— Chapter Seven —
It was fairly scary the next morning. Donghyuck was woken up by Mark softly shaking his body but that was the only soft thing the man did. When Donghyuck needed a few minutes to fully wake up, Mark got impatient. He had already dressed himself in grey jogging pants and a white shirt that cut tightly around his chest area. Donghyuck noticed it for no particular reason.
After some discussion which had lead to an almost-fight, Mark lend Donghyuck some clothes and gave him a few minutes in the bathroom to get ready. Donghyuck used a one-way toothbrush, knowing that Mark had probably intended it to be used by another person than a random stranger but Donghyuck had a smelly breath and felt disgusting so Mark allowed him to use it. Donghyuck finally stripped out of his own disgusting clothes and into Mark's which were a little big on him but nothing too bad. With a roll of his eyes, Donghyuck noticed how the clothes were from high-class luxury brands that he himself would never be able to afford. At least they were comfortable and Donghyuck liked the smell. It was fresh and yet a faint scent of Mark's deodorant lingered on it. Donghyuck liked the smell, again for no particular reason.
"You ready?" Mark asked, knocking against the bathroom door. His voice was still impatient and Donghyuck shamelessly rolled his eyes once more, knowing that Mark couldn't see him.
"One more minute." he told Mark through the door and then checked himself in the mirror. He looked fine but it was all just pretend. Internally his once so strong courage was crumbling away, heart pounding against his chest as he tried to avoid any thought at what they were about to do.
When opening the door he took one last bracing breath before raising his head and looking at Mark. The man was still wearing the same clothes, only now a dark jacket over the white tee and with a bag in his hand. He didn't look much like the businessman anymore that Donghyuck had met in the beginning but that didn't mean that Mark looked any less intimidating. Face in an almost-frown, eyebrows furrowed and biting his lower lip he eyed Donghyuck up and down before asking "Let's go?"
With a gulp Donghyuck nodded and then followed Mark through the narrow hallway. Was he scared now that he would be confronted with zombies again? Fuck yes. Would he ever admit that out loud, especially to Mark? Hell no.
Speaking of Mark, the man now led the way through the entrance door and down the stairs. It was quiet except for their footsteps on the tiled stairs and for Donghyuck, it only amplified the throbbing sound of his own heartbeat. He looked at Mark but the man seemed to be the calm himself. The only reason why someone might suspect that he wasn't was the chewing on his lower lip and his fingers that cramped around the plastic bag Mark had taken with him.
They arrived down at the lobby where Mark halted, turning to look at Donghyuck. Their eyes locked for a brief moment and it was then that Donghyuck could see anxiousness in Mark's face as well. This was the first time and Donghyuck absolutely hated it, looking away immediately. Mark cleared his throat and then spoke without any weakness in his voice "You follow me. We will move quick but quiet and if you see a zombie don't scream. It would only attract even more attention."
"I don't think that's something I can control." Donghyuck objected and even though he could not see Mark rolling his eyes, he assumed the man was just doing that because he let out a long and frustrated sigh.
"Then let's see how much you can control your legs while running for your life. Because that's what you will have to do then." the man replied and then turned on his heels, taking the first few steps towards the entrance door of the lobby.
Donghyuck was quick to follow him, watching Mark's muscular back. He could see the shoulder blades stand out under the think fabric and it was a brief distraction to his current dilemma which presented itself when Mark pushed the door open.
It was cool outside, that was the first thing Donghyuck noticed. Yes, it was almost summer but the sun had barely risen and the world around then was hazed in a fog which usually Donghyuck would admire for it's aesthetic value but right now he absolutely hated it because their sight wasn't clear. They could see about twenty meters far and after that there was a wall that their eyes couldn't pierce through.
It was scary. Donghyuck didn't think he had ever experienced something like this and so he stayed behind Mark, almost wanting to grab the man's shirt just to make sure that Mark wouldn't disappear into the fog like the buildings around them.
They took the first few steps with care but then sped up their pace slightly once the apartment complex in which they resided was out of sight.
Luckily Mark seemed sure of the route because to Donghyuck all buildings looked the same. Each with their ground level destroyed, windows smashed and occasionally blood on the pavement. Donghyuck didn't want to think from who or what it was, instead the man told himself it was the zombies' blood from all the cuts they must have gotten while smashing down the glass doors and windows.
"We're almost at the store." Mark informed him and Donghyuck exhaled in relief. Obviously they didn't know just how safe the store was but somehow it felt easier to deal with a zombie in a store than out on the street.
Well, sadly luck wasn't on their side. They both heard it at the same time, the third pair of irregular steps on the pavement. Donghyuck flinched, eyes immediately scanning their surroundings.
"It's there." Mark whispered and cocked his head forward. Indeed there was a zombie, standing weakly on two legs. It's exact looks were still hidden in the fog but Donghyuck didn't even want to know what he looked like.
