Engraved in Flesh

Acceptance

He hated every single second of this moment.

It was extremely cold for him. He slowly marched through the trees as the snow fluttered down from the heavens. He couldn't help but shiver as he took hesitant steps through the perfect white snow. It was extremely quiet in the area. He put his small pistol in its carrier and rubbed his hands together to try and produce a small amount of heat.

He did ask for this. He was the one who decided to defy the orders of the commanders, an action that he was proud to do. That action, however, led him farther away from the one he loved. He was now stuck in the frontlines of the war, somewhere he prayed he would never be put. He had been served to death and was now in the hands of luck and mercy.

Mook leaned against a nearby tree to take a small break. He decided to examine his surroundings. He wanted to appreciate nature if this forest was the last place he would be alive. That's when he realized he was truly alone. The soldiers that led him here were no longer watching him, waiting for him to step into enemy territory. He finally found his opportunity to escape from the silent terror that awaited him. Crouching down, he began to slowly make his way down a different path covered with snow and trees.

It felt as if he had been slowly traveling for hours. He was extremely cold and exhausted, his hands and feet being the coldest. He felt his body wanting to give up, but his heart and mind wouldn't let it. He sat against a tree and tried to control his shaking. He held his arm close to himself, hoping and praying that Aru could feel that he was trying his best to make his way back to her. He wanted to write on his arm so bad, but he didn't have anything to write with. He also figured that taking off the little warmth on his body was not the smartest choice he could make for survival.

Feeling frustrated, Mook slowly reached into the inside pocket of his thin jacket. With a shaky hand, he pulled out a squared, wrinkled paper. It was a photo of Aru and himself back in America. They had taken it when they celebrated Xena's birthday at the movie theater. He couldn't help but tear up as he stared at the photo of Aru. He missed her so much. He desperately needed to hear her voice and feel her touch at the moment. He sat in silence for five more minutes, putting up the picture when he got up. Dusting the snow off of himself, he continued his escape mission in order to run back to the arms of Aru Kim.

The snow began to fall heavily in the evening. It became harder to move and see for Mook. Every step he took brought a heavy toll on his body. His stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't had a decent meal since he was last in America months earlier. It was getting harder for him to push through each torturous day. He was malnourished and weak, the perfect state for traitors to be in when sent to their march to death.

Mook was about to fall to his knees and just let the darkness take over him when he saw it. He recognized the Japanese signs just up ahead. He laughed when he saw that he had managed to walk to the countryside border leading back to his safety. He cheered out loud as he began to gather all his strength and began to run towards his ticket to safety.

He should have known better than to yell out in happiness. He had made a stupid decision.

BANG!

Mook froze in place, slowly processing what had just happened. He hesitantly looked down, seeing a small hole in his chest. Blood began to stain his clothes, making him cold again. He shook his head as he fell back into the white snow, staining it red. Tears began to fill his eyes as he tried to keep a steady breath. He looked up at the sky, watching as it began to turn purple to welcome the rising moon. He tried to apply force to his wound, but it hurt him to much. He began to quietly murmur as he covered his face with his bloody hands, hoping this was all a nightmare. His mind raced back to Aru.

He was supposed to ask her to be with him forever. They were supposed to be together, grow old together. They were supposed to have a happy family and a happy life in America, away from anything that could harm them. Why wasn't this happening?

Was this it? Was this the end of his life? He had so many hopes and dreams. He was supposed to marry his soulmate, Aru. He was supposed to find his brother figure, Gang Ho, and they were supposed to catch up over what they missed in each other's lives. He was supposed to see his mother again. He was going to introduce her to Aru, and hopefully move her out of Korea and into America. He had people who relied on him, he couldn't just let them down now.

It became hard for him to focus on his thoughts. He just blankly stared up at the sky, his tears shining in the light of the rising moon. He didn't feel like moving, he was too tired to do that. The very last thing he heard was the sound of someone rushing through the snow.

Then, it became dark.