The Heroes We Weren't

Chapter 9 - A Glimpse Of The Dead

Repeatedly. I hit my palms against the door, repeatedly.

"Really?" Sighed Hyun-Soo from behind me. "How's that going to help?"

He was leaning forth, hands pressed against a shelf with his head hung down; his palms stuck to the ice but his restless and worried mind had already caused his skin to go numb. My calls for help had since long tired him.

"Phone," I huffed as I turned away from the door and walked up to him, "your phone, you could call someone."

I dug through the pocket of his jacket, frenetically blinking to keep my tears at a bay. Keys, pocket knife, work ID - they all let out a jingle as they fell to the floor. I reached for his other pocket, but he angrily turned away.

"Except I gave it to Sam, remember?"

I lowered my eyes, sighed. True, he did. He had handed his only lifeline over to the King of Itchy Feet. I hurriedly dug through my own pockets, but found nothing but the watch.

"Mine's out there." I said, pointed to the door and twitched again as Hyun-Soo had suddenly slammed his fist against the only shelf-less wall.

The soulless remains of Jessica Blue moved from the punch and her seated body tipped over. Her bunny headband was a ghastly reminder against Hyun-Soo's shoe. I covered my mouth and turned around, I had already forgotten, already repressed the fact that we weren't alone.

I had caught a glimpse of the many gashes on her body as well as her blood soaked dress. Her now forever silenced voice was but an echo of our first and only meeting - The meeting in which I should have told her to be on her watch. No warning. I hadn't even left her a warning.

"You panicking is not helping the lack of oxygen in here." Hyun-Soo mumbled, a vague sense of hopelessness had begun to cling to his voice.

I hadn't noticed. My breaths, I hadn't noticed their quickened pace until he had pointed it out. The tremble of my hand had paused me in the midst of the rush; reminding me that I had begun to shiver, not from fear but from cold.

The chill had gotten to me much faster than I had expected it to. Like an express train to our hypothermia to be. My glasses had already fogged up, blinding my sight. I took them off and placed them in my pocket; the frosty glass stuck to my finger and so it ripped a small piece of my skin off.

"We need to move." I stuttered, began walking in circles like a purposeless puppy.

My only companion had slowly taken a step back, carefully letting the bunny ears slid off his shoe. His fists were clenched, his body tensed - not meaning to disturb her eternal sleep, not meaning to poke around in her place of rest.

He turned and followed my plan for us to move. The two of us walked in endless circles, always opposite one other; me at three o' clock - him at nine. Me at twelve - him at six.

What had started out as a fast paced promenade had soon enough turned against itself, slower, slower, and finally - almost still. Walking, but merely. I pulled my coat tighter and massaged my arms with my hands.

"Tell me," Hyun-Soo spoke from the other side of our imaginary clock, "tell me about yourself."

Awake. Stay awake. We had to focus, the two of us.

"Bachelor's degree in literature. Licensed bartender." I began, viewing the boxes of pig feet as I passed them. "Wanted to become a police officer, didn't."

"How come?" Lack of interest, but speaking meant breathing and breathing desired but attention and focus.

"I had to move here, to this town." I placed my hands in my pockets in a try to keep them warm, but both the watch and my glasses stuck to my fingers like leeches.