I didn't know what to do, should I bring it up to them when they are both sober? For now, I would just stay silent. I walked back into the main room, Eve and Junsu have both passed out and are sleeping on the floor.
Seungmin looks sad so I decide to approach him, "What's wrong?" I giggled, he started humming a song I don't recognize, "Dance with me? I feel awesome right now" He smiles brightly and laughs. After all of the chaos that has come about tonight, I might as well "You know what, sure. Let's dance" I laugh.
I don't even know what kind of dancing this is, at first we are just moving about in a random array, now we are doing some fast form of the waltz. Seungmin starts singing a random song and does the dip with me. I stand up and smile at him.
I don't know why but I lean in and kiss Seungmin's cheek only to feel instantly awkward following this action. I step back and both of our faces redden.
Morning...
I wake up to a shrill scream, I jump up and realize I was hugging Seungmin in my sleep. "Seungmin!" I yell "Wha-What?" He groans, obviously feeling the effects of last night. "I heard a scream!"We both rushed into the main room, my jaw dropped at the sight before me.
Eve, Olivia, Sophia, Liam and Junsu were all huddled in the middle of the room on their knees, there was a group of men surrounding them displaying knives, then I noticed something. The main leader of the group of cannibals Seungmin and I saw at the town was here - and so was Noah.
As Seungmin and I walk in Noah's smile widens, all eyes are on us now. "What the hell?!" I scream.
I try to go up to our group in an attempt to get them up and away from the crazed cannibals. A random guy comes up to me and shows me his knife, not looking afraid whatsoever to use it. Seungmin pulls me back by my arm.
"What's going on?" Seungmin questions Noah sternly. "We're going to play a little game," Noah laughs evilly. "Rina here is going to answer questions if she does not answer we are going to cut each of your limbs off and eat them" Noah laughs psychotically with his left eye twitching.
Noah grabs me by my arm, the knife in his other hand. "Why are you doing this?" I ask blankly. His face becomes stern, "You took my power away from me, I had so much power controlling these idiots - only to have you come in and take it away from me. You toy with Seungmin and Liam making them follow you like lost puppies!" He seethes. "I was getting angrier and angrier, then you exiled me - ME! HA! I knew I had to do something. I burned your cabins down to the ground. I wanted to kill you and that stupid cat you obsess over! I brought that herd of zombies here" He laughs.
I look around for Sammy, he is trapped in the middle, and Sophia is holding him and stroking him to be calm. "You killed him. You fucking murdered him!" Liam screams, "That little brat had it coming to him, he never used to comply with my orders" Noah growls. Noah murdered George, a twelve-year-old child.
Liam lunges for me before he can get to him, some random guy with red hair pushes him back and knocks him out cold.
"You're doing all of this for power?" I state I look around at everyone Sophia is in tears, Olivia can't stop shaking. Junsu looks utterly heartbroken.
"I no longer need power over you! I went to find those cannibals you were talking about, I found them and they welcomed me. Said they'd help me get revenge - they gave me all the power I want and more." He replies.
"Get on with it!" The old leader guy barks.
"Rina! Tell me, what is Olivia's biggest secret?" Noah grins. I look at Olivia and she looks alarmed as if she doesn't know how much I know, "I-I.." Some guy walks behind Olivia and pulls her arm ready to cut her arm off. She stares at me wide-eyed.
"She-She secretly dated Sophia's ex!" I stutter, Sophia looks up at Olivia shocked. Sophia looks back up at me. "I know there's something else, come on Rina. Unless you want us to use your friend's arm in a stew!" He growls.
"I saw Olivia and Sophia kiss each other.." Noah looks up at me with a sly smile. "You-You saw, Rina?" Sophia asks with a pale face.
"Next! Onto the Blonde bitch!" Noah snaps his head to Eve, she looks up at me and shakes her head vigorously signaling not to answer. Noah nods his head and the man slices a cut at the side of Eve's neck. "Okay! I'll tell you!" I panic.
