Monster

Prologue

It's a hot day in July and BamBam is at Youngjae's house playing card games in his basement. It's quiet in the house both boys are tired and a little bored of the repeated game of Go Fish but neither make any suggestions to stop so they keep playing, reshuffling and redealing when the game is over.

Until Youngjae's parents come home that is. Youngjae loves his parents and would do anything to make them happy, it's too bad that they don't share that sentiment. Right when they enter the house, they are screaming at each other, oblivious to their child and his friend, Youngjae pretends he doesn't hear it.

He's not a little kid anymore, he doesn't cry when his parents fight but it still hurts. It's still scary. BamBam glances up at the ceiling, sighing heavily.

He isn't having it today. He grabs his friends hand and pulls him off of the floor.

"Come on, Jae, lets go get ice cream" BamBam smiles and pulls him towards the steps, they'll have to go through the kitchen where Youngjae's parents are but it isn't like they'll notice them anyways.

As BamBam thought, they slip by unseen and begin their walk to the ice cream parlor hand in hand. It's only 10 minutes away from Youngjae's house but even so they're sweating when they get there from the heat. The cashier, Mina, smiles warmly at the two, adjusting her pink apron. They know each other from school, and from the fact that Youngjae and BamBam practically live at this ice cream shop in the summer.

"Hey guys, usual today?" She asks, putting gloves on to prepare their cones.

"Please, Mina. How are you?" BamBam smiles back, letting go of Youngjae's hand to pay, he steps towards the register. "Is that a new color?" He asks referencing her light pink lipstick.

"It is! I'm glad you noticed!"

"It looks nice, matches the store well" BamBam nods, giving her a thumbs up.

"Thanks! and I'm good, it's been slow, it's hot out today" Mina hands BamBam their ice creams, accepting the money. Youngjae glances around the near empty shop; Mina's family owns it, so she's here almost every day, it must get boring on slow days like this.

"Sweltering" BamBam agrees, reaching his free hand up to adjust his thin choker. He takes the change when offered, passing Youngjae his ice cream; strawberry and a nice vanilla cone for himself.

Youngjae is about to suggest they sit down, because it is a million degrees outside and they could keep Mina company, but BamBam is already pulling him towards the door, bidding Mina goodbye. She watches them leave, waving until the little bell has finished jingling and the door has shut behind them.

Youngjae's parents can fight for hours. So BamBam tells —rather than asks— Youngjae that he will spend the night at BamBam's tonight.

BamBam is taking them to the park, Youngjae recognizes the path the moment they turn down a shop alleyway. It's quiet this afternoon, the streets nearly empty; even as they leave the alleyway turning left onto a main road, they find the sidewalks free of people. Peaceful. A slight breeze is blowing, cooling them down in the shade of the old buildings.

BamBam drops Youngjae's hand for one second, literally one second, to wave his arm, excitedly explaining a video game Youngjae has to try. Youngjae smiles brightly, opening his mouth to respond, gasping instead when someone grabs his elbow roughly and yanks him towards a van parked by the otherwise empty curb.

"What the—? LET GO!" BamBam screams, throwing his ice cream to the ground and grabbing onto Youngjaes other arm, he pulls as hard as he can, but the man is significantly stronger and pulls them both into the car easily.

"Damnit we only need him!" Someone up front shouts as the door slams shut and the car speeds away.

"I know but he won't let go!" The man who pulled them in complains trying to push BamBam, who is still screaming, off of Youngjae.

"Oh my God, here"

And BamBams world goes dark.

The third man kicks the limp boy down off the seat to the small foot area in front of it, awkwardly climbing over the seat to be by the door.

"Slow down up there and I'll push him out"

Youngjae screams, broken out of his shock, as he rips himself away from the man holding him and grabs onto BamBam pulling him against him and refusing to let go.

"I'll knock you out too, let go of him now" The same man says, Youngjae shakes his head fervently, crying hard as he begs them to let them go. He doesn't know if the sounds even come out as words. All he's thinking about is BamBam, limp in his arms.

"Shut him the hell up!"

"I'm not dealing with you more than I have to" The closest man groans and rips off his mask. Youngjae barely has a chance to turn before he feels a hard punch go along the side of his face knocking his head back against the door. His vision spins and then goes black.