Both car boats and regular motor boats that most of the villagers rode in had made it to the beach where the military base was stationed and overrun by Eaters. They were all just standing idle, eerily chomping their jaws when they heard the motor boats and began running around crazily until they didn't hear it anymore. The firefighters were the first to contact the sand, ax ready in hand. Mrs. Jeong, Ji-Hun, Park Seokjin, Mai Ling, Ye-Joon and I along with some of the villagers began walking quietly towards where the helicopters were stationed while carrying heavy sandbags on their backs. Hyunjin and his group in the car boat, along with other villagers on motor boats waited until it was time to react.
One female Eater was standing right in front of the helicopter's door, chomping its teeth at nothing. Mrs. Jeong reached into her pocket and pulled out a small plastic sandwich bag that contained the paste. She wore a thick glove and with the help of the firefighters, held down the Eater and shoved the paste in its mouth and forcibly held the mouth shut. We all watched in anticipation to see if it would work. The Eater shook a few times, but then finally relaxed. We all watched as a few worms slithered out of the bite wound on her arm, fell on the ground and died. She blinked her eyes a few times, dazed and confused. One of the firefighters addressed the wound on her arm where she became infected. Mrs. Jeong placed a finger over her lips to let the girl know to be quiet. She nervously nodded and allowed for her rescuers to help her to her feet.
I quietly slid the helicopter door open and was very thankful it was empty. I jumped in and helped the cured girl on board. Mrs. Jeong was next to get in, but in the pilot seat. The bags that contained the powdered cure were quickly loaded into the chopper. A few villagers also boarded, strapping themselves into the security steel loops to keep them from falling out of the chopper.
Ji-Hun took his group to the next helicopter and loaded up their chopper. Once everyone was situated, they began to take off, but not too high. Eaters began running towards the helicopter's sound, but then redirected their in the direction the choppers were headed. Hyunjin and the others waiting in the boats began their way towards the beach. Park Seokjin and I opened one of the bags and began shaking it over the Eaters that were not too far from him. Ji-Hun flew his helicopter in a different direction to spread the cure. To our amazement, many of the Eaters slowed down with their running and dropped to the floor shaking with foam from the worm crawling out of their mouths dissolving into liquid. The firefighters and some of the villagers run towards the cured Eaters to protect them from the ones that have already passed the point of being cured. Hyunjin and his large group began killing off the Eaters that couldn't be helped while some of the villagers took the newly cured people back to the safety of the boats. As a precaution, they were given the paste to eat.
We couldn't believe how many people we were able to save. Many of the people that turned back to normal insisted to help fight against those incurable Eaters. Jeju Island firefighters that were hiding below the safety of their station came out of hiding with blow torches to help us clean out the Island. After what seemed like forever, all the bags were empty with a huge survival success. Mrs. Jeong landed the helicopter and we all jumped off. We exterminated some Eaters and were able to help the newly cured people and address their wounds. I didn't realize where I was until I saw my grandparents demolished home. I couldn't help but start crying. Mrs. Jeong placed her hand on my shoulder trying to console me. I know that I have to get my shit together. We were on a mission and once it's complete, then I can mourn to my heart's content.
The people of Jeju Island gathered all exterminated Eaters and brought them down to the beach for the bodies to be burnt. Every worm that was found in the street was burnt to a crisp as an extra precaution. It took us such a long time to clean up the mess the military made by blowing up buildings and homes. Many bodies were pulled out from the rubble and cremated separately from the Eaters. Those ashes were placed in urns and placed in a memorial that was built in their honor. Hyunjin took the bodies of Yeona and Choon-Hee and had them cremated apart from the others and placed their ashes in two separate urns. He wrote their names on it and placed it side by side in the memorial. He leaned his forehead against the glass, closed his eyes and sighed. He apologized to them over and over asking for their forgiveness because he felt that he failed to protect them. We all know that's not the case, but it was something that Hyunjin had to overcome.
