"we are all gonna die, DON'T YOU REALIZE!" the raven head snaps, harshly shoving the young man who ends up knocking over the crummy chair all blood-brown and green with algae that snapped under him. He lays down with a defected thud after struggling to stand up only to groan and wheeze for breathe with hands on his ribs.
"Hey!" another jumps in, he's thinner and older compared to both who were fighting but his face is as calm as death "snap out of it" the raven head grits his teeth when pulled forcefully forward by his collar right in front of his face "Stop with your whining. Here are children handling this way better than you—have some shame!"
The raven head screams in raw frustration" How can I goddammit! It's been ten days...Ten godforsaken days and this bloody storm is still destroying our home! " his glassy
amber eyes make the olders soften, he leaves his collar who steps back head held down, hiding the snarl and tears threatening to fall " Even if I survive I've lost everything, how will I live after this"
Jungkook passes by them careful to not meddle, protecting the little essentials he grabbed of their portion. Two blankets, few biscuits and can food—only three water bottles left.
"Here" he gently wraps the blanket around his baby sister who's sleeping all tired and greasy, gently caressing his thumb over her face he sighs disgruntled with how much the plumpness of her cheeks are diminishing, the prettiest blush now hidden under smudge of dirt and pasty, turning to mom he passes her another blanket who greets him with her grateful weary smile, her eyes have sunken in worry, wrinkles adorning her in concern and her weak body trembles with every unforgiving gush of icy wind in fear reflected in every soul trapped here.
He let's out a shaky breathe, eyes falling over all twenty tormented souls, grabbing their corners and a little portion of ground which is now their home
Ten days.
It's been a ten days since they escaped the wrath of cyclone by edge, the screams and cries of that night still echoes in his ear melding with the roar and shrieks of the sky. The ocean that used to sing such beautiful sympathy now blustering with cries of dread that roots in everyone's core with her powerful unforgiving billows, crushing and swallowing their town in cold blood.
Many have already lost their home, some like him are holding the fabric over their heart in threat, thought of their precious homes getting wrecked makes everyone's heart leap in their throat. If they lose their home then they lose their lives, tears burn his eyes which he blinks rapidly. They don't even own the favor to cry anymore, dehydration is nothing they can gamble without betting their lives over
He rests his back against the damp wall, carefully laying his sister on his lap who sighs in her sleep making him smile gently, it's not the best but way better than the hard dirty floor
"I'll look after our stuff now, sleep" he gently encourage his mom who nods with her sleepy eyes, laying down over her sides on the dingy floor with blanket around her shoulder, her legs pulled close she instantly falls asleep even if it's the most uncomfortable place to sleep. He massage her feet knowing very well that her whole body is sore, even his back hurts and everytime he stands he have to brace himself for the blackness that surrounds him accompanied by the wobble that screams at him to rest and not get up but he have to if he wants his mother to rest and gather some supplies for all of them
Their cloths soiled in dirt, sweat and pelting rain. The humidity is smothering, the stench of gathered moisture douse every wood and occupy every crack in wall, mustiness overflows in air hideously revolting his nose, his mouth salivating in repulsive reek making him forcefully push back the bile rising in back of his throat. Sleepless nights taking toll over everyone's health. He feels the most pity for all the children who have to stomach all this, now laying in their families arms like breathing corpse with no energy left to laugh or cry
He swallows hard, he hates seeing this all. Sunken cheeks and tired sighs, seeing people loose their rationality like flesh off their bones
"H-hey" a chocked croak cuts off his thoughts, his already dejected thought intensifying with the sight in front of him. The man is old and weak, unable to hold himself up so crawling on his knees and elbows, beard long and greasy, eyes distraught and frightened, he begs "f-food...food, p-please" he starts coughing, alarming Jungkook but before he could say or do something the man is already crying "food—dying..please!"
The stench is strong coming from the beggar but Jungkook doesn't care under the heaviness of guilt already weighing down his consciousness. He don't even realize the sharp breathes he's puffing out, his eyebrows furrowed in distress. He wants to help him, god! he desperately do but he is himself helpless.
Jungkook whispers, his own voice begging "I'm sorry" he repeats chocking over a sob " I'm so goddamn sorry" he looks down sniffing, not wanting to witness the sparks of hope he so brutally murdered in the man's eyes, he covers his mouth under his palm, afraid to wake up his sister with his guilty sobs who's sleeping on his lap. He don't want her to witness her perfect brother who teaches her about keeping the spark alive in others eyes, crushing one himself.
