Su-Yeong bit her lower lip, their father had told them to stay put until he came back. Sadly there was no way he would ever be coming back and this woman, Kagome, had come to their aid. She had swept in like a hero from one of their storybooks, she came in ready to protect them and she didn't even know them.
No one who was bad would do that right?
Kagome could see the worry flashing through the small girl's eyes, could see the gears churning and gave a small smile as she placed her hands on her knees and leaned forward a bit, gaining the children's attention. "I know it's scary, there are monsters everywhere but I know a place that is safer. We can rest and get cleaned up." She didn't want to promise them full safety because she doubted there was ever going to be a truly safe place left in the world.
But they didn't need to know that, no they needed to be told there was still hope and as long as there was still breath in her lungs she would be damn sure they never gave up. "Once we're all rested and patched up we can come back and grab anything you forget."
Yeong-Su shifted his feet as he held his elder sister's hand. He knew she was scared of leaving, he was too, but big sis Kagome made him feel safe and protected and he really didn't want her to leave them behind.
"Do you promise?" He knew it was a silly thing to ask, promises could be broken....their father promised to come back and now he was gone. Even so, just to hear her say the words would make him feel better and he knew his sister felt the same way.
Giving the two children a genuine smile she nodded, holding her left hand up as she placed her right one over her heart. "Promise." She paused to let the word sink in, lowering her hands only after the two children gave their own smiles. "Now, let's grab some stuff. Pack some clothes and whatever you need for the next few days. Be quick but quiet."
The kids nodded as they moved to their bedroom to empty their school bags and fill them with clothes and what not. Watching them rush down the hall she forced herself to stand up, her joints creaking in protest, standing she glanced around and spotted a gym bag under the table. She grabbed it and set it on the table, grimacing as she removed soiled sweaty gym clothes and a pair of dirty shoes.
Saying a small prayer for the man who had once owned the items she turned on her heel and began to root through the cupboards, taking out any and all can food she could find. Six cans of tuna and five cans of various vegetables later she rummaged in the draw to grab a can opener and a few sets of silverware. Depositing them in the bag she moved to the fridge and opened it, ignoring all the produce that would spoil quickly she focused on the bottled water and juice boxes. Grabbing them she tossed them inside the bad and zipped it up just as the kids came back.
Shouldering the bag she smiled at them as she moved towards them. "Wait right here, I'm going to check the bathroom." They nodded and she patted their heads as she moved into the bathroom, flicking on the light she was met with water toys and spongebob square pants towels. Giving a small smile she placed the duffle bag on the toilet seat and opened it again.
She grabbed some towels and other first aid items, placing them in the bag, her body on autopilot as she tried to formulate a new plan. Her old tentative one was fucked.
There was no way she would be able to make it to her uncle's anytime soon. The amount of monsters running about was more then she had anticipated and they were each so very different yet they all held one thing in common, their need to kill and eat what few humans were left.
To get from here to the other side of town on foot was a fool's errand, add in the fact that she had no idea if her family was alive, let alone still human....there was no real point in her making her return to the two story home her priority. No, her new priority was getting these kids back to Hyun-Su's apartment. After which she would try to find Sang-Wook and the schoolgirl.
There was strength in numbers.
Mind made up she zipped the bag shut and once again threw it over her shoulder. Exiting the bathroom she entered the small kitchen and nodded down at the two children looking up at her like she was their savior.
It only steeled her resolve to protect them, old pack insiticics flaring to life once more. These two were now hers to look after, to protect and provide for. She would be damned if she failed them. Squaring her shoulders she shifted her weight on her heels.
"So, we have to get upstairs but there are monsters running about and there are some things you need to know...." She quickly told them of the two confirmed monsters that were lurking in the stairwell, as well as the way they hunted. She would not sugar coat it, they needed to be aware of the dangers and it would be irresponsible to bring them into such a dangerous situation without letting them know what they were facing.