"Eve killed her father's girlfriend" I whisper. Noah laughs, "Continue", "It-it was two years ago, it was in the summer. Eve's parents were fighting a lot, she found out her dad was having an affair. He-He said he would stop so she never told her mother - he never did stop. Eve's mental health was suffering a lot. She got addicted to painkillers. One day she showed up at her dad's girlfriend's house, she demanded she stop seeing her father, she refused saying that she was in love with him - that-that he was going to leave her mother for her. Eve snapped and attacked her, she whacked a vase over her head and-and.. killed her. S-she called me, I-I helped her cover it up.. No one found out, we made it look like she took off" I finished with tears spilling from my eyes.
"So you're a murderer then?" there is a strange glint in Noah's eye as he says this. "Now, how about the finale, huh?"
Noah nodded to Seungmin, two guys grabbed him and shoved him to where Noah pointed making him kneel. Noah nodded to grab Liam, he had gotten shook back to consciousness.
"Now. These are your two love affairs. I must say Rina you are awfully greedy, keeping these two pretty boys all too yourself." He shakes his head tutting.
"Choose one," Noah says blankly. "What?" I question. "Choose the one you want to live, the other will die" Noah sneers. "NO! I can't!" I say shakily.
"It's really easy, isn't it fellas? Which one of you wants her more?" He giggles creepily. Seungmin and Liam look at each other. "Choose, you have thirty seconds!"
"What?!" I start panicking looking back and forth.
"I couldn't. I can't!" I scream at Noah with my eyes brimming with tears. "If you don't choose I'll kill both of them!" Noah growls. My head starts becoming dizzy, I can't do it.
My thoughts are interrupted by a voice "Noah. What are you doing.. we are your friends. We- I looked up to you" Junsu says with a horrified expression. Noah's face hardens, "There's nothing I can do, Junsu! This is it - if you don't want the same fate as them, join us! You'd make a great addition, it's amazing. Everything you could possibly want!" Noah gleams with an evil glint in his eyes.
I expect Junsu to decline Noah's offer to be a part of a cannibal group, "Okay... I'll-I'll join" Junsu replies shakily, my heart drops. "Junsu! No! Don't do this!" "Stop!" We all plead and sob with him.
Noah smirks, "Okay, now time to prove yourself.. force her to choose one of them then you will be accepted" Noah ushers Junsu his machete and patting him on his back encouraging him.
Junsu approaches us slowly with the machete in his handshaking. Suddenly Junsu turns around to face Noah once again, "I'm sorry" he states and lunges for Noah stabbing him in the abdomen, Noah falls back and just stares into Junsu's eyes, he starts regurgitating blood.
The other "Guards" run to restrain and most likely kill Junsu, Seungmin roughly sticks his leg out tripping a guard who is approaching Junsu, the guard lands face first leaving his head exposed he slams the back of his heel against the backside of the guard's head. I hear a crack and know that killed him.
Such a fragile thing in the human skull. Liam quickly grabs the knife from the guard on the floor and stabs another guard running to Junsu, next he struggles to break his restraints and quickly gets Seungmins's than everyone else's off.
We are all in a circle surrounded by them - they easily outnumbered us before - however after Noah and two others dying we break even.
Junsu still has the machete, Liam has another knife and Olivia seems to have grabbed a random weapon.
The leader of the cannibals has spoken up "Impressive" He smiles. "Get them," He says, speaking sternly to the other guards. One grabs a hold of Olivia and she struggles against him as he is immensely stronger than her.
I kick him in the shin as hard as a can causing him to falter slightly, just enough for Olivia to take a slice at his throat - fatal.
I look over - everyone else is fighting, I notice the leader smash one of our lanterns on the floor causing a fire to start. It wouldn't be a big deal if the ranger's station wasn't made of wood!
What is this guy a pyromaniac? One of the guards started to notice the spreading fire and ran out retreating. There's just one guard left by the time he stops harassing us and notices the fire it's too late. Eve pushes him against it.
