THE BABY MILL [[{SHINee}]]

THE BABY MILL [[49]] APNEA

            How were they doing?

            It hadn’t taken a PHD for the donor to realize what was happening to his donor. Their monster of a child was being born while he was here with the tiger. TaeMin could be dying… He could be going through the same thing MinHo had gone through only a different variation.

            “TaeMin…”

            The tiger grunted, mustering enough strength to send a prayer up to God (if he was still there) to keep TaeMin safe. TaeMin and the little cub….

            They had broken his mind and body. But the tiger, his soul, lived on. There would be hell to pay… MinHo would risk bargaining with the Devil as long as it meant escape.

“I should put you with the others. Leave you to rot for trying to spoil my hard work. Do you know how much time and money has been invested on this project? I’m sure you don’t considering where you come from,” sneered the doctor.

            He loomed over MinHo, a sturdy tree with his roots firmly planted in the dirt. The dimples in his cheeks stood out from the grim look of distaste he was shooting at the donor. He had a shadow of stubble ghosting over his chin and above that pert upper lip that was tightened into a tight line. MinHo’s eyes had a hard time adjusting to every detail but his nose easily picked up the smell of peroxide and after shave. The combination was nauseating. He felt the sudden urge to throw up all over the doctor’s shoes. Had the tiger not pushed his massive head as encouragement against his shoulder he very well may have done so.

He doctor’s reaction to if he did seemed quite picturesque, though. Still, MinHo refrained. The consequences of such actions being almost as repulsive as the horrible fragrance the other radiated.

            “I do not appreciate being disrespected by what is mine,” Dr. Park droned on, training his judgemental gaze away from MinHo.

            “I was never yours,” MinHo spat. The force it took to formulate words knocked the wind out of the donor. His gag reflex jerked and he coughed down some bile. One hand dug into his side, gripping tightly just above his right hip where he was sure there was something dysfunctional.

            The tiger placed a large paw in his lap, letting out a low moan as he too felt the pain. He was just in time as the doctor grabbed a fistful of MinHo’s hair and forced him to meet his stare. The duo held back retching as a crackling anger filled the space between their faces.

            “You are mine,” hissed Dr. Park. As if he needed to stress his point he threw MinHo’s head down, his skull making a dull thudding sound when it met the floor.

            Colourful spots of red, blue, white and black laced his vision. MinHo was sure that he would lose consciousness any second because of that blow. Unfortunately, eh would never allow himself to succumb to that easy escape; he was far too stubborn. Though a metal taste had settled on the back of his tongue and he could smell something rusty burning his nose he struggled to his hands and knees, ready to fight back still.

            The doctor appeared to admire his perseverance, but the audacity he had to still disrespect him after all that happened wasn’t something he could wrap his head around. It as with another sharp slap upside MinHo’s head that the doctor spoke.

            “Had your carrier not been more useful to me today I would throw you behind the closed doors and forget about your existence completely. You’re ungrateful and disobedient amongst many other things I don’t tolerate.”

            MinHo examined the way the doctor’s nostrils feared as he continued on his tangent. It must have been his deliria rising up from the bump to his head that made him laugh out loud. Even his tiger let loose a breathless chuff at the “joke”.

            “And you dare to laugh in my face? What is so hilarious about your situation?” Dr. Park questioned, his voice bordering on insanity the more he spoke.

            “What’s funny,” MinHo started, panting, “is that you’re so sure you’ve won…”

            “With all things considered, I’m most certain that you are not the victor here.”

            “Not yet… But I won’t let you get away with this. The second I figure something out I’m gone and you’re finished.”

            His words hung heavy in the air, not a threat but a promise. The way MinHo had delivered it, with force and certainty despite being obviously defeated in that instant, is what made the doctor falter. His tongue moved around in his mouth audibly. The donor didn’t have to look p to see that he was opening and closing his jaw, lips slapping together. He could hear him breathe loudly as he weighed the truth of MinHo’s words in his head.

            “You are nothing but a tool to help me achieve what I need,” Dr. Park concluded at last.

            There was no more mulling or pondering now that had spoken his final words. He turned his back, stalking to the door with an air of pride for attaining the final word.

            Until Minho spoke up. “I have a brain just like you; I know how to use it too.”

            The doctor tense, MinHo could see it in his posture, but he didn’t turn around. The pride of a battle won shifted from the doctor to the donor. The older man didn’t retaliate, surprisingly accepting his bitter defeat.

            The moment he disappeared, however, MinHo let his bravado crumble. He no longer had the adrenaline to power his argument. Instead his body fell mercy to the abuse he’d suffered, turning into itself till the foetal position was acquired. His mind ran a mile a minute still. TaeMin was all he could see. He was alive because TaeMin had survived the birth of their child. It had to be that; how else could the carrier have proven useful to the deranged doctor?

            Like JongHyun. The only reason they were alive was because of their carriers. It only provided more incentive to break out TaeMin. He needed to for both their sakes.

            The moment he found JongHyun they would do it – make more plans. He could start now and they could swap ideas once MinHo broke out of isolation.

            His eyelids raised till a small crack let him observe his whoel room. Well, he couldn’t really call it a room any more. It was more of a cell. If he had had the energy he would have grimaced but he could only suppress a sigh.

            Just they wait. He would find a way. Soon TaeMin and him would be breaking out. And the tiger. And the two partners they’d made. They’d be gone and everyone would be safe because of them.