Waking the Dead

Waking the Dead 08

"Where are we headed?" Jin panted, following behind Namjoon as they cleared the stairs and turned left.

"Master bedroom." he called, running now, despite the continued shudders of the house.

Rounding a corner, all the warning they had was an, "Oh shit", from Tae before they were sent toppling like bowling pins.

The beast man was back.

Jumping to his feet, Tae turned. "I'll distract him, get to the room!" Turning, he ran, hearing the snarling and screaming of the beast man behind him before it sent him through the wall. The weak plaster gave, but the support didn't, and with a hard crack he was knocked out.

"Tae!" Jungkook screamed after the retreating figure of his lover.

"Come on!" Jin was pulling the boy forward when all at once, the wind, the heaving, and the the hallway that seemed to never end, came into perspective.

They were there.

The master bedroom.

"Quick!"

Once inside they slammed the door, breathing hard. Jin sank to the floor, a shaky hand running through his hair.

"It got Tae."

Jungkook strode forward, reaching for the door. "I'm going after him."

Namjoon grabbed him gently, pulling him back. "Let's just wait first."

"I'm going Namjoon hyung, I'm not leaving him behind."

◼◻◼◻◼

Down the hall, Tae was being pulled back to consciousness very urgently.

"Wha..."

Hands were pulling him up. Staggering upright, he winced. His head was pounding, and those insistent hands were pushing him forward. Blurry vision was beginning to come into focus once more.

"Who...Jimin?"

The dead teen was still pushing him forward, looking at him pleadingly, getting him moving. Nodding Tae lurched forward.

"Yes, I'm going."

Staggering down the hall, hand braced, he fell again as the floor once more began to move. Gathering his strength, he staggered upright again, the hallway seeming to bend and twist ahead of him.

'Come on' Jimin mouthed silently, leading him away.

Gritting his teeth, Tae set one foot in front of the other and followed the dead teens lead.

◼◻◼◻◼

Jungkook reached for the door, ready to go after Tae when he jumped back as it banged inwards and a dusty, bloody figure fell forward with a groan.

"Tae!" Jungkook hurried to set him upright, the house giving a tremendous shudder, followed by what they could only describe as a scream of rage.

Jungkook looked at Tae with worried doe eyes, the older had a huge gash above his eye that was bleeding badly.

"Let me see." Namjoon gently pried the swelling eye open, the gash deep. "It's gonna need stitches, and I think you have a minor concussion."

Jungkook hugged him tightly. "Don't ever do that again, please." he whispered, kissing his dusty, bruised face.