All we hear is his agonizing screams. "We need to get out of here!" I scream and two walls are completely lit on fire.
We push the door open, it's consumed by a ring of fire. We all start running through it. We make it out then I notice something seems wrong. I look around "Sammy! Where's Sammy!" I panic, Eve, Sophia and Olivia all look at each other mortified.
They forgot him. I run back to the door which has become more consumed. I hear everyone's scream from behind me. "Sammy!?" I cough through my sobs.
I hear small meows coming from underneath the fire engulfed desk. I kick the desk over and grab Sammy.
By now the door is too engulfed for me to escape safely. Sammy could get out unharmed if I threw him. I throw him and he lands safely outside.
My breathing is terrible now I can barely stand. There's no way I could break the window to escape. Suddenly I found myself collapsed on the floor. A wooden beam falls next to me and fire is slowly spreading.
Is this it? Am I going to die? I laugh bitterly slightly. I die saving someone I love, my cat. Most people who call me insane - valuing his life over mine. One last tear I promise myself as one slips from the edge of my eye. I close my eyes and feel the smoke consume my lungs completely making the world go back
I open my eyes, my ears are blaring causing me pain. I look up and find I'm looking up at Sophia's teary sunset-colored eyes.
"Sophia?" I squint, this reminds me of a familiar picture when that psycho Noah tried to kill us all in a fire - and now this time his boss has.
"Oh my god, Rina! You idiot, why would you let yourself die?" She sobs. I lift myself up from her lap and hug her, then I feel Olivia and Eve's comforting arms join in.
We watch as the place that has become our new home burns to the ground for the second time after the cabins were burnt down.
"Sammy?" I ask Eve, she laughs, "He's fine, we caught him - he's with Seungmin". "Who got me out?" I question, "All of us except Junsu because he was injured" She explains.
I look over to find Liam and Seungmin sitting next to Junsu.
Seungmin has Sammy in his arms. "What's wrong with Junsu?" I question. "He got stabbed in the fight". I look at Junsu and notice he has been stabbed in his thigh.
"Seungmin?" I say to get his attention, "We need to leave", "And go where, Rina? We have nowhere else" He replies exasperatedly.
"Away from here, Zombies will be attracted to this place, plus it's dangerous for us to be here. Look, those people must think we are dead. That's a good thing - they won't come after us. I'm sure they are still lurking around, if they find out we are alive they would come after us and you know it!" I say.
He sighs, "Okay, let's get everyone and leave. We can head for the convenient store - it's really far though".
Later...
We are all currently stumbling aimlessly in the dead of night in the woods, the sun has started to come up - only slightly though. We are incredibly vulnerable. Seungmin and Liam both need to help Junsu walk and have a hand on each of his shoulders.
Sophia, Eve, Olivia and I have all taken turns carrying Sammy as well which has proven to be difficult as all he wants to do is be put down on the ground. "Guys we need to rest - just for a little bit. Junsu can't handle it" Liam says clearly exhausted.
We all sat down in the trees in silence.
I closed my eyes and let my head fall against the back of a tree, Sophia has her head rested on my shoulder and Eve and Olivia are sitting together. I hear rustling, which is strange because I think we are all resting.
I'll just ignore it, I decide. Then I hear it again from Olivia sitting. "Olivia! What are you doing?" My head snaps in her direction.
She is very still and looks at me with widened eyes, I turn my head slightly to see what is the cause of this reaction. There is a huge German Shepherd dog growling at Olivia
My eyes go wide at the sight, I guess this is to be expected - since almost all the dog owners in the world have perished, dogs have been able to run rabidly and hunt for food.
The dog's eyes are large and have a crazed look. I slowly shake Sophia awake "Huh?" She asks in a daze. I gesture over to the dog. I wake up Liam and he wakes Seungmin.