"I'm really sorry" his breathing becomes hard and he closes his eyes tightly causing tears to stream down his face
The man starts crying laying on his back, gasping for air " I'm.. I—going to d-die! " he grabs his hair by scalp, bawling like a child "don't..don't want to..to.. to di... die" he's wiggling and thrashing and it scares not only Jungkook but everyone in the room, no one utters a word, everyone's still except the pained cries of the old beggar gasping on the floor. Few are crying as loud as the man, the children are hiding their faces in their parents arm, Jungkook tightens his hold on his sister and he's glad as well as concerned that his mom and sister haven't woken up yet among the loud shouts of plead.
Am I really going to witness a death!? Jungkook bites his lips harshly, he scoots away from the man thrashing in front of him.....front of them who's fighting about the knowledge of his certain death. No—please, s-save him.
His eyes glance at everyone, mirroring his own fear and disgust for themselves. The bawling of the old man intensifies as harsh rain trickle down on the rooftop, the open old windows shudder violently with no glass left to keep the icy winds and rain outside, everyone starts scooting away from the windows except his frozen self and the dying man
Jungkook trembles, his eyes never leaving the dying man as he gently place Miki away from him on dry side with his mother, covered firmly in blanket, becoming the curtain for them
He feels the sharp edges of rain bashing with force of barbarous winds over his now paled skin and he feels a panic attack ready to over power him when suddenly his vision blinds him with the thunder that split the sky, glowing the agony of the man in centre gasping and yelling, suddenly his eyes widen when the room gets soaked with a repulsive metallic stench...
.....The room is getting damped with blood. Blood coming through the window and leaking roof, dripping thick and loud over each one of them... Over him.
He shakily looks at his soaked body, soaked in blood of man who's dying in front of him
Murderer.
Heaving he whispers "N-no", his wide eyes fall over the man who's letting out heart wrenching sobs and he whimpers when suddenly he sees unmoving figure of everyone in the room, everyone including his family
His heart momentarily stills "N-no, please stop" he's gasping breathless, his whole body trembling like the broken windows under the turbulent pressure—No, he can't let someone die in front of him
Clenching his jaw determined with swallowed sobs he grabs the can of beans of his portion and looks over the man in concern who looks like he's unable to breathe without choking on his own screams and tears
"H-hey" he cautiously wobbles with shaky hands reaching toward him, the old man have seemingly tired himself out now silently crying over his certain death that'll come for him any moment but instead of rough cold clutch of death pulling him forcefully away from his body, a tender soft hand rests on his burning forehead
His blurry and hazy vision looks up only to find an angel with the prettiest and darkest halo of dark and light thundering behind trying to speak in between sniffs and tears. He is glowing like moon, he thinks before the voice like nectar buzzing in his ear starts making sense
"H-here... food.. Please eat."
F-food?—Food.
His arms quiver like leaves on the trees outside as he sits up on his elbow "f-food?"
The angel smiles. Sunken face and dried tear streaks, cloths almost drenched completely from head to toe and shivering with every relentless wind, offers him an opened can with the purest smile
He shakily accepts it, his heart leaped when he almost dropped it because of his weak arms, not like he wouldn't eat it either way but the sight of beans makes his eyes water and throat full
"I'm not...not going to die hungry" he laughs crying " Thank you" he means it "Thank you, I bless you c-child" he takes the first bite of his meal in days and he laughs again with tears streaming down his face " Angel. Bless you"
Jungkook smiles wide with his throat clearing with relief, it's ridiculous just how a can of beans can make someone so happy, with the storm scorching loud and thunder rattling the widows and leaves, the laugh of the old man seems to be loudest and calmest
"May life bless you" the old man chants, taking another savory mouthful of the meal sent by an angel
Life have been anything but blessing for him, he wonders but smiles wide for the man.
-
Father must be so worried. Jungkook thinks with a frown, his weak body unable to carry him anymore as he wish so he lays limp with his back on the familiar wall gently threading his fingers through Miki's lock though careful not to pull on some knots, his mother sleeping with her head on his shoulder.
Jimin. He's probably fighting with his parents to let him come here with help. He snorts slightly, he don't really know what's funny but Just the mere thought makes his lips twitch upward
The room is so silent. No one alive enough to speak, everyone's lips feel so heavy to open and mouth so dry to say anything but judging the angry frowns, desperate crease on forehead, hopeless eyes, he knows everyone is blaming the same person—Mayor.
That bastard, Jungkook snarls in his mind
He lied to them, he knew about the storm still he hid it from everyone and Jungkook feels his fingers twitch in rage knowing why he did that.
He didn't want to loose his best collaborative project with the five prosperity dripping cryptics.
