DEAD EYES STILL GLIMMER | VKOOK ✓

10 ➳ DEAD EYES STILL GLIMMER

"W-What?" spluttered Jeongguk.

"You will stay behind us. Do you understand?"

"Uh-huh." Taehyung pursued how Jeongguk swallowed nervously. 'What was with his weird attitude?'

"Let's go," Namjoon nudged Taehyung forward. Jeongguk did as he said. He stayed behind Namjoon, Yoongi, and Hoseok. Taehyung walked ahead, wary irises searching for any sign of life — or the undead. He noticed the shuffle marks on the ground. The mall was not empty. They entered various stores to find supplies. There was not many. However, they were able to cop some new attire.

"Look at this." Yoongi picked up an old CD player. Then he went over towards a stereo system. "I bet we could play some of the best music." Taehyung stopped him before he turned the stereo on.

"No. That's even more stupid than going inside the mall." He removed his hand from Yoongi slowly.

"Not even on a low setting?" Jeongguk's small voice asked behind him. Taehyung closed his eyes.

"No."

"Why not?" asked Jeongguk. Taehyung swiveled on his heels sharply and pointed at him.

"Because, Jeongguk, this could attract everything that has been lying dormant in this mall. No." Jeongguk's hands were placed on his hips.

"Okay, 'Namjoon'," Jeongguk provoked, he wanted Taehyung to budge away from the decision.

"No."

"You're no fun anymore." An indefinite ire seeped within Taehyung's gaze.

"It's not about fun, Jeongguk! It's about getting you to the CDC safe!" Taehyung realized too late that he was yelling. He heard them from far away. "Run. Run!" He grabbed Jeongguk by the hand and ran out the store they were in. They were cornered quickly. The horde began closing in. Taehyung noticed that they were alone; it was only he and Jeongguk. Taehyung stood before Jeongguk protectively. He tried covering him as much as possible. Taehyung shut his eyes so he would not be able to hear their thoughts. He heard them sniffing him though. Then, the zombies walked away. Before Taehyung registered what had happened, he opened the store next to them and rolled in, and closed the security gate. They both released a breath of relief. Jeongguk was breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry," Jeongguk murmurs so soft it almost fades within the atmosphere huddling them together. It was pitch-black, Taehyung could not see him.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Taehyung heard him shift closer towards him. "They didn't bite you. They just smelled you and left. Do you smell like one of them?" Taehyung sniffed himself. But from his heighten senses, he just smelled like new but worn clothes.

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Wait, I have something." Taehyung heard Jeongguk rummaging through his new backpack. He turned on a flashlight they had found. It illuminated the room and Jeongguk's tummy.

"You're bleeding." Taehyung grabbed the flashlight from Jeongguk and lifted up his shirt.

"It's nothing." His hand went to his side and he pulled away looking at his crimson painted hand. "Oh."

"Jeongguk!" exclaimed Taehyung. He caught the boy before he passed out. Taehyung hurriedly found his way to the store. It was a mattress store. Taehyung grabbed a couple of the boxes in the back that had weird oil drum type things. It was not the same but if had to work. Taehyung threw the boxes in and tried setting them alight with a match stick, but failed miserable. He found a fluid lighter at the back and broke it apart in order to get the flammable liquid; he was successful. The room lit up and they were able to see. Taehyung looked at the drum he had found, it had been used, so had the beds. Someone had been living here, but they were gone now.