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Aiko
Aiko never imagined her journey to reunite with her mother would turn into a waking nightmare. After barricading the door, she and the others sat in terrified silence, the only sounds the frantic pounding from the other side and the occasional sob from a frightened passenger. Aiko stayed alert, her eyes fixed on the door, praying it would hold.
An announcement crackled through the speakers, jarring everyone. "Attention passengers, we are now 45 minutes away from Jeju Island."
The reality of their situation hit harder. They were so close yet trapped in a nightmare. It was clear now: the infection was spreading from the back sections, moving forward. The infected were right behind them.
Aiko stood up, her voice firm despite her fear. "We need to move forward. If they break through, we'll be trapped."
Some people argued, voices tinged with desperation. "We should stay! We've barricaded this door, we'll be safe here."
"It's better to stay together and fight them off," another chimed in.
But others nodded in agreement with Aiko. "She's right. If they get through, we're sitting ducks."
"Fuck this, I'm not waiting around to die," a man said, grabbing his bag.
More passengers began gathering their essentials, their faces pale and determined. Aiko helped Minji to her feet, the two of them exchanging a look of mutual resolve.
As they moved into the next section, they were met with confused stares. "What's going on? Why is everyone coming here?"
Aiko quickly explained, her voice steady despite the chaos. "There's an infection spreading from the back of the train. The people... they're turning into monsters. We need to block this door and stay together."
The fear in the new group's eyes mirrored their own. Together, they barricaded the door with luggage and whatever they could find. Finally, they took their seats, the only thing left to do was wait.
Aiko sat next to Minji, her mind racing. She couldn't stop thinking about her mother. Was she safe? Was this infection only on their train, or was it spreading elsewhere? She wanted nothing more than to see her mother, to know she was okay. But for now, all she could do was wait and hope.
Minji broke the silence, her voice trembling. "Aiko, do you think... do you think this is happening everywhere?"
"I don't know," Aiko admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "But whatever it is, we have to survive it. We need to get to Jeju and find out more. My mom's there, and I need to know she's safe."
Minji nodded, wiping away a tear. "I just... I can't believe this is happening. It feels like a fucking horror movie."
"I know," Aiko said, her voice steadying. "But we can't give up. We have to stay strong and get through this."
