jinwoo
"I THINK we should go get something to eat."
I look up from the television and glance over at Minho, standing at the edge of the couch.
"I mean, you should eat something." He sits down on the couch and looks into my eyes. "I know you're hungry. And you've only eaten once since waking up, you know, and that's not really enough. I can help you tonight and teach you about how... about how we're supposed to eat."
"Okay," I say quickly. "Yeah, we should do that. I want to."
Minho hesitates. "You want to?"
"Yeah," I tell him. "You're right, I am hungry. And... if I'm gonna have to live like this, I'm gonna have to learn how. I can't just starve again."
"No," Minho answers. "You can't. I don't want you to get to that point again."
I nod silently.
"Alright, let's go then." He stands up.
I follow suit and we move out of his house. He makes sure there's no one around before leading me through the streets.
"Where are we going?" I ask.
"Just to the bus stop," he tells me. "We'll take the bus toward the edge of town. It's where I usually go."
I continue following him until we get to a bus stop, lit up by a single lamppost above the bench. Minho and I sit down together and wait for the bus.
"So... how does this work?" I ask quietly.
Minho takes a deep breath. "I mean, your instincts will help you through everything but... it's not the best thing. It's not very fun to talk about, either."
"I just... I've never done it," I say. "I don't even know where to begin."
"You'll understand," Minho assures me. "I'll help you find someone and when we do, you'll just have to get them into an alley and... knock them unconscious. It's easier that way and they won't, you know, scream and stuff."
I nod slowly. "This is... horrible."
"I know," Minho says. "And I hate having to do it, but that's how we have to live and survive."
"It's such a horrible way to live, though." I shiver. "Killing people just to eat..."
"Don't think about it too much, okay?" He tells me. "Just let your instincts take over and feed. You need to. It's what we have to do to survive."
I nod. "Okay. I'll try."
We stay silent and a few moments later, a bus rolls up. Minho and I step onto it, heading toward the middle of the bus. There's only two other people on the bus, sitting near the front.
I don't say a word the entire ride and neither does Minho. I look down at my hands and glance over at Minho watching the world go by beyond the bus windows.
I'm nervous. I don't want to admit it, but I am.
I'm about to kill someone.
Who wouldn't be scared?
When the bus rolls up to a stop near the edge of town, Minho and I are the only ones to disembark.
Once the bus has left, continuing on its path, Minho gestures for me to follow him.
We start walking down a sidewalk next to an empty road. There aren't many lights so it's very dark.
As we're passing a small area on the right with dumpsters, Minho turns to me.
"Once you see someone walking this way, follow them. And when they're right by this area, push them into here. That's where you'll do your feeding."
"What if no one comes?" I ask.
He shrugs. "I'm sure someone will. But if not, just come back. I'll be around the corner."
He slips into the shadows in the dumpster area so I take a deep breath and continue moving down the sidewalk.
Once I get to the end, I turn right to head around the large wall. As I continue walking, I see a large building on my right. There's a black door and it sounds like loud music is coming from inside. There's no sign or anything.
I pass the building and continue walking down the street until I get to an intersection. I glance around but I don't see anyone out on the streets.
Most people probably don't just walk the streets at night. They've got regular threats of Nocturas and gangs.
I turn around to head back toward Minho.
As I'm passing the building with loud music, I suddenly stop and turn to the door.
I wonder if it's some kind of club or something.
How many people would go clubbing in some old building near the edge of town on a Wednesday night?
I step closer to the door.
Then, without really thinking about it, I reach out and pull the door open.
I step into a small entryway. The music is much louder now.
There's another door in front of me and a small couch on the right. In front of the door, though, is a burly man with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Oh, hello," I greet the man.
He gives me a suspicious look before turning and opening the door wider.
The music is even louder now.
I give the man a small, nervous smile before stepping through the door.
There are stairs that lead down, lit up by red lights. I follow the stairs down and see it opens up into a larger area. There's a large bar toward the right of the large room and a DJ on a stage on the left. People are dancing near the DJ booth or lounging around on the couches or drinking at the bar.
