Our Little Lives, in this Big World

[INTRO:] Stay here with Me

***Disclaimer: Detailed descriptions of gore, pain, dark thoughts and circumstances.

Even the pain holds at an awaited standstill, and the eerie silence following the aftermath rings loudly in Lee Chan's ears.

Tragedy isn't often planned, nor is it expected. The shock numbs him as he looks at the blood, once safe in his own body, flowing out into the world; how it dares to reflect the ceasing light of the orange and purple sky that casts down through the trees onto Chan. There is no breeze to rustle the leaves, and the birds chirp undisturbed as they sing their goodnights. The park just a block away has long been dormant since the kids went inside for dinner. There are not any houses by this hidden shortcut, just an empty dirt road.

His body does not want to, but his mind is desperate, making Chan lift his head and see his body splayed out along the road. His eyes analyze the blood around him and he can not help but question if it's his own, because he does not feel anything. Not a damn thing. But that would counter that minuscule amount of logic Chan clings to because, for all he knows, there is no one else around.

...Is there?

His mind spins back through the windless trees, chirping birds, and empty playground. What he does feel is anticipation as his world holds its breath, waiting for... Well, Chan does not know, nor does he try to figure it out. When the mind and body disconnects and all that's left is a kind of shell, it's hard to make anything make sense.

It is also hard to get out of your own shock. Part of Chan wants to get up and investigate what has happened. Another part feels heavy, sitting in an innocent ignorance of "if you don't acknowledge it, it isn't real" and turn a blind eye to what may or may not have happened.

This disconnection... It's intoxicating in the worst kind of way, perhaps a head injury could partially be at fault. Chan blinks and gravity pulls against him as he once again tilts his head up to get another look at himself and his surroundings. That's when it begins.

Before too long, every cell in Chan's body is on fire and electrocuted with pure agony. His deep groans are reflexive, no matter how little he movements are it sets ablaze an invisible poker, curling through his intestines like a fork twirling around a bowl of pasta. The strongest of his injured arms, either of them probably dislocated, broken, or both, rushes to his stomach which only rings loud alarm bells in his head. It's his instinctual attempt to soothe the pain radiating through his body, until something wet dampens his forearm. As a matter of fact, it drenches it.

He doesn't want to look. Before, he had only lifted his head for a moment and not too high, only seeing just a little bit of the world beyond his chest. Now, he can't stop his terrified and curious eyes from looking past where his mind wants him to.

Even more red fills his vision, and it's dark. The eerie quiet around him gets panned out by the fast drum rumblings in his ears. His heart seems to have a strong desire to beat out of his chest and fuel the growing anxiety trembling his body.

"Wh... What do I do?" It hurts to speak, but he's scared. Chan battles against his shaky breaths for deeper ones and tries to listen past that racing heart of his. He hopelessly looks around to see if there is anyone else—perhaps someone who just happens to be strolling by?

Nothing. His thoughts beat him to question the obvious, and terrifying empty truth: Am... A-Am I... alone?

Tears blurs his vision to a glassy state that keeps replenishing itself no matter how many times he tries to blink them away.

...Alone...