My grandparents were also cremated and placed side by side behind the glass in the memorial. I sat there for I don't know how long talking to them. I apologized to them for my mother, my little brother Nolan, for their deaths, for everything. I let out all of my emotions that I kept bottled up for so long and cried for many hours. Hyunjin came to pick me up like he always did. We went to join the others to eat then begin working together to clean up the rubble on the island.
THREE YEARS LATER
Our lives here on Jeju Island have gone back to normal and thriving. Everyone that was once infected now thrived and went back to normal lives. Many reopened their shops while others helped rebuild homes. Hyunjin, Ji-Hun and Mrs. Jeong had formed a new military to keep Jeju Island and the rest of South Korea safe. The ingredients for the cure were produced vastly and we were able to cure the rest of South Korea. It was insane for many were beyond help and had to be exterminated so it feels weird going to Seoul, a once active and the place to be city and not seeing anyone for about almost ten blocks radius. We had no idea what was going on with the rest of the world. We were discussing traveling to our neighboring countries and helping them. However, too much time has passed by and they would be beyond help if infected and we shouldn't take that chance and get killed. Instead, we used our military radio to try and reach survivors outside of our safe haven. Mrs. Jeong took some newly recruited military men and women with her on the very yacht that we arrived in and were successful in finding survivors that were lost at sea, infection free. There was a family of parents with five children from Japan that were brought back, given the cure as a precaution, a home and food. They were so grateful and immediately began working with us to rebuild. We learned that three of the children weren't theirs, but nieces and nephews who lost their parents to the virus. The husband kept a journal of everything that happened to them from the beginning. Copies of his journal were made for everyone to read. We had to make sure that everyone's story was documented so no one ever forgets what had happened to our world when all this becomes just a memory of the past. Like in our history books. We had ample amounts of the cure available everywhere.
TEN YEARS LATER
The entire world was back on their feet, Eater free. The Korean currency was distributed evenly to everyone in the country due to many lost lives, their money was taken and calculated to benefit the survivors. We were able to contact other countries and distribute the cure so that they can restart civilization. It took a long time, but everyone was back to normal.
When we first started to branch out, we had run-ins with bad people who tried to take the cure from us to control people. This type of ignorant behavior was expected. However, this tactic didn't work out well for them. If there is one thing that we learned from this experience is not to take shit from power hungry idiots. I don't get people. I really don't. I guess having this power makes their balls hang heavier for men? Tits bigger for women? It boggles my mind how people come to this conclusion. Instead of working together and rebuild, they jump in the idea of making slaves of good innocent people just so that they could feel big, feared and significant. What a crock of shitheads. None of us hesitated to put a bullet in their head and call it a successful day. Clearly they don't belong in our new world. We were also able to rescue the good people from these horrible camps and bring them back home with us. We also had to exterminate some Eaters that were kept locked up for entertainment purposes. You know, I don't know what is worse? The Eaters or the living who have the ability to make decisions. At least we knew what Eaters were about. But, people who know right from wrong chose to do the latter? Unfuckingbelievable. They aren't our first encounter and definitely not our last.
We've been in touch with other military bases from around the world. The satellite has been running and everyone has the internet again. Children are back in school and gaming. Adults are working in corporations or have their own business such as cafe's, restaurants, bakeries and factories. Malls and movie theaters have reopened as well. Buses, trains, and taxi drivers are running again. Delivery cycles are on and about. Construction workers, electricians, plumbers and water ferry drivers were back to work as well.
Hospitals have slowly built their way back up and thriving. Marriages and births are up on an all time high. Our police force hasn't arrested anyone in years for any major crimes. Those with disorderly conduct stay at the precinct jail until they see a judge and have to pay a hefty fine. All the prisons are completely empty.
Farmers are our biggest pride. Many students volunteer for the experience and once they graduate, they seek employment at the same farm they worked at.