If he had sent up the notice of oncoming storm then it would lead to his financial loss and that jerk most definitely don't care about people more than pearls, if it was possible to turn people into pearl by trapping them in mollusks then he would have done that in his crib.
The fact that he might still be alive makes him grit his teeth flaring his nose, if he's alive now then there's no guarantee he'll be after this.
Will he ever be able to meet his father and Jimin? his numb stomach quivers in dread. It's okay, He gulps. If he'll not survive it's okay but only if mom and Miki will
He don't want to die truthfully, no one do but it's not like they get to choose
Remembering death, his eyes fall over the body laying at the corner, no one sitting nearby it
The old man, he died later last night because of burning fever in his sleep and it really saddens him but at least....atleast he didn't die in agony, crying and screaming.... he didn't die hungry....he at least got a peaceful death in some way
He close his eyes, his eye lids heavy and his iris burn with every blink, biting his lips in discomfort he shifts in his place, his back itches and it feels uncomfortably damp from the constant rain pouring cold from the broken window, his heart rate increasing and depression with numbness dressing him inside out.
He caught a mild fever, possibly because of rain he got soaked into yesterday
He knows it's not something to brush away like this, but he can't alarm his family. His mom will loose her breathe knowing he caught a fever when a man died just a few hours ago in front of them because of one, his cold body still sharing the confined space with them that no one dares to touch
With an exhaustive groan and great effort he removes the shirt off his torso, the wet clothing sticking to his feverish body is only going to cut close his end, he's glad that his family don't have any major concerning symptoms except starvation and dehydration
He lays back in his previous position, the cold wall making contact with his feverish back makes him groan in temporary relief, shuffling around he closes his eyes to catch some sleep, providing his flushed skin some appreciable cool.
The sun is at verge of setting when he wakes up after few hours that felt like seconds, golden hue thaws in the room though the rain is still falling but the scenery still looks beautiful, Jungkook's chestnut eyes dilate as he stares outside, his pale and tender skin, rough in touch now glowing over the grief of his frown in gold and reddish-orange
It's so silent and lonely, he thinks. Not about the obvious condition inside the confinement of the room but the setting sun, the sun that is dissolving alone—just like when it shows up, it's so lonely and untouchable, so miserable and unseen unless weakened, he sighs without any visible movement, closing his eyes in rest. Unable to be seen when it dies in dusk only to revive again at dawn, such a cruel fate of its existence..... So blistering, bitter and spiteful.... Such a beautiful virulent.
It's been thirteen days and still no sign of calm waves, no sign of help and no obvious hope. Everyone's food and water is already consumed, now surviving on prayers and pleads for miracle. His mom can't even lift herself up without anyone's help, his baby angel...the poor little soul whose brother failed is unable to smile for herself anymore, it's been so long he saw her pretty amber eyes that reminds him of purest heaven, when droopy it melts in sparkles and mischief....now unable to open.
Her whimpers pains his heart more than his sore body could, her eyes occasionally shut close tightly in pain and need and all he can do is watch helpless, rubbing her back and feet with his calloused palms to provide at least some sort of relief.
Foul vomit and rotting corpse intermingle more violently than ever before and he wonders if many will die because of the unbearable stench surrounding them so thickly that might be cut with knife. People have surrounded around the broken windows to escape some intensity of worse than death smell, he somehow managed to grab a spot near window for his mom with Miki laying on her lap.
Few brave people volunteered to help dispose the corpse outside but the door is flooded with dirt and wood have swollen up, unable to open from inside, few suggested to dispose it off through windows but the mere fear of the body getting stuck between broken glasses silenced everyone, they can't break the whole window since even a small cut is fatal.
Jungkook's tired unclear eyes drag inside. Bloated stomach, nausea driven bodies, pale skins barely keeping any warmth, sunken eyes and dry tongue, tossing between consciousness and unconsciousness greets him like a step away from the door of prolonged deaths. They all look so same suddenly, his mind blabbers. Everyone looks miserable, no one can tell from outside if they are friends or foes or outcast, all curled together under this indecent roof without any beef of status or morals, same torment for pile of flesh and bones.