"Don't move, anyone!" Sophia whispers yells. "Liam, how far are we from the store?" I ask not to take my eyes off the dog. "I-I don't know, maybe an hour. We were walking in the night. I couldn't see our surroundings" He stumbled out quickly.
The dog seems to have noticed Sammy in my arms and starts barking at Sammy. The dog starts approaching us and getting closer and closer. All of us have chosen to stay still not breathing too much.
Suddenly the dog charges at Sammy, just before it can get to him Seungmin throws a rock at the dog's head. "RUN EVERYONE!" He yells.
I grab Sammy and start running, everything has become a blur. I don't know where anyone is. I look back and the dog is going after me and I know it will get me. I take several sharp turns in an attempt to confuse the dog, it is slightly confusing. I take the time to start rapidly climbing a nearby tree.
I have to use one arm and I can barely get up, I push Sammy onto a branch and he stays. By now the dog is jumping up on the trunk of the tree trying to bite at my feet. I use all my strength and push myself to the top of the branch which just holds my weight.
After a few minutes of scratching at the tree bark, it seems to have lost interest and runs away. What am I supposed to do now? I don't know where everyone else is. I don't think it's safe for me to go down the tree right now but I need to find the group. I decide to stay up the tree with Sammy until I know it's safe, that rabid dog is still out there somewhere.
Later...
I decide to go down the tree and jump down with Sammy landing on my knees. I realize now I'm just wondering about the forest, but how am I to know where they are, should I try to go to the convenient store? I don't know what to do.
I hear rustling again, I hide behind the tree instinctively. I look and see Seungmin stumbling around. "Seungmin!" I yell and run to hug him. He hugs me back. "Where's everyone else?" I look up at him concerned. "I-I don't know, two more came out and chased us after that one chased you and Sammy. They seemed to have planned it" he explains.
"What are we gonna do?", He sighs, "Let's go to the convenience store. That was our original destination, they don't have anywhere else to go - I'm sure we'll meet them there" He offers a weak smile saying this.
Later...
All this time I've had to think my thought has completely consumed me, Seungmin has Sammy in his arms. I start panicking going over everything in my mind again and again, what if I never see them again? What will I do? What if something happened to them?
My breathing starts getting heavy and I can barely breathe, tears start streaming from my eyes. "Seungmin, what are we going to do? They'll all die, I'll never see them again. What if the cannibals or zombies get them-" I go on and on really fast.
I drop to the floor and hold my head in my hands, Seungmin places Sammy down and sits next to me, he hugs me but nothing is helping. My breathing becomes worse and worse as I go deeper into my panic attack.
"Rina... Rina" Seungmin's voice becomes more and more distant. All of a sudden I look up at Seungmin and he presses his lips to mine gently. My words are caught in my throat, my breathing stops and my eyes widen.
My heart flutters and tears gradually become slower as they fall. I close my eyes and focus solely on what's happening.
We both break away staring at each other, I look at Seungmin and realize he did that to calm me down because nothing else was working. I pick Sammy up from the floor. "I-... Eh... Thanks. For calming me down" is all I can force out with my face burning red. He nods and a slight blush creeps over his face. We both can't look each other in the eye.
We have now made it to the store. I see Sophia, Olivia, and Liam. I rush towards them and pull them each for a hug. I notice Eve and Junsu aren't here and panic. "Eve, Junsu?" I ask them.
Sophia and Olivia both look down, Liam clears his throat to speak up, "We don't know where they are. We all got split up. I tried carrying Junsu but those dogs came after us. I left Junsu with Eve and let them chase me instead." He speaks up.
"We need to go out and look for them," I walk to the door and Liam grabs my arm to stop me. "We can't, it's too dangerous. It's better if we stay here" He pleads.
"We don't need to know she's safe, she'd go out and look for me" I snatched my arm from his grip, clearly irritated. "Look, we'll go look for them tomorrow if they don't come back by nightfall. If all of us go out there it would be a massacre, the dogs are still out there. It might even prove to be more dangerous for them" He says exasperated.