Tears went down on Chaeng's cheeks, "D-Dahyun when di-d y-you got b-bitten?" Her voice hitched while Dahyun looked down.
"S-Stop crying, y-your making me cry too." Dahyun sobbed, before pushing the girl lightly on the shoulder while Chaeyoung deadpanned.
"Be serious Dahyun, this is a big deal–" Chaeyoung wiped her eyes. I approached them, "Can I see it?"
The pale-girl glanced at me before wiping her tears away.
"O-Okay." She hesitated before pulling her leggings up, the mark was visible—just behind her calf. Some blood dripped down her leg while some also dried out, I gulped before looking away. Dizziness crept into me.
It wasn't the same as mine, it was smaller but seemed deep. The teeth marks weren't from a human—it looked odd. Saeko leaned in, "That's not a zombie bite."
Chaeyoung looked at her, "How do you know it's not?" Saeko scoffed before taking out a towel from her pocket which she handed to Dahyun, "Trust me."
Saeko told Dahyun to press down on her wound for the bleeding to stop, she obliged. "When did you got bitten? And what creature bit you?" I asked, my eyes scanning the streets which were dead-silent.
"A dog—he wasn't a normal one." She gulped. Can dogs be infected too? It could be possible.
"You can go on," I said while she nodded, Chaeyoung snd Saeko listened gingerly. "It happened—about two hours ago. I escaped a building from danger. I didn't know where to go since there was a horde earlier, I somehow ended up in a train station where the dogs hibernated."
"I made noise which got the attention of three dogs, I couldn't out run them and got bitten by one until someone saved me and left without goodbye." Dahyun panted, her experience seemed awful.
"The dog was bloody, its teeth weren't normal— it seemed like it was... mutated?" She shivered from her own sentence. All of our eyebrows were furrowed.
"So dogs can be infected too?" Chaeyoung mumbled.
"We gotta clean your wound before we leave so the infection won't spread. Is there a drug store around?" Three of them shrugged. My eyes landed on the gas station's store, the isles were visible from the glass. It had no resources whatsoever.
"By the way, I'm Y/n. Nice to meet you, and this is Saeko." Saeko bowed down a little with a light smile while Dahyun smiled weakly, her dress had dirt all over it. She was lost too much blood.
"We can't let the clinic clean after you, they will freak out." That was my assumption, Chaeyoung nodded while Saeko hummed in agreement. They might throw her out when they see her condition, I know how some people can be very dramatic and dumb sometimes.
"Yeah, it's better to have precautions."
"You two, can stay in the back." Saeko pointed at the trunk of the truck. It was very secluded and had small windows above.
They obliged, I helped Chaeyoung assist Dahyun who limped onto the truck and closed the door for them. Turning to Saeko, I tossed her the key which she caught while flinching. "You drive."
We both got inside the truck, the engine revved up as the car rolled on the street. Looking for a drugstore for supplies, I didn't want to drive since my right arm began itching, severe itching.
I controlled myself from scratching it, my leg went up and down. Saeko noticed, "You alright?"
"Just an itch. We gotta be quick, the girl is losing blood."
Streets quiet, the only noise that can be heard was from our truck. Sidewalks were still a mess and no living people were around. "It's weird how there's no people around, this was a busy street before."
Saeko hummed, "The population has lessened because of this." How can a metropolis be silent-dead in just two days? I still wonder where were all the people, did they all died?
A few minutes arrived, we halted in front of a drugstore and dashed inside, She opened the glass door which had an 'open' sign hanging.
The door closed behind with a ring of a bell from above. We jumped over the counter and grabbed as many stuff as we could. To our surprise, it seemed that the drugstore was left untouched.
Our bags were full, it was time to go back. I heard a slight sound from behind which I chose to ignore. "Let's go—" I turned to Saeko who hastily pulled out her sword and dashed towards me with full-speed, I stood my ground bewildered.
"Go down!"
With no hesitation, I did what she told me and ducked. Her shoulders brushed against mine. With a slight turn, I saw her slashing her sword horizontally to the right, going through a monster's head only 5 inches away, chopping it off in a blink of an eye.