Are they all going to die like this?. He looks at his family curled up with a dirty blanket over them, he shifts closer to them, wanting to be close if it's how things will end up, with some whimpers and groan he manages to blanket his body beside his mother, his arms touching his mother's side who didn't open her eyes but scoot closer toward him, he holds Miki's hand in his own
He want to tell his mom that she did good, that she don't need to blame herself before he's unable to say that every again" M-m..mom" even a single word grates his throat but he'll say what he wants even if his insides bleed "y..you know, I'm..v-very grateful for..fo- being y-your son" he scoots closer kissing side of her forehead "h-happy to..be yours, happy for d-dad, m-miki"
He wraps his arms around her shoulder, his dead eyes sparkle looking at his family in his arm, only if his dad was with them but he's glad he's not, not suffering like them but suffering another way...but safer...alive, with all his remaining vigor he murmurs "I love you all....a-always"
A single tear slips by his mother's eyes in the silence that surround them afterwards, she bites her dry lips stifling her sobs, her hands desperately reach for her son—her baby all grown up into such brave kind man, without opening her eyes she whispers "I'm sorry.. s-sorry, Love your f-father, my baby girl... Yo–"
"Open the door!" loud commotion from outside jerk everyone awake and alert, another voice shout from behind the door "It's stuck"
Jungkook shifts on his knees, almost falling over with wide red eyes before more people scramble like him trying to shout for help which barely went above desperate whispers and whistles
"Kick it open"
Just then the door slams open with a loud thud against the wall, almost thirty people from town all weakened to bones gawk back at twenty barely recognized as familiar faces, the only difference in folks inside and outside the threshold is that their faces and pants for breathe glimmer with hope.
On various relieved sobs echoing inside they immediately scramble inside only to pause because of the stomach churning stench that's circulating with the fresh gale from outside, bracing themselves they walk forward helping the kids first followed by adults to get outside
Jungkook scrambles with his mother, helping her stand up who takes support by wall, three ladies come forward to help her get outside by holding her shaky arms in their bony one. He thanks them multiple times when they offer to help him carry Miki but she held his t-shirt tightly in fist so he without any worry carries her outside.
They all take their first proper breathe in days, some sitting down on the muddy grass unable to stand and others offering water to everyone who were stuck inside.
Jungkook knows how much effort it took for him to take a proper sip of water without crying, his nose have turned red because of coldness fueled by squalls, the sky is still angry coated in dark and looking down toward horizon he watch how intimidating the billows are, several vegetation have fallen, rocks and weeds scattered like spilled rice on the floor, if he squints his eyes then he can also witness faint outlines of fishes thrown away far at land with corals and mollusks, So much damage.
He search for their home and he bites his lips in relief seeing it's still there, water haven't crushed and scattered it though the constant impact have caused various visible damage but it's still there, it's all that matter at the moment.
"It's not stopping" a women cries out in horror of witnessing the ocean and sky uniting in ruination
"it won't" the eldest adamantly voice silencing everyone except storm, "It won't until everything and everyone dies" several gasps and shrieks surround her, Jungkook's fist clench, placing Miki's head more comfortably on his stiff shoulder.
"Why?" the raven head angrily questions, his jaw tense in annoyance of what the eldest just said with such resolve as if she didn't just crush everyones hope of survival
"It's not nature, it's curse"
Silence
The grandma continues with her blue cloudy eyes firmly staring into the raven's shaky one " It's a curse placed by monsters—devils of the ocean, they are showing their wrath for not getting what they claimed and they'll not stop until everyone pays for it with their lives"
The silence is broken by bitter laugh from few people, Jungkook disagrees too, what type of bullshit this is? Ocean devils? Curse? Bullshit!
His face twists disapprovingly
"They don't exist" the raven head laughs, eyes wide he scoffs "did you just quote some lily children's book fairytale shit!"
She didn't waver " How will you explain this unnatural phenomenon, the storm our town have never seen before." she smiles wise and sharp " children's book don't necessarily lie when you all know a storm this strong isn't supposed to last more than a week" her smile diminishes making many gulp " Look me in the eye young man and tell me that whatever that's happening is not a curse"
No one says anything
"What..." a girl with freckles and wide eyes hesitantly asks " What are we supposed to do now? " she covers her mouth with both hands, her teary eyes stare hopefully in the oldest
Grandma sighs slowly, her withered face don't give anything away as everyone look up at her, some hopefully, some hesitantly and some frowning "There's a way"
She turns to face the crowd behind her seeing relief bloom in people's posture even if their face says otherwise, her eyes saddened suddenly taking Jungkook aback
"We'll have to make an offering"
Curious eyes urged her to continue" offer what and to whom? "the raven head asks with a frown
"Sacrifice the human the sea devils want"
Feedback?
I was pretty stuck writing this chapter, idk why? It was just difficult to write.
Lmao I somehow end up making all my fics horror one, anyway hope you enjoyed this 4k words of suffering.
See you all in next update ~♥~
Love you all who are reading this.