Those actors that survived opened schools for those interested to take acting lessons. We get to see new faces acting on the big screen or on the television. There were Kpop idols that survived and opened auditions for singers, rappers, dancers and songwriters. Now stadiums are sold out to watch performances. I know because I have been to quite a few with Mai Ling, Louisiana and Mrs. Jeong. It's amazing how our lives have returned back to normal.
I sat at the beach with Mai Ling watching our children play in the water. Hyunjin and I got married five years ago and had twin boys who just turned four years old. Mai Ling and Ye-Joon married a few months after Hyunjin and I did. They have an adorable three year old adorable daughter. "Be careful Baek-Hyun," I called out to my son. He was always up to something and didn't bother to be discreet about it. Nothing like his twin brother Jungkook who was more discreet when he was up to no good.
"Hi, sorry we're late," Louisiana sat down slowly, careful of her baby bump while her daughter ran towards the kids to play with them. Louisiana is my sister in law. Yes, she married Ji-Hun.
"You're right on time Lou," Mai Ling smiled while she eagerly rubbed Louisiana's baby bump. She was due in another week and wanted to enjoy the beach before she went into labor.
"Hey, are any of you ladies going to help me here?" Mrs. Jeong said while she struggled holding bags. I immediately jumped up to help her. I could tell by the two bags I carried that Mrs. Jeong had made kimchi. I'm surely going to stuff my face. "Where are your husbands?"
"Hyunjin had some work things to finish up before joining us," I said as I settled the bags on the sand. Mai Ling had unfolded the folding table and chairs. She then placed a table cover over it. Louisiana stood up and began placing the tupperware of food on the table.
"Ye-Joon is on his way," Mai Ling said with a smile.
"Ji-Hun should almost be here," Louisiana rubbed her back. "Ugh, my back is killing me. I can't wait to have this baby then that's it. No more babies."
We couldn't help but laugh because we all knew too well how she felt. Last night Hyunjin brought up having more children and I quickly changed the subject. He's lost his damn mind! However, in a way I understand that he wants a daughter badly. He loves the boys, but he wants a little girl to dote over. Everytime he sees Mai Ling and Louisiana's daughters, he gets baby girl fever. I know that eventually I will give in and try for that little girl. Just talking about it shows that I'm reconsidering.
"Look at my grandchildren," Mrs. Jeong lovingly watched the kids. "I'll go get them so that they can eat." As soon as the kids saw her, they squealed with excitement then ran to her. She bent down to hug them all, placing kisses on top of their heads. We may not share the same DNA, but we were family irregardless. Upon Louisiana and Ji-Hun insisting, Mrs. Jeong agreed to live with them. I don't think she had any other choice if I'm being honest here and she knew she didn't.
After our husbands arrived, we all sat at the table talking, laughing and eating. My heart swelled and my eyes became teary watching the scene that I thought I would never experience after the virus outbreak. When I think about all the close family and friends that we lost. My mother, my little brother Nolan I think would have been 23 years old right now. My grandparents, Mr. Wu and Mr. Jeong. I turned to look at Mai Ling who was laughing along with Mrs. Jeong who had her daughter on her lap feeding her. We are the only survivors left on floor three from Itaewon. We came such a long way that it all seems like a dream to me. I can't believe that I'm sitting here in the open with my family and not having to worry about being attacked by Eaters. It just seems surreal.
"Are you ok?" Hyunjin's eyebrows furrowed in concern. Jungkook and Baek-Hyun were sitting next to him, stuffing their faces.
I smiled and placed my hand on the side of his face. "I'm fine. Just thinking." I slowly placed my hand back on the table.
He looked at me then turned his gaze at everyone at the table then back to me. He smiled. He already knew what I was thinking. There was no need to ask. Hyunjin placed his hand over mine, squeezing it lovingly. Everyone carried on in conversation enjoying the warm breezy day at the beach.
THE END