Heal me // A Jikook Trilogy //

《61》I Am What You Made Me

Each step, I thought we would fall.

The ceiling was low, the dust in here tickling your nose and getting into your throat.
More than once, we had to fight a sneeze or a cough.
There were even more holes in the floor than I remembered and just below: a fall that would surely kill.
The light was low and filtered, but red-golden.

I knew it's source.
Knew that the light shining through those little holes were from the massive chandelier that lit up the Cemetery below.
We heard noises too.
People speaking.

But we were too far up, and they were being quiet, so we had no idea who and how many were down there, plus we were concentrated on not falling to our deaths.
Every step we took, the wood groaned and we stopped, breathing hard, worried the people below might have heard.

But no shouting came.
No alarms went off.

We made it to the back of the narrow attic and silently, I signalled the other two to stop.
I pointed up to a massive beam.
It was one of those that held the entire ceiling up.
It would be strong enough.

With only my hands, I beckoned the others to come to my side and showed what to do and we worked in utter silence, but with brutal efficiency, binding the robes I brought to the beam.
Then, I handed every one of them the little harness belt.
Tae took it with a beaming grin- he loved everything reckless and dangerous, and this certainly fell into that category.
Jimin however, took it with a scowl and paling features.

I knew what he would say if we could talk aloud.
He would remind us that he had no problems with height, but hated the feeling of free fall.

I reached out while he was in the middle of getting it secured around his hips, and gently let my finger run down his cheek.
And then, with a quick, but feather-light movement, I kissed him.
Telling him without words that it would be fine.
He would be fine.

We practiced this before.
Had rappelled from mountainsides as part of training- just in case.
Just for precaution, as we had done so many other things.
Trained to be prepared for anything.

And now, they came in handy.
Now, I send a quiet prayer to Namjoon, who was the one suggesting just trying and learning these kind of things.
He had really gotten us ready to face every situation with courage, confidence and knowledge.

Jimin swallowed thickly, but nodded my way.
I tightened the harness around my own waist, before all three of us took one end of a rope, and looped it around the little rappel device.
My heart was already hammering in my chest, my adrenaline kicking up a few notches.

Slowly, I leaned down, bringing my head close in order to peak through one of the little holes in the floor.
My heart skipped several beats.

It had been tough enough to see Chen, D.O. and Xiumin at the party the other day.
But being back here... seeing the massive expanse of the Cemetery below and so many faces which had haunted my nightmares for so long...
Almost all of them were there.

D.O. and Sehun, whom we had heard earlier.

The smaller was leaning against his chair, a colour of such deep blue, it appeared black.
Sehun was lounging in his armchair, an angry, annoyed scowl on his features.
He looked just like the last time I saw him.
Dark hair, loathing and arrogance in his eyes, but there was more edge to his features now, older and grown.

Then there was Chanyeol, ever the prankster, his hair a washed out purple, his grin wide and big on his face, mischief leaking out like from a broken dam, currently throwing knifes against a wall.