[1] Code: RED || KTH

Ch20: Heavily Chained Up

The handcuffs around her wrists. The chain adorning her neck, burning her skin and suffocating her, making each and every breath as painful as a hundred needles piercing through her trachea.

Her body shakes, shivers crawling up her spine. Cold. The thin dress isn't enough to keep her warm on the freezing hard ground.

She gulps her dry throat, wondering when was the last time she drank water. She doesn't remember.

Her vision is blurry, and her head is light. Is it because she hadn't eaten in days?

She parts her now chapped lips to take in ragged breaths, the heavy chain on her neck pulling her head downwards.

Her chest rises and falls, her fragile body swaying due to weakness. She hears footsteps, and her heart misses a beat.

Her breaths quicken, and she shuts her eyes tight.

I'm strong, I'm strong, He told me I'm strong, He told me to stay strong, He told me to stay brave, she repeats over and over in her head like a broken record.

The metal door opens, light seeping in the dark room. She shrinks as if it'll get her any further from him.

He approaches, his hand pulling at the chain around her neck, tightening it. She lets out a whimper.

"What a shame," He lets out through gritted teeth, his sharp canines showing. "Such a brave, strong, beautiful girl like you. I told you to help me, didn't I? See? This is what happens when you don't listen."

He pushes her back, and she looks down, her dried brown hair falling on her face.

"This... " She mumbles out, her voice low and hoarse for she hasn't spoken in weeks. "This is not right."

"It wasn't right," He rephrases, glaring down at her. "Now it is."

She shakes her head, and he turns around. He walks out, closing the door behind him with a loud thud.

She shakes her head, her long hair swaying along.

She shakes her head, tears falling on her face.

She shakes her head, almost inaudible sobs escaping his mouth.

She shakes her head, the chains seeming heavier than they already were.

She promised not to cry, but she can't help it.

She shakes her head, and looks up, letting out one long agonizing scream, her voice burning her throat more than the thirst.

As her voice echoes through the small room, as her blood-curdling howl speaks of all her pain and misery, and as she looks up, I see her face, and my eyes widen.

It's me.

I wake up in cold sweat, my heart accelerating. I sit up immediately, turning on the lamplight and looking around my bedroom.

I let out a choked sob, my hands coming up to my burning throat.

That girl... was me?

I shake my head, sniffing and drying my tears.

It was so real, so real I can still feel the chain around my neck, so real I can still feel the metal around my wrists.

I try to stop thinking about it, but I can't, the image of the man and the girl stuck in my head. The man, I couldn't see him, though. I couldn't even recognize his voice.

"Hanseol?"

I turn my head to the door, my heart skipping a beat. I see Taehyung at the doorway, his hand on the doorknob as he stares at me.

I let out a sigh of relief, wiping the last of my tears.

"Did you have a nightmare?" He asks.

I nod. "I think so. How... How did you know?"

He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, opening the bedroom door wider and stepping in.

"You were screaming," He says.

I furrow my eyebrows. "What? No, I didn't screaㅡ"

"I woke up on the sound of you screaming," He cuts me off. "Maybe you were sleeping, so you don't remember. Things like these happen."

I sigh, remembering the dream again. I rarely had nightmares, so what is this? I never screamed in my sleep, so what happened?

I look away, then down at my wrists. "Is this what it feels like to be chained up? To not be... free."

Taehyung doesn't reply, even though I can sense his curiousity about my out-of-nowhere question.

"I'm sorry for last night," I add. "I'm sorry for calling you a monster, I didn't mean it."

He gives me a small smile. "I'm over it. Are you okay?"

I shrug. "It was just a dream, anyway; I'll get over it soon. I just need some water."

Taehyung doesn't reply again, and when I turn my head to him, I don't find him. A minute later, whatsoever, he's back with a lukewarm water glass.

I mumble a 'thank you' as I recieve the glass, a little surprised at his kindness, but thankful nonetheless. I gulp down the water, and the burning sensation washes away.

"Better?"

"Yes," I reply, settling the glass on the bed-side table.

It's silent for a few minutes, and I glance at Taehyung, standing in his spot silently.

"Thank you," I say, fiddling with the hem of my pyjamas' sleeve. "You can go to sleep now. Sorry for waking you up like that."

"Umm... " He trails off. "I know how horrible nightmares could be so... if you're still scared... "

He pauses for a while, and I wait for him patiently to continue his sentence.

"You know... like... if you want me to... " He mumbles, his last few words coming out incoherent.

"What?" I say. "Stop mumbling."

"If you want me to stay with you," He says in a low voice. "Till you sleep. If you're scared. I mean, only if you want to."

His words bring a smile to my face, and I nod. "Yes. I want to."

I lay down on bed and he sits on its edge, making sure to keep a distance.

"You can go back to bed once I'm asleep," I say, snuggling into the blanket. "Don't sleep here while you're sitting like this; you'll hurt your neck or back."

"Just sleep quickly," He says, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Okay," I reply and shut my eyes, forcing myself back to sleep.

What I forget, however, is that Taehyung is a fast sleeper.