District 9 // Chanlix [Completed]

XVI: The Tower

     "Do you ever feel like you're falling into the sky?" Chris asked. He heard a low hum come from the person next to him.

     "Elaborate, please." His brother, Sungjin laughed.

     "Like... You stare at it for too long and it starts to feel like the floor instead of the sky. Like a lake or a puddle of water that you can just jump into. You can just... fall into it." The twelve year old said. Sungjin just laughed.

     "You're weird. But I guess if you stare at something for long enough it stops being itself." He said. Chris turned his head, looking at him with curiosity. "Like when you say a word so many times it looses its meaning. Or when you love someone so much you begin to hate them."

     "You'd never start hating me, right?" Chris asked, sitting up in the wheat field. Sungjin chuckled and shook his head.

     "That would require loving you in the first place." Chris gasped.

     "What?!" He exclaimed. Sungjin ruffled his dark hair, smiling.

     "You know I'm just pulling your leg." He teased. Chris looked away, grumbling. He looked back to the night sky, full of stars and took in the view as a feeling of dread washed over him.

     "Sungjin..." He said quietly.

    "Yeah?"

     "Are you... scared for tomorrow?" Chris asked. The older shook his head, blatantly lying.

     "Why would I be?" He asked with a reassuring smile. Chris wasn't buying it. He was young, not stupid. He knew what his own brother was like. He turned to him once again, this time with a frown on his face.

     "I know you put your name in more times." Chris said. Sungjin shook his head.

     "I didn't."

     "Then how did you buy me the charms?" He asked.

     "Extra jobs. Hunting and selling." The older boy told him. Chris' eyes began to water.

     "Sungjin, I watched you do it. Why did you do it?" He asked, tears spilling from his eyes. Sungjin was silent. He looked away from Chris, staring at the field of wheat.

     "I... I want to make you and mum happy." He told him. Chris shook his head.

     "No... Your safety makes us happy. I don't want them to take you away! We need you!" Chris cried. Sungjin felt his heart drop.

     "I'm sorry." He said quietly. Chris engulfed him in a hug. "I won't leave you."

     It wasn't exactly a lie. But it wasn't the truth.

     "Chris Bang." His name slipped through those lipstick stained lips. He couldn't move, breathe, or blink. Frozen in shock, he stood there, jaw and eyes wide. He felt as the peacekeepers dragged him away, out of the formation of children.

     However it was stopped when a familiar voice rang through the crowd.

     "Stop! Let go of him!" He yelled. Sungjin. Chris looked behind him, locking eyes with the older boy. He shook his head but Sungjin continued. Those four words that Chris never wanted to hear in his favour.

     "I volunteer as tribute!"

     And just like that, he was gone. Chris watched as he was taken away. He only got to see his brother one more time before he was gone for good.

     "Hey, hey, Chris, it'll be okay. It'll be fine, I promise." Sungjin said as Chris hugged him, shaking and crying in his arms. "Don't cry, it's okay. I'll only be gone for a bit. Take care of mum for me, alright? You can sell the charms if you nee-"

     "No! You're coming back! You will!" Chris yelled. Sungjin felt his heart stop and tears formed around his eyes. He knew he wasn't coming back. He had no chance in there. He was like a sheep in a wolf's den.

     "Chris... Please. Do whatever you can to take care of yourself and mum while I'm gone. Don't watch the games. You don't have to." Sungjin told him. Chris continued to cry, telling him not to go. "Chris we don't have much time, listen to me."

     But Chris shook his head, remaining latched onto Sungjin's torso like a leech. He sobbed and sobbed, causing Sungjin to break down into tears as well.

     "Chris, I love you." Sungjin said as Chris was forcefully removed from Sungjin's grip.

     "No! Don't go!" He screamed.

     "No! Don't go!" Chris gasped, sitting up. His chest heaved up and down, tears streaming down his face. He looked around, seeing that he woke up Felix. Felix looked concerned, eyes wide and lips slightly parted. His face seemed pale.

     "Ch-Chris are you okay?" He whispered from beside him. Chris groaned, shutting his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose. He didn't answer so Felix tried again. "Chris?" Chris looked at him this time. "Bad dream?" He asked. Chris nodded.

     "Really... bad." He sighed. Felix hummed in his deep voice.

     "Do you wanna talk about it?" He asked, tilting his head. Chris shook his head.

     "I wanna forget about it." Chris said. Felix nodded.

     "Then let's talk about something else." Felix said. He laid down, looking up at the sky, Chris following suit.

     "Have you ever felt like you could fall into the sky?" Felix asked.

     "Not this sky." Chris said. "This one..." He sighed, taking a moment to think. "This one feels like it will fall onto me."
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Chapter preview:

     Meet me by the river after the sun sets. Don't tell anyone.

*
     "Just because. I like seeing you happy."

*
     "I don't want to live in a world without you."