The Scent of Your Blood

Chapter 11

Minutes had passed when Hongjoong had fallen down the hole. He snapped his eyes open and frantically looked around, his breathing erratic. He looked up barely making out some light from his friends' torches. Water was slowly flowing down from the hole, wetting Hongjoong's head and slowly his clothes as well. He looked around for the torch and when he saw it, he quickly snatched it up. Thank god it was waterproof otherwise he would be shrouded in darkness.

"Hongjoong!" He heard Yunho and he looked up, shining the torch skyward.

"I'm okay!" He called out.

"Holy fuck, he's alright and not dead. Thank god," Yunho sighed in relief.

"Wait, you're religious?" Wooyoung asked with a raised eyebrow and the taller glared at him.

"No, Wooyoung, you dumbass."

"Then why are you thanking God?"

"Wooyoung! Not the time to be making stupid remarks!" Yunho shouted.

"Oh come on, I'm just trying to lighten the mood because Hongjoong has fallen into a fucking hole!" Wooyoung shouted back and Yeosang grabbed his best friend's arm before pulling him back.

"Woo, not the time, please," Yeosang said with a soft voice.

"Guys! Stop fighting and figure a way how to get me the fuck out of here, please!" Hongjoong called up to his friends.

"San has gone back to get help! Just stay calm!" Mingi spoke up.

"I am as calm as I can be, Mingi! How would you feel if you fell down a deep bloody hole?!"

"Okay, enough! Everyone just shut the fuck up, I'm getting a headache!" Jongho shouted, startling everyone. It went dead quiet, the only sound being heard was the rushing water a few feet away from them.

"Sorry," Wooyoung muttered, eyes locked on the ground.

Hongjoong sighed and shined the light around to get a good look at his surroundings. It didn't look like there was a way out, great. He rubbed his head but winced from the pain when he touched a spot and he pulled his hand back when he felt wetness, hoping it is just water.

"Fuck," he mutters when he shined the torch at his hand and saw blood. "Um, guys!?" Hongjoong called out.

"What is it?!" Yunho responded

"I kind of, maybe, hit my head and it's bleeding!"

Jongho's eyes widened. "That's not good! He could have a concussion!" Jongho said, worry evident in his voice. "Hongjoong, how are you feeling!?" he called out.

Hongjoong thought for a bit.

"I have a bit of a headache, but—"

He suddenly felt dizzy and placed his hand on the wet walls to steady himself.

"But what?! Hongjoong! If you have a headache, feel nauseous or throw up or you are feeling dizzy, you could have a concussion!"

His ears had started to ring when Jongho had said 'headache,' so he didn't hear the rest. The dizziness got worse and Hongjoong had to sit back down, now feeling sick. He leaned over to the side and vomited up his breakfast.

"Hongjoong, are you okay?!" Yunho shouted. Due to the ringing in his ears, Hongjoong hadn't heard what the tall man had said. His vision was going in and out. The ringing wasn't subsiding and so he still couldn't hear what his friends were saying to him.

"Hongjoong! Try and stay awake, don't go to sleep!" Jongho said.

"I don't think he can hear us, he's probably passed out," Mingi said, a frown on his face.