The head bounced down and rolled towards me, blood splattered everywhere, majority of it landed on my body like it was meant to be.
Breathing became erratic, my heart was racing for a marathon. It was too much blood to my liking.
My vision went black.
✖ ✖ ✖
When I came to open my eyes, two girls stared at me worriedly. Their eyes shined when they saw me awake.
Chaeyoung sighed in relief, "Y/n, are you alright?!"
"Are you okay?" Dahyun asked.
I scratched my forehead before sitting up, we were at the back of the truck. Pain stretched across from my spine down to my lower back from the hard ground, "Where are we—"
"Good, you're awake. You passed out," Saeko cleared her throat. The divider between the head of the truck and the back was open.
"For how long?" The car was rolling faster than before. The tires were screeching in speed. Are we still outside?
"An hour—"
"Then where are we?"
Bump!
We all groaned from the sudden motion of the car jerking upwards then coming down. Saeko hissed and kept her hands gripped tight on the steering wheel. "What is happening?" I let out confused while slowly standing up and peeking through the open divider.
Saeko didn't answered, her focus was on the road with her eyebrows furrowed. "Why are you driving so fast—" Crack! I turned around to see where the noise came from, the girls were watching the back door anxiously. Walking towards the door which had a small window, I peeked through it.
My body immediately backed away from surprisement and found myself sitting on the ground, goosebumps immediately traveled down my spine. "Wah! What was that?!!"
"We don't know, but is has been chasing us for half an hour—" Chaeyoung and Dahyun shivered in fear, they scooted further from the door.
It was a ten-feet tall giant, muscles bulky, big feet, small head and one bloodshot eye, and naked! It was grinning widely showing its crooked yellow bloody teeth. I have never seen such a creature before. It was chasing us down—fast—only a few feet away from us, with every stepped it took the pavement cracked in agony.
"Hold on!" Saeko yelled just before the truck turned with a screech into a sharp turn to the left which sent us flying to the right side of the truck.
Once again we all groaned in pain, my head landed on the metal seat. Sitting, I touched my forehead to see it was bleeding, my breath hitched as I looked away.
"Fuck—" Chaeyoung cried out in pain, I turned to her to see her clutching her left ankle. "You alright?" She shook her head.
"Just hold on! I took a detour—" Saeko said, the truck accelerated much faster than before. We could hear the exhausts of the truck audible rumbles.
The truck was turning into sharp turns, my head went dizzy and felt like vomiting as I held on the metal seat for leverage. The truck was bumping up and down it made me more sick.
"Hold on tight," I reached out my hand which Chaeyoung took as she was holding on Dahyun, I pulled close and held onto the seat for dear life. Every stomp of the tyrant were still audible.
After three minutes of Saeko's nonstop driving and turning around into other streets, the stomping noise trailed off.
"We're safe." She heavily sighed in relief, I looked at the rearview mirror to see her sweating nonstop, her hands never left the wheel.
Someone tugged onto my shirt, I looked at it and saw Dahyun with her head down. She looked severely sick the same as Chaeyoung, "We gotta get inside the stadium."
"I'll park the car down here," The truck slowly halted to a stop. Saeko took out her seatbelt and went outside of the truck and opened the doors for us.
"Let's go quick before they see us."
I assisted the two out of the truck. Chaeyoung sat at the edge of the truck biting her lip from the pain of her—seemed dislocated ankle, while Dahyun held onto the truck-door for dear life and Saeko was panting for air like a mad-woman, while I was in the verge of vomiting. The four of us looked very motion-sick and ill. No one uttered a word while we shared a short silent reflective break to take in what had happened.
After the short break, we approached the gate. Chaeyoung was on my back with her hands draped around my neck while Dahyun was assisted by Saeko. From our faces, we looked like we had just survived a war.
"It's locked." Saeko reffered to the gate. No one was around. Coincidentally, we arrived around lunch-time. No living guards could be seen.
"Now how can we get inside?" Chaeyoung sighed.
"Do guys have a hairpin?" I asked them while Dahyun scratched her head looking for one. "Here—" She handed it to me while I thanked her, Chaeyoung was still on my back as I did my magic.
