The Path Beneath our Skin

Chapter 5 (Final)

"Hyung," Myungsuk's mousy voice piped up.

Daehyun snapped up, staring at Myungsuk and Seunghyeon, standing at the end of the bed. He whipped back to Taeyong, holding his breath. But when Taeyong didn't move, he relaxed. "What are you two doing in here?" he hissed in a low whisper.

"Answers," Myungsuk said and took Seunghyeon's hand. "Don't you want answers?"

"I can't right now," he said, slowly sitting up. "Taeyong's still here."

"You know better than all of us that he's not going to leave any time soon," Seunghyeon whispered. He raised his eyebrow, and Daehyun gritted his teeth.

With his eyes on Taeyong, he carefully slid out of bed, slipping his clothes back on as slowly as possible. His heart pounded in his chest, loud enough he was afraid it'd wake him.

Daehyun closed the bedroom door, muffling the click with his hand. Once in the hall, Daehyun turned in their direction, not a single light in sight. "Are you two sure you want to come with me?"

"Yeah, we want to know too," Seunghyeon said, taking Myungsuk's hand and leading them through the corridor.

Daehyun shook the door of the gun room, and with some resistance, it opened. He crept into the room, straight to the other door, the heavy rain blocking the view.

He heard a click behind him, and his heart jumped. He whipped around and glared at Seunghyeon as he loaded the handgun. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

Seunghyeon shrugged. "We might need it."

"Against who?"

The two paused, and the hair on Daehyun's skin stood. He turned away, not wanting to hear the answer.

Daehyun pushed the door open, the storm snapping it open, crashing it into the wall, violently shaking as the storm battered it.

"Come on," he called out and fought away the wind to shut the door before it tore off its hinges, the rain piercing his skin in razor-sharp pallets.

He pressed his hand against the door, taking one slow breath before turning around.

Like a rotting casket, the shed stood, its dark void ringing in Daehyun's ears.

No. He had to check. Whatever it was, it called for Daehyun to know, the ocean sweeping him closer, his legs carried by the current, the salty water soaking into his skin.

Daehyun stared at the door, the rickety door bound by a metal chain and lock. "Fuck," he breathed out. The ringing grew louder, and Daehyun violently shook the door, growling under his breath.

"Hyung!" Myungsuk called out from around the corner. Daehyun hurried over and there, one of the wood planks was crooked. An entrance. Grabbing the edge of the plank, it gave in with little effort and fell back without a sound.

Squeezing inside, Daehyun coughed, slapping his hand over his mouth and nose. The wind shook the creaking shed, mould spores emitting everywhere. Groaning, Daehyun blinked, adjusting to the minimal light streaming from the cracks in the roof; he made out a large, dark mound taking up most of the shed.

Daehyun made his way around it, reaching his free hand out, dragging it over the vinyl.

"What is it?" Seunghyeon asked, the two boys stuck to his side.

"It's a tarp," he said with furrowed brows. He made his way around and curled his fingers into it, and with one steady pull, it flew off.

Daehyun shielded his eyes from the dust, waiting a few moments for it to settle before looking up, his body going cold.