The silence that fell around them made her inwardly frown, even without her slowly recovering powers, she could feel their fear and anxiety. Sighing through her nose she kneeled before the two of them, placing a strong comforting hand on each of their shoulders.
"Look, I know it's scary but we just have to move quickly and quietly, if I tell you to do something I need you to do it, no questions asked. Trust me when I say that everything I say or do is to keep you safe. Can you do that for me?" She knew letting them feel like they had a choice would help them feel a bit more confident in the next steps of their journey. Kids hated to be told what to do, so if they felt like they had a choice, a voice that mattered, they were more amicable.
Yeong-Su nodded his head, his arms clenching around his toy dinosaur, he was scared but he had to be a big boy! He wanted to prove to his big sister's that he was brave. "Of course big sister Kagome." He grinned as she graced him with a bright smile before turning to face his sister.
Su-Yeong could only nod, her hands curled around the straps of her backpack. She squared her shoulders and tried to stand a bit taller, she was the older sister here so she had to act like it. "Okay."
Squeezing their shoulders once more, Kagome stood to her full height and turned towards the door, she moved closer to it, creaking it open as far as the chain would let her. Glancing out she was relieved to see the hallways empty. Hopefully the two warring monsters had forgotten about her and taken their stairwell battle to another floor.
With quick fingers she undid the chain lock and opened the door fully, she stepped into the dimly lit hallway, motining the children to follow after her. "Watch out for broken glass. Make quick short movements." Advice given she led the way around the corner making her way towards the stairwell sign that hung up at the other end of the hallway.
They were more than halfway there when she felt it, the very ground under them shook as something came barreling through a wall, a plume of dust and dry wall raining around them as whatever it was screamed out the word protein, its voice grutall and gravelly.
She threw her hands out to still the two children behind her, her gaze on the settling cloud of debris, there stood a tall hulking mass of muscles, how in the hell it got in the building she would never know. What she did know was that it was crouched down, its large bulging muscles twitching as its black beady eyes locked on her and her wards.
A bloody grin on its face as it let out a loud excited roar, no doubt excited about the prospect of a new meal.
Time seemed to slow down as it launched itself at them, her body flew into autopilot, she pivoted on her heel, her hands grabbing at the backpacks on the children's back, with a frantic push she shoved them in the direction of the stairwell. "Run!" Order barked out she turned on her heel once more to stare at the lumbering mass and gave a loud whistle.
"Hey, over here!" She felt a jolt of fear stab into her as those beady black eyes locked on her, its grin splitting even more revealing sharp pointy teeth outlined in red. Already in motion it lunged, its large hand, the size of her head, snapped out, ready to grab her.
Well she had a different idea. Pulling on her still recovering powers she threw up a barrier, it flickered to life just in time. It rippled as the large white hand beat on it, it paused as its flesh seemed to sizzle at the contact yet it only seemed to piss it off more.
It took everything in her to hold the barrier, her knees felt weak as her arms burned. Whatever bit of power she had recovered in her short rest was being used up at an alarming rate. Sweat dripped down her brow as her visions seemed to blur a bit, she wouldn't be able to hold the barrier much longer...she just needed to buy the kids time to get to the stairwell....
She was so deep in her thoughts, trying to think of something, anything, to do that would help her get away that she didn't even notice when a figure crept up behind her. She yelped as arms wrapped around her waist and yanked her back. Her barrier falling, the monster fell forward, no longer having something to beat on and hold up its weight. It tore through the drywall of the apartment she had been in front of mere seconds before.
Gasping she struggled in the hold of whoever or whatever had her, she was teeth and nails as she struggled, she was not going down without a fight.
Hyun-Su hissed as she thrashed in his hold, her nails digging into the fabric of his hoodie as her foot slammed down of his own to try and free herself. She was like a woman possessed and it took everything in him to hold her still. "K-Kagome stop its me! It's Hyun-Su!" His words must have sunk in because she stilled in his arms. Her bright blue gaze snapping to meet his over her shoulder.
