neverland ; minsung

nine

For a while I don't realize I'm awake. My head is rolling back and forth, the swaying is making me dizzy. I try to stretch my legs but there isn't any room. My eyes open slowly, blinking through the drowsiness. All I see is an outline of light in front of me, white against the pitch black.

I think I'm in the trunk of a car. The sound outside is a faint rumble, like tires against pavement. What happened? Why am I here? The last thing I remember is mixing milk in with Jisung's coffee. Fuck, my head hurts, my stomach hurts, everything hurts down to my fingers.

Oh lord, my finger.

My arms raise in the dark. The space between my middle and and little finger is aching, an open wound covered in bandages.

He needed proof of his kill.

My breath is getting faster. He's going to kill me, I know it. I feel around with my good hand, looking for the trunk release, an ice scraper, a screwdriver, anything. It's empty. I roll onto my stomach, rip up the carpet and reach below the flooring. The cable isn't there.

"Fuck," I whisper, "fuck fuck fuck."

I roll over again, pushing against the trunk lid with my feet. It's locked and solid. I switch to the back panel, trying to force the seats down. I feel like a beetle on its back. I'm stuck. I'm so fucking angry.

I draw a breath and scream as loud as I can.

"Han Jisung, you fucking bastard! Get back here right now, motherfucker, I'm fucking waiting!"

The car steers off course — I pitch into the corner. The sound of a car door opening, someone approaching. I wriggle around with my legs folded to the tailgate, and the second he opens the trunk, I ram my shoes into his chest, sending him flying backward onto the ground.

I scramble out of the car and sprint in whatever direction I'm pointed. The land is flat and barren for miles around, the road and towering telephone poles the only aberration.

"Minho! Please wait!"

I grab a rock off the ground, spin around, ready to chuck it at him. He stutters to a standstill, hands up to protect himself.

"Get the fuck away from me," I shout.

"Please let me explain — I swear to god, hear me out, Minho."

"Hear you out? You're trying to kill me, you drugged my coffee, you cut my fucking finger off!"

"Because I had to make them believe!" He takes a breath. "I had to make The Company believe I was trying to kill you."

"You were trying to kill me."

"No, I wasn't. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead, you know that. I put you in dangerous situations but there were always outs — because I wanted you to get out."

"B-but the explosion — and the hydrogen sulfide."

"Minho, do you even know how clever you are? You solved every problem I gave you, I knew you would, I trusted you to survive."

The rock drops from my hand. "Why the fuck didn't you tell me?"

"Because you had to act normal. You had to come in to work, you had to cheat death, you had to give it your all. I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I couldn't risk you knowing anything more than you already did."

"But... The Company... they must have realized you were faking."

"They thought my methods were... unusual, but they didn't doubt me."

I hold my bandaged hand to my chest. "They really think I'm dead? You gave them the proof?"

"I'm so sorry, Minho, I had no choice. If it makes you feel any better..."