US - Taegi

3

The boy sleeping on the bed opened his eyes, slowly stood up, he soon spotted a familiar bag lying on the ground next to his bed. He was immidiately taken aback , hurried climped up the bed, rummaging under his pillow, find nothing.

Where is it, where is my food ?

The boy panicked. That bread is the only food left for him in next five days until the "deliverer" comes and give some more. But it was gone, who took it ? A thief, but what thief took a half eaten bread ?

He even divided one bread to eat in four days, each day he only dared to eat one-fourth to keep him overcome hunger. Sometimes, he was too hungry that eat a half of it and then he had to starve for the next day. He still remember one day, he ate a whole bread then in next four days, he had to feel the extremely terrible starvation. He sneak out of the room and stole some food from the "security" but he was seen and punished nearly dead. That was the most terrible day of his life, the pain from wounds, hungry to delirium, it almost killed him.

The food delivered less and less day by day, the hunger more and more unable to stand. 'I don't ever want to experience that torture again. But if I don't, I'm gonna starve to death too.'

Taehyung took all his courage to do the thing he never want to do again, stealing food. He sneak out of the room through a dog way that he digged, tried to be more careful 'cause it daylight.

When he came to the "security" room, he found a food basket on the table. He took some breads and dumplings and put it in the bag. Suddenly heard some voices coming near, he found a corner and hide in there.

" When will we get out of this place, I'm sick of these food and I want girls "

" I don't understand why we have to watch that boy. If 'master' don't like him, just kill him already"

" It's not something you can ask, 'master' has his own plan. That little rat will die anyway...What's wrong ?"

" Speaking of rat, we have a big one right here "

Taehyung's heart beat very fast, sweat flowing down his forehead, trying to neslte into the corner as much as possible.

" Here you are fucking rat". One of the men grab Taehyung's collar and threw him out. The other one held a whip and approached to him.

" It's seem that you don't remember your lesson, huh". He swung his whip and repeatedly hit the boy's back, arms and legs. The boy was holding his scream and bending over, covering his bag hidden in his shirt, the cry only made them more excited.

" Enough, don't let him die, ' master' will get mad ". The man stopped his partner after seeing the boy passed out. They then left and ignored him lying there

Until the evening Taehyung wake up from the pain, he tried to get up, his hands and legs were shaking crazily. He tried to drag every step back to his place, still clutching his bag hidden in his shirt.

When he got back, the first thing he did was hide the food bag under the wooden floor, under the bed, in the bottom of the box and covered it with old clothes. 'I'm hope the thieves won't find it'

Then he took half of the dumpling and ate it. He then sneak out to the small stream nearby to rinsed the wounds. 'These wounds are still much better than before'

He then got back inside, he was so tired, pain from the back made him unable to lie down so he had to lie on his stomach. He soon fall asleep while hoping that his food didn't disappear tomorrow.

--------------

" Did you just get a tattoo on your wrist, Agust ?"

I look down at my wrist, see a small blur red circle mark. I don't know how and when it get there.

" No, maybe it's an insect bite".

" Don't you come to Jackson's party tonight ? " RM already dressed up and ask me

Remembering the party last night and the aftermath, I'm really not interested.

" No, I want to practice my new song for the upcoming event "

" Ok then, we will be back early"

" No need to, have fun "

After they leave, I continue to edit my unfinished song. I lay on bed, humming the melody of the song. It's almost 8.pm and I suddenly feel extremely sleepy and somehow, things gradually become ambiguous and I fall asleep uncontrollably.

When I open my eyes. I see a familiar darkness and a light from the oil lamp. There is only one though left in my head

"Not again..! "