She shuddered in his arms as a smile bloomed on her face, she moved to open her mouth yet was cut off by an angry roar. The monster was stirring, trying its best to regain its foot as its lumbering mass made it hard to once again get to its feet.
"Talk later." He released her from his arms yet firmly grabbed her hand and tugged her towards the stairwell at the end of the hall. It wasn't the same one he had come from moments before but it was a hell of a lot closer than the one he had used to get down here.
He had been making his way down the employee stairwell, his improvised electrified spear gripped in his pale shaking hands. While he was scared shitless he knew that he couldn't leave those two children alone....
Was it stupid of him?
Yes, but he never was prone to making good decisions.
So as he exited the employee stairwell he could only shiver as he heard a loud roar followed by a familiar voice. His body moved without hesitation, feet pounding as he ran down the hallways wishing he had paid more attention to the fire escape maps that littered every floor. Why the hell was this building so damn big and twisty?!
Breath rattling in lungs that were not used to physical activity he came upon a scene that was right out of one of his RPG's. Kagome stood, her body trembling as she held her hands out before her, an iridescent barrier between her and a large white mass of pure muscle that was just beating on it.
He could see her waiver and he quickly reached out, pulling her body into his as he stumbled a few feet away from the now falling monster.
His legs and lungs burned as they ran, his brown eyes widening as he spotted the two children he had come down to rescue running down the same hallway. He let out a harsh breathless bark of laughter, of course she would have found them. While he didn't know her long he knew that she was not the kind of person to ignore someone in need. Hell, she had helped him the very first day they met!
Shoving his thoughts away he could only gasp as Kagome ripped her arm from his grasp and bent down to scoop up the boy in one fluid motion, she held the crying child in with one arm as the other one reached out to grab hold of the girls arm and dragged her behind her. It was something out of a god damn story book and he was hard pressed to not feel useless...he was supposed to be saving them....and here he was useless....like always....
Kagome's body screamed in protest of the added weight of the child in her arms. Her breathing was labored, her lungs could not get enough oxygen in them to keep her legs pumping yet she still made them move. A stitch in her side made her want to drop to the ground and dry heave yet she kept moving, she was running on sheer adrenaline and stubbornness.
Sadly while she was known for her stubbornness she was always known for her clumsiness, and it was with a shout that her foot slipped. Her momentum sent her flying forward, the added weight of the Yeong-Su made her top heavy, cursing out a shout she let go of Su-Yeong's arm and instead curled it around Yeong-Su's head, hoping to cushion it from the harsh fall they were seconds away from having.
Whatever air she had in her lungs escaped her in a pained hiss as her body slammed into the cold hard concert of the floor, she had no doubt that should she make it through this her back would be nothing but a large purple bruise. She bit the inside of her cheek, tasting the blood she focused on the small pain and used it to block out the rest of her screaming body.
Shuddering as she tried to breath she felt Su-Yeong's hand pulling and grabbing at her begging her to get up. Cracking open her eyes into pained slits she glanced down at the child in her arms, he looked stunned but he didn't look hurt. Sucking on the cut in her mouth she rolled the taste of her blood around in her mouth focusing on it as she stood on shaky legs. The familiar coppery taste brought an odd sense of comfort and determination.
She latched onto it and held tight.
"Go to apartment 1408, Han Du-Sik will help you!" Hearing Hyun-Su's shout she whipped her head in his direction and could only gasp as his back faced her, in his hands was a remedial spear that was hooked up to the odd backpack that he wore.
Her mind was still a jumbled mess from her harsh fall, she no doubt had a concussion, even so she knew that Hyun-Su was the only thing standing between them and the monster and it made fear run through her. She could only watch frozen as he thrust his spear into the large monster making it pause in its large lumbering stride.
Hope flared to life in her chest, whatever that spear did it seemed to make the monster spasm and let out a pained cry, maybe just maybe they could make it out of this mess. Just as quickly as the hope flared to life in her chest it was crushed as the monster let out a deep primal roar as it pulled back its left arm, its beady enraged eyes zeroed in on a trembling Hyun-Su.