"It's in our way." he whispered back and could hear Mark take a deep breath before replying "Yeah, no shit sherlock. We have to switch sides of the road and if it sees us we run."
"God, I hate this. I hate everything about this." Donghyuck mumbled, more to himself but then upon Mark's hiss and the pressing of the man's pointer finger on Donghyuck's lips made him shut up.
Now careful again with their steps they crossed the road and Donghyuck almost believed in success when he saw the zombie suddenly whip his head to look at them. He could see the fast motions and knew it was too late. He would have yelled at Mark to run but the man was already moving away and Donghyuck had trouble keeping up. Their loud steps on the cement pierced his ears and combined with his airy breaths and Mark's muttered curses it almost drowned out the zombie's low groans as it ran after them.
Mark was faster than Donghyuck and that significantly. Donghyuck had trouble keeping up and not losing Mark's silhouette in the milky fog. The zombie was coming closer, he could hear it but god, he didn't want to die. Gritting his teeth and taking all the strength that was left in his body he ran. Legs moving faster than even before stopping for a moment. He had lost Mark.
"Donghyuck, here!" Mark shouted out and Donghyuck blindly ran into the direction of the man's voice. He tasted something unusual on tongue but didn't know whether it was blood from biting down too hard or salt from either his sweat or tears.
Finally he saw Mark again, the man was holding open the door of a grocery store. Donghyuck jumped forward and Mark swiftly pulled the door close, the zombie running straight into it. Luckily the glass was strong as it didn't break under the zombie's body weight but Donghyuck could still hear the crushing sound of something breaking. Blood on the glass announced that the zombie hadn't been aiming well and instead ran into brick instead of glass. He was dead, crushed by his own blind want for Donghyuck.
An eerie silence spread throughout the building. Donghyuck didn't even want to think about how the zombie outside must look so instead he turned, only to regret it immediately.
A few meters away laid a corpse or rather what was left of it. A bloody mess, clothes ripped and most of the being that was once so human now only a skeleton. The zombies had chewed down to the bone.
"Oh my god." Mark whispered behind Donghyuck as he probably saw the same view. It was too much and Donghyuck stumbled a few steps sideways before a hot shiver ran down his spine. His guts coiled and in the next second he could feel the vomit in his mouth. He gagged, emptying his stomach's contents on the tiles of the grocery store.
The feeling was disgusting and the taste even more. Donghyuck wiped his lips, scrunching his nose up as the mere smell of his own vomit almost made him throw up again.
"You alright there?" Mark asked from behind. Donghyuck turned to see the man, face as neutral as ever, just standing in front of the corpse.
"Yes. Go get your fucking groceries." Donghyuck hissed and Mark shrugged. He – and Donghyuck didn't even know whether to laugh or roll his eyes at him – got a shopping card and started rolling it around in the store. Donghyuck was now left alone with the bloody mess but avoided looking at it. At least he didn't have to throw up another time.
While waiting for Mark, Donghyuck stepped as far away from both his own and the corpse's mess and went to the cash register. He saw it open and just slipped in his hand. Hell, nobody would care and he never knew when the money might come in handy. The wheels of Mark's shopping card were rolling over the tiles somewhere in the distance so Donghyuck stored the money in one of his pockets. It wasn't much, maybe a couple thousand won but it was better than nothing. And then meant something because at the moment there were a lot of things worse than nothing.
Donghyuck scanned his surroundings when he suddenly spotted something on the counter. It was a badge and a gun, presumably from a cop who had gone here to investigate. Donghyuck picked it up, reading the badge. It belonged to a certain Jung Jaehyun, police officer and in medical training. Donghyuck doubted he was alive but neither did he believe that the badge and gun belonged to the corpse at the entrance. Besides the clothes or what was left of it didn't look like a cop's uniform, more of the one of a store employee. And Donghyuck doubted that that Jung Jaehyun just happened to be an officer, a medical professional and a grocery store employee at the same time.
Donghyuck took the gun. Not that he knew how to use it but damn, he had always wanted to at least hold one. And right now it might actually come in handy for their way back.
The gun was heavier than he expected, the cold metal hard against his hand. It was smooth though, felt satisfying to run the tips of his fingers over.
"I leave you for five minutes and suddenly you're ready to shoot someone? Drop that gun."
Donghyuck jumped, almost pulling the trigger as he whipped around. Mark, now with the bag full in his one hand and his other grabbing another bag from under the counter, stared at Donghyuck skeptically.
"I just found it with a police officer's badge. Jesus, you don't trust me whatsoever, do you?" Donghyuck replied, voice whiny. He couldn't help it, Mark's frequent complaining was just getting on his nerves and he tended to get whiny when on edge. And that, he certainly was.
