Day 851
The sunrise didn't bring any consolation, and neither did the groans of zombies sounding off from outside. But this is your fault. You came up with the shitty plan to ram trucks into the front gates and release a bunch of zombies, likely killing many innocent people. And worst of all, you know for sure one innocent life was taken all because of your plan. All because of you.
Jeon Jungkook.
The sun peeking in through the one window is low thanks to the curtains Yoongi must have put there in his time hiding here. You're on the hard wooden ground, not caring if the mattress Yoongi left behind is more comfortable. You're fine with keeping your hands tucked under your head, your irises swelling from the light hitting them. You don't have the strength to get into a sitting position, so even though you know Jimin's been up for longer than you, you keep yourself still.
As expected, you barely slept. You only passed out when you were done crying. Your sobs became dry heaps, your tears nothing more but sounds. Now, you have the urge to cry again, but at the same time, you don't. It's like a cruel game of cat and mouse. You're dodging your emotions as best you can, but they're the cat pouncing out at you and forcing you to think on your feet.
Jimin and you both couldn't sleep. You're sure he got less than you since you were the one who sobbed yourself to sleep. Jimin probably cried after you fell asleep. He was busy holding you and being as strong as he could. You appreciate that. Jungkook was Jimin's friend too. But that's not the only thing on your minds. Since you're separated from the others and away from the school, that fear creeps into your thoughts too. It's tearing you apart slowly but surely, and that's what finally gives you the motivation to stretch.
Jimin notices you and turns, you getting into a sitting position. Your vision goes fuzzy for a moment, your head feeling light. That's likely a combination of your incoming headache and how fast you sat up. Jimin comes a bit closer and sits with his legs crossed, his hands resting on his knees. The two of you remain quiet, unsure of who should break the silence first. He decides to break it, sighing before he does so.
"Now since it's morning, the Howlers are gone. Hopefully a lot of the zombies too," he says, a small crack in his voice. His eyes have bags under them probably as large as yours, his hair tossed up in eight different directions, and his plump lips chapped beyond belief. Despite that, you come over and kiss him. He jumps at the contact, then eases into it and kisses back, rubbing the back of your neck to comfort you.
Right now, you need an escape from reality. Anything to get your mind off of what just happened. In a way, you're still in shock. You're wearing Jungkook's leather jacket, not caring about the blood on it, but it feels like its not a jacket. It feels like his arms. And that delusion is the only thing that's keeping you from breaking down into a fit of sobs again.
The pain isn't something you can describe. It's beyond heartbreaking. It's soul-breaking. It's like the will to keep going has left you, but Jimin being here is like a manifestation of your survival instincts. He's the only thing that you're still alive for. If you were alone in that moment you saw Jungkook, you would've just stopped and let the zombies kill you so you could be with him forever.
All the memories of your childhood come rushing back, and the tears do too, but you snap back to reality. You pull back from the kiss and stare into his eyes, resting your hand on his stained cheek. Dried blood is smeared there, his hair covering most of his forehead and some of his eyes too. You brush it back, him leaning into your touch without a word.
"We should probably go," you whisper, and he kisses the back of your hand before agreeing.
He's about to stand, then, he leans forward and brings you close to him, kissing your forehead in the process. After he parts from you, he rubs your cheeks with his eyes crinkled with despair. "I'm so sorry."
You rub your lips together, nodding shortly before sniffing and averting your eyes. He gets the message and stands, his warmth leaving your body. Jimin goes to the window and peeks under the curtain, his eyes wandering the scenery. You stay seated, tucking your knees against your chest and waiting for his plan. However, what comes is not what you were expecting.
"Shit," he mumbles, and the small edge in his voice alerts you that this isn't over yet. You don't get to mourn peacefully and go back to your child and hug him. There's more problems to deal with, so, you get up and wobbly go over to him. Now it's your turn to take in the sights, and your jaw drops upon seeing some zombies scattering across the terrain.
"What the hell?" you ask in a whisper.
"The speakers must've stopped working. Maybe the rain, or a Howler got to it now since they're active in this area. Not sure what exactly, and as much as I'd love to find out, I really don't want to go over there and find out. What do you want to do? Run? There's not that many, we can outrun them. Plus, we got guns. They don't look like Runners to me."
"I don't think so," you say, observing the way they're wobbling and barely standing. "They seem like regular zombies. If we can get by them, the school isn't far. But what if there's zombies there?"
"Then we keep running. Run back here if we have to. Or, we hope someone's in the school and can help us get in. The zombies were banging on the fence last night, not just waiting near it. There had to be a reason for that. Like they were chasing someone in."
"And if we yell for help, they're smart enough that they probably set up patrols, so they'll find us easy enough. Sounds like a great plan to me."
Although your mind is elsewhere, just like yesterday, you know that no matter how badly it hurts, you need to put it aside for now. You had your chance to cry and scream. You can do it again later, but for now, you need to focus on getting back. It won't do you and Jimin any good if you're not ready to go. So, you gather your few belongings, tug on the sleeves of the jacket that's too big on you, and get ready to go.
Jimin pulls the desk away from the door and opens it, grabbing your hand and pulling you through. The zombies don't notice yet, and that gives you a headstart. But after you get into the forest, they notice, and zombies start popping out from behind trees and throwing themselves at you. Out of fear of attracting more if you fire your gun, you and Jimin silently agree to beat them with the butts of your pistols.