My hand went through the bars and held the padlock. Inserting the hairpin on the keyhole, with a few turns, it took around a minute before it opened with a click. They all gasped in amusement, while a satisfied smirk crept onto my lips.
"I never have doubt your craftsman skills," Saeko patted my back before going in first while I followed and locked the gate behind with a click.
Footsteps from behind then followed, "Phew! Why is the food so bland today—"
"You saw Dr. Park right? She was smoking hot when she took off her coat—and six idols came in yesterday—one looked like a doll—what was her name again? Joohyun?" Two guards went in with flashlights. Chaeyoung's breatched hitched around my neck as I hid behind a pillar. Good thing the hall is so dark.
I saw Saeko behind the same pillar in front, the gate was between the two of us. "Fred shut up for a second—I swear I heard something." I peeked my head out a bit, turned to my right side for a better view. The same guard from before ushered his friend to shut up before flashing his flashlight on our pillar. I immediately ducked behind.
My breath hitched, I swear he saw me. "Who's there—" His footsteps came closer before a clang from the other end of the hall echoed.
"Yow! It's the rats, just chill man—" The guard who I assumed was Fred said.
I peeked my head once again, "Lee Fred! Sy Bin! Dr. Park wants to see the both of you!" Someone yelled from inside which took their attention.
"Don't ruin this for me man, come one let's go," Fred ushered Bin to come over. "Alright we're coming Shona!" Their footsteps slowly faded away.
I waited a minute before going out, I saw Saeko was already out. We nodded with each other and advanced to the next door which was a long walk.
The hall was dark just like before, "Where did the giant came from?" I asked while glancing down on the ground, afraid I'll trip over something.
"I don't know, he just came out of nowhere." Saeko shrugged.
"He came from the north—" Dahyun blurted out, "—I've never seen nothing like him. He seemed dangerous."
"He was—and don't get me started with his grin—" Chaeyoung trembled as she burried her head on my back, "—it's buried in my mind."
"Thank you for driving us out of there. I never knew you had a talent for driving," I chuckled as Saeko smiled.
"It's no big deal."
We got out of the darkness and was welcomed by the sunlight. Luckily, the guards didn't went back. No one really seemed to notice that we had brought new people in since they were all doing they're own things.
"Wah, this is your hideout?" Dahyun let out amused as we were walking to our tent while the three of us nodded.
We were in the middle of the field when a running Sana when to us, "Where have guys been—" her eyes landed on Dahyun she immediately shrieked happily and tackled the girl with a hug as Saeko let the latter go, "—Dahyunie! Jagi! Gwaenchana?!"
"Aigoo Sana-yah," Sana rested her head on Dahyun's shoulders while Dahyun seemed moved by the action since her eyes became watery.
The two hugged for a period time while we only watched before Momo and Nayeon also came rushing to us.
"Where did you went off to—" Nayeon's stoic face softened when she saw the small tofu and pulled her in a hug, "—how are you?"
"Dahyun-ah!!" Momo exclaimed in surprise anc interrupted the two who was hugging before tackling the girl who let out a small groan, "Aw my bad, did I hurt you?"
"Come on guys, Dahyun still needs to rest," I said as their eyes landed on me, "What?"
"Why do you look hot Y/n?" Sana asked sternly with furrowed eyebrows which earned silence from all of us.
"Eh? Uh—what do you mean?" I scratched my head before walking past them, cheeks flushing brighter than a ripe tomato.
The others followed my tracks while I looked down. "Oh! I mean you look like you're very hot—like feeling hot!" Sana yelled from behind which earned chuckles from our group.
I couldn't find the nerve to face them with tomato cheeks so I went inside the tent first without looking behind. "Get used to it, she's Sana afterall," Chaeyoung who was still behind me chuckled.
Opening the zipper of the tent and slipping my shoes off before walking barefoot inside, a woman sitting on Sana's slipping bag, facing the opposite direction. "Who are you?"
The woman turned around, pale skin and bob cut light-ashy hair, she grinned at me as her eyes did too. "Oh, I assume you're one of Nayeon's tentmate—"
"That's IU-sunbaenim," Chaeyoung whispered to my ear. IU? I heard that name before.