"No, of course I don't trust you! Now put that gun down." Mark's voice was raised, laced in annoyance. Donghyuck sighed, cocking up one eyebrow as he asked "What are you going to do if I don't? I can literally shoot you right now."
"No, you can't."
Donghyuck's eyebrows now both shot up as he stared at Mark who confidently leaned against the cash register, a lazy but smug smile on his lips.
Donghyuck didn't drop the gun like Mark had told him to, instead he held it up, showing the dark pistol to the man. He had no idea why Mark was wearing this irritating grin but he would make sure to wipe it off as fast as it came.
"What makes you think so?" he questioned, finger on the trigger as he pointed at Mark, "You really think I won't pull the trigger?"
He didn't plan to. Yes, Mark was pissing him off to the point where Donghyuck would love to shut him up but in the end he wasn't a murderer. And Mark seemed to know that as he just leaned forward, placing his forehead on the top of the gun. Donghyuck flinched back as the man just casually gave him his usual grin and said "I don't think you will pull the trigger because I know you won't. But try, go ahead."
Donghyuck's mouth fell open. Was Mark suicidal? Donghyuck had absolutely no idea where the man took all his confidence from because last time Donghyuck checked he was holding a gun, presumably loaded, right against Mark's head and if he shot now, Mark had no chance of surviving. And yet, the man didn't seem scared the slightest. Due to his slightly bent down position he was actually smaller than Donghyuck for once and Donghyuck just stared down at him. They locked eyes and Donghyuck could see it, that small glint of amusement and dare, the confident look of "I know you could never kill me." on his face. It was on there rightfully as Donghyuck pulled away, lowering the gun and looking down.
"I'm not going to kill you." he whispered, voice hoarse from the impact this small moment, the tension between them. But Mark just laughed, taking a step forward as he said "I know you won't. You wouldn't even be able to, the safety control is still in place."
Oh. Donghyuck blinked a few times, staring at Mark in disbelief. The latter grinned, leaning forward and placing his hand over Donghyuck's which was still around the grip of the gun.
Mark's palm was warm. That was all the end of Donghyuck's nerves on the back of his hand transferred to his brain but only that one information was enough to litter his arms in goosebumps. Mark's thumb replaced Donghyuck's on the metal and then his pointer finger unlocked the safety. Donghyuck gulped, his hand suddenly trembling as he stared down at the gun which Mark quickly locked again.
"How do you know that?" he asked, stunned. Sure, Mark was rich but even for the rich in Korea guns were prohibited. So unless Mark was some sort of criminal he should have no idea how to unlock a glock.
"My father liked to hunt in his free time when I was a child." Mark plainly answered. He had already opened his mouth for another sentence but Donghyuck could see the exact moment in which he realized that with each word. Donghyuck got to know him more and by now it was pretty obvious that Mark didn't want Donghyuck to know anything about him outside of the fact that he was a powerful and rich businessman.
Mark cleared his throat before putting on his ever-lasting smug smile again and suggesting "Let me take it. I know how to use it and maybe it'll save our lives."
Donghyuck knew it was the truth. He knew it was the smarter choice to hand Mark the gun as much as he didn't want to be cause, god Mark didn't deserve anything. All he deserved was to get shut up but Donghyuck preferred that to be not by a zombie or a gun.
"Do you have everything?" he now asked awkwardly as Mark took a step back and placed the gun in between his jacket pocket which luckily was big enough.
"I think so. You go around and get anything you like. I would tell you that I'm not paying for it but paying in general seems a little stupid right now." Mark answered and Donghyuck could not help but chuckle. As obnoxious as Mark was, he had that humour.
Donghyuck trailed through the isles which deserted state felt incredibly weird. He blindly grabbed a toothbrush, some candy, his own favourite brand of deodorant and a few packages of ramen noodles, again his own favourite brand. He returned to Mark with the items who raised his eyebrows but chose to not comment. Instead he held the bag open and Donghyuck dropped the items into it, stretching the plastic out to the max.
"Ready to go?" Mark asked and Donghyuck had almost nodded before one last idea came to mind. This time Mark
followed him as he walked down the alcohol isle and packed two bottles of Soju.
"Good idea. And choice." Mark noted and for once Donghyuck was happy they agreed on something. Even if it was just a brand and taste of alcohol.
"And now we go back?" Donghyuck asked, staring out at the dimly light street which the fog was still blocking out. He hated the thought of going out there but Mark hummed, bag in one hand and the other buried in the jacket pocket with the gun in it.
"Promise me to run faster this time, yeah?" Mark asked him and Donghyuck scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Promise me to die this time, yeah?" he mocked and Mark let out an amused chuckle before turning to the entrance. Donghyuck took one last deep breath. He got this, he would survive this.