One comes close to you, and you whack it in the head. The trees are surrounding you, groans alerting you that you've woken up the entire neighborhood. Shit, you don't have much time, and both of you know it. The forest is littered with loud noises resembling groans and shrieks, you hyperventilating from the overstimulation your ears are being subjected to.
Jimin is in the same boat as you, and more zombies are coming by the minute. Some Runners too. Jimin pulls you along, and you forget fighting to instead run with him. The undead are rushing at you at top speed, and your panic keeps rising as their speed does. Jimin remains calm - or he has the façade that he is - and he keeps pulling you along until you're out of the tree line and instead on the concrete road.
There's more zombies, and you and Jimin realize this is the part where you need to shoot no matter the consequences. The pistols come out, and gunshots follow that action as you go. You shoot while running, downing any zombies that dare come near you, but the number is overwhelming. There's far over two dozen at least, and they're all blocking the path to the school. You and Jimin shoot the ones in the way and keep going, doing your best to keep your distance.
However, by the time you're even remotely close to the school, Runners get the jump on you. Four of them come up from behind you, close enough to scratch you when you whip around and hit the closest one on the head. It goes falling to the ground with a snarl, you shooting the next one while Jimin handles one. The last, for some reason, decides you look tastier than Jimin and comes at you as well.
It hops at you, and you fire in time for the one you hit to get up and charge. Jimin, who just killed the one who was on him, can't get a clear shot as it grabs you from behind. You yelp and use your hand, the one holding the pistol, to go back and whack it. Pain rips out through you at the action, but you manage to hit it three times. On the third, it lets go, and Jimin shoots it to finish it off.
You push it off and pant, Jimin and you continuing to the school now since the Runners seem to be gone. The gates are in sight, zombies surrounding the area. "Wait, I have an idea," you say, and Jimin follows your lead as you take him around the walls and go to the back of the entire campus. The zombies are slow enough that they get out of eyesight, and you point to the wall. "Hoist me up."
He agrees, and you hop up, standing on the wall before offering your hand to him. He's about to take it, then, he stops. His eyes expand, and you tilt your head. "Honey... what is that?"
"Jimin, we don't have time, get up here."
Although he hesitates, he does grab your hand. Pain shoots up your arm, but you manage to help pull him up. Now the two of you are standing on top of the wall, the drop not far. You make it, landing in the grass. Jimin lands beside you, but before you can go, he grabs your wrist to hold you in place.
"What is it?" you ask, shifting back to him. The desperation to go to your room and let your head hit the pillow is overwhelming, but Jimin's panic has you tilting your head. He takes your hand, and when you see what his gaze is looking at, your heart feels like it stops for the fifth time today.
A bite mark.
There's a bite mark on your wrist, blood dripping down your skin while bruising is already forming around the torn flesh. You tremble from the very sight of it, Jimin's grip on you just as shaky as the rest of your body. You rip your hand away from him and try rubbing the mark with your other hand as if it were a sticker that will peel away, but of course, that action only brings more ache to your brittle bones.
"N-No, that can't be right. This can't be real," you mumble, stumbling back until you almost trip. Jimin keeps you steady, your mind going numb to the pain you've endured these past 24 hours. The leather jacket around you no longer feels like Jungkook's arms. It feels like a prison. Despite the long sleeves, you're guessing that Runner bit your wrist while you were fighting back. The adrenaline masked the sensation of getting bit. You step back, preparing yourself for the rush of tears, but they never come. There's no more tears in your body. You're dehydrated and terrified. And you don't bother hiding it anymore.
"Y/n," Jimin says, coming a bit closer. "We need to get you inside. Cut it off before-"
"No! Are you insane? I'd lose everything!" You glance at your trembling fingers, attempting not to pass out from shock. "I wouldn't be able to do hair anymore. This is my trigger finger, I'd lose that and would have to relearn how to shoot with my other hand. No more ARs, no more shotguns, hell, even knives would be a chore. I'd be useless. Fucking useless. More useless than I already am."
"We have to!" He takes your hand and pulls you closer, you staring at the despair littering the details of his face. "I can't lose you. I can't, and this is the only way to save you." Your lower lip quivers, Jimin's tears falling as he stares at you and nothing else, not caring about your surrounding environment.
His hands go to your cheeks, holding them in place while his head shakes, his body going with it. And after, he places his forehead on yours. You can feel his breath hitting your face, his thumbs rubbing your skin. Then, he opens his mouth and says words that bring back a piece of yourself you didn't know you needed.
"I can't lose you... I love you." Even he seems amazed by the words, your eyes widening, his following suit. After a few beats of quiet, his voice cracks. "I love you, I can't lose you Y/n. Please don't do this to me. It's better to live without a hand than to not live at all. Please... I love you."
The little tremors in his tone has you biting your lower lip, observing the way he's looking at you like nothing else matters. And for a moment, the ache subsides. The ache of Jungkook and the bite. The ache of not knowing where the rest of your people are. But then it comes back, and reality rams into your core until it has your eyes blurring with tears you didn't know you had. "I love you too," you reply in a hush, placing your hands on his shoulders. The world goes still, and you know you have to make a decision. You can either join Jungkook and Fiona, or you can stay with Jimin.
With one last breath, you make your decision...
~~~
A/n: Good news and bad news. Bad news, ITDOW is almost over :( Good news, I finished writing it. It'll be 40 chapters, and each chapter is written + edited. That means I'll be updating it daily, so be ready for that! Hope you guys are enjoying this.