She stood up and approached me, "—Jieun, sorry for keep you waiting—" Nayeon went inside the tent with a quick bow.
"Oh no worries, w-what happened to her?" She looked at Chaeyoung who was now visible on my back. "Injured her foot," I said as I slowly laid Chaeyoung down on her sleeping bag. Saeko, Dahyun, Sana and Momo arrived and greeted the girl with slight bows.
Dahyun also sat beside Chaeyoung, "I'll be back soon, I still have to do my tasks for today. I'll see you later," Jieun bowed to us before leaving as Nayeon went to see her off. Wow, she's very polite.
"Chaengie, what happened to your foot? Why is it twisted?" Momo squinted her eyes while she leaned forward, "I dislocated it."
Taking out the stuff we got, I went to Dahyun and told her I'll be cleaning her wound. I told Nayeon and Momo to get some water with a bucket which they obliged to do while Sana watched intently.
Dahyun pulled up her leggings as she sat down on Nayeon's sleeping bag. "Wah?! What?! You- you got!?!" Sana shrieked upon seeing Dahyun's wound, we immediately told her to hush.
Sana sat agape as Nayeon and Momo went inside with the bucket of water. Momo placed down the bucket beside me when she saw Dahyun's wound and freaked out almost drenching me in water. She apologized after.
"That's a dog bite isn't it?" Nayeon started as I cleaned Dahyun's wound, I nodded "How do you know?"
"I got one when I was younger—"
"Stay still, this wouldn't hurt." Saeko knew how to pop a dislocated limb back in since her dad was an orthopedist. I glanced at them, Chaeyoung gulped in fear while Saeko held her ankle.
"It won't hurt Chae—" I said and just like that, Saeko did her magic in a blink of an eye as Chaeyoung's ankle popped back in.
"Eh?" We chuckled from her reaction.
✖ ✖ ✖
Dahyun looked atrociously pale while she took a nap on the tent. Is it the lost of blood making her so pale? "Why Dahyun is so pale?"
"That's just her normal skin-tone, no need to worry." Sana chuckled, while I nodded.
It has only been 30 minutes since we arrived, I still feel a bit sick and dizzy. It was weird but Dahyun's bleeding actually stopped by itself, her breathing was normal too but she seemed very fatigued.
Nayeon and Momo went out for something, I don't know, food maybe?
It seemed like the infection didn't turn her into one, or does the dog can't transmit the infection? Or is she in the same situation as me?
"Hey! Look what we've found!" Nayeon, Momo, and Jieun came barging in. Momo held a piece of paper which she was waving around.
The four of us sat up straight as the three of them sat around us, making a circle. "What is that?"
"Here," Momo gave me the paper which I read out loud.
Lab Report #121 (01-03-22)
HQ of STLJ
Submitted by: Job Rimuoa
So far every volunteer for the vaccine is doing well except for one with O+ blood type, healthy. We tried the vaccine three months ago on him and he's the only one feeling different.
Symptoms:
Twitching at night.
Muscle pains.
Nosebleeds every morning.
Overwhelming sensitivity in hearing.
We will still continue to find a solution, but will stick to this plan. The vaccine has work for all blood-types except for Rhnull which we are still looking for.
"
What is this? Where guys found this?" I asked and handed the paper back.
"Joohyun-unnie found it, I don't know where since I forgot—" Momo said.
"Isn't the STLJ in Japan then why is it here?" I let out confused, the report was written in Japanese but I can still understand it because of classes I took before.
"We don't know that's why we went here, maybe we can brainstorm it all together," Momo added.
Saeko cleared her throat, "I still don't trust this place."
"Me too," Nayeon added.
"What do you think Y/n?" Nayeon asked me while I hummed while my eyes squinted like trying to solve some puzzles.
"Hmm, we know that this evacuation is held by the government right? Japan could either have sent this to us—here on Korea, but we all know the relationship between them, so that's an exception," The all listened in.
"So it leaves us with one possible reason—there must be someone in this evacuation center who knows about what happened."
Jieun smiled, "Alright. Let's find them then."
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