It is a club. And there are a lot more people than I thought there would be.
"Hey, handsome."
When I feel a hand snake around my arm and squeeze my shoulder, I turn around to see a woman standing there.
She's wearing a lot of makeup that make her bright, blue eyes stand out. She's smiling at me with her full, pursed lips. Her blonde hair is pulled up in a messy bun.
"You don't look like the type to go clubbing on a Wednesday night," she comments with a smile. "What's your name?"
I swallow nervously. "J-Jinwoo."
She giggles and takes a drink of whatever is in her glass. "What a cute name. My name's Anita."
As she leans in closer to me, I can smell the alcohol on her breath. And I can also smell that she's human. She smells sweet.
I help steady her so she doesn't fall.
A wave of hunger washes over me.
"Why are you here, Jinwoo?" She slurs her words as she grins at me. "You don't seem like you would be here. Why'd you come here?"
"I... I don't really know," I answer honestly. "But maybe... maybe we should get you out of here."
Anita giggles. "Maybe you're right. Just let me get another drink. Do you want something?"
"No," I say. "But I don't think you should be drinking anymore. You've had plenty."
She clings to my arm. "There's a back entrance over there." She points to it. "Lead the way, my prince charming."
I carefully lead her through the crowds of people toward the back door she was talking about. Once we're outside, I can feel how fresh the air is.
I look around and see we're on the side of the building and the dumpsters are just down on the left.
"Let's go this way," I tell her.
I begin leading her toward the area with the dumpsters. Her heels click on the sidewalk as she takes clumsy steps, holding onto my arm tightly so she won't fall.
Once we get to the area with the dumpsters, I take a deep breath.
Somehow I've got to get her unconscious. How am I supposed to do that? Hit her head really hard? Throw her onto the ground?
Her smell washes over me again and this time I feel even hungrier.
"Jinwoo, what's going on?" She looks over at me.
I feel my eyes change as I look back at her.
Suddenly, her eyes widen and she sobers up just a bit.
"You're a—"
Before she can finish, I throw her into the dumpster area.
She slams against the wall before crumpling to the ground.
"Jinwoo!" Minho whispers. "Where the hell were you?"
I ignore him as I move past and lean over the woman. I turn her onto her back and open her blouse. My fingers delicately trace over her rib cage until I can feel her heart beating underneath.
I bring my teeth down onto her chest and feel the blood begin to fall across the woman's chest. I feel her life essence move up into my mouth and through my veins. I feel stronger and healthier already.
Once I've drained the life out of her, I slowly stand up and wipe my mouth. Minho hands me a small cloth for me to wipe my mouth with.
I feel my eyes change back to normal as I wipe my mouth with the cloth.
"Thanks," I say to Minho.
He sighs. "What took you so long? I was starting to get worried."
"I couldn't find anyone," I explain. "So I went into that club. And she came up to me. And I thought it was a pretty good opportunity."
Minho takes a deep breath. I think he's going to say something, maybe reprimand me for going into a club, but he decides against it. "Okay. Well, now you know how to do it."
I turn to look back at the woman. She looks cold and pale and... dead.
I did that.
"Don't look at her." Minho moves my head to look at him. "This is what we have to do, okay? If we don't eat, we'll die. That's just how life works. And it's what has to happen."
I nod. "Yeah. I know."
We walk out of the dumpster area and head back toward the bus stop.
"What do you want me to do with this cloth?" I ask.
He takes it from me and stuffs it in his pocket. "I'll wash it later. I always take one to clean myself up and then it's really easy to wash it back home."
"Okay."
We sit down at the bus stop and begin waiting for the bus.
"Don't think about it too much, okay?" Minho asks. "You've done it before. And I know this time was different, but just try not to think about it. It's our life."
I nod but I don't say anything.
I can't get the image of that woman lying dead, her life taken away because of me.
Anita.
Her name was Anita.
And I killed her.