y’all are such partypoopers.“ They heard her scoff before they heard a click, followed by the voice not returning.

“25 contestants?” Changbin broke the silence. “That means nineteen other people apart from us.” He gulped. No one said anything. A heavy blanket called deafening silence draped over them like the sea crashed against the rocks at the seaside. No breath was to be heard.

Changbin sighed. “Don’t you think we guys should split u-“
“No!” Seungmin exclaimed to everyone’s surprise. Panic had filled his voice and face, terror in his eyes. “No we cannot split up, especially not now!” He was almost yelling.

“But this is kinda the time where we either kill the other or we get killed.” Changbin said. Felix sighed.
“I agree with Seungmin.” He spoke up. “We should not break apart, especially not now. We need to be in a larger amount. Then we can-“ He stopped for a moment, thinking, contemplating. “Then we can break apart with the promise we won’t kill each other, so then we’ll just have to wait for the labyrinth to kill us.” Felix said. 

Everybody looked at Felix in surprise.
“Let the Labyrinth... kill us?” Minho said. Felix nodded awkwardly.
“Yeah.” He said. “I don’t know about you guys but I don’t think I’ll be able to kill you, but I think I’ll be able to live with the knowledge I didn’t necessarily harm you.” He admitted. Everybody kept silent, not sure what to say or how to react.

“I think we should just vote.” Hyunjin eventually proposed. The group nodded, and sighed.

“Who’s in for staying together until we’re the last ones left, stick up your hand.” Hyunjin said. Everybody except Changbin and Minho stuck up their hands.

“And who’s against it?” Hyunjin asked, a wave of relief washing over him knowing that they’d stay together. Obviously Changbin and Minho stuck their hands up.

“Well you don’t have to stay if you don’t want to, but know you’re still welcome.” Felix said kindly. Minho gave him a soft, grateful smile and Changbin seemed sunken in his thoughts much too deep to notice.

A long, heavy silence draped over them yet again. No one made a move, everything was quiet. Until Felix let out a soft sniffle.

He bent forwards and crouched down, hiding his face in his hands as he started sobbing. Hyunjin sighed somberly and crouched down to take his husband in his arms.

“It’s ok…” He said softly. He softly stroked Felix’s hair as he mumbled sweet nothings to his husband. Felix kept mumbling stuff like ‘it’s not fair’ and ‘I’m scared’.

And it indeed wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair that they had been taken from their regular lives, no matter how shitty they were. It wasn’t fair that they had to leave behind their loved ones. It wasn’t fair that a single backpack could decide their fates. It wasn’t fair that there were monsters that could kill them so easily. It wasn’t fair that they were outnumbered by the monsters…

And they were scared. All of them were. No matter how strong or brave anyone was, they were scared. No one wanted to die.

It wasn’t fair that only one was to survive.

Felix had finally stopped crying. He was still sitting on the floor, in Hyunjin’s arms. The remains of his tears were clearly visible on Hyunjin’s jumpsuit. The clear traces of pain and fear.

The rest of the group looked at the devastated man with somber eyes. They all loved Felix, despite the fact that they knew each other for barely two weeks now. He was simply one of those persons you hate to see cry.

“Felix, we’ll find a solution.” Hyunjin whispered.
“But what if we don’t?” Felix sniffed. “What if one of us has to die? I don’t want to go on without you!”

Hyunjin kept silent for a moment. He pulled Felix in a tight hug. “Then let’s die together.” He whispered softly, only so Felix could hear. Felix let out a broken sob and continued weeping.

After everyone had calmed down they didn’t really have any other choice but to continue their journey. The target had been chosen right after that. It had been a woman none of the group knew, neither did they care, really. They weren’t planning on more murders. None of them wanted more blood on their hands than they already had.

Felix and Hyunjin were walking hand in hand. Felix had tear tracks on his face still. He didn’t wipe them away nor would he do so. Hyunjin could really do nothing except softly caress his thumb over his husband’s hand and sometimes press a kiss on top of his soft brunette hair.

But of course their peace couldn’t last long.

A blood-curdling scream made the hairs in their neck stand straight up. Pretty much every jumped up in horror when a woman came running around the corner in front of them.

With full force she slammed into the wall in front of her, as if she had completely lost control of her body. However, she immediately stood up again and continued running, towards the group.

She was still screaming at the top of her lungs. Getting a closer look Hyunjin could make out the plucks of hair that had been seemingly forcefully ripped out of her scalp. She was practically soaked in blood and black goo was streaming out of her mouth, eyes, nose and ears.

But the worst of all was;

she was wearing a contestant jumpsuit.